Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(21)

Jonas pulled me along. We were obviously in a hurry to get away from whatever that was in the basement.

“So, that place extended beneath more than one building?”

“Yes.”

Yes? That’s it? I tried to wriggle my hand from Jonas’s grasp, but he just held it tighter. I tried to stop walking, but he pulled and caused me to stumble into him. “Jonas, stop. Let me go.”

He pushed through a glass door, and we were suddenly on a sidewalk, headed straight toward what I thought was UK’s main classroom building. Students walked about in every direction, probably on their way to or from evening classes.

When a couple of men in black suits rounded a corner ahead of us, Jonas slowed. He gestured toward a bench. Sit. Act like the other students.

I don’t know how to act like the other students. I don’t understand what just happened. He let go of my hand. I opened and closed my fingers, sore from his tight grip. My pulse thumped in my ears. I was sure I was about to go into a full-on panic attack.

Jonas turned to me. “Do you trust me now?”

Seriously? The men in black walked closer. Both were scanning the area. They looked clearly out of place. No, I don’t. Not even a little. You led me into what could have been a very dangerous situation. And have given me nothing in the form of—

Jonas cut me off by placing his hand on the back of my neck. He leaned in and kissed me just as the suits got closer. He. Kissed. Me.

And not a little kiss. A heart-stopping, deep, sensual kiss. My hands fisted against his arms, and I did not kiss back.

The two men stopped right next to us, and looked around. I wanted to shove Jonas away, but fear of drawing attention toward us prevented me from doing so.

Jonas loosened his grip on my neck just a little and pulled back. Bow your head away from them and giggle.

I did as I was told and shielded my face from view while giggling like a nervous little girl, but only because the suits scared me more than Jonas did. What did they want from me? What did Jonas want? I still didn’t know who ran Jack and me off the road, but it was plausible that men in suits came hand in hand with dark SUVs and my constant state of danger since school started. It appeared as if they operated right here on UK’s campus, in a facility that housed other clones like me.

Finally, the suits moved on. I turned slowly to verify they were really gone. When I was sure they were, I turned toward Jonas, stood, reared back, and punched him in the face, landing a sharp blow just under his left eye. “Asshole! Don’t you ever kiss me again. I am not yours to touch or kiss.”

“Why did you do that?” His fingers lightly grazed his cheekbone, wincing at the touch. “I was only helping you.” He stood. “And you have the mouth of a sailor. We’ll be needing to change that.”

“Uh… no. You don’t get to change or control me.”

Jonas raised a brow, and I squirmed under his gaze. He did seem to have some control. He had gotten inside my head, and I hadn’t felt it. Not even a little. Jack had taught me how to sense when he had been inside my head, but Jonas slipped in and out without a single flutter.

Jonas closed the distance between us. His tall, broad-shouldered frame dwarfed my tiny stature. “Did you learn nothing last night or this morning?” He reached around and placed a hand against the small of my back, bringing me closer. He whispered into my ear. “I can see everything you see. I hear everything you think. I smell your fear, and I feel your pain. I can force you to do exactly what I desire. Anything I want, Lexi. I own you.”

“And you desire that I stab my boyfriend?” I struggled against his hold. “Or kill myself in a freezing pool?”

A couple of onlookers stopped and stared. “You okay?” a passing guy asked.

Tell him you’re fine.

Without even thinking, I said, “I’m good, thank you.” I glared at Jonas.

“I never meant you harm. I only needed you to see the extent of your powers. Our powers. I needed to scare you… to make you feel the impact of true mindsiege.”

“Mindsiege?”

“A state of absolute mind control, where one person cuts off all logical thinking of another, and compels that person into complete surrender.”

I blinked at him. “Tell me what is going on, and tell me now, Jonas.” It had been difficult enough just to absorb the idea that both Jack and I had these healing powers and mindspeaking abilities—and then to find out, on top of that, that Kyle, Briana, Georgia, Jonas and Fred were also clones, seven of us in all… But now, multiples too? Dad’s research hadn’t mentioned multiple clones of the same DNA. “So, there’s a facility on campus where other clones live? Are they like us?”

Jonas tilted his head from side to side. “Yes, with some exceptions. Each of those clones has the ability to get inside your head—if that’s their mission. And if their mission is to force you to hurt someone…”

“Their mission? Are you telling me that it was your mission to make me kill Jack?”

“More or less, yes. But I already told you I would never have you hurt Jack.”

“That’s not an answer.” When Jonas only stared at me, I asked another question. “You said it was called The Farm. Why?”

“It’s a name the clones started using. They felt like animals being herded together and raised for a common purpose.” Jonas suddenly scanned the area. “We must go. This place is going to be crawling with undercover agents. And they’re all looking for you.”