Nexus by Ramez Naam Read Free Book Online Page B

again that she could feel his mind. She hated that fact.
      "Nothing subtle," he said. "Probably nothing very effective. And it might do some other damage along the way."
      Sam didn't like where this was going. That cold chill was creeping further up her spine. She broke Kade's gaze, looked hard at Ilya. "I thought nonconsensual mindfucking was rape? Isn't that what you wrote last year? The worst kind of violation possible?"
      Rangan rolled his eyes. "Oh, this bitch is good."
      Ilya looked at Sam. She looked hard and aristocratic. "I'd rather wipe your memories than kill you. Be grateful." Her Russian accent was flaring up.
      "There will be no killing here," Wats pronounced.
      Kade spoke up. "It doesn't matter. They know she's here. They know who we are. We're made."
      "So what's the alternative, Kade?" Ilya asked.
      Wats cut in. He spoke slowly, firmly. "We need to evac according to our plans. Her memories are irrelevant. It's time to do what we've prepared to do – leave here for a safer place."
      Ilya laughed nervously. "You're kidding, right?"
      "No," Wats replied. "Kade is right. This woman isn't here on her own. She was sent. Secrecy has been compromised. That means we're all in danger right now. At this point, every second counts. If we act immediately, we might slip the net. The longer we wait, the worse our odds."
      Sam spoke up. "Listen. Just stay calm, OK. You're not going to make it out of here. This place is under a magnifying glass right now. My team has been tracking me constantly. There'll be stealthed ERD scopes aimed at every exit. Running is not going to help. Give up, and it'll go easier on you. Try to run, or mess with my memories, you'll get the book thrown at you."
      "She's lying," said Rangan.
      "I'm not lying."
      "Then you're holding something back. What is it?"
      Sam took a deep breath.
      Rangan pushed against her thoughts. Something in her mind bent.
      He's doing something to my mind…
      She found herself speaking again.
      "It's Kade," she told them. She looked at him. "My superiors want you to do a job for them. My mission here was twofold – to get intel on what research you were really doing, and to get leverage that could be used to compel you to take part in an upcoming ERD mission."
      Kade looked surprised. "What do they want me for?"
      Again she felt the pressure from Rangan. She tried to resist. Words tumbled out. "We want him to get close to someone. Someone building a mind control technology, possibly based on Nexus."
      "I won't do it," said Kade.
      Ilya rounded on him. "Wait, Kade, think about it. If they want you for something, that gives you leverage. You can negotiate to get the charges dropped."
      "What about everyone else here?" asked Kade. "All the people who came to the party?"
      "We're not local cops," said Sam. "We're ERD. We care about the technology. If you cooperate, your guinea pigs here probably aren't in much trouble. If not… you and everyone here are in a deep pile of shit."
      "I want them all off the hook. Rangan and Ilya and Wats too. No arrests, no jail, no probation, nothing."
      Sam wanted to shake her head again, but couldn't. "I'm not the person for you to bargain with. Surrender and come in with me. Just you four. No one else has to even know what's going on. Then we can negotiate."
      Wats spoke to Rangan. "Can you blur her senses? Make it so she can't hear us? Can't read our lips?"
      Rangan nodded. Sam started to object, found that she couldn't speak. Her vision started to fail. It narrowed into a tunnel, grayed out, then simply vanished. She didn't see blackness. She simply didn't see. Sound disappeared. She was blind and deaf.
      Sam fought to choke down a rising panic. Few nightmares were worse for her than losing control of her mind and body. Breathe, she told herself. She could still feel her body, still feel her chest rise and fall, still feel her arms tied behind her