One Year Ago
The Year 2017
Downtown Club
The upbeat sound of the club bar could be heard inside, it played faintly. A young woman walked into the bar section which was downstairs, probably stressed out from something and needed a release, she walked straight to the drinks section. She took her seat swiftly.
"I would like something to cool down with," she said, rubbing her head.
"Cool down from what" she heard a voice, raising her head she met with light brown eyes, he mixed some bottles of drinks eyeing her a bit.
"I just need a shot of anything," she said admiring the young man's features, she didn't know guys like him worked at a club bar.
"Anything to cool off versus a shot of any drink coming for the lady," he said, she let out a laugh, he had a sense of humor.
"Now you're smiling, it's nice to see that, I hate a frowning face, especially from a beautiful lady" he adds.
"Well I had a bad day," she said sighing, he poured a drink in a small glass and handed it to her.
"Well how bad, it can't be worse than mine" he shrugs.
"I just found out my boyfriend was dating me because of my family wealth and is sleeping with my best friend," she said, pissed, taking a shot of her drink, the alcohol burned her throat as she swallowed hard.
"Well that is one bad day," he said. She laughed.
"Another one" she shifted the glass to him for another drink, he did so and handled the glass once again, he leaned close to her as she took the drink moaning.
"You see, drowning yourself in alcohol isn't gonna help one bit," he said softly.
"Especially for a beautiful lady like you".
Her eyes landed on him.
"Oh please I am not buying that, I just dumped a guy, am not really for another gold digger again" she scoffs.
He sighed standing straight.
"Too bad and offended, I wasn't flirting, am just worried" he noted.
"Yeah right, spare me the crap" she took another drink.
"Nicole Jose, your father is the owner of the G.I agency," he said, she froze and stared at him with wide eyes.
"If I were interested in your money yeah I would have flirted with you but am not, am just worried about a girl who would get drunk late by this time of the night, and trust me there are lotta goons around here who like helpless drunk girls like you are now," he said firmly. She tried to say something but she couldn't form the words.
"Now if you would excuse me my shift is over," he said, taking off his cap and dropping it on the table leaving the sidelines grabbing his jacket.
"Am sorry".
He halted.
"I shouldn't have said that, it was wrong of me," she said sincerely. He turned.
"I didn't take offense, I was just being neutral," he said smiling.
"What kind of name do I call a guy like you," she said curiously, a smile curled up one side of his lips in an intriguing way she couldn't resist.
"Liam O'Brien".
***
Present Day
Liam walked into the café making sure his face was hidden with the cap he was wearing beneath his hood, his eyes scanned the shop and landed on Nicole who sat silently close to the wall staring out the window, Liam slowly walked towards her, she turned. Unexpectedly, she rushed and hugged him tightly.
"Oh my God Liam," she said teary, Liam wrapped his arms around her, missing the feel of her body against his.
"Am so sorry for not calling since I had to be careful" he said breaking the hug, she smiled.
"It's okay, you're here now and that's what matters," she said softly, He smiled as they took their seats.
"How's Jenna, please tell me what I heard on the news wasn't true," she said with hope.
"It's true," he said sternly. She gasped in surprise.
"Jenna is a ghoul," he said, rubbing her forehead and sighing.
"And I need your help" he adds. Her eyes landed on him.
"You have never asked me for something before," she said.
"Well I am now," he said. She looked away. Liam blinked.
"And am sensing a no" he adds not liking the thought of it. She faced him, placing her hand on his.
"Liam, my dad is after your sister" she began.
"Fuck" Liam cursed looking away like he expected her to say that but hoped she would comply.
"I know Liam it's fucked up, am so sorry but" she sighed. His eyes landed on her.
"I can't help you not when Jenna's a ghoul," she said, Liam let out a sigh of disbelief.
"So what, you're gonna give up on her and let them catch her?".
"If it's the right thing to do. Yeah".
Liam removed his hands from hers.
"She's your responsibility Liam, not mine, I can't put myself at risk".
"You sound like Trent," Liam scoffs.
"Look, Liam". She placed her hand on his. His eyes landed on hers.
"You have to turn her in, it's what's best for the city and you, you can be free," she said smiling, Liam's looks darkened, he never expected this from Nicole. He just nodded, rising to his feet.
"Liam?" Nicole said worriedly.
"I can't," Liam began.
"I can't give up on her".
"You were the only person I could trust, I guess I was wrong" he walked out of the café.
Tears filled Nicole's eyes as she cleaned it off, that moment she regretted the words she said.
***
Liam stood on the pedestrian lane with other people waiting for the lights to turn green for them to cross. Liam stood frozen in time and space, he didn't know what to do, Nicole was the only one he could turn to for help but now it was just him and Jenna.
The Lights Turned Green
Hands in his pocket he crossed the road to the other side, his eyes caught the big screen, it was wanted news of his sister, he halted staring at the screen, his fist tightens, were ghouls a threat to this world that they would be hunted no matter what, feeling pain and anger he tore his eyes away from the screen, he froze when he saw someone in a distance watching him, the clothes didn't have to tell him twice that the person was a G.I agent.
Liam quickly turned the other way heading away from the streets breathing fast, he got to a neighborhood looking around. He faced front but froze when an agent stood in front of him.
"Liam O'Brien. My name is Drake Carson, head of division six, I need you to come with us" Drake said with a stern look, Liam turned slightly, about three agents at his back.
"And if I don't?" Liam said sternly.
"Am afraid if you don't comply we would have to use force" Drake said.
Out of instinct Liam pushed Drake and ran out.
"Get him!" Drake hissed.
Liam ran as fast as he could looking back, the agents were gaining on him fast.
"Shit" he cursed, running further to the other block. He halted when a Claw jumped down on his front and growled, grabbing him up to the uncompleted building, Liam shouted as the Claw threw him inside through the window and disappeared, he felt someone grab him.
"Riley?" he said puzzled, she pushed him to the dark and placed a finger on his lips. She listened as the agents came to the area looking for Liam and took a wrong turn to the other side.
"What were you thinking? Going out away from the ghoul underground?" Riley snapped at him.
"I needed help," Liam said, running his fingers in his head confused.
"Help? Who do you think will help you, nobody can Liam" Riley said.
"Yeah I know," Liam said, dropping to the ground to sit.
"Not even from the people you love," he adds sighing. Riley blinked puzzled.
"Everything it's" he was lost for words.
"It's gone" he managed to say.
"Our lives are gone. Jen's future, my future, it's down the drain just in one night".
Riley folded her arms, her eyes fixed on him.
"I can't even ask the people I care about for help, they are all saying I should turn Jen in for my future," he said, rubbing his forehead.
"Am fucked up" he added.
"Not even close".
He raised his head to meet her gaze.
"You got the chance to live in a world with no worries of being hunted, I was born in that world," Riley said sternly.
"A world where ghouls are despised for being born, you don't know what that feels like Liam, you have no idea".
"I have a feeling I am about to find out," Liam said without a doubt, she let out a chuckle that didn't reach her heart.
"You're not a ghoul Liam, you're human, only Jenna will feel it not you".
"Well I am on the run too just for siding with her, I am pretty sure I know what that feels like," Liam said.
"Well you have a choice, we don't" she looked away.
"Am sure you can find your way back since you got out yourself" Riley said walking away.
Liam's eyes were fixed on her until she left. Liam looked away, placing the back of his head on the wall.
Liam's hand felt the caution line in front of their apartment, he went inside. His eyes scanned everything that was covered, a memory flooded in of when Jenna did her 12th birthday, he smiled at the memory, a memory he wished would last forever but that was all gone now, there was no looking back anymore, Liam turned taking a deep breath before leaving the apartment, forever.
***
Section One
Ghoul Underground
Liam walked into the wide veranda, he halted when he saw Jenna walking to and fro like she was waiting for him.
"Jen". She turned to rush to him, she hugged him tightly.
"Where did you go?" she said worriedly. Liam sighed.
"To see Nicole" he forced a smile.
"Well what did she say, is she gonna help?" Jenna said with hope, Liam could see it in her eyes that she didn't wanna live this way but there was no going back, this is their life now.
"No, we're on our own now".
***
Section Three
Ghoul Investigators Headquarters (GIH)
Drake and the other two agents walked along the long glassy hall, they got to a door and it slid open revealing a wide office. Xavier was seated, his eyes fixed on the laptop.
"Sir" Drake began, Xavier didn't bother to look.
"Am sorry sir, we couldn't apprehend the brother, he got away" Drake said, swallowing hard.
"I think with the help of a ghoul" he adds, Xavier's eyes slowly averted from his laptop to Drake.
"Deploy the rest of the teams," he said darkly.
"I want every inch searched, eyes everywhere. I want the black ghoul found!".
"Yes sir," Drake said as they left. Xavier leaned on his chair rubbing his chin, his fingers went through his laptop, he uploaded Jenna's profile and then Liam's.
"So Liam is human," he said faintly.
"How is that possible?".
***
Section One
Ghoul Underground
Liam gulped down the whole can of water, he sighed rubbing his forehead.
"Geez sure it's not possible to be drunk underwater," Sean said amused taking a seat in front of him.
"Well do you have anything stronger? cause I could use it," Liam said, forcing a smile.
"Just a sec" Sean said walking out.
A few minutes later he was back with alcohol.
"You read my mind" Liam commented.
"Indeed I did," Sean said taking a seat, he placed two small cups on the table and poured the alcohol.
"To living… in hiding" Liam cheered taking his shot.
"Liam," Sean said worriedly.
"You're a good brother you know that," Sean said, Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Really? The part I can't give my sister a good education or the fact the only way for us to live is in hiding" Liam said while taking another drink.
"The fact you're with her and not giving up" Sean reasoned.
"I have seen the world, Liam, I have seen when families abandoned their loved ones but you--you stand with your sister even though you're human. Now that's got to count for something"Liam just nodded.
"Jenna is lucky to have a brother like you, you would have bolted but you didn't" he added.
"You know what" Liam began quitting his drink.
"I never wanted any of this, I wanted Jen to be happy, you know, go through school and have a life, I don't want this kind of life for her but" Liam broke as the tears fell.
"She's just a kid and she has to endure all this" Liam said, cleaning his tears. He rose to his feet unsteadily.
"Whoa! Take it easy, you're drunk" Sean said worriedly, Liam smiled patting his shoulder.
"Three shots can't weigh me down," he said walking away, leaving a confused Sean.
Hands in his pocket he got to his room opening the door, he shut it groaning, his eyes drifted to Jenna on the other bed, her back turned. Liam sat on his bed raising his shirt a little, his bandage was a little bit soaked in blood. He sighed, removing his shirt tending to his wounds.
Jenna slowly opened her eyes hearing Liam in small pain, tears streamed down her cheeks hotly, she sobbed slightly. 'Am sorry Liam'.
***
A Week Later
Section One
Ghoul underground
A young boy moved his sliding chair around the four computers around him, his fingers ran in his messy brown hair, his other hand typing swiftly on the keyboard. A young woman walked up to him.
"What have you found this time Evan?" she asked, rolling her eyes.
"We need supplies, remember? for the medical department," Evan said his eyes fixed on the computer.
"Yeah, we have a lot of sick people," she said worriedly.
"Yap and I just have to find the right hospital for Riley to break into," he said.
"Well you better eat or you're gonna faint the next time you slide on that chair of yours" she warned, he finally faced her.
"Paige I'm fine, I won't relax until I find the perfect spot," he said, Paige's eyes drifting to the red beep on the laptop.
"You mean that perfect spot" she pointed out. Evan turned to the laptop.
"Oh yes baby, I found it, get Riley," Evan said excitedly, but then his expression changed.
"Shit" he cursed.
"Well? What is it?" Paige asked, moving close.
"The security cameras are linked to the G.I headquarters, they must have tapped into the system," he said sternly.
"Dad there has to be a way to get those supplies, we need drugs and other stuff, the sick are getting much around here," Riley said walking to and fro in the office. Allen rubbed his forehead.
"We must abort the mission, it's too risky," Allen said sternly.
"But dad," Riley began.
"We can't Riley we can't, the cameras are linked to the G.I, it's much too risky," he said finally.
"So what, you're just gonna do nothing?" she said.
"I have no choice Riley, you have to understand," he said his eyes drifting to her, she looked away walking out of the office.
She waved her hair back walking along the hall not minding where she was going, Her mind was fixed on the people who needed treatment. Her head bumped into someone's chest.
"You okay". The moment she heard Liam's voice her head shot up, their eyes met.
"Am fine" she said walking past him but Liam grabbed her arm, she froze turning to face him with a dark expression.
"I heard about the mission," he began.
"But it's suicide" he adds. She shoved her arm off.
"These people need to be treated".
"And we will find another way, that hospital is jacked" Liam reasoned, she let out a sigh.
"I don't expect you to understand, you're not a ghoul" she turned away.
"So what, you're blaming me for not thinking like you guys?" Liam hissed but she didn't answer him. Liam just sighed looking away. She was so hard to deal with.
***
Jenna was busy watering the plants, in the glasshouse, they grew various types of things. Jenna turned about watering the other plants but she gasped when she saw Evan standing smirking.
"You scared me," she said, taking a breather.
"Hey, you," Evan said smiling.
"What is it, Evan?" she rolled her eyes. This past week Evan had always been a pest around her.
"Duh? You're the black ghoul, I get to hang out with you, cool right" he said handing her a soda, Jenna smiled dropping the sprinkler that went off, she took the soda from him.
"Thanks".
"You're welcome" he winked. She blushed faintly, she cleared her throat.
"So um I heard about the mission but it was aborted right?" she asked.
"Yeah it was a great opportunity though" he shrugged.
"To get there you have to be twice stronger and faster. If anything happens, Riley is good but there are some risks she can't take," Evan said.
"But she's still willing no matter what," Jenna said, amazed at a woman like Riley.
"Yeah it's always been Riley, she's always there for us like a guardian," Evan said smiling at the thought.
"You know she goes to college and runs the underground," he said. Jenna's eyes widened.
"Seriously?" she said, shocked.
"Yeah, I do go out sometimes," he shrugged.
"Not everyone here has their identity revealed but the greatest challenge is there are no nurses except Sean who's a doctor but too bad he got busted three years ago, soon he will be off the database and he can change his identity".
"Really? you mean if I wait too, I can change my identity" Jenna said with hope, Evan looks sadden.
"Am afraid not, you're like a major target".
"Oh". Jenna looked away.
"So my brother and I are stuck," she said.
"At least I am here," Evan said, Jenna smiled charmed.
"See ya later got some hacking to do," he said leaving. Jenna sighed looking at her hand, she raised her hand studying it, her skin moved like a dark mist and her Claw came out standing beside her.
"To get there you have to be twice stronger and faster If anything happens".
She remembered Evan's words, her eyes drifting to her Claw who tilts its head to the side.
"What do you say?" Jenna said it growled slightly.
"Wanna go for a mission?".
"What do you mean I should take you, I don't want your brother to bite me at the back" Riley reasoned.
"Don't worry we won't tell him" Jenna said, Riley sighed, this was not a good idea.
"You took me and my brother in Riley, it's the least I can do, for everyone here," she said, Riley turned to her folding her arms.
"What if you get in a situation where you have to kill agents," Riley said, Jenna swallowed.
"After all you have killed before" she adds.
"If it's the right thing to do".
***
Liam walked into the room dropping some clothes on his bed, he blinked when he didn't see Jenna anywhere in the room. His eyes drifted to his pillow he saw a small letter. He took it.
"Placed on another duty I will be back late". Liam blinked confused.
"What other duty".
***
Section Twelve
New York General Hospital
"This isn't legal right?" Jenna said as she watched Riley cover her face, with a light black veil.
"Nope, it's what you signed up for," Riley said, Jenna sighed covering her face also.
"Okay, Evan tell me where the nearest window is," Riley said to her com.
"Up straight to the back, that's the only window that can get you guys through with no cameras," Evan said.
"Thanks, Evan," Jenna said.
"Wait, Jenna? What are you doing there?" he asked, stunned.
"Helping out," Jenna said as she followed Riley to the back of the hospital, Jenna gasped staring at the height.
"It's" she caught her breath.
"High" Riley said as with one jump she made her way to the window.
"Come on Jenna it's simple," Riley said from the window, Jenna swallowed hard as she nodded, she jumped, Riley caught her hand before she fell. She pulled her up inside the room.
"Wow there are a lot of things ghouls can do," Jenna said.
"Yeah too bad we have to hide it," Riley said walking to the door. She peeked from the room, spotting all the cameras around.
"Evan, how much time left?" Riley asked.
"Just give me a minute," Evan said.
"Okay be fast," Riley said closing the door, she turned to Jenna who was practically sweating.
"You okay?" Riley asked amused.
"Yeah is fine it's just I have never done this before," Jenna said.
"It's okay, this is your life now we have no other choice".
"Other than stealing" Jenna caught her off. Riley sighed.
"We will always have a choice Riley, we just have to find it," Jenna said.
"You sound just like your brother," Riley said.
"Is that a bad thing?". Jenna raised an eyebrow, Riley just let out a chuckle.
"Alright am done" Evan's voice sounded from the comm.
"You have one hour to get through that lobby to the storage where the drugs are," Evan said.
"Let's go," Riley said as they went out of the room, Jenna followed behind as they walked to the lobby looking sideways, Riley heard some noise.
"Quick hide" she hissed as they hid behind a wall, Jenna's heart was slamming fast in her chest. A nurse walked in, her eyes fixed on the roaster she was reading, she walked past not noticing both of them. Riley nodded as they came out of hiding, they got to the storage, quickly shutting the door, they packed as many drugs as they needed, they just had a few minutes left.
***
Section One
Ghoul underground
Liam searched everywhere for Jenna but she was nowhere to be seen, he checked the plant garden but she wasn't there also.
"What the hell," Liam said puzzled, his eyes trailed upstairs, his expression changed, he felt odd as he headed for the stairs.
***
"Riley, Jenna, you have to get out of there now, something tripped off, you don't have an hour" Evan panicked when he saw the red light, he turned his other chair to another computer, it was footage of the hospital outside, an SUV packed and agents came down.
"This is not good, guys get out of there now" Evan hissed typing on the keyboard, he turned and froze when he saw a pissed Liam.
"Liam," Evan said, swallowing hard. Liam's look darkened.
"Where is she?" Liam said darkly.
"Liam".
"I SAID WHERE'S JEN!" Liam shouted, Evan went stiff.
"The..the General hospital" Evan said. Liam stormed off.
"Liam wait, Liam, you can't go there, there are agents" Evan hissed but he was far gone.
"This is not good".
Evan feared for the worst.