Hey guys! Sorry for being late I had a lot of work to do for university and outside of university. I can't tell you how happy I am to just get this chapter done. Anyway, if you need a reminder of the previous chapters, I'll write a short plot of what has happened:
Previously... Lucas Morningstar, the son of the Devil himself, was enjoying himself at a beach party before he discovered a dead body on a beach, Jason who went to his school. Before then, Lucas thinks he saw a ghost or a very peculiar creature who was there at the beach party, the Mysterious Woman. Meanwhile, his parents, Lucifer and Chloe Morningstar are investigating the beach case while Lucifer asked Maze to track down this Mysterious Woman but the demon couldn't find any trace of her nor could Maze sniff out what the Mysterious Woman actually was.
And for now, please enjoy this chapter...
Chapter 3
Lucas woke up with a huge headache and sureness that spreads around his chest like he was being sat on. Staring at the naked ceiling with cold emptiness in his eyes as Lucas' mind was still filled with haunting images from the beach. The dead body of Jason laying so still on the sand and small but sharp rocks, and dark blood spread across the side of his head. His blank couldn't make up a decent theory on why someone would want to murder Jason.
His parents advised him to stay off his phone or anything that involves online social media, worrying that the press would increase the painful arches that flooded his mind. However, curiosity and temptation got the better of him and therefore Lucas grabbed his phone from the side table next to his bed and typed Jason's name on Google then already there are lots of news reports on his death. Afterwards, Lucas searched on Twitter about Jason's death and there was a myriad of tweets that people have affectionately said about Jason.
'Poor Jason.'
'May he rest in Peace.'
'All sympathies to the family.'
Lucas happily smiled at how lots of people, mainly the students from his school, have shared their thoughts and condolences about Jason's death. Until, he rolled down to read more but suddenly stopped when his wondering eyes found some other comments that weren't talking about Jason, but Lucas himself.
'That guy was there with the dead body first.'
'I think Lucas was part of Jason's death.'
With all his willpower, Lucas wanted to pull away from reading the insolent comments, because after each word it was like fell into a new reality of people's opinions on a different perspective of Lucas as a suspicious suspect. Lucas couldn't believe the things people were saying, he tried to remind himself that these are just people's opinions, but they were their honest thoughts. He scrolled down again and again and read more where each word was like pins that sharply strikes through his heart painfully slowly.
'Freaking how he was there first before the rest of us.'
'Why isn't he being questioned?'
'Bet he'll get away because his parents are cops.'
CRACK!
A loud rustle echoed as Lucas broke out from a trance, after shaking his head, he looked down and realised there were lots of cracks formed on the centre of his phone screen, caused by the strength in his hand from the celestial genre that runs through his veins. Lucas cursed, "Shit."
"Breakfast!" his mum's voice was called through the bedroom door. In a panic, Lucas shoved his cracked phone under his pillow in case his mum decides to walk in and spotted his cracked phone. In a rush, Lucas jumps out of his bed and picked the nearest clothing. He slipped in a black, leather jacket with a grey shirt underneath and then a pair of blue jeans. Raised his right hand and used it to comb his black hair and straighten it back over his overwhelmed head.
Once he was ready, Lucas took out his cracked phone from beneath his pillow and hid it in his jacket side pocket before he walked out of his bed with a fake smile to hide his distressing emotions. The kitchen blooms brightly with the sunlight shining through the window walls. His mother, Chloe, was already in the kitchen dressed in a black floral blouse with a pair of light blue jeans, and the waves of her straight, blonde hair falling down behind her shoulders.
She stood by the hob before turning around and gracefully grew a wide smile as Chloe walked around the kitchen island and spread her arms welcoming her son into a morning hug. Lucas happily accepts and Chloe wraps her arms around his back and she whispers close to the side of his ear, "Morning, sweetheart."
"Morning mum" Lucas rested his head on his mother's shoulders before his nose sniffed and caught a delicious smell of something cooking on the pan, he peeked over and spotted the toasting bread with cheese in the middle, "Making Decker sandwiches again?"
"I thought it was a good time" Chloe whispered before departing the hug. Lucas caught the feeling of sympathy hinted in her soft voice and could feel the sense of worriedness fluttering through her warm embrace. Chloe gave a quick kiss on Lucas' cheek and leans back to study her son's face as Chloe raised her palms to the side of his cheeks, "You slept okay?"
"Yeah. I slept fine" he positively nodded.
"Lucas, listen" Chloe's hands slithered down to the side of his arms. Lucas knew straightaway that whatever his mum was about to say was serious and about him, so he patiently waited for her concerning suggestion, "I've been talking to auntie Linda and she has kindly offered you some private therapy".
"Oh mum, I've told you, I'm okay" Lucas adamantly cuts in with a small smile that proves to his mother that there is nothing to worry about. Although, if Chloe saw the cracks on his phone that Lucas was hiding in his jacket side pocket, then his mum would say otherwise and Chloe would grow more worried about her son.
"I know, but perhaps give it a try" Chloe spoke in a soft and eloquently tone while gently resting her hands on his shoulders while she stared at her son with her puppy eyes, "For me, anyway."
"You do realise that guilt-tripping doesn't affect on me, right?" Lucas raised a sceptical eyebrow with a 'serious' stare. His mum didn't say anything, yet Lucas could see the pleas printed in her anxious eyes, so Lucas gave up and nodded, "Alright, I'll call her and make a date."
"I'm only thinking of you, Lucas" she purred while trying not to act like an over-protective mother, but how could Chloe not when her son just recently witnessed a dead body.
"I know" Lucas grinned at how caring and supportive his mother was.
Soon, Chloe lets go of Lucas's arms and walk back over to the hob and checks on the Decker sandwich frying o the pan. Lucas sat at the kitchen island and still perfectly held a small smile while hiding the fact that Lucas' stomach still sickly twists whenever he thinks of the dead body on the beach. Sick enough that nearly makes him feel put off his appetite for the traditional Decker sandwich. To avoid the eerie silence Lucas started a conversation on a new subject, "Any leads on the case?"
"Nothing yet. But we will" she answered before Chloe placed the toasted sandwich on a white plate and passes it over to Lucas.
"Thanks mum" his smile grew wider when Chloe handed him over a plate with the traditional Decker sandwich as its warm smell deliciously filed up their noses. Before he could take the first bite, Lucas questioned, "What about Jason's workplace? The 'Los Angeles Wave' news company. Or the 'Organelle' foundation?"
"Unfortunately, I can't leak any of that information about that, sweetie" Chloe shook her head while making herself a cup of latte from a small coffee machine.
"Yeah, I know" Lucas deeply sighed, "But, could you just give me a teeny-tiny hint. Since I did go through a teeny-tiny trauma yesterday."
"Now who's guilt-tripping" Chloe hummed with a raised eyebrow as her son responded with an impudent grin, but it quickly vanished.
Chloe caught the disappointed look on his face with a mixture of regret and sorrow, straightaway, she remembered last night when Lucifer told her that Lucas felt really guilty thinking Jason's death was his fault. Now, Chloe feels really bad seeing her son being sucked into an isolated and unknown situation. Huffed disappointingly to herself as Chloe holds her hot cup of coffee and walks over to the kitchen island where she stands on the opposite side to her son, slowly leaning forward with her ocean-blue eyes focus on her son's face "Lucas, I know you feel bad for what happened and you want to find the truth. But, don't drown yourself in something that wasn't your fault."
Deep down he wanted to let his mum's wise words sink in like medicine that could magically cure his guilty conscience, and he knew it wasn't his position to explore the investigation of Jason's death. But, Lucas was curious to know, no, he had to know because the cluelessness and guilty conscience was devouring him alive like flesh-eating bacteria.
He continued snacking on his sandwich while noticing something missing in his surroundings, Lucas swifts his head side to side before facing his mother with a questionable look, "Is dad coming down?"
"No, he's down at Lux, apparently there's been a pipe burst" Chloe answered as she breathed out the strong scent of caffeine.
Lucas finally finished the last bit of his tasty Decker sandwich before he stands up. As much as Lucas appreciates everything his mum is doing for him, Lucas didn't want to be grounded in the penthouse all day with his mother constantly anxious about her son's well-being. He brainstormed an idea of getting out for some fresh air, maybe meeting up with his best friend or his cousin. "I'm gonna go out for some fresh air. Probably meet up with Faith."
"Oh, that's a good idea. Get some fresh. Talk to some friends, Charlie even" Chloe gaily complimented, because previously she was deeply worried that Lucas was going to lock himself in his room all day. She drank more of her coffee before she added, "Ah, and before I forget, Trixie is coming up this week."
Walked over to the other side of the kitchen where he placed his empty plate near the sink, Lucas paused and reflected a puzzled gaze, "I thought Trix was coming home for about another week"
"Well, she updated her plans. She wanted to see us sooner" Chloe tried to answer in a calm and convincing tone. But, Lucas could read those that half lie as though the truth was written on his mum's face. The only reason Trixie was coming home earlier was that she must have heard the sad news and wanted to check on her little brother.
"Say hi to Faith for me" Chloe reassuringly murmured and kissed the side of his cheek.
"Will do" Lucas smiley replied before walking off unhurriedly out of the kitchen, when Lucas was near the exit he shouted, "Love you, mum."
"Love you too" his mum called back and Chloe was left alone in the kitchen. She tried to hold up a brave smile yet it was already breaking apart as her uneasy depression.
Strolling through the empty hallways till the end of the pathway, Lucas steps inside the elevator and pressed the ground button and watched the doors close in front of his tiring eyes. As much as Lucas admires his parents' support, Lucas desperately wanted to get out of the building and needed some fresh air. The excuse he gave to his mother wasn't exactly true, but he did think it was a good idea, so Lucas pulled out his phone and starts calling Faith. He listens to the ringing for a short while, while concluding an idea that if Faith isn't available today then Lucas could always hang out with Charlie.
"Hello" she answered the call.
Lucas blissfully smiled, "Hey, Faith. I know you might be busy today, but if you are free…"
"No. I'm not busy today" she cuts in.
"Oh, okay" surprised at first, but was replaced with joy seeing that this is what he needs, "So, can you meet up today at Long Beach? The usual spot?"
"Sure, see you in a half an hour?" he felt a smile through her gleeful voice.
"See you then" Lucas ended the call.
In repose, Lucas exhale at a long and sedate pace, pleased that he wasn't going to be alone for the day, others would say that it be helpful to have someone to comfort with. Not a second later, Lucas felt his phone vibrate and saw on his screen the name of the caller 'Maze.'
"Hi Auntie Maze" Lucas answered, half surprised at her unexpected calling.
"Hey, little devil" his demon auntie named him that catchy nickname, "Want to check if you are okay."
"I'm fine" he shortly answered, didn't want to bore her with most of the emotional details so Lucas slightly changed the subject, "How are you and Auntie Eve?"
"We're great. You know the drill, catching bounties, having luxurious nights at clubs and parties" she tittered in a casual and unworried tone.
"Sounds nice" he grinned.
"Hey, I know I'm good with talking emotions, but if you need anything. You know who to call" Maze cracked
"I can always count on my favourite auntie" Lucas replied on a positive note.
Maze chuckled when Lucas announced her as his favourite aunt, "Good for you, kid."
Noticing that he was getting closer to the ground floor, Lucas thought it was time to conclude the call, "I need to go Maze, but I'll talk to you later."
"See you never, kid" Maze finished the call. Admiring how Maze and some of his family are checking on his well-being, however Lucas hopes that this wouldn't lead them to baby him like he's a hopeless little child.
Finally, the elevator reached to the ground floor and the doors split open where Lucas speedily stepped out and entered Lux, the nightclub where it was empty expected he heard some voice echoing down to the bottom floor. Leaning over the barrio where his wondering eye spotted his dad standing by the bar with the bar manager, Donovan and two plumbers. Lucas remembered his mum telling him earlier that his dad was dealing with a pipe bursting down in the bar.
"Can you get this sorted by tonight?" Lucifer requested.
"Yes, Mr Morningstar" Donovan answered as the manager turned and chatted with the two plumbers about the water piping situation.
Lucifer's ear didn't prick up at the sound of footsteps marching down the stairs while Lucas was heading downwards as the son calls out, "Hey dad."
"Morning, son" the devil spin himself around and happily smiled at how Lucas was in good shape and not looking down in the dumps. Lucifer wrapped his arm over his son's shoulders bringing him closer, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay" Lucas tiredly huffed while showing a manful grin, "What's happened down there?"
"Oh, some of the pipes just burst" Lucifer answered as his eyes glance back over the bar counter and Lucas followed, and joked, "Don't want to get another flood on our hands."
The men lightly giggled which pleases Lucifer to see that his son wasn't completely depressed. Lucifer then notice the way his son was dressed like he was ready to take off with his wallet tucked in the side pocket of his jacket, the devil's brown eyes darted up to Lucas, "You're leaving?"
"Yeah, just some fresh air" Lucas answered, "Also, mum told me about auntie Linda."
"Did she?" Chloe was thinking of that idea and explained it to Lucifer last night, he agreed and advised his wife not to forcefully explain it to Lucas, fearing that it would only push their son away from getting help. Lucifer reminded, "You know she's only thinking of you."
"I know. But, mum shouldn't worry too much" he argued as Lucas would feel slightly more guilty for putting his mother in an anxious position.
"It's a mother's job to worry, Lucas, And, it's my job too" Lucifer
"Well, you shouldn't. I'm not that broken from the trauma" Lucas objected, beneath his calm voice Lucas was trying to hold back his vexation at people cuddling him and being treated like he was like a lost little puppy.
Lucifer could sense that irritated feeling vibrating from his son, and instead of saying something that sounds over parenting, Lucifer repeated the only advice he passed over before, "Yes, well remember what I said last night. If you need to talk…"
"I'll come to you" Lucas ended his dad's sentence which deeply pleases Lucifer to know that his son remembered his welcoming guidance from last night. Without further ado, Lucas didn't want to stick around and wished to leave to start his day, so he gradually walked away not before he waved goodbye, "See ya later, dad."
"Bye Lucas" Lucifer waved goodbye as he watches his son wander off towards the stairs again. Once his son was facing the other way, Lucifer's proud smile slowly faded as the devil sadly sighed to himself, "And, I thought kindergarten was bloody tough."
He was steady, tired, but still steady to drive as Lucas put on his sunglasses and drove his red, t-roc convertible car through the large roads of L.A. Feeling the fast wind waving through his black hair and the cool air brushing against his warm skin. Lucas was in no rush during his journey so he took his time on the road, knowing that his best friend, Faith wouldn't mind waiting as she is a patient soul.
Eventually, Lucas reached the sunny side of Long Beach as he parked in a car park which is next to a clean green area where beyond is the long shore of golden sand. Faith was already waiting for Lucas by a small café while feeling the bright light from the hot sun gently touching the surface of her gorgeous brown skin and shining on her flowing, black hair. Faith was dressed in a dark blue bomber jacket with large appliques in two letters 'L.A' with a white lettuce crop top beneath it, a pair of light blue jeans and fitted her feet in a pair of grey converse shoes.
After turning off the engine and jumping out from his car, Lucas walked along the concrete pathway where he straightaway felt the salty air blewing on his face. Lucas joyfully beamed when he sees his best friend, "Faith!"
"Hey" Faith merrily waved.
Once the friends reconnect, Lucas and Faith walked up to the busy café where there were lots of people standing outside the counter and ordered their cool ice cream van each with different flavours. Lucas had strawberry ice cream and Faith had some vanilla ice cream before they started walking along the green pathway.
Along the pathway, there were three wooden, empty benches resting on the greeny side and on the opposite side is the golden shore, giving the sitters a grand view of the sparklingly, clear ocean. The young kids sat on the middle bench feeling the salty wind breathing on their faces and the sun's hot light beaning on their cool skins. They sat quietly while licking their chilling ice creams while listening to the soft music of the palm trees slowly rocking side to side until Faith broke the quietness.
"How are you?" Faith started. Ever since last night when they talked on FaceTime, Faith has been planning on some small talk conversations, because she didn't want her wrong choice of words to remind Lucas of Jason's death.
"Fine. I guess" he shortly answered before sticking out his tongue and licking the chilling side of his ice cream, until Lucas changed to a low tone, "But, disappointed that no one has found anything on Jason's murder."
"So, no news on the case then?" Faith frowned when she caught the sad look growing on his face.
"No. Not yet" Lucas shook his head.
"I've heard on the school website that they're setting up an assembly for Jason" Faith brings up a more sensitive angle based on the subject of Jason's death.
"When's that?" he asked with a hint of delight in his low voice. Even though Lucas wasn't a close friend of the dead victim, Lucas did feel some relief knowing that the whole school is setting up a memorial for Jason.
"They've emailed us the time and date" Faith informed him of the details, so Lucas took out his phone and tried to search up the school website because of the hard reading on the cracked screen. Already forgotten the fact that Faith is sitting quite closely as she spotted the badly cracked screen on his phone. She loudly gasped loudly, "Shit, what happened to your phone?"
Without responding in an unusual way, Lucas acted casual and rapidly made up an excuse, "Ah… I dropped it."
"From the top floor of your building?" her facetious reply made Lucas chuckle.
"No, it broke after I read some…" the words died out before they could escape from Lucas' dry mouth. He started remembering back to those cruel tweets people have said about Lucas being suspicious of Jason's death and how he's only escaping the curious eyes of the police because his parents are cops. Lucas shook his head and swiftly changed his answer, "Nevermind."
Hoping that the conversation would be dropped at that moment until Faith made an 'o' shape on her mouth as she quickly realised what Lucas was really going to spill, "Oh… You've read the tweets on social media."
"I just can't believe people actually think that" Lucas sadly sighed as he tucked his phone back into her jacket pocket.
Everyday at school, Lucas was seen as a flirter and the one that cleverly deals with quid pro quo and favours. Now, he feels like he will be seen as an eerie suspect who might be involved with a student's murder. The thought of people thinking that Lucas could be a cold-blooded murderer makes his stomach sickly twist into a knot like Lucas could vomit.
"You do know that not everyone in the school actually believes you were responsible for Jason's murder" Faith tried to reshape the conversation by trying to make her friend to see the brighter side.
"But, that also means that there are some people who do believe it" Lucas flips the table around and viewed the situation from the shadowy side.
Argumentative, yet Faith kept a friendly voice to defend her friend, "They don't know what they're saying."
"I was the first one there at the scene" Lucas mentioned one of the points people have been saying on social media as to why they found him suspicious.
"Doesn't mean you're a suspect, though" Faith debated.
"It does to others. When there's a dead body and there was someone next to it. You tend to think that that person has something to do with it" Faith is astounded that Lucas was actually defending the people online who think of him as a mistrustful murder suspect.
"From what I heard, Jennifer said she saw Jason fall out from the cliff above. So, how could you possibly kill him if you were down below?" Faith pointed out from the brief gossip that has been spreading across with the students.
"But, people still think that was I involve" he noted.
"Who cares what they think?"
"I do. I care" the volume of his voice increased to a much-incensed tone.
"Why?"
"Because, I don't want to walk around looking at others while they're thinking 'that's the killer. That's the guy who shot that lad at the beach' And I might be plotting again. And that will escape justice once more only because his parents are cops or that one of them is rich!" he angrily roared.
The words blasted out uncontrollably from his mouth like a volcano spitting out lava and now breathlessly huffing. Faith stayed still and silent knowing it would be unreasonable if they start fighting over nothing, better to let all of that stress out. After realising what he's done, Lucas stuck in a deep breathe and sigh out in shame, "Sorry for shouting. I didn't…"
"It's fine, Lucas. You're angry, it's understandable" Faith didn't give any shit, knowing this was good for Lucas to express his feelings, sad or mad. The bright tone from before fleetly changed into a gloomy atmosphere, enough for Faith to stop tasting her vanilla ice cream as she lowered her hand. "Lucas, I am sorry for what you saw, I really am. But, you got to know that it's not your fault."
"You sort of sound like my mum there" Lucas chuckled like he has been reliving the same moment again.
"Lucas" that serious tone of her voice carried on which lured Lucas' attention back to his friend while Faith glued her stare onto his face, "Promise me you'll remember that. For me."
He senses Faith's brown eyes staring into his as though she was desperately digging for a short yet honest answer from him just to give her some relief. Faith didn't wish for her close friend to suffer nor be stuck in his own dark tar of guilt. Even though this culpable feeling was a thorn in his skin, Lucas vowed to his friend and family that he will try to overcome this niche guilt. After breaking their eye contact for a few silent seconds, Lucas faces her and replies with a sympathetic nod and an auspicious smile, "I promise, I will."
There was a short and quiet pause between them as neither of them know what to say next so Lucas and Faith continued licking their ice creams and watched the beautiful view of the blue seas like they were gazing at a masterpiece of art. While it was hard to talk about the vile tweets that Lucas read earlier, however he felt some relief in releasing all the stress and anger just then, just getting that guilty weight off his heavy chest.
Lucas was trying hard to get his mind off Jason's death but whenever Lucas thinks of something else the subject somehow directs him back to the murder case. Alternatively, Lucas begins thinking of that strange woman he saw at the party before Jason fell to his death. Even the thought of that Mysterious Woman sent cold chills down his spine, yet even now Lucas still doesn't know if that stranger is a ghost or someone who may be involved with the beach murder.
Being the son of the Devil means being part of everything celestial such as knowing that God, angels and demons really do exist. Lucas and Charlie had to hide that part of them from the world and tried to blend with the ordinary, but they also felt alone with their huge secrets. Whenever they wish to discuss something celestial, they had to talk among themselves or within the family.
This makes Lucas wonder if the Mysterious Woman was actually a ghost who he saw on that beach, that would be a more explainable theory, yet ghosts can't speedily disappear from the sighting of a celestial. So, he was still stuck on what the Mysterious Woman could be; if she wasn't a ghost then how could no other human beings could see her.
He remembered his dad used to tell him when Lucas was a little boy that ghosts do exist as Lucifer explains that sometimes, mainly, when a damned soul escapes from their hell loops because of lazy demons and not from overcoming their guilt, those souls get trapped on Earth as ghosts. It doesn't happen much often now because over the years Lucifer has spent in Hell, the Devil made sure that demons were on track on keeping the damned souls in their torturous cells.
Faith was a Catholic her whole life, but she developed an open mind for new and different flavours of beliefs and stories from across the globe. Lucas glanced back at Faith before he nonchalantly asks, "Faith, since you were raised a Catholic. Do you believe in ghosts or spirits or that sort of thing?"
She gawked at Lucas with a baffled look before Faith lightly chuckled, "Sorry, when did we somehow switch from Jason's death to 'do you believe in ghosts' conversation?"
"Well, do you?" he repeated the question.
Taking a short moment to think for herself, Faith answered, "I mean I suppose. I think so. Like there has to be something like spirits and lost souls when people talk about that kind of thing."
"Why bring that up?" she pointed out.
Lucas remembered last night when he told his dad about that Mysterious Woman he saw at the beach, Lucas fell in repose after he revealed the truth instead of lying about it. Feeling unsure now about revealing his suspicions to Faith because she doesn't know the celestial life that Lucas lives in. However, he remembers how Auntie Ella handle the news of the existence of celestial quite well, so Lucas wondered how his best friend would react.
Within that second, he took the long chance and answered, "What if I say I might have seen one at the party before Jason died?"
Puzzled, Faith gazes at him searching for any kind of earnestness on his face yet Lucas didn't seem to be joking as Faith raised her eyebrows, "Seriously?"
"Hmm" Lucas hummed while nodding.
"You're not joking around?" was a stupid question to ask but Faith couldn't tell if he was serious or not.
"No. One moment, I thought I saw her standing still in the middle of the crowd, then the next she disappeared" Lucas explained before licking his ice cream again. His spooky words brought back that eerie moment in his mind and remembered the feeling of the woman's ghostly eyes focusing right on him.
"She?" not to be disrespectful, but mostly when hearing the word 'ghost' just makes people, including Faith herself, think that the ghost is a male.
"Remember during the party, I said did you see someone on an exact spot?" his words draw Faith back to remembering the scene although it was a fainting, dim memory to her as there was a lot going on; the loud music, student dancing and shouting on the beach, and flashlights glittering to their eyes.
"Lucas!" unaware that his name was called from behind as the music rang to his ears and Lucas was too focus on the mysterious woman. He turned to find Faith by his side looking at her friend with a concerned look, "You okay?"
"You saw her right?" Lucas asked, raising his voice as the music was getting louder after every song, while he was scanning around.
"Saw who?" Faith questioned trying to catch his attention.
"A woman! She was here. She was literally right here a second ago" he pointed his fingers down to the location he was standing in.
"Which one?" Faith noted how there were many young ladies around.
"None here. She was in all black! Had a long scarf" Lucas' explains, but Faith looked bewildered, "She was at our school this morning."
"All black? No, sorry" Faith shakes her bemused head wondering why anyone would wear all black in the summer heat.
"And she was…" Lucas wanted to carry on talking but his words suddenly dried out.
"She was what? Lucas?" Faith waited for his finished sentence.
Faith leaned forward to examine the face of her best friend as she watched Lucas's face pause in a disturbing look while he continued, "She was creepy. She didn't seem threatening, but I get chills from that woman."
"Well, ghost or no ghost, hope the police will find her if she is involved" Faith reminded him that it wasn't their job to solve the murder case as she carried on chatting, "Kinda feels like we're part of a Murder Mystery. Like Cluedo."
Her chuckles gradually faded away like Faith's voice was being heard from a far distance, as Lucas lost her words to mind and fell into deep thought. Faith's advice didn't stick well in his head as Lucas was still thinking about the beach murder case and linking it to the Mysterious Woman. The face of the female ghost was still haunting in his baffled mind, feeling like Lucas was trapped in a climax horror film such as 'The Woman in Black.'
In that second, Lucas remembered something that was hidden in the shadows of his mind, he recalls back earlier on that day of the murder when he was arriving at school and the Mysterious Woman was there outside in the car park. Lucas's face paused in realisation and Faith caught that look and asked, "Lucas? You alright?"
"I've got an idea for something" Lucas replied as his hand swoop down to the side pocket of his jacket and pulled out his cracked phone again.
"Tell me it isn't an illegal idea" Faith questioned, after knowing Lucas for years Faith would characterise her friend as a risk-taking and a rebellious kid who likes to squeeze himself through loopholes whenever there's trouble.
"Quite possibly. Give me a second" his half-honest and half-unsure answer didn't exactly satisfy Faith's question, yet she waited to see what he was doing.
Lucas was dialling a number down on his phone "Hey Mark, it's Lucas."
"Who?" the voice on the other line asked.
"Lucas from school."
"Sorry, who?"
"Lucas Morningstar."
"No clue?"
"Well, how many damn Lucas Morningstars do you know?" Lucas raised his voice in frustration.
By his side, Faith passed a displeased look and gaze a death stare at Lucas in which he indignity, whispered back to her and to the caller, "Sorry."
Soon, Mark realise the voice and uttered in a good surprise tone, "Ah, right, Lucas. You alright, man?"
"Listen, remember that I helped you with that bully from 7th Grade. I've got him kicked out. And, you said that you owe me a favour" Lucas bring up the favour he did years ago when they were in middle school.
"Yeah, I remember" he replied.
"Well, I need that favour now please."
"Sure, man. What's up?"
"I'll explain when I meet you. Which leads me to ask this, is chess club still on after school today?" he asked while his finger reached up and scratched the top side of his right eyebrow.
"Yeah. From three to five" Mark answered.
"Great, I'll meet you there. Thanks" Lucas ended the call.
Meanwhile, Faith darted her puzzled eyes down to the cracked phone to Lucas' face, "What do you need Mark for?"
"He is great with I.T. Maybe he could help me with the security cameras at school" Lucas
"At school?" Faith mumbled as her eyes and mouth widened in applied, "Oh no. No, no, no, no. That would be prison time, Lucas."
"It wouldn't be prison time for us" Lucas contested as if the whole idea was no bother to accomplish while standing up and finishing his ice cream.
"Yes, it will!" Faith exaggeratedly yelled while standing up as Lucas' risky idea was swallowing up her confidence, "If we get caught, you would be thrown in with the killers and mobsters and I'll be plunged with psycho women like Orange Is the New Black."
"Faith, that ghostly woman was at our school" Lucas revealed the other half of the truth that he was concealing from Faith as her eyes widen in horror when she received the bombshell, "Tell me, that wasn't a coincidence right before that night when Jason died."
"I don't know, Lucas, because I didn't actually see her at the time" Faith excused.
"Well, we might see her in the cameras. They might have caught her" Lucas explained his plan.
"You really think she was part of what happened to Jason?" Faith questioned his infatuation with ghosts or especially with this female ghost.
"Yes. I don't know how or why? But, I'm going to find out" he vowed in an encouraging tone as he starts walking away down the pathway "You coming?"
"I only came today for you because you needed to talk" with her arms wide out and shouted in a disputatious tone, "Not to break into our own school just to look through some security footage."
Not wishing for to commence a heated argument between them, Lucas walks back to, Faith and repeated his chance of trying to convince her to understand his ideal proposition "Look, Faith, I know it sounds crazy. I really do."
Faith sarcastically chuckled as she rolled her brown eyes, "No shit Sherlock."
"But, I have to know. Even if my parents or the police are looking into it, I just need to know. Because it's driving me crazy. Not because someone died and I slightly feel guilty about it" Lucas divulged in an intense and despairing tone, and Faith as a compassionate Catholic already grew a pity sensibility towards her face. Even though Lucas promised to not partly take the blame for Jason's death.
Word after word, his voice serenely broke down in more misery and sensitive tone, "But, because there was someone else at the beach party who might have been involved with the murder and I was the one who let them slip and got away with it."
Lucas' persuasive words melted her heart and were filled with sympathy, Faith was feeling ambivalent about what to decide yet pressured by Lucas' pleasing stare. In a second, Faith rolled her eyes and quietly grumbled, "For God's sake, fine!"
There and then, Faith began walking in front leaving Lucas standing alone baffled at her sudden reaction until he draws back his will to move his legs and dashed to catch up with Faith. Once, he reached the same level Lucas held a grateful smile, "Thank you"
"You own me big time" Faith rigidly replied while keeping her stare on the pathway up ahead.
"I'll add it to the list" Lucas nodded.
Walking back to his car, Faith sat in the passenger's seat and Lucas was driving out of the parking spot and down through the streets which were half busy. The friends were quiet during their journey for Faith sealed her trembling lips as she was feeling deeply apprehensive about Lucas' perilous plan to expose this 'Mysterious Woman' that he believes was entirely involved in the beach murder. Lucas caught the glimpse of distress imprinted in Faith's eyes and behind his sunglasses, he had that same look of fear.
Beneath the surface of his confidence and pride, Lucas was frightened for the truth to come out from the shadows and reveal itself to the light. This was the moment where he would find if the Mysterious Woman was only part of an illusion, or if she was someone or something celestial Lucas have unknowingly interacted with.
The school was often closed on a Saturday but it often opens classes for language lessons and some small clubs such as Chess Club which is thankful for Lucas to drive over to the car and parked in his usual spot. Once they stepped outside of the car, Lucas's stare fell on the shadowy tree where he first saw the Mysterious Woman standing isolated from others and straightaway Lucas got chills down his spine and his blood went cold. Bravely, ignoring that eerie thought and continued walking to the front entrance of the school.
Soon, they meet up with Mark, a tech-nerd wearing a grey, apparel hoodie with a plain green T-shirt beneath and plain brown trousers and a pair of smart glasses sitting on his nose. His team of tech-nerds in a quiet science classroom where there were eight long desks, four on both sides of the room. A few chess boards were put up and a few laptops open up beside each member. Lucas and Faith entered inside following behind Mark through the classroom entrance, "Mark, thanks again for doing. You read the text, right?"
"Yeah. No worries. Is it illegal, though?" Mark was concerned while the three students walked down the small pathway in the centre of the classroom.
"No, just think a little check-in… thing, that's all. It's fine" Lucas deadpanned with an unworried smirk, next to him is Faith closed her eyes and silently whispered 'God fucking help me!"
By the bottom right side of the room, Mark sat down on a long desk with his laptop open as the nerd began tapping in. Lucas stood by the right over mark's shoulder while Faith stood by the other side. Lucas grinned, "Thanks, Mark again"
"Sure, no problem" Mark nodded as he scans down his laptop screen before facing back to Lucas, "Oh, and by the way, fuck Twitter."
In truth, Lucas was actually at the point of nearly getting the thought of Jason's death or all the mean tweets that were saying Lucas is involved until Mark brought it up. Kindly, Lucas nodded and appreciated the compliment, "Thanks, man."
"So, how does it work exactly?" Faith questioned, as she has no idea how Mark, a tech geek, could hack in and gain the views of security cameras working on his laptop when they are in the science classroom.
"Well, the security room is just a floor beneath us, so we actually attached the wiring from the security computers, run them through the walls and up to here in this classroom" Mark explains as he held the wiring that was attached to his laptop where it's extinction slithered to a small hole in a wall.
"Cleaver, weirdly creepy, but cleaver" Faith positively criticised.
"That's why you guys are the best" Lucas firmly patted the side of Mark's arm as he valued Mark's and his intellectual, geeky friends, then Lucas requested, "Can you get to the time of yesterday morning at the front entrance? Right before first period."
"Yep. Give me a sec" all ten fingers from Mark's hands rapidly start taping on the keyboard and lots of coding numbers and letters began broadcasting on the laptop's black screen. After ten seconds, Mark managed to get up four clips on the screen each one revealing different points of view on the front entrance.
"Okay, so what are we looking for?" Faith questioned as she slightly leaned in, higher over Mark's shoulder, to have a good view of the CCTV cameras.
"Us when we arrived at the entrance" Lucas answered as his optimistic eyes were glued to the screen when Mark brought up the video of the front entrance from the other day.
"There we are" Faith quickly indicated on the screen where her past self and Lucas were standing at that moment; standing by the bottom of the stairs near the school's front entrance.
"Okay…" Lucas purred as he was craving for the truth to come out and appear on screen like a star shining through a hazard of nightly clouds.
They focus their gaze hard on the screen as they watch their own past selves moving while Lucas eyed the top corner of the screen where there was a lonely tree standing in a small part of the car park. The video shows the part where Lucas turned around and gazed across the distance and everyone focuses on the spot where he believes the Mysterious Woman was at the time.
But, she wasn't there.
Baffled, Lucas leans in closer and starts scanning around the entire screen, but his puzzled eyes couldn't identify the mysterious woman anywhere. His face fell and Lucas whispered in a half-speechless tone, "I… I don't understand. She was there. Under the tree, she was right there."
"Faith, you saw me staring off to something, right?" he turned to Faith as she reacted unprepared for his question, "Well, you must have seen what I was looking at?"
"No. I didn't, sorry" Faith shook her head and her honest answer formed an agitated look on Lucas's face. Feeling slightly shame for making her best face feel that way, so Faith tried to light up the mood, "Maybe she was standing further away from where the camera couldn't see."
"No, she was there. She was definitely there. I saw her" aloud, Lucas denied any suggestions or excuses that could alternative his belief, because Lucas knew what he saw and it was not an illusion.
unanticipatedly for him, Faith softly gripped Lucas' arm and pulled him away from Mark and the laptop screen with the CCTV camera recordings, as she wanted to talk to Lucas alone in a serious matter, "So, what're you saying? That this person is a ghost or something?"
Faith evoked the conversation that Lucas started earlier at Long Beach about 'are ghosts real?' and Lucas rocked his gaze side to side without denying her statement. She doesn't wish to speak ill of Lucas'
claptrap so Faith tried to address this confusion in a friendly way, "Listen Lucas, I'm here for you. You know that. But maybe, in your mind, you believed that you saw someone suspicious that could explain Jason's death and that it could lower your guilt."
"I wasn't imagining her then and that was way before Jason's death" Lucas disagreed while shaking his head.
His troubled eyes dropped back their stare back on the laptop as they focus on the still black and white image, mainly on the top-left area on the screen where he believes the mysterious woman was standing. The empty space in that spotted area filled Lucas' head with twirls of confusion knotting together, making it hard for him to unbind and understand the situation.
Thinking that there has to be a reasonable explanation for the strange appearance from the Mysterious Woman, a clarification on how Lucas was able to see her and others couldn't or how she somehow doesn't show up on the CCTV camera. But, without a doubt, Lucas trusts his eyes and memory about what he saw, "But, she was defiantly there."
Down through the high streets of L.A, a black Chevrolet Corvette car drives in the half-crowded road with Lucifer Morningstar taking the wheel and Lieutenant Chloe Decker. The detective and the consultant were travelling to a building where the recent victim used to work at. Neither of them wanted to admit that in their anxious minds they have been constantly worried during the journey about Lucas.
"What's the foundation for again?" Lucifer asked while he was jumping out of his car, his devilish eyes gazed at the crystal glass building up and down.
"Dr. Glenn Sanchez opened her company to save endangered species by cloning them in labs and letting the species continue environmentally" Chloe explained as the couple start strolling on the pathway.
When they first took a step inside, they were hit with a wind scent of refreshing rosemary blowing past their solid bodies like a hurricane swerving over a mountain.
Walking through the front entrance where some males and female workers smirked at the sight of Lucifer, however, the charming man ignored their looks. Even Chloe caught the workers eyeing Lucifer with delightful looks and admired how her husband doesn't respond back. The couple reached the reception desk which was designed like a semi-circle in white paint and four receptionists were working behind their desks while facing their computers. Chloe leads the way and approached a female receptionist, "Excuse me, we're looking for Dr. Sanchez."
"Do you have an appointment?" the female receptionist avoided their stare as she kept her focus on the screen.
Calmly, Chloe shows off her barge by lowering it down to the centre of the computer screen blocking the receptionist's view of the screen. The Lieutenant spook almost in a piqued tone, "L.A.P.D."
While the receptionist was distracted and pulled her focus off-screen to the detective, Lucifer slightly leaned forward and secretly peaked over to the side and scanned the computer screen. It revealed a table for time schedule of appointed meetings, there was nothing for today. Nothing important possibly, but Lucifer's nosey traits can be sometimes useful for murder cases such as this.
Straightaway, Lucifer backed away when the receptionist stood and properly greeted them with a respectful grin, "Right this way, please."
Following the receptionist from behind, Lucifer and Chloe feel a cool breeze running past their clothing and skin as there were air conditioners breathing out coldness into the white hallways. However, a much chiller and disturbing feeling followed through their bodies like a winter's wind blowing down their spines and an eerie frost began to extend in their minds. They both didn't like the road they see ahead, like strolling through a dark alleyway blindfolded.
Once they arrived at a white elevator, the receptionist stepped aside and instructed, "10th floor, take a right and her office will be straight down."
"Thanks" Chloe responded gratefully as she and Lucifer stepped inside the elevator before Chloe pressed the button that would take them to the tenth floor.
Watched the two doors slide across and closed together until there was an unnerving silence filling the distance between the couple. Unsure of what to say as a mistaken, single word could take their anxious minds back to remembering the trauma their son is going through. It wasn't before long when Chloe broke the quietness, "Did you see Lucas this morning?"
"Yes. He seems in good form" Lucifer shortly answered, however by the corner of the Devil's eye, Lucifer caught a glimpse of stress and shame printed in his wife's blue eyes. Stress over the trauma her son is going through, and shame for feeling unhelpful. Lucifer tried to reason with Chloe in a half-convincing voice, "He's steady, Chloe, there's no need for us to worry more."
"That's the point though Lucifer" Chloe faced him fully with her face painted in a pale colour of desperation, "He seems fine, and that's it. I want him to feel something else, angry, upset, confused, anything otherwise… I have no idea what to do to help him."
No parent wishes to see their child in pain, Lucifer understood that through his years of parenting his son, yet Chloe has more experience in the best and in the worst parts. The awful memory was when Trixie lost her father and Chloe had to help her little girl get through that trauma at such a young age. Now, her other child is facing a similar situation and Chloe doesn't know what to do if Lucas doesn't desire to have any consolation.
"Chloe, look at me please" Lucifer kindly requested and after a second, Chloe gazes up at him as she frowned in disdain for her own self-guilt. Waiting for whatever sympathetic advice Lucifer will provide, "You are a brilliant mother. He wants to be strong on his own, like his own mum. When he needs a talk, he'll come on his own time. He knows that."
Thinking that his comforting words weren't exactly enough to evaporate his wife's pressure, Lucifer coiled his husky arm over Chloe's shoulder and pulled his wife closer to him. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and the warm feeling of his touch send an uprising vibe and it manages to grow a small on Chloe's face, she purred, "And, you're a great father too."
Her words made the Devil roll his eyes side to side and vague on whether he is a great father, perhaps a good father, however Lucifer was walking in the same shoes as Chloe. He, too, was stuck in a quicksand of uncertainty about how to help Lucas to guide him through this disturbing time.
The sound of the bell echoed within the elevator so Chloe quickly wipe off the wetness from her eyes before tears could be squeezed out and announced, "Here we are."
The elevator doors split open and the detectives slipped through and turned to the right and reached to a pair of large, blurry, white glass doors. Chloe gently knocked on the door before entering herself into a wide office with walls painted in a pure cloud colour. Wooden shelves filled with awards and certificates, small pictures of different kinds of wild animals in frames, and books about biology and zoology. Near the back of the white room, was a large, dark-wooden desk with a single, grey computer standing on the right side while the rest of the space was smartly covered with notebooks and diaries.
A middle-aged, white woman with short, dark-chocolate hair, Professor Glenn Sanchez, faced the detectives with deep curiosity printed in her eyes. The professor was dressed in a dark brown wool blazer with a black button top beneath, and in a pair of olive-green skinny jeans, while her hazel hair is designed in a pixie short hairstyle. She watched the strangers entering her officer and a concerned look spread on her face.
"Dr. Glenn Sanchez?" Chloe called out while the detectives scanned the empty, white room.
"Yes. Can I help you?" the professor answered as her voice sounded puzzled.
"I'm Lieutenant Decker and this is Lucifer Morningstar" Chloe first introduced themselves by revealing her L.A.P.D barge and then pointed to her partner before facing back to Dr. Glenn Sanchez, "We have a couple of questions about one of your volunteering workers, Jason Torres."
"What about him?" Dr. Sanchez answered the question with another question which clued the detectives that the professor knows somewhat of Jason.
"He was found dead last night" Chloe instantly revealed the truth.
The professor's body froze like she was trapped in a winter storm when Dr. Sanchez was hit by the shock wave. Her eyes flooded with more confusion as she questioned in a speechless voice, "What do you mean dead?"
"He was killed last night by the south side of Long Beach" Chloe informed the professor.
"Jesus" Dr. Sanchez quietly gasped to herself.
"He wasn't involved, thankfully" Lucifer rapidly commented back, and Chloe rolled her eyes at his facetious joke.
"What do you know of Jason, Dr. Sanchez?" Chloe heads straight into the questionnaire.
"Well, he was a good lad. Reliable and responsible" Dr. Sanchez starts explaining her thoughts on the dead victim. Chloe watches the sorrow spreading across the professor's pale face, "I can't believe he's gone. And he has only started a few weeks ago."
Most of the time during interrogating suspects, Chloe could sense when someone is pretending due to her amount of experience in her acting career. Chloe could feel Dr. Sanchez's unhappiness quivering in the thin air, however her sensitive gut is warning Chloe that is something not right. Chloe continued, "He said he may have discovered something that is possibly related to your business, he never mentioned anything to you?"
"Not that I know of" the professor answered with a clueless look, "Though if he was working through journalism, I suppose perhaps he wants to start an article based on my work."
"So, you assume what Jason was going to write was something good?" Chloe challenged in a soft approach, yet her eyebrows raised in suspicion.
Dr. Sanchez was taken back by the detective's question like she was being assumed on an illegal matter, however the professor serenely queried, "Why would you ask that?"
Secretly, Lucifer walked past the professor and tiptoed towards Dr. Sanchez's glass desk that has books and pens neatly placed. A note dairy was laid on the glass surface where it was imperfectly hidden from other books, Lucifer peaked back at the professor making sure that Chloe is keeping Dr. Sanchez in the conversation so the sneaky Devil could peer over an open dairy. There wasn't much written on the double pages that schedule the days of the week, except Lucifer spied with his little eye on three small words doted largely on a page.
'Call Mr. S!'
Lucifer darted a suspicious stare at Dr. Sanchez as he remembered on the receptionist's desk computer that there was nothing on the meeting schedule table. So, the Devil wondered why this 'Mr. S' is so important to the professor and if she is menacingly involved with the beach?
Meanwhile, Chloe continued chatting with the professor as the lieutenant tries to dig deeper into Dr. Sanchez's motive and professional relationship with the dead victim, "Well, you the media, people prefer reading some bad, shocking news instead of good news."
"True" Dr. Sanchez nodded while keeping on a straight face, she acted unoffended and unafraid, "But either way, I couldn't care less. I've dealt with articles that have written some positive and negative criticism. What would be the difference with Jason's?"
"But, still you wouldn't like it if someone was digging into your work behind your back, wouldn't you professor?" Lucifer joins in the questioning as both women gaze at the dashing man who starts walking from the side of the desk to the detective.
"I try to keep my foundation pure and unadulterated, Mr. Morningstar" they detected a pitch of vexation in Dr. Sanchez's calm voice as the detectives could detect that the professor was trying to abscond the pressure of bleeding out the truth. However, Dr. Sanchez answered back with a firm grin, "My work is built with only one purpose, clone DNA from animals who are endangered from near extinction which would save species and expand them in the future. The idea is environmental, not financial."
"That is very noble" Lucifer sounded generous and the detectives understandably nodded. Until, the Devil stepped closer to Dr. Sanchez and held their gaze whole growing a wolfish grin, "But, let me ask you something, doctor. Want do you truly desire?"
"I… I…" Dr. Sanchez's mouth dumbly stuttered as she was lost in Lucifer's enchanting trance, at the same time Chloe smirked to herself when she watched her husband using his spectacular gift into luring out the professor's secret desire. Finally, Lucifer's angelic power hooked and pulled out the honest answer through Dr. Sanchez's moving lips, "I want to protect my foundation no matter the cost."
"Even murder?" Lucifer asked immediately after the professor's answer.
"What? No! No, of course not" the volume of the professor's voice increased and it goes with the tone of indignation. Shaking her head while stepping away, Dr. Sanchez continued, "It took me over fifteen years to earn enough to finally set up this foundation. I never do anything to corrupt my work. And murder…"
The professor stopped talking as though a big lump of guilt formed in the centre of her throat, yet Dr. Sanchez was doing well at holding a straight and sedating face. Lucifer's and Chloe's stare could almost crack through the professor's façade until Dr. Sanchez silently gulped and finished her sentence, "…murder is unforgivable."
"I couldn't agree with you more" Lucifer replied, half believing in the professor's words.
"Well, thank you for your time, Dr. Sanchez" Chloe decided it was the right time to suppress the interrogation as she glanced at Lucifer silently signalling him that it was time for them to go. After flicking forward the front edges of his suit jacket, Lucifer turns around and starts walking towards the door with Chloe following behind. Until, the Lieutenant stopped and faced the professor when a question popped up in her head, "Oh, and um, one more question. Where were you last night?"
"Here in my office. My assistants can vouch for me" Dr. Sanchez answered.
The detectives had nothing else to say so Lucifer and Chloe decided to end the inspection and left the office. Best unknown to them, Dr. Sanchez deeply exhaled in relief like she was holding her breathe throughout the entire questionnaire. She reached down into the pocket of her blazer and pulled out her phone, scrolled through her contacts and found the one name she desperately need to call.
Mr. S.
Once Lucifer and Chloe exited the building and began walking unhurriedly towards the car, at the same time, their real thoughts were straightaway unleashed, starting with Chloe, "She's lying."
"I concur" Lucifer replied back with a single nod.
"We came in mentioning Jason's death, and she never once questioned about how or why he died" Chloe pointed out some dubious acts from Dr. Sanchez's performance.
"I also saw something in her dairy" Lucifer added when they were only a few steps away from the car, "Didn't say much but it says a name, 'Call Mr. S.'"
"Maybe she was planning a meeting with someone she called Mr. S?" Chloe wondered.
"Nope, I saw on a meeting schedule on the receptionist's computer back there, and there was nothing on the table" Lucifer mentioned while he stopped by an inch from the car side door.
Stood by the other side of the car, Chloe opened the door halfway and stared back at Lucifer, "So, you think it could be something personal?"
"Or it could still be related to the business" Lucifer answered while opening the door and jumping himself in the driver's seat.
Chloe did the same as she tightens the seatbelt across her waist and chest while brainstorming future intentions, "Well, I could get a warrant but I'm guessing the professor has some backup lawyers to defend her foundation."
"So, it will take a long time?" Lucifer asked as his hand grabbed the car keys from the side pocket of his suit jacket, and pushed them through the keyhole but he didn't turn on the engine just yet.
"Sadly, yeah" Chloe deeply signed in annoyance, however Lucifer didn't reflect the same reaction.
"So, what I'm hearing is we have some time for ourselves" Lucifer suggested with a wolfish grin as he flicked his eyebrows up and down.
Chloe felt his lustful stare on her face and rapidly, Chloe's voice changed to her bossy voice, "Are you seriously thinking of that right now?"
"Well, I'm always thinking of sex with you, detective" Lucifer honestly confessed as Chloe rolled her eyes however she couldn't hide how her cheeks blushed by his comment, "Besides, we're free at the moment."
"Lucifer! I'm a Lieutenant now, we can't waste time. We got a case to solve" Chloe tried to think and act professionally and not let Lucifer's sexy words get into his head and make her imagine activities they could do together.
"That's what you said last week, yet we ended up in the evidence closet" Lucifer seductively mentioned.
"Oh, shut up" Chloe rolled her eyes as she couldn't deny the truth and now that he has planted that desirable idea in her head now.
A lonely car parked outside the foundation building with shady windows hiding the inside space of the car. Behind those black widows, two creatures sit inside with stalking eyes gazing through the front window. Sitting in the passengers' seat was an African-American man, who was wearing a black oversized wool coat with a red dress shirt underneath. However, beneath his smart clothing, his foul soul was consumed with hatred and rage. Next to the Smart Man is another corrupted creature, a white man dressed as a cabby driver with a flat hat resting on top of his head, a dark-orange jacket with a black shirt beneath.
Their eyes darted through the shadowy front widow where they watched, from a far distance, the Devil and the Detective entering their own car. The view of the fallen angel unfasted a virus of vicious hate through their cold bloodstreams.
A phone hidden in the Smart Man's coat pocket was vibrating the black-skin fibres, he glances down and gently pulls out his phone. The title 'Professor Sanchez' was revealed on screen, so he answered in a cheerful tone and a charming grin, "Professor. Nice to hear from you."
"The police came around" Dr. Sanchez warned as her panicky words were the first thing that he reached to the Smart Man's ear when he answered the call.
"I know" the Smart Man replied as he and the Cabby Man both, secretly, watched the Devil and the Detective when they first arrived and entered the building.
"What should I do?" she asked.
"Well, you should calm down for a start" the Smart Man answered in a sedated tone.
Yet, his words didn't persuade Dr. Sanchez enough to calm down her worries, instead it just only increases it, "They'll find out. They'll see how I'm involved. And, you said it was taken care of. You said…"
"I said I will handle it, while you keep your side of the deal" he tranquilly interrupted, "Your foundation will still stand while you hand me over the equations and formulas and shit for my personal use."
"And, you're sure you can take care of it? The police?" she requested his full support in covering the real truth.
"Yes. Trust me, professor" the Smart Man motionlessly murmured, coaxing the professor to put her full trust in his plan which, unknown to Dr. Sanchez, was calculated by dark and gnarly minds, "Just keep your head low. And let me do the dirty work. Okay?"
He heard nothing from the professor afterwards so the Smart Man ended the call, and then the Cabby Man next to him loudly scoffed, "Who knew Lucifer can get into that sort of thing? Police work I mean."
"Well, he is the devil, brother. He enjoys punishment. Not to mention the fact, Lucifer can be very unpredictable" the Smart Man replied.
"Like becoming a father" the Cabby Man joked as they both chuckled in an inferior tone, as they never imagined that the rebellious angel and the lord of Hell would father a half-human offspring.
"Speaking of… What do we know of the cross-breeds?" a disrupted gaze was formed from the Smart Man's eyes while the Cabby Man leans behind and picked up a yellow folder that was laying in the centre of the back seats.
He hands it over and the Smart Man opened the folder and revealed files that have full information and a few pictures of both Lucas Morningstar and Charlie Martin. The Smart Man scanned through the files while the other guy noted, "If they are half-human, then they're not as dangerous as full angels nor other celestial beings."
"But, you know that dead kid went to their school" the fact strikes deep concerns in their minds. Knowing that the half-angel sons have a connection with the dead school kid, Jason, and therefore it could lead the detective to discover another connection. The Smart Man eerily mumbled, "If that can link its death to the professor, and that would lead them to us."
"Even if they found some links, they still won't find us. Even after decades, they never noticed us" the Cabby Man disagreed as his words spoke true. Reminding themselves that they lived in the shadows for so long, they even used the darkness as their camouflage.
At the same time, the uncanny men caught the sighting of the Devil and the human woman leaving the building as they walked back to their own car. Seeing the face of the Devil once more boiled their fathomless hatred in the centre of their shadowy eyes, while their fists tighten in bitter odium. But shortly after, the Smart Man released his fists and brought himself back in a pacific position.
"But, they will soon see us, brother, in the end" a sinister smirk grew on the face of the Smart Man as he release a chilling chuckle, "They all will."
Thank you guys so much for enjoying this chapter. Your comments were mean the world to me. Leave me your thoughts and theories and predictions for the next chapter. Will they discover the hidden truth behind a simple murder? What is the hidden truth? And who were those men spying on Lucifer and Chloe?
Please come for more. See you soon!
P.S. for the new characters, I chose some actors who I could imagine playing them:
The Mysterious Woman - Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
Dr. Glenn Sanchez - (Jane The Virgin)
The Smart Man - Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther. Creed. Rasing Dion'0
Cabby Man - Chace Crawford (The Boys. Gossip Girl)