Author Notes: Thanks again! Here is Chapter Three that will introduce the main character that everyone is waiting for.
Please enjoy! (I feel like this was one of the hardest chapters to write because I had envisioned one way to introduce this guy. However, it turned out like this.) I have also been experimenting, trying to make shorter paragraphs than longer ones. I wonder if this style is better not...
I am sorry if this two month late! I have been busy at work (I work six days a week), appointments are eating up my free time, and I am only allowed one day to do the things I love which are right now writing on my music blog. Hopefully, since summer vacation is coming up soon, I can devote more time to this series.
Enjoy!
Tess couldn't believe it; another beast attack! Maybe it wasn't right; maybe Officer Hogan jumped to conclusion too soon. She only heard of the crime's facts over the phone from someone else's accounts of the crime scene. How could they be sure it was a beast attack if they didn't see physical evidence yet?
Her mind kept on racing while she hurried to her to the desk to get her police cruiser's keys, pen and paper, her phone, and maybe a couple of Advils to relieve this mounting headache. She shouted out to her new partners in a hasten tone, "Reyes, Downer, and Conrad! We need to go! Gather your things and meet me downstairs in the lobby in 5 minutes!". Completely absorbed with the process of getting ready, Tess had no time to talk or even look at her desk mate as she spoke up.
"Tess, what is wrong?" Cat said with a puzzled look and her voice full of concern. "Look, Cat. I have to go right now. I will explain later," Tess mindlessly said as she headed towards the elevator. I keep my word with that good-for-nothing ADA that I would not tell anyone, Tess thought, even to my best friend, the one person is who is significantly affected. She scurried inside the evaluator right after it pinged to signal that it was going to open its doors. She couldn't look at Catherine at this moment. It was the best thing to do.
Deep pain.
A feeling that woke him up from his slumber. He groggily opened eyes, trying to come back to his sense.
Where am I? The mysterious man mentally asked as he surveyed his surroundings, What am I doing sleeping in a park during broad daylight?
He examined every part of his body, seeing if there were any injuries. This mysterious man had terrific physiques; he had a buzz-cut hair style, chocolate eyes, and hair, a very lean body with well-toned areas, and looked he had a height of 5 foot 9 inches, a perfect size. His eyes wander first over the tattoos on his left upper arm he had acquired somehow and then down to his hand.
He noticed something red and like a liquid all over his fingers. Wait!, he wondered as he drew his hand near his nose, What is this? It can't be. He smelled it to see if his fears were wrong. Somehow, he recognized the coppery smell as his eyes widened.
Blood! It's blood! He gasped, How in the hell did I acquire blood on my hands? He sat up and examined his hands thoroughly.
What happened? Whose blood is it? When did it happen?
All these questions encircled his mind as he tried to comprehend the situation. Recently, he seemed more and more confused as the mysterious man experienced blackouts over an unknown period. He couldn't recall what he was doing or where he was during this time. He also felt that he couldn't control his actions or thoughts during these blackouts.
It all started when he escaped the only place he knew, an underground laboratory. He didn't remember life before living there, a place that was so dark and hazardous that nobody could called it a "home sweet home." There, He stayed in a chained cage, only permitted to leave if the scientist had done their experiments on him. Most of the time, he wouldn't be conscious for these "projects," as the scientist there called it, as he was either under the influence of anesthesia or that he would experience a mysterious blackout.
Whenever he had these blackouts, he felt like there was another thing living inside of him, trying to take over. He determined that it couldn't be a person as this "thing" didn't seem to feel like it was a human. It felt more like a monster lacked human emotions. This thing also needed something. The mysterious man couldn't pinpoint what exactly was this need. He tried to ask the examiners in that wretched place. But he would never get the exact answers.
Maybe that's what this thing wants; the mysterious man pondered as he stood up to find a public sink to wash his hands, Maybe he wants to know who he is and that is everything all right. Maybe it needs human contact. During his time in that dungeon, he never indeed received an actual confirmation that everything was ok. Most of the staff's smiles were fake ones, complimenting on their successful experiments.
"You did a great job there today," one of the female scientists of African descent beamed while he was lead back to a cage, "Today's testing was a success. Thanks to your participation, you are helping to make a better tomorrow."
Helping to make a better tomorrow? What does that exactly mean? How in the hell is the other part, this monster inside of him, was making the world a better place?
He found a public bathroom a few minutes later and washed his hands, careful to not leave any evidence of blood. After he was satisfied with the cleanliness of his hands, he turned off the water and wiped his hands on his jeans. Just as he finished drying his hands, he sensed that he wasn't alone in the park.
"Hey Gabe, we came as soon as we could," a voice, that the mysterious man perceived it be a female voice, pierced through the park's tranquility. He turned his head slightly around to see where that voice came from. But it wasn't just one person he saw! What he saw was a group of police officers near the benches, a couple of feet away from the bathrooms. Panicking, the guy hid in one the stalls, ignoring the putrid smell coming from the toilets. He crept behind the walls near the entrance, trying to spy on the cops' activities.
"Hey Gabe, we came as soon as we could," Tess shouted as she came up to the crime scene with Detectives Reyes, Downer, and Conrad. There, Gabe was standing by the yellow tape that decorated the crime scene, holding a conversation on his iPhone.
"I don't care about the other cases, this one takes precedence," Gabe argued impatiently over the phone, "Tell Medical Examiner Banks that he has thirty minutes to get ready to examine this body. And, he has until five o'clock this evening to hand in the final report. That is not a request; it's an order." Gabe hung up the phone, shoving it into one of his coat pockets. He turned and gave a faint smirk at the four detectives who were waiting for his lead.
"I am glad to see that some parts of the NYPD still have a sense of promptness when they receive an order," Gabe complained as he gestured them to follow as they approached the restricted area. They stopped in front of a body, which was covered with a white cloth. Gabe gazed at the scene for a second and then turned his attention to the group as he spoke, "I am sorry that your commanding officer is not here to do his job. However, we arrived straight away after we heard reports of a "beast"-like the attack. I am hoping that you can relay your findings to Commanding Officer McKnight later.
"I am now going to show the body to the latest victim. I want you to use your knowledge of the beast attacks of last spring and try to find any connections or differences. Hopefully, the medical examiner will examine this quickly. Are you ready?" The others nodded as Gabe knelt down next to the body, pulling the white cloth slowly.
The sheet revealed a disfigured body that resembled somewhat of a young, petite female. But it was hard to tell as the flesh was severely managed. There were reminds of what seemed to be a sports bra and jogging pants. But, it was hard to exactly say as the clothing was either covered in lots of blood or torn apart beyond recognizing.
A young woman was jogging in the park during her morning routines, Tess jotted her thoughts in a white mini-notepad. However, it is too soon to jump to conclusions as the body is poorly managed and hard to identified. It looks like whatever attacked her was an animal or a thing that caused severe damage throughout the victim's body. Won't be surprised if the stuff hit an organ, killing her instantly or letting her bleed out. Don't know what is the motive just yet.
Tess continued to jot down more notes about the surroundings in her notebook. As soon as she finished up the last thought, she sensed another person watching her somewhere nearby. She froze, using her police senses to see what would be that person or thing's next moves. However, that feeling suddenly disappeared as it felt like that thing had instantly stop watching her. Maybe it was nothing, Tess thought as she walked towards the park's public restroom area, I probably imagine things.
However, she let her guard too soon as she began to hear rustling from the nearby shrubs. The noise got louder and louder as she proceeded to her destination. Tess placed her hands on her gun, ready to use if she needed the protection.
All the sudden, the good-looking mysterious man suddenly popped out from the bushes, trying to run away. He didn't see where he was going when he collided with Tess hard, causing both of them to fall on the pavement with a small thump. None of the officers nearby took noticed of the incident as both parties didn't cause any ruckus that could peel anyone from the current investigation going on.
Tess massaged her forehead as she stood up slowly. She squinted her eyes a bit as she tried to look at the guy who ran into her. "Are you ok?" Tess asked, "Do you need to go to a hospital or something?" She offered her hand to the dark-haired, good-looking man who was coming to his senses as well.
"Naaah, I am ok," the man reassured while standing up, refusing any help from Tess. He turned his eyes towards her to see if she was doing ok too. That was when he heard a gasp escape from the tall, brown-haired woman.
"Vincent...?"
"Who...?"