Mindsiege

by Heather Sunseri

  An imaginary darkness fell over my entire existence. I didn’t want the world to know that we were magical healers. But how could I knowingly allow these people to grow children to be used in this way? To be manipulated beyond their control? Was human life no longer sacred? “Terminated? Like you tried to do the night you ran Jack and me off the road?”

  “That wasn’t me. You think I want my most prized creations murdered in a car crash?”

  That almost sounded sincere. But if what she was saying was correct, then others had tried to kill Jack and me, and would continue to do so. I tried to suppress a laugh, but couldn’t. It bubbled up and out of me, but quickly turned to an escaped sob. “What about Ty?” I remembered the image of Ty’s glassed-over eyes when Sandra decided he was no longer useful. He was just a machine to her. I swiped at a tear that had escaped. “Is it true you birthed Ty and Jonas? You carried them as your own babies?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Yet, you felt nothing when you killed him in cold blood. Premeditated murder in the first degree.”

  “I needed to prove a point.”

  “Which was?”

  “That I could.”

  The speaker crackled overhead. “LAB WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN TWENTY MINUTES.”

  Dr. DeWeese’s face paled. I wasn’t sure if it was because he wasn’t aware that Sandra murdered her own son, or because this lab was set for some sort of death in twenty minutes—with him still in the bowels of The Farm.

  “As you can see, we are about out of time. You can join us voluntarily, or I can force you. But it’s time you decide. Surely with everything I just told you—”

  “That’s what all this was. You making your case to get me to join you?” I stood from my swivel chair. Jonas, Jack, are you seeing this? Could it be that one computer is controlling every tracker?

  It gets better than that. Jonas said. The hard drive in the computer behind Sandra pops out of the computer from the back of the machine. If we can destroy that, we destroy the database of trackers currently in existence. There’s probably a backup, but getting that one will buy us some time.

  “You will join us. We can protect you. We have no intention of keeping you locked inside one of our facilities forever. You can have freedom to roam, just like Jonas.”

  “Freedom. Just like Jonas. You mean your other son that you admit to controlling with one of your trackers? So, you want me to give you permission to place a tracker at the base of my brain? Stuck to my spinal cord? So that you can what? Control my every move? My thoughts?” I circled the room. The two doctors watched me. Their eyes never left me. I understood what it felt like to have a laser pointed at the middle of my forehead.

  “It’s not like that. Jonas is happy. He’s always had the liberty to live his life and learn how to use the incredible powers I gave him. We would be a team.”

  I almost laughed. She had no idea how little she was able to control Jonas.

  “Did you make this offer to my father? To join your team?” I asked Dr. DeWeese. “That night he came to you because he thought Jack and I were in danger. He trusted you. It obviously wasn’t you that he was afraid of, was it?”

  “No, he’s always known this day would come. He knew the international intelligence community would eventually demand that you and the others help with the IIA’s cloning program. But don’t you see? We are able to protect you here the way he would have wanted.”

  “Your wife was trying to protect us in her own way, by placing a secure border around the school and hiring extra security. You need Jack and me. You need all seven of the original control group and Dad’s journals to know how to reproduce the technology you created nearly eighteen years ago—before your original lab went up in flames and all your records with it. Must have been a real bitch starting from scratch.”

  “Dr. Whitmeyer,” a voice said over an intercom by the door.

  “Yes, Denny,” Sandra replied.

  “The tracker is ready.”

  “Time’s up, Sarah.” She walked to the door, lifted her palm to the scanner, and opened the door. Denny stood on the other side of the door and handed Sandra the tiny device I assumed was meant for me.

  “Doctor, the labs and children have been evacuated.” He passed Sandra. “This room is sound. Even if you don’t make it out of here, you’re protected.”

  “Thanks, Denny, but we’ll make it.”

  Denny continued to the other side of the room and proceeded to lift a hidden panel in the floor. He turned and climbed down two steps before pausing. “Would you like for me to wait for you and Dr. DeWeese?”

  “No, Denny. We’ll be along in ten minutes.”

  “Don’t be much longer than that. Things will start to get a little dicey beyond that point.”

  What did that mean? Jack?

  “Thank you, Denny,” Sandra said, irritated by Denny’s warning.

  I’m almost there. Stay strong. Jack sounded somewhat panicked. What was taking him so long?

  Sandra set the tracker on the small tray beside the dental chair. “I need you to tell us the location of the journals.”

  “Or what? You’re going to jam a tracker into the back of my neck?” I crooked my elbow and felt for the gun stuck in the back of my waistband. It was still there. I twisted the pearl on my ring, forcing the paralyzing compartment of my ring into ready position.

  Sandra smiled. “No.” She walked to the computer. “I know your father recorded the journals on the internet. You will tell me how to access them, or say goodbye to Danielle.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  I lunged at Sandra, but Dr. DeWeese caught my arm and stopped me. Tears blurred my vision. I pushed them away. “You can’t.” I would not let anything happen to Dani. But could I give Sandra access to the journals?

  Lexi, give her what she wants, Jack said.

  My heart sank.

  I’ll be there in five minutes. The last of the agents and lab techs are vacating the lab. We have what we need to enter that part of the lab. You only need to open the door to the room you’re in.

  How was I supposed to do that? More importantly, how could I give her the journals? But then again, how could I not?

  A picture of my best friend and roommate popped up on the screen. “Dani,” I whispered to myself. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Give me access to the files, Lexi. Now.” She punched on the keyboard. The screen changed from being a picture of Dani to being a picture of a brain. I recognized it as Dani’s. I had seen the inside of her brain.

  Like Addison’s, Dani’s tracker sat at the base of her skull, all eight prongs extended.

  I squeezed my eyes tight. I wondered if Sandra would even need me after she had the journals. Could Jack and I escape and go into hiding? Without us around, maybe our friends would be safe as well.

  “All I have to do is push this one key, Lexi, and Dani drops.” Her finger hovered over the key.

  “Don’t! I’ll give you the information you need.” My heart beat wildly out of control as I died a little. I rattled off the URL, the username, and my password. The taste of bile rose once again in my throat. How could I possibly live with myself if I had just handed this monster unlimited access to play with human life?

  But my life would be meaningless if I didn’t save my best friend.

  “You made the right decision.” Her eyes widened when dozens of named files displayed on the screen. An evil smile lifted her entire face. I recognized the files. The spreadsheet of all the clones. The years and years of journals. And the file with the DNA sequences needed to reproduce my own special abilities—exactly what Sandra needed to enhance the power of the trackers even further.

  Sandra closed the website and saved a document with the login information. The display of files was once again replaced with a picture of Dani’s brain. The glint in Sandra’s eye when she turned her cold, emerald eyes on me sent an avalanche straight through my core. Then, Sandra did the unthinkable.


  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.

  Protect me? He kept me in the dark, I practically whined, and I don’t do whiny. I was starting to hate the sound of my own mindspeak.

  No, he protected you until you were ready. Now, you have all the information you need to make whatever choice you desire.

  You mean the information I just handed over to Sandra?

  No, I mean the information Sandra thinks you just handed her.

  What are you saying?

  Did you really think I would let you hand over your dad’s life’s research to that mad scientist? Jack’s voice cracked in my head with a mixture of humor and fear. I was scared to tell you with all the crazy mindreading going on around us: we moved the real files and replaced them with meaningless data. She needed to think you were sincerely handing her what she wanted.

  My body relaxed into the table; relief engulfed me upon hearing Jack’s words. Sandra continued to struggle with the restraint around my left wrist. Dr. DeWeese leaned over me still. Oh, my, how I love you, Jack DeWeese.

  I know. Now fight. You promised me you wouldn’t give up. Fight like crazy. Time is running out, and I don’t know what’s going to happen when it does.

  With a burst of adrenaline, I yanked my left arm free, so incredibly thankful for the years of swimming that gave me strength. I quickly turned over on my back.

  “Don’t let go of her, John.”

  Also grateful for the rigorous kickboxing workout Jonas had put me through, I brought my foot up and made contact with Dr. DeWeese in a beautifully vulnerable spot. He grunted and pulled back just enough to give me my opening.

  Sandra grabbed for one of my arms, but I was faster.

  I gave the pearl a quick twist then slid my fingers around her neck and gathered her hair in my fist. She grunted. Bringing her face just inches from mine, I smiled. I was suddenly the one with the evil thoughts. An anger I had never known before pulsed through my veins. I stared into eyes identical to my own as I rotated the pearl around my finger with my thumb, careful not to touch the already exposed needle. “I’m terminating this program, bitch.” I flattened my palm against the side of her neck. The needle from the pearl made contact with her skin, and she flinched. I snaked my left arm around Sandra, hugging her next to my body while I continued to press the ring into her skin.

  Almost instantly, her body went limp. I let her slump to the ground beside the chair.

  Dr. DeWeese lurched for Sandra, catching her head in his palm. “What did you do to her?” Her wide eyes stared up at him.

  I reached over and grabbed the tracker from the tray, then rolled off the table and back
ed away. I pulled the gun from my waistband and pointed it at Dr. DeWeese. “She’ll be knocked out for twenty-four hours or so. So she might need a little help out of here.”

  “LAB WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE MINUTES.”

  He laid her gently on the ground and stood. “You’re not going to shoot me. If you had it in you to kill someone, you would have shot Sandra after she killed your best friend.”

  Talk to me. You okay? Jack asked. We’re running out of time.

  I waved the gun at Dr. DeWeese, motioning him toward the door. “Unlock the door.”

  “No.” He walked slowly toward me.

  I cocked the gun. He paused, but then took another step toward me.

  Lexi, you have to open this door, now. This time it was Jonas. He was inside my head completely. Shoot him.

  It was a direct order. I pointed the gun down at Dr. DeWeese’s kneecap. And fired.

  His eyes widened. He fell to the ground on the opposite knee.

  The gun was at close enough range that the rubber bullet had to have shattered his kneecap.

  “You shot me,” he said, shock in his voice. He fell further to the ground, beside Sandra.

  I leaned down and peered directly into his eyes. “You can thank Jonas for that. He ordered me to shoot you.” I smiled.

  “LAB WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN THREE MINUTES.”

  Jack, Jonas, I’m coming. I bent down and slid my hands under Sandra’s shoulders. I pulled her limp body backwards toward me. Toward the door.

  Dr. DeWeese grunted. He reached for the exam table, trying to pull himself up.

  If he starts limping toward you, shoot him again, Jonas said.

  “Gaaaahhhh!” I screamed as I hauled Sandra’s dead weight. She was completely paralyzed. At the door, I lifted her up further, sliding my arm around her back, and held her there, propped up against the wall. I took her right hand and pushed it flat into the scanner. The click of the finger prick sounded, verifying her DNA.