Chapter 70 - Black Addict

A black power bike drove the streets of New York, zooming past the area of the street and then got to a secluded environment with lesser people, it was a neighborhood as sounds of a dog barking could be heard.

Still seated on his bike, Liam removes his black helmet, he clicked on his earplugs.

"Report".

"The drug has a component of a Claw skin, this is unlike anything I have ever seen" Sean's voice sounds through the earplug.

"Send me the reports," Liam said reaching out to bring out his phone, the reports instantly came in. A cell could be seen having Claw green residue.

"That's why she can transform," Liam said sternly watching the residue, like a virus moving around.

"Someone is distributing drugs that can turn humans to Claw" he adds certain.

"This is unlike anything we have ever face, this could end badly, every drug addict out there will be slowly turning into a monster without them knowing, we have to find the drug dealers and put a stop to this" Sean said sounding pissed.

"I have a lead, I told Kayla to find me that Claw and the agent. I find the girl I find the distributor and then I end him, I don't want a whole city going berserk" Liam said not liking the idea of living in a city filled with mindless Claws, he had bigger things to worry about which was the agency, as soon as he was done with this, the sooner he got back to work.

"My guess this has something to do with the V-ghouls" he adds certain, because of the raging green Claw the girl possesses, it was off the charts just like the rest of the V-ghoul.

"I have that guess too, the agents are on the move, the sooner you find the girl the sooner we get info before the agents," Sean said as the call transferred to Kayla.

"Boss I have just pinpoint their location," Kayla said.

"Sending you the coordinates right now"

An alert came in his phone, getting that as a signal to move, he put on his black helmet, powering up his bike turning, and then zooming off in speed.

***

Outskirts of the City

The Silver-lining Manor 

"Is this how you guys support him?" Iris asked not liking the idea of not being on the field with Liam, he was practically out there on his own and she didn't like it.

"Yup," Kayla said her fingers fast against the transparent keyboard, her eyes fixed on the widescreen, not a worry in the world, knowing her boss got this.

Iris sighs in frustration, feeling a bit useless and not helping Liam in any way.

"A drug that can turn humans to Claw, who the fuck would want that" Rory said pissed as he went through the transparent iPad he held that showed the reports.

"As soon as Boss finds the distributor the faster we put an end to this" Gray said sternly, he was pissed at this knowing that this will bring more room for innocent ghouls to be hunted. Whoever initiated this plan of creating drugs with Claw skin, was a maniac.

Iris watches Gray, Kayla, and Race, they were calm and positive Liam would get the info they needed to stop the drug dealers, they had so much faith in him. 'How long have they been working with him?' Iris thought seeing so much trust in their eyes, Iris couldn't help but wonder what sought of bond this was, the faith, the trust, and their desire to follow Liam's every lead, all these years Liam has built quite the team and she couldn't be prouder, she smiled at the thought, it was time to have faith in him also.

***

Warehouse 

"Tell me, Cassandra," Lorna said gulping hard.

"What happens if you stop taking the drugs?"

"I die of course," she said with a shrug like 'wasn't it obvious?'

"That can not be the end game for you, there has to be a way to stop this or reverse it" Lorna urged knowing there was always a solution as long as you look for one.

"There isn't a way," Cassandra said sniffing the last bits of the green powder, it gave her mind ease.

"If I stop I will die and then the monster inside me takes over, I won't be sane anymore" she adds sighing.

"So what be a drug addict for the rest of your life?"

"Look I don't have a choice okay... and besides am already an addict!" she hissed running her fingers in her hair.

"Okay I get it, you stop taking it and then you die," Lorna said agreeing with her, she didn't want to make her angrier than she was, fearing the consequences.

"Cassandra" Lorna began softly.

Her ghoul's eyes drift to hers.

"Why did you kidnap me, you know doing this is a crime," Lorna said as calmly as she could, she needed some info of why she was brought here against her will.

She huffed in amusement.

"I ate my roommate I guess am way past the word crime".

Lorna gulps at her words.

"Okay that was awful," Lorna said imagining the scene.

Cassandra rolled her eyes at her words.

"That's awful, well what's insane is that... I enjoyed it" she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"The taste of her flesh, the blood... I couldn't stop" she said as another tear rolled down her cheeks, they fell on their own accord, but Lorna couldn't tell if it was from regret or the way she felt.

Lorna watch with shaky eyes, it was reasonable she felt that way, she was speaking to a Claw, a predatory organ that resides inside a ghoul that lived solely on eating humans, she wouldn't be more surprised if she felt that way, was that how all the Claws felt like? Couldn't they just stop? Were they enslaved by their taste for human flesh? But wait... She froze at a thought 'That why hasn't she been eaten yet' she would have easily just done that like she did her roommate.

"You let me live why?" Lorna asked skeptically knowing there's a reason for her being bough here and not to get eaten, yet.

Cassandra huffed.

"Isn't it obvious?" she said pinning Lorna down with her ghoul's eyes.

"Am luring the black ghoul here".

Lorna froze at her reason, was she serious?

"It was a miracle when he came to my doorstep," she said giggling.

"Not exactly the visit I expected" she adds remembering the encounter with him, and the interrogation.

"Why use me to get to him?" Lorna asked, she was of no value to the black ghoul.

"He would have killed you the moment you and your partner step into that room" she began.

"He was stalling, you may have not noticed that, but you and I know he would have killed you in a split second, perhaps he was hesitating or something, so I knew if I take you, he will follow".

Lorna huffed at her words, the black ghoul stalling? That as hell wasn't possible at all, right? Her expression changed. 'Is it because I remind him of his lover?'. She thought with an unreadable expression, yes that should be it, she guesses killing an agent that looked like his lover wasn't something he could handle so he stalls instead?

"Besides there's a bounty on his head".

That snaps Lorna out of her trance.

"A what?"

"You asked me if there isn't any other way," she said.

Lorna nods.

"Well, there is...Whoever kills the black ghoul gets to be cured, I get to be human again if I kill the black ghoul" She said as a smirk pressed against her lips broadly.

***

Liam approached the warehouse, it was in a secluded area inside the woods away from buildings, practically the only building on sight miles away from the city, he eyed the building curiously.

***

Lorna's eyes widen in shock, this was crazy, distribution of drugs to humans and then a bounty on the black ghoul's head? This was a well-crafted plan whoever thought of it, every drug addict was coming for him and then the realization struck her. The remaining survivors of the party.

"You are not the only one on this are you?" Lorna said it was more like a rhetorical question because she already knew the answer.

She smirks.

"You're pretty smart" Cassandra comments, her eyes shining in amusement.

"Yes am not the only one, my boyfriend and a few friends," she adds with a shrug.

That moment Lorna heard thudding sounds on the roof, like Claws, were gathering around on it. He was practically walking into a trap and Lorna just knew that now.

She faces Cassandra back, a smirk plastered on her lips.

"We get to live this way, I hope you understand".

Lorna gulps on at her words.

From the rooftop a young man lands beside Cassandra probably three years older than her, he was much taller than her, he had dark messy hair and his ghoul's eyes were present just like Cassandra's, he had dark bags under his eyes also and was slightly pale.

He wraps his hand around her neck rubbing it gently.

"You know what to do," Jack said softly close to her ear.

He eyes Lorna a bit as his body vibrates, he transformed into a Claw, a green aura erupting around him, he growls zapping out.

Cassandra faces Lorna.

"Let's have fun shall we".