Good evening everyone :) Hope your all okay, so here is the new chapter. Now this one was originally double the length but I have split it in half as I felt it was better to do so in regards to the plot. Anyway as such it won't be long before I next update. So I hope you enjoy it as usual, thankyou for all the supporting reviews I get as usual too lol, please keep them coming...

Enjoy it and review, thankyou :) x


'There's been an aggressive assault at the FBI base that's stationed near Connecticut.'

'Who's involved?' Belle began,

'The agent I've spoken too doesn't know, all he knows is that there's a possible fatality, and Agent Fentran is thought to be missing.'

'If Fentran is involved, I need to find out all Manning knew about Agent Johnson…and what he found out about my Father' Belle replied.

'Right you go to the hospital and find out what you can, then follow us to the main base. It's located in New Haven which is a forty five minute drive on average…its six hundred state street…'

'I'll make it quicker,' Belle assured him,

"You'll need a code to get through security, use 01827440. It'll then do an identity confirmation before allowing you through…'

'What was the shot range thought to have been made when we we're called to Belle's home?' Abe asked, carefully wording it.

'We're not sure,' Clay responded frowning, when he then turned to Belle.

'Would you like me to come with you Belle?' Abe offered knowing her distaste for hospitals at the best of times, though she declined.

'Go with Clay, you might be needed if they need to find out what's happened exactly,' Belle responded,

'Please be careful then in going alone…'

'I will.'

Leaving for the hospital, Abe and Clay had seen Belle off, knowing that the evidence they had found was possibly their most vital, though with something sparking off at the FBI's main base, they also knew danger may be around the corner…

'Agent Manning!' Belle exclaimed going into his hospital room in a hurry, startling the former superior of the BPRD.

'Belle what are you doing just coming in like-'

'Tom, please; I don't have time, I need to know what you found at that night before you were shot.'

'Only confirmation of what you already knew that the marks matched…but there was something else with your Father's body…'

'What?' she asked tensely,

'Your Father…he's not human in appearance Belle…his body is still a wolf. We all saw him get shot but because of requiring to test his DNA which hadn't been forwarded for your approval…-as it was initially sent to Mrs. Lucivia who isn't responding- they've listed the information of his identity as inconclusive…'

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, with all her initial plans of getting "in and out" as quickly as possible being brought to a sudden stop, she looked down to her lap with her gaze glass-like as she fell silent. Feeling the bed shift as Manning sat up, she heard him speak in a way that sounded more genuine than she'd ever heard before. 'Sorry' he remarked apologetically, Belle glancing up as she shook her head.

'No…I needed to know what was really happening…but I just wanted this all to stop. Losing my Father has been difficult enough with all these complications, and weeks on there's just more problems unsolved.' It was then however Belle's locator caught her attention again, Hellboy trying to call her. 'I'd best get going; I'm needed at the FBI base…'

'Why what's going on?'

'There's been some kind of assault, I don't know all the details, but we're needed there…' she remarked, 'besides Fentran's presumed missing, so something's definitely wrong.' Though as she went to leave, Manning stopped her… 'Don't worry security will be tightened for you,' Belle remarked in answer to his question.

Though as she walked down the corridor, something struck her, sending Belle running back to Manning's room… 'What was the range of the gun estimated at when my Father was…shot…?' Belle asked, Manning looking at her for a moment, the mind reader seeing him sift through his memories trying to remember the information.

'About two hundred yards but why would that-' he started though as quickly as she had arrived Belle had gone again, her thanks ringing in his thoughts as she departed. After going to see security and handing in information on Agent Fentran, Belle was quick to contact Abe as she got out of the hospital. 'Abe have you left the Forensic Lab?'

'No we were just about to why, what did you find out?'

'That the gun which shot my Father was estimated at managing two hundred yards to shoot him. Can that handgun which was used to shoot Fentran manage that distance…?'

'…I…Yes,' he confirmed, 'we would have to have somebody test that range but I don't doubt it could manage that if shot by someone who had the right training.'

'Like an FBI agent,' Belle agreed; the two on the same wavelength.

'Are you leaving the hospital now?'

'Yes,'

'We'll be right behind you; naturally I can't stay much longer without chance of being seen, so Clay will inform them of the distance to be tried.'

'Okay…'

'Are you alright though Belle?'

'Yes I'm fine, just feeling a little…overwhelmed I guess.'

'It'll be okay, we'll see you soon, my love,'

'Goodbye Abe,' she replied, 'I love you...' she breathed softly, his words a comfort to her as she got in the car.

Sitting back for a moment, Belle looked out over the dark skies, taking in what she had learnt, before starting up her Mercedes and leaving the car park at an even speed without a second thought. Driving came naturally to Belle, the speed she maintained following the laws on the main roads until –instead of going via the motorway- she pulled off down the country lanes, where her speed was unrestricted and drove swiftly towards New Haven. Being unaware of what she would find upon arriving at the FBI's base, Belle's locator interrupted her trail of thought, the water controller seeing that someone was trying to contact her.

'Belle where are you?'

'Just leaving Connecticut, I'm on my way to New Haven where the FBI is stationed.'

'Is Abe with you?'

'No, he's with Agent Clay. I left them at the Forensic Lab but they should be on their way to New Haven as well why?'

'I can't get hold of him or Clay; we didn't think you knew about what was happening with the FBI…So I take it your near then?'

'Close enough, will you follow?'

'Yeah Myer's came to watch the kids twenty minutes ago. We'll be there in half an hour. According to Johann it's a mess over there. He'll probably meet you before we do.'

'Well we'll soon find out for ourselves how bad it is,' Belle replied frowning.

'Yeah action never misses us by much does it?'

'Apparently not,' she replied sighing. 'Why didn't you ring my mobile?'

'I did...no answer.' Frowning as she looked around her car and glancing at her bag, Belle realised that she had left it over at the Forensic lab.

'If you get hold of Abe, can you ask him to get my phone please?' she then asked, Hellboy chuckling as he agreed.

'I'll see you both soon then?'

'Yeah see ya Belle.'

Arriving at the FBI base she had been given the address for, Belle was surprised at the style of the building. It stood in four parts, each structured on the walls with blacked out glass, presumably one way. Getting closer, she noted how the walls surrounding were masked with metal from behind, the entrance way a sealed off gate with a code entry device opening to her as she approached. Getting out to dial in the code, Belle had been surprised when the machine moved out of place, a lens coming before her eye flashing a picture and bringing her profile on screen, granting her admittance. Driving her car right up to the front entrance, Belle quickly parked up, an ambulance standing open and empty outside. Mounting the white marble stairs and into the entrance, Belle was amazed at the size of it. High standing ceilings with bright lights overlooked the entrance, agents going in and out with some at quicker paces than others. Feeling many eyes on her as she walked through herself, her heels clicking lightly against the marble floor, she quickly noticed Johann approaching her. 'Agent Lucivia, good, iz Agent Sapien and Former Agent Clay not vith you…?'

'No, they should be arriving momentarily, so what's happened?' Belle asked.

'Agent Fentran's office has been ripped apart. Ve are trying to find out vat exactly happened, his secretary vas attacked and iz quite disturbed by ze experience.'

'I can imagine,' Belle replied sympathetically.

Being led up to Fentran's office, Belle and Johann took the glass lift many agents watched them as she passed. 'Zey are curious az no von is being admitted access to ze higher floors.'

'Ah…' Belle replied; certain that wasn't the only reason for their gazes. Though thinking about what she was about to send herself into, Belle decided it would be best to find out what she could.

'Johann, when did this happen?' Belle asked looking at him with concern etched across her features.

'It vas done in ze early hours of zis morning, vhy do you ask?'

'I was curious to know how he'd managed to slip out when there are so many here...but I guess it's not impossible,' she breathed, Johann about to question her when the lift came to a stop, the doors opening to reveal a corridor that was anything but quiet. Walking out of the lift and being led down the left hand side Belle and Johann were met by three Agents, all clearly ones that worked out on the field, their ages being in their young twenties. 'Agent Krauss,' they nodded, 'and…'

'Agent Lucivia,' Johann said in introduction, the agents showing some signs of recognition at the name.

'Belle's fine,' she started, though the Agent's didn't seem to acknowledge it as they led them towards Fentran's office, stopping as they neared the corner.

'What you're going to see isn't a good sight, so if you think it may be too distressing then-'

'Trust me, you have no idea some of the things myself and my friends have seen,' Belle remarked, the Agent nodding as they were taken around.

'You vill be required to leave your gloves on if anything iz to be touched Agent Lucivia,' Johann requested.

'Of course,' she nodded, the agents now leading them into the office that had belonged to Agent Fentran. Walking inside, Belle wasn't expecting the level of damage and wreckage that awaited her. Glass and papers littered the floor as they carefully stepped through, belle feeling shards of glass breaking under her feet. The desk that had been stood towards the back yet central in the room was simply tossed aside, all that had been lay on it now scattered on the dark carpet. Kneeling down and trailing her gloved hand over the phone line on the floor, Belle's amethyst eyes followed it to the wall, where the surrounding fixtures had been ripped from the socket. Standing up again Belle then glanced over to the FBI agents outside the room, and then to Johann who was facing her direction. 'It iz a very bad case of damage vouldn't you agree Agent Lucivia?'

'How could someone have done this?' she questioned aloud, walking over to the viewing point that allowed them to see over the entire workstation when something caught her eye. In the window she looked through, a sweeping line moved around the glass, the marks claw like as if someone had dug their nails through it. Seeing the blood which smeared over the deep marks in the glass, Belle was hesitant to put her hand out and touch the surface. 'You said Agent Fentran's secretary had been attacked. Where is she?'

'She's been taken down to the medical rooms on the lower floor, some of her injuries vere very extensive.'

'Has she said anything?'

'She von't speak to anyone. She's in shock,'

'Perhaps I can speak to her,' Liz's voice spoke out, Belle looking past to see her at the door with Red beside her.

'Talk about your drastic mood swings,' Hellboy commented looking around the room.

'How did you get here so fast?' Belle asked,

'We just made good time,' he shrugged, a slight grin playing on his lips, Belle certain they must have excelled some speed.

'If you wish to speak with Fentran's secretary, then you can try, though I doubt it will be a successful attempt,' one of the younger Agents said coming in.

'I've been traumatized a lot in my life, I think I can help,' Liz replied certain of what she was doing.

'Then I'll take you down there,' the Agent nodded, 'she'll be taken to the hospital unless we go now though.' So following him back out of the office, Hellboy was left with Belle to search the office.

'So what are we looking for?'

'Anything to suggest what Fentran's been doing,' Belle responded. 'If there's something to find it'll be here...'

'Right,' he sighed, 'this could take a while...'

After starting to move through the destroyed office piece by piece, the two had worked with little conversation until Belle decided to ask something which had been bothering her. 'Hellboy...did you speak to Abe?'

'No, couldn't get hold of him, then when I finally got an answer it was Clay.'

'It's just I'd have thought that they would get here sooner.'

'Clay said they would be delayed. They were testing the model of gun used to shoot Manning. They want to see if the distance between your Father and his shooter was a reachable limit with that gun, and Abe's the guy to do it, not that he admits it but he's a good marksmen.'

'Oh...yes I rang after Manning told me the length that-'

'It could make the distance Belle,' Hellboy said looking at her. 'I've dealt with a lot of guns and any FBI Agent trained in shooting could manage it.'

'You think it's the same person?'

'I don't know, the same gun wouldn't surprise me though...' he remarked, Belle listening as she searched the remainder of some files on the floor.

'Were there no security camera's in here?' Hellboy asked an Agent who he'd apparently worked with before, the Agent shaking his head.

'None which are accessible to us. Fentran insisted against security cameras in his office, though its FBI procedure to have some monitoring of every room in the building.'

'So what monitoring do you have?'

'Voice recorded footage,' Belle suddenly remarked, the Agent looking at her perplexed.

'How did you…'

'She's like Abe,' Hellboy cut in lightly,

'Oh another psychic,' he said in understanding,

'So what is it exactly that was recorded?'

'Everything, it's been in effect since day one, I can take you down to the office where all the footage is kept. Considering the damage we have a warrant for searching through the footage.'

'Oh yeah that's gonna be helpful,' Red replied rolling his eyes. 'You'll just hear the trashing of the place.'

'Yes but voices are recognisable,' Belle pointed out.

'Fair enough, you want me to go listen to this? You'll probably get more out of the stuff left here right?'

'Actually I'd rather-'

'Agent Steele!' called a voice as a younger field Agent came in, clearly short of breath.

'What is it Andy?'

'We've just had a call; Agent Fentran has been sighted by an Agent who was on his way to the Bridgeport base. He's at North Haven waiting for instruction.'

'Right tell him to follow Fentran and not to lose sight of him, we'll send out the back-up team now.'

'I'll go with you guys, Fentran puts up a fight over nothing anyway, so if he's got a reason you'll need more than a few back-up agents,' Hellboy remarked, Agent Steele looking at him and nodding. 'Will you be alright here Belle?' Red then continued glancing back to her.

'Yes, I've got other Agents here if I need any help.'

'Alright then, let's get this over with,' Hellboy concluded, Belle being left alone in the room again when she came across something she didn't expect to find...a file bearing the name "Lucivia." Going out of the room and into the corridor, Belle sat down and began to flick through the pages, finding factual information on all other family. The details however focused primarily on Glenna, Harold and herself. Reading through the noted information, Belle was surprised by what was contained within the files pages. It detailed every aspect of her family's lives going back many years...though that was when she began to see a pattern. Going back to the first pages, Belle searched for anything to give an insight into when it was formed, and there on the corner she found it... "October 1989"

'Twenty years ago...' she breathed her eyes widening at the discovery...

Being led down into the medical rooms, the security permitted Liz access who –as she approached- overheard the presumed secretary refusing help. 'Just leave…please!' she said desperately.

'You have ten minutes but if she wants you out then-'

'I understand,' Liz nodded, walking into the room to find a young woman sat on a table in the centre, the white lights reflecting brightly…almost uncomfortably as Liz heard the door close behind her. Stepping forward with enough distance maintained, the girl looked up slightly her make-up smeared and her light eyes looking solemn.

'I told everyone to leave. What do you want?'

'I don't,' Liz began calmly, the secretary watching her with the faintest hint of surprise in her features at Liz's response.

'What?'

'I'm not here to question you or tell you something you don't want to hear. If you want me to leave then it's fine. I understand. Because I've been in your position…a victim who did her best to do the right thing…and still being blamed for it anyway…' Waiting for a moment as the silence fell between them Liz had been about to leave when the secretary spoke again.

'You're the first to treat me like I have a choice. No one else understands. They don't even seem to know how to talk to me…'

'I know that feeling. I've had it.'

'What's your name?'

'I'm Liz,' she responded, seeing the young lady sit up fully from her hunched position. Her clothes were dishevelled, the right sleeve of her jacket torn, and her skirt ripped at the hem. With her features being so pale and numerous bruising noticeable and cuts around her face and neck, her shoulder having a deep cut through it, Liz felt the girl was better sat down, being uncertain of her physical stability.

'So what's your name?'

'My name is Maria,' the secretary responded, her voice seeming to calm a little as she moved a loose piece of her ash blonde hair which had fallen forward, her hair untamed and ragged. 'You don't seem like any normal FBI agent.'

'I'm not exactly,' she answered honestly. 'I've worked with the FBI, not always by my own choice necessarily but we're here anyway. We've seen Fentran's office...'

'Please don't say his name,' Maria choked weakly.

'I'm sorry...you don't have to answer me, but what did he do to you?'

'Attacked me...beat me...' she breathed, unable to look at Liz as she spoke. 'H-he was so brutal, he'd asked me to come in, and he locked the door...at first he was strangely calm, but then he went into a strange state, his eyes seemed to go out of focus, and that was it. He nearly raped me. But I was just getting closer to passing out all the time. I knew of his temper but I never thought...' she remarked trailing off as she began to sob. Walking over and standing beside Maria, Liz thought back for a moment as she leant against the table, remembering the emotions she felt after the times she had lost control of her flames.

'Listen,' she finally began. 'Right now you need to let the doctors see you, and help you because being in pain both emotionally and physically is needless. Just make sure that you let those who care for you look after you. Because trust me if you don't, you'll find it difficult to accept what's happened.

'You act like you understand me so well,' Maria sighed, still looking at her hands, Liz shaking her head.

'No, I just know what it's like to try and hide away when something so bad happens. I've seen my friends and my fiancé go through it.'

'You have?'

'Yes, it's awful to see, because you want to do all you can to help. When my friend Belle lost-'

'Belle?' Maria said suddenly looking up, Liz seeing that something was wrong.

'Yes?'

'What is her last name...how do you know her?'

'Lucivia and she worked with me in the BPRD...why?'

'Oh God...' Maria began, Liz urging her to speak as the secretary now turned to her seriously. 'You have to listen to me; Belle Lucivia is in grave danger...'


So as a lot of you will have noticed the plot is getting a lot darker now, and though Maria is alive, things are getting more dangerous. Sorry for the short romance in this one...slightly shown but not a lot I know...not normal for me lol.

A lot of questions soon to be answered, please review and I shall be updating in the next few days...

Goodnight!

~x-xMasqueradeAngelx-x