Crossed - The Karma Crusades (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CROSSED - Chapter 13 (Part 1 of 2)

"Excuse me, sir?" Bette said addressing the old man with grey hair and mustache sitting behind the desk. "Have you seen this man?" She held up the sketch Susan had done and hoped the answer was yes.

He stood up slowly and looked at the picture in Bette's hand. His blue and grey security uniform looked freshly starched and pressed though they clung to his protruding stomach. The name badge sewn onto his shirt read Mr. Jenkins.

"Well the eyes here are a little kinder, but it looks a lot like the same man who just left here, say, about an hour and a half ago. Yeah," Mr. Jenkins held the picture closer as he looked over his glasses and nodded, "that's him alright. What do ya need him for?" he asked peering over the rim of his bifocal glasses at Bette and Susan now. "And you Susan, you look like you could do with some sleep.

"I know, Mr. Jenkins. I just haven't had time to. Things have been keeping me up at night," she said smiling sweetly.

"Mr. Jenkins did you happen to catch his name or where he was going or what he wanted or..." Susan kicked Bette in the leg with her foot where Mr. Jenkins couldn't see. Bette stopped asking questions to glare at her.

"Enough questions young lady. I don't believe I've ever met you before. Don't come down this way much, do ya?" Mr. Jenkins asked as he put his hands back to find the arm rests and sit back down.

"I guess not. Do you know any of those things I asked? His name maybe?" Bette said unwilling to relent.

"Oh yeah, called himself Maxwell something or other. He was looking for some gal up here in this dorm, but I told him he couldn't just go up like that. He was asking for someone named Lena or Lara or..." Mr. Jenkins struggled to remember the name.

"Was it Lana?" Bette asked. She was already sure of the answer. She just needed to hear him say it. She had to confirm what she knew.

"Yes! That's it. How'd you know? Somebody done gone and went and told her, huh? Well I'll be. News travels fast around here. I tell you that's one thing for sure," he said smacking the toothpick hanging from his lips.

Bette ignored his speculative comments. It wouldn't do him any good to know that Bette was Lana, at least she was right now.

"What did this guy, Maxwell, say after you told him he couldn't go up? Do you know where he went?" she asked.

"You sure ask a lot of questions. Is he in some sort of trouble?" Mr. Jenkins narrowed his eyes as he looked back and forth between Bette, Susan, and the drawing still in Bette's hands.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you if he's in trouble or if he is the trouble. I just need to find him and fast." Bette hoped her elusive answer satisfied the guard.

"Well, let's see. He said he'd be back later. Then he asked if I'd still be here. I don't know what he took me for – a fool or something? Like I haven't heard that one before." Mr. Jenkins chuckled slightly under his breath.

"So, he's coming back, huh? He didn't say when? Just that he'd come back." Susan asked, leaning on the desk.

I could see Susan's wheels turning as she started asking questions. She was a smart girl. Mr. Jenkins shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn't know.

"Listen, Mr. Jenkins. Don't tell him we were down here asking about him or showed you this picture or anything about this little chat. Okay? Please?" Susan asked as she continued to lean on the counter.

"Sure thing. I didn't like him anyway. Seemed like a shady character to me." He turned back and sat down.

"Thanks Mr. Jenkins. You are the best." Susan said smiling.

"See you two later and try to get some sleep girl. You don't wanna burn yourself out this early in the semester."

"Yes, sir. Bye!"

Mr. Jenkins waved them off before he went back to scrolling through his phone and laughing.

Susan pulled Bette's arm and pushed her out the door and up the stairs to the dorm room. She flew through their room door still pulling Bette along. When they finally stopped running she started jumping up and down in the middle of the room smiling and giggling.

She grabbed Bette's hands and Bette couldn't help but jump with her. They had a real clue and a name. And even better, they knew he was coming back. Success. Bette's jumping and excitement ended abruptly as the reality of what had actually taken place began to dawn on her. He was coming back.

Suddenly the room seemed to draw in on her, casting a shadow around her, trying to strangle her. The dusty white blinds hanging from the window were too close, the walls seemed to press against her shoulders and the floor pushed up against her feet. Even the ceiling seemed to join in the action of boxing Bette in to a tighter and tighter dark space.

What had just taken place? This man, Maxwell, wanted to kill Bette. Her. Lana. Did he even know that he'd screwed up with this mind-body switching thing? They'd been crossed by mistake. She knew from the last dream with him that he'd been convinced that she was Lana. He was so convinced that he'd made it come true.

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