Chapter 1
October 14, 2019
The warm autumn wind blew across the air as the bell rang signifying that the day is over at Venice High School. Students of between the grades of nine to twelve eagerly exited out of the building. The vast crowds of teenagers either ran or walked towards the school buses while others went to cars to be picked up their parents or other relatives. Others either walked to their homes, go somewhere to hang, or stay on the school grounds to either wait for to being picked up or just to hang out with their friends.
Percy Conlan is the amongst the students waiting to be picked up. He is a sixteen-year-old Caucasian boy that has golden dirty-blonde mid-length hair in a shaggy surfer mullet-like hairstyle (with curtained bangs with the addition of two short upside-down triangular shaped bangs covering mostly in the center) and blue eyes with silver ring around the irises. He wears a silver-ish dark-grey (not black) t-shirt, blackish-blue hooded jacket, blue pants, white socks, and black-and-white tennis shoes.
But he isn't alone. With him are two of his bestest friends: Taiga Yamada, prefers to be called Tai, and Wyatt Pratt.
Tai is a sixteen-year-old Japanese-American with blackish-brown hair and brown eyes. He currently wears a white t-shirt, basketball jersey with Californian colors, purple basketball shorts, black socks, and red-and-white basketball shoes.
Wyatt is a sixteen-year-old Caucasian with red-brown hair and green-hazel eyes. He currently wears a brown t-shirt, buff (pale yellow-brown) semi-long khaki cargo shorts, white socks with two black rings around the ankles, and blue sneakers.
They're all sitting down on the grass together while currently working on their second-to-last homework given to them by their teachers to pass the time.
"Man, algebra is frustrating!" Percy said while glaring at the questions.
"Well it is important to learn if we want to attend college." Tai stated. "But I have to agree, it is very annoying."
"Why can't they just make it easy for sophomores?!" Wyatt complained. "And then increase the difficulty each year until graduation! That way many of us won't have a migraine while working on this!"
"Let's be thankful that this the last question to answer." Percy said.
After a few minutes they managed to finish their algebra homework as the three let out great sigh of relief.
"FINALLY! WE'RE DONE!" Wyatt said with victorious smile as he laid flat against the grass on his back.
"Now we got to finish the last of our homework." Percy said. Wyatt's smile then turned upside down upon realizing that.
"What do you have last?" Tai asked.
"Biology. My favorite." Percy replied sarcastically. "I have to write a two page report on an animal of my choosing. You?"
"Chemistry project of my choosing as well."
"Well I have a English essay." Wyatt added with slight complaint.
"What are you fussing about?" Percy asked. "English is easy."
"About Romeo and Juliet."
"Oooooo." Both Percy and Tai grimaced.
It wasn't the subject is what caused them to react like that, it was the fact that the topic of the famous two lovers that reminded Wyatt of Ange. His crush since elementary school. Yeah he teases her a lot, but never to the point that it completely upsets her or brings her to tears. The boys are friends with her since elementary as well and also grew up with her in Venice, Los Angeles.
Almost a month ago, she became one of the latest victims of the mysterious kidnappings across America. She was walking home after a play rehearsal at school when it happened at Crystal Park (which is now completed four days ago). Her father, Mr. Wycliffe, was six minutes too late to help when she got taken. Because of what happened, he was in deep pit of grief and sorrow while blaming himself for not getting their on time. It wasn't bad enough when his wife left both him and his daughter without any reason, and never contacted them ever since, a he now feels like a complete failure of a family man. Mr. Wycliffe didn't felt like that for long since his friends, family, and parents of her daughter's friends helped him out get of his despair.
Right now Mr. Wycliffe helping out the best way he can to make sure that no one else ends up like his daughter and the other kidnappess. He is also praying, along with many others, for the safety and the return of his daughter and the other kidnapped victims.
To make matters worse, the kidnappings didn't stop from there.
"I should've asked her out when I had the chance." Wyatt said grievingly.
Percy and Tai stared at their friend sympathetically.
"I'm sorry man." Percy said as he placed his hand on Wyatt's shoulder.
"I'm willing to bet that she's alright." He added encouragingly with supportive smile. "But I doubt she wouldn't after the all the times you teased her."
"HEY! YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Wyatt said defensively with annoyance. "Ange is never the one to hold a grudge... usually."
Both Percy and Tai let out a short friendly laugh as the Asian teenager's expression quickly changed to that of fear as he and his friends heard "Hey tiger."
Tai shuddered without looking back who called him since he knew already. Then a African-American teenage girl, who is the same age as Tai, hugged him from behind. "How's my basketball superstar."
This is Samantha Landry, prefers to called Sam. She has black colored dreadlocks tied in a short ponytail with her eyes colored. This spunky teenager is wearing a golden-yellow semi-long sleeved shirt, dark-blue jeans, white socks, and white shoes with green stripes.
Sam is Ange's best friend since preschool and the moment she heard what happened to her, she became devastated. She soon later helped Mr. Wycliffe with his house chores, along Anna's friends, and is spreading awareness about being safe with the kidnappings about.
Also it's no secret that Sam has a huge crush on Tai. She became obsessed with him since middle school when she noticed his good looks.
Unfortunately for Sam, Tai didn't feel the same way. But that didn't stop her.
"First off, my name is Taiga, and you know I prefer Tai." He corrected with annoyance. "And second, I'm one of the top three basketball players in the school. I'm not the main star of our team."
"Well your name sounds like tiger." Sam said causing Tai to groan. "And you're being too modest. You're clearly the best player in the school."
And she wasn't just saying it. Tai's the best when it comes to basketball. The coach even says if he keeps this up, he might get a free scholarship to any college of his choosing.
"By the way, weren't you guys talking about Ang'?" Sam asked.
Wyatt eyes went wide as a bead of sweat dripped form his temple. "How much have you heard?"
"I just arrived here!"
"We were just talking about her kidnapping." Tai said.
Wyatt inwardly sighed in relief as he mentally thanked Tai keeping Sam finding out his crush with Ange. He's lucky to have friends like him and Percy to keep it a secret. If Sam ever found out, she reprimand him on why he always he teases her.
"I know. It's just awful." She said. "The kidnappings got worse when your twin siblings gotten taken too."
"DON'T REMIND ME!" Tai snapped.
Sam instantly let go of him as tears began to fill her eyes. He realized his mistake as he then apologized. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to yell at you like that."
"It's okay." Sam said with small reassuring smile as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I didn't realize you're still upset about it."
"Who wouldn't." Percy said.
Tai then pulled out his cell-phone as he opened up his photo gallery. He then selected a photo, which filled the entire screen of his phone, of him and his two ten-year-old fraternal twin siblings: Kenichi (prefers to be called Ken) and Rei. The twins both have a tiny slight light variation of their older brother's hair color while having the same eye color as him as well. They're smiling happily when visiting Disneyland before school started.
Two weeks ago, they got kidnapped like Ange and many others... except it happened a lot differently. They were being babysat at home in broad daylight when their home was broken into and the babysitter was knocked out unconscious. They didn't even take the babysitter which means the kidnappers are selective upon who they abduct. Sadly the babysitter never got the chance to see who took them. Neither did the rest of the neighbors! And it happened in a peaceful neighborhood of Venice, Los Angeles!?
After their kidnapping, the entire country was full alert. The government even went as far as putting strict curfews and adding more police officers on the streets. It was a week later when America learns that the kidnappings isn't just happening in their own country either!
Tai sighs sadly as he misses his little brother and sister.
What has the world gone to? Percy thought.
"Mr. Wycliffe is picking me up soon." Sam said to break the mood. "I'm helping him clean the garage."
"I want to help too!" Wyatt said as he quickly got up as he picked up his backpack while putting away his homework.
"Really?" Sam asked in a surprised expression and tone. Then she became suspicious. "Why?"
"Well, uh, I just want to alright." Wyatt replied. "She's our friend too you know."
Sam stared at him for a bit as she then replied "Sure, whatever. Just call your parents about it alright. I'm going to call Mr. Wycliffe about it."
She then pulled out her cellphone as she began to call Ange's father while walking slightly away from them.
"Why the heck do you want to do that?" Percy asked.
"Yeah, you don't even like taking out the trash." Tai added.
"Well, with Ange gone, her dad needs all the help he can get. Especially with her grandmother back at her home." Wyatt said. "It's the least I can do for Ange."
Whoa. Percy thought.
Percy and Tai are surprised.
"That's totally out of character for you." Tai said.
"Well... people change."
"Does that mean you'll stop skateboarding, pull pranks, listen to hardcore music, and play video games?"
"HECK NO!"
Both Percy and Tai laughed as the three then heard a car horn honking. They turned toward the source as saw Percy's sister, Diana, behind the wheel of a black Toyota Corolla.
Diana is twenty-one years old with dirty-blondish brown hair tied in a long ponytail and has the same eye color as her little brother. She's wearing a teal-green long-sleeved shirt (the collar is in a darker shade), dark-blue jeans, grey socks, and black-and-white baseball sneakers.
Diana was the only sibling Percy has. Like other siblings in the world, they love, care, and mess with each other. Even when they get into heated arguments, they always make it up to each other. These siblings always have each other's backs... even more when their parents died.
Nine years ago, They were on summer vacation in the Philippines doing as their parents were also doing research on the animals native there. They were very well known zoologists back in California; they got into a cover of National Geographic. Diana was hanging out with their mom's colleague while Percy was on a plane with their parents flying back to pick her up when it happened. They were flying through a thunder storm when lightning stuck one of the engines as it later then exploded causing the plane to split in half. Percy was the only survivor. He was found a day later by Diana, their mother's colleague, and many others. And from this day forward, he has both aviophobia (fear of flying) and acrophobia (fear of heights). Which is ironic since his full name is Perseus Conlan after named after the who rode on the Pegasus high in the sky.
They would've ended up as orphans if their uncle, Mark Carlton (their mother's young brother and only sibling), didn't step in since he was their only living relative. Two years prior, he got honorably discharged from the Army and now works for the LAPD. He promised to his dead sister that he would look after them. He did a great job raising them, even though he was out at work most of the time making Diana take care of Percy and do most of the cooking. Mark felt bad about that, but Diana explains that she doesn't mind... since he's not a very good cook (he even admits that since he always orders takeout).
"See ya guys." Percy said to his friends after he placed all of his homework into his backpack.
"See ya man." Tai said waving goodbye.
"You'll play Monster Hunter World later tonight with us right?" Wyatt asked as he called out.
"Of course!" Percy replied as he was halfway to the car.
Percy then entered the driver's seat of the car as his sister then drove off from the school grounds. On her visor is a recent photo of Percy, Diana, and their uncle when they went to Seattle during the summer. Mark is a thirty-six year old Caucasian with dark-brown hair and has a slightly darker variation of both his niece and nephew's eye color.
"So, how was school." Diana asked.
"Not bad." Percy replied. "I just got one homework to finish and I'm good for the day."
"Really?" Diana said with interest. "What is it?"
"Uhh... nothing really." He replied while all nervous like as he tried avoid answering. "It's just a two page report I have to work on."
Diana studied him for a bit and smiled.
Oh no!
"It's biology isn't."
Percy groaned. Even after their parent's death, Diana wanted to be a zoologist just like them. Which is why she's studying to become one while attending college. She's one of the top five with the highest grades at campus.
"Well, what do you have to write about?"
"I'm not going to tell you!"
"Come on?!" His sister begged. "Don't leave me hanging!"
"If I told you, you'll nag me endlessly until I finally write about—"
Percy quickly shut himself before he say it... but it was too late. She already knows as she smiled excitedly.
"You have to write about an animal of your choice!"
"GOD DAMN IT!"
"LANGUAGE!" Diana said sternly.
They were both quiet for a minute until Percy noticed that they were heading a different direction than the usual route back home.
"Uh, we're are we going?"
"To the conservation."
"DIANA, PLEASE DON'T—"
"Percy, you're going like them this time. I know it." Diana said enthusiastically. "They're really awesome animals. Plus you'll the others there too."
Percy groaned miserably. The kind of animal that she loves the most, besides dogs, and wants to study the very kind when she becomes a zoologist... is bats.
He hates bats.
After the plane which his parents dies split in half all those years ago, he was buckled tightly into the passenger seat as it was sent flying out of the plane and into a deep lightless cavern. Luckily he was slightly unharmed, nothing broken. But the occupants there, native bats of all kinds, didn't like the invasion of this intruder as they flapped in his face and screamed for half a day. Scarring him for life.
And thus he acquired chiroptophobia. The fear of bats.
For years, Diana tried to cure his phobia of the "lovable winged rodents". She's doing it very slowly because how afraid he is of them and makes sure he's comfortable at a specific distance. Diana promised herself to help Percy with his fear of bats until he graduated from high school. And if she didn't cure it out of him, she wouldn't be devastated but slightly sad. Diana will at least did her best if she didn't succeed.
Percy just wished that she would stop it. He will never be rid of his most hated phopia. But he knew that wouldn't stop his sister, no matter how hard he tried.
Why couldn't she be interested in penguins instead?
Author's Notes
Perseus "Percy" Conlan's appearance is inspired by Peter Parker from "The Spectacular Spider-Man" Tv show (but minus the mole).
Taiga "Tai" Yamada's appearance is inspired by Tachi "Tai" Kamiya from "Digimon Adventures Tri".
Wyatt Pratt's appearance is inspired by Shawn from the "Total Drama" Tv series (but minus the goatee and with a hairstyle similar to Peter Parker's from "The Spectacular Spider-Man" but slightly layered).
Samantha "Sam" Landry looks like a human version of Kiara from the Disney film "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride".
Kenichi "Ken" Yamada's appearance is slightly inspired by Genki Sakura from the anime "Monster Rancher".
Rei Yamada's appearance is slightly inspired by Akari Hinomoto from the anime "Digimon Xros Wars".
Diana Conlan's appearance is inspired by Yang Xio Long from "RWBY" (by 37%) and Belle from the manga based on the 2017 Disney remake "Beauty and the Beast" (by 63% but minus the freckles).
Mark Colton's appearance is inspired by Nathan Drake from the "Uncharted" video game franchise.