Mindspeak (8 page)

Jack’s hand tightened around mine
and tugged gently. The heat of his touch reached all the way to my core. He led
me through the barn to the last stall where a sliding door with a cut out
window hung. Inside, a large chestnut horse stood, munching on straw and a
bucket of feed. When she heard us, she stepped in our direction.

“She’s beautiful.” I let go of Jack’s
hand and reached to rub her nose. She bobbed her head up and down, and I
laughed.

It felt good to laugh. Release a
little of the stress, even if only for a moment.

I turned my head toward Jack. His
smile sent a flush across my face.

“Meet Cherriana. Arrived today,” he
said while reaching a hand to her nose the same way I had and touching his
pinky finger to my thumb. “The first-ever cloned quarter horse.”

I pulled my hand away. My head spun
in Jack’s direction. “Cloned?” Again with the rapidly pumping heart. I looked
back. Barry was exiting the barn at the other end. Did he know? Was this even a
secret?

He nodded. “Exact replica of
another horse and born twenty-six years after the original.”

“How old is she?”

“She’s twenty.”

“They did it,” I whispered as I
stroked her mane. “They cloned a mammal that lived. Why was this never reported?”

“Father’s story is that the labs
couldn’t handle any more bad publicity after the goat. When they did decide to
go public, the fire destroyed all of their records, and… I don’t know. I think
something spooked them. He doesn’t talk much about it anymore.”

“And our fathers don’t talk to each
other,” I whispered.

“Exactly. Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know. What does your dad
say about… your ability?” I dared a sideways glance at him.

“Not much.”

At that, I faced him. “What? Jack,
you mend bones by a simple touch. You and your parents don’t discuss this?”

He shook his head. His face was serious.
“There’s nothing simple about it.”

“No, I guess not. But it would seem
you would question your parents more.”

“It’s something I’ve always done,
since I was little. Besides, my relationship with my parents is complicated.
They’ve always had these really high expectations for me. Pushed me to do and
learn so much more than normal teens.”

“But Jack,” I sucked in a breath, “you
can heal bones. You have any idea how huge that is? People would—” Darkness
settled in over my thoughts.

“Pay good money to have that
ability? Or knowledge that someone else did?” Jack rested his arm on the stall
door, his hand rubbing the underside of Cherriana’s head like he would a Golden
Retriever’s. “Did you ever tell anyone? That you could put thoughts into people’s
minds?”

“Are you kidding? I barely have
friends now.”

“What about your dad?”

“No.” Occasionally though, I
wondered if he somehow knew. I studied Jack’s profile and the way he looked at
his horse. I continued. “By the time I realized I was actually mindspeaking, I
was smart enough to know that I would be perceived as crazy if anyone knew.
Besides, it’s not like I can do it very often. Sometimes the nosebleeds are
pretty bad. And the headaches…”

“Tell me about it.” He smiled. “Mending
a bird’s damaged wing when I was five was nothing. I threw up for a full
twenty-four hours after I fixed your arm the other day.” Jack brushed a hand
down the front of Cherriana’s nose.

“Sorry I made you sick.”

He shrugged like it was nothing. Bending
down, he grabbed a cup of grain and poured it into the horse’s feeding bin. Her
reddish-brown mane and ears twitched while she ate.

I lowered my hands to my side. I
wished Jack didn’t make me nervous. It was like watching someone play with the
pin of a grenade. I never knew when he might explode with more information I
couldn’t handle. “These things we can do aren’t normal,” I said.

“What
is
normal?” He stared
at me now, testing me. I backed away a step. “Landing men on the moon? Creating
a nuclear bomb that could take out an entire country? Giving someone an artificial
heart? Scientific experiments and advancements are just that—making the
abnormal… normal.

“And what about living a life of
secrets? Is normal having your name changed and being hidden away in a school
in the middle of nowhere, Kentucky? Why
did
you change your name?” Jack’s
rant was razor-sharp.

“My dad thought it was necessary. I
do what he tells me.” Most of the time anyway. I backed away from Jack a little
more. “Why did you come to Wellington? Why now?”

“Would you believe I needed the
advanced classes they offer here?”

I gave my head a little shake. “I
know what classes are required to be accepted to The Program. You’ve already
taken everything you need to graduate high school, be enrolled into The Program
and
be accepted to college.”

Jack draped both arms over the
stall door and appeared to ponder my words. Or maybe analyze what to tell me
next.

“Did your parents make you come
here for the year?” I asked, because that would totally make sense. I get
parents who micromanage the lives of their children like puppets.

“No. My father offered it as an
option, and after my mom strongly opposed the idea, I knew I had to come.”

Interesting. So, he respects his
dad, but not his mom? “What did you expect to find here?”

“Other than you? I don’t know. I
didn’t think really. I just hoped you might have some answers to questions I
don’t even know how to ask.”

I heard the frustration in his
voice. I stayed silent, hoping he would continue.

“And I know Father thinks your dad
kept journals,” Jack continued. “He wants them. And part of me wants to find
them before anyone else does.”

“Did he ask my dad for them?” Just
as I started to relax around Jack, my danger radar vibrated again. Why was
everyone interested in these journals?

“Yes, your dad denied having them.”

I took another step back. “What
makes you think I know anything more?”

“I know you do, Lexi.” He shuffled
closer. “You told me your father mentioned the journals the night of the
dinner. And I read that email. Someone else knows your father is hiding these
journals. They obviously have some important information if this many people
are after them.”

“Why would I give them to you?” I
stared at Jack, searched the darkness of his eyes for a sign. A sign that would
tell me to run from the mysterious guy in front of me, or a sign to trust him.
Even if only a little.

“I just want information, Lexi. Don’t
you? Don’t you find it strange to meet me? Someone who shares a past that was
hidden from you? And some sort of unnatural ability?”

I didn’t know what I wanted. I needed
to think. I needed to breathe. I needed to get away from Jack.

The thumping started slow and began
to build inside my chest like an earthquake—pressure of an impending volcanic
eruption. My stomach churned like water inside a hot spring.

I moved past him and walked out the
rear of the barn. “I can’t breathe,” I whispered mostly to myself. I knew what
was happening, and there was no way to stop it. I hated that Jack would witness
it. My hand covered my mouth, and I ran. Away from Jack. Away from the situation.

Where I was going, I had no idea.
But I had to get away from Jack. I didn’t feel safe, and I couldn’t get in a
breath.

My thoughts raced. My father had
tucked me away. To hide me? Or to protect me? I’d always thought it was the
latter. Now, I had no idea, because suddenly all my walls of safety crumbled
around me with each revelation Jack spoke.

Things I’d never questioned before
poked at my brain.

Nothing made sense.

I ran along the path behind the
barn until it led into a treed area along the rear of the property. The sounds
of Jack’s footsteps were close behind me.

I, of course, ran out of breath and
had to stop. The leaves of the trees that now towered above me rustled in the
wind. My chest ached from breathing in the cool night air.

“Damn, you can run fast.” Jack bent
over at the waist, catching his breath. “Do you have panic attacks often?”

I ignored his stupid question. “We’re
lab rats,” I breathed. My eyes blurred, staring at the dirt in front of me. “That’s
what the person said in the email. He called me a lab rat.” My voice took on an
uncontrollable edge.

“Lexi, don’t panic. Look at me.”

I lifted my eyes. My chest rose and
fell; my breath labored in heavy gasps. “That’s what we would be.” I shook my
head. “If someone finds out we’re here… That we have these talents.” I locked
eyes with Jack. “You knew I was here before the dinner. If you found me, who’s
to say someone else couldn’t? Someone already discovered my email address. Now,
more people know about these journals. And Dad seems to be missing.”

“Calm down. Please. I promise I’m
here to help.”

I raised my chest and went at him. “Why
did you come? Are you leading them to me?” Whoever “them” was. I pushed at his
chest, but without much effort. I was too tired from running. He stumbled backwards,
his brows scrunched up, and caught my hand in his when I made contact.

I jerked it away and leaned against
a tree. Tears stung my cheeks.

He stepped closer to me. With a
gentle touch, he wiped my tears away with his thumb. “I’m not leading anyone to
you. I didn’t come to Wellington to scare you. Or hurt you in any way.”

“Why
did
you come, then?” My
voice was barely audible. I was naked, exposed. Danger lurked behind every
falling leaf.

“I think you know there is so much
more to this story. Your dad’s journals would be a good start toward helping us
learn exactly who we are.”

“I don’t have the journals.” Although,
if they were in the storage unit, I’d find them. I ducked away from Jack and walked
a few steps.

“We also need to figure out who
emailed you. And why.”

“I told you. I don’t have any idea
who could have sent that email. I didn’t think anyone even knew who I was.” Or
cared, until Jack arrived.

My eyes darted from tree to tree.
My mind raced, filing and categorizing the fears and dangers swirling around
me. None of which were present before Jack arrived.

I’d always thought I’d been hidden
at Wellington for my protection because of who Dad was. Now? I was starting to
wonder if I was hidden because of
what I was
.

With my back turned, I sucked in a
deep breath. I’d find the journals. And I’d find them without Jack.

Chapter
Seven

“Please, Dani.” I pleaded with
Danielle outside the yoga room. I sounded whiny, which I hated.

Her yoga mat hung on her back. She
crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “Can’t we go after yoga? I really need to
de-stress from that stupid European History test.”

“There won’t be time.” I closed my
eyes and squeezed the bridge of my nose. “Look, something really strange is
going on. I need your help.”

“You need me to drive you.”

I batted my eyelashes. “I want your
company.”

“This is about Mr. Hot Abs, isn’t
it? Does he really have a girlfriend?”

I had forgotten that tidbit I had
made up and told the school when I introduced Jack the previous night.

Danielle chewed on her cuticle as
if nothing was urgent. When I didn’t answer her question, she said, “I bet it’s
not serious. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s kind of creepy, and hot,
actually.”

“Danielle! Focus.”

She craned her head to see into the
yoga room. Soft music played. The smell of incense wafted all the way out to the
hallway. The class was starting. She turned back around. “Oh, alright. But you
owe me.”

“Awesome. I’ll even carry your yoga
mat.” I lifted her carrying case off her shoulder.

I pushed the door open, held it for
her, then twirled around and ran smack dab into Jack. Why was he always
everywhere I was?

“Hello, ladies.” He had already
changed from the school uniform into an old gray shirt and sweat shorts. And by
old gray shirt, I meant shirt that did nothing to hide the rock-hard curve of
his pectoral muscles.

I shifted under his probing stare.

Danielle sidled up beside me and
threw an arm around my shoulders, an eyebrow raised in my direction. “Hi, Jack.
What ya doin’? Come to see Lexi, did ya?

I glared at her so hard she
withdrew her arm and formed her lips into an O. Her eyes widened as she tried
to hide her smile.

“Where’re you girls off to?” His
finger grazed the mat on my back. “Doing a little yoga, Lexi?” A sly grin
pulled on his lips.

Before I could answer, Danielle said,
“Lexi here, has talked me into taking her to the…”

“Store... Supplies…” I closed my
eyes and took a breath. “We need supplies for a… project.”

“Yes. The store.” Danielle agreed.

“Yeah. And we better hurry.” I linked
my arm with Danielle’s and pushed her forward.

“That’s right. Need to get those
supplies.” Danielle waved to Jack over her shoulder. Under her breath, she said
to me, “You’re such a pathetic liar.”

~~~~

The U-Store was deserted. The sun
hung low in the sky, casting deep shadows on the buildings and making it appear
darker than it really was. A late summer breeze stirred up dust from the
gravel.

I directed Danielle to drive past
the office to the third row and make a left. “Right here. Unit 391.” We climbed
out of Danielle’s vintage 1990 BMW that was in major need of a paint job. Danielle
coughed dramatically from the stirring of gravel as she shuffled around the
car. Her coughs echoed off the sides of the identical buildings all in a row.

Armed with a flashlight and a
storage box that I’d bummed off the school secretary, I handed the box to
Danielle. “Here, help me.” I dug for the key in my pocket.