Maria Marhill's home life is already difficult. Along with typical teenage stresses-school, friends, and boys-her father had been in a terrible accident that left him comatose. Years have passed since that terrible day, but Maria and her mother still live on and struggle to move forward. And Maria is moving forward-until the morning she has her first vision. In the vision, she sees a bank heist. She knows this isn't just a dream; after all, dreams don't usually happen when you're awake. Maria does what she had to do: she makes an anonymous phone call to Detective Lenny Hipar. Fortunately, he listens, and the crooks don't succeed. Soon, Maria seeks out Detective Hipar for support as her visions continue; she fears losing her mind. Maria keeps it all a secret; she doesn't know if her mom can handle it, after her father's accident. But Maria's newfound talent has made her a target. With the help of Hipar, she must stand up to crime bosses, drug dealers, and bank robbers, all in the name of justice. Maria's psychic gift has the potential to ruin her life and her relationship with her mom-but it could also bring her family back together.

Taking up the Chase

By William A. Hillman Jr.

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 William A. Hillman Jr.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-5277-6

Chapter One

A young girl woke up one morning. It was an average morning, or so it seemed. On this morning she woke more by habit shortly before the alarm rung.

She closed her eyes and then rubbed them a bit. She sat up in bed and put her feet on the floor.

"Maria, it's time to get up," called the girl's mother through a closed door.

Maria Marhill shook her blonde hair out of her eyes and got up. She walked to her closet and began her usual ritual before school.

She had just put on her shirt and reached into the closet to get a coat when something happened.

She froze as something went through her that she could not describe.

The image of her mother went through her view but not her eyes. Her mother was pouring a glass of juice. Suddenly, the glass she was holding slipped from her hand. Juice went everywhere. "Oh no," she said. She reached for a towel on a roll. September 12. The date was not in her mind's eye, but she just knew it, as if it had been downloaded into her brain.

The experience stopped, and Maria looked around, frightened. What was that? she wondered. She walked back to her bed and sat down.

Am I sick? She pressed her hand to her forehead. I don't feel warm.

Maria looked at the calendar on the wall to her right. September 16, she thought. That's today's date.

"Maria, get moving," called her mother.

Maria got a sudden burst of energy at the thought of being late, and as she went downstairs, all thoughts of what had happened vanished.

Maria hurried into the kitchen after grabbing her coat off the hook. Her mother, Lois Marhill, was waiting by the table with a cup of coffee in her hand.

That's not juice, Maria thought. She sat down. Should I tell her what happened?

"Is something wrong, honey?" asked Lois.

Maria thought for only a moment. I feel fine. I just want to go to school. "No, Mom, I'm fine," she answered.

"Well, okay," said Lois. "I'll be home when you get finished with school."

"That's great," Maria said. She quickly ate her breakfast.

"See you later, Snugglebear," said Lois. Maria headed out the door.

I wonder what that was about, thought Maria, walking down the street. She soon entered the Paway High School

"Hey," called a strawberry blonde. She appeared excited as she approached Maria.

"Hey, Cindy," Maria said.

"You want to come over to my house today?" Cindy asked. "My parents will be gone, and we'll have the big screen to ourselves."

"Sure," answered Maria. She got her books from her locker. The bell rang. "See you."

Sometime later, Maria sat in class staring at the front of the room. The teacher continued to talk, but she did not pay attention. What happened to me? she wondered. I saw stuff. It didn't hurt, but what if ... I had a stroke or something? Oh no. Why didn't I tell Mom? Should I see the nurse? Maybe it's not that bad. Maybe it's something else. It could be that I was just tired. Maybe it was something I ate. No, Mom and I ate the same thing last night. What makes a person see stuff? I've never heard about anything like that before. What was with the date? It was like I just knew it. It doesn't make any sense.

She looked at the blackboard. The teacher was still talking. What if there's something wrong with me? Maria wondered. She looked around. Calm down. It's probably not that bad. Maybe I imagined it. It was probably a fluke or some other random thing that happens.

I feel all right, right? She touched her head self-consciously. I don't feel warm. She looked around at the other students. The teacher continued talking.

Maria looked at him for a few minutes. I'm not seeing anything now, she thought. Maybe it's nothing at all. I should probably look it up. The bell rang and the students, including Maria, filed out of the classroom.

In the school's computer lab, Maria sat down in front of one of the machines. Medical information sites, she typed. A list of hits filled the screen. She clicked on the first link.

Med Know How's home page came up. Seeing things, she typed. A list of mental disorders and illnesses appeared.

Maria was horrified. So now I'm crazy? she wondered. She thought for a moment. She added / knowing things to her search. No hits.

Maria slumped in her chair. In some ways she felt worse than before. So I'm either crazy or what?

She let out a sigh. What am I going to do? The bell rang and she left.

Please put, As she left the classroom she saw Cindy down the hall. The look on her face seemed to be of anticipation. Sadly, Maria held up her hand and shook her head. She then ran off and left the school building.

Sometime later, after Maria ran the way home, she went in to her returned house.

"Hey there, Snugglebear," said Lois. "How was school?"

"Fine," Maria answered.

Lois went back to her magazine.

Maria put her book bag by the couch and sat on its arm. "Mom?"

"Yeah, honey?"

Maria thought for a moment. "How was your day?" "Oh, fine," answered Lois. "Steve from accounting came in with news about a book that's coming out. He's recommending it to everyone. He really likes the author. Zercoft sales are going through the roof. Generics are doing good too."

"Anything else happen?" asked Maria. "Did anything happen here?" She was apprehensive.

"No, nothing really," Lois replied. "Just the usual chaotic moments, rushing around getting ready. I spilled some juice in all the excitement. It's a wonder I don't knock the house over. I've got to find a way to get things safely going in the morning."

It happened, Maria thought. She was not sure what she was feeling, but she tried not to show it. "When did that happen?"

"Just after you left," answered Lois.

It happened after the thing happened, she thought. "Mom, I've got to go," she said.

"Sure, honey." Maria took her notebook and left.

Before she went upstairs to her bedroom, she went into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard that held the trash can. She found a paper towel among its contents. It was stained the color of the juice.

It happened, she thought. She went up to her room.

What's going on? Maria wondered. She paced frantically around the room. Did I have a vision of the future? I can't believe it. Maria felt amazement rise up in her. She put her hand on her forehead and then walked to her bed, where she sat down.

She flopped her upper half down on the bed. Her legs dangled over the foot of the mattress. This feels so unreal, she thought. She lay there for a couple of moments.

She looked up at her computer. Without thinking she went over to it and turned it on. Seeing the future, she typed.

When she clicked the search button, thousands of links came up. Seeing Ahead: Myth or Reality? she read. Washington University of the Paranormal, studying the unseen world for more than 20 years. Madam Roustee. The seer of your very souls. Modern Science Journal, how clairvoyance and other mental powers are impossible.

Maria clicked on a historical link. Practitioners from the Far East believed that knowledge of future events was possible through many...