You know, I thought I knew everything about my dad from my adopted mother. I was told that he was a gambler and a womanizer who tried to settle down and build a life with my cheating bio-mom, but couldn't bear being 'tied down' to a single woman after spending just two years with her. His words, apparently.
But I guess she forgot to tell me the fact that he was also black.
"You know, dad.." As we cruised down the highway in the black sedan, I turned to the man of African-American descent driving the vehicle, who was sporting a well-groomed goatee and wearing sunglasses. He clicked his tongue impatiently, his eyes fixed on the road, and retorted, "This is the fifth time I've told you, and I'll say it again – I'm not your fucking dad! Get it through your head!"
"Are you sure? Because that's exactly the kind of thing my dad would say," I retorted, offering a fairly logical theory. The man's patience seemed to wear thin as he gritted his teeth, and he temporarily removed one hand from the steering wheel to point forcefully at me. "Just take a good look at yourself." He then gestured to himself. "And now at me."
I considered his words and then mumbled under my breath, "..... could be a reverse Michael Jackson situa-" The man with the goatee erupted in anger. "I'm not your fucking dad!"
"Wait, so does this mean I'm part black?" I questioned the man, who rubbed his forehead and let out an exasperated groan. I pressed on, a sly smile on my face. "Hey, can I say the N-word?"
The man snapped his fingers, capturing my attention, and his voice turned stern. "Listen here, you little shit. I don't know if you're really dumb or just in denial, but let me make this crystal clear. If you call me 'dad' one more time, I swear to god, I will drop you off right here and never look back."
I fell silent for a moment, then narrowed my eyes and shot back, "Okay, now you're just straight up copying his lines!"
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Declazo Street, Floranheim city.
The black sedan glided to a stop right outside a rundown diner, coming to a halt near a woman with slicked-back jet-black hair and sunglasses who was eating a hot dog.
The man with the goatee exited the car, and she raised an eyebrow inquisitively and questioned, "So, where's the kid?"
With an exasperated sigh, the man gestured slightly to the side. The woman followed his gaze, spotting a bus that was slowly approaching the diner.
The bus came to a halt at the nearby bus stop, and a young but fairly muscular boy exited the vehicle. His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for a familiar face. When his gaze finally locked onto the man and the woman by the diner, he enthusiastically raised his hands in the air, waving before breaking into a jog towards them.
The man let out a sigh, seemingly resigned, and shook his head slightly. A faint chuckle escaped the woman's lips. "Wow…. that bad, huh?"
"Don't even ask.." The man rubbed his forehead with a weary expression, and the woman responded with a nonchalant shrug, savoring another bite of her hotdog.
"Hey! There you are, man." I spoke with a smile on my face, giving the man a friendly tap on the shoulder. He adjusted his sunglasses and instinctively pulled his shoulder away from my touch.
"I can't believe you left me stranded by the roadside like that," I said, my disappointment evident in my shaking head. "I get it. You're not my dad. But there's no need to be so mean about it."
"If I was really mean, then I wouldn't have left you in front of a bus stop, assface." The man retorted, his words carrying a sharp edge. The woman's laughter filled the air once again. "You've barely known each other and you've already resorted to calling him names? This kid is a menace!"
I shifted my attention towards the woman, raising my eyebrows with curiosity. She caught my gaze and extended her hand, introducing herself, "Pamela Monroe, VSPD Special Investigation Agent."
"Felix Wilzcek. I don't work for any agency with a fancy acronym." I shook her hand, introducing myself in turn. Then, my eyes landed on the man with the goatee. He released a heavy sigh, finally revealing his identity. "Anthony Jackson, VSPD Special Investigation Agent."
"Alright…" I nodded my head, my curiosity piqued. I looked between Pamela and Anthony, then directed my question at them. "...So, are you guys going to explain why this guy over here was pretending to be my dad?"
Pamela and Anthony exchanged glances before focusing their attention on me. "We'll cut to the chase, Felix," Pamela began, her tone serious. "We know you're a vampire."
"..."
"..."
".....Ah." That was the only word that came out of my mouth after a full ten minutes of silence. Another brief period of quiet passed, and I finally managed to find my voice. "....Yeah."
"Wha- You're not even going to deny it?" Anthony raised his eyebrows, his expression a mix of incredulity and surprise. Even Pamela seemed taken aback by his reaction.
"I mean, I was going to come up with a lie…" I shrugged nonchalantly and gestured with my hands. "But the more I thought, the less realistic the lie became. After struggling for about twenty minutes while trying to think of a good lie, I just gave up."
"Just like that?" Pamela's mouth was wide open, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You didn't even try."
"In my defense, I'm just really bad at lying," I explained with an embarrassed expression on my face. "And after twenty seconds of silence… Is there really any point in lying?"
".... He's not wrong," Anthony admitted, scratching his goatee as he fixed his gaze on me. ".... But for some reason, I'm getting the urge to punch him in the face."
"Well, you're not alone there." Pamela nodded, her agreement laced with a touch of amusement. "Congratulations, kid! You've managed to successfully annoy me too."
"Hold on, hold on. Can we dial it back on the physical violence threats?" I raised my hands, a slightly nervous smile on my face. "And besides, you really don't want to make a vampire angr-"
"We're also vampires, dumbass," Anthony interrupted me mid-sentence, rolling his eyes at words, and my eyes widened in surprise. "Wha- What?"
"Yup, we are." Pamela nonchalantly shrugged. "And the next time someone asks you if you're a vampire or not, for the sake of all vampires, please lie."
With a turn of her heel, Pamela strolled toward the diner, and Anthony followed suit. I stood there, mouth agape, for a few moments before finally snapping out of it. "Wha- Wai-Wait! Where're you guys going?" I called out, feeling a mix of shock and curiosity swirling within me.
The duo entered the diner, ignoring my words, and I rushed forward to catch up with the duo and made my way into the diner, right behind them.
"What the-" The unexpected atmosphere inside the diner caught my attention, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. The ambiance was quite different from your usual diners – dim red lights illuminated the corners, and heavy curtains covered the windows, obscuring any natural light. The place was deserted except for the three of us. The elderly chef, seemingly lost in his world, paid us no mind, and the young waiter, engrossed in his phone, was equally disinterested.
"Weird…" I muttered under my breath, taking in the peculiar setting. Keeping pace with Pamela and Anthony, I followed them to a back corner, where they chose the table at the very end. Pamela and Anthony occupied one side while I took the other, sliding into the seat.
"So, are you two going to fill me in on what's happening here?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued. "Because I have no idea what's happening."
"We did mention we're with the VSPD, didn't we?" Anthony queried, and I offered a nod in response. He proceeded, "And are you aware of what VSPD stands for?"
"Yes," I lied, and Anthony glared at me, which prompted me to confess. "No."
"It stands for Vampire Society Police Department." Anthony released a sigh, offering an explanation that caught me off guard. "Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, vampires have police departments?"
"Somebody's got to keep vampire criminals in check, and humans aren't exactly up to the task," Pamela chimed in.
My curiosity piqued, I posed another question. "So, there's a considerable number of vampires then?" Anthony's nod confirmed my suspicion. "More than you might think."
"Huh…" I leaned back, absorbing the new information I'd just received. After a brief moment of reflection, I leaned forward again, and asked. "So, what's the VSPD's interest in a high schooler like me?"
Pamela and Anthony exchanged glances, evidently mulling over their response. Several seconds passed before they both redirected their attention toward me.
"Felix Wilzcek," Anthony leaned in, his tone serious. "The VSPD would like to enlist you as an undercover operative."