Overtaken

by Mark H. Kruger

I slipped under my covers not long after ten. I’d hardly closed my eyes when my phone buzzed. I rolled over and opened an eye to see if it was another creepy message from the mystery texter. Instead, the text was from Chase.

  Bball game w/me tomorrow?

  Not sure kinda busy :/ was the reply I eventually settled on. Too busy for your bf? he fired back. I smirked. That was a loaded reply, considering I’d never thrown around the “bf” term. Maybe. #topsecret. Thought that might give him enough to think about that I’d have time to fall asleep. Bzz-bzz. Nope. Lightning Fingers replied in seconds. U can have top. Doesn’t have 2 be secret ;) I blushed. That was forward. And hot. I was so flustered, I couldn’t decide on a reply that wouldn’t escalate—and even though that was tempting, I wasn’t ready to wake up next to Chase. I decided to leave it there. I put my phone on silent and rolled over in search of sleep. That last text kept flashing in my mind, along with a whole host of exquisitely dirty thoughts. Jackson would never say anything like that. He was too much of a gentleman—“was” being the key word. But rather than mourning the loss anymore, I was ready for a change of pace. I tossed and turned, trying to shake it, but my eyes fluttered back open.

  Sleep wasn’t coming anytime soon.

  When it did, it came hard, and I floated through oblivion for the next eight hours straight. When I came to the next morning, I felt good. It’s amazing what rest can do for the heart and soul. For a second I even forgot what a disaster my life was. Even better, I drifted downstairs to find that Maya had already made coffee and gotten started on pancakes. Steaming mugs were set out for both of us, and she was cleaning up her trail of utensils and dishes as she went. I was beginning to feel like a guest in my own house.

  “How many people you planning on feeding?” I asked, nodding to the three bowls of batter waiting to hit the skillet.

  “Went a liiittle overboard on the mix,” Maya admitted with a smile, “but I figure we might as well go hard. Gonna have a long day, so best to get off on the right foot.”

  Weakness grabbed my ankles and tugged. I suddenly didn’t know if I could face another night of living like a combatant. Hadn’t I lost enough already? And with my mother decidedly off the grid and my father disappeared to who knew where, I felt totally rootless. It had been so long since I’d felt free. Going with Chase to the game tonight would let me feel it again—even only if for a few hours.

  “You think we could maybe postpone until later with that?”

  Maya wasn’t stupid. She picked up on the sound of me planning something that I wasn’t saying. “Something come up?”

  “First basketball game of the season is tonight, and Dana’s heading up the cheerleading squad.”

  I saw Maya flinch. The news pained her. “What else is new?” Not too long ago she would’ve been at the game, cheering her heart out. Not anymore. So much had changed.

  “Think about it. Cheerleading might be the only thing that’ll get her to drop her guard long enough for me to snoop around, maybe talk to people who aren’t under her influence.” The more I thought about this, the more I realized it was a good plan. “It won’t be for long,” I promised. “It’s too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

  “Do what you got to do,” Maya replied, her frustration apparent as she beat the pancake batter into submission. “Time is wasting, Nica.”

  She finished making the pancakes but didn’t say another word.

  • • •

  The second-quarter buzzer sounded, and the gym was primed to explode. Fans, signs, parents, and students were packed into the stands, tighter than a traffic jam. The Barrington High band tore through brassy arrangements of old standards and modern anthems. My ears caught some Katy Perry in the mix, and I was impressed that it sounded as good as it did. Even more impressive was the smooth transition into a rowdy version of “You Shook Me All Night Long.”

  We were up thirty-two to twenty-six, not the kind of lead that called for nails to be put in anyone’s coffin, but enough that spirits were high. I’m not a huge sports fan—it all seems pointless to me, and my presence at the game was definitely due to Chase—but I have to admit that even I was swept up in the celebration. Perched high in the stands, I cheered the sounding of the air horn like an ancient Roman gladiator fan, frothing at the mouth, screaming for victory. This was war. Sort of. At least somebody was winning something, I thought, as our team’s red-and-blue-jerseyed players huddled in a circle below. I watched them chant, cheer, and throw their hands in, all to keep themselves pumped through the short interval before the next round of pitched play.

  I hadn’t expected to see Jackson at the game, but there he was, seated several rows below us, closer toward the floor. Although Dana and her cheerleading posse were on the sidelines, cheering on the team, Jackson kept turning around and staring at Chase and me. Fortunately, there was nothing scandalous to really see other than the fact that Chase and I were sitting together. No blatant acts of affection on either of our parts, which was fine by me. I tried to act cool, calm, and collected—not my most natural state. But I felt like I was doing a pretty good imitation of not caring that Jackson was there.

  Then Chase took my hand and pulled me closer. He hadn’t made a move all night, but something seemed to come over him. I squirmed a bit but then gave in to the moment. He looked into my eyes and said one word: “Snacks?”

  “How romantic,” I quipped, and playfully scooted away. “You want me to get you nachos? That why you brought me?”

  “Popcorn.”

  “I thought we were going to dinner after this,” I snapped back, hoping he’d be loose enough to spill some more details about what his father and Oliver were up to.

  “I consider popcorn an appetizer,” Chase announced humorously.

  “You and I have very different definitions for food.”

  “Opposites attract,” he said with a smirk.

  Dana might’ve been the one I was worried about controlling people’s minds, but Chase’s smile was a close second. That thing was a weapon. He wielded it expertly.

  “Fine, but you’re paying,” I proclaimed.

  As I tramped down the steep bleachers with Chase’s ten-dollar bill folded in my hand, I kept an eye out for Dana. The last thing I wanted was to come face-to-face with her. I wasn’t exactly undercover, but if I was careful, I could get out of there without causing a scene. It was strange. Everything seemed normal. If one were to show this scene to a random assortment of strangers, not one would point out that the people here seemed to be under the spell of a power-mad teenager. It was enough to make me wonder if maybe, just maybe . . . Stop it. That was Dana’s suggestion, still kicking around in the back of my head. I knew it was planted there, but I had no idea it had reached its roots so deep. Was there any way of permanently weeding it out?

  The smell of hot, fatty snack foods seemed to do the trick for now, and I followed my nose out the gym doors, through a small crowd, to the snack table. The selection was a rainbow assortment of candy and chips, pretzels, hot dogs, and dozens of other pleasure-delivery devices that ostensibly had some nutritional value. I ordered Chase’s popcorn, some gummy bears for myself, and two sodas. I turned to head back and walked right into Oliver.

  “Hey, Nica,” he said casually, as if we were still the best of friends.

  I was so surprised, I almost dropped the treats I was carrying. How long had he been behind me? Was he watching me? Following me? Or was this a complete coincidence?

  “Hey.” I didn’t make eye contact. I couldn’t, after seeing him in Cochran’s office at the lodge. I tried to get past him, but he mirrored my steps. He’d caught me and wouldn’t let me go.

  “I understand you’re pretty upset,” he confessed.

  No shit, Sherlock.

  “I’m glad Dana’s keeping you updated,” I retorted, assuming this was going to take a sharp turn into “cryptic warning” territory, a
nother shot across the bow to remind me to back off. Instead, Oliver seemed sad.

  “I want to apologize for how I came across at lunch the other day,” he said contritely with a hangdog expression. “It wasn’t like me.”

  I checked his eyes to see if he was under Dana’s spell or not. It’s not like they’d be glowing red or anything, but I’d started to get a sense for that look, the one that indicated Dana had taken hold. I couldn’t quite identify it, but it was so subtle to begin with that I couldn’t be sure. . . . I continued to play my cards close to the vest and say as little as possible.

  “Little late,” I muttered, my hurt feelings from being rejected still very raw.

  “I also heard you visited Ski Club.”

  “We’re not gonna talk about this here.”

  Oliver stepped closer to me, the way Dana sometimes did. His attitude turned on a dime. For a second I saw a flash of the old Oliver.

  “You got it all wrong, Nica. Cochran’s not a bad guy. The more I’ve gotten to know him, the more sure of that I am. Bar Tech does a lot of good to people all around the world. The genetics program is really about helping save lives.”

  I tried to process what Oliver was telling me, but it was a warped and corrupted version of reality as I knew it. This was crazy. 100 percent nuts.

  “Did Cochran also tell you that he wants to patent the gene that gives us our power?” My tone etched with a major dose of cynicism. “He wants to own us, Oliver. To profit off of us. And to sell the technology.”

  “That’s not true,” he declared. “He believes our genetics will offer medicine exciting new ways to help soldiers who’ve been injured in combat. To help those who have terminal diseases. Bar Tech’s devoted to medical research and progress. He’ll watch over us and make sure we’re protected.”

  “He certainly has a funny way of showing it,” I snapped back. As I finally strong-armed my way past him and back toward the gym, I honestly wasn’t sure I could ever believe him again.

  • • •

  An hour later, after being beat down for nearly the entire game, the Lakeville High Trojans reached deep and pulled out a win that dropped the jaws of everyone in the gym. It seemed impossible, but our team had gotten cocky and Lakeville took advantage, sinking a series of three-pointers, taking advantage of some loose elbows, and leaving every last ounce of blood, sweat, and tears that they could on the court. The tables turned so quickly that our team didn’t even have a chance to course correct, and Barrington’s fans left with their heads in their hands. I was disappointed, sure, but I couldn’t overlook the symbolism of the situation: A team about to be crushed pulled out a win by playing smarter, faster, and never giving up. I clung to this, my very own inspirational sports metaphor to help keep the night from becoming crushingly shitty.

  As Chase escorted me across the school’s parking lot to his car, he was supremely bummed, and my encounter with Oliver had thrown me for a total loop. What should’ve been a walk filled with gentle touches and small kisses was silent and sullen. If it hadn’t been, I don’t know if I ever would’ve noticed Maya standing in the shadows between the cars. My feet ground to a halt. I thought about telling Chase and trying to hide, but it was too late: Maya was already staring right at us. Me. I was caught.

  “Don’t mind me,” Maya quipped. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt date night.”

  Chase’s head snapped to the source of the voice, and I knew he recognized it. It looked like . . . Well, as far as he knew, he was seeing a ghost.

  “Maya? Oh my God . . .” Chase was truly shaken to see Maya standing right in front of him.

  “Miss me, Chase?” Maya slunk toward us between the rows of cars, top lit with sodium shadows and light.

  I took my eyes off of her long enough to notice that the windows in the cars closest to her were starting to vibrate.

  Chase stood there for a moment, totally speechless.

  “Maya’s been staying with me.” I came clean right then and there, about as much as I could, at least. “It isn’t safe for her in Barrington, and I didn’t want word to get out.” I shot a glance to Maya. This was where things could get truly dicey. Maya and high emotions did not play well together, as evidenced by the pulsating metal and glass on all sides of her. Her powers were at the whim of her building fury. I was praying Chase didn’t notice.

  “Where did you go? What, I mean, where—where have you been?” he stammered.

  Please don’t be stupid. Don’t tell him why you really left.

  Maya, much to her credit, played it totally cool. “My family was falling apart, okay? I know you weren’t really paying attention to our relationship by the time I had to get outta here, so forgive me for not making it crystal clear.”

  Wasn’t much Chase could say to that, and while he tried to formulate his next words, Maya stared me down. “I’m here for Nica.”

  I gave Chase a quick peck on the cheek. “Go home. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “No, I want to . . .” Chase looked so confused that he couldn’t even finish his thought.

  “Chase, there are a lot of things you’re good at, but this is not one of those things. Let me handle it, okay? Go.”

  To his credit, he did. Got right in his car and left. I hoped I’d made the right decision. Maya waited for him to pull away before she continued.

  “Snooping on Dana, huh? You didn’t have to lie to me, Nica. We’re in this together.”

  I felt awful at having deceived her, but I had been keeping tabs on Dana, too. “I know, but Chase and you have history together. . . . I wasn’t sure you could handle it. Not that there’s really much to tell. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to dump one more huge change in your lap.”

  “If I could handle him, I think I can handle this. I get it. Things have been rough and you drifted together. I just hope you have better luck with him than I did.”

  I was relieved. It seemed like Maya was going to avoid a major meltdown. I decided to fill her in on the last detail, too. “It’s not at all serious, but we’re going to the Winter Formal together this weekend, too. Just so you know.”

  “Oh, good,” she said quite matter-of-factly. “I’ll see you there.”

  “What? You can’t come!” That came off harsher than I’d meant it to. “I mean, no one knows you’re here.”

  “They will,” she declared.

  “What do you mean?” I started to get a very uneasy feeling.

  “I’m sick of floating around this town in the dark at night. I want to have my life back. And that means going through her.” Maya’s eyes narrowed at a target over my shoulder.

  I turned around and saw Dana, still dolled up in her cheerleading uniform, heading to her car. I spun back to Maya.

  “No, no, no. Bad idea. Terrible idea,” I whispered, pulling her into the shadows behind some trees. “Our one advantage right now is that Dana doesn’t know you’re back. You can’t blow that.”

  “I have to, Nica. I don’t have any other choice.” She shoved my hand off her arm and took to her target like a missile. “Dana! Dana Fox!”

  Dana froze in her tracks as Maya emerged from the shadows. Even though all our plans were about to crumble around us, I took what little glee I could in watching Dana’s eyes almost bug out of her head. She’d been totally in control until this moment, aware of each move anyone in her circle made—hell, aware of each move I made—but she hadn’t seen Maya coming until she stepped into the full glow of the streetlights.

  “Maya. Oh my God, hey!” Dana came in for a big reunion hug.

  Maya didn’t move. She closed her eyes, and without even breaking a sweat, flung an unsuspecting Dana to the ground with barely a look.

  “Don’t even,” said Maya. “I want to get a couple things straight.” Emboldened by the warning shot, I had Maya’s back and followed her toward her dazed prey.

 
“You,” snarled a very pissed off Dana as she spotted me advancing toward her.

  “I know. I’m everywhere these days, huh?” I snapped back with a shrug as Dana recovered, brushing pebbles and pavement from her palms.

  “You put her up to this?” she accused, referring to Maya’s sudden reappearance in Barrington.

  “Not at all,” Maya responded. “I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a while.”

  “You know she’s screwing your ex,” Dana pronounced, revealing her nasty true nature with surprising venom. Her cool and collected mask of sweetness was finally giving way to something real and ugly.

  “First of all: Nica’s not,” Maya replied confidently. “Second: We just tabled that discussion, and I think it’ll work out fine.”

  “Whatever. You freaks deserve each other,” Dana barked back with utter contempt.

  She started to push herself up to her feet, but the steel-eyed Maya took two steps toward Dana and forced her back to the ground without even a touch. Dana struggled to get up again, fighting against whatever force Maya was exerting, to no avail. Reality seemed to shiver as Maya applied a second wave of psychic pressure that bore down on Dana’s chest like a boulder. Dana gasped and tried to catch her breath. The fear and terrified realization in her face that Maya was a formidable opponent almost made me feel pity for Dana. Almost. I enjoyed watching Dana cowed and overwhelmed with such apparent ease. Yet, despite the power I felt, I was also hit with an unexpected sadness. In that moment, the tables had been turned. Maya and I were the bullies.

  “Here’s the deal: Nica told me everything,” Maya announced, clearly enjoying being in control of the situation. “I know what you’re up to, and I want it to stop. I want you to leave Nica alone. I want you to let her have her friends back, and I want you to bring her dad back—whatever that takes. And I want you to know your place. I’m never going back to being number two around here. Ever.”

  I watched as Maya’s jaw clenched, and a moment later Dana was lifted into the air and dropped roughly to her feet. “Understand?”