Back at the International Paranormal Agency's base in London, Team A-13 sat in the briefing room, drying off after their mission in Scotland. The success of the Loch Ness operation didn't mean it was over; they knew that in a few weeks, or maybe months, the creature would reappear, like all the others. The door opened, and Commander Farrell entered with his usual stern expression.
"Good job in Scotland," he said without much enthusiasm, dropping a report on the table. "But you know as well as I do that we're not done. Nessie will be back, like always."
Matt stretched out in his chair, unfazed, though he still felt the muscle fatigue from swimming against the monster.
"Yeah, but at least we've got some time before it wakes up again, right?" he asked with that confident smile that always irritated Tiffany.
Tiffany, standing by the window with her arms crossed, turned toward Matt with a look of exasperation.
"You shouldn't take it so lightly, Matt. Just because we survived the mission doesn't mean things will always be this easy. Besides, you don't even know how many more times you'll have to dive into the water for these 'regenerative monsters.'"
Matt shrugged.
"Come on, Tiff, what's the worst that could happen? Somehow, we always find a way to pull through, right?"
Rose, sitting in the corner, glanced up from her tablet where she was reviewing the latest mission data.
"That 'somehow' isn't always going to work, Matt. We need to be prepared for what's coming. Something is disrupting the creatures' cycles more than usual, and if we don't control it, soon we won't just have to worry about Nessie," she said in her usual calm, calculated tone, pausing to look directly at Matt. "And you'll need more than luck to deal with it."
Commander Farrell cleared his throat, interrupting the exchange.
"Rose is right. Nessie's regeneration was faster than we anticipated, and it's not the only creature showing this pattern lately. Besides the usual suspects, we're detecting anomalies in Argentina. Local reports suggest sightings of the Luz Mala and a supposed Lobizón in the northern part of the country. I need the three of you to handle it."
Tiffany frowned.
"Argentina? Hasn't that area been quiet lately?"
The Commander nodded but pointed to the report.
"It was, until recently. However, the latest reports indicate that these entities' regeneration cycles are speeding up, just like we saw with Nessie. We need to act quickly to contain them before someone gets seriously hurt or worse."
Matt grinned, placing his hands on the table.
"Looks like we've got a new tourist destination then. Luz Mala and a Lobizón, huh? Sounds like a horror movie."
Tiffany stared at him in disbelief.
"Horror movie? We're going up against a werewolf that can't be permanently destroyed and ghostly lights that, according to legend, kill you if you follow them."
Meanwhile, Rose maintained her usual calm.
"Tiffany's right, Matt. This isn't a mission to joke about. The Luz Mala can be unpredictable, and the Lobizón... is much more dangerous than it seems. Let's not underestimate this mission."
Commander Farrell nodded, closing the report.
"Prepare your gear. You leave tonight."
Mission in Argentina: Hunting the Lobizón
After a long flight and a drive through the heart of northern Argentina, the team found themselves in a rural area surrounded by mountains and dense jungles. Night had already fallen when they arrived, and the atmosphere felt strangely heavy. There was nothing but darkness around them, except for the occasional light from distant houses.
Matt stepped out of the vehicle, looking around with interest.
"Well, here we are. I wonder if the Lobizón will greet us with a party or something," he commented, smiling at Tiffany.
Tiffany, already adjusting her gear, shot him a glare.
"If you keep making stupid jokes, maybe the Lobizón won't even have to bother. I'll throw you into the fire myself."
Rose, scanning the area with her device, glanced up briefly.
"Don't worry, Tiffany. The chances of Matt being attacked first are 89%. You'll have the chance to relax."
Matt feigned offense as he checked his gear.
"Wow, thanks for the confidence, ladies!"
However, before they could continue their banter, a low, guttural sound echoed from the nearby forest. Tiffany and Matt tensed immediately, and Rose quickly consulted her scanner.
"We've got company," Rose said, her tone still calm but with a clear warning in her words. "It's big and closing in fast."
The Lobizón emerged from the trees, its dark, twisted form highlighted under the full moonlight. Despite the legends, this creature looked nothing like the typical werewolves in movies. It was larger, more feral, and its skin seemed to shimmer with an eerie glow.
Matt was the first to react, pulling out his energy pistol and aiming at the beast.
"There's the Lobizón! Let's go, team!"
The creature let out a deep growl and lunged at Matt. With agility, he rolled to the side just in time, but the Lobizón kept advancing.
Tiffany, quick as always, activated her energy lance, slashing at the Lobizón, but the creature dodged her strike with ease. It was faster than it looked.
"It's not like the ones we've faced before. It's moving too fast," Tiffany said, frowning.
Rose, watching from a safe position, consulted her scanner and shouted:
"Don't give it time to recover! Attack from different angles!"
With precise coordination, Matt and Tiffany moved in sync. While Matt fired energy bursts to distract the Lobizón, Tiffany attacked with accuracy, cutting and blocking its movements. However, even its wounds healed at an abnormal speed.
Matt let out a frustrated sigh.
"This is going to be harder than I thought."
Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the distance, floating between the trees. Rose quickly looked up.
"The Luz Mala. It's close. We can't let it interfere with the fight, or things will get even more complicated."
The Lobizón, seemingly attracted by the light, paused its attack, turning its head toward the glowing figure in the distance. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tiffany delivered a final strike with her lance, pushing the creature back into the forest.
Rose checked her device.
"It's not destroyed, just weakened. It'll need time to regenerate, but that gives us a window."
Matt sighed, leaning against a tree.
"Good thing. I don't want to fight a werewolf more times than necessary in one night."
Tiffany, still catching her breath, looked at him with a mix of exasperation and relief.
"Always complaining after doing the bare minimum."
End of Chapter 2
The team regrouped, watching the Luz Mala float in the distance, still slowly moving through the trees.
"This isn't over. We still have to deal with that thing," Rose said, staring at the light.
Matt straightened up, looking toward the forest with a grin.
"Well, at least it's no longer a werewolf. Just a killer ghost light. How bad can it be?"
Tiffany sighed, shaking her head.
"Sometimes I wonder how you've survived this long in this job."