First day of school--we've all had it. Maybe you were one of those popular kids, where it didn't matter what you wore or did because then everyone was copying you. Well, I can assure you that school in 2063 isn't exactly any different.

You still have the same cliches. (I mean, did you think humanity was going to advance that far?) The jocks, the cheerleaders and flirts, the tech geeks and brainiacs, the nerds... And then you have me.

I could easily fit into any of those groups--some better than others--but instead, I sit at a table by myself in the corner of the cafeteria. No one thinks anything of it the first couple days, but by the end of the month, I could as well have been a stain or abandoned milk carton.

Yeah, yeah, I know, doesn't everyone try to fit in? And why wasn't I?

I wasn't here to stand out, to be adored, chased after, or paid to do other people's homework. I was here because...well, I actually didn't have a clue. That's what happens when you finally stop trying to sneak off on your own missions from the top-secret anomaly training school and just do what HQ tells you to do.

It'll land you in some pathetic school that sees kids doing more drugs than math problems...

Which, at first, I thought maybe I was there for the drugs that were transported through the school before shipment somewhere else. But HQ didn't even contact me after week upon week of torturous algebra and biology.

Looking around the noisy cafeteria, I wondered if this punishment for all my years of being a pain in the rear end. While I can't say I missed anyone, I'm not going to lie and say that this was my dream...something or other.

Sighing, I gathered my trash up and headed to the trashcan. A couple people shot glances my way, but they didn't show much interest. After all, schools have plenty of loners from the dredges of society; to them, I was now no different.

Good. That's how I wanted it.

Briefly, I considered what it would be like not to be invisible. Have people smile at me, wait by my locker, walk me to class...

No, that is certainly not what you want.

"Invisible is better," I muttered to myself, moving back to the obscurity that's waiting at my table.

"Sorry, what?"

Startled, I looked down into a pair of emerald green eyes that belong to a red-haired girl who came only to my shoulder.

"Sorry, just talking to myself," I said.

"Oh." She squinted, like she was trying to place a name to my face. I doubted she would be able to. Finally, she gave up. "I'm Arianna Saints."

She probably expected me to give my name too, like any other normal person would do. Well, that was not happening.

"Nice to meet you, Arianna." I smiled as I starting walking away.

"And you are...?"

She wasn't giving up, and I could have pretended not to have heard her (which was believable in the din) but I'd have to answer eventually.

"Dani Gryfter."

It was time for class so, without a backward glance, I merged into the stampeding mass of teenagers leaving one Arianna Saints behind for what I hoped was forever.

When school's done for the day, what do you do? Something normal, unlike me. My afternoon found me unsccessfully trying to get info from HQ.

Well, they don't call themselves HQ, they call themselves HIVE (which stands for something, although I don't know what). HIVE has been training and schooling anomalies for the government for many years now, but they just recently started taking in child anomlies, which previously wasn't allowed.

So most of my life, I'd been being trained for when I was legally old enough to do jobs for the government. Though, because the government makes laws, they think they can break them--afterall, no one's stopped them yet--and I've gone on a few, uh, jobs already,

"Gryfter, that you?"

"The one and only," I said.

"Thank heavens for that," the agent on the other end said.

"Oh, ha ha. You wanna tell me why HIVE dropped me here?"

"I'd like to help you, kiddo, but that file is marked classified, so I can't read it," he said.

Kiddo?! I bit back a smart comment, saying instead,"Can you put me in touch with someone who can? Because they sent me on a mission, blind."

"I'll see what I can do, but honestly, HIVE will only let you know when they feel the timing's right."

"Wow, I certainly do feel so much better."

He sighed. "I know it can be frustrating because I've been there myself. Just hang in there."

"Yeah, thanks." I echoed his sigh.

"Good luck."

The ensuing click let me know that he'd hung up.

I waited several seconds before calling back.

"You again?"

"Yeah, do I at least have a contact?"

"Let me check..." the agent said. A few moments later, he said, "Yes, but this file doesn't say who."

"At the school?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Thanks!" This time I hung up.

So I had a contact, and if I talked to them, I'd find out what I needed to know. The question was, who was my contact?

Was it Arianna?

Well, I was going to find out tomorrow. It shouldn't be too hard. Granted, I didn't have a codeword but I was smart. I'd figure out a way.

I looked out the window once before checking the time on my phone. With a heavy sigh, I pulled out the folder marked Algebra 2 and got to work.

I woke up at 4:49 a.m. Not only did the fact that it was an odd number irritate me, but I had also slept in. (All you lucky, spoiled kids sleeping in until five and six and seven a.m.)

My normal schedule is waking up at 4:15, that way I have plenty of time to be mad about having to get up early. Today, I didn't have that luxury, so I rolled out of the bed, grimacing as my feet hit the ice-cold floor.

With the lights still off, I changed hurriedly, then headed to the bathroom. After I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into two boxer braids, I went in search of Kara McGinty.

I think she's what you would a call a handler, keeping me in line and guiding me on my missions. She's the one who's put up with my antics the longest and, yes, she's just as awful as her name.

Kara was already waiting for me in the kitchen, impatiently tapping her foot. "Dani, what have I told you about being late?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry." I wasn't, not really.

"We're not cutting training short, but we'll be cutting your rest periods short."

Yeah, because that's totally safe. I rolled my eyes, and she ignored it.

"Let's go."

I followed her out the door, and let me tell you, what followed was brutal. If you think your gym teacher is a slave driver, or that nemesis of yours is as critical as critical gets...well, you're wrong. Kara can out-mean anyone and anything under the sun.

An hour and a half later, I was drenched in sweat and one hundred percent frustrated. And although Kara has her moments, at least she can cook.

I finished up the huge protein waffles (she insists on a balanced diet) and washed the dishes (she insists on that, too.)

When the dishes were done, I headed back to my room. It feels weird calling it that, because I'd never spent an extended amount of time away from ART's facilities. The pale green walls could have been neon green compared to my own white, sterile walls. And all the picture frames and windows made it seem cluttered. ART's rooms were sterile and virtually empty. (Perhaps to save money on furniture? Who knows.)

At least I had a new, updated wardrobe. I wasn't about to complain about that. If you got a new wardrobe, you'd be excited, too, especially if all you were were exo-suits and a school uniform. Of course, you probably wouldn't be apprehensive, like I was. After all, I'd always had my outfits picked out for me.

Well, no matter. I was observant, so I knew what all the different types of kids at school wore. The popular girls wore trendy or tight and revealing clothing, and the nerds wore polo shirts, sweaters, and stuff that my grandparents (if I had any) probably would have worn when they were younger. Then, there were the foreign exchange students, who didn't really know the styles of the good 'ole USA.

I didn't fit into any of those groups, and I didn't want to really stand out. Jeans were a no-no for me, as all smart people know, skin-tight jeans inhibit your movements. So instead, I choose a light gray tunic dress that came past my knees, and paired it with a simple jean jacket.

I know, it certainly wasn't Vogue or Glamour worthy--not that I waste my time reading those magazines--but at least it didn't look like my mother dressed me. (Though, is that really a bad thing?)

"Daniella, the bus is here," Kara said.

I grimaced at the sound of my full name as I grabbed a pair of gladiator-style sandals to wear. I don't know, I just don't see myself as a Danielle or Daniella.What do you think of when you hear that name? A delicate girl with black hair? Blue eyes? That's not me.

I have darker blonde hair and hazel eyes, and my skin is a golden hue, even in winter. I've been told that I'm pretty one few rare occasions, but once again, I just don't see myself as that.

Do I see myself as much of anything, you ask? Well, yeah. And currently, that's a tenth grader who can't do algebra.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh, right. Getting on the bus...

I sat in the very far back, with the Gothic group so I could observe everyone else. And let me just say, although they may seem scary, the Gothic group isn't that bad, really.

At the last bus stop, three kids got on--two boys and a girl. The one boy had freckles and so much frizzy hair someone was bound to mistake him for a walking mop. The other boy was the male version of the girl beside him...

...Who just happened to be Arianna Saints.

"Dani, right?" She shot a glance at one of the girls wearing such thick black liner it looked like someone had punched her.

"Yup, that's me." I grinned.

"Mind if I sit with you and your, uh, friends?"

Sighing inwardly, I moved over as the bus driver yelled for her to sit down.

"I wouldn't have thought this..." Arianna searched for a word. "This, uh, was your scene."

I stifled a laugh. I mean me, Goth?

"Just needed somewhere to sit," I said, shrugging.

"Same."

I didn't say anything more as I looked out the window. If Arianna persisted, then I would broach the subject of contcts.

Until, then...

Blend in, I thought. Observe, analyze, and wait for ART to get its act together.

Arianna, her brother, and the other boy (who happens to be her cousin, which explains the red hair) were the last ones off the bus, just like me.

“Who’s your homeroom teacher?” I asked.

“Miss Griswald,” she said. “I don’t think we’re in the same one.”

I shook my head. “No, we’re not.”

“I saw you in math, though.”

Am I that noticeable or was she looking for me?

“See you ’round,” she said, interrupting my musings.

“Mmm, okay,” I grunt.

I didn’t see her again until math, but due to the assigned seating, we couldn’t talk. That was fine with me. When math was done, I hurried to my locker to grab the lunch that Kara had made for me.

I was so intent on observing the people around me that I didn’t catch the one right in front of me.

“Watch it,” the boy growled, shoving past me.

I took him in a quick glance--ripped jeans, maroon hoodie, and Nike high-top sneakers. If you were to see him, you probably wouldn’t do a double take (unless you were a girl, because he was kinda a looker.) But then again, you probably aren’t an anomaly with heightened senses. Of all the telepathic/enhanced abilities one could have, I have one of the worsts--heightened sense of smell. (Yeah, I tend to avoid public restrooms due to that one.)

Anyway...He was gone down the hall, and I kept walking to my locker. I’d just reached it when the vision came on.

Oh, yeah, I should explain that one, too. I’m a Forerunner--my subconscious is so developed, it picks up little things around me, piecing it together to form an almost exact vision of the future. It’s never been anything big, just little things moments before they happen.

Feeling nauseous when it was over--which is pretty normal--I leaned against my locker. I drew in several shaky breaths, inwardly grimacing at the curious glances and whispers around me.

That boy is gonna be in some serious trouble, I thought, slamming my locker shut a little too hard.

“Hey, Dani!” It was Arianna. I gotta say, that girl had some awful timing.

I had a split-second to make a decision. I didn’t hesitate as I turned my back and hurried after the boy.

“Dani!” I knew without looking that heads had turned in her direction, but no one really knew who I was.

Moving through the crowd virtually unhindered, I headed towards a deserted hallway. It was the same one I’d seen in a my vision, and, sure enough, the boy was there. Another kid, maybe thirteen at the oldest, met him.

I ducked out of sight as they looked around quickly before quickly exchanging money and a small ziploc bag containing the drugs I'd smelled. I risked taking a peek, and saw the younger boy take off.

Having seen all that I needed to see, I took off back the way I’d come. I stopped close the cafeteria and waited. Ten minutes later, I heard footsteps. Knowing this was the boy, I walked towards the bend in the hallway.

I ran into him for the second time that day.

“I’m so sorry,” I stammered out an apology.

“Watch it, nerd,” he snapped, shoving past me.

I kept walking until I reached my locker. I made sure the hallway was empty before taking out the Ziploc baggy I’d just lifted from his hip pocket. Who knew why he hadn’t put it some place more secure, but it wasn’t like I was going to go ask him.

Shoving the little bag into my smelly gym clothes (which I’d forgotten to take home and get washed), I whispered, “You can thank me later, buddy.”

If ART wanted me here for the drug deals...I had a good head start. Of course, since no one, not even Kara, knew what I was here for, I’d probably have to do some digging.

Good thing I know how to hack...

"Where were you?" Arianna demanded as we headed to our next class after lunch.

"Sorry, I had to deal with something." And, just as I'd been taught, I looked her in the eyes.

Free tip--when you're lying, always always look the person you're lying to in the eye.

Those brilliant green eyes held my own for several heartbeats before she looked away. "Sorry, it's none of my business."

"Nah, that's okay." I smiled.

"Ax!"she called out.

"Ari, I'm right here," her brother said from behind her.

"Oh." Arianna reddened. "Didn't see you there."

Ax (which is short for the hideous name of Axton) checked his watch. "Look, I gotta run. I have to meet up with one of my buddies before my next class."

"Okay, but I need my pen back." She held her hand out, and Ax returned the pen before running of.

Because I was watching Ax jog off down the hall, I didn't catch what Arianna was saying. Well, until she snapped her fingers in my face.

"Yo, earth to Dani! You seriously zoned out on my brother?!" Thankfully, she was whispering, so the entire school didn't hear it. "Do you think he's cute?"

"He's seems nice," I said vaguely.

Although I had initially just given him a lingering glance as he made his exit, that wasn't the reason he had maintained my interest. I couldn't be sure, I was pretty sure I'd seen a guy wearing a maroon hoody, ripped jeans, and hightop sneakers waiting at the end of the hallway.

Maybe not for Ax, and if he was, maybe not even for drugs.

But I couldn't be sure.

"Uh huh," she rolled her eyes. "Just nice? Nothing else?"

I grinned. "No, not my type anyway."

"Oh, please." Cue another eye roll.

I just ignored her.

When the last period of school was over, I was more frustrated than I’d ever been in my entire life. I knew I couldn’t tell anyone what I’d done with the whole drug-deal thing, because I wasn’t sure how ART would respond. After all, I’d acted without orders. As for telling Kara about them...she would be bound to report it to ART, as was her duty. I didn’t think I could convince her not to.

One thing’s certain, my gym clothes need to be washed, I thought, shaking my head.

I left the classroom, Arianna close on my heels. As we walked down the hallways in silence, I found myself wishing that I knew what to say. I liked Arianna, I really did, but I had no clue how to express that or be her friend. Sure, I’d had friends at ART’s training school, but we’d grown up together, trained together, pranked and been pranked together...

Arianna was new, and she was different. In a good way, I think.

“You okay?” she asked.

“What? Yeah.”

“Thinkin’ deep thoughts, huh?” She laughed.

“After math and biology? Not likely.”

We weaved through the groups of boys and girls, funneling through the doors and out front. The sun was glaringly bright, and Arianna pulled a pair of monochrome aviators from who knows where.

“I need a pair of those,” I said.

Cocking her head to the side, she considered the shape of my face. “Yeah, with a high ponytail or messy bun...”

“Buns don’t stay in for me,” I objected.

“Yeah, that’s why you just say it’s messy, and then it’s okay that it’s like, you know, halfway down your shoulders.”

I burst out laughing. “It’s not that bad!”

Ax joined us then, backpack slung over his shoulder. “Ari, you look ridiculous with those glasses. Oh, hi, Dani.” He flashed me a killer grin.

Arianna pulled the sunglasses down until they rested on the tip of her nose. Glaring at him over the rims, she said, “Excuze me?!”

Ax rolled his eyes before boarding the bus. We followed. He sat down next to two other guys, and I continued my trek to the back, where a seat was open. I sat down next to the black-haired girl who was already in the row, and Arianna sat down next to me.

She leaned forward and looked across me at the girl. “Brittany, right?”

Sullenly, the girl nodded. “Yeah.”

“I like your hair; where do you get it cut?”

Brittany self-consciously touched the edges of her hair that came to a strong jawline. “I cut it myself.”

“Really?”

As Arianna and Brittany continued to talk, I observed how she asked Brittany questions about herself, showed interest, made eye contact... I filed it all away for later.

The bus stopped in front of the long, gravel drive that led to the house where I was staying with Kara. I grabbed my backpack from where it had been resting on the floor between my feet, and squeezed past Arianna.

“See you tomorrow!” she called.

“Yeah, c’ya!” I said, smiling.

Walking up the gravel drive, little clouds of dust rising with each step, I was shocked by the thought that I actually wanted to see Arianna again.

“Dani!” Kara interrupted my thoughts.

She was standing on the front porch, the door wide open behind her. A huge boxer stood beside her, tongue hanging out, tail wagging. When I got closer, its muscles tensed and it started to com running towards me. Just as it pushed off with its hind legs, Kara lunged forward, latching onto the collar around his neck. The dog instantly dropped to a sitting position, and Kara, off balance, tipped forwards.

“Who’s dog is that?” I asked, stifling a laugh. (I mean, I have to live with the lady. I can’t afford to make her mad.)

“Our watchdog,” she growled, righting herself. “ART insists we have him for quote on quote, ‘security reasons.’ This dog is a hazard, not a help.”

The dog looked indignant--if that’s possible--and then I did laugh. When I got to the porch, I crouched down and stroked his head, scratching behind his ears. He liked my face in response.

“He’s cute. What’s his name?”

“Barf.” Kara spat the name out like she wanted to strangle someone.

Not wanting that person to be me, I didn’t say anything. I stood up and walked inside, leaving the door open behind me.

Ascending the stairs to my bedroom, I heard her unsuccessfully trying to keep the dog outside. Every time she tried to shut the door, he’d throw his full body weight against it, sending the door flying open...and Kara across the room.

I had too much to think about to laugh or watch, and I probably should have helped. But she’d deal with it eventually.

I set my backpack on the desk in the corner. Then I pulled my laptop out, plugged it in, and sat down, fingers hovering over the keys. I needed to know why I was here, who I was supposed to be meeting... Yet, if I got caught, the consequences would be insurmountable.

To some extent, ART would be pleased. Pleased with my skills and abilities, but probably not about the fact that they were on the receiving end of them.

Ahhh! This is stupid! Just do it!

But still, my fingers were suspended there, unmoving.

My thoughts flew to my friends back at ART, then to Kara, to Arianna, Ax, the drug deal I’d seen, the drugs now wrapped up in my smelly gym shirt, the phone conversation I’d had...

I started typing.

Hacking in real life doesn’t quite match up to hacking in the movies. For one thing, you don’t type nearly as fast. I mean, if you’re like, superhumanly accurate and fast when it comes to typing, I’m sure you could. But I’m not, so I can’t.

As the minutes slipped away like water dripping from a leaky faucet, I grew increasingly irritated. ART's firewall was no laughing matter, and my confidence in my abilities was seriously starting to flag.

I barely refrained from screaming, and instead shoved the laptop back, pushed back from the table, and kicked the bedpost.

Big mistake there.

Pain made my toes go numb before radiating well up to my knee. I sucked in a breath, gritting my teeth and cursing my own stupidity.

"Is your homework almost done? We're eating in thirty!" Kara called.

"Not yet!" My reply came out harsher than I intended due to the circumstances.

"Well, get it done!"

Although I couldn't see her face, Kara's hard, blue eyes had to be narrowed and those thick black brows pulled together. And as usual, she'd be scowling.

Now, to be fair, I have basically put her through hell, humiliating her in front of ART execs with my reckless behavior and all-around disregard for their rules and commands. Maybe that was the real reason I hadn't given her the drugs. Just one more embarrassment, one more failure added to the growing list. I mean, I'd never thought what it would be like if I was having to deal with a stubborn teenage girl like myself.

I wasn't going to apologize. That thought was just ridiculous.

Glaring at the laptop, I hobbled over on foot back to the desk. I sat down, shoved the electronic device back, and tried to concentrate on science.

Thirty minutes later, all of my subjects but math were done. (I don't really struggle with the other subjects.) I eyed the math book, wondering if I could squeeze in a few problems before dinner. But, prompt as ever, Kara called me down to the table.

"Be right there!" I called, focusing on the tab I had up on the laptop's screen.

The strings of commands and coding I'd typed sat there, glaring at me, and the little dash blinking on, off, on, off was driving me to insanity. Resisting the urge to sit down and keep hacking--well, trying to, anyway--I exed the tab out. That wasn't something I wanted to explain.

The delicious, homey smell of pizza hit me as I descended the stairs. Entering the dining room, I saw a huge slice of pepperoni pizza sitting on a plate at my spot. Kara's expression remained oh-so-Kara as I shot her a puzzled glance.

She's strict about everything--training, schooling, my diet... I eat chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits, and whole wheat bread. Not sweets, not fast food, and certainly not pizza.

"Pizza?" I asked. This had only happened once or twice before. Once, when Kara first became my handler, and then a year later to celebrate the "anniversary." But never since. And who could blame her? I wasn't necessarily worth celebrating.

She shrugged, indifference on her face. "I thought we should do something special for your first day of school, but I was busy. So I had time tonight, so I thought, 'Why not?' "

I couldn't help but gawk. I mean, c'mon, this was Kara--Kara McGinty--we were talking about.

But it wasn't like I was going to wait around for her to change her mind. So I promptly took a huge bite of that cheesy goodness, chewing slowly and savoring every bite.

Well, before I devoured the entire thing in four more bites. Then I grabbed two more slices off the baking stone on the oven.

Shock settled on every feature of my handler's face.

"You act like you've never had pizza before."

Between bites, I said, "I basically haven't."

Then the strangest thing happened.

Kara--get this--looked guilty. Guilty!

Suddenly, I don't know why, this weird feeling settled in my chest. The words came out before I could stop them.

"Thanks for...for the pizza."

I just thanked her for the pizza. But those words, that apology, run so much deeper. I couldn't drag my eyes away from hers, and I was frozen, half-eaten slice halfway to my mouth.

"Your welcome, Dani." She held my gaze for one more moment before looking away.

I took another bite of pizza, but it suddenly tasted like cardboard. The once delicious grease was making me sick, and I the slice back down on my plate.

"I'm full. I'm going to go finish up my math."

I knew I should have offered to clean the dishes, or vacuum, but I didn't. I couldn't. I was so confused about what had happened between us, and I just needed time to think. Kara must have understood, because she nodded without a word.

I retreated to my bedroom and stared at my math homework. It was like trying to read Greek. At least you can use Google translate to understand Greek, but you can't translate math!

Over an hour later, I was done, and staring at the dark laptop screen again. It was just so irritating. ART's firewall couldn't be impregnable; if I tried long enough, I'd eventually break through...right?

Problem is, I didn't have that time with school now.

I wracked my brain for a solution for who knows how long. Then Kara asked me to walk "that creature", and I complied.

Taking a walk with Barf down the street helped clear my head and calm me. Unfortunately, it didn't help me figure out a solution.

"Goodnight, poochie," I cooed, shutting him in his kennel by the back door.

He whimpered, and I tossed him a treat before covering the kennel up. I laughed as Kara walked by, an expression of disgust fixed on her face.

"He doesn't do us much good in a kennel, you know."

"He won't do us much good out of the kennel, either. He'd make friends with a serial killer in a heartbeat."

"Whatever," I laughed.

Back in my room, I got ready for bed. The clock read ten by the time I was sprawled out beneath the sheets. It took me a while, but eventually, my eyes shut and my mind drifted over the events of the day...

...Viruses!

The thought jerked me out of my trance-like sleep, and I stared at myself in the mirror opposite my bed. My own reflection creeped me out, and, not wanting to look at it anymore, I grabbed a blanket, climbed out of bed, and threw it over the mirror. On my first attempt, it slid right back down, but on the third attempt, I tucked it around the corners until it stayed.

That taken care of, I stepped back and returned to my previous thought. Viruses.

The one class I aced was on creating computer viruses. If I create something to look for a weakness in the firewall, collect data, information...

The official beginning of the next day found me modifying the coding for an old virus I'd made for an assignment. I was done by one, and I shut the lid of my laptop.

Sliding under the covers, exhaustion overcame me. And while I slept, the program continued to do its work.

Dark.

Whining.

”Dani, I am not getting that!” Kara yelled from her bedroom.

It took me a few seconds to rub the sleep from my eyes and realize what that sound was. It was Barf, of course, whining.

“Why should I get that? He’s not my dog!”

“Because if I do, I swear, I will kill him!” she shouted.

A well-rested Kara might do it; a sleep-deprived Kara certainly would. Did I really care about Barf enough to get out of bed?

I decided that no, I didn’t, but I did love my sleep. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to shut up unless I let him out or something. Sighing, I got out of bed. Blindly stumbling to the door, I then waited for my eyes to adjust a little better. The last thing I wanted to be doing was hurtling head-first down the stairs. (It wouldn’t be the first time.)

“Dani, I’m serious!”

I jumped. “Yes, yes, I know!”

Kara muttered something I couldn’t make out--thankfully--as I hurried down the stairs.

Barf was standing up in his kennel, face smashed against the door. Tail wagging back and forth, he slapped his paw against the door when he saw me.

“You naughty boy,” I said wearily, crouching down and unlocking the kennel door. “Don’t you know I need my beauty sleep?”

He gave a slobbery lick across my nose.

“Eww! You’re gross.” I straightened up. “C’mon, let’s go.”

He followed me to the back door. I hesitated. If I let him outside, he wouldn’t run away, would he? We didn’t have a cord or a leash, so I came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t. He didn’t even wait until the door was fully open before bounding out into the night. I stared after him, and could just make out his loping form.

My eyelids lowered and I yawned. I shut the wooden door and sat up against it. So tired...

###

What was that scratching noise? And why was that stupid whining noise back?

My back was stiff, my hips hurt, and my neck felt like someone had wrapped a chain around it. Which, sitting on a stone floor up against a door will do to you.

It was maybe an hour after I’d let the dog out, because I could hear Kara moving around upstairs, getting ready for the day. Stiffly, I got to my feet and opened the back door to reveal a very wet, but happy, Barf.

“What were you doing, buddy?”

Of course, I got no answer.

###

Training that day was more brutal than ever due to Barf’s antics. But I certainly felt belt afterward. I don’t know what it is, but physical activity makes me feel better. And also ravenous.

I had just fed the dog and finished stuffing a whole wheat bagel into my mouth when the bus arrived. Grabbing my backpack from beside the door, I shouted a goodbye to Kara.

“Hey!” Brittany smiled at me, patting the seat next to her.

“Thanks!” I sat down, hiding my shock behind a smile. I couldn’t believe that someone I didn’t even really know would care enough to save a seat for me.

Arianna found her way back a few minutes later. Plopping down next to me, she gave us all a big smile. After exchanging hellos, she and Brittany got into a deep discussion about how to get the wing of their eyeliner just so. Being illiterate in the area of makeup, I tried to keep up, but soon found my attention wandering...

...Straight to Ax. He was sitting in the row across the aisle, one up from ours. He was talking with one of the guys sitting in the row in front of him, who I recognized as one of the football players.

Neither of them struck me as the kind of kids who would do drugs. But then again, who could tell?

“Dani, you’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” I asked, looking at her.

“Zoning out on my brother!”

“I wasn’t.” I put on a surprised face.

“Tell me what I just said, then!”

“You said I was zoning out on your brother.”

Arianna folded her arms. “Before that!”

“You said I was ‘doing it again’.”

Brittany burst out laughing.

"Before that!”

“You said that Veronica’s wings were legendary,” I said. (This is proof that I can multi-task effectively.)

“Okay, okay, so maybe you were paying attention,” Arianna conceded.

She returned to her conversation about eyeliner and I looked out the window until we arrived at school.

###

Arianna plopped down next to me at lunch. “So you don’t want to be noticed?”

“How you figure?”

“You don’t talk a lot, you sit in the corner, you don’t participate in any school activities, you’re physically fit but you do average in PE, you don’t answer questions in class, and you dress average.”

Wow, she’s observant! “Yes.”

“That’s what I thought...but sitting with the Gothic group? You lost me there.”

“It’s in the back of the bus,” I explained.

“You still stick out like a sore thumb,” she snorted.

I took a bite of my sandwich, wondering how much father this conversation would go. Depending on what she said, it could tell me if she was my contact.

“I noticed you the first day due to your efforts be unnoticeable. Running into you in the cafeteria was kinda an excuse to talk to you,” she said, looking at me for a long moment before slurping her milk.

“So, ah...were you looking for a friend?”

“You could say that, I guess,” she shrugged.

Or a contact.

Heart pounding, I waited until we were leaving the cafeteria to ask, “Are...are you my contact?”

Confusion flitted across her face, and all I could think was, I made a mistake, I made a mistake, I made a mistake...

She looked quickly around before saying, “Yes. Yes, I’m your contact.”

I blinked. I mean, I’d suspected it, but her confusion had totally thrown me off.

“We can talk later; we’re going to be late for class!” She grabbed my arm and pulled me after her.

###

The next two hours were spent watching Arianna nervously biting her nails, fiddling with her pen, and all in all just not paying attention. Something seemed to be really bothering her.

See, that's one of my finer points. When I don't make an effort to be noticed, I just eventually became an invisible observer. Like, you know, they always see if you talked less and paid more attention, you'd pick up on more. Well, it turns out, they were right. Take it from me.

After the class, I pulled her aside under a stairwell in one of the less-traveled hallways.

"So...I was told my contact would know why I was here," I began.

She nodded, eyes wide, but didn't say anything.

"Um, so you gonna tell me?"

"Like, why you're here?" Her eyes were getting bigger.

"Yes!" Frustration was starting to creep in. Why couldn't she just tell me what I was supposed to be doing?! I got my answer.

"I have no clue."

"Wait, what?!" I hissed. "You've got to be kidding!"

Arianna shifted uncomfortably, moving back against the wall and away from me. A girl with more earrings than ears walked by, casting us a suspicious glance. I ignored her.

"What all did ART tell you?" I said, lowering my voice.

"Just that, uh, I was supposed to meet you here." She kept looking everywhere but my face.

Well, that was suspicious.

"I think we should talk about this somewhere else, where no one will over here us," she whispered. She looked pointedly at a guy looking over at us.

"I guess you've got a point. Can you come to my house today?"

Arianna shook her head. "No, I have an orthodontist appointment. We're looking at braces."

"Braces? Girl, your teeth are straighter than mine!"

She shrugged. "Anyway, we better go and catch the bus. Give me your phone number, and we can text or call. I'll see if I can get my mom to let me come over tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Time to bail, homie!" And with that, Arianna ducked out from under the stairs and headed out front.

"That's literally so random!" I called after her, hurrying to catch up.

"Yeah, but I've always wanted to say it and it sounds cool."

"You're weird, you know that?"

"Duh. But so are you."

Well, I've found my contact, but she doesn't know much...hopefully, my virus has got something for me.

I couldn't wait to get back to the house and see.

I don't believe in good luck. It's just an illusion, covering up the impending doom that's on the horizon. Like the calm before the storm.

My first clue that something was wrong was the fact that the front door was open. Not much, but it was still open. Kara treated every place we'd ever been like it was Fort Knox, and an open door was unforgivable. It was odd, sure, but I didn't think much about it. Maybe Barf had managed to open it? But...where was Barf?

"Kara? Barf?" I called. When there was no answer, I moved into the kitchen and called again.

Silence.

"KARA!" I shouted.

Still no answer.

Something was wrong, very wrong. Maybe something happened to Barf and Kara took him to the vet's, or maybe he was in the woods and she was at the store...but it just wasn't adding up. Kara never left without letting me know where she was going or when she'd be back so I wouldn't panic or think something was wrong.

"Please don't let something have happened to her," I whispered.

This is just like a training scenario. Make sure the house is clear of hostiles, look for clues, and work from there.

Drawing in a deep breath, I squared my shoulders. The first thing I did was grab a butcher's knife from the counter. There was probably a gun stashed in every room, but I didn't know where to look. And I had telepathic abilities, anyway.

I checked the pantry. Empty. I scanned for unfamiliar brain waves, and didn't find anything, not even when I searched for Kara's. My nose didn't pick up any unfamiliar smells, but to be honest, I don't really rely on it that much. (That's just like, weird.)

Knife still in hand, I silently crept up the stairs. Nothing was out of place, everything belonged...

Wait! What was that, sticking out from under the bed in Kara's room?

I got down on my knees and peered under the bed, snagging the small purple object. It was an almost completely opaque crystal, carved in the likeness of a crescent moon. It was a little bigger than my thumbnail, with a small hole drilled at one end for a chain. I'd never seen it before in my life. And it certainly hadn't been there yesterday.

Had it been there this morning? I tried to remember, but I couldn't.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Kara. It went to voicemail almost instantly.

Maybe it's dead. You're overreacting, and I'm sure that nothing's wrong.

"Man, I need to stop lying to myself," I grunted, getting to my feet. "If only I had a Forerunner around..."

Forerunners are what every fortune teller wants you to think they are. Forerunners have such a developed subconscious that it picks up on every little thing, piecing it together to predict the near future. But it can also work the other way, too, where they can walk into a room and know instantly what happened there. You'd think I'd get a somewhat usable skill that wasn't disgusting like heightened sense of smell, but no! I'm just an average telepath with an above avergae level of stubborness.

Should I contact ART? Wait a little while and see?

I did the logical thing, and called ART.

"Hello, Gryfter."

I recognized the voice as the agent I'd spoke to when I'd first been assigned this mission. "Yeah, it's me again. My handler, Kara McGinty, is missing."

"When did you discover this?"

"When I got home from school just a couple minutes ago. There's no sign that anyone's been here or is here, but I know Kara; this isn't like her."

The agent asked me a few more questions before ending with, "We'll send you a new handler, but you'll be spending the night alone. Unless you're not comfortable with that..."

"If you're implying that I might be scared, no," I said. "ART needs to stop dragging their keisters, open those stupid mouths of theirs, and just tell me what's going on around here!"

"I agree. This is the oddest mission that I've ever seen, and I'm sorry that I can't be more of a help. I'll let you know if I find anything out, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Good luck, Dani."

"Uh huh." I ended the call.

Good luck? A new handler? That wasn't going to help me with anything! I needed to talk to someone who knew what was really going on.

Arianna.

I made one more call, this time to Arianna. When she answered, I said, "I really need you to come over as soon as you can. Something's happened."

"I'm on my way to my dentist appointment. What's wrong?!"

"I'll tell you later, when I'm sure it's safe for us to talk. Just...get here, okay?"

"Dani, are you safe?" she demanded.

"That depends on your defintion. I gotta go."

I hung up. Arianna of all people should know what was going on, understand the urgency of the situation.

So why didn't she?

Not knowing how long it would be until Arianna could come, I wracked my brain for ideas of what to do. I needed to further search the house, then check the grounds outside for any clues as to who the intruder(s) were.

Methodically, I went from room to room like I’d already done. Nothing was out of place, and I didn’t find anything other than the crescent charm I still held in my hand.

I headed outside, eyes focused on the ground. I immediately found what I was looking for in the soft ground around back--footprints. They weren’t mine, and they certainly weren’t Kara’s. I crouched down and got a closer look. It was hard to tell just how old these tracks were, but I was fairly sure they were recent. Was it possible someone had been here last night, and that’s why Barf had wanted out?

I frowned, my mind whirling with the possiblilites. Someone had deliberately taken Kara and Barf, and they would most likely be back for me. Maybe they thought I actually knew what my mission was, or they were just stopping me before I could find out.

“If they think that they can stop me, they’re in for a big surprise,” I growled. See, I have what some people would label my one fatal flaw, and that’s my inability to let things go.

As the old saying goes, anyone who messes with me has hell to pay.

I went over yard all the way up to the woods, but I didn’t find anything else. There weren’t even any more footprints, due to the fact that any that there might have been were obscured by Barf’s.

Mentally and physically exhausted, I dropped down onto a rock at the edge of the woods. This was all such a big mess. I felt like a fly caught in a spider’s web, trying to untangle itself. But the more I struggled, the more I was getting tangled and ensnared, the bigger of a mess I made. And where to start with ART? They certainly weren’t helping me. Had I caused them that much trouble that they hated me this much?

A mosquito bit me on my forearm, effectively arousing me from my thoughts. I slapped it angrily, smashing it.

“Take that, you little stupid parasite,” I hissed.

I got to my feet, still slapping at the evil bloodsuckers that seemed intent on following me. Once safely inside, I locked all the doors and windows. I stood in the kitchen for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Uncertainly, I moved in the direction of the fridge to get something to eat, even though I wasn’t hungry.

That’s when my backpack, sitting on the kitchen table where I’d left it, caught my attention.

My laptop!

I quickly dug it out. It was still on, so, bringing it out of sleep mode, I anxiously checked the virus that had been running all night.

Loading...

Gathering data...

Analysis at 99%...

A loading bar popped up on the screen, glowing the classic neon green on a black background.

“How long does it take to analyze one percent?” Impatient, I jumped to my feet and paced the kitchen.

It was already getting dark outside, even though it was just past five fifteen. Was Arianna home yet? When would she get here? I wondered what she would say when she showed up. Speculating, however, has never kept my occuppied, and it just made me more irritated. (I can’t handle not knowing things.)

So, you can imagine how startled I was when someone knocked on the door.

My heart started beating faster and my breath caught in my throat. What if it was the same people who had taken Kara and Barf?

They wouldn’t knock, stupid.

Shaking my head, I went to the door. I swung it open, ready to throw a force field if necessary at the person on the other side.

“Wow, Dani, you had me so worried! What’s wrong?” Arianna asked, lunging forward.

I instictively backed up, then stuck my arms out to keep her away. She looked hurt.

“I was just trying to hug you, not kill you!”

“Well, considering what’s happened today, can you really blame me?” I said. I hoped my face wasn’t turning red. It’s just, you know, not many people hug me these days. I think the last one I got was...I really can’t remember, actually.

“Dani, what happened?” she demanded, worried.

“Someone came while I was at school and took Kara and Barf. And I called ART, but they weren’t any help. They’re sending me a new handler, though. I don’t even know what I’m suppossed to be doing here, because they won’t tell me anything! So what am I doing here?” The words just tumbled out in a big rush, which was completely unlike me. Normally, I’m very collected and logical. But judging by my friend’s face, I had sounded anything but that.

“I’m sorry, what?!” Arianna unceremoniously fell into a kitchen chair.

“I...You know, Kara’s my handler? ART assigned me this mission that had me placed here, in this school, but they gave me no details, not even that you were my contact,” I said. I took a deep breath to say more, but I looked at Arianna’s face and knew something was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

She should not be looking at me like I’m crazy. She should know all of this already.

I blinked. This couldn’t mean what I thought it meant.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

Suddenly, the window above the sink shattered and the front door was blown inward, off its hinges. Arianna screamed as blue light streamed into the room in a violent burst. Without thinking, I tackled her to the ground and threw a force field in the direction of the door.

My last thought wasn’t of myself, or even Arianna, but of the laptop sitting on the table before glowing blue enveloped me.

I grabbed the laptop, before the electrified forcefield shoved me back down.

Arianna started screaming, and wouldn't--or couldn't--stop. It blended with the shouts of the hostiles who had invaded my home and were trying to kill me. After all, you don't try to hit someone with an electrified forcefield like the one I was encapsulated in if you wanted to take them back alive, and not looking like charred hamburger.

[Arianna, you have got to stop!] I yelled in telepathy. When she didn't stop, I mustered what telepathic strength wasn't being used on the shield to command, Stop yelling!

This was a command that ran much deeper than telepathy. I'd never really tried to make someone do what I wanted them to, but I was pretty sure that I could.

I held my breath, then released it as Arianna fell silent. She wasn't looking so good--glassy eyes, almost white, clammy skin, lips an unnatural purple shade. Shock? I mean, it wasn't like I was a medical professional or anything like that.

But before I could do anything to help her, I had to get rid of this stupid, crackling field of energy that engulfed us. With much effort, I slowly expanded my force field. Whoever I was fighting against was strong. Each telepathic push felt like a physical blow to my body, causing me to lose all of my breath in a great rush.

You think you're going to win?! Well, I've got news for you!

Brain power, or sheer mental energy, is what a telepath uses. Sometimes, they'll even use someone else's mental energy and brain waves to give them power. But sometimes, all you need is a very, very powerful emotion. I can tell you right now, anger is a very powerful resource.

My force field flashed silver as it instantly expanded outward, smashing against the four walls. It slowed, flowing into every crack and nook, growing and cracking like water freezing in the fissure of a rock. I knew I couldn't keep it up, so just as quickly, I retracted it so it surrounded just Arianna and me.

"W-what's going on?" she croaked.

"It's gonna be okay," I lied. Then I focused back on the enemy.

They wore sleek black exo-suits, complete with helmets with tinted visors I couldn't see through. As was pretty common with most exo-suits, there were two swords (or katanas) criss-crossed on the back, a gun strapped to each thigh, and a knife on each side of the calf. Huge, scythe-like blades attached at the elbow, coming out past the hand.

Certainly not a hugging bunch here. (You know, because if you tried to hug someone with those blades, you'd chop them half.)

They pulled themselves out of the walls, where'd they'd been shoved. The chandelier fell from the ceiling, followed by a rain of dusty plaster that poured over the curves of our force fields. Silence ruled for no more than a few split seconds.

"You can give yourself up, and it will be easier for you," one of them (the leader?) said.

I snorted. "Get that from the book of cliche movie lines? As if!"

Apparently, he didn't appreciate my humor. "Your choice." His own force field against mine, causing my to stumble backwards against my protective wall.

Arianna's fingernails dug into my arm, drawing blood. I winced, biting my lip to keep from crying out. Show no weakness--that's something I was taught since I was little, when the bigger kids followed me around, looking for opportunities to make my life miserable.

"I'll tell you what--how about we both just walk away, and I don't kill you?" I was stalling, trying to think of a plan.

"Or I could just kill you. The blood stains wouldn't match the decor, but that can't be helped." He shrugged.

Out of my peripheal vision, I could see the others closing in again, closing off the front door. I might be able to fight my way through, but there was no guarantee. It was one thing to risk my own life, but Arianna's...

The commander made a sweeping motion with his left blade, and the soldiers instantly sprang into action. With Arianna clinging on for dear life, I shot upwards, toward the ceiling.

This is going to hurt.

I had literally one split second, but that was just enough to doubt my decision. The impact from hitting the ceiling jarred every bone in my body, and I felt Arianna’s arm slipping out of my grasp.

I tried my best to ignore the burning sensation running from my forearm to my bicep and shoulder, tightening my grip. Instinctively, I closed my eyes as chunks of plaster and wood fell down around my sheild.

Have you ever been so tired that you could feel your energy pouring out of you like water? That’s how I felt, and I knew that I couldn’t keep busting through ceilings and throwing force fields around, especially with Arianna’s dead weight.

I dropped to the floor--quite literally--on my side. I gasped for breath as a burning sensation spread through my ribs, each intake causing me to feel like I was being stabbed. I didn’t even have time to make sure that Arianna was alright before I saw the dreaded blue glowing shooting up through the ceiling.

One of the hostiles was trying to come through the hole I’d made.

“Oh no you don’t! Make your own hole!” And with that, I punched downward in a sweeping motion, my force field mimicking my movement. More floor splintered and ripped away as he fell back down.

I couldn’t stay there and play whack-a-mole all night. (I’m just not one for kiddy games, you know?) I picked Arianna and ungracefully tossed her over my left shoulder. I may have been short, but that didn’t mean I was weak. So, without further ado, I staggered to the window, blowing the entire thing out with a force field. Without looking back, I half-jumped, half-dove out the window.

Rain, mixed with hail, stung my face, the wind whipping long strands of my tangled hair behind me. Arianna’s torso had flopped forward, and considering the way that we were falling, she’d land right on her head and snap her neck. Using the last of my energy stores, I caught us both gently with a force field.

“Arianna, please, please, snap out of it! I need you!” I begged. I cast a quick look back upstairs, where my entire room was bathed with unearthly blue light. “Please! ARIANNA!”

A black blur shot towards us from above, and I had no choice but to run for the woods, dragging her behind me. I anticipated a jolt of electricity to course through my body at any minute, turning my internal organs to charred husks.

But for all the bad luck that I’ve had, something good actually happened--he tripped, face first.

It was just a few seconds, but the woods were within jumping distance now. In a few strides, I’d made it to relative safety. Well, the illusion of it, anyway. If we were to stay alive, Arianna needed to snap out of it. Yelling at her hadn’t worked, shaking her hadn’t worked. . . so I did the only thing I could think of.

I slapped her. “Get with it!”

The glazed look left her eyes, and in its place was pure rage. No hug, no “Thank you, Dani, for saving my life,” but instead, a slap.

“Good grief! I just saved your life!”

The eerie blue light poured out the window, across the lawn, and towards us. And, I hate to admit it, but I was scared. I’ve been scared lots of times in my life, usually that ART would just toss me out, dust their hands, and be done with me. Never anything like this all-consuming, all-encompossing feeling of complete and utter terror.

I was out of ideas, out of plans, out of energy, both physical and mental.

“Dani, do something!” Arianna screamed, eyes wide with terror.

“I...I don’t know what to do!” I yelled back. A small part of me had time to wonder, Did those words really just come out of my mouth?

“RUN!”

I didn’t argue as I stumbled after her through the woods. Apparently, Arianna was more of an outdoorsy girl than I thought, because she knew the woods like the back of her hand. Every pit, every tree, every rock. . . she knew where they were and avoided them. I, on the other hand, resembled a crippled bigfoot trying to dance. I swear every tree limb hit me in the face, and I landed in every animal hole.

“Can’t you do what they’re doing, whatever it is?” she panted when we finally had to stop for a breather a few minutes later.

“I don’t know, I never tried! And even if I could, I certainly don’t have enough energy!”

“Who are they? Why do they want you?”

“I don’t know!” I yelled back, struggling to be heard over the pounding rain, even though we were side by side.

“If we could get to my house, I know where Ax’s guns and ammo are.”

“I don’t think a gun’s going to do anything!”

“It’s better than nothing!”

We took off running again. The woods gradually sloped upwards, but it was raining so hard that the entire slope was a mass of miniature rivers. It was more of a pulling-yourself-up-by-the-tree-trunks sort of deal as oppossed to running up it.

But once we reached the top, it leveled out. An asphalt road snaked across it, and Arianna ran across it to the brush on the other side. She suddenly dissappeared from view.

“Where are you?”

“Right here!” she said, grabbing my wrist and tugging my through the mass of thorns--all of which got me in the face--into an old, collapsed shed. Water streamed down my neck to my back, and I shivered.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you can do?” she whispered.

“No! I can’t physically fight them, and I can’t telepathically fight them,” I said, frustrated.

“Can’t you get more telepathic energy?”

“No, I--” I stopped. “Wait! That’s it! I can get more energy, by taking your unused energy.”

“Great! But...will that do anything to me?” She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

“I. . . I don’t know! I’ve never done it before!”

Silence fell, each of us straining to hear if the enmy was approaching. Could they track our telepathic signature? Our heat signature? I’d practiced doing both, and I knew how well telepathic tracking worked.

“If we’re gonna do this, we gotta do this now. Are you okay with this?” I asked.

“I’ll take it over dying,” she said, scooting closer. “What do I do?”

“Close your eyes, and uh, concentrate on moving your energy to me? I don’t know, I’ve never done this before!” I’d seen it done before a couple times, but there wasn’t contact all of the time. Well, better safe than sorry. I placed my hands on her temples, closed m eyes, and concentrated.

I don’t know how long it took--seconds, minutes?--but I sat back. Rolling my shoulders, I said, “That’s better. now let’s go kick some butt!”