For all of those who thought that I had abandoned you, I would just like to say that I am back and very sorry. I have had extreme writer's block FOR-EV-ER and I have finally got some substantial writing time. To make up for lost time this chapter is really, REALLY long. So, without further or do, here is the next chapter of "Afraid of the Dark."

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I don't own anything. (but a few minor characters. Hey, a girl's got to have a little imagination!)

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CHAPTER THREE

"Thank you all for coming. The press conference will begin in about ten to fifteen minutes." An older man with a buzz cut hair style that only showed a few patches that had gone gray on his head. His voice was rough from years of smoking and sounded as if he was trying to talk after just coughing. He was wearing his Metropolis police uniform and was well known as the "City's Bloodhound", for his ability to solve what had otherwise been deemed 'unsolvable' cases. Sam had developed a relationship early on with him when she kept appearing at his crime scenes. He had learned to think of her more of as a daughter than anything. He decided this after she had helped him solve his last case. This case was turning out to be one of the 'unsolvable'.

Captain Gallagher Elroy shook his head in a stiff nod and his black eyes scanned over the conference room in the Metropolis police building. He walked back from the podium to a solid door, where about a dozen other police officers, detectives, and such stood along with the main man that the press had come to see. A man that had witnessed one of the new crimes. A reporter would, and probably will kill for an exclusive with the man.

Sam and Chloe stood by the edge of the large crowd of reporters and photographers along with other camera crews. They bounced a little when they tried to move forward a little bit. After being pushed back for the third time,
Chloe huffed and stated, "I should have brought Jimmy along with me."

"Why?" Sam asked. "There has to be at least three photographers here from the Daily Planet here already."

"No, not because of that." Chloe said as she returned to stand next to Sam. She brushed a piece of blond hair away from her face and continued. "He has a certain way of getting what he wants no matter what. He would have no problem leading us to the front of the pack." She sighed again. "Men."

Sam raised one of her black eyebrows suggestively. "Ah, but what is the most powerful when trying to fight against the men?"

Chloe smiled mischievously and they answered at the same time. "Women." They laughed and decided to test their new weapon out. "Well, excuse me, but me and my partner, here can not see over your large broad shoulder." Sam complimented lightly while putting forth a flirtatious smile and batting her eyelashes a few time. Chloe followed suit as well. The man turned around to face them and smiled gladly stepping aside to let them through after being complimented. "Piece of cake." The younger reporter grinned.

The result of their effort brought them to the middle of the room where they were easily able to see everything that was going on without having to squint. They smiled at their success when a man walked up and pushed a phone number into Sam's hand.

"If you are ever looking for a more passionate story."

He melted into the crowd seamlessly and Chloe chuckled, "Oh yeah, that one was new."

"Hey, who knows?" Sam questioned, a wicked quirk gleaming in her violet eyes. "He could turn out to be Prince Charming."

"Yeah, Prince Charming minus the charm and adding the cheese." Sam batted her arm playfully.

They didn't even notice that a man wearing a tan trench coat and a costume hat with a red feather sticking on top of it came up beside them. "Hey Chloe. Sam." The man stated. His eyes were pitch black to the point that you couldn't locate where his pupils were and they scanned both of the women up and down. He had chestnut colored hair that was worn in a longer style so that it brushed against the top of his sleek shoulders. He smiled down at them revealing teeth almost as pale as his skin.

"Hey Randy." Chloe replied hesitantly. Sam just nodded in acknowledgment. Although Chloe was talking to him, his eyes stayed glued on her. He kept eye contact with her the entire time until she finally looked away.

Randall Roach was one of the emerging photographers at the Daily Planet. He was young, about as old as she. He had only been there for two months and had already landed a front page story. Some photographers work their entire lives and never get that privilege. But something about him wasn't right. Something was just…off, if you know what I mean?

Something in her gut made her feel uneasy when she was around him. And she was around him a lot. Randy always made comments about how the camera loved her and how unique her purple eyes were. He almost had as much talent behind the lens as he did in creeping her out.

"You here for the story to?" His gaze finally wavered from hers and turned to Chloe. "Mmm, yes. I wanted to get a couple shots." He motioned to his camera. It was actually a really old one, like one that you would have seen during the thirties.

"Woah, that thing has got to be almost 70 years old." Chloe mentioned.

"Yes, that's about right. I only bring her out for special occasions."

"What's so special about now?" Sam asked him. Randy turned to her again and continued staring. "She always had the power to bring out the real person behind the mask and I thought his would be the perfect opportunity to find out who this guy really is."

"I see," She replied. Captian Elroy came out along with about another dozen or two officers following behind him. Randy smiled as he said, "I think that I'm going to try to get a better shot."

He left then as the officer started to talk. Sam now didn't try to repress a shiver. "You cold?" Chloe asked.

"No, just something about that guy…"

"Yeah, he kind of gives off a creep vibe, but he's a creepy gifted photographer, so he makes it up in the end."

"I hope your right."

Sam and Chloe then both got out their small notebooks along with pens to start writing notes and questions as the Captain started to talk.

"We are all here for the same purpose today, ladies and gentlemen. There is a new kind of criminal on the streets today and we are trying to find him. At this time all the information that we can release is based solely on facts. During the past three weeks, three people have been put into comas. We do not know how since there are no physical injuries and in one case the person was seen just fine 15 minutes before she was found. In the past week, another person has been attacked and we have found a witness. At first, I didn't believe him and you probably wont either, but we have that he is a reliable source and that this case is different than any cases that we have ever had before. So, I would like to introduce Leonardo Capsicums."

The room started to vibrate with the sound of muffled comments as a man stepped forward to the mic. Stand. He looked to be in his late thirties, early forties with thick black hair and brown eyes. He looked back to Captain Elroy quickly and received a nod and he cleared his throat to start to talk. "Hello, my name is Leo Capsicums. On Sunday of this month on the 23, I watched a woman being attacked. She was young and vibrant. Even from where I was standing I could tell that she was beautiful."

Sam noticed that all of the unease from before was starting to vanish and he was beginning to get into a flow.

"Then suddenly, a man that I couldn't see jumped out of nowhere and started to talk to her. She smiled and then nodded her head at something he had said. She then posed near the wall where she was found and then man took out a camera as if he was going to take a picture of her,

"And then, something unbelievable happened. I didn't believe it at first when I saw it. As soon as he took the photo, I saw this bright blue light come from the woman. Out of the woman. It seemed as if it was almost sucked out of her. Her mouth opened as if she was going to scream, but no sound came out. She crumpled to the ground and then the man was illuminated with the light until it sunk in beneath his coat." Mr. Capsicum paused for a moment and then froze.

"I know how this must look. I'm sure. I had to look it over a few times myself. But I know it was real because at the end, he turned toward me as if it were fate. He stared at me and I could clearly see his face. Then,"

Suddenly, the faint click of a camera could be heard and a flash could be seen. Chloe and Sam watched in horror as what the man had just gotten done describing came to life. But, the light wasn't blue. It was a dull brown color and at first it extended from his feet to his head, but it was sucked out of him. The room was turned to chaos as Mr. Capsicum fell toward the ground in a solid movement as if unable to move himself. His eyes were still open and still fixated on something. Neither Sam nor Chloe could pinpoint what and who had done this.

So much confusion was going on at once. Some reporters and photographers ran out of the building. All the cops jumped into action at once, all leaning forward toward the man or calling in for back up. A few reporters with camera crews were trying to film and photographers were taking pictures. Random flashes seemed to be everywhere, but nobody knew where the light of the man had gone to.

"Sam!" Chloe called, realizing that her and Sam had been separated. She couldn't be wasting time. Clark needed to know about this. Chloe had an act for being able to spot meter freak action a mile away and this one was as obvious as if a pink elephant had just entered the room. "Sam!" She then noticed Sam near the front of the room, near Mr. Capsicum. Chloe debated what to do, if she should leave and get Clark or go to Sam. She decided on the former and knew that Sam would be okay.

She quickly text messaged Sam to tell her to meet her at the Daily Planet later and that she had something to do. She knew that her phone was off, so she would get the message later.

Meanwhile, Sam was up front and center. "Please, miss, we don't have time for this." The captain yelled toward her from where he was kneeling next to the limp body of Leonardo Capsicum. "Captain, it's me, Sam Manson."

The captain looked up and regarded her stiffly. "Miss Manson, thank you for your offer, but we don't need any help.."

"Did you see where the man went off to?"

"Stay out of this, Sam." He gruffly yelled. "Where is that ambulance?!"

"On its way, sir." One of the younger officers stated.

"So, you did see where he was going?" She asked suspiciously.

"No. God damn it! Where is the ambulance?"

"It's on its way, Captain." The same officer replied.

"I didn't see anything. If I did, wouldn't you think that I would have sent somebody after them? I am not a complete idiot. Stay out of this, Sam!"

"But, sir,"

"Go!" He thundered at her. She turned and started to jog out, looking for anyone who was acting suspicious. No body jumped out at her, but one other thing worried her.

This was a ghost. This thing that was hurting people had to be from the Ghost Zone, which meant that she needed to get a hold of Danny. And fast. She looked at her phone and saw that Chloe had already left and that they were supposed to meet at the Daily Planet. Good, that meant she had time to work.

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I hope that you enjoyed and I once again apologize for this coming so late. I promise the next chapters should be coming up quicker and please R&R!!

-Molly