Whispers in the Dark (KGI #4)(93)

It had been hours. While Resnick had gone to work pulling out every stop in his search for information, Nathan, Swanny, Joe and Steele’s team had scoured the streets of Charleston. They’d questioned people endlessly, until finally they’d hit pay dirt when an elderly man getting off a bus had mentioned seeing a young woman in extreme distress. He’d pointed them in the direction she’d gone, and from there, they canvassed a four-block radius until they’d found one witness who’d seen her getting into a black Toyota Avalon.

Resnick had pulled metro surveillance for that location, and sure enough, hours before, they saw a man forcing Shea into a vehicle. They’d even gotten a license plate number, which so far had yielded them exactly nothing.

“I don’t know, Joe. It’s…hard. You’ll feel what she feels. I don’t know how to prepare you for that.”

“Maybe not,” Joe argued. “You love her, man. You’re emotionally involved. What you feel for her and through her is magnified ten times. I like her, yeah, but I’m not in love with her. I don’t have the emotional connection to her that you have. Let me try at least. If I sense I’m causing her too much pain, I’ll break away immediately. That’s even assuming I can reach her. I don’t know how to do this shit.”

Nathan closed his eyes and breathed deep. Joe was right about one thing. They had to at least try. Whatever pain she endured leading them to her would be worth if it they could bring her safely home.

He’d failed to do the one thing he’d promised her. Keep her safe. It was an easy thing to promise. Something to make her feel safe. But they were just words, and he hadn’t been able to make that happen, even with the backing of KGI and his family.

Resnick was partially right. He, and his brothers, had no idea what they were dealing with. They were only just starting to understand, and they still didn’t have the entire picture.

Nathan put his hand on Joe’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Just focus on her. Think about her and remember what that pathway felt like. Then open your mind and call for her.”

Joe took a deep breath. “Okay then. I’m going to do it.”

Resnick stopped his pacing and moved in close to where Joe and Nathan stood with Swanny. Nathan’s lip curled in distaste, but Resnick was focused on Joe, watching as Joe drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Around them, the others leaned forward, some taking steps to get closer to Joe. There was intense curiosity but also determination on everyone’s faces. Quiet descended until the only sound that could be heard was breathing.

Joe sucked in his breath and then exhaled long and slow. He purposely blanked his mind in preparation. He didn’t want any distractions. This was important. Nathan was suffering. Shea was suffering. If he could somehow get through to Shea, then he could help them both.

He closed his eyes, and the rest of the room fell away. His awareness of the others became dim as he focused solely on that pathway to Shea. When he was completely relaxed and felt the sensation of familiarity, he sent out a cautious inquiry.

Shea? Can you hear me? It’s Joe.

He kept it short, fearful of causing her unbearable pain. He waited, his breath held, his fingers curled into tight fists.

At first there was quiet and then he felt a slight stirring in his mind. It was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. A burst of warmth, but with that warmth came a flood of terror, panic and clawing pain.

He flinched but held on to that pathway with every part of himself. Immediately he could see her surroundings. Felt what she felt. Experienced all she was experiencing.

She was being held in a long, plastic tube that opened from the top. Steel bands clamped around her wrists, ankles and neck. He could feel the horrible panic over the belief that she would choke.

Dear God. He didn’t even know what to do to try to make her feel better, to take away the awful fear that ate at her sanity.

She closed her eyes and everything went black. He could feel her battle to remain calm.

Open your eyes, Shea. Open them for me, sweetheart. Let me see what you see.

There were electrodes attached to her head. When she opened her eyes, he saw through them to the machines monitoring her brain activity. She was trying valiantly to keep her mind quiet, but one of the lines spiked too high and suddenly he was assaulted with an electrical shock that sent him to his knees.

He folded over, holding his stomach with his arms, and then he had to put one down to the floor to prevent himself from pitching forward.

“Oh my God,” he rasped out, each word laced with pain.

“What is it?” Nathan demanded. “Goddamn it, Joe, talk to me. What’s going on?”

Joe held up his hand to silence his brother. He couldn’t lose concentration now. Not now. He had to fix this. He had to find a way. He was so f**king furious that she was being treated like some kind of an animal that he wanted to kill someone.

He tried to soothe her, sending her waves of comfort and love, but it was hard when his mind screamed revenge and retribution. He forced the blackness away and brought to mind all the things that made him happy.

Summer rains. A good book in a hammock. A day of fishing on the lake. Hanging out with his brothers. Seeing his mom and dad again. Knowing that Nathan was alive and coming home.

Then he forced that comfort to Shea and once again spoke to her.

Nathan is with me. Try to remain calm. Don’t speak back to me yet. Just listen. Gather your strength. Focus on the one thing that will help us the most in finding you.