Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(50)

Parents who lived nearby showed up that day to remove their children. Cathy, Dean Fisher, and Dr. Wellington spent the afternoon on the phone. I began to suspect a trend. Armed with my computer and knowing no parent was coming to get me, I escaped to a spot on the top floor of the library. I scooted a club chair close to a window overlooking the main loading zone between the two dorms. Tucking my legs beneath my body, I curled up with my computer and began comparing Dad’s list of human clones with the parents who were arriving at Wellington that day.

Just as I suspected. The kids whose parents had arrived so far were not on Dad’s list. Just how many clones were at Wellington? I wondered. I scanned Dad’s records. He had noted names, aliases, and known locations. By my count, there would be about fifty students left when “regular” students were gone.

“Lexi.”

I turned in my seat at the sound of Jack’s voice. He looked dejected, tired. His face drooped, his shoulders hung forward. Shifting my computer to the chair, I stood. “What’s happened?”

“You need to come with me.”

“Where?”

“The infirmary.”

My heart sank. “Who?”

He didn’t answer. Just stared at the spot on the floor in front of him.

I packed up my computer and followed him wordlessly out of the library. His silence was all the proof I needed that something devastating had happened, and I knew not to ask questions.

The upstairs of the infirmary was equipped with twenty beds, all separated by curtains. About a dozen students injured by flying debris from the bombing were being treated by Wellington nurses and Midland EMTs. The murmurs of students recounting what had happened to them sounded like nothing more than a low hum.

“You’re scaring me,” I said to Jack as he led me past the injured.

He squeezed my hand and pulled me to the last bed on the left. Jonas stood off to the side and out of the way. Kyle leaned over someone in the bed, but I couldn’t see who.

“Kyle. Lexi is here,” Jack said.

Only when Kyle turned did I see the person in the bed.

“Dani?” I rushed to her side, opposite where Kyle sat. Her face was tear-stained. She glanced from Kyle to Jonas to me. “What happened?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Lex.” A tear ran down her face.

“What are you sorry about? Are you hurt? Have they called your parents?”

“Show her,” Jack said.

I glanced back at Jack. Jonas stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Show me what?” I asked, confused. Danielle wiped the tears from her face with her bare hand.

Kyle helped her lean forward. She turned her head to face him. Slowly, Kyle lifted her hair to reveal the back of her neck.

There, at the base of her hairline, was a small incision. My heart jumped into my throat. My hand flew to my mouth to smother my gasp. Reaching out my other hand, my fingers hovered just above what looked like two stitches. I looked at Jonas.

They inserted a tracker inside her, he said.

The air was knocked from me by that punch to the gut. “Who did this to you? When did it happen?”

“I found her unconscious on a bench outside the aquatics center after the meet was over.” Kyle rubbed Danielle’s hand while he talked. “She was on the side leading to the boys’ dorm. I carried her here. A few minutes later I heard the explosion.”

Jonas, who did this?

Had to be Sandra.

We can remove it, right?

He shook his head. Removing it will kill her instantly. I’m sure Sandra counted on me informing you of that.

“There’s more,” Danielle whispered. She reached into her pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper. “It’s addressed to you.”

Jack took three steps forward. “You didn’t tell me they gave you something.” He tried to snatch it from my hands, but I quickly shielded it.

After glaring at him, I unfolded the piece of paper and read the contents to myself.

“I found it in my pocket when I woke up,” Danielle said. “What does it mean, Lexi? I didn’t understand it.”

What does it say? Jack demanded.

I raised my head and stared at him through a waterfall of tears. They’ll kill Dani if I don’t turn myself over.

~~~~~

I raced down the stairs to the basement of the infirmary like I was running from another bomb. Only this time, the bomb was embedded at the base of my best friend’s skull, and I didn’t know how long the timer was set for.

Down here was The Program. And I wanted to know everything. About my true identity and purpose. About the other cloned humans. And about the adults calling the shots.

If I was going to turn myself over to Sandra Whitmeyer, I would go armed with the information that had been hidden from me most of my life.

I ran from door to door, attempting to open each one. When I tried the fifth door and it was locked, I kicked and pounded on the hard steel. I stepped back and looked up at the ceiling. When I saw the small camera above me, I began waving. “Hello. You wanted me? Well, here I am. So open the doors.” I wanted inside these rooms. I wanted to know—no, I needed to know— what The Program was all about. Why did everything come back to me learning about my creation? Why did Sandra want me so badly? Why had Seth insisted I be a part of The Program?

Unable to contain my rage, I screamed, then pounded on the door in front of me again until I could do nothing but sob.