Taken Over Read Online Free PDF Page B

with it?’ Saffy demanded.
    â€˜There will be older students on hand to direct the disposal of caught monsters,’ Stenka replied. She handed Saffy a penalty card with two points on it. ‘And don’t question me.’ Stenka smiled nastily.
    Saffy didn’t miss a beat. She pulled a cancel card from her pocket. ‘I’ll use this then,’ she said, matching Stenka’s smile.
    Felix and Jasper turned to each other. Two cards? How on earth had Saffy managed to get two cards?
    Stenka scowled. ‘Master Poon and his cancel cards,’ Stenka muttered. She took the card, eyeing Saffy suspiciously. ‘You must have impressed him, Ms Dominguez. I will ask him why he’s rewarded you.’
    Saffy shrugged.
    â€˜Right, you, you, you and you,’ Stenka pointed to four students. ‘Crew 1.’
    She continued to break the students into crews. Felix and Saffy ended up together, but Jasper was stuck in a separate crew.
    â€˜Maybe you can swap?’ Felix suggested.
    â€˜No swapping! Now move!’ Stenka yelled.
    Jasper shrugged. ‘Guess not. Good luck,’ he said to Felix, who looked as though he wanted to throw up.
    â€˜You too,’ Saffy said. ‘Oh, and here.’ She shoved a squashed tin can into Jasper’s hand. ‘My first attempt at Functional Fixedness. It might come in handy now we’re not together.’ Saffy turned the can over, revealing a small red button. ‘Walkie-talkies,’ she grinned.
    Jasper’s eyes grew wide. ‘Are you serious?’ he asked. But Saffy was already pulling Felix out of the classroom to catch up with their crew. ‘Don’t forget your dog drool,’ she called.
    Jasper turned to find Stenka towering over him. He shoved the tin-can invention into his pocket.
    â€˜Crew 4, over here,’ Stenka ordered. The other members of the crew looked as worried as Jasper felt.
    â€˜You won’t be hunting,’ Stenka said quietly. ‘Find Señor Hermes, in Room 10. He will explain. I need to round up the other Whispered students.’ She turned and strode away.
    Jasper and the other three stood uncertainly in the now-empty room. ‘You guys are all Whispered too?’ he asked.
    They all looked at each other, and nodded.
    â€˜Well, that explains that,’ Jasper said. ‘But why on earth aren’t we allowed to hunt?’

9
    Señor Hermes was waiting outside Room 10.
    â€˜Quickly!’ he ordered, ushering Jasper and the others into the room.
    The room was already half-full of students from other classes and year levels. Four or five of the school’s dogs were mingling among the students. Jasper recognised Woof from last year. Woof wagged his tail and bounded over to Jasper. He was an awesome dog. Somehow, he always seemed to understand what Jasper was saying.



‘Hey, fella,’ Jasper whispered into Woof’s ear. ‘What’s going on, hey?’ Woof licked him in response.
    Mac pushed his way through the students towards Jasper. He looked worried.
    â€˜Something’s wrong,’ Mac said quietly. ‘I wasn’t around for the last Day of Laying, but I don’t get why we’ve been shoved in here. We’re the ones who know how to find the monsters. We need to be out there !’
    Jasper had never seen Mac look so agitated.
    Señor Hermes hurried the last few students through the door before slamming it shut and bolting it.
    â€˜All right, settle down,’ Señor Hermes said softly. Jasper noticed that even Hermes seemed on edge. Jasper was beginning to feel nervous himself.
    â€˜What’s going on? Why are we all stuck in here?’ Mac called out. There were murmurs of agreement from some of the other students.
    Hermes held up his hand for silence. ‘I know,’ he said, ‘you want to be out there catching the monsters. But this is one Hunt you all have to sit out.’
    Mac shook his head. ‘No way! This