Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(83)

Addison nodded. “We have to shut down their system and get the trackers out of everyone we can. When they brought me here and put that stupid thing in me, it was like I was unplugged. One second, I was fighting with Dia, the next, I felt a sharp sting to the back of my neck. Then, nothing… until I woke up and saw Lexi.” She lunged at me, throwing her arms around me and practically knocking me over. “Thank you for coming to save me.”

Addison was such a little girl at times, but her disappearing act was pretty cool. And would come in handy.

Addison backed away. I looked from her to Jonas to Jack. Worry swam in Jack’s eyes.

“So, it’s the four of us?”

“Actually, five of us,” Jonas said. “Briana’s here.”

“When Briana and Kyle came to the door last night, Kyle took Georgia to The Program to get help from Seth.” Jack glanced sideways at Jonas. “Briana stayed with Jonas.”

“But they got zero sleep last night while they studied the complete layout of this building.” Addison snickered. “She’s sleeping in Jonas’s closet.”

“His closet?” I wanted to laugh, but the situation was far from funny.

Jonas shrugged. “Thought the agents might stay out of my closet.”

“What’s the plan?”

Jonas pulled a packet of papers folded lengthwise from his back pocket. “I have a copy of a map of The Farm for each of you.” Unfolding the packet, he laid one across a table. We all gathered around. “We are here.” He pointed as he explained the layout. “From what I can tell, the tracker server is somewhere in this control room, which is connected to this lab. Lexi, your job is to get to the control room, which can only be accessed through the lab. I won’t be with you, but I can see everything you see.”

“What do they do in that lab?” I asked.

“That’s where DNA is studied, I think.”

I remembered the lab I saw when I first entered The Farm last week, but this lab was at least one floor lower.

“You’ll know the control room by the equipment around it. I saw it at one of the previous facilities. There’ll be at least three computers around the server. There will probably be some biometric security required to gain entrance to the lab, but the door to the control room will have even heavier security.”

“Like the blood kind?” I asked. I hated having my finger pricked. I much preferred when no one had to get hurt to open a door.

“Yes, like the blood kind. Or the eye-scanning kind. Or a thumbprint and blood kind. A key might be required. I just don’t know. Whoever discovers this room first will need to mindspeak to the rest of us. I’m pretty sure Briana is the only one who can’t actually speak to us, but she can hear the chatter when you direct it at her. I should be with her and will make sure she’s informed.”

Jack slipped his hand in mine again. The constant touch gave me hope that we would be together outside this facility eventually. He pulled me closer, urging me to turn to him. “I’m worried about you.”

I want you to come with me, but you can’t. I squeezed my fingers more tightly around his. If Sandra were to discover you here with me, I’m afraid she would stop at nothing to ensure we remained here. And I have no idea what it means that your father is here with her.

It means he’s a part of some plan of hers and probably has been for a very long time. Jack’s furrowed brows cast a certain darkness over his already stormy eyes.

“You don’t have to worry about Lexi,” Jonas said. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her.”

Jonas has become very protective of you.

I glanced down at our joined hands. Jonas had helped me understand a lot about who I was the past week. I’ve had to really work through a lot of trust issues where Jonas is concerned. I met Jack’s eyes again. A lot of my well-being is based on blind faith right now.

We wouldn’t be standing in this very spot if I didn’t feel it was necessary for our future, Jack said. And I would not have left you in Jonas’s hands if I didn’t trust that he had control over his own mind. However, if something seems even a little off, I want to know immediately.

I nodded. I think Jonas’s protectiveness of me is real. I’m lucky to have two strong people looking after me.

Jack dropped my hand and reached behind him. He pulled a small handgun around. “I want you to carry a gun.”

I backed away. “Absolutely not.”

“Listen to me.” He grabbed my forearm, stopping me from getting too far. “It’s loaded with rubber bullets. Unless you hit someone in the eye or in another weak spot, it won’t seriously harm them. But it could save your life and give you the chance to escape.”

I looked at Jonas. “What if they search me again and find it? They’ll know someone gave it to me.”

“You need to carry it. We’ll deal with that if it happens.”

I wrapped my fingers around the handle and lifted the gun in front of my face. I had such a horrible feeling about this.

“Take it,” Addison said. I turned and faced her. She was so young, but I had no idea what her childhood had been like. “Sandra is crazy. She came to Kentucky for one reason—you.”

Jonas stepped forward. “Well… and to get Addison back.” He stuffed his hands inside the front pockets of his pants. “The biggest thing we have going for us right now is that they think they have you, Lexi, even if only physically. Sandra is just arrogant enough to think you’ll join her team simply because you were created from her DNA.”