Chapter 47 - Black Questions

Section Four 

*Wailing Sirens*

Agents and police swarm the area, everywhere noisy, news reporters awaiting new info about the sudden attack.

Lorna sat at the back of the ambulance as she got her arm treated. 

"The first day in this city and there's a ghoul attack, great" Lorna said sarcastically.

The medic bandaging her arm turns to her.

"Welcome to New York," the medic said as he was done, he left. Somehow that wasn't a welcome for her but more like welcome to the city of hell. 

Chase walks toward her along with other agents behind.

"Lorna," Jesse said worriedly.

Lorna stood up.

"You should have reported this incident before jumping out there on your own" Chase hissed.

"Am sorry si-"

"I don't want you sorry I want you to understand a simple protocol!" 

"Even if I did that, civilians will still be in danger even before the agency gets here, so acting on my own was better than making a distress call that would take hours to return" Lorna snap, the pent up frustration visible in her tone and she just had to release it at her superior.

They froze at her outburst. Chase was stunned by this.

Lorna took harsh breaths looking away, she took a deep breath realizing her mistake, but she wasn't backing down by what she did.

"Am sorry sir, I know am new here and am not use to the system of how the agency works but when I see civilians in danger nothing else matters than their safety," she said again sighing.

Her eyes drifting to his. Chase could see it in her eyes, the determination, and the fire.

"You guys check the scene," Chase said his eyes not leaving Lorna's.

"Yes sir," the team said in unison as they walked away leaving the two.

"I want a full report of what you saw" Chase began. Lorna gulps hard.

"I went after the ghoul that started the attack but another ghoul meddled in, they were after the ghoul for some reason, ghouls can't fight themselves right? It's a straight war of us humans and ghoul, there shouldn't be any twist" Lorna said.

Chase blinks.

"And they called the hostile ghoul V-ghoul like they were different from them, ghouls are just ghouls, right? They can't be different" she adds certain.

"V-ghoul," Chase said puzzled.

He turned to face the scene before turning back to her.

"Are you sure they called the hostile ghoul a V-ghoul?"

"Yes am sure and they went after him like the enemy," Lorna said firmly.

"I see, good report, I will verify it, and then we can find out more about this attack. You can go home now" Chase said turning to leave.

"If there's another type of ghouls, the agency would have picked it up right?"

Lorna's question halts Chase right in his tracks, he didn't turn to her.

"Why did they show up now?".

"Go home agent Hart, more info will be gotten with time, that's why we are investigators". With that Chase walks away.

Lorna blinks, she held her bandaged arm, the cut wasn't serious, she was lucky that was only the case here, she was glad it wasn't her head instead, she shivered at the thought.

***

Section Three 

Ghoul Investigators Headquarter (GIH) 

"V-ghoul?" Barbra said rubbing her chin, she just got the information from Chase. She knew something was off, ghouls don't attack randomly, except they are being attacked or after something. A memory flood in. 

***

Three Years Ago

The Year 2021

Section Four 

Hilton College (After the Attack)

Cameras flashing lights, yellow caution line around the dead ghoul who had a dagger to his chest in the pool of his blood.

Chase assess the place with other agents. They still haven't gotten the killer of the ghoul. But Chase knew they will soon, they will have to start by questioning the students. He paused for a minute studying the ghoul's dead body.

Section Three 

Ghoul Investigators Headquarter (GIH) 

"These are the photos from the scene," Chase said placing pictures of the dead ghoul on Barbra's table. She took it.

"The ghoul looks different," Seth said standing up from his chair, a smirk plastered on his lips. He sat on Barbra's table as he watches the photo.

"This one is paler and those strange green veins on his face, different from the other ghouls," he said studying the picture.

"Still they are just ghouls" Chase shrugs.

"Or maybe a different one," Seth said amused.

"Yeah right," Chase scoffs.

"Chase is right Seth, ghouls are just ghouls I don't see why you should worry about their differences," Barbra said firmly.

"If you say so Barbra, it's just my instinct speaking," he said amused, he tapped the picture in front of her.

"And my instincts are always right" he adds smiling.

***

Present Day 

Barbra blinks as she recalled that day. 'Seth was right as always'. She thought with shaky eyes. 'Maybe there is a different ghoul, this V-ghouls'. She turns her chair to face the wide window. 'The black ghoul will not be the only threat we face?'

***

Section Six

Lorna's Resident 

"Welcome home Lorna Hart," the computer said as Lorna place her wristband close to the doorknob. It made a click sound opening, she is exhausted, the door closing behind her.

She collapses on her bed first before anything. Today was one hell of a day for her, the first day in this city there was already an attack, she could see why New York was the number one crime city. She held her head with both her hands.

"Be strong Lorna" she said seating up. She got up to freshen up.

***

When she was done she sat on her bed leaning on the pillow, she placed her laptop on her lap. She types in the search for crime info in New York, she figured she should know, thousands came in. Her mouth dropping.

"This city is so fuck up," she said, scrolling seeing more and more, she sighs shutting her laptop. She figured she should just have her rest, she needed it after what happened.

*

Lorna gasps as her alarm buzz loudly, she groans holding her head.

"Fucking alarm" she cursed yawning slightly, she got off bed walking into her bathroom, she stood in front of the mirror her hair messy from the sleep, she just opened the cupboard next to it and brought out her meds, she took two pills in one go, she chewed on it sighing.

"Time for work," she said getting ready.

***

Section Three 

Ghoul Investigators Headquarter (GIH) 

Lorna drove her car into the parking lot. She got down walking towards the building, the doors sliding open, she removed her glasses as she walked to the elevator, and it took her to the tenth floor.

***

Tenth Floor 

Lorna sips on the coffee she held, she just needed it, she had a little headache, and she groaned again holding her head.

Suddenly she bumps into someone spilling the coffee on his shit, Lorna gasps at her clumsy action.

"Oh shit! Am sorry, I didn't know where I was going" Lorna said in haste.

"It's alright, it's okay," the man said. She raised her head meeting with light brown eyes, he was around his late forties, and dark hair had bits of white and his bears too.

The man adjusted his glasses forcing a smile. Her eyes drift to the ID he had clicked to his shirt.

"Dr. Steve?"

"Yes am Steve"

"Just Steve?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, just Steve" he smiled.

"So you're new around here am not sure I have seen your face before," Steve said blinking.

"Oh yeah am a recruit, Lorna hart, I just joined the Fox team yesterday," she said smiling.

"The agent who got caught up in the attack between ghouls, I heard there's a different ghoul now called the V-ghoul. It's all over the agency maybe soon the media will pick it up too, nothing stays hidden in New York" Steve said amused.

"This is some city," Lorna said sighing.

"Why do I get the feeling you don't like the city," he said raising an eyebrow.

Lorna rubs her arms together.

"I will adjust" she stated firmly.

"Okay then, it was nice knowing you, Lorna. I work at the medic unit, am the one in charge, so if you need anything" he stated as his eyes drift to her bandage.

"I could check your wound for you," Steve said with a welcoming smile.

"Thanks, Dr. Steve, it's just a scratch I will live," Lorna said.

"See you around Dr. Steve," Lorna said.

Steve nods as she walks past him. He turns watching as she exits the hall.. He adjusts his glasses before walking away.