New Markets - 02 by Kevin Rau Read Free Book Online

not using any powers; it just got worse when you came in here.  I'm not injured anymore; I don't need your help, apart from letting me go."
    "Yes, obviously you are using your powers."  She stomped out of the room in a huff.  The pain lessened once she left the room.
    Another hour filled with pain passed slowly.  I heard the mental voices of people nearby, but out of mindview range.  Finally, the door opened and Agent Willman from the kidnapped child's house walked in.  I couldn't help but squirm as he walked in and the pain increased again.
    He walked over to the bed and said, "Hello again, Psystar.  I'm Agent Willman, if you recall."
    "I, uhh, would chat, but getting constantly shocked for hours on end isn't making me overly chatty, Agent Willman."
     "You shouldn't be getting shocked.  This only works when a telepath uses their powers."
    "Duh.  It's shocking me now.  I'm not using any powers."
    He looked at the machine behind me; it showed activity in various readouts.  He stepped back, took out his cell phone and made a call.  "Agent Willman here.  I'm in the telepath's room in the hospital.  She says she's being shocked constantly, and the machine is showing activity.  Is that normal?"
    His mindview allowed me to hear the other side of the conversation.  "No, there's a specific brainwave activity that happens when a telepath uses their power.  It won't shock if it's not being used."
    "Well, she's squirming around in quite a bit of pain, and claims it has been shocking her for hours.  Is there something that will show me how long it's been shocking her?"
    Another agent entered the room to join Agent Willman.  The shocking at my temples leaped up in intensity, and I cried out in pain.  I thrashed and yanked at the bonds holding my wrists to the bars on the bed.  A nurse heard my cry and came in to check on us.  Upon reaching us the pain leapt to new heights and I screamed in pain.
    It felt like holes were being bored into my skull.  I saw the four mindviews in my vision, but couldn’t focus on any of them due to the shockwaves entering my head.  I barely heard the nurse call for a doctor.
    Another nurse and a doctor came running into the room.  The pain hit an unbelievable level and my back arched with the pain.  I let out a piercing scream, even louder and longer this time.  I dimly heard the mental voices of those within perhaps forty feet of me react to the scream.  Nurses began running everywhere.  Many of the mindviews felt a piercing headache and reacted to wiping blood from their noses.
    My back bowed from the massive pain entering my head.  I barely breathed apart from sucking in enough air to scream again.  Passing out again was a blessing.
     
    I awoke yet again, still bound in the hospital bed.  Thankfully no shocks struck.  Three mindviews appeared.  I recognized Agent Willman and the F.B.I. security that had been standing at the door.  The other I didn’t, although her thoughts sounded like a nurse’s.
    I cautiously opened my eyes and looked around, then sighed out of relief as no pain struck.  I unclenched my hands; I hadn’t even noticed that I’d tightened them into fists in anticipation of new pain.
    Nurse Katie asked, “How do you feel, honey?”
    I licked my lips and looked around.  Still no new pain.   I said, “Better, the shocking is gone.”
    Agent Willman thought to test me, and flicked the switch on a piece of equipment.  Immediately shocks jarred into my head, and I cried out and thrashed on the bed.  He flicked the switch back off.
    He said, “Sorry about that.”
    My face contorted with pain, hands gripped tightly into fists.  I asked through clenched teeth, “Why are you torturing me?”
    “We aren’t, this machine only activates when you are trying to use your telepathy on us.  What were you just trying to do?”
    “I wasn’t doing anything.”
    Agent Willman put his hand on my cheek and said, "Hey, if I keep this off, do I have your word