Theta by Lizzy Ford

“Why? What happened?”
    “ The Supreme Magistrate’s
monkey used too much tranquilizer on you,” Leandra replied icily
with a sharp look at Niko.
    “ I used the same amount as
usual. This episode was something entirely different,” Niko replied calmly.
“Something to do with her powers.”
    “ Don’t be ridiculous,”
Leandra snapped and trailed Dr. Khan towards me.
    “ So what’s going on?” I
asked, puzzled. “Niko tranqs me all the time. I never had a welcome
home party waiting for me when I woke up.”
    “ Niko’s use of animal
tranquilizers on a young woman is another matter entirely.” Dr.
Khan gave the former mercenary a look of disapproval before her
concerned gaze returned to me. “Whatever happened, you’ve been
asleep for three days.”
    “ That explains being
hungry,” I murmured. I thought back to the last thing I remembered
and frowned.
    Cleon had been murdering the Ambassador of
Greece when Niko tranquilized me. A sense of euphoria – distinctly
not mine – floated through me as I recalled the man’s swollen face.
I instinctively reached to the scar at the back of my head, where
the chip was implanted into my brain.
    Before, I’d been aware of
Cleon being in my head without really feeling him. I didn’t like
the idea of experiencing his emotions in response to my memories any more than
I wanted him using my power.
    “ I need to do a quick
exam,” Dr. Khan said. “Would you like to sit down?”
    With a shrug, I went to the chaise in the
bay window, across the room from my audience. The physician took my
pulse then checked my pupils, heart, reflexes and lungs.
    “ I’m not seeing anything of
concern,” she said.
    “ I don’t feel right,” I
said. “But it has nothing to do with my body or the
tranquilizers.”
    “ Thank you,” Niko
growled.
    “ What doesn’t feel right?”
Dr. Khan asked.
    “ My involuntary brain
surgery.” I rubbed the spot again. “Something is
different.”
    “ I’d like to get you in for
a CAT scan.”
    “ No,” Niko
responded.
    She pursed her lips before twisting to face
him. “If the chip has moved, or is damaging her spinal cord or
other parts of her brain, we need to know.”
    “ No.”
    I wasn’t the only one resenting Niko in that
moment. Dr. Khan made no more objections. She stood. “I’m done
here,” she said. “Whatever happened, I can’t explain it, but she
seems fine. I would advise – again – very strongly against using
tranquilizers on her, Niko. They were designed to bring down a
rhino or elephant, never to be used on humans.”
    Elephant?
    Cleon’s emotion was one of amusement.
    Agitated to hear Niko had been using such
powerful sedatives on me, I wasn’t surprised when he pointed to the
door in response to Dr. Khan’s concern.
    The physician left, and Niko studied me. No
part of me was about to tell him I had begun having visions. If I
was truly asleep for three days, and I couldn’t recall anything, it
would sound foolish to admit it anyway.
    “ I’ll let Cleon know you’re
well enough to return to your duties,” Niko said. He walked slowly
to the door.
    “ He already knows,” I
replied. “Whatever you all did to me, it’s getting
worse.”
    He said nothing and left.
    No sooner had the door closed than Leandra
was at my side, features tight. “What did you see?” she asked and
sank onto the chaise beside me.
    Cleon’s interest piqued as well.
    “ Nothing. Everything.” I
wiped my face, frustrated. “I forgot it all as I was waking
up.”
    “ You forgot three days
worth of visions?”
    “ Yeah.”
    She released a breath.
    “ I can feel Cleon in my
head,” I told her. “And he’s aware of everything I’m doing and
going through.”
    Surprise crossed her pretty features.
“Everything?”
    “ I think so. I can feel his
emotions.”
    “ Then you should be careful
of discussing anything you don’t want him to find out,” Leandra
advised. Her surprise turned to alarm, and the meaning behind