Catching the Hero

Chapter Seventeen: Disorder

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Chapter Seventeen: Disorder

I stepped away from Jamie’s dorm room and ran my hand through my hair in frustration. For the past day, I’d called her often, only to hear her voicemail every time. Her phone was off, which Jamie would never do; that phone was always on her, and though she wasn’t what I’d call obsessed, her phone kept her on schedule. This morning had been the first time I’d visited her dorm to speak to her since finding out about her disappearance.

Why would Jamie just leave? She hadn’t told me; she hadn’t contacted our friends; she hadn’t spoken to her family or her teachers. She was just… gone.

Sighing in defeat, I began walking back towards the dorm elevators. Maybe she didn’t want to be found now; maybe she just wanted a bit of time away from everything and everyone, just to spend time to herself. I tried to convince myself of that, even though I knew it was ridiculous and uncharacteristic of Jamie. As I walked outside, I pushed away the thoughts and exhaled. Jamie was impulsive; maybe it was just another thing for her.

Looking up at the dim and clouded sky, I suspected it would rain in a few hours’ time. Sighing, I continued walking across the grassy main area, and stopped when familiar dark hair caught my attention, making me smile. Trace stood a few yards away, throwing a football with a few of his friends, and laughed at something one of them said. I vaguely recognized a few of them as I began walking over to him.

Just as I was about to reach him, he turned around and smiled, completely catching me off guard and making me let out a small gasp. I stopped and placed one hand over my stomach. “My God, Trace, you scared me.”

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him in a greeting hug. Tingles and shocks traveled through my body as he playfully whispered in my ear, “Oops.” I laughed and pulled back, smiling to myself when he left his arm around my shoulders in comfort.

A man I recognized as Trey smirked and slapped his hand on another guy’s back, tossed him the football and then jogged over to us, stopping not far away. Though we hadn’t been close in school, I offered him a smile.

He returned it, before saying, “So, I heard you’re coming this weekend.”

Acknowledging the question in his statement, I replied, “Yes, if it’s not a problem.”

“Not at all. I’m sure you’ll know most of the people anyway. You remember Raina, right? She seemed glad to know you were coming.”

At the mention of my friend, I recalled our conversation from the other night. In the moment, I quickly examined Trey, looking for any signs of a super in him, but before I could really take my time, a scream tore across the campus.

Every head whipped toward the piercing sound, and mouths fell open in dread at the sight. The blue man, Oxide, stood atop a building, at least four stories high, with a malevolent grin; and in his grip, a hysterical Rachel Murring tried to escape without falling from the height. My internal shock grew: there hadn’t been a public disturbance from the villains in months, and this was certainly meant to cause a scene as he held the mayor’s daughter near the edge.

Oxide tossed her to the building, letting her fall on the flat roof in sobs as he looked down at her. With my senses, I could just barely here the sound of his voice, as if he was chastising a child. “My dear, if you would have listened, we wouldn’t be causing a scene.” He turned his stare to the gathering crowd, and called, “This, my people, is what happens when you resist. A world where…”

I quickly took my eyes away and looked at my car, shaded in the far part of the lot. My suit was inside; all I’d have to do is make it there unnoticed. Then I could help her.