“An odd thing to witness, isn’t it?” Dr. Meng asked. “At first, I found it disturbing. But now I like the effect. It makes life more orderly. And much quieter.”
I thought, in a rush, of the dozens of silent rooms that lined the halls. Who was inside them? Were they empty, or filled with staring zombies like Jenna? I was horrified by the idea. My hand squeezed around the pistol in my jacket pocket, and my thoughts turned dark. If I simply kept it out of sight in my pocket and tilted up the barrel, I could fire without warning. I could shoot Dr. Meng and free Jenna. I could shoot her before she could turn me into a zombie and put me in one of her cells with the rest of them.
I sucked in a deep breath and tried to relax, thinking of the several objects I wore. I was a technomancer now—maybe as dangerous an individual as the good doctor herself. Her complete confidence was disturbing, however.
“So that’s your power?” I asked. “To blank people’s minds?”
“It’s more than that,” Meng said. “I can write new thoughts upon the walls of a blank mind.”
“Did you damage my brain?” I asked. “Is that why my memory is incomplete?”
“You were in such a state. Really, it was a mercy. We had to repair your body and your mind, you see. What do you do with a computer when it will not operate, Mr. Draith? Why, you turn it off and restart it. Please try to understand and don’t upset yourself.”
“But when I left, I was transported out of here. You dropped me from this place onto a stairway in front of the exit.”
Dr. Meng smiled and slowly shook her head. “No. That’s not what happened. I simply ordered you to leave, and when you reached the limits of my domain, my grip on you faded. I’m not surprised you fell down the stairs. That’s a common side effect when my grip suddenly lets go.”
I gazed at her with growing alarm. I had been in her grasp from the beginning. “Why don’t you just blank me right now?” I asked.
“I’m hoping you have information for me. You always do.”
Those last words burned into my mind. You always do. I’d been here before, I thought. Maybe many times. Somehow, I knew that was true. My heart raced in my chest. I felt fearful and sick.
“Aren’t you a little worried?” I asked. “Why don’t you order me to put my gun on the table, at least? You know I’m armed, don’t you?”
“Of course you are. Your work is inherently dangerous. You often find a weapon and use it. But to answer your question, I can tell you I conditioned you long ago not to harm me. I was never in any danger from you. Not this time, or any other time you’ve been in my office.”
I wanted, more than anything else at that moment, to kill her. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I should at least try to free myself and Jenna. I looked at Jenna. I couldn’t stand seeing her that way. Meng was a monster.
I stood up and pulled out my pistol.
“What are you doing?” Meng asked.
Was there the slightest tinge of worry in that voice? I hoped so. I hoped I made her nervous.
“Testing your theories, and mine,” I said. I aimed the gun at her—or rather, I tried to. I couldn’t do it. My arm refused to obey. I recalled the last time I’d invaded her office. I’d flashed the pistol and aimed it confidently at the ceiling. I’d thought at the time I was in charge. But I never had been. I hadn’t aimed it at Meng because I couldn’t do it.
It was a very strange thing to order your hand to obey you and have it steadfastly refuse. It wasn’t as if it were numb, or as if another mind controlled it. My arm simply didn’t get the message I was sending. The muscles didn’t contract or loosen. Nothing happened.
I turned back to Meng, my face white. “I can’t do it.”
“No, you can’t. Now, give me your report.”
My eyes narrowed.
Meng frowned. “I said, give me your report,” she repeated. This time, I thought I saw the metal statuette glitter—but it could have been my imagination.
I caught on then. She was trying to exert her dominance over me. But I didn’t feel it. I didn’t feel any urge to obey her at all. My mind raced. What had she said? That she was able to write new thoughts into a person’s mind. Right now, it wasn’t working.
I sat down then and forced my face not to grin. It was difficult.
“After I left, I wandered the streets…” I began, recounting my adventures for her.
While I spoke, she relaxed again. Everything was as it should be—but it wasn’t. I was free to do anything but harm her. I paused now and then while I told my tale to think about my situation. Soon, I had a plan.