Involuntary Victim - Book 3 in Jessie's Story

Chapter 2: The Deadly Warning

Slowly and hesitantly I walked over to the table and sank down into the chair. I shivered, the metal was cold. Goosebumps broke out over my skin. I felt jumpy, I didn't like not knowing what was going on. The cameras threw me off.

I sat stiff and silent, waiting for whatever was going to come next. My eyes kept flicking from Minho to Janson. He seemed distracted at the moment, ruffling through papers in a folder he was handed. My attention went to Minho. He looked dazed and out of it. There was an IV connected to his arm. And a few electrodes were attached to Minho's temples, chest and inside his arms. The wires all connected to a giant machine that had all kinds of buttons and dials. I bit my bottom lip to keep from crying.

Janson curse bringing my attention back to him. I watched his face carefully. His jaw was clenched. He wasn't happy and he was trying hard to contain his rage. I knew his tells by now. His nose wiggled when he sniffed hard and his left eye twitched.

Something in the folder made him furious. He walked over and slammed it down onto the table and spun around. He clearly forgot about me for the moment.

"Captain!" He screamed. "A word. Now!"

The short squat man with an ugly scar down his chin stomped forwards, he was the man who handed Janson the file. I watched wearily as Janson spoke in a forced hushed tone.

Keeping one eye on Janson, I shifted slightly on the chair and tried to see anything of use in the folder.

I saw a map with different locations circled a few crossed off. Another paper was labeled Potential RM members. One list of names; I recognized a few under 'Turn Coats' and had Captain Vince, Sargent Barns, Doctor Mary, Jorge Esposito, Brenda Esposito and a bunch of other names. On the other list was 'Escaped Subjects' and a list of names. I caught Thomas's name and number, Teresa, Frypan. I didn't look for any more I knew who was still free.

I glanced up at Janson, his face was red and his arms were flying around. The Captain didn't look pleased either. He was getting louder as he spoke.

"...I don't know how they know where we are! Or going to be!"

"You clearly have a mole. I suggest Captain," Janson hissed dangerously, "that you find it."

"Yeah, clearly I've thought of that!" The squat Captain snapped back.

"Watch your tone Captain!"

I didn't have to strain as hard now. I lowered my head and tilted my head to hear.

"We're setting up a trap. We leaked a fake drop location next week; said it was just supplies. We'll have half of WICKED waiting for them-"

"Just deal with it, Captain! I can't afford any more setbacks!" Janson snapped, cutting off The Captain.

Janson came storming back over to the table. I kept my head lowered, pretending I hadn't just listened to that. He pulled a pen out and crossed something out on the map.

Was the Right Arm causing them trouble? If they were that's good...maybe they were trying to find us...but the Right Arm didn't have a lot of people or supplies, from what I saw at the camp a month ago, there was hardly anything left of this mighty resistance army.

I chanced a glance at Minho. He was laying still, his dark eyes staring at me. My stomach twisted. I wanted to touch him, hug him. I wanted his arms around me. My stomach twisted when I saw his eyes cloud over for a moment. He blinked hard a few times, he kept looking.

"...Minho..." My voice was so raw and sore it was hardly a whisper.

There was a loud scrap of metal as he pulled the chair our and Janson sat down. "Jessica. Sorry for the delay. I see you have noticed by now that A7 is hooked to an IV."