4 Black Truth

Three Days Later

Section Three

Ghoul Investigators Headquarters (GIH)

At the highest floor of the skyscraper building inside, a conference was being held.

"Liam O'Brien, age 21, spent most of his time working at a club bar and now a customer service worker at the Intercom phone center. Liam and his sister both spent their Life's in foster care until he was old enough to feed for them both" Xavier said to the congregation as the wide large screen showed several images of Liam.

"Brother of Jenna O'Brien, age 14, schooled at May-field junior high as a normal citizen but now a suspected ghoul who murdered three students in her class" he noted.

"Normally ghouls manifest their abilities at the age of 5 but she did at 14 according to our findings" he clarified, the screen changed and showed her Claw captured on camera.

"And it's none other than a black Claw" the moment he said that whispers filled the hall.

The screen changed to a much older photo that was brown and worn out but still showed some well-defined forms.

"Which we haven't seen since the year 1807, the black ghoul". Whispers between the agents increased in the hall, the picture screen showed another old photo of a man in all black, the hat he wore covered his face.

"I want all units to get that ghoul at all cost, for now, we know this isn't just an ordinary threat" he adds darkly.

***

Sounds Of Beeping Monitor

Max slowly opened his eyes, meeting the white ceiling, he tried to move his body but he felt paralyzed.

"Fuck" he cursed.

The door slid open and Chase walked into the room. His hand was wrapped up to his chest with a shoulder paddle, a bandage around his head, a few cuts and bruises on his face.

"Hey, feeling okay?" Chase asked, forcing a smile, Max gave him a look.

"Well do I look okay?"

Chase's eyes drifted to his partner's state, one leg was raised in a big bandage, his hand on the bed also wrapped, a neck supporter on his neck up and still.

"No," Chase said truthfully, he sighed.

"We shot at that thing more than once, the effects were slow, it's unlike the rest," Max said.

"Well, our superiors have discovered what it is. It's the black ghoul" Chase said.

"Are you fucking kidding me, the black ghoul?" Max said unbelievably.

"Yeah, I suppose we have a much greater threat out there now," Chase said sternly.

"We have to catch that thing and fast," Max said.

"Yeah, we will be together, the doctor said you will make a fast recovery with the facilities here" Chase assured him.

"Well it's the peck of working with one of the biggest companies," Max said smiling, Chase smiled nodding.

"You know man, we are creating something big" Max began.

"A place without any flesh-eating ghouls, a place where humans can live in peace, to do that we have to make sacrifices".

"I just want a safe place for Renee, that's why I'm doing this. I can't just die yet until I fulfill that, that dream" he adds clearly, Chase rubbed his face, nodding.

"Yes, we can't die yet until that dream is accomplished until we are free of all ghouls once and for all" Chase said darkly.

***

Elsewhere

Liam laid still on the bed until he finally opened his eyes and met with a brown ceiling. He groaned holding his head and sat up, he hissed in pain holding his side, he realized he was shirtless and a bandage at his side rib practically almost soaked with blood. The door clicked open.

"Liam," Jenna said in tears as she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"Ow ow ow" Liam groaned.

"Sorry," Jenna said, pulling away.

"You okay?" he asked using one hand on her cheek.

"You're the one who got shot and you are asking if I am okay," she said sarcastically.

"Don't give me attitude" he warned, her face lit up.

"It's good to have you back Liam," she said almost teary again, hugging him once more.

"Hey don't cry, am here and am not going anywhere leaving you behind" he assured her stroking her cheek gently, she nodded as the tears fell and hugged him tightly, she didn't know what she would do if she loses him, he was everything to her, a father, a mother, a brother and all the qualities she could ask for.

"It's okay" he smooched her. His eyes scanned the room.

"Jen?".

"Yeah?".

"Where are we?" Liam said, finally noticing the weird room he was in. She broke the hug, facing him with a huge smile.

"A safe place" she assured him.

"A safe place? Last time I checked there were no safe places" Liam reasoned.

"Well this isn't just any place," she said getting up and threw Liam a black shirt, he caught it putting it on, and got up gently, she took his hand and led him out of the room.

Liam met with a view of what looked like a wide veranda with several pillars, they were at the down area, Liam was sure there was an upstairs. People were walking around, some standing and talking, some working carrying supplies.

"What in the world" Liam trailed off staring at the sanctuary.

"Welcome to the abandoned section one aka ghoul underground," Jenna said.

"You mean everyone here is ghouls?" Liam asked with widening eyes.

"Yes everyone" she clarified.

"This is crazy, section one doesn't exist in the homeland," Liam said shocked.

"Well, that's what they made us think," she shrugged.

"Years back, section one was wiped out doing a raid on ghouls in this area, so the authorities shut this place down and now off the radar".

"A perfect place for ghouls to stay safe" she adds.

"Wow!". Liam was amazed.

"I see you're alive and kicking" a voice came in, they turned.

Like in slow-motion a dark-haired girl walked towards them, she wore a white light shirt that was let down at her side shoulder, a short jean skirt, black knee light leggings, black boots. She placed her hand on her waist as her head tilted to the side.

"This is Riley Leah, she's the one who saved you" Jenna introduced. Liam blinked.

"You? You're the one from the store, reading that book, with a cold glance" Liam said, shocked. A cold glance she had on right now that made Liam shiver slightly.

"Well yeah, ghouls gotta come out of the dark. Nice to meet you too Liam" she walked to stand in front of him, she only reached him at his neck level.

"You're a ghoul" Liam stated. She smiled but it wasn't a pleasant one.

"Yeah and your sister is but you're not which is impossible," she said puzzled.

"And is that a problem?" Liam shrugs still getting used to the idea that his kid sis was a ghoul. Riley smiled, Liam returned the smile, but her expression changed and it wasn't pleasant.

"Follow me," she said sternly, walking past them.

"Man she's tough" Liam murmured. As they followed behind her.

They walked across a wide corridor, a water passageway at both sides.

"Ghouls have high intense genes, even when they mate with humans or ghouls the genes transfer to the offspring" Riley explained.

"Mate?!" Liam said amused, she halted and turned, staring at him in the eyes.

"Would you prefer I said sex?" she said, their eyes locking against each other intensely.

"Nope, the mate word is more educating" Liam shrugs. She turned and walked further.

Jenna just rolled her eyes, it was like watching two kids go at it.

Riley leads them upstairs. It looked just the same as downstairs but there were people seated there doing various activities. She led them straight to a door and walked in, there was a mini office there. Liam almost gasps in shock when he sees a Claw standing in the office behind a little boy around the age of seven.

"Just learn to control your emotions and then it will lead you through," a man said to the boy as he nodded, closing his ghoul's eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Just relax," he said softly.

"It's all in there the Claw's are a part of us, they are what makes us whole, without them we are unsatisfied," he said again.

Liam's unreadable gaze was on them, watching this scene, for a minute pictured himself as the boy but this image was different, he was crying on the ground his leg was bleeding from riding the bicycle roughly, his dad beside him smooching him that everything was okay. Liam blinked, looking away as his fist tightened.

The boy opened his eyes back to his blue eyes and his Claw reversed inside him. The boy smiled.

"Thank you, sir," the boy said.

"Now run along," the man said.

"Hi Riley," he said cutely, Riley smiled warmly with affection as he rushed out of the office. Liam's eyes were on her, she noticed this.

"What?" she said sternly, her smile fading.

"Great only the kid gets a nice warm welcoming smile and I get a frown" Liam noted, Riley just rolled her eyes.

"I can remember that sense of humor anywhere," the man said, rising to his feet, he had dark gray hair and black eyes. His eyes drifted to Jenna and Liam back and forth.

"My name is Allen Leah and I know your dad," he said firmly. Liam's eyes landed on Riley who made eye contact with her father signaling her to leave them alone, she nodded leaving.

"You knew dad?!" Jenna said with anticipation.

"Yes Dr. O'Brien was a master in his field, we met at the same college and we worked on the same project together, we were close".

"Project?!" Liam said, puzzled.

"Yes, a project to suppress the ghoul's genes, which your father was working on when he married your mother" he noted.

"Wait for a second, my dad was a ghoul?". It wasn't a question but it was a newfound realization.

"Yes, that's why Jenna is a ghoul" he clarified.

"Which I don't understand because Steve succeeded," he added.

"Well, he practically failed," Liam said.

"Yes," Allen said, his eyes landing on Jenna who was silent.

"And no because it did" he added. Liam blinked.

"Yes you Liam, you're the proving existence… that the ghoul genes can be suppressed because you are human and Jenna isn't, he must not have tried it on her because she was still a baby," he said.

"Yeah he left after a year she was born," Liam said, relieving the memory of how his mother felt and how depressed she was until she was led to her untimely death.

"Well wherever he is right now, I just want him to know he's a real piece of shit" Liam spat.

"Mom knew dad was a ghoul and still loved him" Jenna finally said.

"Yes she did, but ghouls and humans are different in all qualities, it was hard," Allen said, sighing.

"I would have come for you then when your mother died but I assumed you both were humans and I didn't want to drag you guys into the ghoul world but I was wrong".

"There's only one person to blame here and it's a man who called himself our dad and used us as lab rats!" Liam hissed.

"He was trying to keep you both safe away from all this" Allen reasoned.

"He put us in harm's way when he left us and that was the biggest mistake he made and believe me when I say I hate him so much I would punch him if I saw him!" Liam hissed.

"He didn't leave Liam".

"THEN WHAT!" Liam shouts.

"Because Steve is dead".

Jenna and Liam froze at the sudden information, their eyes slowly widened in shock.

Allen ran his fingers in his hair and sighed.

"He died five years ago, he didn't want to come back after Chloe died because the agents were after him but they found him," Allen said.

A tear fell from one of Jenna's eyes as she looked away.

"He wasn't even here to begin with," Jenna said walking out of the office.

"Jen" Liam called about following her but he hissed in pain holding his side.

"Liam".

He turned.

"Your sister is in danger, you have to protect her no matter what, away from the G.I agents," Allen said seriously.

"Why would the whole agents come after her?" Liam said, puzzled.

"Because she's the black ghoul," he said. Liam blinked confused.

"Your father is the direct descendant of Lucas Carter O'Brien, he was a black ghoul just like your sister," Allen said sternly.

"Okay? Skip the history, what the hell is a black ghoul, and what does it have to do with Jen" Liam demanded.

Allen looked away and reached for a bunch of files on his desk and handed it to Liam who took it confused.

"If you want to keep your sister safe then you should at least know"

***

Liam groaned sitting on the bed, he was back at the room he woke up in, groaning in pain he removed his shirt, the bandage was already soaked with blood, he turned and saw a newly fresh bandage on the nightstand, he blinked taking it, maybe they knew he needed it.

After some few hours of replacing his bandage, an experience he had when he got in gang fights. He finally got the chance to look up the file, he took it and unfold it, it was filled with old research papers and then he saw a name.

"Steve O'Brien," he said. The file must have belonged to his father. There was no doubt about it and Allen wanted him to see it. He went through it carefully removing some files, he saw blood samples report of him and Jenna and also some dates of improvement and failure, and then he saw it, a black ghoul. Just like Allen said they were direct descendants of Lucas Carter O'Brien.

Lucas Carter O'Brien, born 1778 in England, was known to possess a rare ancient Claw known as Ghost, with his recent involvement and dangerous act fighting against the order, he was known as a black ghoul. In my research, I discovered that this gene could only be passed down every 55 years and if my calculations are right I am very unfortunate to wield this power that would be passed over to my children, I have to stop this, stop the Ghost with all I have, I just hope I would be able to, for my unborn child.

Liam reviewed some old photos but he still didn't get it. What was so bad about the black ghoul and this Ghost that got his father so worked up that it even meant him leaving, he didn't know what his father's true intentions were and he couldn't be more curious to find out more. He went through another bunch of papers.

The year 1999, February 16th. Chloe is pregnant and I knew it was about time for me to make my research come through.

In the year 2000, August 5th I met an accomplice, Allen Leah who shared the same dream I had, and together we worked for a way to suppress the genes.

In the year 2001, my experiment began with my son, he grew up normally after the first treatment and after five others I was successful but not for Jenna and I regret she would be placed in this burden I meant to carry for her.

Liam saw some more photos of his work, he paused when he saw something hidden at the back of a paper, he pulled it out. It was a picture of the whole family. Steve was behind smiling, his hands placed on Liam's shoulder who smiled too. Chloe smiling carrying Jenna in her arms. Liam then remembered when they took the picture. His finger rubbed against it in longing.

"Why did you have to leave and die just like that" Liam said, he was gone now he would never get the chance to ask him, there were a lot of things he wanted to tell him but it was futile. He shut the file close, what was the point, he had one promise to keep and that is to help Jenna through this, she had the most dangerous being inside her and he had to help her surpass this power.

A light knock distracted him, he turned as the door opened and a young man with dark hair and light blue eyes wearing glasses walked in.

"Sorry for the disturbance," he said walking in.

"You must be Liam" he adds.

"Yeah, and you are?".

"Oh sorry, Sean. Sean Carlos is like the doctor around here" he smiled.

"Alright then, if you're a doctor you must be the one who fixed me up when I got shot, thank you," Liam said firmly.

"You're welcome and quick thinking. Yeah, I was the one, it was a bloody mess, the bullet they shot you with was intended for ghouls, wounds can be nasty from that bullet but don't worry you will be fine" he explained.

"Okay," Liam said.

"Am here because Allen sent me, he wanted me to do a blood sample just to be sure you don't have any ghoul genes" he noted.

"I have no problem with that," Liam shrugged.

"But first do you know where Jen is?!".

***

Liam carefully strolled in the veranda holding his side, he followed the directions that Sean gave him. He wondered where Jenna was, he hasn't seen her since the news of their dad's death, he just hoped she's okay.

On his way passing he heard someone humming it was so faint that Liam couldn't almost hear it but he did, he slowly walked to where the sound was coming from, he walked further and saw Riley standing as she watched the setting sun, she stared at it with dull eyes as she hummed faintly, the rhythm was nice and slow like a lullaby. Liam stood watching her as she hummed to her rhythm, Liam felt a lot of vibes coming from it, of pain, anger, and sadness, how could one person have all these raging emotions inside.

Riley turned but her hum ceased when she saw Liam, she folded her arms.

"You know if you wanna be here you have to respect others privacy, it's called being a gentleman not being told to," she said tilting her head to the side.

"That's a whole lotta mean in that cuteness," Liam said sighing, she looked away.

"Riley".

She turned.

"I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life. So thank you" Liam said sincerely. She waved the hair covering her left eye, pulling the strands behind her ear, walking past him.

"So am not getting any you're welcome?" Liam said, raising an eyebrow, she halted, sighing.

"You know for some reason you hate me and that makes me feel uncomfortable" he added, she turned.

"I don't hate you Liam" she turned back walking.

"Am not just friendly with everyone" he heard her say as she disappeared into the other hall. Liam sighed, turning back to his search.

Liam took the stairs and found himself at a place that looked like a veranda, he saw Jenna sitting on a flat pillar watching the sunset into darkness, he strolled towards her sitting beside her.

"You know Liam, they say ghouls who stay here are the ones whose identity have been exposed," she said, her eyes fixed on the cloud.

"It's okay to be sad Jen" Liam stated.

"Liam you have every right to leave me and live a normal life but still you chose me," she said facing him.

"Of course I would, you're my sister and nothing will ever change that, I will always care for you no matter what," he said finally, her eyes were teary again, he took her hand and gave it a reassuring gentle squeeze.

"We can't run forever Liam" she sobbed.

"As long as I'm with you then it's worth anything, I will keep you safe Jen, trust me," he said.

"Of course I do Liam, you are my only family," she said, hugging him tightly. Liam took a deep breath wrapping his arms around her.

***

A few Hours Later

Sean carefully drew blood from Liam's arm into a syringe, they were both in a lab.

"Okay that should do it," he said, assessing the blood before placing it in the test machine, Liam's eyes scanned the mini-lab, it had all the equipment a doctor should need even for an experiment.

"Wow you guys have a lot of equipment around here" Liam acknowledged.

"Yeah we do get supplies, we just have to be careful not to draw unwanted attention," Sean said his eyes in the microscope binoculars.

"But well Riley does all the hard work" he adds.

"Riley huh?" Liam said sarcastically, Sean removed his eyes from the binocular and made a face.

"Yeah, she hates me" Liam looked away.

"And that bothers you," Sean raised an eyebrow.

"Look I don't care what she thinks of me, I just hate her attitude" Liam began. Sean's mouth dropped for some reason but Liam surged on.

"She's like a captain cold like her heart was sold off to winter or something" he reasoned.

"Not to talk of her cold eyes, it's like a danger zone" he adds. Sean waved his hand beneath his throat like he was dead and Liam caught on but he was too late as he turned, Riley hit him behind his head.

"Ow?" he made a face.

"Aww, how sweet of you, thank you for the compliment, Liam," she said, turning, grabbing what she came for as she left.

"Tried to warn you, you really shouldn't get on Riley's bad side, she can be scary when you get on her nerves and you bro just made the dark list," Sean said tapping his shoulder in console like he was about to be a roaster.

"Yeah great pet talk Sean," Liam said sarcastically.

The computer beeped and Sean checked it. For some weird reason Liam's heartbeat was in anticipation, he didn't know what the results would say. He swallowed hard.

"Well good, you're 100% human, that means Dr. O'Brien succeeded in destroying your ghoul genes" Sean noted.

"Well that's good to hear but not for my sister," Liam said looking away, taking a deep breath.

"Yes I did check her blood, it's rapidly around her cells," Sean said, tying his laptop, opening a file showing Liam her blood results.

"What the hell" Liam was astonished staring at the video, her blood cells were black moving at an enormous speed like it was a virus.

"In our research, since ghouls had come to existence we realized that our cells are more like a virus, we call them ghoul genes, they spread both the breeding of humans and ghouls" Sean noted.

"So there's nothing like half-ghoul?" Liam said, puzzled.

"No there's nothing like that, only ghouls, the virus is very strong," Sean said not liking the idea.

"Well this is annoying I mean in all the research don't you guys know why ghouls came into existence in the first place" Liam reasoned.

"We don't know what brought about ghoul but we do know it was discovered in 1514 by Jonathan Jonas, an archaeologist who studied a bit of science. He wrote the theory about ghouls, he was able to manipulate what ghouls can do and revealed them as threats and that they live amongst humans, but some thought he was crazy until the first sighting of a Claw in 1657. It caused a major panic and then humans got to know that they weren't alone in the world and so far ghouls blended in hiding and revealed their identity if necessary" Sean explained.

"But what if it was a virus that caused ghouls to be" Liam raised an eyebrow.

"Am afraid that's zero on that" Sean said.

"Why?".

The moment Liam asked that a Claw surged out of him and the being sharp claws slit his hand.

"Hey what was that for" Liam fired as he reached for small cotton and cleaned the little blood dripping. Sean's Claw reversed back inside him.

"Sorry, that was to prove to you that your theory is wrong," he said amused.

"Yeah I get it but don't do that again" Liam warned. He nodded.

"Well as you have been injured by my Claw, if it were a virus you would have been infected by now," Sean said checking his watch.

"So you're saying ghouls have been with us since the very beginning?!" Liam said like he was crazy. Sean smirked.

"And now we are speaking the same language," he said, adjusting his glasses.

"This is unbelievable," Liam said shocked, so there were two types of human beings that differ in qualities. Humans and ghouls.

"So you're saying it's possible even in the slightest chance that ghouls and humans can live together," Liam said. Sean's expression changed.

"Well I would agree to that but right now the fight between both species has proven that--that can never happen" Sean stated.

Liam sighed, Sean was right, there was no way that anyone in the world would agree to live side by side with ghouls that tend to eat flesh.

"So I think we are done, it was a good talk. You are free to go, you should rest" Sean said with a smile.

"Thanks," Liam said.

"Sean?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you by chance have any phone I could use, it's just for something important" Liam said. Sean raised an eyebrow.

"I will just believe it's for personal reasons but just be careful, agents track well" he noted, Liam nodded as Sean handed him a burner phone.

"Thanks once again," Liam said leaving.

Liam headed towards a wide area making sure no one was watching. He dialed a number, the phone rang from the speaker for some second before it picked.

"Hello?!" a voice came in, Liam felt his heart skip a beat when he heard the voice, he hesitated to speak as he swallowed hard.

"Who is this?" the voice said again, he took a deep breath.

"Hi Nicole, it's me... Liam"