Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(90)

She pressed the key on the computer she said she wouldn’t push if I gave her what she wanted.

“No!” I sobbed. I struggled against Dr. DeWeese’s hold. My eyes fixated on the screen. The differently colored neurons that fired in and around Dani’s brain suddenly dulled, until no color was left—nothing but different shades of gray. All spark and flare gone.

“What did you do?!” I screamed. A rage not even I recognized exploded inside my chest. I stared at the lifeless brain. All activity had ceased. Uncontrollable tears streamed down my face. My mind reeled with murderous thoughts. I’d never felt such intense emotions for a living soul. Dr. DeWeese held tightly to my arm. I reached my other hand behind me and wrapped my fingers around the handle of the gun in my waistband, but didn’t pull it out just yet. “Let go of me right now.”

“Put her on the table.” Sandra sounded bored.

“There’s not enough time,” Dr. DeWeese said. “Let’s just take her to the truck. We can do the implant there.”

“There’s plenty of time for this tracker.”

“What does that mean?”

Sandra picked up the tracker and held it close for me to see. “This is the newest generation of my greatest creation—a tracker designed especially for you, Sarah. Designed to fit with what I know of your powers already. I’ll be able to modify it further once it’s synced with our computers. But this tracker will give you the power to cure your friends of the side effects they suffer from after using their powers. And your nosebleeds will be gone. There will be nothing you can’t cure.”

That’s what Seth meant when he told the others that Sandra had the ability to take their side effects away. Did Seth know that this was how Sandra could do it?

Sandra continued. “And best of all? This is a self-guided tracker. I’ll make one tiny incision at the base of your neck. The tracker does the rest. It will scan the surrounding tissue, then guide itself to its final resting spot while doing no harm to the delicate nerves around your spinal cord or your brain. Once the tracker finds the most optimal location, the prongs will deploy and burrow into place.

“Then, a quick stitch or two, and we’re done. Two, three minutes, tops. Now,” she motioned Dr. DeWeese with her hand. “Put her on the table.” Sandra turned and set the tracker back on the small tray.

I struggled in Dr. DeWeese’s arms, but he pushed me forward.

“Once she has the tracker implanted, we’ll link the tracker to the server, and she’ll have no choice but to submit. Then we can grab the hard drive, get the hell out of here, and move on to the next location.” She turned to me. “You’re going to love the new facility. It’s by the ocean. Given the username of “mylittlestarfish” you just gave me, I assume you like the ocean, Sarah?”

I squeezed my eyes closed. I hated this sociopathic killer.

“LAB WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN TEN MINUTES.”

Dr. DeWeese closed his arms around me and lifted. My back was to his chest. I tried to kick and fight my way out of his arms, but he only held me tighter. “Let me go,” I cried.

“No use fighting it, Lexi. There’s no way out of this now.” His voice in my ear sounded so similar to Jack’s. But he and Jack were nothing alike.

Lexi, we’re right outside the room. But we have no way in, Jack said.

Dr. DeWeese guided my body toward the exam table. The tracker that had been created specifically for me sat on the stainless steel tray. I glanced back at the screen, at the frozen image of Dani’s brain, a horror film paused with an image of the final scene before the hero swoops in and saves the day. Only there was no hero in this film. This film had been generated by Sandra’s very own dark imagination from a computer she’d created to have ultimate control over her freak-clones.

Dr. DeWeese urged my body closer to the table. With one final look at the screen, my body went limp. It’s useless, Jack. Dani is gone. They’ve got me. They’ve got the journals. You guys need to get out of here before this lab goes up in flames.

Don’t you dare shut down on me, Jack yelled.

I heard banging from somewhere on the other side of the door.

Are you freaking kidding me? You’re going to give up now? Jonas joined in. Get your ass moving. Stick that ring in Sandra’s neck and fight your way out of there. I didn’t train you to be strong only to have you quit at the first sign of trouble.

First sign? What world was he living in? Dr. DeWeese forced me onto the table on my stomach and held me down. I tried to struggle, but he was so much stronger. I rested my forehead against the cold leather of the table. Sandra leaned over me, brushed my hair to the side, exposing my neck, then started to strap down my left arm. Jonas slipped into my mind, and I immediately began pocketing my thoughts, clearing my mind from his invasion. I used my own brain to wrap imaginary fingers around his presence and squeeze it until it didn’t exist.

Oh, that’s just great. Now you toughen up and learn to squash my direct orders. Jonas pushed back, but I was somehow able to ignore his presence.

Listen to me, baby. Jack’s voice was soft, soothing. Don’t give up on me. On us. I’m right here. I’m on the other side of the door. You just have to meet me halfway.

Halfway, huh? I just let my best friend die, Jack.

But think about how many people you’ve saved. Think about me, baby. Think about Gram. Think about your father. He did everything he could to protect you.