Hey guys, being a long time since i updated this fic.

But here you go.

Enjoy

Chapter Nineteen

Lightning POV

I was seating in my room inside the Dia Mansion when the sun came up that following morning. Ever since I have seen my parent`s name upon that list it made me wonder how did they get there and who was responsible and how did Ghost know about that?

I was numb with shock at what I had learned. They were working upon that ODIN project and what was the relation of the Perfect Cyborn along with that one…what was about that project that drew his attention?

There was a knock upon the door drawing my attention toward it and I let out a sigh.

"Enter."

Vanille stepped inside the room, and she looked pale causing me to get up upon my feet, worried.

"What is it Vanille?"

"They`re giving something on the news," she said, "Something had happened on Cocoon."

I followed the girl into the living room, the same one that I first met Fang few days ago and the TV on the wall was on. It was giving a news bulletin about something that was happening in Cocoon and I feel my eyes widen in surprise at the words on the screen.

THE ARK DESTROYED

"…in the early hours of morning that we have became aware of the prison collapsing upon itself," the reporter was saying, looking toward the smoldering building in the distance, "The Fire Department and the Guardian Corps had been the first response team to reach the area and blocked the access around it. So far, the information that we have is that none of the prisoners bodies had been found yet…"

"It`s Ghost," I said, "That`s must have been what he had been planning."

Vanille still looked pale.

"Hey, Vanille," I continued, "Do you know where Fang is?"

"She must be up at work right about now," she said.

"Okay," I told her, "I must speak with her about something."

"I could drive us," she offered.

I gave her a glance.

"You had your license?"

Vanille grinned.

"Since last year, but my dad didn`t want me driving around a lot with well," she answered with a shrug.

I gave her a nod before the two of us walked out of the house and toward her car. It was a really sweet looking one too, I guess, with rich parents and money to spend, they always afford the best.

The drive hadn`t been long and I decided to contact Jhil to learn more information about what was happening.

"Not now Lightning," the woman said when she answered her phone.

"Well, I am aware of what is happening on the news Jhil," I told her, "What is the situation so far?"

At the other end of the line, the woman let out a tired sigh.

"The Ark had been empty of prisoners meaning we have every rapist, murderer, psychopath, terrorist and all sort of criminal lose in the city. We had to quarantine Eden."

I frowned.

"You sealed off the city?"

"The orders came from the top Lightning," she said, her tone suddenly harder than before, "We have to make sure that all the prisoner who escaped from the Ark is accounted for. PSICOM will be moving in soon with troops to take care of the problem."

"You`ll start a war on the streets Jhil," I answered her, "The one thing you have to focus on is finding Ghost. He is the root of all this."

"Well we don't have any news of his location," Jhil snapped, "Look, I have to get back to work and you are still grounded in Gran Pulse, so stay put. I have some criminals to catch."

With that she hung up the phone before I could answer her.

"Goddamn it," I snarled in anger.

Vanille gave me a glance.

"Everything okay?"

"No," I told her, "Ghost sends the Capital of Cocoon into disarray with a lot of dangerous criminals running around."

Vanille frowned in confusion.

"What is he planning exactly?" she asked.

I frowned to myself.

"I don't know," was my honest answer, "but I might know someone who does."

Vanille`s car came to a stop at the parking lot of the OSR building, and we both stepped out making our way toward the building and stepping inside. I walked toward the secretary at the front desk and said.

"Excuse me, where could I find Yun Fang please?" I asked.

The woman looked at me, surprised for a second before answering.

"Her office is just down the hall," she said.

"Thanks," I told her making my way at the direction she had pointed out, with Vanille following after me and sure enough, I saw a desk reading Fang`s name off of it and the bronze skinned girl looked up at our appearance in surprise.

"Claire, Vanille what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I want to talk to you about something," I told her, "If that`s okay."

The green eyes stared at me for a few seconds before standing up.

"Follow me," she said, "You too Vanille."

We all made our way into a room and Fang closed the door behind her, before turning toward us.

"Okay, what is it that you wanted?"

"Ghost is starting to make his move," I told her, "He escaped from the Ark and he is causing trouble in Eden."

"So he escaped eh," Fang said looking down, "What`s PSICOM is planning to do?"

I sighed.

"Whatever PSICOM know how to do best…do whatever it takes to track down and kill Ghost, but they are flying in blind. I, however, know someone that might be aware of Ghost`s plans."

Fang watched me surprised.

"Who?"

"His name is Manuel Gerrost," I said.

Fang actually frowned.

"That small time drug dealer?" she said.

"Yes, Ghost was using him to contact Vanille`s Dad for blackmail money," I told her, "He might be aware of their plans somehow, and I wanted your help to track him down."

Fang frowned to herself.

"I know where he usually hangs out," she said, "We might find him quickly if we move fast."

"Okay."

The two of us made our way out of the room followed by Vanille.

"What should I do?" she asked.

"You can head back home," Fang told the girl, "I`ll visit you later."

The orange haired girl smiled at her before nodding and I followed Fang toward her car which was parked on the other side of the parking lot. We both got inside and then drove off, with speed aiming toward where we could find Manuel.

The man might not know anything about what Ghost is planning, but I couldn't let that chance pass in between my fingers after all.

We reached a bar place by the look of it and Fang stepped out of the car.

"This is where he hangs out?" I asked her.

"Yep," she said walking forward, "Be ready to run after him…he gets kind of jumpy when the OSR is asking for him."

I nodded and we both stepped inside the room.

It was a strip club.

We walked straight through the club. They were women dancing upon the poles upon some well placed stages around the area and the men in the place gathered around, whistling and cheering at a busty blonde bombshell who was sensually dancing in the middle of the club. Fang made her way straight toward the bar and the bartender looked at her.

"Need drink ladies," he asked, giving us a wink.

"Maybe some other time," Fang answered easily, "We`re looking for Lil Rod, you`ve seen him around here lately?"

The bartender seems to think.

"Yea…he was just there a minute ago," he said, "He might be in the VIP lounges so just check there."

Fang gives him a nod and walked off, and I followed after her.

"Lil Rod?" I repeated.

"That`s his street name," Fang told me.

We reached some stairs at the end of the club which by the wall showed VIP in broad letters with a bouncer standing guard there. When he noticed us approaching, he made to stop but Fang flashed him her badge and the bouncer simply stood aside.

"Say, you`ve seen Lil Rod today?" Fang asked.

"He is upstairs…room 7," he answered simply.

We walked up the stars and into the second floor as the music from the floor below were not as loud as it was before. We reached the room with the number 7 and Fang threw the door open, her gun in her hand.

It was a relatively normal room safe for the moving sheets and the moans of pleasures that were coming from the bed in front of us. Fang shook her head before walking forward, throwing the sheets off the couple.

The two were butt naked with the woman beneath him and the man turned around.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he yelled.

"Pleasure time is over Manuel," Fang said to him.

The woman which had her breasts hanging about quickly removed herself from beneath him and threw on a bathrobe upon her naked body.

"Really Fang," she said, "Don't you at least know how to knock? I am with a costumer."

Fang gave her a glance.

"Sorry Jill," she said, "Cop business…I'll refund you."

The woman, Jill turned her attention toward me and raised an eyebrow looking at me up and down.

"Who's your friend?" she asked stepping forward, licking her lips.

"Not now Jill, how about you step out of the room," Fang told her, "I need a few choice words with Manuel today."

The woman walked out of the room and I turned my attention toward Manuel who was now dressed in a bathrobe and had an angry look upon his features.

"What do you want now officer Yun," he asked, not keeping his displeasure out of his voice.

I stepped forward drawing his attention toward me.

"Ghost," I said, "What are his plans?"

The man stared at me, before laughing out loud.

"Really, that`s what you want to know?" he asked, "You couldn't at least chose another time to confront me about this, I was in the middle of something…"

"No can do," I told him, narrowing my eyes, "Now tell me what I want to know."

Manuel sighed and turned his attention toward a bottle of alcohol that was on the table and took a sip from it.

"What makes you think I know something?"

"Considering you were doing his bidding not three weeks ago," I snapped at the man, "getting money every year from Dia…doesn't that ring a bell?"

He turned his attention toward me.

"Look, all I did for the guy was pick up the money from the Dia," he said, "I never knew anything about what he was doing…heck, I barely met the man…since we`ve only talk on the phone. He contacted me when he needed me to pick up the money and I did so…that's all."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Now, will you leave me in peace," he asked.

I grabbed the bottle from his hands, surprising him at how fast I moved and broke it upon his head causing the man to yell out in pain as he fall down on the ground.

"What the hell Claire…," Fang started.

"What the fuck Bitch," Manuel yelled, holding his head which had now alcohol and broken glass all over it, "Did you lose your fucking mind?"

"Do you really want me to fucking believe a word you just say," I snarled at the man on the ground in front of me.

He looked toward me and I can see blood dripping from his head.

"I told you the truth you crazy bitch," he said, "I don't know anything about his plan."

"Bullshit," I yelled.

He had his eyes narrowing in anger.

"I swear to Etro I don't know his plan," he said, "I swear…"

I glared at him.

"You still don't want to talk…I don't know what Ghost paid you to keep your mouth shut, but you`re going to talk you hear me?"

"But I don't know anything," Manuel yelled.

Okay, he asked for it.

I turned toward Fang.

"Give me your gun."

The woman stared at me.

"Claire…,"

"Give me your gun Fang," I told the woman, leaving no room for arguments.

She continued to stare at me before pulling out the weapon from her waist and handing it toward me. Then I turned toward Manuel on the ground, taking the safety off and cocked it before kneeling down to his level pulling out my SPICOM badge.

"You see this," I asked him drawing his attention toward the badge, "This is a I can do whatever the fuck I want and get away with it badge, so you better start talking before I start to demonstrate how that work."

He looked scared shitless at me but he was still trying to act brave.

"Fuck it, I will sue you," he said, "You don't have the authority."

BLAM!

Manuel yelled out in pain as the bullet tore through his leg causing him to clutch it.

"FUCKING BITCH, YOU SHOT ME?" he yelled, "You broke my leg."

"There is over 200 bones in the human body," I told him, my voice as cold as ice, "That`s one."

"Goddamn it," Manuel said, holding the leg I just shot at.

"Claire, what are you doing?" Fang said.

"He knows something," I told her, "And I will break every bone in his body for him to tell me what he knows."

I aimed the gun toward his other leg.

"Feel like talking yet?" I asked.

"Okay…okay…don't shoot," he yelled, "Fuck…I`ll talk…don't shoot."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Start talking."

"I don't really know much," he said, "B…But he did mention something about Eden…"

"What?" I asked pressing the gun against his leg.

"He…He had been placing stuff in the city for the past two years," he said, "He said…he was going to recreate an event from years ago…I don't know what…He simply said whatever he is going to do to Eden is going to scar the world forever."

Ghost`s plan revealed...?

Hope you have enjoyed the read.

Jacques0 out.

R&R.