Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

3. Simon says...

Freeze!

The word echoes in my mind like a mantra, bouncing off the walls in my brain. I want to move. I want to run away, but it's like there is an invisible force field that is keeping me in place.

"What did you do to me?" I exclaim, knees trembling as I struggle against the invisible bonds.

"Turn around and walk away," he says.

To my horror, my body obeys, and I start to walk away when a voice booms from the outside of the shop.

"Simon Says, we know you're in there! Come out with your hands up before we come in and take you by force."

The voice definitely belongs to a girl, but she sounds young. Too young to be calling out to a dangerous man like this one. What is a teen like me doing trying to apprehend a criminal? She's going to get herself hurt.

"No, no, no, no!" the man mumbles, running his hands through his already crazed curls, making him look like a mad man.

Simons Says?

It's a fitting name. It's obvious his Gift has something to do with physical manipulation, kind of like Cassie's, but on a whole new level. He doesn't need an object to control someone, all he has to do is say the magic words and anyone listening turns into his own personal puppet. With a power like that, he is definitely Elite.

So, what is he doing hiding in the back of a smoothie shop? Has he gone rogue? Is he trying to get out of service? Or maybe his training is taking too long for his liking, so he decided to take the easy way out into society.

In his moment of panic, I feel his control over me lessen, and I start to slowly inch away from him.

He fumbles around as I keep walking towards the front of the storage room. Come on, just a bit closer! My foot bumps against one of the crates, and his eyes land on me again, a grin stretching across his face.

Uh oh.

I can practically see the gears turning in his head as he thinks of an escape plan, and judging by his gaze, he's decided that I am now a part of that plan.

Well, count me out mister. 

I take a big breath, getting ready to call for help, when his words stop me.

"Hush, freeze!" he says.

So close! I was almost at the door, where Cassie would have seen me and I could signal her for help.

"It looks like today is your lucky day," he says, smiling at me, coming over to grab my arm.

"You are going to help me get out of this mess. Don't do anything stupid, and I might let you go, got it?"

His voice takes on a dangerous tone, reminding me of the villain in a movie, just before they're about to strike. It would have made me shake, if it weren't for my current paralyzed state. I manage to nod my head, still not able to speak as his arm snakes around my waist, another looping itself loosely around my throat. I swallow. My eyes practically bulge out of my head as he whispers in my ear.

"If you struggle, I will make you choke yourself. Start walking."

I'm stuck, walking quietly in front of him as he leads me out the back door of the storage room. I think of Cass waiting for me, probably wondering what was taking so long, and I send a silent prayer to whomever is listening that this won't be the last time I see my friend.

"Stop being so dramatic," yells the little voice inside of me. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

Two black vans wait for us in the back alley. To my surprise, two boys and a girl, all around my age, stand stoically in front of them, holding weapons. Their faces betray their shock, and they seem to falter as soon as they see me being used as a human shield.