Page 85 of Girl Betrayed

Jake’s brow furrowed when he tore his gaze from the screen to meet Dana’s. “You’re saying these priests were given a license to kill?”

“These are the first known Grim Reapers in history.” Dana had trouble keeping the excitement out of her voice. Though in her realm of study, this wasn’t a field she’d ever delved into before. But if she was right, this discovery not only held historical value, but it might also be the key to unlocking the most current nightmare plaguing D.C.

“Look at the names,” Dana said, using her cursor to highlight each one.

Martinian.

Dionisius.

John.

Constantine.

Malchus.

Serapion.

Maximian.

Jake’s attention snagged the last name. “Max is the only name on that list.”

“It’s not the names of our victims.” Dana split her screen to show both browsers. “The names of the first Grim Reapers, match the names of the Seven Sleepers.”

Jake blinked, confusion and disbelief creasing his brow. “What are you saying?”

“Christians believed the myth of the Seven Sleepers was a mockery of their religion. One they refused to let grow. Believing time was meant to devour all things, they sent Reapers, their ordained agents of death, after them. They believed only the death of all Seven Sleepers could rid the world of sin and restore their beliefs. Each took on the name of one of the Seven Sleepers and hunted them down to cleanse the world of their unholy sins.”

“So, some old priests went on a witch hunt to kill people with these unfortunate names to prove their religion was better?” Jake asked.

“That’s one way of putting it,” she replied. “But look at this.” Dana opened another tab. “The priests carved phrases into their blades so that, as Reapers, they wouldn’t have to see their own reflection in their blades when they killed.”

“Let me guess. ‘Life is death is life’ was the phrase of choice?”

“Yes!” Dana exclaimed, elated that Jake was getting it. “I think this means there’s going to be seven reapings.”

He frowned. “Three murders already, that means four more patients are going to be targeted.”

“Yes. But what I can’t figure out is how we make sure Claire isn’t one of them.”

“I think we start by finding this Max person,” Jake suggested.

Dana shook her head. “I think Dr. Dvita is the key. It was his DID research that led me to the Seven Sleepers.”

She quickly ran through how the psychologist’s lengthy research into a dissociative identity disorder known as Folie à deux—an uncommon psychiatric phenomenon where delusional ideas or behaviors are transferred from one to another or many others through hypnosis—brought Dana to the revelation of Seven Sleepers and the Grim Reapers.

Jake scratched his head. “I don’t follow.”

“The most famous case of Folie à deux involved a married couple who suffered a shared delusion derived from the Anatolian legend of the Seven Sleepers. The case resulted in the husband murdering his wife under the deluded pretense that she would be resurrected.”

Dana paused to pull up another article. This one was a publication singing Dr. Dvita’s praises for his research pertaining to Folie à deux. “He’s spent a lifetime researching the cultural and religious implications of this disorder. He believed it could be controlled and even cured through hypnosis. Jake, what if he’s taken it too far?”

He rubbed his face. “And what, subliminally brainwashed one of his patients into thinking they’re a Grim Reaper so they can wreak havoc on the city?”

“We saw him hypnotize Claire and bring forth some other identity.”

“Yeah, but what you’re suggesting is a leap.”

Dana crossed her arms. “Fine, let’s hear your theory then?”