Chapter 60 - Black Haunting

*Loud Wailing Sirens*

"Here we are at the mall where the incident happened, a lot of losses, deaths of agents and hostages we thought might make it out alive but yet again the ghouls are rendered a big threat to humanity. And more importantly, we are stuck with an unexpected return of-" the newscaster paused for a minute gulping hard, her hand tightens around her mic.

"The black ghoul" she adds shaky.

*

Renee was inside the ambulance close to a sleeping Rex, on the emergency bed, she taps on his chest lightly, his breaths slow and calm.

"You okay?" Chase asked at the entrance, concern flushed his features, she hasn't said a word since.

She shakes her head negatively as the tears gushed out uncontrollably.

"How could I be Chase," she said sobbing, her body shaking.

"I almost lost my son today and-", she bit her lip remembering when the ghoul tried to touch her in front of her son, how scared she was knowing her son will see such awful sight at a young age. She sighs and sobs facing Chase with bloodshot eyes.

"Thank you, Chase, without you Rex would be dead or worse," she said sincerely.

"You and Rex will be taken to the hospital now," Chase said gently.

She nods cleaning her tears.

"I just pray Rex won't be haunted by what happened today, I mean I can't even begin to imagine what he saw or-".

"Hey, hey, it's over okay, everything will be fine, get some rest I will check up on you guys when am done" Chase assured her.

"Thank you" she sobs.

"It's alright Renee, he's gonna be alright".

She forced a smile nodding as the ambulance doors close ready to move out. Chase moved away as the car drove off. He wouldn't blame her right now, what she went through was a huge pain for her, he was glad they both made it alive, just like Renee said he hoped and prayed Rex wasn't traumatized by what happened, he went through a lot in there and he couldn't even begin to imagine it. He remembered the Claw with Rex, his heart nearly stopped when he saw that sight, but there was something that bugs him, normally the Claw would have attacked him or worse eaten Rex but it didn't, it just vanishes like that, he couldn't begin to comprehend the situation.

Chase sighs rubbing his forehead, he turns, and his attention drift to Lorna who sat at the back of the ambulance covered in a blanket, his mind replayed her question over and over again. 'Who's Riley?' she was bound to ask that question because she undoubtedly resembled a dangerous ghoul.

He watches as Barbra walks up to her.

Lorna was lost in her head, her mind replaying what happened over and over again, his words, his touch, and him saving her life.

"Chase told me what you said" Barbra began, Lorna slowly raised her head to face her.

"About the black ghoul" she adds.

Lorna gulps hard just by the sound of the name, it triggered a lot of unpleasing vibes she couldn't begin to reckon with.

"Liam O'Brien," Lorna said the name softly, she shivers just by saying his name.

"We lost the leader of the V-ghoul's and the black ghoul is back," Barbra said sternly.

"Like you reported this Wayne can merge bodies with his Claw, and Ghost can understand human language. That's all right?"

Lorna's eyes drift back to her.

"Is there any other thing that happened?"

Lorna gulps hard once more, she didn't tell her that Liam saved her and said he was coming back for her.

"No," Lorna said with a stern look. Why? She thought. 'Why am I keeping it to myself? What is wrong with me?' She thought again, trembling slightly. 'Is it because he saved me?' She questions herself as confusion flush her features.

"Lorna!"

"Only that he called me a name the moment he saw me" she faced her, maybe her aunt might have answers to this, and there was no one else to ask.

"He called me Riley". The moment she mouths those words, she saw her aunt fidget a bit, that must be a good sign right? So she surges on.

"Who is Riley?" Lorna asked firmly, hoping to get anything that would at least lift her confusion a bit.

It took a moment of silence but then Barbra just sighs folding her arms.

"We believe this Riley was a close partner of the black ghoul, it was years ago but she's dead, you can check the records later".

'She dead? It must be why he was so lost when he called me that name, she must be very important to him, maybe a sister?' Lorna couldn't wrap her head around but she could still remember the look in his eyes, it was that of a man staring at the one thing he loves and yarns for with every heartbeat. 'She was his lover'.

"I must look like this Riley because that's what he called me," Lorna said certain, there was no other explanation for it, she just happens to look like the black ghoul lover, great.

"And what if you look like her, that's just it, you are not her" Barbra said sternly, her eyes burning in Lorna's own.

"That will be all, you have been through a lot today go home and get some rest" she ordered, walking away her heels sounding.

Lorna huffs rising to her feet.

"All these years you want nothing more than to catch the black ghoul ever since Seth died. And I just happened to look like his partner, such a coincidence isn't it?" Lorna said sarcastically.

Barbra halts her steps, turning to face her. 

"You just happened to transfer me to New York and by my guess, because I look like this Riley, you set me up to trap the black ghoul, didn't you" she adds without a doubt, and by her theory, her aunt fucking plan didn't work, Liam was sane after everything and no doubt a cold-hearted killer, she could still remember the twisted smirk he had when he ripped out Wayne's Claw arm away.

"All this is for the greater good Lorna, it's not your fault you look like some ghoul" she stated knowing that Lorna caught up to her little plan, it was a test and the black ghoul overcame it apparently.

"Now I know why agent Chase hates me" Lorna scoffs.

"Take one week," Barbra said walking away.

"Thanks, aunt" Lorna said rolling her eyes. Her aunt was right, it's not her fault she looks like some ghoul that ended up being someone close to the black ghoul, it was really highly a coincidence, there was no other explanation, she was just caught up in all this.

"Fuck this city!" Lorna cursed as she walks back to her car.

On her way she saw Chase but didn't make any attempt to stop, she just walks past him like he was invisible. Chase froze at her action as he turns and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Lorna, am glad you are okay," Jesse said hugging her tightly so did Peter.

"Kris didn't make it, with the rest of fox team, few survived" Peter said sternly.

Lorna froze at the sudden news.

"How come you survived, no agent has ever encountered the black ghoul and live before, not until you," Jesse said still finding it hard to believe she was right here standing unscratched.

"I guess am just lucky," Lorna said faintly, not so sure she was lucky. 

"Lorna," Jesse said worriedly.

"I got a week off, so I will see you guys later," Lorna said running her fingers in her hair.

They nodded. Lorna walks out, they watch as she headed to her car.

"Do you think she's gonna be okay?" Peter asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Jesse said sincerely.

"Should she? I mean she just survived a black ghoul attack, the rest will talk" Peter said certainly.

"Well let them am just glad my partner is alive, we should be glad we made it out of this, we might not be so lucky next time" Jesse faced him.

He gulps, knowing she was right.

***

Lorna entered her car shutting the door, she just sat there her hands on the wheel. The tears fell as she placed her head against the wheel.

"Get it together Lorna," she said to herself as she cried silently. What she had been through today was traumatizing for her.

'Riley!'

The name and his voice still haunt her, it gave her the chills. She raised her head cleaning her tears. She knew what she had to do to stop all the drama. 'He's the enemy'. She thought sternly and she wants nothing more than to put a bullet in his chest. 'Am an agent!'. And there was no freaking way she was getting light-headed about this, she sticks her head on her career which was hunting down ghouls and the black ghoul was no exception!.