Voice (28 page)

“Well,” he replied, sounding somehow both serious and cheerful, “it may depend on the context, but on the whole, yes, I still think it’s better to interact in a more human way. Maybe even more than I did before.”

Carolyn came back into the room and joined in, and the familiar debate grew lively. With a smile on her face, Jemma sat back and let the noise wash over her.

CHAPTER THIRTY:

Home

Three Months Later

“Okay, before we get started, just making sure you’re clear on everything. I wanted to do a follow-up on the Event, how everyone’s been affected, how they’re recovering, things like that.” Katie Brink sat across from Jemma at one of the tables on the second floor of the library, and Jemma felt a mild thrill at interacting with her favorite local journalist.

“Everything’s clear,” Jemma answered. She watched Katie pull up a recording app on her phone before she held her fingers over the keyboard of her laptop.

“If there’s anything you’re not really comfortable talking about, just say so. This is just an interview, not an interrogation.” At Jemma’s nod, Katie dove in. “It’s been a little over three months since the Return. Have things gone back to normal for you?”

Jemma rubbed at her arm, grateful she no longer had to go easy on it. “Yes and no. I’m back at work, in the position I earned during the Event, so that’s both different and the same. I’m living with my boyfriend, who I barely even knew before the Event.”

“You changed a lot, then, over the course of the Event, as well as the kidnapping that followed.” She smiled wryly before Jemma could respond. “Of course you did. Who wouldn’t, with all that to deal with? Are there any other ways this changed you?”

“Well, I’d never have given an interview before the Event, not in person,” Jemma answered. “I might have via email or something similar, but besides not having a reason to be interviewed, I didn’t really do a great job of speaking up.”

“You do now?” Katie was typing periodically as they went back and forth.

“I do better, anyway. I’m still myself,” Jemma explained. “I’m just a little more comfortable in who that is.”

Katie nodded and moved on. “A lot of people still think about the Event fairly regularly. Some seem to have all but forgotten it. Your experience was a bit more traumatic than many dealt with. Where do you fall in that spectrum? How often do you think about the Event?”

Jemma hesitated. She still had nightmares, sometimes, and she suspected she always would, but she hoped they would continue to occur less often. Jack had his own at times, and they were there for each other when it happened, soothing with touch and emotion. She didn’t really want to go into detail about her nightmares, though, and she definitely wasn’t going to mention how she coped with them.

“It’s not infrequent,” she said finally. “As we established, a fair amount changed. Any time I’m aware of those changes, it’s a pretty small step to thinking about the Event.”

“What about your captivity, specifically?” Katie’s voice was softer, understanding. “Remember you don’t need to answer if you’re not comfortable.”

“I can’t really think about one without thinking about the other,” she said. “I mean, that’s not to say I only focus on the negative. Most of the changes were for the better, I think. I’m not happy that I was held, tortured.” She looked down at the surgical scar on her arm. “Obviously. My life was fine before. It’s better now. I try not to dwell on what happened in between.”

Katie nodded and consulted her notes. “The trial promises to be drawn out. There’s not a lot of precedent for some of the charges. How much are you kept in the loop regarding the proceedings? Will you be required to testify?”

“We’re kept a little more informed than the general public, but not much. As you said, there’s a lot without precedent.” She paused, trying to separate what they were allowed to talk about and what they weren’t. “Most of the people being prosecuted are being held without bail, so that’s a relief.”

“Including Joshua Stevens?”

“Yes.” Josh’s trial for what he’d done after the company was dissolved had moved much faster than the larger trial, sped along significantly by people who wanted to give the public some results. “He’s actually already been convicted of enough crimes to keep him imprisoned for most of his life. He’ll also be brought up on murder charges in conjunction with the rest of the trials.”

“Did you have to testify regarding what he’s already been convicted of?”

“Yes,” Jemma answered, swallowing as she remembered the taxing week they’d spent in and out of the courtroom, Josh watching her with a smirk any time she was in sight. “We’ll need to again for the rest, it sounds like.” They’d been promised, though, that she wouldn’t have to face Josh again. If he was brought back in for those proceedings, it would be at different days and times. She was done with him. Dr. Harris might be present, but that didn’t worry her as much, especially since his sentence was all but a foregone conclusion thanks to his high ranking in the company’s structure.

Katie shifted topics again. “Your interview with Dallas is still the only video interview of anyone who had enhanced telepathic abilities. Nobody else has been willing to come forward. There are a few printed interviews, like this one will be, but even most of those were done with a condition of anonymity. Why do you think people are so unwilling to speak about this? What made you agree to talk?”

“There weren’t actually that many of us. Fewer than Tricorp thought initially, which I’m sure was a disappointment. As for most not wanting to talk about it, even the people who were treated relatively well were still held against their will. It’s not really something that’s pleasant to talk about.”

She was still in touch with some of the others, but none had wanted their names mentioned in the interview. April called once or twice a month, and she’d recently won some sort of trophy for basketball. Marcia and Kendall had gotten married a month before in a small ceremony at the courthouse.

She tapped her finger on the table while refocusing her thoughts. “The first interview, the one with Dallas, we did because we had to. It was the only way we could think of to get the attention at the speed we needed.”

“And this interview?” Katie looked at her with genuine curiosity.

Jemma smiled. “Well, I’ve always enjoyed your articles. You show us real life in a way that’s not too sappy, but still relatable. When I saw you were looking for a variety of people to interview, I thought it would help if you had more perspectives to pull from.”

“I appreciate that,” Katie answered, looking down at her keyboard. She cleared her throat before she continued. “Employment and crime have finally just about returned to pre-Event levels. Have you seen that reflected in this part of town?”

“Everything with that seems pretty much back to normal,” Jemma answered. Susan had returned, sheepishly asking for her job back and apologizing for leaving without notice. Cecily had cut back her own hours further, happily letting Susan pick up the slack. “We actually have more regular patrons than we did before the Event,” she added. “People got used to reading more, I think. They stop by before or after work, and we’re pretty slammed on the weekends.” She glanced at the clock. “I’m actually going to need to get back to work soon here. Susan’s due for a break.”

“I understand.” Katie scrolled through what she had on her computer. “Just one more question: any book recommendations?”

Jemma laughed. “Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. I’m happy to help you find a book, and the same goes for anyone who comes in here.”

Katie smiled and closed her computer, then turned off the recording. She reached out to shake Jemma’s hand. “Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, Jemma.”

“It was my pleasure.” Jemma stood and accompanied Katie downstairs. “You’ll let me know when the article will be posted?”

“Of course!” Katie answered easily. “It should be just a few days.”

She took her leave, and Jemma joined Susan at the circulation desk. “You can take your break now,” she told her coworker, who grinned.

“Thanks. I’m meeting the husband for lunch and don’t really wanna be late.” Susan let Jemma take over the computer, and Jemma was still helping the next patron when she heard Susan leave through the back door.

The library fell quiet, and Jemma lifted her face to the sun streaming in through the front window. She opened her eyes when the main door opened, relaxing further as Jack’s connection slid into place.

“Hey there,” Jack sent, smiling at Jemma as he came into view around the bookshelves that lined the entry.

“Hello,” she sent back, returning the smile.

After reaching her, he looked around to make sure nobody was watching, then leaned forward for a kiss, a flood of affection washing over Jemma at the contact. He pulled back, then handed her a sandwich.

“For you, ma’am,” he said aloud. He bowed slightly as she took her lunch, and her lips twitched.

She set the sandwich down where it would be safe until Susan got back. “Thanks. Lot of work today?” she asked, following suit and switching to her physical voice.

He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll be done about the same time you are. We can swing by the house and pick up Dad before we head to your parents’ place.”

“Sounds good,” she answered. He smiled again, a satisfied grin, when she leaned forward to steal another kiss before he went upstairs to work.

Jemma made a circuit around the room, verifying that nobody needed help, then returned to the circulation desk and picked up her phone. She dialed her mother, knowing she’d get her voicemail.

“Hey, Mom. It’s Friday, and I just wanted to check in and make sure we’re still on for dinner tonight. Don has ordered Jack to make garlic bread, but if you need us to bring anything else, let me know.”

“As if your mom would cancel this week’s dinner,” sent Jack.

Jemma smiled as she put away her phone. Their telepathic range wasn’t great, but they could reach from the circulation desk to where Jack sat. “I know, but she likes when I confirm it,” she sent back. “Get back to work,” she added with mock sternness.

“Aye, aye,” he agreed.

A patron came up to her, stack of books in hand. Jemma greeted the patron, feeling a thrill of contentment, a swell of happiness, and the knowledge that everything was finally as it was meant to be. She could use her voice now, and she did, no longer hesitant to speak: “Did you find everything you needed?”

Acknowledgments

Again I have to thank my husband, my mom, and Susan. None of this would be possible without you. I’d also like to thank my readers. You’ve been wonderful. Thanks for sticking with me through this journey.

Special thanks to all those who helped behind the scenes. My beta readers, people who gave pointers regarding my covers, everyone—

Thank you.

About the Author

Nikita went to school for creative writing, with the intent to become a copy editor. When she graduated in 2006, Nikita instead followed her husband to Italy, where they had a daughter.

After moving back to the United States a few years later, Nikita started tutoring high school and college students in essay writing, reminding her of her earlier passion. In 2013, she started writing, working on shorter pieces until, finally, she was struck with the idea for
Mute
, the first in the Muted Trilogy.

When she isn’t writing or reading, she is enjoying the outdoors in South Dakota with her family or watching her favorite television shows.

Read more about Nikita and her upcoming novels at www.MutedAuthor.com.