Mindsiege

by Heather Sunseri

  The door clicked, and in walked a woman in a white lab coat. Beneath the coat she wore a short black skirt and a dark purple silk blouse. Her jet black hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail, and she had an air of snootiness. She had to be a doctor of some sort. “Come with me.”

  I wiped my hands on my jeans, stood, and followed her. “Could I possibly use a restroom?” I mean, did they really expect me to hold it forever?

  “Yes.”

  “That’s it? Just yes?”

  We didn’t walk long before she ushered me into another room. This one was quite different. Very much like a dorm room and like Jonas’s room he had shown us the night before, except this one was decorated for a girl. A bed decorated with a lavender comforter was pushed into the corner of the room. There was a desk and a small dresser.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “This is your room, Sarah.”

  “Since my friends call me Lexi, I’m going to assume you and I aren’t friends.” We stood just inside the small room—a room much more decorated than the last one I was in. I fiddled with the ring on my finger and studied the lady in front of me. “So, are you a nurse or something?”

  “I am a clinical neurophysiologist.” She enunciated each syllable. I could have sworn her nose rose further into the air as she spoke.

  “Well, that must have taken quite a bit of education. You must not have done very well in school.”

  She pursed her lips, and inhaled through her way-too-pointy nose. “Why do you say that, Sarah?” She said Sarah like it was a bad word.

  “Well, I just assumed that only the bottom students, or maybe doctors that were fired from hospitals that helped people, would end up at a research facility that experimented on innocent children. I didn’t mean anything by it.” I shrugged and walked farther into the room.

  “Mmmm-hmmm.”

  She closed the door and left me in this room that had a much more homey feel to it. And a more permanent feel. A chill galloped down my spine. Nothing about my situation would be permanent. I promised myself that. Thankfully, it did have a bathroom.

  After I took care of my needs, I explored the room. Opening the top drawer of the dresser, I discovered clothes exactly like the ones Dia had worn the first time I visited this facility. Gray scrubs were not my thing. I slammed the drawer closed.

  What on earth did a clinical neurophysiologist actually do? I wondered. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t be doing it to me.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  I stared up at the plain white ceiling tiles. The more bored I got, the madder I became at Jonas.

  My stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since early the day before. And it was past ten a.m. I hadn’t heard from Jonas in more than an hour. At this point I didn’t even know what Jonas’s mission was. Were we forever trapped inside this prison of a facility? Would I be forced to submit to my psycho twin of a DNA donor?

  Well, twin except for the wrinkles. And Sandra was heavier than me.

  I made a mental note to continue swimming later in life and wear good anti-aging cream. Or do the opposite—refuse sunscreen and eat fast food every day. Either way, I would not look like that evil woman as I aged.

  I also planned to dye my hair as soon as possible and get purple contacts. Or something.

  I sat up and rubbed my face in my hands. What was I doing? Jack, where are you?

  Nothing. I felt lost without him, but I was thankful he wasn’t trapped along with me.

  I couldn’t stop remembering Ty’s expression as he fell to the hard floor. Lifeless. Unplugged like a malfunctioning toy robot that had its batteries yanked out by a petulant child. No longer useful to the cold, heartless scientist who created him.

  I didn’t even know if Briana had made it out okay. Was she still here somewhere?

  I didn’t have time to consider that rhetorical question because just then Sandra entered the room, along with the obnoxious clinical neurophysiologist.

  “Lexi, you will come with us, now.”

  I scooted off the bed, stood, and crossed my arms across my chest. “No, not until I get what I need.”

  “And what do you need, my dear?” Her condescending tone made me want to plant the entire load of my ring’s paralyzing drug into her jugular vein.

  “I want reassurance that Dani will not be harmed. That’s what you promised.”

  Sandra poked her head outside the door into the hallway. “Jonas, we will need you after all.”

  Jonas rounded the corner. Worry swam in the trenches that formed across his forehead and in the “V” between his eyes. Don’t fight this, Lexi.

  Don’t fight what, Jonas? I said his name in the same fatherly tone in which he’d said mine. Don’t patronize me. And don’t you dare assume I’m going to follow your every command just because you have the decency to walk in here with pity on your face. Look where I am.

  “Force her to cooperate,” Sandra ordered Jonas.

  Don’t make this harder than it has to be. I have to convince Sandra that she can trust me and that I’m following the commands coming to me through the tracker. Now, walk toward me.

  Are you telling me that you’re getting commands, but you’re able to defy them? I asked.

  Apparently—ever since Ty was removed from my head.

  But you could still force me to do whatever it is you order?

  Yes. Walk toward me, now. This time, his voice wove through my mind like silk ribbon, and I immediately stepped to him. The muscles in my legs tightened and my knees grew weak as I did exactly what he ordered, again with no control over my own body.

  He slid his fingers around my upper arm. His touch was gentle. I almost welcomed it. I had felt so alone the last twenty-four hours.

  “Great,” Sandra gestured toward the door. “Let’s go.”

  The neurophysiologist led the way. Jonas squeezed my arm a little harder.

  Did you find the server controlling the trackers? I asked.

  Maybe.

  Who do you think is pushing the buttons?

  Sandra and Dr. DeWeese, for sure.

  We followed the two doctors down the hallway. Sandra looked back just once. I was sure we had only two ways to escape this underground world: kill Sandra and Dr. DeWeese—the way they’d most likely killed my father; or destroy the trackers, and the computer server operating them, and run like hell.

  I was pretty sure that I was not capable of murder, and I lacked hope that the other option was even remotely possible while under heavy security.

  ~~~~~

  “What are those for?” I asked, eyeing the tangle of electrodes and wires snaking their way from some kind of computer.

  “Dr. Mendez is going to perform an electroencephalogram, or an EEG, to monitor your brain activity.” Sandra stood in front of the computer and began typing. “Once you have submitted to this test, and I receive the reports and information I need, I will release your friend Dani.”

  I didn’t believe a word this witch of a woman said. “What does that mean? What information? Information from the actual test?”

  Sandra turned. “That and your father’s journals, of course. Lie down, please.”

  I tensed. How was she planning to obtain information from Dad’s journals? I would die before handing them over. I crossed my arms. “No. You tell me exactly what you’re about to do to me, and I will consider cooperating.”

  Sandra smiled—one of those really scary smiles that caused my body to shiver from the iciness of it. “Jonas.”

  One word from her and he was inside my head. Lexi, you will climb up on that examination table. You will cooperate and allow the test.

  Without thinking about it another second, I did as Jonas ordered. I hopped up on the exam table, as ordered, and lay back against the headrest. “What will this test tell you?”

  “It will map the activity in your brain. That, along with the details of how your DNA was altered, and a few other pieces of information we’ll get from the journals…” Her voice
trailed off.

  Dad’s journals. The muscles in my neck and back tightened. I grasped at the edge of the leather chair where my hands rested. Jonas furrowed his brows, studying me. I had full control of my body and mind again. Jonas wasn’t keeping control, only exerting control when Sandra ordered it.

  I said a silent prayer that I was successfully keeping my thoughts to myself. When I thought I could speak without incriminating myself, I asked Sandra, “Do you know where the journals are?” No one had ever found the hard copies of Dad’s research. I had assumed they’d been destroyed.

  Dr. Mendez began placing the electrodes on my forehead, around my face, and in my hair. I wanted to fight it, but I knew I couldn’t. And I was still biding my time.

  “No, but I will.” Sandra reached into the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out a syringe. “I need a small amount of blood from you.” She grabbed my arm and turned it over.

  Instinctively, I jerked back, though I had nowhere to go, and I had no intention of stopping these tests—yet. How much of this would I allow before I fought back? Could I even fight it? Would Jonas stop getting inside my head when I told him I was done with all of this and wanted out?

  Sandra motioned for his help. Jonas approached from the other side, reached across my body, and held my hands against the arms of the chair, exposing the vein Sandra needed to draw blood.

  You know where the journals are, don’t you? Jonas asked.

  I looked up into his eyes. I can’t tell if you’re on my side or not anymore. I was not about to confide in him about the journals.

  His eyes softened just slightly. His face was inches from mine. I am on your side. I will not let her hurt you.

  But you got inside my head. You controlled me.

  Are you kidding me? Don’t act like I’ve hurt your feelings. You asked for this. Coming here was your choice. We could have approached this another way, but you took the risk. He looked at Sandra. “Could you please hurry?” Jonas pleaded.

  The movement was small, but I felt it. The slow graze of Jonas’s finger against my arm—the arm farthest from Sandra, and out of her view. I found Jonas’s eyes. He didn’t look at me at first, but when he did, his eyes were an inferno.

  Sandra tied a rubber armband around my upper arm, pressed two fingers into the crook of my elbow, then stuck a needle into one of the veins. “Why? You don’t like being close to a younger version of me?” Sandra winked.

  She.

  Winked.

  Like this was some sort of fun and games to her. Like I was some sort of toy. For her. Or for Jonas.

  “I thought you liked the most precious and most protected clone ever created.” She pulled the needle out. After slapping a band-aid across my arm, she untied the armband.

  “Of course not. It’s creepy. You’re my mother, and she looks just like you.”

  A vein popped out on the side of Jonas’s neck. He was lying about something. When he turned his head back to me, I studied him. Heat flared across my cheeks when his eyes met mine. I’ve got to get out of here. She’s going to figure out how I really feel about you.

  My eyes darted sideways. Sandra typed, and Dr. Mendez pointed at the computer screen. I looked back at Jonas, whose face was too close. He rubbed his thumb across my arm, the arm he continued to hold, only much more loosely now.

  My heart sped up. My pulse was going to register in the brain activity they were about to measure. How do you feel about me? I had no idea what made me ask that. I didn’t want to know the answer.

  Let’s just say, I’m starting to understand why Jack was ready to whisk you far away from all this.

  I narrowed my gaze. But you’ve always been against me running.

  It’s just that I feel protective of you. You’re not my sister. And I don’t see myself as being related to Sandra or to you by blood. So, don’t look at me like kissing you or having feelings for you is incestual. I’d like to blame Ty for getting inside my head and playing mind games with my feelings for you, but I could have stopped those feelings from happening. I could have fought them harder the way I did yesterday in the gym. And I will. For Jack. And for you. I don’t think I can turn off the protectiveness I feel for you, but I will try to think of you more like a sister.

  “Okay, I think we’re ready,” Sandra said, and Jonas jerked backwards away from me. I stared straight ahead, practically tuning Sandra out, as I digested Jonas’s latest revelation. “Dr. Mendez will take it from here. I’m going to check on Addison.” Sandra started for the door.

  After giving my head a little shake, I reached out and grabbed Jonas’s arm before he could follow her. You have to get Addison out of here, I begged.

  A sly grin spread across his face. The moment of awkwardness between us was gone. You don’t know much about Addison, do you? He leaned closer, his mouth next to my ear and whispered. “Now be a good little girl.” I’ve got a surprise for you later, and I don’t want to come back and find you tranqed. He pulled his arm free and followed Sandra out, leaving me alone with the snooty Dr. Mendez.

  ~~~~~

  The EEG was painless and uneventful. Afterwards, Dr. Very-Uptight led me to a cafeteria. Teenagers my age and younger sat at long, picnic-style tables. Dr. Mendez pointed to the start of the lunch line, then turned and left out the door through which we’d entered.

  Strange. She trusted me to do exactly as I was told? Even I wouldn’t trust me to do that. I went straight to the door and pushed. Locked. A woman with spiky blond hair and teeth too big for her face approached me. “Miss Matthews, can I help you?”

  She wore a dark suit. I immediately spotted a Glock on one hip and a Taser on the other. An agent. “No. I’m good.” Identification hung around her neck, along with four keys.

  I turned and walked toward the start of the lunch line. I didn’t even pay attention to the food I grabbed. Someone handed me a plate of something. I managed to grab a banana and a bottle of water.

  As I searched for a place to sit, I felt several pairs of eyes on me. I scanned the faces of several kids sitting by the windows. Dia and Lin.

  And Jonas.

  I weaved around several tables to where they sat.

  Dia’s eyes practically shot fireballs at me.

  Lin picked at the chicken on his plate. He looked sad, and my heart ached for Jack.

  “Sit down, Lexi,” Jonas said. “Dia, stop looking at her like that.”

  I raised an eyebrow. Why is she mad at me? Bree and I were finally getting along. I guessed her clone didn’t get the memo.

  She thinks you’re the reason Ty is dead.

  My head snapped in Dia’s direction.

  I’m glad you came back, Lin mindspoke. Dia will realize that you’re only here to help. Eventually.

  Was I here to help them?

  I thought about that while I peeled my banana and took a bite.

  Don’t look now, Jonas said. But about a dozen agents just entered the cafeteria with rifles.

  My back was to the door and the agents. Lin and Dia both looked over my shoulder. The four of us traded glances around the table.

  “I won’t save her this time,” Dia said, her voice curt.

  She assumed the agents were looking for me? And that I had just casually waltzed in, grabbed some lunch, and sat down to chat it up?

  “She’s not the one they’re looking for.” Jonas’s eyes found mine.

  “Who are they looking for?” I whispered.

  He smiled. “Apparently Jack didn’t tell you much about our sweet Addison.”

  “Addison?” Dia said a little too loudly, because several heads turned suddenly in our direction. She tucked her chin, and lowered her voice. “Addison is here?”

  “Shhh.” Jonas stuffed a bite of chocolate cake in his mouth. He stared down at his plate like it was the most interesting thing he had seen in days.

  I felt something hard poke into the back of my neck. My muscles tensed. “Who’s this?” a man asked behind me, while practically bruising me with wha
t I assumed was the barrel of a gun.

  Jonas stood. “Take the gun off of her,” he ordered.

  The agent laughed. “Who’s going to make me?”

  I turned in my seat. Jonas reached out, grabbed the barrel, and lifted it toward the ceiling. It went off with a boom, causing part of the ceiling to crumble and shower dust down on us. Children and adults screamed and dove under tables.

  “What is going on over here?” A female agent rushed over to us. She lowered her rifle when she spotted Jonas. “Oh, you’re here, Mr. Whitmeyer.”

  I looked quizzically at Jonas.

  “Mr. Whitmeyer, you’ll have to excuse our newest agent. He probably thought you were Ty.”

  “All is forgiven. I’ll let you explain to him that my brother is now dead, so there should be no confusion in the future. Now, if you’ll excuse me, our newest guest and I have some business to take care of.”

  “Of course.” Both agents bowed their heads.

  I stared in shock.

  Jonas slipped his fingers around my arm and tugged me forward. “We need to talk,” he spoke close to my ear. “This might be our last chance. Sandra is freaking out about Addison’s latest escape act. She’s watching videos leading up to Addison’s disappearance. It won’t take long for her to figure out that you were the last to touch her. Or that you removed her tracker.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “We have to hurry.” Jonas pulled me down yet another hallway.

  “We always have to hurry.” I stopped. Yanked my hand from his. “I want to know everything right now. No more bullshit, Jonas. I want to know about Addison. I want to know where Jack is. I want to know what your plan is. I want to see the machine that controls the trackers. And I want to know what an agent meant when he told me that The Farm was scheduled for evacuation and destruction.” I poked him hard in the chest. “It’s show-and-tell time, Jonas. And if you don’t lay it all out right now, we’re done.”

  “Wait. Back up. What do you mean evacuation and destruction? Who told you this? And when did they say it would happen?”

  “No!” I whispered loudly. “I’m not telling you anything until you come clean. And by clean, I mean ev-er-y-thing.” I crossed my arms.