Page 24 of Now or Never
“Like I said, inefficient.” Jax squeezed her knee under the table.
“They didn’t explain to me exactly how it works,” Kenna said. “It was more like one-world government propaganda trying to get me to buy in to the overarching plan.”
“That doesn’t sound like fun.” Maizie winced.
Kenna hadn’t shared even this much about her experience as a captive on that platform, but now that she’d started, she found she could say, “It did feel a lot like they were trying to brainwash me. Makes me wonder if they could trigger me and I’m suddenly mindless doing their bidding.”
They’d seen it before, but with the use of chemicals. Hypnosis or suggestion? Those were the things that kept her awake at night. Wondering if she was free, but still very much their pawn.
She just didn’t know how to be certain she wasn’t. Aside from staying as far as she could from any of their operatives. Living her life—her way. Relying on her husband to protect her, possibly even from herself.
Jax tugged her close with his arm and kissed her forehead. “That’s why, whatever we do, we do it together.”
She nodded. “Agreed.”
On the screen, Maizie started typing. “I’ll ask Bear to have his people go through the records they found when they took overthe facility. Maybe there’s something in the files about that kind of experimentation.”
“Thanks, Maze.” Kenna smiled. “Don’t worry about me. Jax has it covered. Zeyla and Ramon are nearby if needed. We’re good.”
The girl didn’t look any less worried, but said, “Okay.” She looked at her phone again, but without the flushed cheeks. “I should go. I have some English homework to finish.”
“Have a good day.”
Maizie said bye, and the call ended.
Jax nudged her shoulder with his. “That’s what you’re worried about? Being brainwashed?”
“Among other things. I’m not writing you a list. We don’t have enough paper.”
“I can’t fix it.”
Kenna reached for his hand. “Fixing it might be what you feel like you should be doing, but it’s not what I need.”
He lifted his gaze, and she saw all the fear and turmoil in her reflected in her eyes. “What do you need?”
“Not to be corny, but you.” She smiled.
“That would’ve been corny.”
Kenna leaned into him. “I need you. Here, like this. I need us to be together, doing what we can. Trying to enjoy what our lives are and not getting too caught up in someone else’s war. There’s a whole world out there. Why do we have to be the ones to sacrifice everything to fight this big bad evil? It’s too much. We can’t possibly survive that fight, and it’s not giving up to say that. It’s realizing we have too much to lose to go after them.”
“It sure feels like giving up. But you’re right. We can’t risk this to take them down. Not when we don’t have a good plan, or a way to take them out.”
“I wouldn’t mind a plan to severely undermine them.” Kenna worked her mouth back and forth. “But I can’t figure out howto do that either. I don’t want to be near any of them for long enough to figure out how to get them to destroy each other.”
“Sounds like we need to pray.” He bowed his head and spoke aloud, giving all their fear to the Lord. Asking for wisdom on how to fight this evil, and protection for every member of their family.
To her ears, it sounded like clanging cymbals. Like the words hit the ceiling and bounced back down, going nowhere.
Kenna squeezed her eyes shut and just listened to the sound of his voice. She’d given up straining and groping in the dark for a peace she wasn’t going to find.
It had left her months ago.
Chapter Ten
Later that same afternoon, Kenna entered the hospital room right after Jax. “Hey, Megan.” She smiled at the young woman tucked into the bed sheets and blankets. Dressed in a gown that revealed the angry bruises on her forearms, and places where she had been grabbed by someone with a punishing grip. “You asked to see us.”
The girl nodded, wringing her fingers together. “Thanks for coming.”
