Voice by Nikita Spoke Page B

suffer if she didn’t?”
    Jemma’s face fell, and she felt like she might throw up. Of course Josh had been the one to put that file there. She’d known something was wrong with it being there from the start, all that information all neat and tidy in one file, but the fact that the information seemed accurate had thrown her off. He couldn’t have known they would contact Senator Pratt, but he might have assumed Jack would be able to find it, unencrypted as it was. When she focused back on Josh’s face, he was smiling, that innocent smile that always made Jemma want to get as far away as possible.
    “Now, let’s try this,” he continued. “Marcia, put your hand on Jemma’s arm. Jemma, try Talking to Marcia. Don’t bother telling me what you say. Marcia, tell me if you can hear her.”
    Jemma closed her eyes to concentrate, needing to focus on anything other than Josh. Nothing she tried would go through; there was no echo, no real sense of connection. She couldn’t quite even figure out where Marcia’s connection had rested, but she felt like she was just missing it.
    On the plus side, at least, her headache didn’t get any worse. She did shift in her chair to relieve some of the weight from the bruises she’d gotten in falling to the floor the day before.
    “Okay, that’s enough,” Josh interrupted. “I’m impressed, though. You actually made it move.” He showed her the monitor, which did indicate minimal activity. “That’s more than I expected. Well below the thresholds we’ve determined are required for a message to actually be sent, though. Marcia, your turn. Go ahead and try to send Jemma a message.” He gave Marcia less time before interrupting. “Nothing. Okay.” He smiled and picked up the needle. “We’re just going to give this to Jemma today, but if it doesn’t work, I can mix up a stronger version to try on both of you tomorrow.” He smiled at Jemma as he injected her. “How’s that for getting a baseline?”
    The liquid stung as it worked its way through her veins, but Jemma waited and felt no difference in her mind. She didn’t feel any expanding, crawling, or pain.
    “It should have taken effect by now,” said Josh, his mouth pulling down to one side as he studied the monitor. “Maybe without Jack involved you just don’t have the same background static. I want you to try communicating with Marcia again.”
    Jemma nodded, briefly considering not trying at all, then remembering the threat of a stronger attempt the next day. If trying her hardest could save herself and Marcia from worse, she’d do it.
    She was able to find Marcia’s connection. None of the other connections were present, not even Jack’s. She ignored any concerning thoughts that might lead to and instead focused as hard as she could on sending words along Marcia’s connection. No matter how hard she tried, though, how hard she focused on either words or on Marcia herself, there was no echo, no indication that anything went through.
    “It’s not enough, Jemma,” said Josh. “I can see you’re trying, so I guess I don’t have to take away your lunch today, but it’s not enough. Hey, you,” he addressed the guard again, who stiffened. “Take Marcia back to her cell, then come back for Jemma.”
    “Be careful,” said Marcia as she left, eying Josh. Jemma nodded, not sure what she could really do.
    As soon as they were alone, he came around the back of her chair to unhook the monitor. “It really is all your fault, Jemma, any discomfort you’re experiencing, any pain.” He set down the leads and stood beside her chair, his arms crossed. “Everything is like this because of you. I hope you remember that. If you don’t, maybe I’ll see whether Kendall wants to help instead.”
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN:
    Abandon
     
    Jemma woke early from a nightmare, the lights still dimmed in her cell. She’d been stuck, alone, with Josh. There weren’t any guards, anyone to