Voice

by Nikita Spoke

  They went back to their searches, Jemma focusing this time on the person who worried her the most. However, she couldn’t find any information on Josh. Even his social media pages had been deleted or made private.

  “I don’t like this, Jack.” He reached over and sent a wave of agreement and reassurance. “He’s planning something, or following through on what he’d already planned. I can feel it.”

  “Maybe the various pep talks in all the articles just made him a focus for cyber-attacks,” he suggested. “We can hope, anyway, that he’s not going dark for nefarious reasons.” His lips pulled upward.

  “You’ve been waiting for an excuse to use that word, haven’t you?” Jemma smiled despite herself. He’d told her, during one of the conversations before they’d officially met, that it was one of his favorite words.

  She refocused on their current task, pushing aside any temptation to reminisce. Assuming Josh was moving forward with his plans, assuming he was looking for Jack and Jemma, what would he do next? Searching for themselves or their aliases came up with a reassuring lack of anything about their current location, and Jemma felt a little better realizing he would have a hard time finding them. Which, she knew, was the point of their being in Texas.

  Eventually, they stopped for dinner. Jemma could feel her eyes drooping as they watched TV, as her most recent dose of medication took hold.

  “Let’s head to bed.” Jack’s voice was low, careful not to startle her, but she felt a rush of adrenaline anyway; she hadn’t intended to let herself fall asleep on the couch, and she’d been closer to sleep than she’d realized. She nodded and followed him to bed, their hands linked. They got under the covers, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him.

  She smiled to herself, her eyes getting heavy once more. They might not be in the best situation, but for right now, they seemed safe, and in bed with Jack, she could almost pretend that everything had been resolved and that they were home, safe and sound.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:

  Held

  This wasn’t where she’d fallen asleep. Jemma opened her eyes slowly, trying to get her bearings, trying to figure out why she was on a hard surface when she’d fallen asleep on a soft one. Jack’s arm was still around her waist, though, so at least—

  It wasn’t Jack’s arm. Jemma’s eyes flew open when her hand touched a strap around her middle. Her eyes took a moment to adjust, but their initial blur faded, and she felt her heart race. She was in what looked like a large garage. The plastic of a cheap dental chair clung to the skin exposed where her shirt had ridden up a couple inches. Her head swam as her body fought against consciousness, despite the adrenaline in her system. To her left, Jack was strapped to a similar chair, asleep or unconscious.

  They must have been drugged, somehow. Josh.

  Jemma swallowed and tried to sit up enough to see better. The strap around her midsection was positioned high enough that she couldn’t really lift her torso, though she could get her shoulders about an inch off the surface. Her legs were held down by another strap across her shins. Her arms were bound in different locations, one at the wrist, and the other, the one nearest Jack, just above her elbow. She couldn’t see both his arms, but the one nearest her was also strapped at the elbow, and it looked like they would be able to touch, if awkwardly.

  She looked around as much as she was able. A familiar monitor was blocking her vision on her right. There was another on Jack’s left. She could see the edge of a medical tray near her right foot. Above her, metal rails, the kind that served as tracking for a garage door, ran along the ceiling.

  That was about it. She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing, and tried to determine whether anyone else was in the room. Other than Jack’s breath and her own, she couldn’t hear anything.

  “Jack,” she croaked. Her mouth was drier than she’d realized. She moistened it as best she could and tried again. “Jack, wake up.”

  He frowned and shook his head without opening his eyes. “Not ready.” His body twisted slightly as if he’d tried to roll over, but the straps kept him in place. His eyes opened, wide, and he scanned the room before they settled on Jemma. “What’s going on?” he sent.

  It had to be Josh; her mind wouldn’t accept other options. She didn't know how he’d found them or whether they were still in Houston, whether their backup protection even knew they were missing. He had found them, though, and they were missing, and even though she wasn’t yet hooked up to the equipment and she couldn’t see anyone else in the room, she felt confident they were being monitored.

  “Josh has us,” she said aloud. “I’m sure of it.”

  Jack pulled at his restraints, trying to look around before falling back to the chair. “That’s the only thing that makes sense,” he agreed.

  A slow clap started from just beyond where Jemma could see. “Maybe you aren’t as stupid as I thought, Jack,” Josh said before coming into view, wearing a pleased smile. Jemma pulled at her restraints again, knowing it was futile but unable to sit still as he approached. His smile grew at her attempts, and he was practically radiating glee when he reached the instrument tray.

  He ran his fingers over whatever was on it. She couldn’t see what he touched, but she could hear the metal or glass as it shifted, clicking against the tray and setting her nerves on edge. She took a deep breath without taking her eyes off Josh. Jemma refused to panic. She wouldn’t think about how much pain he’d already caused. Instead, she would focus on what she had to do to get out of here.

  At least this time, she wasn’t alone. Josh might be, though. If they could distract him, maybe they could figure something out. She took another breath. “Maybe you’re just as stupid as I thought.”

  His expression changed immediately, contorting into rage for just a moment before it shifted to that placid, innocent look that was always so unsettling. “You mean because I was able to get out of jail? Because I was able to not only find the two of you but remove you from your bed without anyone the wiser?” He sneered, looking between them. “The two of you were so cute, all cuddled in bed without anyone around to keep you safe.”

  There should’ve been an agent watching. Had Josh chosen a time the person was occupied, or was he unaware of their backup protection? She wasn’t about to tell him, just in case it was the latter.

  “How did you find us, anyway?” Jack asked, voice tight.

  Josh laughed. “You think a measly government agency could hide you from me? They underestimated me, just like everyone else does.” His eyes flicked to Jemma. “By the time we’re done here, you, at least, will stop underestimating me.”

  “I will never be impressed by a sociopathic, sadistic creep who thinks he’s superior to everyone around him,” Jemma hissed.

  This time, Josh didn’t get angry. He smiled again and moved closer, looking down at her from right next to her face. Her chair started moving, raising her to a sitting position, and he smirked when she startled.

  He leaned over and mock-whispered in her ear. “I don’t think I’m better than everyone else, Jemma. I know I am.”

  Goosebumps ran along her arms, and she focused on the anger in Jack’s voice as he spoke. “But you’re not good enough to handle the two of us without tying us down.”

  Josh walked over to Jack’s chair, shifting it to the sitting position before he responded. “You mean I’m smart enough to cover my bases. I want to be able to focus on research, not on babysitting.”

  Jemma watched him attach Jack to the monitor on his side. “You weren’t able to find your answers with an entire facility at your disposal,” she said, “with guards to do the ‘babysitting,’ as you put it. What are you hoping to learn with just the three of us here?”

  Josh moved back to her side. “I learned more there than you think.” He smiled angelically. Jemma felt her skin crawl at the glee in Josh’s eyes as he leaned forward to brush her hair away from her neck. She pulled her head away from his fingers, knowing she woul
dn’t be able to get far. She used the anger she felt at his satisfied laughter as fuel; when he moved to position the second electrode at the base of her skull, she slammed her head backward as hard as she could, and she felt his finger crumple and bend as the electrode made contact with her skin. She might have a new bruise on the back of her head, but the string of profanities he let loose told her it was worth it.

  At least, she thought it was worth it until he looked back at her again, even more pleased than he had been before. “You tell more than you mean to, you know. Like that move there? That tells me I was right. You two can still Talk to each other. Why else would you care whether you’re hooked up to a device that monitors telepathy?”

  “Maybe it’s the violation,” she shot back. “I don’t need your hands on me, don’t need you trying to get into my head again.”

  He didn’t respond, directly, watching the monitor instead. He nodded, satisfied. Jemma focused inward for a moment, making sure her connection with Jack was closed before turning her attention back to Josh. He was watching her, head tilted.

  “Where did you get all this equipment?” Jemma asked. She needed to keep him talking rather than acting.

  “It’s amazing what you can find on eBay.” He ran a finger along the monitor. “The lab did it all wrong. They had too many of you, and they bought their equipment from the most expensive sources. It’s no wonder they couldn’t afford much of what they needed. Still, though, anyone with half a brain could still come to reliable conclusions. I just need the physical proof.”

  “What about Dr. Harris?” asked Jemma.

  Josh sneered. “He really thought we were studying the effects and limits in order to help with a cure. Sure, he knew that we’d also benefit monetarily if we figured out how it worked, but he didn’t care. It was all about the research for him.”

  “And what was it for you?” Jack asked. “Fulfilling those sadistic tendencies?”

  “Haven’t you been listening?” Josh stepped away from the monitor, stopping near the instrument tray instead. “I was studying, trying to prove my theories right. I bet I know things you don’t about your own abilities.”

  “Like what?” Jemma made sure the challenge showed through in her voice. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry, and as long as he was talking, he wasn’t torturing.

  “Do you know why you were able to get through to Naomi that first time?” he asked, continuing without giving her a chance to respond. “As long as the potential exists in the first place, the chances of successful communication increase significantly when the two subjects are sharing the same heightened emotion.” He grinned. “The two of you were terrified. Of course that went through.”

  She’d been right, then, about why it might’ve worked. “What about why some people could Talk more easily than others?”

  “That one gets more complicated, but I figured it out thanks to one of the times you passed out.” There was pride in his voice, either at having been responsible for her loss of consciousness or at what he’d pieced together. “We didn’t quite catch it on the machines because we weren’t looking in the right place. Eventually, with all the lovely downtime I had in jail last week, it clicked: colors. It just fit. The closer the colors—the wavelength you broadcast on—the less emotional boost is needed before you can communicate. Of course, if you’d been able to really communicate without your wavelength mixing with that of the person you were speaking to, I’d have figured it out sooner.”

  “If you already know all this, why do you need us now?” Jack asked.

  “The whole point of all of this was to find a sustainable, selective version of telepathy, without ‘the Event’”—the words dripped with sarcasm—“in place. The nanocreatures that were designed to create the Event were beautiful, but they were never meant to be used indefinitely. And telepathy en masse is impressive, but there’s no way to regulate it. If everybody has it, I can’t use it to my advantage, and if it kills the people who use it, I can’t sell it. I needed to find a way to access a different version of telepathy, one that worked without nanocreatures.

  “Can you imagine the recognition, the money I can ask for? How much a military might pay me to able to communicate across distances with no way of being overheard? I am certain that the two of you can still Talk. You’re my key to monetizing this. I’ve got a better shot now, too, now that I know exactly what to look for regarding compatibility. It doesn’t matter that I’m not exactly going about this legally. Since when has the free market ever cared about that?”

  “So you’re working for your own gain, now?” asked Jack. “Not concerned that the company you worked for is being dragged down with nothing to show for it?”

  Josh snorted. “I’ve never cared about Tricorp beyond what they could offer me. They gave me a place to test my theories, but time and again I was denied recognition, treated like a wayward child. They’d never have gotten to do any of their testing if it weren’t for me. And when I succeed, my name will be the only one associated with the achievement.”

  “You really think it’s that easy?” Jemma raised her eyebrows at him. “You think you’ll get away with this if people know it was you? Besides, if you want to sell it as a secret military tool, won’t widespread recognition sort of ruin that?”

  “Just because the world knows it exists, doesn’t mean they have access to it. It doesn’t mean they know who can use it. It’s more effective that way, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you fear an army more if it might have a weapon you’ve no way to counteract?”

  “So I’m guessing you’re not selling whatever shielding you had on the building,” Jemma said.

  “That shielding was ridiculous.” Josh shook his head. “It was supposed to completely protect the people in the building, cancel out the Event entirely, neutralize the nanocreatures. Instead, it just made them… sleepy. They still canceled out the vocals, but they also canceled out most of the telepathic enhancement. Now that you’ve killed off the nanocreatures, it’s useless.” He grinned again. “The fact that you were able to Talk to each other so easily even though the enhancements were so close to neutralized is part of why I’m sure you can still do it.”

  He looked down at the tray, and Jemma spat out the first question she could think of. “And why were we kept apart at first? What was the point when we needed to be together for the results you were looking for?”

  “They were too scared to get results.” Josh looked back at her. “We should’ve had the pairs we knew worked together in the lab first. We should’ve forced similar emotions, should’ve used my supplements sooner. They were doing it all wrong, though. They wanted to use the weakest connections that were measurable, because they were convinced that you’d be able to communicate with somebody on the outside if you were too strong, or failing that, you’d be able to coordinate an escape.” He paused. “And you did escape, didn’t you? Did you trade plans while you were in the lab together? Did you find a way to touch during lunches?”

  Jemma raised her eyebrows again. “You’re the genius, right? You haven’t figured it out?”

  He looked unfazed by her lack of information, running his fingers along the tray once more. “That’s okay, I can be patient. There’s nobody to interfere, now. Nobody to stop me. I’ve got the two of you for as long as I want.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:

  Not That

  “I’d like to first see the two of you communicating without the use of any enhancements,” Josh said, smiling in a facade of rationality. “If you’re not giving me results or if you make this any more difficult than you need to, well then…” He held up a capped syringe, looking lovingly at it. “You remember how nice my enhancing drugs are, Jemma. I had to change them, of course, adjust them to better compensate for the lack of nanocreatures, but I think you’ll like the results.”

  They needed to keep him from using those. Jemma wasn’t sure she’d survive it, if he resorted to following through on his threats. If Josh knew they could Talk unaided, she
couldn’t see anything good coming of it. If he proved himself right, if he confirmed his suspicions, she couldn’t picture a future in which she and Jack wouldn’t be looking over their shoulders, even assuming they ever got out of here.

  Jemma swallowed, watching the syringe between Josh’s fingers. She had to hope they had an agent nearby, ready to stop this. They needed to delay, to do anything possible to protect themselves. If that included using telepathy, she’d do it, and they’d figure out the consequences. Hopefully, though, they’d be rescued before that point.

  “I bet it kills you that you practically invented telepathy and you’ve never even used it,” she said. “Is that why you feel such a need to prove yourself? Because you’re a failure?”

  Josh sneered. “This again? I knew that I wouldn’t be able to use it before I set the Event into motion. Do you really think that came as a shock? I already knew telepathy would have a base in emotional connection. I chose to keep my access to those connections limited. I moved across the country years ago to get away from my smothering parents, long before I began my research. And friends? They’re just distractions. I needed to find a version of telepathy that wouldn’t require those weaknesses.”

  He smiled again. “I was prepared. That doesn’t make me a failure. It makes me better able to objectively observe, and obviously, it’s worked. I knew more than any of the rest of the so-called experts.”

  “Because you got paired up with me.” Jemma put forward as much conviction as she could muster, latching onto the truth of her words. “You wouldn’t have been able to prove most of your theories if you hadn’t gotten paired up with the only person in the area showing real results. You would’ve been just some lackey in a lab, waiting for your bosses to decide you’d screwed up too badly to keep around.”

  His smile dropped. “And yet I’m the one who’s holding all the power here. You’re strapped to a chair. Powerless.”