Missing People

~Mystery Man~

Frank parked his black Porsche in front of the police office. He got out and walked slowly while pressing the auto lock. The police office of Moonlight Hills was a bit gloomy, not as big and cool as there was in Skyfall city. He opened the door and entered, seeing three cops were having a little chit chat.

Those cops with the pale-look, who actually vampires, suddenly stood up when they saw Frank Damon came.

“Mr. Damon, what business do you have here tonight?” one of them asked.

“Is sheriff available?” he asked directly.

Another cop nodded, “He’s in his room, alone,” he said.

“Are there any human cops in here?” Frank asked again.

The three of them shook their head. “We’re the only ones who have the night shift in the office. The others have their patrols. But there’s an administration staff who is doing her job in the left room there. She is human. But I think she’s a bit asleep now,” one of them explained.

Frank nodded, “I can figure it out. Thanks,” he said and began to approach the sheriff’s room.

There was a door with a glass with it. But the sticker on the glass prevented people to see inside clearly. Frank opened that door. Mr. Sheriff seemed like writing something on his report. There were many papers on his table. He smiled, a bit astonished why Frank suddenly came to his office. Actually, he was not very close to Damon’s son.

He furrowed, but with his smile kept on his face, “Frank? What a surprise! What makes you here?” he asked. But when Frank stepped forward and wanted to speak, Mr. Sheriff interrupted, “Please sit down first.”

Frank sat first before he began to speak, “Thanks, Sir. I’m here to ask you about something.”

“What is it, Son?” Mr. Sheriff asked him back. He seemed really not care calling Frank son even though Frank was very much older than him.

“I want you to provide me with the report of all missing people in this month,” he explained and saw Mr. Sherriff furrowed again, but he continued to talk, “It’s related to the werewolf issue. The hunters have investigated that the werewolves who were wandering on the last full moon were some of the missing people. My friend had experienced it.”

Mr. Sheriff was thinking. He spun his pen on between his fingers. “So,” he began to analyze, “You mean that the alpha is building her pack?”

Frank agreed, “It seems so. You know that all the founder families have already noticed about her intention to get revenge. After several murders of the founder family, it stops, right? Perhaps she finds it difficult to kill again and tries to make an occasion,” he said, “But still, we can’t let that happen. This is even more dangerous than her previous action.”

Mr. Sheriff nodded, “I couldn’t agree more,” he quickly stood up and walked to the cabinet then opened the top drawer. He scanned the file and folders inside it and finally took out one of the folders. He approached Frank and put the folder in front of him.

Without thinking any further, he opened the file and scanned it one by one.

This is crazy! It’s about 30 people missing over this month, he astonished after seeing the file.

Frank looked up to the sheriff who stood next to him, “This many?” he saw Mr. Sheriff nodded without replying. “How about the news and the people? They notice about this?” he asked.

“We try to cover it down as much as we can to prevent the chaos and panic. But it seems that the news has begun to spread,” he explained.

Frank stood up with his hands leaning on the table. He looked at the sheriff, “Have you investigated this case? I think it needs a very special treatment.”

“Yes, I know,” Mr. Sheriff said, “Actually, we have just begun to investigate it. And since I’m sure now that this case is related to the supernatural, I will ask for the vampire Intel to take this case seriously.”

“Good idea, Sir. By the way, could you please send these files to my email? Maybe I and my friends can help,” he asked.

“Sure!” Mr. Sheriff agreed.

“Thanks, Sir. You’re really helping,” Frank said.

Mr. Sheriff smiled widely, “Anything for this matter. Actually, you are the one who help me, Son. I’m grateful that you come here and open my eyes. We’re lucky to have you, Frank. It’s hard to find a very helpful noble vampire like you in this town. No offense,” he chuckled a bit.

Frank smiled faintly, “It’s okay. See you next time, Sir,” he asked for his leave and walked away. When he was on his way out, the previous three cops suddenly stood up. Frank waved his hands once and those vampires bowed down as Frank left. He walked to the exit and finally reached the outside.

The sky was a bit dark. Thick clouds were moving, causing some flashes of lightning appeared between them. Frank looked up, and then sighed. It seems it’s going to rain, he thought.

He took his cell phone and called someone. Someone who was bothered with the new abilities he got.

***

~Fender~

“Hello, Frank. How’s it going?” I quickly picked my phone when Frank suddenly called me. I was lying on my bed, couldn’t sleep since the a-week-ago-born baby on my next-door house was crying all night. I looked so bad, with my messy hair, sleeveless red t-shirt and my blue shabby boxer. I scratch my head thoroughly, causing my hair to be messier than before.

“I’m not disturbing your sleep, right?” he asked.

“No, no, not at all! I’m just lying on my bed without the capability of sleeping since my neighbor has a new baby. And that baby cries all night,” I complained. I saw to the clock on the wall, listening to the ticking sound, “It’s already 3 o’clock in the morning. I wish I could have my old life back.”

Frank sighed, “I thought you’ve already adapted to your super hearing.”

“I have!” I spoke louder, “But you know, the baby next door! Just listen! I think you can hear it.”

“Yeah,” Frank nodded, “I can hear it.”

I straightened up my body, fixing my position and then sitting cross-legged, “Forget about why I can’t sleep tonight. Just say what you have gotten now.”

Frank cleared his throat, “I’ve gotten the names, about 30 names of missing people.”

“What??” I yelled, “Are you sure? 30?” I was astonished.

“Correct. Perhaps some of them were already died, killed by the hunters on previous days and by the witch whom you had talked to me before,” he explained, “I was shocked also when I saw the data. I think we’re not really serious about this case, not realizing that it has already 30 people missing in this town. Do you think Norah and the other hunters notice about this?”

I hummed for a while, leaning again on the wall, “I don’t know, but…if I can figure, Norah doesn’t know about this matter. Actually, I overheard my neighbors’ chit chat. They said that there were people missing in this town. But I never know about how many people have been missing lately,” I explained, “So, what are we going to do?” I asked.

“We will begin to investigate by tomorrow. We will need Norah’s help, you tell her. I will call Hope also for the help,” he ordered.

“Anything you order, Sire,” I agreed, “I’ll wait you tomorrow at school,” I hung up the phone and sighed. 30 people missing? How don’t we realize it, I figured. It should be obvious, but I thought somehow police tried to lower down this case’s profile. But I wondered why they didn’t act fast, even until 30 people missing.

I took my phone again and tried to call Norah. I hope she’s awake, I thought.

“What is it, Fender? It’s 3 o’clock in the morning. You can’t sleep?” I heard Norah spoke on the phone with her just-waking-up voice.

I smiled widely, “You’re right that I can’t sleep. But it isn’t the thing I want to talk to you now, Beauty,” I told her, “Frank got something from the sheriff. Actually, I want to ask you first, do you know that it’s already 30 people missing in this town?” I asked.

I heard she hummed for a while, “Actually, I’ve heard that from another hunter that many people have been missing lately, but I don’t know the exact number. I can’t believe it’s already reached 30 people.”

“You knew all along? Why don’t you tell me? And why you hunters don’t do anything to stop that?” I questioned, feeling a bit upset.

She sighed, “They don’t do nothing, Fender. They actually send us reinforcements. I just don’t want you to get involved with this, Fender. That’s why I didn’t tell you a thing. There’s Ino Rays out there.”

“I know you worry about me, Norah. But please, let me know if you know something. I got Frank, I got you, and I won’t do anything reckless. I promise. Would you promise me that?” I asked.

“Yes, Tiger! I won’t keep anything from you,” she agreed.

“Meet me at the school’s back yard tomorrow. We will meet Frank there and talk about this matter,” I said.

***

~Mystery Man~

Still in front of the police office, Frank walked toward his car. He pressed his auto-lock key and opened the car’s door. But…

His head moved quickly when he heard something from the woods, several meters away to the west from the office. He didn’t move, kept listening and watching to where he believed the odd sounds came from. He then did one step forward, and other slow steps followed.

His eyes winced when he heard the sounds again, somehow it became clearer. Then he realized that someone was being chased in the woods.

He looked around, and when he realized that he was alone on the place, he whooshed into the woods. He stopped running when he had entered the woods deeper. He kept listening again, searching where the direction of that person was being chased.

It’s west, he talked to himself.

Another second, he whooshed deeper into the forest. The sound of some people running was very much clearer. He focused, trying to search for the right path. He even could hear someone yelling, the voice of someone he might know.

Frank kept running, until…

“Tonitrua lucem!”

A white lightning flashed out from the wand and hit the guy who was being chased. That guy was thrown and dumped to the ground. Frank stopped running and winced, seeing two guys he knew.

The guy who fell down was staring at Ino and Sergey with his scary and hairy face. He showed his fangs and his fierce look.

“Ino? Sergey?” Frank called them and those guys looked at him who stood several meters away behind them.

“What is that vampire doing in here?” Sergey asked.

But Ino looked forward again and seemed didn’t care, “I don’t know,” he replied.

That werewolf, who had gotten up again, suddenly raised his head and howled.

Ino showed his grin, “He knows that his friends are around. It’s going to be fun now,” he said.

What Ino thought was right. Several half-shifted werewolves came out from the dark of the woods, showing their true face and claws. Frank quickly whooshed and stopped right behind their back. There were 5 werewolves growling together and it really made Frank a bit worried.

“Another betas? I’ll help you guys,” he said.

“We don’t need you, Damon! Just back off!” Ino told him.

Sergey looked at Frank and smiled, “No offense, Vampire. You’d better stay behind. You will only be on our way.”

Frank didn’t want to argue. He stepped back slowly and just watched.

Sergey looked forward again and grinned, “Accerso!”

Then, two guns appeared in front of Ino and without thinking any further, he grabbed them and launched his attack to those werewolves. The sounds of gunshot filled the air, made several night birds and other animals to flee. The formation of those werewolves was in a mess. They tried to dodge the bullets. Those werewolves were scattered, but they planned to attack from many directions.

One werewolf fell down when the bullet hit his head. But the others were still at large.

He only thinks that this is a game, yet he still got the upper hand on them. Ino is really great, Frank thought.

One of those werewolves managed to slip and pounced toward Ino from the left. But Ino was just grinning, showing that he let him loose on purpose. The guns suddenly disappeared from his hands, switching to the blade. The werewolf was in shock when he saw that, but it couldn’t be helped. His position was very vulnerable and Ino knew that he had an advantage for that.

Ino slashed his sword quickly and that werewolf was torn into two pieces. Those pieces were falling down to the ground and blood scattered everywhere. Ino grinned widely, feeling satisfied after he killed someone.

“Run!” one of them yelled. But they didn’t know that they were already put into trap.

Something blocked them and threw them back. Sergey pointed his wand and casted a spell, “Tonitrua lucem!” then the white lightning hit one of them even he hadn’t touched the ground yet. “Perduco!” the lightning was continued like a laser beam of online game hero. The lightning and the shield kept the body still in the air like he was hit by two great forces from opposite direction that prevent him from falling. “Dissiliunt!” Sergey continued the spell, and a sphere was fired from the wand through the line of the lightning. And when the sphere hit the werewolf, he exploded like a firework. That body was even torn into pieces, burnt, and fell one by one.

“Stop it!” one of the remaining two werewolves yelled. He already got on his foot and waved his hands, tried to show that he already gave up, while another one was only dragging himself away. The two of them gasped. They trembled in fear.

“Please don’t kill us?” another werewolf who dragged himself begged.

“Just let them alive, Ino,” Frank suddenly stepped forward, “We have to ask them questions.”

Ino stared at Frank for a while, and then he grinned, “Nope!”

“Accerso!” Sergey casted a spell, but he whispered.

A mini crossbow appeared on Ino’s left hand and he suddenly shot the arrow to the werewolf who dragged himself. The arrow flashed toward him and pierced his throat. But when Ino tried to point the bow to the other werewolf, suddenly Frank whooshed and blocked him from Ino’s attack.

“I won’t let you. You should’ve not killed them, Ino. They are innocents!” Frank insisted.

“Stop playing a hero, Damon!” Ino said, “They are worth to die. They killed people. They’re not innocents like you may think of.”

Frank suddenly yelled, “No! I won’t let you…” but his yelling stopped when he felt the werewolf hands pierced his back by the claws.

“Damn!” Ino yelled.

A second later, the blade was switched into a steel disc. Then without wasting any more time, Ino threw the disc fast toward the left side of them. The disc flew in a crescent shape and hit right to the werewolf’s neck. He couldn’t dodge. The head was detached and fell to the ground.

Ino ran to Frank and grabbed him, prevented him from falling. He quickly pulled out the werewolf’s hand from Frank’s body. Frank could only groan and spew out so much blood. Ino held Frank and gripped his chin tightly, “Never cover your enemy again, you damn moron!” he warned.

But Frank quickly pushed Ino back until he let loose and fell down. He coughed a bit, feeling the pain of his open wound.

“You should thank him, Frank. He saved your life,” Sergey said. He walked toward Frank who still lying down on the ground, then cast a spell to Frank’s wound, “Percuro!” a green light came from the tip of the wand, giving a warm breeze to Frank’s wound. Several seconds later, the green light disappeared and Frank could breathe easily, “Then you have to thank me for this, Frank,” Sergey then stood up again.

Ino did too and walked away, “Let’s go, Sergey. I think he can take care from himself now,” he kept walking without turned his head back.

Sergey sighed, “Okay, ‘Lil bro! See you, Vampire,” he then walked, following Ino from behind.

Frank took a very deep breath. Sergey’s spell helped his healing process to run faster, but he still didn’t have any power to get up. He just looked at the bodies, then looked at the bright sky and sighed. I wish Ino could be a little more cooperative, he thought. Yet his wish could only be a wish. But he wondered why Ino seemed a little bit care about him.