by I. T. Lucas
Jin frowned. She was assertive, but it wasn’t true that she was uncompromising. Well, maybe a little. But she wasn’t a stubborn ox. When necessary, she was willing to bend a little.
“You can come back now,” Kian said.
The downside of her talent was that she couldn’t say anything back. If that was possible, she would have told Edna to try to cut the connection. It would have saved her another trip to the corridor.
“So, what did I say when you were gone?” Edna asked as Jin walked into the office.
“That I look like Mey but that I’m a different person. Mey is gentle and accommodating while I’m assertive and uncompromising, which is a nice way to say that I’m stubborn as an ox.”
Edna laughed. “You don’t mince words, do you? That’s exactly what I said. Now for the second half of our test. Go stand over there.” She pointed at the sideboard. “After I cut the tether, I’ll write something down, and let’s see if you can read it through my eyes.”
“Sounds good. At least I don’t have to go out into the hallway again.”
It was wide and well-lit, but it still felt like a freaking dungeon even though this level seemed to be occupied by offices and classrooms and not cells.
“Did you feel it?” Edna asked.
“What? You mean the severing of the tether?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t feel a thing.”
“Tell me what I’m writing.”
Jin closed her eyes and concentrated, following the wispy thread of consciousness to Edna. It was still there, but it felt as if the hook was no longer attached. Jin tried harder, imagining reinserting the hook, but without touching the woman, she couldn’t do it.
“I can’t. You actually managed to sever it.”
56
Kian
Kian watched Jacki walk into the office with the swagger and confidence of someone secure in the knowledge that her brain was inaccessible.
Hopefully, she was in for a surprise.
“Hi, everyone.” She looked at Kian and smiled, then waved at Jin and the others.
Gutsy girl, challenging the alpha first. Or a very good faker. As an immune, she was not susceptible to thralling and compulsion, but she wasn’t a blank slate like Turner. Kian could still sense the slight whiff of apprehension that was coming from her. But it was much more subtle than what he would have expected from the average human or even an immortal.
“Hello, Jacklin,” Edna greeted her. “I’m Edna. Please come sit next to me.”
Jacki sat on the chair Edna had indicated and crossed her legs. “What do you call your ability? Are you an empath?”
“I guess it belongs in the same cluster, but it’s different. I can sense intentions and core predispositions.” Edna leaned forward. “Please give me your hands.”
“Does that enhance your reading?” Jacki took Edna’s hands.
“I don’t really need it for the reading itself, but sometimes my subjects have the urge to pull back. Holding hands keeps that from happening. I suggest that you try to relax and don’t resist me. It will go easier for both of us if I don’t have to break through walls of resistance.”
Jacki smirked. “I’m immune to paranormal manipulation, so it doesn’t matter if I resist or not. You won’t be able to access my mind anyway.”
“Let’s give it a try. As I said, my ability is different than empathy. You may say that it operates on another wavelength of consciousness.”
“Hmm.” Jacki tapped her chin. “I never thought about it that way. Do you think that consciousness produces a wave? Like a radio wave?”
“It hasn’t been proven scientifically, but I believe so. How else can you explain paranormal abilities? Gifted individuals probably have special receptors that can detect those waves and even manipulate them, like in the case of thralling, shrouding, and compulsion.”
“That is certainly food for thought.” Jacki leaned forward, her eyes issuing a challenge. “Go for it.”
For the first ten minutes or so, everyone was quiet, watching the two locked in what looked like a battle. But as the clock kept ticking on, people started shifting impatiently in their chairs, reaching for their bottles of water, sipping on them, putting them back, and then picking them up again for another sip.
Kian wanted to snap at them for disturbing Edna’s concentration, but by doing so, he would disturb her even more. Instead, he gritted his teeth and watched.
Almost an hour had passed when Edna finally let go of Jacki’s hands and leaned away with a sigh. “You are a complicated lady, Jacklin.”
Jacki lifted a brow. “Really? How so?”
“Let’s start with how hard to read you are. I think your immunity stems from the thick walls that you have erected around your mind and your heart. You don’t allow yourself to trust anyone or feel anything for anyone. At first, I thought that you might be a sociopath, but when I dug deeper, I realized that your soft spots are covered with thick layers of scabs. You’ve been hurt.”
For a brief moment, Jacki’s bravado wavered, and her eyes misted with unshed tears. But she was a tough cookie and refused to show weakness.
Folding her arms over her chest, she shrugged. “What can’t kill me makes me stronger. That’s the motto I live by.”
“Indeed.” Edna nodded. “But you are among friends now, and you can let your guard down at least a little.”
Jacki lifted a brow. “I reserve judgment on that. I’m grateful for you taking me in, but you are keeping me locked up and putting me through a psychic interrogation. That’s not very friendly.”
“We have to protect ourselves,” Kian said. “You and your friends are unknowns. I’m trying to mitigate the risk you represent.”
Letting out a breath, Jacki unfolded her arms. “I understand, and I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. Heck, I would have probably refused to take three stowaways.”
“I’m glad we understand each other.” Kian turned to Edna. “So, what’s your assessment?”
“As I said, Jacki is complicated, and I can’t give you a black and white answer. I didn’t sense any nefarious intentions, but since so much is buried and inaccessible to me, I can’t say for sure there aren’t any. Jacki doesn’t have any regrets that I could detect or feelings of guilt, but that doesn’t mean she has no malicious plans. She might believe that what she is doing is right. I’m not saying she does, though, only that it’s a possibility.”
Kian hated ambiguity, and this was as ambiguous as it got.
Edna smiled apologetically at the girl. “I’m sorry that I can’t vouch for you. You’ll have to prove your good intentions on your own.”
Jacki shrugged. “What else is new?”
57
Arwel
“Are you okay?” Arwel held the elevator door open for Jacki.
She let out a breath. “It was weird. I could actually feel her going in and digging inside of me. I’ve never experienced a psychic invasion before.”
He pressed the number for the dungeon level. “I meant about not getting the all-clear.”
She arched a brow. “Did Wendy get it?”
“Yes. Edna hinted that there was a good reason for her wanting to run away from the program.”
“Oh, yeah? What was it?”
He had a good idea, but he wasn’t going to speculate, and he wasn’t going to betray Wendy’s confidence either.
“I can’t imagine what it could be.”
She cocked a brow. “You are an empath. Didn’t you feel something?”
“Her anxiety was so strong that it masked everything else.” That was more of an exaggeration than a lie.
Jacki tilted her head. “Do you want me to talk to Wendy?”
“Only if she brings it up. Don’t tell her that I said anything because I probably shouldn’t have.”
“I’ll try to be circumspect about it.” She shook her head. “I wonder if Marisol’s compulsion could prevent someone from feeling certain things.
What if she told Wendy to feel alright about something that she shouldn’t have?”
“I know it’s possible to compel someone not to feel attraction for a particular person or anyone other than who the compeller chooses. Is that what you are referring to?”
She shook her head. “No, forget that I said anything.”
“Come on. You had an idea. Let it out.”
“It was a stupid question since I know the answer already. If Marisol told Wendy to feel attraction toward a guy, which we know that she has done with several people, and Wendy had sex with him, she wouldn’t have felt that there was anything wrong with it until the compulsion was removed. But once it was, she might have felt violated. The thing is, Wendy didn’t date anyone in the program, so maybe it was about something else.”
As they passed Mey and Yamanu’s room, Mey waved them over. “Where is Jin?”
“She stayed in Kian’s office, why?”
“Amanda just called and said she is on her way with a bunch of clothes for the girls. I thought it would be fun to try them on together. Yamanu is going to hit the gym, so we will have the place to ourselves.”
Jacki’s mood improved in an instant. “I’ll get Wendy, and Arwel can send Jin down when he delivers Richard.” She turned to him. “Does Kian want Jin to be there when Edna probes Richard?”
“I don’t think her presence is required.”
“Great. Send her down.” Rubbing her hands, Jacki joined Mey on the couch. “I can’t wait to see what Amanda has gotten for us. I’m willing to become her cleaning lady just so she gives me her clothes.”
Arwel chuckled. “Amanda has a butler.”
“That’s a shame.” Jacki slouched against the pillows.
“Have fun.” Arwel waved and continued to Richard’s room.
He found the guy watching a boxing match on one of the streaming services.
“Your turn, buddy. You can pause it and continue watching later.”
Richard pushed to his feet. “I’m ready. I was just killing time.” He followed Arwel out into the corridor. “I don’t mind a day or two of vacation, but no more than that. I need something to do. Is there any job your group needs done? I don’t care what it is as long as it keeps me busy.”
Arwel leaned against the elevator’s wall. “What did you do before joining the program?”
“I was a real estate agent. But I can do many other things. I’m a quick learner.”
“Maybe after the interview you can ask Kian, but I doubt there is anything you can do from here, and for the time being, you are not going anywhere.”
“For how long?” Richard followed him out of the elevator.
“I’m not sure. There are people looking for you. You need to hide.”
“I’m an average-looking guy. I can change my hair color, wear sunglasses, and use a fake identity. I know how to stay under the radar.”
Arwel arched a brow. “Have you been in trouble before?”
“Not really. But I’ve watched a lot of spy movies and read many spy books. Some of them were written by real operatives, so don’t scoff at them as a source of information.”
“Did you get any spy training in the program?”
“I did, and it only reinforced my opinion that those writers really knew what they were talking about.”
So far, nothing in Richard’s behavior or feelings had aroused Arwel’s suspicions. He was the high-energy, restless type, and he was anxious, but given the situation, that was understandable.
58
Jin
“Callie!” As Jin saw her new friend from the doorway, she rushed into Mey’s living room and hugged her. “I’m so glad you came.” Next, it was Wonder, and then Syssi, and lastly Amanda. “Where is Ella?”
“She couldn’t come,” Wonder said. “She’s buried under a ton of homework, but she sends her love.”
“I’m glad that’s behind me.” Jin let out a breath. “I thought that I was done with homework when I finished college, but then I joined the program and had to work even harder than before. I was good at business and economics, so it wasn’t hard for me. But don’t start me on Mandarin. That must be the most difficult language on the planet. Anyway, I’m happy to be done with that and never have to do homework again.”
Amanda leaned against the media cabinet. “Never say never. You might decide to go back one day. Either to get your master’s or even a PhD.”
“Not me.” Jin pulled out a chair next to Wendy. “I’m done. I want to go straight into building my business. Except, I need to work to save up money for it first. Now that a million-dollar bonus is no longer in my future, I need to find a new way to make money fast.”
That wasn’t the pitch she’d had in mind for Amanda, but as always, she was running her mouth before thinking.
Wendy groaned. “I was counting on that too. I thought that after five years in the program, I would be set for life. Except, they had no intention of paying it out.”
Jin frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You should have read the small print. It said that you will get the bonus if you perform your job to their full satisfaction.”
“I planned on doing that.”
“Yeah, we all did. But they never planned on paying out no matter how well you did. They were going to come up with excuses, and you were never going to get it.”
“What about the annual salary? That wasn’t shabby either.”
“That part, they had no choice but to honor. But what got us all into the program was that freaking bonus.”
“How do you know that they never intended to pay it? Did you overhear something, or is this just speculation?”
“I overheard. They were going to do a six-month assessment, and whoever’s talent proved useless was going to be kicked out. That was another small-print provision that hardly anyone paid attention to. But those who got terminated were the lucky ones. Those who proved useful would never be released. They would keep extending their contracts and dangling that bonus in front of their noses. And if that didn’t work, they would come up with other methods of persuasion.”
Jin nodded. “Especially in my case because I could make such an amazing spy. I don’t remember reading a small-print provision for that in the contract, but I came to the same conclusion.”
“You’re smart. I had no idea until I overheard the director talking with Marisol.”
Jin dipped her head and looked into Wendy’s eyes. “Is that why you decided to get out?”
She nodded, but Jin had a feeling that it was not the only reason. In time, she was going to get it out of the girl. It wasn’t healthy to keep things bottled up inside, and it helped to talk with someone who cared.
Jin had the opposite problem. She talked too much and kept too little to herself. That wasn’t the best strategy for success, either.
“Shall we begin the fashion show?” Amanda pushed away from the cabinet and opened the door to Mey and Yamanu’s bedroom. “There are outfits galore spread over the bed. On the right is my stuff that is going to fit Jin and Jacki, and on the left is stuff for Wendy, donated by several good-hearted shorties, mostly by Ella and her mother. I also bought shoes for all of you.” She looked at the plain flip-flops the three of them were wearing and grimaced. “Those belong in the trash.”
Jacki, who up until now had been uncharacteristically quiet, jumped up. “Can I go first?”
Jin waved a hand. “Be my guest. Even though I plan on launching a fashion business, I’m not a fashionista. My idea is to make everyday, comfortable clothing that would be appropriate for work and for leisure.”
That was more like it. At least she’d managed to tell Amanda a bit more about her and Mey’s plans.
Except, Amanda didn’t respond to that last bit. “All three of you can go in together if Jacki promises to behave and not beat up Jin over clothes.”
“I promise.” Jacki saluted Amanda, then offered Jin a hand up. “Come on. I’ve never even been into a store that sold t
hat kind of stuff, let alone worn it.”
Smiling, Jin let her friend pull her to her feet. She was fine with the clothes that Ingrid had bought for her in Walmart, and when she wanted something nice, she could always borrow stuff from Mey. But watching Jacki go crazy over Amanda’s designer hand-me-downs was going to be fun.
“Wendy, you too.” Amanda pushed the girl’s chair. “Please come out in every outfit you try on. We want a fashion show.”
“We need to make room for a runway.” Mey got up and started pushing furniture around.
“I’m going to make everyone drinks,” Callie announced. “Except for Syssi because she is pregnant and Wendy because she is not twenty-one yet.”
Amanda waved a dismissive hand. “Who is going to card her? Give the kid a margarita, just make it weak. We will pretend that this is England, where the legal drinking age is eighteen.”
In the bedroom, Jin leaned against the dresser and watched as Jacki attacked the pile of clothes.
“Look at this!” Jacki lifted a bikini swimsuit set. “And there is another one in blue. I was just thinking that we needed bathing suits to use the pool. I’m not shy, but skinny-dipping is not my style.” She lifted the other one and dangled both in front of Jin. “Which one do you want, the blue or the red?”
“You pick one, and I’ll take the other.”
Jacki walked over to the mirror and held both next to her face. “I’ll take the electric blue. It goes better with my coloring. The red is going to look amazing on you.” She handed her the two-piece.
Wendy lifted a one-piece bathing suit. “Ella is so sweet. She must have thought of the pool too. And it’s black, so it’s going to hide my tummy.”
“What tummy?”
Wendy rolled her eyes. “This one.” She pushed it out.
“Don’t be silly,” Jacki said. “You have feminine curves. That’s sexy.”
