Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(59)

Suddenly, she stood straighter. Her eyes darted all around, not focusing on any one thing. “There’s a voice inside my head.” She listened for a moment, then her eyes focused on me. “I have a message for you.”

I stood straighter, grabbed onto the desk.

Danielle brought the gun down, cocked it, then pointed it at her head again.

My pulse raced. I felt lightheaded.

A lone tear ran down Dani’s cheek. “You have until tomorrow.”

To do what? I threw out to anyone who was listening. But no one had time to answer, because of what Dani did next.

She pulled the gun away from her head and pointed it straight out in front of her, aiming it at nothing at first. She twisted her body to the right. To the left.

Jonas started moving. Racing in front of Briana, he motioned for her to get down. He signaled likewise to Kyle. Jack and Coach already had guns cocked and in their hands. “Please don’t shoot her,” I pleaded.

I won’t do anything I don’t have to do, Jack replied.

Jonas got closer to me, and another tear escaped Dani’s eye as she met my frightened stare, took aim…

Jonas leapt.

Dani fired.





Chapter Twenty-Four


“Why are you not freaking out?” Jack asked.

“You would rather I did?” I stood on top of my dorm building and looked out on the entire front half of the campus. I kept one eye on the infirmary to my left, and another on Wellington’s front gate.

“I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

“Did you get Jonas all fixed up?” I asked.

“His shoulder is fine. I healed the torn labrum around the joint. He cried out like a baby.” I heard the smile in Jack’s voice.

“Dani was so upset. I left her sleeping. Kyle is with her.”

“Good.”

My eyes studied the lack of movement around the front gate. Yesterday, Sandra physically broke through the security barriers of Wellington, and today, she proved she was capable of powering through mental barriers, too.

Four guards stood at Wellington’s front gate—two inside the gatehouse monitoring security cameras, two in front of the actual gate. They didn’t appear to be armed, but according to Coach, they were each equipped with more than one firearm, a police baton, and most likely a knife of some sort.

I lifted my chin toward the front gate. “Did you know that before you arrived… I’m pretty sure the one or two security guards who stood at Wellington’s front gate were unarmed? Didn’t need the security.”

“Hmmm.” Jack moved closer and leaned his back against the railing, watching me.

“Did you also know that until about a month or so ago, I had a simple routine? I swam. I went to classes. I visited my Gram. I hung with my best friend. I drew and painted.” I sucked at the art thing, but it was therapeutic, giving me a creative escape when I needed it. And looking back on it all now, I liked my boring, normal life.

“That was before you met me. Now your life is exciting, unpredictable, and adventurous.” Obviously joking a little, Jack’s voice sounded upbeat for the first time all day. The warmth of his gaze begged for my attention.

“No, I didn’t know you,” I said. “What a distraction you proved to be.”

“Hey!” He knocked my arm playfully. “Are you saying you wish I hadn’t been there to heal your broken arm? Or to talk my friends into bulldozing the school’s brand-new security fence to break you out of here?”

I couldn’t help but smile at him. “Technically, I’m not sure I would have broken my arm if you hadn’t been in my way when I flew out of the girls’ locker room. And as far as helping me escape Wellington?” I cocked my head. “Have you looked around lately? We didn’t make it very far.”

Jack’s grin faded, taking the momentary light mood with it. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Wellington wasn’t the problem, only the people that had moved in.” I moved closer to him and ran my fingers along his chest, tracing the design on his concert T-shirt. “You also know that Sandra and the IIA want something that they apparently can only get from me.”

Jack circled his arms around me and brought my body flush with his. His chin rested on top of my head for a moment before he bent down and nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. “I know,” he whispered.

“These mind games… the IIA… Sandra… They won’t stop until they get what they’re after, or we’re dead.”

Jack’s hands began to roam. He pulled my body closer, if that was even possible. Cool air seeped under my sweater as his right hand slipped under my shirt. I wanted to curl up and escape until I only existed inside his arms. His breath tickled my ear. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Though Jack attempted to distract me with his wandering hands, I played back today’s incident in my head. “Something doesn’t add up with the way Dani took that shot, or the way Jonas leapt in front of me.” My body tensed as I said out loud what I had been thinking. Hopefully, Jack’s touch shielded Jonas from hearing my thoughts.

Jack sighed, releasing me a little. “What did Dani say?”

“She was too upset to talk about it. And I’m scared to put her in further danger. I can’t know for sure who’s listening in on our conversations.”