The Mind Readers (28 page)

“Come, children. To the back,
just as we’ve practiced.”

Caroline glanced over her
shoulder, a tear trailing down her pale cheek. “You promised.” Then she turned
and raced after the other kids. Obedient little children, too afraid to argue.
But I knew an opportunity when I saw one.

“You too.” Deborah waved me
over, her face set stern as if she was in no mood to argue. “Don’t worry.” She
said the words as an afterthought, as if she wasn’t used to comforting others.

I nodded, pretending I was as
gullible as the kids she was currently escorting through the back door, leading
them only God knew where. I took a few steps forward, following slowly. Deborah
wasn’t worried about me; she had more important matters at the moment. It would
be the perfect time, perhaps the only time, to escape. I waited until Deborah
disappeared into the back room.

Frantic, I spun around and sprinted
to the door. “Numbers,” I muttered, my hand hovering in front of the keypad.
“What had Caroline said?”

Twenty-eight, thirteen, five.
The numbers rushed through my head
and afraid they’d disappear just as quickly, I punched in the code. The lock clicked,
the door popped open. I stumbled back, my heart slamming wildly in my chest. If
I ran into anyone…if Lewis and Aaron found out…if S.P.I. really was the threat
Aaron proclaimed…

“You can’t leave!”
 
Deborah’s voice snapped, the tone edged with
fear.

I glanced over my shoulder. She
was rushing toward me. I stepped back, through the door and into the hall. “I
have to. Don’t follow, you’ll only endanger yourself and the children.”

Her face was furious. “You
can’t!”

“Sorry, but I can.” I moved into
the hall and pushed the door shut, hearing it click in place. I couldn’t leave
through the exit where I’d escaped last time. I needed to somehow make it out
the front, where I’d be closer to those gates. I bolted down the dark corridor,
swerving around storage boxes and old furniture.

Deborah wouldn’t dare come after
me and put not only herself, but the kids in danger. Would she? Sure enough,
when I glanced back, she was peering at me through the small window on the
door. Relief was swift and sweet. One down…

If S.P.I. agents had entered the
house and were looking for Maddox, they’d eventually end up down here. I
paused, resting against a cinder block wall, trying to hear noise above, but it
was impossible with blood rushing to my ears and the harsh pant of my breath.
Every crack and pop startled me. Every shadow was a threat.
 

“The west end is secure. I’ll
check on the children,” someone said, his voice echoing down the hall.
 

Not S.P.I. but just as bad. One
of Aaron’s henchmen. I dove behind a pile of boxes, scrunching up as small as I
could. The cinderblock wall was rough and cold against the side of my face but
I didn’t dare move to try and ease the discomfort. The floor vibrated, heavy
footsteps coming closer…closer…

When they checked on the kids,
they’d know I’d escaped. Would they bother to search for me? I could only hope
they’d be too busy with S.P.I.

Two hulking forms rushed by, the
beams from their flashlights highlighting dark corners of the corridor, the
light bouncing against the walls. I squeezed back and held my breath.

Their bodies faded into the
darkness, the hall growing silent once more. I finally released the air I held.
Who the hell was I kidding? I had no idea how to escape. I had the ridiculous
thought that if I just stayed here, hidden behind these boxes, everything would
be okay.

Even if I managed to make it
outside, that sewage drain had most likely been covered. How would I make it
through the gates? I pressed the heels of my palms over my eyes. I wouldn’t
make it out of here alive, but there was one man who might be able to help. The
very same man who could keep S.P.I. from killing me on sight. Could I trust
him? Did I have a choice? Before I was able to think about the ramifications of
my decision, I surged to my feet and bolted down the long corridor, hoping it
would lead to the opposite end of the house. Maddox was my only chance. He was
a secret agent, if anyone could escape, it was him.

I didn’t miss the three empty
chairs as I raced by. Aaron had placed guards outside Maddox’s door. Guards who
had left their stations probably to fight S.P.I. But they would be back soon, I
was sure of that. What I wasn’t sure of was whether to be relieved or scared to
death when I saw Maddox’s steel door.

I froze, there in front of the
door. For a moment, as panic overwhelmed me, I forgot the code Olivia had given
me. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Calming my nerves I practiced my
meditation in the middle of the hall, in the middle of a war. How ironic that
the practices Aaron had taught might help me escape. The code came back to me
and I quickly punched in the numbers. The door popped open. Most likely Aaron
had some sort of alarm on the door, which is how he’d found me the first time
I’d come here alone. I’d have only seconds. I pushed the door wider and rushed
inside the small room.

Maddox, wearing the same
clothing he’d been wearing since the day he’d arrived, was tied to that chair
again. He lifted his head, that familiar glare oddly comforting. His face was
pale, dried blood caked to the corner of his mouth. Had they tried to break
into his thoughts again, or was the blood from someone’s fist?
 

Disgusted with the entire
situation, I started cautiously toward him. “Listen to me, we don’t have long.
I need your help, and I’ll…help you.”

“Ah, so they’ve broken through
the gates?” Maddox grinned. “Maybe I don’t need your help.”
 

“And maybe Aaron will stop them,
or kill you.” I paused far enough away so he couldn’t touch me if he broke
through those bonds. “I release you and you help me and the children escape.”
My words were blunt, with little explanation. I hoped he’d understand because
we didn’t have time to chit-chat.

He quirked a dark brow. “The
children?”

I swallowed hard, wondering how
much he knew. “There are others. Younger Mind Readers.”

He looked me up and down slowly,
as if judging my worth. “How do you know I won’t kill you when I’m free?”

My heart skipped a beat, but I
refused to let the fear show on my face. “Because I don’t believe you’re that
bad.”

He was still smiling when he
responded, “Fine.” He’d agreed quickly enough…too quickly.

My suspicion was immediate.
“Swear on you girlfriend’s life.”

He narrowed his eyes, his anger
almost palpable. “Go to hell, Sweetheart.”

I didn’t let him frighten me, I
didn’t have time. “I mean it.”

He was silent for one long
moment, mulling over his possibilities. He knew as well as I that he was
limited in choices.
 

“Hurry,” I urged, glancing out
the door. “We need to hurry!”

“Fine, I agree. Don’t really
have a choice, do I?”

“Well, that’s heartening,” I
muttered, edging closer.

I didn’t trust him in the least,
but I didn’t have a choice either. I dropped to my knees and pulled out my
pocket knife. With trembling hands, I sawed at the rope around his ankles. The
twine popped apart and Maddox flexed his feet, grimacing. I moved to his back
and sawed at the rope holding his wrists. Although I was in a hurry, I couldn’t
help but notice his skin was red and raw. His hands free, I shoved the knife
back into my pocket. He pulled his arms in front of him, rolling his hands
around and around as if to get the blood pumping.
 

I knew his muscles hurt from
lack of use, but we didn’t have time for him to do yoga. “Let’s go.” I didn’t
wait for him, but rushed into the hall, hoping he’d follow. “There’s an exit I
used yesterday, just down here.”

I turned to see him stumbling
after me. His hands were braced against the hallway wall, his face pale and
sweaty. He didn’t exactly look good. I hadn’t thought about the fact that his
muscles would be weak. God, I hoped he could make it; there was no possible way
I could carry him out of here. I paused, waiting for him to stumble toward me.
When he was close enough to touch, I slipped my arm around his waist. He
stiffened, obviously surprised or disgusted by my touch. I didn’t have time to
be offended.

“We have to hurry,” I insisted.
“The door isn’t far.”

I focused on the end of that
hall, trying to ignore the warmth of his body and the way it made me feel safe,
for some odd reason. Instead, I focused on a plan. If we could make it outside,
the battle would be half won. But Maddox was heavy and I worried I’d made a
mistake and he would be more of a hindrance than a help. Too late to go back
now and I couldn’t leave him behind.

Sweat broke out on my forehead.
“We’re almost there,” I managed. Was it my imagination or was he getting
heavier?

He didn’t respond.

I dared to take my focus off
Maddox and instead listened for shouting or movement above. But I couldn’t hear
a damn thing. We turned the corner and there was the door. My heart leapt with
relief. I didn’t know how we’d get through the fence, but at the moment, it
didn’t matter. Shifting my arm away from Maddox, he leaned against the wall and
I reached for the door handle.

“Stop,” Aaron’s voice was a hard
command that offered no room for disobedience.

Maddox’s arm shot out, wrapping
around my waist. Suddenly I was slammed against his chest, my Swiss Army Knife
at my throat. He flipped open the blade and pressed it to my skin, the metal
cold and sharp. I didn’t dare move, barely breathed.

“Come any closer and she’s
dead,” Maddox said.

He wasn’t leaning anymore, he
wasn’t trembling. Obviously his entire weakened state had been an act. I wasn’t
sure if I should be scared or pissed that he’d lied. And to top it off, he’d
somehow stolen my knife.

“You jerk,” I hissed.

His arm around my waist
tightened. “Trust me.” He spoke so softly, that I wasn’t sure if I’d truly
heard the words, or if it had been wishful thinking. “We’re walking out of
here,” he said, his voice loud and sure. “Or she dies.”

“So do it,” Aaron said as he
came strolling from the shadows, into the flickering light that shone from
above. There were two silent guards behind him, big burly men who made Maddox
look small. “Kill her. It will keep me from having to erase her memory. She’s
no use to me anymore.”

“Bullshit,” Maddox growled. “You
think I don’t know why you want her alive?”

I resisted the urge to tell
Maddox it was true. Aaron didn’t want me. He probably didn’t care if I died.
Maddox seemed so confident in his beliefs, that against my better judgment, I
bit back my comment. But I couldn’t stop the tingle of warning from racing over
my skin. I had a bad feeling this was all too easy.

Maddox didn’t release his hold.
In fact, he took a step back, toward the door, dragging me with him. “You’re
letting us go.”

Aaron clasped his hands behind
his back, his face passive, thoughtful. “Yes, perhaps I might have let you go.
But unfortunately the men behind you with the pistols pointed directly at your
head…well, they, I’m afraid, won’t be so accommodating.”

I could tell by the hardness of
his gaze that he wasn’t lying. I managed to turn my head just enough to glance
behind us. Sure enough, there were two of Aaron’s guards with guns pointed at
Maddox’s gorgeous head. Surprise, surprise.

“Well, this sucks,” I whispered.

Maddox loosened his hold. “You
can say that again.”

Chapter 21

I’d always had mixed feelings
about my ability to read minds. For the most part, I thought of my ability as a
blessing. I wouldn’t have had the friends I’d had. I wouldn’t have had the
grades I’d had. I wouldn’t have had the life I’d had.

But as we stood under gunpoint,
I could unequivocally say I wished I was normal.

Rough hands grasped my upper
arms and shoved me against the wall, the brick scratching the side of my face.
I bit my lower lip to keep from crying out and watched as they did the same to
Maddox. My pathetic little Swiss Army Knife lay useless on the cement floor. A
guard grabbed my hands and jerked my arms behind my back. Before I could
protest, something was wrapped tightly around my wrists, pinning my arms
together.

“Upstairs, now,” Aaron demanded,
his hard tone leaving no room for argument.

The guard grabbed my left arm
and jerked me up the steps. My heart plummeted. Maddox might be some sort of
secret agent, but unless he was Harry Freaking Potter, there was no way he
could get us out of this situation. At the top of the steps we were met by two
more guards, the sight of them only adding to my despair.

I dared to glance back at
Maddox, as if he could help. But I realized, even in my panicked state, that it
was too dangerous. The men behind him still had their pistols trained to his
head. I’d never seen a gun in real life and the sight left me trembling and
cold. One false step and it could misfire. Any one of us could be dead in a
matter of moments. Maddox wouldn’t take that chance, not for me, a person he
barely knew. And so I turned toward Aaron, the only person who could help at
the moment.

“You don’t have to do this,” I
said, feeling I had to say something. “Just let us go and you could probably
negotiate something with S.P.I.”

Aaron chuckled, a harsh sound
that annoyed the heck out of me. “S.P.I. has been taken care of. You don’t need
to worry about my welfare.”

Taken care of. I assumed he
didn’t mean he’d given them a hearty meal and seen them off to bed. My feet hit
the marble tile on the first floor and my fear flared to life. Dear God, this
was not happening. I had not been caught yet again.