[Written for a prompt by crime . Word count – 1000 words]

The evening sun glinted off the alternate black and white squares of the marble-top chessboard. More than the game itself, one often found themself immersed in their own reflection in its polished surface.

However, Shira failed to succumb to the chessboard's fine craftsmanship that particular evening, owing to the fact that the black side's Bishop posed a threat to her white Knight.

She moved a Pawn two paces forward, before rotating the board to occupy the black side. Playing a game of chess against oneself forced the player to calculate moves for one side, while altering the other colour's strategy accordingly.

Just as Shira had completed castling on the white King's side, the mobile phone on the coffee table nearby buzzed.

About time, she thought, heading over to view the notification on the phone. Although she seldom allowed for distractions during a game, work occasionally intruded.

Kvest had been delaying long enough with their mail, which they had promised Dr Kaganov would receive for consultation as soon as their new line of escape rooms was inaugurated.

Picking up the phone and reading the text message on the screen, however, Shira realised that Kvest Escape Rooms was not the source of the message.

"I know what you did".

The single line of text stared back at her. A frown creased Dr Kaganov's forehead as she failed to place the number that had sent it. What complicated things further was the fact that she had done several things.

I served in the armed forces. I moved to Russia. I designed escape rooms.

She eyed the number of the sender, which had an Israeli code if her memory served her right.

The text that followed ended all desire in Shira to return to her game of chess.

"General Ashkenazi, may he rest in peace."

Kaganov ignored her quickening pulse as she calmly sat back down in front of the chessboard, placing the mobile phone absentmindedly on the board's surface.

She took a deep breath to regain her composure, which had been disrupted by a simple text message from an unknown sender.

"The general was found dead a month after the battle. Two months after your little experiment."

Shira swiftly picked up her phone at the third message and typed back furiously.

"Who is this?"

"Doesn't matter. It's been six years since we last spoke, Shira. I just wanted to reconnect.
And bring you news from the land you deserted."

"Reconnecting isn't my priority, thank you."

"How about just connecting? After all, connecting with people through the unconscious mind is your forte, isn't it?"

The stranger paused for a second, and as though satisfied that Shira was intently reading the messages, continued.

"After six years, I'm still curious. How does it feel to have played with a soldier's mind and facilitated a grand loss for your country?"

Shira shut her eyes as her fingers fumbled around the white Queen on the board in front of her.

Experiments. That's all they had been.

In all her years of service in the IDF, including her latter years in the Malat, Dr Kaganov had never been convicted of it.

Yes, there had been rumours. Yes, people suspected her of toying with a general's mind and persuading him to take a catastrophic decision. Yes, they had lost a major territorial battle because of that decision.
But there had never been conclusive evidence to prove Dr Kaganov's treason towards her country. Of course, the IDF had suspended her from duty nevertheless, lest the rumours tarnish the reputation of the armed forces.

Shira glanced agitatedly at the phone, where the text remained staring at her accusingly.

Had they been only rumours though?

Her office in the IDF administration building, the dark leather sofas facing each other, the general who took a seat opposite her...
It all came back to her as though it was last week.

"The lack of security on the eastern border seems to be your main cause of distress, General."

"The eastern front is not a weak point. I'd rather station the troops at the north."

Dr Kaganov's experiment was simple. Would a high-ranking military officer take military advice from a psychologist, while undergoing counselling sessions for severe PTSD?

If not, how could the psychologist convince the general to take certain decisions? To what extent could the unconscious mind be harnessed, such that otherwise powerful individuals executed the wishes of those with lower ranks?

Hypnosis.

Dr Kaganov's research in the field had been widespread, even controversial, with several IDF officers scorning her work in  'mind-control.'

Integrating the technique of hypnosis during her counselling sessions with General Ashkenazi (unbeknownst to the government, of course), she had been able to significantly influence his decisions, on and off the battlefield.

Her experient culminated in the general repositioning an entire troop of soldiers on the eastern border, facilitating a major territorial loss with the neighbouring enemy.

General Ashkenazi was stripped of his title after a military trial, which declared the loss of the battle as a consequence of his decision.

What they failed to factor in were the unconscious suggestions that Dr Kaganov had been planting in the general's mind for over an entire month.

His death a week after the trial, presumed to be the work of the government itself, was not something Shira celebrated.
Unfortunately, deaths and losses in war were inconsequential in the face of scientific experiments.

She had done it simply to prove a hypothesis, and not as a result of a bribe from the Russians, as some crude rumours suggested.

Shira inhaled sharply before taking possession of the phone that had laid forgotten for a moment.
Her fingers moved across the keys, composing a single line in reply:

"Science has no country."

It was only a moment before a message flashed across her screen again.

"Your experiments on real human beings...
It's something I never understood, Shira."

Dr Kaganov smirked at the moral-laced message.

"That's another reason why we never got married."