Investigation

~Mystery Man~

A car stopped in front of the lone and large mansion in the edge of Skyfall City, the nearest big city from Moonlight Hills Town. It takes about a half day car driving from Moonlight Hills to enter Skyfall City. The city is a mixture of sea-shore and highlands area to the west of Moonlight Hills.

That mansion was located in the very edge of the city near the forest that separated Skyfall City and Moonlight Hills, so the area was still quite remote and silent. There was no other building surrounded the mansion. The mansion itself seemed very quiet, like there was no life in it.

A teenager and a young around-twenty-years-old guy came out from the car. They walked to the very big gate of the mansion. The teenager whispered some weird words and suddenly the gate was opened by itself. It seemed that the words were the password to enter the mansion. They then entered the mansion’s yard and walked calmly.

“What do you think the elders will tell you, Ino?” Sergey asked.

Without looking at his friend, Ino only raised his shoulder, “I have no idea.”

“Maybe it’s about the werewolf that haunts the town. God, I’m not so update about Moonlight Hills since I have to live in my fraternity dorm in Skyfall City,” Sergey sighed.

“Don’t complain too much, Sergey. You’re lucky to have a college in the city. The life in Moonlight Hills is so boring. You know, the town is so peaceful. I really want to find a tainted-blood or some bad guys to fulfill my killing urge,” Ino explain without any specific expression.

Sergey laughed a bit, “Yes, you’re right. Do you remember Josh Lambert and Marina Levi, your fellow hunters that get the same college with me? I heard they always complain to the elders about how they are sick of fighting bad vampire gangs of the city and some stray werewolves. Sometimes they have to be in the situation when those filthy creatures are in the war. Moreover, sometimes there are some evil witches that bring out the ghouls for their sacrificial ritual. Skyfall City is a doom,” he explained.

“But I like to be the part of the doom,” Ino replied, “I don’t know why the elders want me to stay in Moonlight Hills rather than Skyfall City.”

Sergey raised his shoulders a bit, “I don’t know. Perhaps they want you to be a little bit nicer guy, Ino,” he said, then laughed again.

They continued to walk and chat, mostly Sergey was the one who talked and laughed too much, until they reached the big main door. Ino looked at the camera that moved toward him.

“Do I have to speak something in order you to open the door?’ he said with a bit upset, while Sergey could only chuckle.

A second later, the main door was opened by itself, letting them to enter into the mansion. They walked in and saw several people, Ino’s fellow hunters, looking at them from any direction. But they didn’t seem care about them.

“Don’t be so angry, Ino,” Sergey chuckled, tried to calm him down.

“These people are so rigid and I hate it,” Ino complained.

Sergey chuckled again, the he whispered near Ino’s ear, “Same like you.”

Suddenly Ino pushed away Sergey’s head from him, “Stop talking, Sergey!” he was mad. Sergey still chuckled but he really stopped talking.

They climbed up the stairs and faced a big door again in front of them. But then, without talking anymore, the door was opened by itself, revealing the large aula like a mixture of courtroom and throne room. There was a red carpet leading them from the door to the altar where several old people sat on each of their chair. Many fellow hunters waited in each side of the room. It seemed that the meeting was well prepared.

Ino and Sergey stopped walking in the middle of the room, not far in front of the old people. There are seven of them, wearing a coat like a bishop but only the color was black and with nothing in their heads.

“Welcome, my dear,” the oldest man in the middle greeted them, “We’re glad to see you both are in a good condition.”

“Please, Old man, just speak the purpose and don’t waste my time,” Ino said.

The bald old guy at the very right cleared his throat, “You’re still a bold boy, Ino. Never change. Don’t ever think that because you have the ‘Four-Slayer’ title, you can do and speak as you want. We’re the elders. We still have the highest position in the order. Please mind that.”

The oldest man in the middle raised his right hand and spoke, “Please no fighting here. I just want to speak about your role in Moonlight Hills, Ino,” he explained.

“I hope you will let me out from that boring town,” Ino said.

The oldest man in the middle shook his head, “No, it’s not that. You will stay in that town. Moonlight Hills is the most peaceful area in the world and we give you order to keep the peace in its place. It’s a very hard task, Ino, and we have reason to give the task to you. And now, the peace is on disruption. Do you know what’s you’re missing, my dear?” he asked.

Ino sighed a bit, “The alpha werewolf, I know. I’m working on that.”

“You’re not serious, Ino,” the man on the second left said, he looked like the youngest among others, “Do you want us to call Leo to get the things done since he’s the expert of werewolf?” he suggested.

Ino shook his head, “I don’t need that idiot. I can do it by myself. You don’t have to worry,” he insisted.

“Then prove yourself, my dear,” the oldest man in the middle replied, “Please, do make your grandfather proud.”

“Yes, Gramps,” Ino said softly.

“And don’t do any unnecessary killing!” the bald old guy at the very right warned him.

Ino sighed, “You’re so talkative. I’ll do what’s right to me.”

The bald man just sighed, “As stubborn as ever.”

The two of them then turned around and walked away, didn’t so care that the meeting had just begun. Ino’s face was a bit upset, hoping that he would be given a much challenging task outside the town, perhaps some time in the city, but he was just be given the same task.

Sergey smiled widely, embraced his friend to give him spirit, “Don’t worry, ‘Lil bro. I think that alpha werewolf is not a boring task if you take it seriously.”

“I’m just fed up with that town lately, Sergey,” he complained.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to kick that alpha’s ass together,” Sergey said and chuckled.

“First of all, Sergey, I have to investigate something,” Ino said, “I think Damon still hides something from me. You know, I get my suspicion on his friend, Fender Luts.”

***

~Fender~

A bell rang as a sign for it-is-time-to-go-home-now, and after the teacher said we could go home, everybody quickly put up their ass and walked away. Some people did it in a rush like they were racing, but some others just went out slowly while chatted, including me.

I picked all my books on my table then put some in my bags, while I brought the others. Gilliam Olsen, my closest football mate, walked out with me with some books on his hands.

We just talked about how funny my physics teacher was since he forgot to close his zipper pants and we all let him as a joke for the whole class without him being noticed. One of the students finally let him know and his face was all red and embarrassed right when the bell rang. I just remembered when he saw his pants with his panic look and said we could go home, I really want to burst into laughter. And we did that as we walked through the corridor. But Gill suddenly changed the topic, “Hey, Fender, when will you back to the match?” he asked.

I just sighed, raised my shoulder, and said, “I don’t know.”

“You knew that we all need you, Bro. We need you the most,” he said, with a begging look.

“I just can’t, Gill. It’s the best for me. Please understand, make them and the coach understand. I really can’t be the part for this match. I’ll be back, I promise. But I don’t know when,” I explained.

“It’s not because of your parents, right? It’s because you want it, isn’t it?” he guessed, but I didn’t answer. “I know it’s your privacy, but this is your last chance, Fender. We will grad…”

“Gill,” I interrupted, “Can we talk another thing?” I asked, and then I looked around and saw Norah was chatting with his popular friends. She looked back at me and waved her hand. Of course, I waved back and smiled very wide. “Do you think that Norah is into me?” I asked, changed the topic to make him forget about why-I-can’t-be-the-part-for-the-match-now things.

He looked at Norah, the chuckled, “Perhaps. Why don’t you do something?” he suggested.

I stared at him, “Like what?” I asked.

“Asked her to go out maybe,” he said.

“Now?” I asked again.

He nodded, “Yeah, now!” then he patted my shoulder, “Go get her, Bro!” he chuckled.

My method was successful. He completely forgot about that thing and I just got a chance to get close to Norah. I didn’t know why suddenly I was more passionate. But I didn’t care about what had happened before that. I just walked to her with my cool style, and those girls around her were just acting nervously when I came.

“Hi, Norah,” I greeted. She replied shyly. I greeted the other girls too and they gave me beautiful smiles and waves.

“Is there anything I can do for you, Fender?” Norah asked.

“Do you want to go out with me now?” I asked directly.

The other girls gasped and suddenly they murmured on each other. But I did hear everything they said.

Norah just furrowed for several seconds, “Now?” she questioned, “Is it a date?”

“I…think so,” I said. She looked at her friends and they gave her a cheer. She gave an unpleasant mimic for a while, but suddenly she smiled and nodded. She was very sure to say sure in front of me.

She stood up then and said, “Let’s go.”

I actually was shocked when she agreed that fast. Somehow, it was me who suddenly felt a bit suspicious. “Really? I actually expect a little challenge in here.”

She furrowed again, “You don’t like it?”

I quickly shook my head, “No, it’s not that. It’s just…there’s no trick this time, right?” I asked.

She suddenly laughed, “Of course not, Fender. I swear,” she raised her two fingers.

I just smiled and believed, and then I offered my hand, “Mind to go now?” I saw she shook her head then she took my hand. Somehow, I was very excited. I thought I really had gotten her heart. She walked with me and looked at her friends, waving and saying goodbye, while they just looked at her with jealousy.

I’m really cool, I thought proudly.

***

~Mystery Man~

Right after they went, a Ferrari came and park in front of the school yard. A nice-looking guy with his cool black glasses and a set of casual-but-seem-so-expensive outfit got out from the car and looked around. Some people were fascinated about how cool the guy was, especially for the girls. They seemed muttering about him.

He saw the sky that a little bit gray and gloomy, then his eyes wandered while he fixed his hair that got blown by the wind. No sun and I think a vampire or two will be likely around the yard, he guessed while his eyes were still wandering around until he finally saw a pair of pale-looking girls waiting and chatting under a tree.

With his charming style, he approached those vampire girls. He greeted them once, “I think I see two beautiful vampires here,” he smiled and put off his glasses.

Actually, those vampires became a bit anxious after they knew that the guy knew about them. They changed their fascinated face into suspicion. “Who are you?” asked the girl with the red outfit, “How do you know?”

“I just realize that you have some sort of power. You’re no ordinary human,” said the other vampire girl, the one who had the wavy brunette hair.

Sergey sighed a bit, “God, such beauty but cold-hearted. Hmmm…what can you expect from a vampire?”

“Just tell me, Sir! What do you want from us?” asked the red outfit girl again.

He chuckled a bit, “Well, maybe I will go directly to the business. I just want to ask you both if you know about the alpha werewolf that haunts this town and someone in this school.”

Those vampire girls were looking each other so sudden, and then they looked at Sergey again at the same time. “We don’t care about that thing,” the wavy hair girl said, “Please just leave us alone.”

But when they were going to walk away, Sergey kept holding them by standing in front of them, “Wait, wait, wait! Ah, you make me more curious. I believe you vampires know about that.”

“Just don’t make us angry, Sir, or you want to see us use the hard way!” the wavy hair girl seemed so upset. She stared sharply at him, but Sergey was still calm.

He chuckled again, “Whoa, do you want to use any violence with me? Here? In front of all the people? I don’t think so, Girls,” he said with his finger moved right and left.

Those vampires looked each other again. Then the red outfit girl finally sighed and said, “We all know that Angelica Brownwood, the mayor’s daughter was turned into a werewolf. That’s all.”

Sergey thought a bit, “And…do you know about Fender Luts?” he asked.

“Why do you ask about Fender? We don’t know the secrets about every single person in this school,” the wavy hair girl said.

Sergey chuckled, “I heard something about that guy. He was the last one that was with Angelica Brownwood at the night when she was missing.”

Again, those two vampires looked at each other.

“I heard that, too. So, what do you want us to tell you about that very specific matter that probably, we don’t know anything about that?” the wavy hair girl bravely said.

Sam and Walter, who had just stepped out from the school building, were shocked when they saw their most frightening guy who had ever sent them to nowhere-like place at their school.

“That witch,” Sam whispered and astonished.

Quickly, Walter took out his phone from his bag and texted Frank about what happened.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked.

“Texted Frank of course,” he answered, “What do you think he’s doing here, interrogating Katrina and Hillary?” he asked back, and Sam only raised his shoulders.

Sam looked at the guy who still talking with the vampire girls, “I couldn’t hear what they are speaking. They’re too far and the situation is so crowded.”

“Me, too,” Walter said even though he already tried to focus on his super hearing, “I think we have to get closer. They’re muttering.”

“I’m scared,” Sam whispered.

“He won’t do anything in the public like this place. They’re too far. We have to get closer,” Walter insisted.

Sam finally nodded, “You’re right.”

They stepped forward slowly, hoping they could hear what they were talking about. But when Sergey suddenly looked at them and smiled, they stopped and they felt more terrible than before.

“He saw us. You’re right. I’m scared,” Walter whispered. They saw Sergey waving his hand to them as if he was the closest friend of theirs.

“What do you think we’re going to do?” Sam asked.

“Look for Frank now,” Walter said. Then the two of them turned their body and ran back to the school building.

Sergey only chuckled a bit seeing the two of them ran away like that. Dumb asses, he thought. Katrina and Hillary furrowed a bit, and then looked at each other.

“Those vampires seemed so scared to you. Who are you anyway?” Katrina, the girl in red outfit asked.

Sergey looked at them both again and smiled, “I’m a friend to someone you know. He’s behind you right now.”

Those girls turned their head around and shocked. Ino stood without any expression. Their pale face looked paler than before, like they were seeing a very creepy ghost in the world. Then their face turned down a bit, stopped looking at Ino’s eyes.

“We’d better go. Excuse us,” Katrina said, and then she took Hillary’s hand and went away. “I can figure why Sam and Walter are very scared seeing that guy,” she whispered to her friend while quickly leaving them behind.

Ino got very near to Sergey, the whispered, “What you got?” he asked.

“They said they got nothing about the relationship of Fender Luts and the disappearing of Angelica Brownwood,” Sergey replied with a very low voice, “You’re right. They hide something. Do you think that Fender guy can bring us a clue about the alpha?”

Ino shook his head slowly, “I have no idea. But something’s so fishy about him.”

Sergey chuckled, “God! You just curious about him right, Ino?” he guessed.

“Yes, but perhaps it can bring us a clue about the alpha,” Ino said.

Sergey sighed, “You know, I thought you were sure that this guy would bring us a clue about the alpha.”

“Who ask you to interfere with my investigation anyway? I thought you’re here to search for another thing. Moreover, I think maybe some investigation can decrease my boredom. And this is only my side quest and I didn’t take it too seriously,” Ino explained.

Sergey sighed again, “Okay. Just focus on the alpha. I will take this investigation about Fender Luts, hoping it can cure your curiosity. Don’t make your grandfather and all the elders call Leo. I really hate that guy,” he said, took it seriously.