Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(75)

I had to focus. I kept one mindful eye on the tracker inside Addison’s head, and one on the contents of my own head.

Lexi, I want you to stop what you’re doing to Addison, right now.

This time it was my turn to grin. I was tired of these mind games, and for some reason, by concentrating hard on his presence, I was able to shove his demands to the side. I had full control over my actions. For the moment, anyway. I pushed away from the door, and stepped closer to him instead of backing away. “No… Ty… I won’t.”

Georgia had seven of the eight prongs tucked safely away. Addison still hadn’t moved. Not even when Jonas/Ty had shoved her head forward.

Behind me, the door rattled. Hurry, Georgia. I wasn’t about to let Georgia, and therefore Jack, know that I was now with Ty, or that others were trying to get into the room. We knew this might not go well. It was the risk we took. It was the risk I took.

Lexi, you do not have a choice. He slithered in and around my head like the serpent that he was. You will stop what you’re doing.

I didn’t know how, but I was completely capable of choosing not to follow Ty’s orders. Maybe because Jack and Georgia were taking up the bulk of the guest space inside my brain. I was able to sense Ty’s presence and at the same time keep charge of my own mental faculties.

Keys rattled. Whoever was on the other side of the door was coming in. I was in trouble.

Finally all eight prongs were tucked neatly inside the tracker. Georgia?

It’s me, Jack said. Georgia’s out for now. Tell me what’s going on. Did she succeed?

Yes. The prongs have been tucked away, but the tracker is still there. I searched my mind. Georgia was gone. Was she suffering a seizure? Jack was there, my constant. Ty was searching frantically. And there in tiny hidden spots was Jonas. Was he hearing my thoughts? Was he capable of shutting Ty out? Or had Ty taken over?

Jonas?

Nothing.

The door flew open behind me. I whipped around and backed up. Sandra entered, followed by two agents. I skirted around the bed to stand on the opposite side from Jonas/Ty.

Sandra is here, I said to Jack.

We’ve got to get you out of there.

Take care of Georgia. You know I’m not leaving without Addison and some answers.

Don’t do anything stupid, Lex.

’Kay.

“Why hello, Son,” Sandra said.

“Hi, Mom.”

Jonas? I begged.

I’m here.

I let out a large breath. Thank God.

She’s speaking to Ty. Ty thinks he’s got control of me.

How does she know he’s controlling you?

She assumes Ty’s inside my head and controlling me—and therefore you—because that’s what she programmed his tracker to do.

I don’t understand.

You will in a minute. We don’t have much time. You need to extract the tracker from Addison, if you can.

I don’t know if I can without Georgia. I’m not telekinetic.

Sandra walked over to Jonas, only I was pretty sure Ty was in control, and cupped his cheek. “You’ve done really well, Ty. Do you have control of Lexi?”

He shook his head.

“What do you mean? Why not?”

“I’m controlling Jonas, but she’s not responding.”

“Go get me Ty. Now!” Sandra ordered the agents. One reddened. He wheeled and left the room.

Lexi, listen. You can do this. You’d be surprised what you can do, Jonas said. I watched how you got the drug out of Jack’s head—the one that rendered him completely unconscious. And how you removed the fluid from Sandra’s brain. Heal Addison the same way. I’ll work to block Ty from seeing exactly how you work your magic.

This was impossible. I’d had Jack and Sandra puke out the foreign substance. This was not the same.

Sandra turned to me. “After everything I’ve heard, I’m surprised to see you here, Sarah.”

What was that supposed to mean? “Are you disappointed or pleased?”

“Oh, I’m pleased. Very pleased. And when Ty gets here, I’ll show you just how pleased I am. I thought for sure you’d be a coward like your mother.”





Chapter Thirty


I had too much to focus on to consider Sandra’s latest riddle. What could she possibly know about my mother? I spun the ring round and round on my finger. Keeping one eye on Sandra, I brought the image of Addison’s brain up as if I had a projector in my head. The tracker rested at the base of her brain, right where I had left it. The prongs were inside the device.

Her neurons were still a drab brown. Amber, but with no shine.

“I thought you would have Jack with you.” Sandra stared at me from beside Jonas. “Where is he?”

“I left Jack back at school,” I lied. “He would have slowed me down.” Jonas, standing behind his mother, nodded in approval.

Closing my eyes briefly, I tried to move the tracker. It shifted slightly. My heart began beating out of control. Could I be telekinetic on top of everything? Would removing this tiny metal object make me sick? If I became as sick as I’d been the night I healed Jack and Addison, or if I suffered some sort of seizure like Georgia, I was doomed. Sandra would have me.

Who was I kidding? I was trapped already. Hopefully Briana and Kyle were already safely on the outside with Jack and Georgia. No sense all of us going down.