Intentional Killer - Book 2 In The Jessie Series

Chapter 9: Muzzled

I sat frozen, my hands started to shake and my chest was hurting, shooting a sharp pain. My lungs were instantly restricted and I couldn't get enough oxygen. 

"Jess...breath." Minho said quietly, he had a hand on my face and shifted so he was in front of me, but I couldn't rip my eyes off Barnes. I was looking at him like I was hoping my realization was wrong. I was praying my realization was wrong. He didn't indicate one way or another. I clamped my eyes closed and crumpled forwards, my head in my hands. It couldn't be right, I can't be right. 

"No no no no." I whispered. 

"Jay, talk to us." 

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked. Everyone at the table came crowding around. 

The Gladers getting up and crowding around me drew the attention of the armed guards. 

"Hey!" One barked, "back in your seats." 

"If your done eating we can take you back." 

Someone grabbed Thomas and yanked him backwards. 

"Get off!" He yelled and twisted his arm away, the guards shoved the rest of the Gladers back into their seats on the bench. A few of the guards had pulled out these long poles, they were about three feet long, a handle and the rest crackled and sparked like the electricity balls that hit me yesterday. I narrowed my eyes and growled. 

"Eat little puppy. If you don't obey we get to teach the bitch a lesson." One guard said. He had a cruel face. "Isn't that right, Alpha." He spat at Sergeant Barnes. Who just narrowed his eyes and glared, but he did nothing.

With shaking hands I slowly turned and faced my tray of food. I knew I couldn't say anything here not in front of the guards. Not when there were cameras everywhere. Eyes and ears everywhere. I sat stiff as a board, just staring down at my untouched food.

"Come on Jay..." Winston leaned over gently rubbing my back, "can you eat a little?"

Minho sat on my other side his hand on my thigh, his thumb rubbed back and forth, he sat as close as possible, hip to hip and his leg pressed against mine. They both whispered encouragements to eat. I slowly picked at my food.

Thomas sat stiff. His eyes straight forward and distant. I glanced at him.

"Our idiot is thinking." I said quietly, trying to inject some humor into my voice.

A few heads turned.

"Tommy? What are you bloody thinking about?"

"I still can't talk to Teresa! No one has seen her it heard from her since we got here. Jessie has almost four days missing from her memories..."

He kept flicking his eyes towards me, like he was trying to tell me something without using words. We didn't say much else. My knee was bouncing, when I was done eating and had pushed my plate away a guard and his buddy marched up and took a hand full of my hair and yankedy head back. Minho, Winston and Thomas and Jason all jumped to their feet, protesting. They were shoved back down with guns and those tazer sticks in their hands.

The guard strapped the muzzle back onto my face. I tried to struggle, but they had Minho's head pressed down into the table and a tazer stick inches from his face and I stilled. My eyes wide in fear, I kept my eyes glued to him.

Dammit. They know how to get me to cooperate.

Once the mask was back on they all backed off. They let go of Minho, Winston, Jason and Thomas. Mi.ho straightened up ran a hand through his hair glaring daggers at the guard and then pulled me closer, into the safety of his arms. The others all shrugged off the hands and straightened their shirts.