Chapter Twenty-One

Convulsions had ceased, but my insides were on fire. Temporarily paralyzed, I lay helpless on the floor.

I was such a pyot. Why hadn’t I put two and two together? From the moment she’d emerged from her long shower, she’d been quiet and withdrawn. I’d attributed her change in mood to generalized anxiety, but she’d obviously overheard my conversation with Garrison and formed the wrong conclusion.

Because I needed to lead her away from the real culprit, I’d allowed her to believe Garrison was a traitor and a trafficker. Upon discovery he and I were partners, of course she would assume I was a trafficker working with Imana. I hadn’t been at liberty to tell her the whole story, so she’d acted on limited information, proving what Garrison had once said, that a little knowledge was a dangerous thing.

She was in grave danger. I had to get to her before Imana did.

I cursed my negligence, my utter stupidity.

Besides the mistakes with Jessie, I’d put too much faith in New Terran “technology.” The electronic locks had failed when the power went out. I’d never made the connection, but she had.

She’d taken off with my weapons and my handheld.

I ticked off the precious seconds, waiting for mobility to return. Movement always returned to the far extremities first. Fingers, toes. Then hands and feet. Lastly, arms and legs.

When the pain subsided, I tried wiggling my fingers and toes. Only slight movement. Jessie had zapped me with the maximum charge.

I’m so sorry, Jessie. So sorry. What if I couldn’t reach her in time? Without my handheld, I couldn’t call Garrison. And worse, if the power came back on, the doors would automatically lock. Without my handheld, I wouldn’t be able to open them.

I’d be imprisoned in my own safe house.