Technomancer (Unspeakable Things: Book One)

decided to ask my question regardless. “Why did you send me out there to wander around?”
    “I thought that was obvious. To locate rogues with objects and mark them for death.”
    “Death,” I said, somehow surprised to hear her admit that was the mission. I felt hot and mildly sick. I really had been an assassin of sorts. The hound leading the hunters. “So you fed this information to the Gray Men? They weren’t trying to kill me all this time, they were trying to kill the people I located?”
    Meng shrugged. She eased herself into her chair across from me. I let her do it. I reached out to her desk and tapped the picture.
    “Is this my family?” I asked her.
    “I honestly don’t know. You had it with you when we picked you up. It was your sole object, your qualification as a rogue.”
    “What does the photograph do?” I asked.
    She smirked at me. “Haven’t figured that out yet?” she asked. She reached toward it, slowly stretching her arm across the table. As if by chance, she brushed against her bronze statuette. My empty gun tracked her movements. I realized she was about to give mind control another try. I didn’t blame her.
    “Go ahead and make your move,” I said confidently. “If it will help you accept this reversal, I’ll allow it. Try to give me another command.”
    Meng grabbed the statuette with desperate fingers. This time I was sure I saw a tiny white flash. But I didn’t feel any effects.
    “Jenna, kill him,” Meng said, her voice low like cat’s growl.
    I realized, in shock, that she’d never intended to influence my mind again. She had failed with me, but Jenna was still in her power. I felt small hands reaching for me. I pushed Jenna away, but she kept coming, so I shoved her down. She bounced back up, making strange sounds deep in her throat. Her face was—insane.
    I turned back toward Meng and realized she was in the act of leaving. She had opened a door I hadn’t realized was there. I wouldn’t call it a secret door, but it was covered by a bulletin board and the door handle was unusually low. It swung open to reveal a dark space beyond.
    “Don’t make me kill you,” I said to Meng.
    Meng froze in the doorway, and looked back in real fear now. I had my hand out, pushing against Jenna’s chestto keep her off me. Fortunately, Jenna wasn’t very large or strong. She tore at my wrists with her broken nails, and we were both bleeding. Soon, she was going to get the idea to bite me, and I didn’t want that.
    “Release Jenna, or I’ll put a round into your legs right now,” I said. I lowered my aim and paused.
    “Jenna,” Meng said, “be yourself.”
    Jenna stumbled and grabbed on to me for support. She looked down at her hands and my palm against her chest. There was blood on both of us.
    “What did you do?” Jenna asked me breathlessly.
    “She did it,” I said, gesturing toward Meng. “She blanked your mind then ordered you to attack me.”
    Jenna stared, disbelieving and upset. She looked down at the finger that rolled around in the bottle in my hand. I was pressing it against her, so she could hardly miss it.
    “Meng, step over here,” I said. “Come back to the desk. We’ll try to talk civilly again.”
    Slowly, the doctor complied. She didn’t look happy about it.
    “The talisman worked?” Jenna asked me.
    “What talisman?” Meng asked, but we ignored her.
    “That’s what you did to Robert, isn’t it?” Jenna asked her suddenly. She held out her hand in my direction. “Give it to me, Quentin.”
    “Hold on, Jenna,” I told her.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about—” Meng began.
    I felt a stabbing pain in my hand as Jenna suddenly bit me, blood welling up. I roared in pain and surprise, dropping the talisman. Jenna caught it. She had that wild look in her eyes again.
    I realized Meng was using her powers again—and then I knew no more.

When I woke up, I was lying on the floor of Meng’s office. The first thing I noticed was the noise. The entire sanatorium had come alive at last. It was filled with wild sounds: banging, screeches, and warbling noises like the cries of the distant birds. The inmates had awakened.
    Jenna stood over me, aiming my pistol over toward Meng’s chair and dry-clicking it. She was breathing hard. Her eyes were wide and her lips were curled back. Her hair hung over her face unheeded, exaggerating her wild expression. I knew then what she had done. I struggled to my feet, feeling dizzy. I looked