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STORY TITLE:PRIVATE Z by MYSTICWRITER3018 (DARKFIRENYX) STORY SUMMARY:For 10 years, Veronica Mars left her home to try to find her true purpose in her life besides being a private investigator...Now, 10 years later, she returns to Neptune, California, shocking her father and close friends, when she came home as a skilled Homicide police detective and an adopted teenage son in tow. And the young teenage boy follows in her footsteps to be a private detective-investigator like her.But what they didn't know--including her long-time ex-boyfriend and now Navy guy Logan Echolls...is that Veronica's son...Her teenage boy...is a zombie.Ohh boy.AU, Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence. Before and changes Veronica Mars 2014 movie and TV Season 4.iZombie TV and Veronica Mars crossover.FULL SUMMARY AND MORE INSIDE! OOOOO STORY GUIDE:Words “Words” - normal; English Words - italics; thoughts “Words” - bold italics; other languages NORMAL VISIONS Words “Words” - italics; normal memories, flashbacksZ-VISIONS Words “Words” - bold; Z-visions, memories, flashbacks[Words] - bold; com-link, tech-talkWORDS - capital bold; news, song lyrics, written word OOOOO AUTHOR’S NOTES:I was inspired into making and writing this fan-fiction story when I watched my favorite TV episodes/series 'iZombie' and saw the 2014 movie Veronica Mars and the latest Season 4.It gave me an idea upon imagining combining the two and made me think about what if that Veronica Mars is a changed person and became a greater one than she was before, but with a teenage kid in the mix! Including mixing zombies and how to deal with in a combined iZombie and Veronica Mars universe!With some and a few ideas from others, it completely inspired me into writing this amazing fic that I’m sure that you will really love reading!This story will have pictures posted in it, to show you who I’m portraying the characters of my story. They will all be posted only in AO3 / ARCHIVEOFOUROWN(DOT)ORG. Look for MYSTICWRITER3018.I hope you like it! Enjoy! OOOOO
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN VERONICA MARS, IZOMBIE, AND ANY OF ITS MERCHANDISE. THEY ALL BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS AND CREATORS.
I ONLY OWN THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, THE PLOT AND OC STORY.
NO FLAMES PLEASE!!!
OOOOO
CHARACTER LIST (FACE-CLAIMS or ETC.) :
Veronica Mars, Homicide Detective of NPD/Neptune Police Department (Kristen Bell)Logan Echolls, Lieutenant Navy soldier, Intelligence officer (Jason Dohring)Keith Mars, Veronica's father and Private Detective of Mars Investigations (Enrico Colantoni) OC, Chase Mars, nickname--Zero, Veronica's adopted son and zombie (teenage androgynous-male model Andrej Pejic)OC, Chief Olivia Moore 'Live-Moore', Police Chief and boss of NPD (Wendie Malick)OC, Claudia Graves, Doctor, scientist, and boss Medical Examiner of NPD (Allison Scagliotti)OC, Doctoran Chakran, nickname--Doc, human-teen doctor and scientist, Claudia's ME assistant (Alex Wolff, teenage male)OC, Majoran Arastu, nickname--Major, Chase Mar's gay boyfriend/lover, zombie-teen leader and fighter (OC teenage male Arabian, pictures below)OC, Anthony Butchers, nickname--Butch, zombie-teen muscle fighter (Ser'Darius Blaine, teenage male)OC, Leo Nardo Guzman-Navarro, nickname--Seeker/Seeks, zombie-teen finder/seeker, watcher, and flyer, teen cousin of Weevil/Eli Navarro (OC short teenage male Spanish)OC, Gray Van Tombs, nickname--Graves, zombie-teen medic and fighter (Tom Holland, teenage male)OC, Sai-chi Sakamura, nickname--Scythe, zombie-teen martial-arts fighter and katana sword-wielder, Graves' girlfriend/lover (OC teenage female Chinese)OC, Newt Sharpman, nickname--Sharp, zombie-teen sniper/sharpshooter, gun-fighter, and watcher, Mark's gay boyfriend/lover (Thomas Brodie-Sangster, teenage male)OC, Jake / Jacob Marksman, nickname--Mark, zombie-teen gun-shooting fighter and flyer (Will Poulter, teenage male)OC, Ned Hackerman, nickname--Hacks, human-teen hacker (Jacob Batalon, teenage male)Wallace Fennel, Veronica's friend (Percy Daggs III)Cindy 'Mac' Mackenzie, Veronica's friend (Tina Majorino)Dick Casablancas, Logan's friend (Ryan Hansen)Eli 'Weevil' Navarro, Veronica's friend (Francis Capra)
BELOW ARE PICTURES OF THE CHARACTERS FOR THIS STORY
My OC character, Veronica Mars adopted teenage sonChase Mars (androgynous teen male model, Andrej Pejic)
''Major'' Majoran Arastu--Chase's gay boyfriend/lover (teen male model Arabian OC)
OC Medical Examiner and Doctor of the morgue in Neptune police departmentClaudia Graves (Allison Scagliotti)
MORE PICTURES FOR THE STORY: Patient Zero
Alpha Z--Team ensemble
OOOOOAUTHOR'S NOTES: These are story guidelines and updated character lists with face-claims and others for the story itself!I hope you like it!I will post and update this story soon. I promise! And I really hope you'll like it!COVID-19 is still on-going. Everybody stay safe and healthy! Be careful everyone!OOOOO
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN VERONICA MARS, IZOMBIE, AND ANY OF ITS MERCHANDISE. THEY ALL BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS AND CREATORS.
I ONLY OWN THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, THE PLOT AND OC STORY.
NO FLAMES PLEASE!!!
OOOOO
PROLOGUE
You ever wondered how…things change in your life that you least expect it?
Well…here’s how it all happened.
OOOOOIt was exactly 5 years since this certain person has left her home from California to find purpose in life into another state in America.Specifically--in Seattle.Somewhere, late at night.In the middle of an unexpected chaotic scene.The certain and very person of this story--is Veronica Mars, who had left her home from Neptune, who chose to move and live in Seattle--and she was right there in the middle of a lake somewhere, almost in the center of a boat party that suddenly gone down very badly--and right now, she’s trying to find her way to escape while holding and protecting a scared 10-year-old boy against her, and the two of them are hiding under a table.Veronica Mars bravely tries to assess the crazy situation before her, seeing many people screaming and trying to run away from cannibalistic inhuman zombies but got caught, bitten, and then torn up and eaten--all the while comforting and hushing the crying child beside her.OOOOO
You’re probably wondering how I got caught in this situation…
Well…right now, I need to focus on getting myself and my kid out of there…
Yeah, that’s right.
My kid.
But that part of the story will come later…
After I get away from this sudden zombie outbreak.
Yeah, that’s right. A real ZOMBIE outbreak!
OOOOO“Okay…get ready. We’re going to get out of here and jump!” Veronica said softly to the small boy beside her.He sobbed. “I’m scared!”“I know, I know--but don’t worry,” Veronica soothed him. “Once we jump into the water, those monsters won’t get to us! I promise!”The boy looked torn and very scared but he trusted the older woman and meekly nodded.Veronica readied herself as she held the small boy tight in her arms to protect him, and after a tense minute during this chaotic yelling scene, she found her chance and ran like hell towards the railing of the boat and gracefully climbed and went over it and didn’t hesitate to jump swiftly into the water, when she heard snarls of the inhuman monsters coming at her from behind.She escaped without a scratch--or even being bitten by those undead zombies when they failed to catch her and she and her kid held their breaths when they plunged into the dark waters with a sound splash and Veronica quickly swam up to the surface for air as she didn’t want the two of them to drown.Veronica gasped as she and her boy surfaced and both of them coughed before Veronica looked at the burning boat with its horde of zombies and the poor living victims being eaten alive and scratched and then turned in there, and she knew that it was fortunate that the horrific incident is isolated since the boat had drifted thankfully into the middle of this big lake of Seattle.But right now, she needs to focus on getting herself and the child survivor she saved, back to shore and away from the danger she’s swimming almost nearly--even though it’s no longer a danger to the two sole survivors.By the time, Veronica had made it to the shores, swimming to land safely with the child she still held against her and the boy clung to her tightly with arms around her neck, she trudged up on land, soaking wet and panting tiredly and it seems that the boy decided to fall asleep, drooping on her like he’s completely tired from the terrifying ordeal they’ve gone through.Even though Veronica Mars had already called 911 when it happened, as she watched from a distance when the on-going chaotic burning boat started sinking slowly deep into the lake, somehow got a leak bursting to make it sunk with its living and non-living victims--she wondered whether she should stick around or not, to give her statement once the police, paramedics, and other emergency first-responders arrive.But then she felt the sleeping boy shiver in her arms like he’s very cold from his still-wet soaked situation, and decided then and there to leave, and she might come back after she’s done helping the kid and herself back to rights and healthy--or else, both of them will get easily sick from the cold of them being soaking wet and everything.Veronica looked around and then spotted faint lights from another distance and walked in a slight fast stride to get there, cradling and holding the boy in her arms closer against her body to give the child body-warmth.When she finally got to the spot where she saw the lights, Veronica was very happy and glad to see that it was a small inn that she had spotted and it seemed private enough for her and her new charge to clean up.As she got inside, Veronica was fortunate again to see that the owner of the small private inn was a nice and good middle-aged woman, who started fussing motherly towards her and the child in her arms, when she saw them come in and take in their wet-soaked condition and she instantly ushered her to follow her so that the kind owner will generously help them clean up and offer them new clothes.Veronica thanked her and the inn-woman just smiled kindly at her and said that she understood, which Veronica deduced that the woman thought that she and her kid must have been mugged of their belongings from dastardly criminals and was forced to travel through the worst rainy weather after her horrible ordeal.Now that she and the little boy still sleeping in her arms are now donning new clothes, with the inn-woman having kids of her own, similar to the boy’s age, they are now settled comfortably and sitting near the fire-place in the inn-woman’s part of her home and were carefully warmed from the cold.When the kind woman left to bring hot chocolate and warm food for Veronica and her little boy, the said-child started stirring awake in her arms, cutely rubbing his eyes with one of his small fists.Veronica smiled warmly when the boy blinked and then looked around before looking up at her with its adorable eyes. “… Ms. Mars?” he said.“Hey, you okay, little buddy?”“I’m hungry…”“Oh, don’t worry. There’s a nice lady coming back with food and yummy hot chocolate.” she soothed him.“I don’t want that,” he said in a serious-like tone, which the little kid really meant it when she heard him say that.“Okay, what do you want?”Veronica expected the little boy in her arms to ask for candy or any kind of sweets, but what came out of the child’s mouth, that is cradled in her arms--was very unexpected.“Brains…”Silence then…“What?”Then Veronica almost lost her grip into dropping the child from her arms when she saw, much to her shock and horror, his light gray eyes started turning inhuman red--just like the monstrous zombies back from the boat party.“I want brains, Ms. Mars. Is that okay?” the boy said cutely, cuddling closer like the child didn’t know that he’s been turned like the zombies--except in a different way.Veronica didn’t speak as she started inspecting and looking around the small body to see how the child still held in her arms, got infected--and that’s when she found the three painful-looking scratches that were barely visible on his right arm.“Ohh boy…”OOOOOThen it was a few years later that passed by from the night of the zombie-outbreak boat party in Seattle.Veronica is still there, alive and well and she is now in another place of America--specifically New York City.There are many reasons on why Veronica chose to move and live in that place, ever since that horrific incident in Seattle--but mainly, few of those reasons were that she chose to study and graduate in police law enforcement and become a Homicide Detective, which is her solid life’s goals--instead of studying to become a lawyer.Even though, she already has early expertise and experience from her previous time as a private investigator, when she was young--Veronica chose this route to follow her dreams and heart’s desire as a crime-solving detective.However, the sole and most important reason of all on why she moved to New York instead of going back home in California--was because of her adopted son, namely Chase Mars.And that very reason is also that--he’s a zombie.The adopted son--is the very same boy that she saved from the Seattle boat party Massacre--who got scratched and then turned into a zombie, but he wasn’t changed into the same kind of cannibalistic monstrous undead-being like the zombies turned from that very incident.No--he got changed in a unique and special-different kind of carnivorous undead.But that story about her boy, that she saved and adopted as her own--and how he changed from human to zombie and all that--will come later.For right now, Veronica is focusing on buying groceries at that small supermarket, at nearly closing time and she’s studying some canned goods like she’s trying to decide what’s best when the very mentioned person--her son came running to her side with what he needs to buy for his zombie dietary, or Z-Diet as he terms it in their secret code, to hide his changed condition.He has grown and looks older now, in his teens. But of course, there is a visible change on him, from inside and out--very different from normal-looking teenagers--by the appearance and sight of his sickly-like pale skin and very white almost long hair, peeking from under the black hood of his sweatshirt.His arms are almost full of bottles of hot sauce and Veronica just smiled at her boy Chase and gently gestured him to put them all on the cart so that they’ll be bought.They didn’t need to pay much since they didn’t buy much stuff anyway, but when they got to the counter and pay for the groceries they’re buying, the counter lady looked at Veronica’s son a little weirdly with some nervousness and Veronica knew that the reason she’s staring was that her boy is dressed up in a black ensemble with black jeans and a black-hooded sweatshirt, almost looking like a suspicious criminal-like street-kid.Veronica cleared her throat and made the woman wince when she glared at him sternly to stop staring at her son and she vaguely noticed Chase grinning a little beneath the big hood over his head.After they were done, both of them hurried to their car at the parking lot, Chase helping his mother Veronica to put the grocery bags into the back and then he hurried into getting inside the car, while Veronica looked around like she’s checking to see if anyone’s looking right at them or there’s something suspicious that’s zeroing on them.When she saw nothing, she gave a relieved sigh and went into the car as well.OOOOO
As I wonder upon living this kind of life…how often life and people would change so unexpectedly…and I mean, really changed, just from a simple party?
OOOOOJust as Veronica and her adopted son were inside the car, she gently ushered him to pull his hood down more to cover over his face and he did what she asked, just as there was a slight sudden color-change in his eyes, from silver-gray turning to inhuman red and black, and then back to normal.Veronica looked around once more to check and see if there’s anything suspicious before she started the car and drive to get out of the market parking lot and went down the route on going to their home-building where they’re living in New York City.OOOOO
This is Veronica Mars.
And this is the start of my story…the story about me adopting a boy as my own kid…who had been changed into a zombie.
And…I know that it’s crazy but--I don’t mind at all.
Ohh boy.
OOOOOOOOOO
CHAPTER 1 - THE BEGINNING--CASE OF THE DEAD KLEPTO
OOOOO
…LAST TIME…
This is Veronica Mars.
And this is the start of my story…the story about me adopting a boy as my own kid…who had been changed into a zombie.
And…I know that it’s crazy but--I don’t mind at all.
Ohh boy.
OOOOO
…10 YEARS LATER…
It was now exactly 10 years since Veronica Mars had left and she has decidedly and officially came back and returned to her home, permanently for good, in Neptune, California.Along with her added and only sole company with her then.And that is her adopted son, named Chase Mars.And also that he is a zombie in secret.For five years, out of those 10, Veronica chose to care for the zombie boy as her own--even with his undead condition. She had faith that somehow, there would be an understanding doctor-scientist out there that would help her son and find a cure for his condition.And much to her luck, she managed to find one in secret years ago, and that person is stationed and living in her hometown in Neptune.And that’s one of the reasons why she and her son moved and came back to her home.Ever since she adopted Chase as her kid since the Seattle boat party Massacre years ago--which she was glad that Child Protective Services easily let her adopt him since he was orphaned when his parents got killed at that party and Veronica was the only adult he trusted and bonded to--she kept the secret about his changed condition only to her son and herself and told or shared to no one else, even her father, Keith Mars.She knew that her father deserved to know about her kid--including his kind of state, but she knew that sharing such shocking knowledge is too dangerous to give to, since she’s seen a few zombie movies on how normal humans would react upon facing the undead--even if it might not be the case with her dad or not.But she’d rather not risk it.Especially the fact that she also can’t risk living with him so that he would notice the strange inhuman-signs that her son still tries to hide from the normal human populace.Veronica knew very well that she got her sharp instincts and skills from her father, and he would see it and figure it out just from one look if the two of them stayed with him.So before she and her son moved to California, she early searched and found a simple modest apartment for her and her kid to live in when they got back.And it’s a suitable place near to the police department where she’ll work and the small private home-tutoring school where her son will be going to, instead of a normal school.As they arrived at Neptune, they went straight to the apartment and settle in almost fairly quickly, not having much of the many stuff when they got back to living into her home-land again.Just as Chase was happily helping his mom out to unpack the few boxes they brought home in their new apartment, Veronica heard the knocking on their door and she thought that some of the other apartment dwellers decided to visit their new neighbors and give them a warm welcoming.Chase went tense upon hearing the knocking but Veronica assured him that it’s okay as she went to greet the visitors outside.But when she opened the door, it’s not the neighbors of the apartment building they’re living in, nor is it any other people she would expect.Surprisingly, it was her father Keith Mars.And she wasn’t expecting at him at all to find out so quickly and exactly where she is living right now.“Hey, baby girl!” Keith said with a big smile at her and spread his arms like he’s expecting the usual hug from his daughter.“Dad! Uh--wow! This is a surprise!”Keith frowned at his daughter, who didn’t move from her spot standing in the doorway and just stared at him a bit nervously, almost looking like she got caught with her hand on the cookie jar when she was a kid before--or rather a criminal found and caught off-guard by a cop.“What’s wrong with you? No hug for your old man? I let it slide that you didn’t call or text me more often ever since you left 10 years ago, and this is what I get?” he said incredulously and a little hurt.“I’m sorry, Dad. It’s just--I didn’t expect you to find out and come find me and--!” she said apologetically sincere but also glancing behind her nervously like she’s hiding something very important that she hasn’t shared to her dad ever since she left.Unfortunately, it’s like Fate decided to mess with her, as that important subject voiced out loud and came running for her.“Hey, Mom! Who’s at the door?!”Veronica tensed and then grimaced visibly as her adopted teenage 15-year-old pale boy came running up to her side, checking to see what’s wrong or something--and her father Keith’s eyes widened comically when he heard the young kid just call his daughter that term of ‘Mom’--which she knew very well that it’s about to be his worst nightmare of sorts--once he registers it fully upon hearing it into his head.“Uh…heheh…surprise!”She said weakly as she gestured to introduce her adopted son.Keith Mars just stared at his daughter…and the new grandson that he didn’t know about at all.While Chase did the same as he stood behind his mom, only after a shocking silent moment, he said out loud like he knew the kind of awkwardness between the Mars family members right then and there.“Ohh boy…” Chase whispered.OOOOOIt was a few minutes later, that Keith Mars finally snapped out of his stunned stupor and started asking and talking to his daughter Veronica about her adopted son, Chase, and everything else.“Since when did you adopt a kid--not to mention, never told me about it?!” Keith demanded incredulously at Veronica.Veronica sighed like she knew the kind of reaction her father would give on finding out and calmly said to him like this is nothing new or usual for her. “Dad, I know that this was an impulsive decision of sorts--but you have to understand that circumstances were different at the time when I chose and decided to adopt my boy Chase.”“Oh really? Well then--I’d love to hear all about it,” he asked dryly.Meanwhile, Chase decided to stay out of the way from the adult conversation and started making up lunch for the three of them in their new apartment. Although, he eavesdrop into the talk discreetly, in case he needs to intervene or something.Chase listened in their conversation silently while cooking, as Veronica talked to her father calmly while rebuking any argument he voices out at her about her responsibilities towards her adopted son and everything.“Still--why didn’t you tell me or at least sent me something so that I’d know about it? Heck--it was quite a surprise to find out that I suddenly have a grand-son and all that!” Keith exclaimed though Veronica was relieved to see that her father wasn’t very upset about it on suddenly discovering that he’s got a grand-kid in the Mars family now.Veronica sighed, “Because--I didn’t want you to overwhelm him with sudden questions until I got Chase fully prepared to face you and the others. The reason for that, Dad is because--well, we’ve been through a lot. Actually--Chase has been through a lot.”As Veronica told the short gist of the story about her adopted son Chase to her dad, she made sure that she omitted all the parts about him being a zombie, and she was glad to see that her father Keith didn’t notice anything amiss while she’s telling the story about what she and her son has gone through and everything, and also the reasons why he wasn’t told of it.Once Veronica was done and finished telling him, Chase had also finished setting up the table and plates of food for their lunch in the dining spot of their apartment. Chase secretly saw that it’s all good with his mom and her father--who’s about to be his grandpa--and they exchanged heartfelt hugs before she guided him to be introduced to her son.Veronica cleared her throat as Chase stand up straight instantly for attention like he’s been ready for it and she smiled a little upon seeing it before she said. “Dad, this is my son Chase. Chase, this is my dad, Keith.”“Nice to meet you, sir!” Chase said politely, reaching out a hand at him for greeting.Keith smiled almost widely at the good manners this teenage boy has, even though he’s seen his fair share that most teenagers would be mischievous trouble-makers and such things, but he reached out to shake Chase’s hand. “Nice to meet you too, son. But please--call me Keith or Pops, if you like.”Veronica smiled like she’s very happy to see that her son and dad are getting along fine, even though they just met. But she knew that they’ll get closer and become an instant family once the two guys get to know each other more--with the ‘zombie’ part omitted, of course.“I hope you don’t mind, but I made lunch for all of us, sir--I mean Mr. Keith,” Chase said, gesturing with an arm towards the dining table that’s already set up by him alone.Keith blinked a bit in surprise. “You can cook, kid?”Veronica sighed forlornly as she admitted. “He had to. When we lived in New York city--my job as a detective in my former police department took a lot of my time at home, that it didn’t take long for Chase to learn how to cook by himself when he got tired of take-out food and nearly-burnt cooking from yours truly.”“Mom, it’s not your fault. New York was one of the top crime-rate cities in America, and besides--I like cooking since I was a kid--you could say that having you work out late, was the best time for me to learn and get real experience about it.” Chase consoled his mother that he didn’t mind that he almost lived most of the five years of their life when they were in New York as a home-alone kid.“Yes, but the down-side of it, I get the embarrassing part of being the student, instead of the teacher, that should supposedly be the other way around--when it comes to cooking and home economics,” Veronica joked dryly.Both Keith and Chase chuckled with light-hearted amusement at the thought of an adult woman being taught by her own adolescent kid to learn how to cook home-made meals and such.It didn’t take long for their family dinner together to solidify a new bond for the new addition into the Mars family.OOOOOAfter that family dinner, Veronica and Chase Mars were both glad and happy that Keith Mars got along well with the new addition, namely the adopted teenage boy, and so, the next thing on their home-coming agenda is getting Veronica Mars settled in on her job as a Homicide detective at Neptune police department where she’s transferring and working from now on as they moved back home there in California.Veronica brought Chase along to her work-place so that he’ll get a look around to know the place where she’ll be working at, and also get to know a few of her co-workers and police officer colleagues that she’ll be working with.Especially the Chief of the police department there--who Veronica is familiar with and close to, as well.And that person--or more precisely, the woman is Chief Olivia Moore.Or Chief ‘Live-Moore’ as she is called jokingly from most of the officers of her department behind her back.But this police chief woman is not someone you really want to mess with or joke about.Though middle-aged in her slight late forties, she is a formidable and supremely skilled officer of law enforcement, and she eats corruption for breakfast and crime both for lunch and dinner.That and--she’s the one who easily accepted into hiring Veronica Mars to work in her department, even when she already heard and was briefed of her previous private-investigative exploits back then when she was young and everything.There are some that would say or spread rumors that there is some sort of maternal-like relationship between Chief Moore and Detective Mars, specifically Veronica seeing Chief Moore as a second mother she would always like to have.But then it’s almost close to the truth because the reality is that the two women have met before long ago, for a short brief time when Veronica was very studious at the Police Academy to become the skilled Homicide Detective that she is back then and now, and Chief Moore was there as a short-time tutor to show and mentor the newbie police officers the works of law enforcement and everything.Chief Moore was a very highly decorated police officer back then, and that’s one of the reasons why the police academy invited her to tutor some of the new police students since then and that’s where she and Veronica Mars had met and became close, almost like family.When Chief Moore found out that Veronica studied very hard, while being juggled with slight difficulty in having her adopted son, Chase, the woman didn’t mind helping her out during those times, also offering some private tutoring whenever Veronica needed it.Chief Moore also had the pleasure of getting to know her son Chase, but it was by accident that she found out about his unique condition as a zombie.However, she kept that secret very quiet and Veronica was relieved and glad to know that she has someone else on her side to keep the secret safe and well about her son.It was also Chief Moore who recommended that Veronica and her son Chase transfer and come back to Neptune when Veronica shared the information to her that she found a reliable and trustworthy source of a scientist that can be trusted to be given knowledge of her son’s undead secret and help him find out and discover a way into making a cure for his condition.Chief Moore used her high power in law enforcement to make sure that Veronica and Chase had the opportunity to move back to California, letting and hiring Veronica to have her job as a detective in her police department, and also help them secretly cover their tracks for the meetings with the two of them and the scientist into possibly making the cure for his ‘zombie’ condition and such.Chief Moore smiled warmly and motherly when Veronica Mars knocked on the door of her big office and she looked up to see her and her son behind her, looking a bit shy under the dark hood of his black sweatshirt and she gestured them to come in.“Welcome, Veronica, Chase…how’s the new apartment you two are living in when you returned home here? Is it good for both of you?” she asked kindly.Veronica smiled and Chase shook out of his shyness, zeroing in instantly at the small coffee set-up and went to it to make coffee for both women in the office and for himself--but with his added special need of spicy-ness.Veronica nodded. “It’s great. The place we got is perfect--no noisy neighbors or any miscreant types living there. But--my dad came by and gave us a surprise visit and well…”“Ah…he got the surprise of a lifetime when he met Chase?” Chief Moore inquired.“Yeah--but don’t worry! It’s all good. I told my dad the gist of Chase’s story and mine, and he accepted Chase with open arms and everything instantly.” Veronica reassured her police chief and close mentor.“That’s good to hear but--does your father know about his condition?” she asked pointedly seriously.Veronica instantly gave a negative shake of her head at her and said firmly. “No. And I’m going to keep it that way. Not until my dad somehow found out or discovered the truth about it by accident of some sorts--or by certain dire circumstances.”Chief Moore nodded in agreement at this but then Chase snorted as he carefully brought the two mugs of coffee for his mom and the police chief woman.Chase pointed out dryly. “Better not jinx it, Mom. Knowing with our kind of luck--I’m pretty sure it won’t be long until ‘Pops’ find out about it. And from what you told me about him--I’m betting that he won’t hesitate to ‘shoot first’ than ‘ask questions’ later, Mom.”Veronica frowned at her son. “I think you’re the one who shouldn’t jinx it, kid.”Chief Moore chuckled out loud before she gestured at the two of them to stop. “Alright, that’s enough now.”Chase turned and grabbed his cup of coffee with its added super spiciness and drank it, not grimacing or wincing at the sharp hot taste at all, but savoring it.“So…is the person here?” Veronica asked in a low whisper.Chief Moore already knew who she is asking and nodded firmly and whispered back. “She’s just started working down in the Morgue.”Veronica suddenly blinked in confusion when she registered what Chief Moore said.“She…?”Chief Moore gave her a pointed look, “Yes, the person is a she. But don’t worry, I met her first and she is as you said you told me about--reliable and trustworthy when you contacted her.”“I still think it was a bad idea and a big risk into talking to some secret scientist from the dark web when you looked into it, Mom. How do we know this won’t be a repeat like the last time?” Chase protested, voicing out loud again when he’s listening in to their conversation as he stood almost far away by the side corner of the big office and drinking his spicy coffee.Before Veronica would retort or say anything, Chief Moore intervened as she calmly said. “I was very thorough into assessing her when she came into my office to clock on her first day on the job. Trust me--your mother isn’t the only one who has very keen sharp eyes on telling who’s trustworthy and unsavory, even in this part of small-town and such.”Chase sighed, “Fine…I guess I’ll have to take both your word on it.”Both Veronica and Chief Moore smiled at him before Chief Moore went serious and looked at Veronica. “Well, why don’t you and your son get acquainted with our Morgue-girl downstairs and I’ll be up here waiting for you to start working on your first case on your new job, Detective Mars.”Veronica nodded but when she and her son are walking out of the police chief’s office, Chief Moore can hear clearly from far away that Chase asked dubiously at his Mom, “Morgue-girl?”Chief Moore chuckled lightly before she donned her serious formidable persona and went on completing some of the paperwork and files on her desk which was not finished yet.OOOOOWhen they got down into the Morgue at the basement below of the police department building, the source that Veronica reached out to from the online secret communications instantly approached her and Chase with excitement, like she knew that they were coming.Veronica held back her amused grin when Dr. Claudia Graves greeted her with exuberance while her son Chase stared at her warily like he doesn’t trust her one bit, even when only meeting her first time. Then the teenager tensed, even more, when he noticed that the woman wasn’t alone upon seeing the young teenage companion there, and it looked like that he’s her part-time assistant working with her in the Morgue or something else.Chase didn’t like it that this Dr. Claudia-woman offered to talk more with his mom privately in her office that is also built there in the Morgue for the main medical examiners that worked there because he didn’t like sticking around with the teenage assistant, which he could tell by first glance that he’s a nosy-type.But then he relaxed when Dr. Graves told her teenage assistant to write down the report on the latest corpse at one of the autopsy tables and then bring it up straight to the investigating officer after he’s done. He was also glad to hear but didn’t show it when Claudia told her assistant that she will be the one to wrap up the body and put it into the drawer section as he goes up to deliver the report and the assistant, who’s named Doctoran Chakran--but rather prefers to be called ‘Doc’ of all things--nodded firmly to show his boss that he’ll follow her orders straight to the tee and everything.Once Dr. Claudia and his mom Veronica went into the sound-proofed M.E. office, Chase looked towards the teenage assistant called ‘Doc’ who’s dutifully writing down the M.E. report on the corpse and though he tried to stand back and just watched, he couldn’t help himself on getting closer and looking at who the dead body is.Chase silently stared down at the face of a fairly-beautiful dead woman on the metal-slab laid out on the autopsy table.Then Doc started talking like he knew what he must be thinking about and wanted to share to him on who this person is. “This girl was found from a dumpster by some jogger that came strolling by like any normal day--and called the police. The cops went to the crime scene, processed it, but they found no I.D. on her or any other info so she's--”“She’s a Jane Doe,” Chase said straight, instantly deducing what he’s going to say and said it first.He frowned as he studied her face and then her entire dead body almost closely. “She looked awfully pretty and don’t appear to be some kind of person to get killed for. The police have any clue or idea on the kind of employment she worked or something?”Doc just shook his head. “There was nothing. Heck, not even a library card on her to find out who she is, even what she does for a living or something. So far--the cops didn’t find anything other than the heavy blunt-force trauma she got on her head, which is the cause of death.”Then he blinked as something occurred to him but then he reached down into one of the pockets on the lab-coat he’s wearing and took out his mobile phone to see what message he got when he felt it vibrate in there. Doc texted back to whoever texted him and then went on in to finish writing on his report. Chase watched him for a silent moment while glancing at Jane Doe’s body with slight intensity on his face like he decided something that he promised his Mom before that he shouldn’t do it.“And--I’m done and now my next duty calls!” Doc said as he finished his report and then walked around to go towards the stairs to climb up and deliver it straight to the investigator, as per his orders from his boss.“Hmm…I wonder if it’s suicide?” Doc couldn’t help but voice out his theory on the motive of Jane Doe’s death.Then he stopped when he’s at the edge of the stairs, looked back at Chase, and gave a slightly soft conspiracy-like whisper. “Or was it murder?”Then he grinned and cheerfully told Chase, “Well, I’ll be off then. When my boss, Dr. Graves comes out of the office with your mum--mind doing me a favor and tell her that I’m off delivering the report, please? Thanks very much, cheerio!”Chase almost chuckled and shook his head smiling when Doc went off without him answering whether he’ll do his favor or not.Then he turned to keep staring at the corpse on the autopsy table like he’s internally debating something and holding himself back by a mere thread. For it seems that Chase wanted to eat her brains and solve her case as she didn’t deserve to be put into the drawer section among the unknown Jane or John Does there.When he glanced at the office and saw that his mom and Claudia were still talking deeply in their conversation, knowing that they’re talking about him. And after a while, he decided to ‘hell-with-it’ and went for the body again and used the saw that will open up her head so that he’ll grab the brains.Chase was very glad that the office is sound-proofed, inside and out, and once he got the brains out, he went straight to the small kitchen-like space, searched around the cupboards and found whatever materials and food-stuff he’s looking for, brought them out and started making his zombie-version meal.He chopped up the brains into very small minced-cuts, poured hot water into the large styro-cup of spicy noodles and then cooked it after the noodles were cooked, he added the whole cut-up pieces of brains into it, stirred and then added more chili hot sauce into it, just the way he liked it.Once he’s done preparing his meal, he’s about ready to eat it with a fork and was standing at a darkened spot in the corner of the Morgue, mostly preferring to eat his food in the black-shadowed darkness.But when Chase took a bite from his zombie-brains mixed noodle meal, the lights were suddenly switched on, exactly right at his spot, and he turned around to see who just came in.Much to his shock and horror, it was Doc the teenage assistant, who suddenly came back almost very quickly after delivering the M.E. report, and he’s staring at him with wide eyes and mouth-gaping for a stunned-silent moment.Until it was broken as he asked excitedly. “Oh my God! I have like--so many questions. But first--why the hot sauce? Is that a zombie-thing or something?!”Chase didn’t answer as he just soundly gulped down the bit of food he had in his mouth.That and his mom Veronica Mars and the M.E. doctor Claudia Graves came out of the office after they finished their conversation, and just in time, they stood there stunned shocked and horrified when they caught the latter part of what Claudia’s assistant just said and discovered about the zombie-teenager Chase.It was a few seconds later that the people snapped out of their stunned-shock, and Veronica pulled the teenager aside and demanded and yelled at him on how he knows that her son is a zombie while Claudia tries to calm the detective woman down from harassing her poor assistant.All the while, Chase--Chase decided to continue eating and finish his brain-noodle meal until there’s nothing left.Once Chase was done and finished with his food, at the same time, Veronica was done interrogating the young Doc, it was then that Chase decided to join into the conversation and find out for himself on how Doc deduced so quickly on finding out that he’s a teenage zombie after his mom believed him that the M.E. assistant didn’t tell anyone else of his discoveries and will not share it to anybody, even by force.“So how did you find out and know that I’m a zombie?” Chase casually asked, ignoring how Dr. Claudia is looking at him like she wanted to start on doing some examination of his condition and get started on formulating a cure.Doc just grinned and explained. “Dude! The Seattle Boat Party Massacre was an urban legend back in the days, long ago--I was among the few people who were obsessed with that event when it suddenly went all hush-hush conspiracy by the military or whatever secret-organization or department that got into it. The only thing that I found out that you were a zombie moving into Neptune--was because I slightly overheard my boss talking to your mom about your unique condition, and I got a little curious and looked upon your Mom and everything, until I realized her ‘suspicious’ involvement concerning that Seattle-thing when I dig deeper into it!”Veronica instantly glared at Claudia, who winced under her gaze as she snapped at her in a dangerous calm-like tone. “Your own assistant eavesdropped on you--and you didn’t know?”Claudia instantly put up her hands in defense. “I swear to you--I really did not know that my lab-boy was listening in, and I did swear to you before that I would have made sure I’d deal with any of those who dared know about it and everything!”Chase scoffed. “Well, obviously, your lab-assistant found out about it, but strangely enough--he kept quiet about it, until now. Why?”That was the most important question and the three of them looked straight at Doc on wanting to know why he kept his silence about Chase’s zombie condition.Doc kept grinning widely like he’s very excited to be in on this as he cried jubilantly. “Are you kidding me?! It’s not every day you get to be a part of a special conspiracy on helping out a zombie and finding and making a cure for it! Not to mention--a friendly zombie at that!”Chase muttered out loud sarcastically. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that once you see me in zombie-mode--exactly like in the movies of 28 Days Later and Weeks Later as that matter similarly.”“Even so! This is a one chance of a lifetime that I don’t want to miss it for the world--heck, for anything!”Upon Doc saying those statements in his jubilant teenage way, both Veronica and Claudia trusted him seriously but there’s something that Chase wanted to ask him about. “You just found out that I’m a zombie--how come you reacted so normal to me?”Doc blinked like he didn’t expect the kind of question from him. “Why? How am I supposed to react?”“Obviously, you should’ve freaked out like any normal person--or rather human--would be when they’re confronted with a real-life man-eating zombie but…you’re acting like this is just measles I contracted or something like that,” Chase said disbelievingly.Doc’s eyes widened like he thought of something else and glanced quickly at Veronica and then his boss, Claudia before he asked hurriedly. “So no one else knows--other than us here, before, and now?!”Chase rolled his eyes as Veronica decided to speak for him. “Other than Chief Moore upstairs--there’s no one else who knows about this. Not even my father Keith--or any of my friends here.”“Ohh, sweet! This is awesome!”Veronica chuckled a little before she became serious. “You better hold your horses, kid, because you still need to be evaluated and contracted before you help out in this life-long endeavor upon curing my son of his zombie-ism.”Then she looked at Claudia and gave her an evil smile, which confused her but then her face paled when Veronica casually said to her in a firm-ordering voice. “Dr. Graves, why don’t you bring your nice assistant up in Chief Moore’s office and update her about the new addition to our secret little project, hm?”Claudia spluttered, trying to give excuses on not to go, and Chase held back his grin, knowing that she’s scared to face against the formidable police-chief woman but Claudia relented with defeat when his mom Veronica kept giving her a pointed steel glare that she’ll go or else.Claudia sighed and grabbed her assistant’s arm, dragging the sputtering protesting teenager to get upstairs and meet up with Chief Moore to do as Detective Veronica Mars told her to do.Veronica and Chase Mars watched the two boss and assistant MEs leave, the detective mother turned to her son and asked calmly, “So whose brain did you just eat, Chase?”Chase choked like there’s something stuck in his throat before he cleared it and composed himself. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mom,” he denied.Veronica looked at him like she’s not stupid. “Chase, I know you. Even just by moving back to my home-town, you wouldn’t stop wanting to assist in any case, even if it’s mine or belongs to anyone else. Now fess up.”Chase sighed as he knew that he won’t get out of it and confessed. “Okay, it was the Jane Doe there at the slab-table. When that teen assistant--that was letting himself be called ‘Doc’--said that there was no info on her when the cops found her corpse, I knew that I wanted to find out how she died and help to solve this case if it turned out to be murder, instead of suicide.”Veronica nodded like she truly understands this as she smiles at her son. “You always were a soft-heart towards the ‘Doe’ victims. But Chase…”She trailed off and her son looked at her confused about why she stopped talking for a moment and looked like that there’s something bothering her.Veronica decided to let it out before she’ll regret holding it back and not telling her kid the truth of what she’s thinking. “You know, you don’t have to continue doing this and act the part as a ‘psychic’ detective to help me or others out in these cases--even if you say you don’t want to or not. I told you that the reason why I moved both of us here at my home-turf was for us to heal and move on from what happened.”Chase knew what his foster mother is talking about and told her what he thought honestly so that his mom won’t regret saying such things to him. “Mom, it’s okay. I get that you moved both of us here and everything--but I really want to keep doing this. I want to help people--especially the victims.”Veronica sighed, knowing her son won’t be persuaded from his dead-set decision and let him be. “Alright--but if this Jane Doe’s brain turns out to have mental issues, you stop pursuing this case. Am I clear?” she warned him with a pointed finger meaningfully at him.Chase nodded understanding completely. “I promise, Mom. Scout’s honor.”Veronica looked like she didn’t believe her son when he said the latter part, but she’ll trust him for now and keep an eye on him in case he might get affected by the brain he ate from the recent Doe corpse.But little did she know, is that she’ll have to let in someone into the know about Chase’s part in his act as a ‘psychic’ detective--when the case about the unknown Jane Doe gives out a surprising revelation on who the investigating officer that has taken over that particular case.OOOOOAfter Chief Moore was apprised of the new addition into their secret side-project, known only to her, Veronica and Chase Mars exclusively, along with Dr. Claudia Graves now-trustingly added to the mix--it seemed that the police chief woman now deemed the young teenage ME assistant ‘Doc’ fully trusted and worthy to be let into the know and help out with finding out and formulating a cure for Chase’s unique condition--despite the fact that her face showed visibly that she wasn’t very pleased upon finding out how Claudia’s assistant easily found out their little secret and she gave the female morgue doctor another pointed stern glare that she must keep her promise this time into securing the secret very well next time.And that made Claudia instantly promise and vow with her right hand up in ‘Scout’s Honor’ that she will and she dramatically stated that she won’t hesitate to cut her tongue out with her own scalpel the next time she found out that she spilled the beans of their secret to somebody else anyhow.Which made Veronica chuckle out loud with amusement when she and her son Chase came into the chief’s office and Chief Moore just rolled her eyes and shook her head at Dr. Graves’ exaggerated statement.Then Claudia dragged her assistant Doc to leave the office after they were done and go back to the Morgue, all the while Doc complained and protested that he wanted to start already into evaluating Chase, but his adult boss scolded him that they’ll do it later.After they left, Veronica confessed to the police chief that Chase decided to ‘latch-on’ to someone and start helping out with the recent victim from the morgue, that was the Jane Doe.Chief Moore wasn’t surprised at all since Chase had decided before that he wanted to follow his foster mother’s footsteps on being a private detective, added with his special ‘psychic’ abilities in the mix.“Did you get any impressions or visions at all from the Jane Doe you latched on, Chase?” Chief Moore inquired curiously like this is normal.Chase shook his head in negative. “So far, I’ve got nothing. But…strangely enough, I’m feeling a sudden urge to reach out sneakily and steal a few of those pens from that mug over there, Chief,” he admitted.Veronica blinked in surprise and confusion when he said this and she noticed how her son is gazing at the said mug, full of writing pens, on the chief’s desk table with beady zeroing eyes, that is not the normal or usual behavior from him.It didn’t take long for both Detective Mars and Chief Moore to figure out what’s wrong with Chase’s sudden change in behavior after he said that statement and realized the familiarity of it from previous cases they’ve gone through before.“Aah--the Jane Doe was a klepto.” Veronica deduced.“A klepto--what? Mom?” Chase asked confused as well.Chief Moore explained calmly. “Klepto or klepto-maniac. It’s a person with a mental disorder that urges or makes them steal. There is a treatment for it, but sometimes there are cases that these kleptos couldn’t fight against the urge and let it take over their lives, thus giving them many rap-sheets more than the normal-kind of thieves.”“Ohh great!” Chase groaned. “My first days here in Mom’s home-town, and now I’m stuck with this girl victim's mental-problems for my first case to helping out--suddenly, I’m not feeling very happy about it already.”“Was it hunger that got you into this case--or was it your noble crime-fighting for justice mentality?” Chief Moore asked, sounding knowingly amused, that got Chase frowning at her, and Veronica chuckle again.Chase admitted. “It was actually about the victim going to be dubbed as a ‘Jane Doe’ down in the morgue so--”Veronica finished for him. “--he wants to make sure that the victim down there earns her right to have her identity known before Dr. Graves might put her into the drawers of the unknown ‘Doe’ corpses.”Chief Moore nodded in understanding that and then Chase asked seriously. “Was there anything on the victim that might give me some clues about her or maybe anything that would give me visions or feelings from her?”“You’re going to have to ask the investigative officer of the case about that. In fact--he’s coming in right now to get the ME report from me about the Jane Doe victim. And--he’s someone you two know very well and close to, but not to me.” Chief Moore said the latter part dryly and frowning disapprovingly.Both Veronica and Chase blinked confused at that but the mentioned-investigator that the chief said arrived on cue upon hearing a knock on the door and they turned to see who it is, and both mother and son were surprised to find Keith Mars standing by the doorway as he casually comes in like he owns the place--specifically, the police chief’s office.“Hey, guys. So you two interested in helping me out with this case?” he asked smiling.Veronica blinked in surprise again as she asked, “Dad, this is your case?”Keith Mars nodded and grinned slyly at Chief Moore, which got her frowning more at him. “Yeah, an anonymous client of mine wanted me to find that girl. But days after the client’s request and when I heard that she was found in a dumpster bin from an alley and got brought into the police morgue, that client mysteriously disappeared. I asked the chief to let me take over this case because I wanted to know the reason why my ‘disappearing’ client wanted to find that girl in the first place.”“Normally, I wouldn’t hand over official cases of the police department to the private detectives--I’m making an exception because I owe your father a favor the last time.” Chief Moore said, still frowning disapprovingly at the Private-detective Mars, like she really loathed to do it.Chase looked between Chief Moore and Keith Mars surprised as well. “You two know each other?”Before Keith would answer with a slightly amused grin on his face, Chief Moore instantly intervenes before he speaks. “We’ve met. In a complicated matter--that is none of your business.”Veronica instantly thought that there is something more in the matter than what her Chief said, even though she clearly said in a tone to leave the matter alone, and she held back her amused grin like she’s thinking that there’s something going on between her father and her department chief-boss.Chase seemed to have figured it out as well and muttered to himself lowly. “Now this story I have got to hear the next time.”Then Chase snapped out of it and focused on Keith and asked him, “Sir, was there anything found on the victim that could help us ID her or something? So far the MEs said that they haven’t found any info about her, nor did they look into the recognition database yet.”Keith was curious about why his daughter’s adopted son is asking about it but he answered his question all the same and bringing out what he had in one of his coat pockets. “There was nothing on her, even a wallet--except these.”He took out a small plastic Ziploc bag with metal handcuffs inside it and Keith was being careful to use a spare glove to make sure that he didn’t contaminate the bag with his fingerprints.“I found it after the cops processed the scene in that dumpster alley where the victim was and then took the Jane Doe away. They must have missed it when I was looking around for more clues and then found it under the garbage dumpster at the time. From what I can easily tell from the cuffs--they’re not police issue, they’re novelty ones.” Keith said.While Keith Mars was talking, once Chase got one look of the handcuffs his grandfather private detective took out and showed it to them, he was pulled right into a vision, courtesy of a unique side-effect on being a zombie in hiding.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
“I am arresting you for shoplifting. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say, can and will be used against you in the court of law,” said a police officer, holding out his official police handcuffs at the Jane Doe victim and the view blinked a bit and turned to the side to show that she’s in some sort of market where she’s caught stealing by the cop and was glancing at a Canadian newspaper that’s dated a year ago with some sort of soccer event that shows the winning team at that time.
Suddenly another vision came next in a fast blur.
In the vision, the victim was screaming inside a hotel room of sorts but strangely she was screaming and crying out with laughter as a masked man broke in, came running at her and grabbed her, and then dragged her to the bed.
The masked man was holding out the novelty handcuffs in front of her eyes and the victim continued with her amused cries and screaming just before the man took off his mask to reveal his face as he said in a sing-song mocking voice before her view.
“Here’s Johnny!”
OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOOChase gasped, getting both his mother Veronica and Chief Moore’s attention upon him and Keith looked confused when he noticed how the teenage boy was in some sort of blank trance after he finished talking about the handcuffs he found and placed the bag with them in it onto the chief’s table so that the police chief will have it processed for evidence and such.“Whoa--talk about ‘double-the-fun’ head rush!” Chase exclaimed and then he blinked upon realizing what he just said. “And why the hell--I mean heck--did I just say that?!”“Chase, what did you see?!” Veronica quickly asked her son excitedly, making her father more confused like he’s been left out on the loop of whatever strange things her son is on or something.Chase shakes his head a little like he’s trying to make sense of the two visions that he saw in his first case with the Jane Doe victim here in his mom’s home-town of Neptune, then he managed to focus and told the three people in the private office room of Chief Moore of what he had seen.“The first, I saw the victim being arrested for shoplifting in Canada, specifically a year ago with a newspaper showing the front page of a winning soccer team there. And the second last vision that I saw, she was at some luxurious hotel room being grabbed and tossed into a bed by a masked man and was being shown the same novelty handcuffs that Pops had before he took off his black ski-like mask and showed his real face--which I suddenly feel like I’ve seen the guy from before somewhere.” Chase said.Veronica glanced at Chief Moore who suddenly went onto her desktop computer to type and search into the databases about the victim’s possible identity when she listened to Chase’s story.“Whoa, what’s going on here?! What visions? And--what the hell and how--?” Keith demanded, almost stuttering in confusion, not liking the fact at all that he’s really being left out of whatever this is.Both Veronica and Chase winced when they have forgotten the slightly-most important part that they forgot to share with Keith, concerning Chase.Chief Moore stopped searching on her computer for a moment and turned to look at him, her face a bit amused upon realizing that he wasn’t in on the knowledge about Chase’s special skills.“Oh? Didn’t they tell you?” She inquired nonchalantly. “Your grandson Chase here is a psychic detective.”“Chief!” Veronica instantly protested, glaring at her incredulously on why she just blurted it like that.Chase sighed and pointed out, “Mom, he’s gonna know about it sooner than later, so why not let it out before he finds out himself?”However, Veronica has her doubts about it because she can easily see that her father seemed dubious and disbelieving at the revelation of finding out that the son she adopted is a psychic of all things. Sure, she did mention and told her dad before that her son Chase went through a lot ever since she adopted him, but Keith must have thought that it might have to do with the moody issues of him growing up as a teenager or something like that.Keith Mars never even thought that whatever Chase must have gone through--it would be about that psychic part of all things. But before he could speak out loud of his doubts over it, his daughter quickly intervened before he might say something that might make it worse on the family relationship between her son and her dad.“Dad, I know this is unbelievable and all that--but my son’s abilities are authentic and legit. He helped me in a lot of cases with his abilities when I worked as a police detective back in New York. Just trust me on this and take his word on it, please? I promise I’ll explain more about this and everything later after we help you solve your case.”Keith looked like he wanted to talk about it now, but he decided to agree with his daughter and leave the subject alone for now until later after they’re done with his case that Chase and Veronica will be helping him to solve.There was a sudden sound ping from Chief Moore’s computer and the three Mars family members turned to her and saw she was typing a few keys before she nodded with satisfaction upon finding what she’s searching for, but she frowned upon seeing something that appeared on the screen of her computer.“Well, the good news is that I found the arrest report on that Jane Doe. But the bad news is--the name she gave for the report seemed to be fake or an alias,” she said.Chief Moore turned the computer screen around for them to see and they saw the mug-shot photo of the exact victim that was lying dead down in the morgue. And what Chief Moore had said about the report was correct.The photo image was the perfect match of the victim but the name that was written and put there was--“Seriously? The victim gave the name of Lady Gaga’s real identity as she got arrested? How stupid is that?” Chase asked disbelievingly.Veronica shrugged. “Stupid or not. It’s a little clever of her to give out that fake name and the Canadian cops didn’t even realize it. By the time they might have done so or figured it out, she must have been long gone when she somehow moved here to America.”“Still, it doesn’t give us any idea on who she was and where to look for the place she’s been living in. So I’m guessing the…second vision of yours might give us some clues about it. Was there anything about the man you say you recognize him?” Keith asked Chase, deciding also to go through with it so that they’ll get over this case and solve it quickly as they can.Chase thought over it more deeply for a silent moment before he shook his head in a negative. “No, if that man were some famous actor or politician or something like that, I would’ve recognized him instantly. I might have seen the guy from some commercial or small advertisement.”“Why don’t you draw a sketch of the man’s face and I’ll check and see if he might be in the database or something?” Chief Moore offered and Chase nodded, agreeing with the idea and he started to sketch and draw the man’s face by good memory when she handed over a blank paper and pencil for him.“Meanwhile, why don’t you and my dad hang out and see if there might be more clues from our victim by staking out the scene of the crime and see there might be something more over there? It’s worth a shot.” Veronica added in her idea, but Keith and Chase didn’t seem to consider her idea a good one because Keith is still doubtful over Chase’s so-called psychic skills, while Chase didn’t want to slip something more about himself that would reveal that he’s more than just a secret ‘psychic’ and be discovered as a zombie-in-hiding.But this is their opportunity to get to know each other more, and Chase did ask before that he wanted to know more and everything about being a private detective since his mom was one long ago when she was young and she also helped out her dad in the business of Mars Investigations--that and the teenager decided that he’ll go into the private detective business instead of an official cop like his mom because he slightly dislikes following the rules officially straight to the tee since he had seen too many things before and obtained knowledge that law enforcement can get corrupted and almost easily back in the days before up to now.Even though his mom is an official cop, she’s still the same as she was before on being a rule-breaker and bringer of justice and all that. But Veronica made sure that she still follows rules so that she won’t easily be removed from the police force because she wanted to be in it as she joined as a detective because she--like a few others would do--wanted to fix police corruption and make law enforcement clean.After Chase was done and finished with the police sketch of the man’s face he saw in the second vision of the Jane Doe victim, Chief Moore let Veronica see it as well so that the two of them will look into and search on who the man is, and then Veronica watched with a warm smile on his face as Keith gently led her son Chase to leave the office so that they’ll go and hang out together outside and bond together more as grandfather and grandson.OOOOOIt was sort of awkward…to say the least.And both Chase and Keith Mars didn’t know how to start upon getting to know each other more and bond together, because of their doubts and slight fears against each other.They are now in Keith’s truck, parked almost far away from the crime scene where the Jane Doe victim was found in that dumpster alley, staking the place out and trying to see if there might be anyone else who might come to that crime scene and give them clues for solving this case.After a few minutes of tense silence between the two guys, Chase decided to break the silence by asking brightly. “So what’s the story with you and Chief Moore? How did it come to turn out that she owes you a favor as I heard her say?”Keith chuckled and was happy to tell Chase the story. “When your mother left Neptune ten years ago, I continued working as a private detective in my business of Mars Investigations going but…the Neptune police department was taken over by a corrupted chief-sheriff named Lamb and it wasn’t going very well during those years. That was until--Chief Moore came along about three years ago, took over the position, and kicked Sheriff Lamb out in a very satisfying and humiliating way, that it was on-going gossip around these parts here.”Chase grinned, getting the gist of where this story is going. “Let me guess--you were involved with the takeover for Chief Moore?”Keith nodded, grinning as well. “Yep. And no matter how much that chief-woman denies it--I did help her out on weeding the corrupted sheriff secretly and provided her with evidence that he’s been abusing his position very badly here in Neptune. It was easy for her to pull the needed strings to catch him on the act, report it to the higher-ups, and then kick him out of the Neptune police department completely. So…she begrudgingly owes me a few favors for helping her out and take over as the new police chief of Neptune, and much as she hates it, she allows me to take some cases from her department for me to solve, whether it was requested from my clients or not.”“Ooh, that must have rattled her ‘strict-rule-book-sticking’ cage really bad,” Chase joked lightly.“Either that--or she must have realized and found out that I’m your mom’s dad and had no choice but to trust me on the matter about it when she came here in Neptune,” Keith joked back.“True, maybe…Chief Moore liked my mom when she mentored and helped her out at the Police Academy before. I guess Mom must have talked about you a lot to Chief Moore more than she told me back then.” Chase said.Both of them went silent for a moment in the nostalgia of memories about Veronica before Chase snapped out of it upon catching sight of something that instantly made his eyes widen and he nearly startled Keith when he suddenly jumps up from his seat inside the truck and hit his head above him from excitement.“OW! Sorry--but look over there! That’s the guy! The man I saw from the vision of the Jane Doe!” Chase cried, pointing straight at the slow passing-by car that had a poster on its side with what appears to be a campaign advertiser.Keith looked right at what--or rather who Chase is pointing at--and his eyes widened as well when he saw and recognized the person that was on the campaign poster of the car. “I know him!”Chase looked at Keith instantly confused. “You do?”Keith nodded and then frowned. “Are you sure that he’s the guy?”Chase nodded vigorously. “Positive and crystal clear as I’ve seen from the vision of the victim looking straight and up-close of that guy. There’s no mistake.”“Okay,” Keith said and then started the truck and went to turn and drive another side of the street. “Hope you’re not squeamish on getting into the place where they do live news TV.”Chase looked at him confused again before Keith clarified. “That man you just pointed out…he is an anchor-man that does stock-market reports and weather news and he was campaigning to become public defender after he quit his job there.”Chase was shocked upon hearing this, and he wondered to himself thinking while Keith drove the truck, on the reason why the suspect anchor-man chose to quit his job at the news and become a lawyer then.OOOOOIt didn’t take long for them to get to the Neptune news station where the man Keith knows that he works there and report live news on TV in California.The old private detective and the young teenage detective came in just on time for the commercial break and they quickly zero into the suspected man who is freshening himself up until he’s called for the next part of his anchor-man job.Keith whispered softly to Chase that he’ll be the one to handle this and he’s already prepared with a photo of the Jane Doe victim in her normal pose, instead of using the image of her lying dead on the morgue table.Chase stayed by the old man’s side as the two of them approach the anchor-man, who is named Johnny Hosts--of all things--and Keith confronted him, asking if he recognizes the woman in the photo.Once the man Johnny took one look at the photo, his face almost turned pale and cringed, showing Keith that he does recognize the Jane Doe victim and Keith glanced at Chase with surprise and the teenager held back a smug grin upon seeing the man’s reaction.Keith cleared his throat and asked casually, “I take it you know her?”Johnny instantly snaps out of it and dons the fake smiling-friendly persona he wears while on the job and said. “I don’t! If you need to question me more, I’m afraid you’re going to have to talk to me only with my lawyer present. By the way--you should get some sun, young man. Your pale Goth-like street-kid look doesn’t suit you at all.”As the anchor-man turns around and was going back to be ready for his news post once break time is over, he didn’t realize that he made a huge mistake on saying the latter part to the pale albino-like teenage boy.Chase really did not like the insult--even if the man didn’t mean it--so he decided to show Keith his special skills as a ‘psychic’ detective and make him believe completely that his unique abilities were really legit.“Here’s Johnny!” he said out loud in a mocking way, the same kind of tone he had seen from the visions of the victim he consumed the brains from.With that, the anchor-man instantly froze upon hearing Chase and then Keith became stunned surprised when he turned about-face and went back to them so fast as he whispered demandingly panicked. “Did she record our sessions!?”Then Johnny realized what he just admitted to, making Chase and Keith pointedly look at him as they caught him on the act. He cleared his throat and tried to convince them in a nice polite way. “Look--I’m a beloved public figure to the people here in Neptune. Is there anything we can make this go away or something?”Keith cocked a brow at him and pointed out. “Generally speaking, murder is not something that both official police or private detectives let slide.”Johnny blinked and was completely stunned and taken aback of what he just heard. “Murder? Tatiana’s dead?!”Both Chase and Keith exchanged looks at his sincere surprise but at least they have an identity of the Jane Doe now as Keith continued asking him. “Do you remember your exact whereabouts from late Sunday night?”Johnny instantly figured out that it must be the victim’s time of death so he answered him easily. “I was here on live TV reporting the latest stock-market reports. I have about a thousand witnesses watching the network and work colleagues here in the station that can vouch for my appearance here.”“Okay, right. We’re going to need to know everything about this ‘Tatiana’ woman.” Keith asked demanding politely.It wasn’t long until the next few minutes later, the anchor-man Johnny showed him who Tatiana is and how he knows her.And needless to say, the two detectives were a little surprised to find out that the Jane Doe revealed to be a prostitute--doing her sexual business on being an intimate escort online on the internet.Keith regretted having Chase along, even though he now has to admit that he does need his help from his ‘psychic’ powers, but he knew that his daughter Veronica will be very displeased once she finds out that they’re looking into the victim who is a sexual online prostitute.Chase also looked like that he regretted getting into this particular case, but he knew that there’s no turning away since the victim deserves to have justice from her unexplained death, not knowing whether the crime done to her was suicide or murder.“See? Role-play,” Johnny points out at the online website of the victim’s profile on her sexy job after Keith told him a fake statement from a witness that they’ve seen Johnny with Tatiana at the time. “The ‘trophy wife and intruder’ was a go-to we did one night before. How did you even know about this? Did you talk to Tess or someone?”Keith just looked at him and blankly asked. “And who is Tess?”Johnny sighed. “She’s Tatiana’s friend. When their clients want ‘Double the Fun’ well…” he showed Keith the meaningful pictures of it as he clicked on the link on the website and showed Tatiana with her friend beside her in one of the photos, and that would be the other woman named Tess.Chase felt the urge again on wanting to steal in Johnny’s small office and held himself back from reaching out and grabbing random stuff. After Johnny finished explaining and Keith writes down on his small notepad about the important details about Tatiana and her sex life and getting Tess’ contact information and everything, Keith thanked him and then finally he ushered Chase that they can leave now, which Chase was very glad to do so before the stealing urge forced him to do what the victim’s mental problems trying to make him do.Just as they were leaving, they glance back and saw that the anchor-man Johnny Hosts was relaxing like he thought he was left out from the suspect pool of Tatiana’s death, but they knew better than to keep him on the suspect-list if the case matters and still might point at him.Right now, they just need to find Tatiana’s friend who’s called Tess that was on the website and try to find out where Tatiana lives as Johnny Hosts doesn’t know about it.Hopefully, they might be able to find out more on who was Keith’s mysterious client that suddenly disappeared after the sudden request on finding Tatiana, and also find out why Tatiana was killed and figure out the motive of her death.OOOOOThey easily found out where Tess lives, thanks to some additional help from Veronica when Keith and Chase called her. Of course, she wasn’t very pleased upon finding out that the victim Tatiana and her friend Tess were prostitutes when Chase admitted to her on the revelation of her identity and her job.But her son Chase managed to convince her into letting him stay on the case and solving it with her dad Keith, so that he’ll assist him with his ‘psychic’ powers, and Veronica had no choice but to accept with defeat over it.However, Veronica warned Chase that if the case gets any worse like it might lead her son and her father into something much darker than prostitutes, they will stay out of it so that they won’t have their lives endangered in a very bad way.Chase nodded in understanding and relayed the words to Keith after he talked to his mom on the phone and hung up when finished.Keith nodded and he glanced a few times at Chase riding at the passenger seat beside him while he drove the truck to the location where the woman Tess lives, that is the dead victim Tatiana’s friend.“You know, I had my doubts at first--but boy, your psychic powers sure were real when we talked to that Hosts anchor-guy,” Keith commented to him after a short moment of silence in the moving truck.Chase grinned. “I don’t mind at all that you doubted me, Pops. I get that a lot back then when I was with my mom years ago at Seattle and New York.”He asked as he kept his eyes on the road. “So how did you become a psychic anyway?”Chase sighed, ready for the cover story that he and his mom Veronica had made up to hide his secret as a zombie and play the fake pretense that he’s a psychic.“Do you remember the Seattle Boat Party Massacre five years ago, sir?”“Yeah, it was all over the news showing around America--heck the whole world about it. Why do you--ohh hell,” Keith groaned as his mind instantly deduced and figured it out. “Don’t tell me…”Chase nodded gravely. “Yeah. My parents--my real biological parents--and I were there. Along with Veronica. When all hell broke loose and the people suddenly started going crazy and all raving mad and tearing each other apart--my parents got caught in the crossfire and were brutally killed, but they managed to hide me away to safety and I was fortunate enough to not see how brutal they were being torn apart by the crazy people and killed when my parents told me to close my eyes and wait until help arrives. That help came instantly by my new mom Veronica when she noticed me hiding and joined me there until she found the right time to get us both to safety by jumping off the boat and swim back to shore when the fire started breaking out there.”“Oh dear God…”Chase continued the story as quickly and shortly as explanatory as he could. “After me and Veronica got to safety and we went to a small inn to clean ourselves up, Mom called for 911, they arrived and she gave them the whole statement about what happened and everything. That’s when Mom--Veronica--decided then and there to adopt me when Child Social Services came and tried to get me, but it was all a blur to me that time and I didn’t remember that I kept clinging to her like she’s my chosen foster parent until Mom told me after the blurring faded away. The next thing I knew--that tragic horrifying event was all over, the adoption process was done and over with and my Mom and I left Seattle and moved to New York, with her studying and graduating to be a cop and then easily found and work on a job at a police department and became a Homicide Detective.”Keith can instantly guess how the teenage boy’s supernatural powers came to be since he had seen many cases so far at the previous times as sheriff and the present as a private investigator on how traumatic events can change people.Chase confirmed his suspicions when he continued and finish the story. “Just a year later, when I turned 11 and so, I started getting clear visions and feelings out of nowhere from people I don’t know. And at first, my Mom and I thought that I was suffering from PTSD or something like that, but then--”Keith deduced, finishing for him in the theory of what he’s saying. “You found out and realized that you were getting visions of the victims from your mom’s cases, huh?”Chase nodded. “My Mom figured it out instantly when I started pointing out some things wrong from when she had me around her solving her cases. Since then--I’ve been helping her out in most of them until Mom decided to move back here to Neptune, California three years later for a peaceful life or something.”Keith knew very well and deep down in his gut feeling that getting visions of the victims of what they’ve been through, including their murders, can take a toll and scar someone who looks through them. So he had to ask the young boy about it as he’s concerned for him. “When you see through the murders of the victims…did you…?”Chase instantly knew what he wanted to ask and smiled reassuringly at Keith when he glanced his worried eyes to him. “Go to therapy? Yeah--my mom insisted that I see a shrink when some of the victims’ murders were worse, and she wanted me to help deal with everything that I’ve seen. From their murders up to their problems and such. Granted it took Mom to find a suitable and trustworthy shrink to help me out back then since my unique abilities can make some of the most professional would think that I’ve gone crazy and might commit me to a mental institution or something like that. Mom didn’t want that because she sees my abilities are a gift, instead of a burden when I helped her out on her cases and everything.”“What about here in Neptune when you two moved back? Did your therapist--?”Chase shook his head in a negative. “My shrink didn’t want to transfer and move from her job in New York. So my Mom’s working on searching for a new one and try to find that someone she could trust that will keep my ‘psychic’ abilities a secret. We only just moved here back on her home, so it will take a while.”Keith nodded, and when he saw that they’re nearing their destination, he parked the truck almost a block away from the fancy-looking apartment that the woman Tess is living in and Chase looked up to confirm the place if it’s exactly as the anchor-man had shared the info before.Chase blinked upon seeing how very fancy and rich the apartment looks and he couldn’t help but ask his grandpa Keith when the two of them got out of the truck and walked across the block to get there. “Are--ahem--women who worked in sex-trade, able to afford such luxury like these kinds of places?”Keith chuckled at his consternation as he replied. “I guess it depends on the kind of skills the women have and how well they can wrangle a well-rich client or someone like that.”Chase shuddered at the thought and he voiced out loud. “Mom said she had seen a few of those particular women back in New York and--I’m pretty sure that these girls can’t be that good to wrangle a rich guy since she mentioned them mostly still living in middle-class down-trodden neighborhoods and wandering around the streets.”Keith shrugged as they went through the main entrance doors of the luxurious apartment. “Maybe these girls Tess and Tatiana were just lucky.”Chase highly doubts that but he didn’t voice his thoughts out loud and kept a few of his suspicious theories he had in his head to himself before they see more into this case.After they climbed upstairs by using the staircase instead of the elevator, they reached into the exact apartment room where Tess lives and Keith knocks on the door. Chase and Keith wait patiently and then a foreign Russian-looking woman opened the door and meets the two of them outside and she looked between the two males and asked in her Russian-like accent. “Yes? What do you want?”“Are you Tess? Tatiana’s friend?” Keith asked.Tess beamed like she instantly thinks that they’re clients. “Double costs more than two, you know?”Chase snapped at her sharply. “We’re not here to have sex with you or with anyone else, lady.”Keith cleared his throat, pointedly looking back at Chase to mind his manners before he smiled friendly to Tess, whose face had an affronted look at Chase’s rudeness. “Sorry about that. We’re actually here to tell you about your friend Tatiana. I’m a private detective and--”“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t know much English,” Tess said, stopping him from talking more with an apologetic wave. Then she continued speaking but in her foreign language that almost sounds like Russian. “It’s too bad you detectives or other cops don’t bother into learning any other foreign languages when it comes to us foreigners moving to your country in America. But then again, it’s no surprise that you don’t know since you Americans all treat us like strangers and don’t bother teaching us to blend in to your country and such.”“Oh yeah? And what do your people teach in your country Bucharest?” Chase suddenly spoke in the same foreign language as Tess did, surprising both the foreign woman and Keith at his perfect fluency. “The Porn Star Experience or something?”Then instantly in a split-second, Chase blinked in surprise upon finally realizing what he just said and did. “Whoa--what the hell!? What did I just say?!”“What is that? Russian?” Keith asked Chase, thinking that he seemed to understand and speak the foreign language he doesn’t know of.“Romanian,” Tess corrected him since she now knows that the gig is up as Chase could understand her. “It’s Romanian. And just so you know, rude boy, I’m a very busy woman so I don’t have time to talk to you cops. So what do you want?”Keith nodded. “Right--I’m actually a private investigator, not a cop or police detective or like that. And like I said, I’m here to ask you about Tatiana and tell you something about her.”Tess scoffed exasperated like she thought of something about her and demanded. “Tatiana--what did she do this time? And did she snitch on me or something like that to cover whatever crime she did?”Keith looked hesitant to tell her the grave news about the woman’s friend, but Chase decided to be blunt as he calmly stated. “Your friend Tatiana is dead. She was found in a dumpster, killed somehow. And we’re trying to discern whether it was suicide or murder.”Keith now fully glared at him, very mad that he just blurted it out like that and his words instantly made Tess pale like she somehow knows something more about Tatiana’s death once she’s told of the news.It turned out to be true because she looked around nervously like somehow her friend’s killer is around and she went stuttering in a panic. “I-I-I don’t know anything! Go away and leave me alone!”It seems that talking in her foreign language was her defense to not talk to the American cops, but when she’s caught and given the news that her friend is dead, she was instantly very frightened at the revelation--or something else--and she quickly shut the door with a sound slam, startling both Keith and Chase at her unexpected reaction.It was a silent moment as the two guys were standing outside the apartment door belonging to Tess until they snapped out of it and Keith turned and glared at Chase again like it’s his fault that the woman is now backing out from telling them anything more about the mystery of Tatiana’s death.“You just had to say it, didn’t you, kid?” Keith said calmly in a stern manner.Chase gave a sincere apologetic look. “Sorry--I thought that she was gonna cooperate and help us when she hears her friend’s death. I didn’t think she’d clam up like that and not tell us. I’ve seen girls like her back in New York that used to help my Mom out when she asks them for info for the cases.”“Well, guess what? Here in Neptune, California isn’t the same as New York City, son. Here in California--it’s a whole lot of different state than what you’ve seen before.”“I know now--I really am sorry!”Keith sighed. “Well, here’s hoping that Veronica found something since we’re at dead-ends today.”
[RING! RING!]
Both guys were startled almost at the sounds and then took out their personal cell-phones to see if it’s theirs that’s ringing.“Oh, speak of the devil--or rather, your mom herself!” Keith quipped when he waved his phone slightly to show that Veronica is calling him this time, instead of calling her son. He answered it quickly. “Hello?”
[Hey, Dad. Chase is still with you right?]
Keith nodded and then realized to his silliness what he’s doing and talked. “Yeah, he’s still with me, right here.”
[Good. But did you let him meet with the prostitutes face-to-face? And don’t you dare lie to me, Dad. I can easily tell whether you will or try to stall or change the subject.]
Keith winced and Chase seemed to instantly figure out what his mom is saying and shook his head vigorously at him to not tell her that he’s with him to meet with Tess, but Keith had no choice but to tell her because he can tell that his daughter Veronica was serious with her statement and she almost sounded like a real mother on the phone when she talked to him.Keith told her honestly that Chase is with him and Chase could almost hear his mother groaning loud in exasperation through the phone as he closed his eyes in frustration, knowing that he won’t be hearing the end of it when he sees his mother again and she’ll be giving him one hell of a lecture for accompanying her father to meet up with the call girls-slash-prostitutes.
[Great…I was just about to call you that you don’t need to meet up with this call-girl ‘Tess’ because I found the full name and address of the victim. Her name was Tatiana Novak.]
Keith memorized in his head when Veronica relayed him the address of the victim and he gave his thanks and she reminded him again that he shouldn’t have Chase along if the case turns sour or darker of a sort when they get deeper into it. He promised her that and hung up and then shared with Chase that they got the address where Tatiana lives and he made sure to ask him whether the pale teen-boy wants to sit this one out or continue on.Obviously, Chase wanted to continue, giving a meaningful look at Keith and the old man could easily tell that he’s dead-set stubborn on his decision, so he gave the young teen fair warning that he should stay back if he sees anything unsavory when they pursue into the case and Chase reluctantly agreed on this.OOOOOIt didn’t take long for the two Mars men to arrive at the apartment where Tatiana lives. It was a similar fancy apartment like Tess’ but the difference between their living spaces is that Tatiana’s apartment is in the middle of a criminal-dwelling neighborhood, which Keith and Chase both wondered why Tatiana would choose to live such a spot where criminal thugs and bad guys live near there.Keith convinced the apartment manager to let them into Tatiana’s place, explaining about her death and that they needed to search her place and investigate it, which the manager politely cooperated to do so and also telling them about what he knows and everything about Tatiana ever since she lived there.“I already knew what she was the first moment she came and moved here. But she’s a good girl. Always pays her rent on time. Heck--even the thugs around the neighborhood don’t bother her, despite the money she brings back from her escort job or something. It’s like she’s a saint in this place,” the manager said as he used the master keys to open Tatiana’s door.When he opened it and Keith and Chase went inside first, the two of them almost tripped over their feet in surprise upon seeing the huge mess scattering across the whole of her very place.“Whoa…” Chase exclaimed softly.The manager shrugged like he’s already used to do this and knows of Tatiana’s kleptomania. “She tries very hard to clean up her messes but--her klepto problems get a little too much for her, no matter how many medications she takes to make her condition stop. Feel free to look around and just holler back to me when you’re done.”Keith thanked him and the manager left, leaving the two investigators alone, and Chase instantly moved to action first in a slightly fast sprint to look around, searching to see if there’s any clue lying about among the messy piles.“Damn…this is going to take hours to sift through all of this mess here,” Keith remarked as he gingerly kicked one pile of gathered-up bags to check what might be under there and found nothing.“Well, she was a klepto. Like the manager said, no matter how much pills or meds she took--she couldn’t fight the urge from her mental problems,” Chase shrugged, as he was mindful enough to bring gloves and put them on so that he wouldn’t contaminate the evidence lying around as his gloved left hand searched through another messy pile of jewelry that’s overwhelming one small table and nearly slipping a few of them falling over to the floor.It only took a few minutes to look around and poke through the messy crap and such in the non-clean apartment belonging to Tatiana, until Keith gave out a short yell of triumph upon finally finding something.“I got her phone!” he cried and Chase stopped looking and went over to him as he fiddled the touch screen to unlock it, as it’s fortunate that the smart cell-phone not locked with password code or face-recognition. Keith had found a voice-mail left by Tess the very night before she was found the day dead on the morning after and played it.The voice-mail from Tess sounded out on the phone in her foreign Romanian language and once Keith heard it, he quickly handed it over to Chase for him to translate. “That’s all for you, kid.”Chase took the phone, played the voice-mail again so that he’ll listen to it attentively. Tess’s voice spoke in Romanian and then Chase translated. “Hey, you little klepto. Get your ass back here now--or we’re never going to work with you again.”Keith blinked upon noting something from Chase’s translation. “We? But then--that would mean Tatiana and Tess weren’t the only escort call-girls working here.”Chase turns off the phone and bags it with a prepared evidence plastic bag to bring to his mom at the police station. “Yeah--or she could just be talking about some other escort-girls they work with at their line of work. And judging by the sounds of it, Tess also knows about Tatiana’s klepto problems and that could be the reason why she shut up before because she might have thought that we think that she’s a suspect to her death or something.”Keith looked around the messy apartment again and was thinking about something deeply before he voiced out loud his theories for the young teenage detective to hear after a silent moment. “Hey, you know--what are the chances that the girl Tatiana might have killed herself because she couldn’t handle the fact that her kleptomania is taking over her life?”Chase shook his head in a negative, continuing to look around the place, and keep searching for clues among the mess. “That can’t be. Because from what the manager said back then--Tatiana was very committed to taking her medications to stop her mental disorder so that it won’t mess up with her personal and work lives. Not to mention--her body was found very far away from her apartment. If she would have killed herself--she’d have done it here in her place.”Keith looked at Chase thoughtfully. “You also look into suicide cases?”Chase nodded. “I’ve seen and helped out a few share of them. And from what I’ve seen and known so far--most suicide victims would do it at their own homes, and it’s rare that they’d kill themselves in unfamiliar places.”“So basically, Tatiana’s death was a foul-play murder. And her body found at that dumpster over there would mean--” Keith deduced.“--it was a body-dump from the killer,” Chase finished for him, nodding again. Then Chase had a sudden thought and looked around more in the apartment like he’s trying to spot something amiss. “If that’s the case…where was Tatiana killed?”It seemed somehow Fate instantly gave Chase the answer to his question--or rather it was Keith who did it for him.Keith opened the window doors to look out and over the balcony and suddenly Chase got another vision from the victim when he turned and saw Keith standing outside, which triggered him into seeing it in a flash.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
A man’s voice yelled out in fury, slapping the victim around. “Where is it? Where’s my ring?!”
“I don’t know! I don’t know what you’re--stop, please don’t!” The victim cried as she was hit by big fists on the face and then was being pushed towards the balcony like the man is trying to threaten her by making her fall over to her death.
“AAH! Oh God! Please--NO!”
“Tell me where’s my ring, you little bitch!?”
“I don’t know! Please, I don’t know!”
“Stop lying to me!”
“Please--AAH!!!”
The unknown man’s temper had snapped and the victim’s view showed that she was pushed from behind and she went falling to her death screaming from the balcony of her apartment and everything went black with a sound cracking splat, revealing that she died head-first from up-high and into the hard concrete sidewalk below.
OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOO“Chase! CHASE! What’s wrong?!”Chase instantly snaps out of it with a gasp like he’s emerging to the surface for air, as he was pulled back into reality from the horrific vision that he’s seen and he realized that he’s almost hyperventilating like he’s about to go into a panic attack and Keith was trying to get his attention, pushing him to a nearby chair so that he wouldn’t fall over and collapse and calling him loudly, worried over his grandson when he went into that vision-trance that he had seen and how Chase is going through it.Keith was relieved to see that Chase finally came back to himself and figured out that whatever vision he had seen from his psychic powers, it must have been really horrible to cause the teenage boy to react like this, so he quickly demanded at him. “What happened? What did you see?!”“Her…Tatiana…” Chase gasped, trying to compose himself but he kept breathing like he’s really about to hyperventilate badly. “Oh man--I just saw her get murdered. She was killed here in her apartment--right outside the balcony over there.”Keith instantly knew gravely on how and what kind of death that Chase had seen the poor girl went through, and he asked him. “Did you see the one who killed her?”Chase shook his head in negative, breathing slowly and deeply, trying to calm himself down and also talking. “The guy who killed her--I didn’t see his face, she was being hit around by his fists and then was pushed to the balcony, slightly over the edge--while he kept demanding at her to tell him where’s his ring but she answered him that she doesn’t know. He kept up with the threat of pushing her over but--I think he snapped and--he just--she was--oh God--I think I’m gonna be sick!” Chase gasped, his pale face quickly paling even more and looking like he’s really about to vomit all his stomach contents out.“Okay, okay--breathe. Breathe in and out slowly…that’s it, son,” Keith soothed and comforted him and Chase followed his instructions, almost bending over to lay his head between his knees as he sat on the chair, trying to calm himself down from getting into a panic attack.After Chase had finally calmed down for a few seconds, Keith reached for his phone and called for Veronica quickly to report the news to her. And just after one ring, he heard his daughter answer. [Hello?]“Veronica, hey. We got to the victim’s apartment and searched the place. You better get here with the CSI guys right now.” Keith said, getting straight to the point.Veronica sounded worried as she asked. [Why? What happened, Dad?] “We also found the primary crime scene where the victim Tatiana was murdered. Chase saw it.”Veronica instantly understood when her father said the latter part pointedly. She told her father that she’ll be on her way quickly and also told him to wait for her and the crime-scene people to get there while adding that he look after her son and make sure that he’s okay--both physically and mentally.Keith answered in confirmation, hung up, and then continued looking after Chase, and checking and making sure that he’s alright, as they wait for Veronica and the other police to arrive at the victim’s location and the very crime scene where she was murdered.OOOOOIt wasn’t long after two hours later that Detective Veronica Mars and her group of police CSI guys arrived at the location of Tatiana’s apartment.The crime police guys quickly went to work into processing the scene and gathering evidence from the victim, and a few were impressed and curious to know how the Private Investigator Keith Mars easily found out and discovered that her apartment was the primary crime scene where she was murdered.But Keith didn’t say a word to them, except talking softly in low tones with his daughter Veronica, all the while his daughter was glancing at her son that is inside his truck, still looking shaken from the vision he saw of the victim’s murder.After Keith told her what Chase told him about what he’s seen in the vision, Veronica nodded and she’ll look into it on whoever had a connection with the dead prostitute and find out if there was a ring that they’d missed which the killer was desperate to find and had killed the klepto to do so on retrieving it.Veronica left her father to deliver the report to her chief, from Chase’s vision, and as usual, she won’t write anything into it, regarding her son’s special abilities, but using evidence and plausible theory into it. After Keith talked to his daughter, he went and checked on his grandson, to see if he’s fine or not.Though Chase is pale and sickly-looking on the outside, he still feels the same in the inside like he’s still not used to seeing the kind of murders from the victims he latched on to. But he managed to appear calm and composed when Keith came to check on him.“Are you okay, kid?” he asked Chase tenderly.Chase smiled, giving him a reassuring expression. “I’m fine, sir--I mean, Pops. I got over the scary vision that I saw from Tatiana. I’m ready to help out more for the case.”Keith snorted as he's impressed and surprised at this teenager’s tenacity and shook his head wryly as he told him. “Sorry to disappoint you, bud, but--your Mom said that you and I are going back to Mars Investigations and will be staying there and waiting for her call after they’re done with their investigation here.”Chase sighed, nodding like he understood and complied as he’s also used to this before, and he doesn’t mind waiting until they get more from whatever Veronica or other police detectives might find at the crime scene.It didn’t take long for the two of them to get to Keith’s business after he quit being sheriff of Neptune, which is Mars Investigations. Keith didn’t mind giving him the grand tour of the offices for his grandson, and he was a bit happy and amused to see how Chase got very excited to see where his mother used to work with his grandfather, also rummaging around his mom’s former office spot, near to Keith’s main one.Keith managed to stop Chase from keeping and pocketing a few of his mom’s favored stuff that he found in her former work-place when she worked as a private detective before, which is her trusty taser, pepper-spray and a very small-type camera--that can be kept hidden on her person--and she somehow managed to purchase that for her investigative work, before she left California.Chase protested and begged that he wanted to keep his mom’s former keep-sakes for himself and something to be used for his personal protection, but Keith knew better about the boy more than Veronica does, that he won’t hesitate on using them besides protection against any enemies he encounters too, even the minor ones for his own amusement or something.The teenage pale boy pouted and sulked like a child as Keith pointed sternly to an empty chair for him to sit down and stay there, and Chase felt like he was on time-out, stuck to a corner for punishment.And that is what Veronica came in after she was done with the investigation and had given the report to her chief, and she nearly grinned with amusement upon seeing her son still pouting on his place.But then she instantly frowned because it looks like that she comes to her dad’s business offices with bad news and she hates to be the bearer of it, but she knew that she’ll have to tell him and her son what happened before they hear it from somebody else.“Mom? What’s wrong?” Chase asked when he instantly noticed her come in and she had an intense frown on her face that gave a foreboding feeling deep in his dead-like guts.Keith just came out of his main office upon hearing Chase spoke that Veronica’s here and he came to greet her with a fatherly loving hug, but he stopped upon seeing the expression on her face and feeling the same as Chase is.“Veronica? What is it?” he asked concerned for her.Veronica sighed. “I’m sorry, Dad. I tried my best to stop it and convince the chief not to, but--it’s about the case. Your case, Dad. It’s been transferred to somebody else at the department and will be taking over your investigation from now on.”Keith’s eyes widened. “My case was--what!? Hey, she had no right!”Veronica shrugged. “Don’t blame Chief Moore. Her hands were tied. It turns out that your case is somehow linked to another detective’s case and he requested that the investigation is transferred over to him and he’ll be solving it and catching the victim’s murderer, whoever it is.”Keith spluttered and then frowned darkly as he demanded angrily grumbling. “And who is the bastard that dared to take away my case, eh?!”“Oh my God--Dad!” Veronica cried at him, shocked at his language, while Chase snorted and stifled his amused snickers.Veronica glared at her son sternly while Keith blushed in embarrassment upon realizing that he said foul language out loud, which young ones should not hear and learn.“Anyway--I’ll keep trying my best to have Detective Pratt transfer the case to me, but…I’m not sure I can guarantee any chances into having him give it over since I’m new and he’s been working long before I came to the precinct,” Veronica promised uncertainly. “The only thing I could do more--is if we have more input for the case or any other evidence that Chief Moore would let me take the case from Pratt.”“How about talking more to Mr. Johnny Hosts? I’m pretty sure that he might remember something else about our vic Tatiana?” Chase asked, offering an idea.Veronica grinned. “Glad you mentioned it. I did talk to him again after you two left to find Tatiana’s friend and everything--and I politely reminded him that he shouldn’t try to sue us if we continue to question him about his personal affairs, even with a lawyer representing him--because he wouldn’t like it if his dirty little secrets came out in the limelight and all his work colleagues and people watching him on the news, will see what kind of man that he is.”Keith barked out loud laughing and Chase grinned widely at his mom proudly. “I bet that really rattled his cage and scared him silly, huh Mom?”Veronica nodded. “You bet it did. After I was done telling him that--Johnny didn’t hesitate into telling me whatever I need to know, everything in honest truth. And he did mention that Tatiana had a…er, I’m not sure how to say this--I think it was--Babbos dayporc, or was it Barbapork--something like that.”“Did you mean ‘Barbos de porc’--or did it sound like that?” Chase asked when he realized that she’s trying to speak some Romanian words but butchered them a bit.Veronica blinked in surprise that her son knows but she instantly deduced and knew that him knowing about the other language, he must have gotten it from the victim. “Yes, almost exactly sounding like that.”“It means ‘bearded pig’. Tatiana had a bearded pig--you sure you heard that right, Mom?”“No, that can’t be it…” But then Veronica had a sudden thought and she thought on it more until she cursed madly, forgetting that her son is there that she should mind her language as well. “Ohh, that son of a bitch!”“Veronica, what’s wrong?” Keith asked when he and Chase were a bit startled at her outburst.“That’s why he wanted us off the case and transferred to him! It was Pratt!”Veronica further explained when both Keith and Chase are confused, not getting it. “Tatiana had a ‘bearded cop’! It was Pratt all along--that bastard, he must have been her killer too! That’s why he wanted the case so that we wouldn’t figure it out it was him!”“Wait--a cop, Mom? But isn’t that a stretch? I can get that she was a prostitute, not to mention her also being a klepto--but why would he kill her instead of arresting her?” Chase asked, wondering about that.Keith also had a suspicion on why a cop, especially a police detective like the one named Pratt, had a reason for killing the victim. “Unless it involves that man who turns out to be one of Tatiana’s clients. Maybe her mental problem urged her to steal one of his stuff--could be the ring you talked about before, Chase--and he found out and got raging mad and tried to get it back from her, but I bet that’s when he lost it and killed her.” he theorized.“But wait--the crime scene guys and I haven’t found any ring in Tatiana’s apartment. There was nothing there.” Veronica said.Then Chase’s eyes widened in horror when he also thought of something as well. “Ohh snap! What about Tess, the victim’s friend!? What are the chances that she took some of Tatiana’s stuff whenever she stole something from her clients and whatever--and she might have kept them for herself to sell or pawn them for money?!”Both Keith and Veronica’s eyes widened too, and then Keith looked grave. “Then that cop Detective Pratt might be looking into her and would also kill her too if he doesn’t find whatever ring he’s been after.”Veronica already went off in a dash to get back to the police precinct, while also calling for her boss, Chief Moore about the dirty detective-cop Pratt and share the news that he’s a possible prime suspect.Then she also called out to her boys as she went out straight to her car when she left them alone in the private investigator’s offices. “You two stay! I’ll call you the moment something happens or anything!”“It’s not like we’re planning to go anywhere, Mom,” Chase murmured softly as he and Keith watched her leave.It wasn’t until a few hours later, now night-time, when Keith dropped off Chase at his and his daughter’s apartment and told him to stay which Chase nodded at that and the teenager just watched his grandfather leave to go to Neptune police department to check on Veronica and see what progress was made about the dirty cop-slash-prime suspect murderer of the victim.It was a good thing that Dr. Claudia Graves had sent over extra brains for Chase to munch on since he could feel that the klepto-brains are now fading away from inside him, and was relieved that he’s no longer feeling the urge to steal something anymore.Chase picked up the delivered package that was sent inside through the small delivery hatch, that his mom Veronica had requested for their place before they moved there. And the pale boy ripped open the paper package, to reveal the plastic-wrapped Tupperware inside it with the new brains that he’s going to eat for.The zombie teenager didn’t change his clothes as he prepared his dinner quickly and eat half of the brain, saving it for tomorrow. He sat down on the couch, turned on the TV to watch something for a short time while waiting for the call from his Mom on what’s going on.It wasn’t until another hour later, and Chase had taken a few bites from his new brain-zombie meal, that his cell-phone rang and he immediately answered it, knowing instantly who’s calling him instead of checking the caller ID. “Hey, Mom! Did you get him?”
[No, we didn’t get him, Chase. I already told Chief Moore the suspicions about him--but by the time she was notified about his possible dirty deeds, he was already long gone.]
Chase frowned at this like he knows his mother’s frustrated feelings through the phone. “I’m guessing you, Pops and other cops are looking for him?”
[Him and also Tess. We went to check on her since we know she might be in danger, but she disappeared too. She’s not at her place as well. My dad Keith thinks Pratt has got her--but we didn’t see any signs of a struggle, except one of her neighbors mentioned that she left without warning, along with her suitcases. Which means--]
Chase sighed and finished what his mom is thinking. “She knows that she’s in trouble and she’s running.”
[Yeah--but that still leaves her vulnerable since Pratt is going after her because he still didn’t get what he wanted and I’ve just heard that he brought his gun, which can only mean that he’s willing to shoot and kill another victim again, after what he did to Tatiana. Chief Moore and us are doing everything we can to find both of them before another murder happens. But so far we have no idea where to look for them or anything.]
Chase wished that he could help. But then it’s like Fate decided to do something for him again, except this time it’s helpful.When the TV started playing a commercial of a land resort for sale, Chase suddenly got a vision to the possible whereabouts Tess--and the murderer-cop Pratt might be.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
“I can’t believe that you bought a cabin of all places here,” Tess talked to her friend Tatiana as the two women are at a fancy bar to check out for more rich men or any clients willing to hire them for their sexual services.
The victim Tatiana responded slyly, “Why not? We could always use a vacation spot whenever we need a break from our job or something?”
Tess shook her head amused at her friend before she asked, “So where is this cabin anyway?”
Tatiana looked down to take out the real estate brochure that she tore out from some page of a magazine from her purse, looked at it for a moment to confirm that this is the one with the printed address on it and then handed it over to her friend so that she could see it.
OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOOChase gasped, almost dropping his dinner plate with half of its meal nearly finished on it, but managed to catch himself on time and put it on the table so that he won’t drop and spill its contents messily on the floor.Veronica caught the sound and instantly knew what had happened. She demanded excitedly. [Did you just have a vision?!]Chase nodded, then realized that she can’t hear it and instantly responded almost shouting loud through the phone urgently. “Yeah--and I know where Tess might be, Mom! Tatiana had a cabin that she bought for some vacation break here in Neptune. And I saw clearly the address of where the location is! Tess might have gone there to hide-away from Pratt, but I don’t know if he knows it too or not!”Chase quickly relayed the information to his mom straight and she thanked him and quickly hung up, making the teenage boy know that she’s now going off with the other cops to get to the cabin location and get to Tess, and protect her from the dirty cop-murderer, even if he might have gotten to her first.But then a few minutes later, when Chase finished his meal, then cleaned the plates and set them aside to dry out. He became a little worried suddenly for the victim’s friend, and he knew that these feelings might have come from what’s left of the previous victim-brain’s mind and that he needs to go out there and check if Tess is okay or not.Chase knew that his mom will be upset if he comes along somehow for the ride to get to the cabin, without her permission or not, but he can’t help the feelings he’s getting from the victim, as it seemed that the victim Tatiana truly cared for her friend Tess and was concerned for her well-being, even when she’s already gone and dead.So Chase cursed to himself, knowing that he had to do this, even though he’s been looking for an excuse to get out since he also worries for his mom and his grandpa that are also out there, looking for Tess and the dirty cop Pratt.It was a good thing, that he’s still got a little bit leftover from the klepto-brains, and it helped Chase into expertly stealing a mountain bicycle from one of the nearby neighbors at the apartment below in the parking lot level. Chase wrote a quick short ‘Sorry!’ note to apologize to the neighbor for stealing it and taped it on the wall above the empty spot where the bicycle was.Hopefully, Chase will be able to return it before the neighbor notices it missing, along with the note, after his trip. But he knew better to keep his hopes up on that, and that he’ll get caught from his mom herself when she finds out about it.However, Chase is hoping that she’ll understand because he’ll just do a quick welfare check to see if his mom and grandpa Keith are alright.But little did the zombie teenager know as he rode the bike to get to the cabin’s location, he’ll be running into trouble very soon.OOOOOIt wasn’t very far to get to where the cabin was that belonged to the former victim Tatiana. But as Chase is almost getting close there, upon seeing distant lights from police cars far away as he rode the bike, that’s when he started hearing tire screeches, getting near on the street he’s riding through and he wondered what that was--until bright head-lights came out of nowhere in front of him and a car came crashing onto him with a hard impact.The tires of the car squealed and screeched almost very loud at that dark part of the street late at night, just as the bike and Chase smashed and crashed against the fender-bender, but the car didn’t stop as it went skidding around the fallen broken boy and crumpled bike on the road, like trying to get away from something--or rather someone.It turns out as Chase groaned on the road, feeling the power of his zombie condition healing him up nice and fast, he saw that the driver was the dirty cop Pratt and it looked like that his plot into getting to Tess failed and was trying to outrun the cops chasing after him in their police cars, which he could hear faint police sirens approaching.Chase was glad that he ate extra brains for his dinner meal before to heal him both inside and out, but just as he was finished healing upon lying on the road, and gets up gingerly and carefully, it seemed that the dangerous side-effect as a zombie--that he had always feared for when it starts taking over his head--and he tried to take back control but it has already overwhelmed him.Either it was from the painful impact of the car crash at him or the rage he’s suddenly feeling from being hit, Chase couldn’t stop it as he went into zombie-mode.Chase started grunting and rasping softly in zombie-mode, with eyes completely inhuman-red and a few black streaks spreading from the eyes on his pale face, and he slowly stands up straight once he’s healed completely and it’s like he’s gone ‘hulked’ out.Then his head slowly turned to where the car is fleeing the scene, ignoring the near-approaching sounds of police sirens to his spot, and Chase instantly dashed off in a super-human running sprint, chasing after the car that has the enemy driver on it.When the dirty cop Detective Pratt thought that he was in the clear upon out-running from the pursuing police cars chasing after him as he drove his car fast as he could, he knew that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment for life upon his crimes on murdering the former prostitute victim and crashing accidentally onto the kid on the road when he fled and killed him too, causing two murder counts on him. The man cursed to himself, wishing internally that he could turn back time somehow upon threatening and scaring that victim more to giving him back his wedding ring that she stole.It didn’t matter that he used to sleep with the victim as one of her clients--what mattered was that he didn’t want to give his wife the leverage upon divorcing him from their broken marriage and have him portrayed as the adulterer if she somehow found the evidence with him and that prostitute by the ring itself upon that escort-girl.Pratt didn’t think that the cops, including that newbie-rookie Detective Mars, would found out of his involvement with the case and that he’s the prime suspect on the murder of the victim Tatiana. He thought he had his chance on getting to the cabin first and get Tess to stay quiet on the matter and demand where is his ring if she had it--but the cops had beaten him to the punch.Now just as he thought he’s home-free upon fleeing the scene of the crime and getting as far away as he can from the cops chasing him, he thought he was hearing things when something--or rather someone--just ran up from behind and went on top of the roof of the car above him.Suddenly a hand came punching and crashing through the window at the driver’s side and he got startled and blinded by the glass shards flying at the side of his face before he went yelling and screaming with fear when that same unknown hand grabbed the steering wheel and got the car skidding right and incoming straight to nearby thick big trees, causing the car to crash head-on in a massive collision impact.It was fortunate only for the dirty cop that he has his seat-belt strapped tight on him, but his face whipped forward onto the steering wheel and he got knocked out cold with a broken bleeding nose to boot as the car jolted right to a crashing stop at the big strong thick tree the car smashed its front and broken up against.Chase, who was at the top of the car and caused it to crash, flew from the impact and managed to land in a roll onto the forest grounds softly and safely without further injuries, missing the nearby trees by inches. Then he sits up after the rolling stopped and the teenager was still in zombie-mode as he stood back up on his feet and slowly trudged toward the unconscious man inside the crashed-car stuck against the tree.Before Chase was about to grab at the defense-less man still unconscious in the driver’s side with hungry rasps and his hands forming into claw-like grasps to get at his head, the zombie teenager managed to stop himself when he heard tires squealing of the first car that arrived swiftly into the scene, the door opens and his mom Veronica’s voice calling out in a loud shout.“CHASE!”With that cry he heard, Chase instantly froze and then drop his hands and slowly turns to look at his worried mother, his zombie-mode instantly fading back to normal human-like sanity, as the teenager gasped and faced her.“Mom…?” he gasped in a soft whisper.Veronica sighed with relief that she managed to stop him again like before, from eating the suspect as she approached her son without hesitation, hugging him into her tight embrace and feeling very glad and happy to see that her zombie-kid is alright.Chase embraced back but made sure that he didn’t hug his mom tightly with his inhuman zombie-strength, upon realizing with slight-trembling horror that he nearly lost it again when he got close to a human and almost about to eat him with his bare pale hands.Then Veronica snapped out of her light happy state, went serious, and drew back to frown sternly at her son. “Young man, just what were you doing here at this late time of night? You were supposed to stay at home.”Chase flinched, already knowing that she’s upset and he defended himself. “I’m sorry, Mom. I tried staying put back then but--the leftover part of the victim’s brains overwhelmed me of her worries to her friend Tess. I only came here to check up on her and you guys, but then this Pratt-guy came driving out of nowhere and hit me straight on with the car--causing me to go all full-on zombie-mode on him.”“Hit by the--oh my God! Are you okay!?” Veronica exclaimed, instantly fussing over Chase and looking all over his body to check his state but he quickly brushed her hands and worries off.“Mom, mom--Mom! I’m okay! It’s fine--I already healed up after I got hit and broken up, and that’s when I suddenly went on zombie-mode and chase after the guy and made him crash to a tree, stopping him.”Veronica had finally decided after a short moment to take her son’s word and believe him, seeing that she didn’t see any major injury on him, that would be difficult to explain to her police colleagues as they are soon arriving into the scene to arrest the unconscious man.By the time that the police cars have arrived, Veronica had already gotten herself and Chase prepared to meet them and give their statement, and it was fortunate that Chase was wearing dark clothes so that they wouldn’t notice anything odd from him like he might have gotten open cuts when he was crashed at and broken apart from the car crash before and the officers and EMTs might come to check on his condition if they noticed it.After Chase and Veronica told the officers of what happened in their own story version of the opposite that happened to the dirty cop and up to the unexpected car crash, Veronica told her son to wait in her car and he nodded complying as he went to it and stayed inside, as he watched everything that’s going on, with the two officers arresting the now-stirring conscious suspect and bringing him to custody.Chase was relieved to see that his mom is talking to Tess who’s under police protection in another car and that it looks like that she’s telling her that it’s over now and that the suspect murderer is now arrested and will be taken to the station for jail-time. Though Chase couldn’t hear anything as he’s inside his mom’s car, he could tell that Tess is sobbing with relief and thanking Detective Mars for everything they’ve done into catching the killer and then Veronica comforted her before she told the police officers that were her protection detail, to take her back home.After the police were done and finished upon catching the suspect and everything else, Veronica went back to her car, put away the portable police siren and then drove it to get back home to their apartment so that they’ll rest after a tiring day. But then Chase knew better that he’s still going to get in trouble and be punished by his mom after his stunt when he went out without her permission.Still…it was worth it for the case of the Dead Klepto is officially over and done, with the murder solved and the killer has been caught.OOOOOWhen Veronica punished her son Chase by grounding him, it was only for three days that she decided to punish him for, because she seemed to relent into letting her son off, since he had also been helping out in the case of solving the murder of the klepto-victim and that they’ve caught the murderer who is also a dirty cop.Even though the case had belonged to Private Investigator Keith Mars on the first place, it was a family-team effort with Detective Veronica Mars and her teenage son Chase that led to the case solved and finished, that Chief Moore reluctantly gave them congratulations on their effort, and Keith didn’t mind that the Neptune police chief had gotten the police department to know the hard work and effort his daughter had made to solving the case, commending her with credit for it, even as a newbie-rookie detective cop.It was not bad for such a thing to happen as it did when both Veronica and her son came home to Neptune during the first days of them living there. But to make it worth all the while for the two of them being home in Neptune and living there for good from now on, Keith decided to make it a grand celebration, calling a few of Veronica’s former high school and college friends in secret, all old and new ones, and put up a house-warming party at their place without his daughter Veronica knowing it.The only one who was in the know but keeping it secret from Veronica, was her son Chase when Keith asked for his help in making the party happen.Though Chase wasn’t big on parties, especially a house-warming type, he didn’t mind celebrating since he believes that his mom deserves one after it’s been so long since she’s been gone away from her old friends here in Neptune.So after another two days, carefully in secret, they set up the party, gathered the few guests, which are the combined people of Veronica’s old friends and new ones, and they were ready to surprise Veronica for it, in celebration of her and her son coming home to Neptune and living in it with her son and working as a detective there as well.Chase was the one who had his mom Veronica distracted while they were setting up the party, and was also the one leading her to the door of their apartment when they got home, getting her to wear a blindfold with a cute pleading childish look, that got Veronica humoring her son to put it on and letting him lead her.“Okay, Mom. We’re home. Get ready to brace yourself!” Chase said lightly.Veronica giggled a little, expecting some kind of wrapped-up gift box that’s waiting inside their apartment, left by her Dad or something. “Well, Chase. This better be a good one because I don’t like the nasty kind of surprises--if you know what I mean,” she warned her son lightly as well.“Sheesh, Mom. You know that I wouldn’t let you go through something like that! Believe me on this, Mom. This is going to be great! Granted--this wasn’t all my idea and everything,” he muttered the latter part to himself, despite that she can still hear him clearly when he said that.Now Veronica wonders with a bit of anticipation and fear of what’s going on, but after Chase opened the door and carefully led her inside their apartment, he told his mom that she can take off the blindfold now.And after she takes it off, she nearly jumps in surprise when her father Keith and a few people who are her old friends and new ones, all cried out in unison in happy cheers.“SURPRISE!”“OH MY GOD!” Veronica cried back loudly, nearly jumping in surprise when party-poppers shot loudly with confetti to the air, just as two of her closest old friends Cindy ‘Mac’ Mackenzie and Wallace Fennel came running to her first and embraced her within their big group hug. “I can’t believe--who did--when did this--what’s all this then!?”“Wow--you got my mom all stuttering and speechless with excitement. Even I wasn’t capable to do both of that whenever I surprise her with any kind of party I make up for her back in New York,” Chase said joking.Veronica nudged her son lightly with a small swat of her hand to his shoulder and he took it in smiling stride. Then she turned and saw her boss Chief Moore calmly walking to her with an extra glass full of alcohol or another type of drink for her. She smiled warmly at Veronica as she handed over the drink to her. “Like the surprise house-warming party?”Veronica blinked in bemusement as she takes the offered drink. “House-warming party?”Dr. Claudia Graves came bouncing over with a wide grin. “To welcome you back home to Neptune and commend you to your new job as a Homicide Detective here!”“Ahem!” Chief Moore gave the ME doctor a pointed look. “It’s only her first days here, so lay off on her. She hasn’t proven her worth long in the police department, Dr. Graves.”Claudia meekly apologizes and Veronica looks around, wondering who set this up but her son Chase quickly admitted it for her helpfully.“Just so you know, Mom--it’s all Pops’ fault!” Chase whispered to her in a light-joking conspiracy.Keith huffed like he’s offended that his grandson is not appreciating whatever effort he’s made for them, as he came over and heard Chase say that. “And here I thought that you were gonna be a good grandson, boy!”Chase shrugged at him. “Sorry, Pops, but Mom wanted to know!”All of them chuckled and then Mac and Wallace started pulling and dragging Veronica around to greet the other old friends who were there to see her again and talk to her more about what she’s been doing before and until now when she moved back to Neptune.Keith sighed, looking happy to see Veronica happy. “Much as I hate admitting it…but I’m glad she’s home.”Chase nodded in agreement. “Much as I hate telling you this--but Mom missed it here too. She talks about it a lot and thought that I would keep it secret only to myself. But I figure that you should know, Pops.”He smiled at that but Chief Moore frowned sternly at the teenager. “You do know that when your mother founds out that her father knows--she’s going to extend your grounding, hm?”Chase just nonchalantly shrugged. “It’s totally worth it, Chief!”Chief Moore sighed in exasperation and Keith chuckled and then everything was going fine in that small party they’re celebrating for Veronica to welcome her home and everything.But then someone else, who is another old friend and life-long known one to Veronica, will be joining the party.But this particular someone will be an unexpected surprise.A few hours later as they were playing a few party games with the new friends and acquaintances of Veronica’s joining with the old ones, there was a knocking on the door, and the noise almost deafened it out but Veronica could hear it.“I got it!” Veronica yelled out that she’ll answer the door but no one’s paying attention to her as they continued the game they’re playing with loud cheers hollering and crying out.She shook her head chuckling at her old and new friends’ antics, but just as she opened the door, she went into stunned shock and was completely taken by surprise once again.Upon seeing who’s gracing the doorstep of her apartment.Her long-time ex-boyfriend that she hasn’t seen or heard from him ever since she left Neptune exactly ten years ago.Logan Echolls.Standing straight outside her apartment door, smiling like he used to do back in the old days.But wearing a white Navy uniform, to show that he’s a different person and changed from the way he was, just the same as she’s also a changed person too, right there and then.“Logan?” Veronica voiced out after a speechless moment.“Hey, Bobcat,” Logan said, still smiling at her like the two of them haven’t broken up years ago and still together.Veronica just kept staring at him dumbfounded silent.But then she instantly snapped out of it when Chase’s voice rang out loudly and she flinched upon forgetting that there is that certain someone which Logan wouldn’t be prepared for--and react the same way as her father would before.“Hey, Mom! Who’s at the door?!” Chase asked, running towards her when he noticed that his mom is still there by the door, not letting whoever’s outside in or not.Then the teenage boy frowned upon seeing a stranger, dressed up in his Navy military uniform, which he felt instantly tense and unfamiliar to. While Logan just stared shocked upon registering that Veronica isn’t alone in her own life--besides her dad.“Mom…who the hell is this?!” Chase demanded, sounding a bit angry and looking overprotective for his mom Veronica.“Mom!?” Logan exclaimed stunned like he couldn’t sink the fact that his former girlfriend is a mother.Veronica would have said something witty or jokingly to lighten the mood between this tense exchange. But all she could say in this very awkward matter among them is just--“Ohh boy…”OOOOOOOOOOAUTHOR’S NOTES:The first chapter finished! I hope you like it!I’ll be fixing and updating this story and posting the next chapters very soon, I promise!There will be more for my stories, I promise!Enjoy Readers!PLEASE REVIEW OR COMMENT!OOOOOOOOOO
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
DISCLAIMER: READ CHAPTER 1.
OOOOO(STORY GUIDE: READ FIRST CHAPTER/CHAPTER 1.)OOOOO
CHAPTER 2 - CASE OF THE HOMECOMING DEAD
OOOOO
…LAST TIME…
Logan Echolls.
Standing straight outside her apartment door, smiling like he used to do back in the old days.
But wearing a white Navy uniform, to show that he’s a different person and changed from the way he was, just the same as she’s also a changed person too, right there and then.
“Logan?” Veronica voiced out after a speechless moment.
“Hey, Bobcat,” Logan said, still smiling at her like the two of them haven’t broken up years ago and were still together.
Veronica just kept staring at him dumbfounded silent.
But then she instantly snapped out of it when Chase’s voice rang out loudly and she flinched upon forgetting that there is that certain someone which Logan wouldn’t be prepared for--and react the same way as her father would before.
“Hey, Mom! Who’s at the door?!” Chase asked, running towards her when he noticed that his mom is still there by the door, not letting whoever’s outside in or not.
Then the teenage boy frowned upon seeing a stranger, dressed up in his Navy military uniform, which he felt instantly tense and unfamiliar to. While Logan just stared shocked upon registering that Veronica isn’t alone in her own life--besides her dad.
“Mom…who the hell is this?!” Chase demanded, sounding a bit angry and looking overprotective for his mom Veronica.
“Mom!?” Logan exclaimed stunned, like he couldn’t sink the fact in that his former girlfriend is a mother.
Veronica would have said something witty or jokingly to lighten the mood between this tense exchange. But all she could say in this very awkward matter among them is just--
“Ohh boy…”
OOOOOIt was very tense and awkward to say the least.Even though it’s surprising that Logan just appeared out of the blue and without warning at Veronica and her son’s house-warming party, in his Navy military uniform, Veronica let him in and Logan went inside to join in the party that they’re celebrating for the Mars family, which Keith set up for.Despite the only ones, who didn’t like Logan that came unexpectedly to join the party, are Keith and Chase Mars themselves, they only tolerated him because Veronica was happy to have him there.That also included Veronica’s close friends, that are Mac and Wallace, as they also greeted him politely, tolerating that Logan is there to stay for the party and celebrate it for Veronica, like this is an old homecoming high-school or college reunion between former close buddies of sorts.Except, if someone had looked close or noticed enough, both Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls are more than just ex-friends--that haven’t seen each other specifically for ten years.Even though they broke up years ago, due to circumstances either good or bad, it seems that both of them still look at each other very fondly and emotionally, judging from the looks on their eyes, like they haven’t had their former relationship broken up at all since then.And even so Keith and Chase Mars didn’t like Logan there, for Chase only disliked the man because he’s an unfamiliar stranger that he just seen and met face-to-face, who seemed to be budging into his mom’s personal space--while Keith just distrust Logan like he doesn’t believe that he’s a changed person from the way he was before, despite that he knows and can see that he became a better person when he got into the Navy.But, just as they thought before, they’re only letting him be, because Veronica seemed very ecstatic and happy to have him there and they’ll let him stay for the party until they have the chance to boot him out once the party ends. They just need to wait patiently and get the opportunity to do so.By the time the housewarming party had finally ended before midnight and all the guests, both old and new friends, have left, it was only the Mars family members and Logan Echolls in the apartment of Chase and Veronica’s.Veronica offered to get more beer for her dad and Logan to drink at what’s leftover from their party, but Logan refused the offer and asked for water instead, smiling at her fondly as she smiled back at him with a light blush on her face. The two of them didn’t notice or were aware that both Keith and Chase were scowling at them fiercely at their exchanged glances to each other until they disappeared into fake smiles when they turned to them.Keith told his daughter that while she’s getting their drinks, he wanted to have a quick word with Logan for a minute, which caused Veronica to pointedly look at her father to not intimidate him into leaving because she still wanted Logan to stay for a while longer and wanted to catch up what’s been going on with him since they last seen each other. Keith begrudgingly agreed and sincerely said to her that he won’t, but he gave an approving nod towards Chase when the teenager gave a discreet meaningful look that he’ll keep his mom distracted while he’ll have his ‘overprotective’ father-kind talk with the long time ex-boyfriend.By the time that Veronica and Chase disappeared around the corner to the kitchen where she’ll be getting the beverages and Chase will be distracting her for a moment, Keith instantly went straight for the jugular and casually talked to Logan with a slightly-obvious dagger-glaring way.“So, Logan Echolls…the Navy, huh? Much as I hate to admit it out loud--but that’s a surprising turn-out for you, young man,” Keith points it out.Logan nodded and almost straightened up in a position full of respect, despite that the two men just sat down comfortably on chairs, facing each other.“Yes, sir. Lieutenant Logan Echolls, Navy flyer and officer of Naval Intelligence. At your service,” he said in salute, which he couldn’t help but reply that as he was disciplined to do so.Keith just cocked a brow, looking at him blankly like he’s not impressed at all but deep down inside, he actually is. He can tell that Logan is trying to be nice and suck up to him so that he’ll get a chance into getting closer to Veronica again, but he knew better than to let him since he’s the one who broke his little girl’s heart years ago and left her heartbroken like that, which it had caused one of the reasons Veronica had left her home Neptune back then.Unfortunately, Chase failed to keep his mother distracted for long as she appeared with two requested drinks of beer for her father and water for Logan, which she gently hands them over with a smile. But Chase sat down beside Keith to back him up against Logan as he also glared pointedly with his eyes, making sure that his mom doesn’t see it when she sat down next to his chair, almost close to one another within reach.“So…you have a son. That’s--kind of a surprise, Veronica,” Logan commented, breaking the slightly tense and awkward silence that spread among the four of them sitting in the living room.“My mom adopted me. You got a problem with that?!” Chase snapped back at him sharply, glaring more as if he offended him.“Chase!” Veronica scolded him with a firm glare.Chase sighed and laid back on his seat, crossing his arms and frowning fiercely but it’s like he’s sulking like a child, pouting upon being chastised sternly by his mom. Then he turned away his gaze from Logan so that he wouldn’t be caught by Veronica when she noticed her son still glaring at him again.Then she turned and smiled at Logan and started some small talk with Logan to catch up, both of them almost ignoring that they have added company which is Keith and Chase that are sitting near them and scowling fiercely like they’ve been purposely left out on the conversation between the two.But it didn’t take long for Veronica to care for Chase’s bedtime as she finally noticed about an hour later that it’s already late and she sincerely apologized to Logan that they’ll talk more later soon on the next day. However, she offered Logan to stay with her and Chase if he wants to, ignoring that both Keith and Chase had their eyes widening in horror and were trying to gesture negatively in response to Veronica’s idea into having Logan stay in the apartment.Fortunately to their relief, but much to Veronica’s disappointment, Logan had already reserved a room at a hotel to stay there after he was released from Navy duty, and that he’ll be staying there until it was time for him to go back to deployment again.Though it made her happy a bit when Logan promised to come visit her again so that they’ll continue having their conversation, and again, Veronica didn’t notice both her father and son were frowning behind them upon hearing this, just as she was escorting him to the door to leave. Logan and Veronica said their short goodbyes, smiling at each other again and Veronica nearly jumped when her dad Keith decided to give Logan a ride to the hotel even if he wants to or not.She was glad that her dad is playing nice but she didn’t notice that Logan flinched a little, knowing otherwise that he’ll be riding with Keith so that the older formidable-like man will be keeping an eye on him upon heading to the hotel. Chase also approved of the idea and gave a slight grin towards Keith and he also gave a meaningful look that he should scare Logan a little into backing off from his mom, which Keith nodded back that he will with discretion.After the two men left, Veronica ushered her son to get some sleep so that he’ll attend his private tutoring, which she managed to find in her hometown of Neptune of a small tutoring school where she registers her son to have continued education just like she has done since 5 years ago then when she had adopted Chase.Chase wanted to talk to his mom though about Logan, but he decided to put it off for later on the next day before he goes to his tutor early in the morning. And so the two went to sleep on their bedrooms in the apartment, anticipating for the next day to come already.OOOOOHowever, Chase didn’t get the chance to talk to his mom about Logan because he made the mistake on not setting his own alarm to wake him up very early than usual, and it was Veronica who came to wake him up and that she had already prepared food packets for breakfast and lunch, that consists of the zombie brain-diet that he needs.He tried to put a word in but his mom Veronica seemed to be in a hurry, quickly hassling her son as they left the apartment and she drove the car to send him off to the place where his assigned private tutor had designated as a home-tutoring session spot. Though he tried to protest when they got there, Veronica just kissed him on the cheek goodbye fondly and Chase watched his mom hurriedly leave on her car, driving to her job at the police department.Chase stood there by the sidewalk for a silent moment about a minute before he sighed and turned to a slightly downtrodden-looking but clean grand-like mansion situated in the suburban neighborhood, with a blank expression like he’s used to going to these sorts of places.Ever since he changed into a zombie five years ago, he and his mother Veronica knew that it’s too dangerous for something like him to go to a normal school, where there would be a danger of him biting or scratching someone and turning them into zombies as well, either by accident or not. And that would create a massive zombie outbreak like in the movies, which is not something they want to deal or mess with. So Veronica had him home-schooled during all those five years by sole trustworthy teachers who would tutor Chase at their home or at whatever workplace and house they’re situated to. It was a little difficult to find a good and trusting tutor back in New York city, but Veronica managed to find one friendly and kind enough to take Chase on as a student and teach him through his education that he needed.The liable excuse the two of them had made up and agreed to explain his hidden condition as a zombie, was plausible and undeniably believable enough, health-wise and such; which are the medical issues of XP or Xeroderma Pigmentosum--a mild skin condition that causes him to not be out under the sun too long for it will cause rashes and such, Albinism--a birth defect that gives the appearance of his skin and hair to be sickly-like pale white color and his eyes an eerie silver-gray color as well, and finally, Enochlophobia--which is a psychological fear of large or massive crowds, but they made it as a mild one and centered only to normal schools where students in all ages frequent, thus causing difficulty for Chase to deal with the student populace because of his mental issues on that.Veronica and Chase gave the excuse to the tutors that he has mild cases of the latter two, and that Chase can handle dealing with large crowds at other places, but not at schools where he needed to go through his education for a length of time--because of the secret fear that he’ll infect someone and turn them into the zombie-state as such. The private home-schooling teachers understood and Chase ignored how most of them looked at him with pity as he easily go through his studies without worry on infecting somebody else and causing a horrifying zombie outbreak, which he vowed to never make it happen again, just like what happened in Seattle at that very tragic event of the lake boat party, caused by unknown mysterious means. It was fortunate that at that previous event of the Seattle Lake Boat Party Massacre, all the zombies that were there, had died from the fire and the boat-sinking deep into the lake with all human and zombie victims sunk too and drowned.That also includes the mysterious and shocking tragic event of the Manhattan Island Bombings in New York city about a year ago exactly, before Chase and Veronica Mars moved back to California.But that story will come about later at another time. Including about the mystery on the Seattle Lake Massacre.As Chase got inside the grand-like mansion and looked around, trying to spot his specific tutor among the other teachers that are teaching their small groups of students, he spotted him in an instant and walked towards him, while ignoring a few of the student body that are looking at him strangely like they’ve never seen him before, but it’s obvious that he’s new there. He went straight to his tutor, giving him a respectful greeting before the very old elder smiled at him warmly and ushered him inside the room where he’ll be sharing with a few other classmates that will be given private classes and lessons like him by the sole tutor.Chase made sure that he still had his hood up of the hooded-sweatshirt he’s wearing and he still deftly ignores the other students that are staring weirdly at him a bit when he came into the room in his usual black clothing ensemble of a black-hooded long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, joining them. The pale white-haired teenage boy was a little relieved that the tutor started his teaching session to his few students in the room, starting the lesson and they all listened attentively at him.But Chase didn’t notice or was even aware at all, that there’s one particular student among them, staring behind him, straight at his back with a gaze like this one recognizes or knows him or something.When the first subjects of the class sessions has ended in the first half and it’s now time of lunch break, Chase almost ran out of the room in a hurry to get outside, like he’s still fearing of getting close to others from accidentally scratching them and spread his undead condition.Chase sighed again with relief when he got outside the house and went to a secluded area where nobody else would dare go to as it appears to be frightening-looking of sorts, near the darkened scary-like scenes and such, he relaxed by leaning sideways against the wall on that shadowy area, calming himself down for a moment. He didn’t realize he was followed by the same person who had been gazing and staring at him back from the class room, until he got startled with surprise upon being hugged from behind and both arms wrapping around him in a slightly tight embrace.Chase was about to retaliate with a sharp back-elbow hit but he froze in shock upon hearing soft whispering words near his right ear. “It’s been so long, my love.”The Arabic-like accent speaking fluently was so familiar and easily recognizable only to Chase, that he didn’t break out of the hold of the arms around him, turns around within the embrace and looks at the stranger face-to-face with wide eyes. He exclaimed in shock, “Major!?”The Arabian teenage male with sun-tanned skin and dark raven-black slick hair smiled warmly at the pale teen boy Chase like they’re more than just best friends. And it became true and obvious when Chase didn’t hesitate to jump on him with his slender arms wrapping around the taller one’s neck, pulling him straight for a full-locking kiss on the lips. The Arab teen named ‘Major’ as he is nicknamed or called that for--reciprocated the gesture without complaint, pulling Chase even closer than before within the embrace.The two gay teenagers passionately kissed each other for a tender romantic moment at that secluded spot, until Chase broke away to gaze into his lover’s eyes before he went serious and demanded. “When did you get here? And why the hell didn’t you call me?!”Major chuckled as he nuzzled his forehead against Chase’s. “Sorry, love. But we agreed to not call each other, remember?”Chase blinked then he closed his eyes cringing upon finally remembering that. “Damn. Sorry, it’s just--it’s a surprise to see you here, but I’m very glad for it!” he said, smiling lovingly at him.“Speaking of surprises, my love…I’m not the only one here. Turn around,” Major said with a secretive grin.Chase blinked confused on what he meant by saying that but when he turns around like he asked him to, he suddenly couldn’t help himself when he stared wide-eyed shocked again upon seeing the people that were also there in the secluded area with the two young gays.“Oh my God…Mark!? Butch! Graves?!” he exclaimed incredulously after a minute of stunned-shocked silence.“What? You’re just gonna stand there, gaping like an idiot and not come over here and hug us?!” said the big and very tall black teenage guy, looking like a big expert football or basketball player, standing in between the two other teen guys beside him and almost towering over them by an inch or two. “That’s just cold, brother!”Chase didn’t hesitate once more as he strides towards them almost in a running sprint and jumped on the big black muscled teenager to hug him also around the neck. The other two teenage males chuckled fondly at the sight as the big black guy who is ‘Butch’, hugged back as they reunited with one another like they’re all friends and close buddies.The reason being why Chase easily kissed his boyfriend Major and hugged him and the other guys, without fear of touching and turning them into zombies--was only because they are also zombies like him.And in truth, Chase was the very one who purposely turned them into his similar condition by scratching them.The circumstances that led to the albino pale-white teenage boy turning other teenagers like him, are all reasonable and gravely serious, that pertains to life-threatening death situations and such.However--the stories about the other zombie teenagers will also come to light later--as it has occurred the same and all are linked to the Manhattan Island Bombings in New York city a year ago.For as of right now, Chase is focusing on a single important topic that’s going on at that very moment.“I can’t believe you guys are here too! I see that all of you have hair-dyed and spray-tanned skin very well. Well, except Mark, I mean--seriously, you’re still on with that army-style buzz-cut?! I can understand and get it with Butch--but you!? But more importantly--have you guys been eating well?! You know you should’ve called me if there were problems either way--whether it’s the food shortage or not!” Chase fussed over them like he’s the mother-hen of the whole gang among the teenage guys.“Relax, Zero,” said the teenage guy that is ‘Mark’, looking like he’s the same muscled type as the taller black one, only he appears to be built as a combined runner and fighter, and it also looks like that he doesn’t seem insulted on having a slightly-fuzzed bald buzz-cut hair. “Hacks has been a lot of help for us, providing everything that we needed--including our dietary needs.”“Ssh! Don’t call him that name out loud, you idiot!” the other teenage guy snapped at him chastising, whose the one named ‘Graves’, looking like he’s a swimmer or acrobat with a slender build, as he looked around alertly like somebody else near their vicinity might be eavesdropping and listening in on them.Mark flinched when he realized his mistake and sincerely said sheepishly, “Sorry, force of habit.”“Hey, relax, Graves. I already made sure that this spot was private and secluded enough for us here,” Major told him with a reassuring look. “Besides, it’s a good thing that Chase here somehow managed to get to this spot as well without pulling him into it.”Chase rolled his eyes and looked at his partner-boyfriend lovingly as he commented. “I always knew that you had a good eye just the same as me.”Butch cringed a bit with disgust at their affections and protested complaining, “Ugh! Boss, can you stop with that lovey-dovey stuff with your partner please? I can deal with it, tolerate it and all with you two and others who are also paired and everything but--can you not do that in front of us, please? I’d rather not be scarred for life, man! Hell--even in death!”They chuckled and laughed with amusement at their big black friend before Mark teased him. “Aww, is somebody jealous that he didn’t have his own match-up pair?”“You shut up, Mark!” Butch barked at Mark almost harshly but not being very hard about it as he is also joining in with the humor of this between all of them.Chase smiled at his friends before he went serious and cleared his throat for their attention. “Speaking of pairs…where are Sharp and Scythe? And how about Seeker and Hacks?”“They’re fine,” Graves said calmly to him. “They’re at another hiding spot that Hacks managed to whip up and find for us to stay in for a while. We only just got here a week earlier before you and your mom moved to California.”Chase nodded satisfied and glad upon knowing this, but he still looks worried and concerned for them, even though they found a temporary place to stay while they’ve been waiting for him or something. He inquired, “So where exactly are you guys staying at?”Then his eyes narrowed suspiciously upon having a sudden thought and he demanded sharply. “Please tell me Hacks didn’t put you guys up into staying another hokey inn or some broken-down abandoned house or something even worse than that!? I know that Seeker knows better than that into staying in those kinds of places.”“Relax, Chase,” Major soothed him calmly. “Hacks learned his lesson the last time he set us up into staying in something like that.”Graves grinned slyly as he said, “It helps that he definitely learned his lesson after Major, Sharp, and Scythe basically threatened him into getting us to live in somewhere better.”Chase groaned and glared at Major albeit slightly annoyed. “You didn’t!”Major just shrugged and nonchalantly said, “I wanted the best for my love, that’s all!”Chase groaned again but he smiled at the term of endearment in his boyfriend’s native Arabic language.Then it didn’t take long about a split-second for Chase to choose to skip the afternoon tutoring sessions and home-schooling classes to be with his friends, instead of staying for the day. For this is too important for him to reunite with the others and see how they’re faring well. As he informed his decision to them, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “So what place did Hacks set up for you guys?”They exchanged uncertain secretive looks like they’re not sure what to tell him from his question, before Major was the one who decided to answer him. “It’s better that you see it and share your own opinion once we get there.”Chase became confused on Major’s statement and wondered why his boyfriend said that.But it won’t take long for him again to find out what he meant by that.OOOOO“You gotta be kidding me.”Chase looked at the slightly fancy two-storey hotel building that Hacks had booked for his friends to stay and live there with exasperation.A while ago, he successfully managed to give the fake excuse to his home-schooling tutor that he’s going to skip the afternoon class sessions with a forged parental slip from his mom and once it’s done he hurriedly left with his friends.Then Chase got off from riding behind Major on the black motorcycle that he and the other guys bought and rode the two-wheeled motor vehicle kinds. He shook his head annoyed, staring at the building before he turned to glare at Major.“I told Hacks to help get you guys somewhere safe, discreet, and hidden. This--is not discreet!” he snapped indignantly.Butch, Mark, and Graves pitied their friend Major as he faces off the wrath of his angry gay lover Chase, who is not pleased at all upon seeing the kind of living arrangements that one of their fellows had set-up for them temporarily for the time-being and such.Major sighed and explained himself. “I did try to talk Hacks out of this but--he seemed pretty insistent and gave me reasonable points that living in this kind of place would be good for us.”“Right--like living in a fancy place of luxury and glamour won’t bring any attention towards us,” Chase said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and shaking his head again at this. He sighed softly as he asked, while rubbing his forehead. “At least tell me that Hacks was smart enough to register you guys in with fake names and aliases, right?”Butch nodded, “He did. Don’t worry about it, boss.”“Hey, come on guys. The others are waiting for us,” Mark said, seeming like he’s anxious and impatient to get back to their friends or something.The others nodded with agreement and moved to get into the building by the entrance lobby, but Chase still maintained the disapproving scowl on his face. Luckily, it seems that all the hotel workers there, including the manager on shift for the day, don’t ask any questions or voice out any negative opinions when a bunch of street-gang-like teenagers came in and went to their designated rooms because it appears that one of their friends who is ‘Hacks’ must have bribed them very well to keep their presence quiet and not let anyone else know more about them as they stay in the hotel temporarily until they find a new place for themselves later.By the time, they made it straight into what appeared to be a large penthouse-like suite rooms, Chase quickly got his eyes zeroed straight and glaring dangerously at the slightly-overweight chubby teenage male that’s manning the dining table with many computer devices on it, from laptop, mobile phones, tablets and such.And it seemed that their friend ‘Hacks’ turned out to be the only human among the teenage gang of zombies, when he flinched under Chase’s glare and nearly quailed trembling in fear from him like the albino teen-zombie might retract his moral decision on eating the human before him.“Chase! So good to see you again! I’m glad that Major and the guys managed to find you!” Hacks tried to steer the subject away to other things other than him, but from Chase’s dark glare, he’s not letting him off the hook. “Uhh…heh-heh…I see that you’re not a little happy about what I just gone and did for the guys, huh?”“Well, gee, what do you expect?” Chase said dryly. “I can understand that you wanted to help by providing a nice comfortable place for them to stay in--but seriously, Hacks!? Didn’t you even realize that signing up into a fancy luxurious hotel is a little over-the-top?!”“I’m sorry! It was all short notice when we came here first before you did--I had to do a quick online search for us to stay in, and this was the only good place that I could find first-hand when it came up on my devices,” Hacks protested, sincerely apologizing for being overboard into living in a fancy hotel that is supposedly for only the rich patrons and such.Chase would have glared at their human friend even more but when he had noticed earlier that Major and the guys aren’t bothered or complaining about staying in a rich fancy hotel, he decided to let this go since this is the first time for them to be comfortable and well after what they’ve been through a year before in New York. He sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose lightly to calm himself as he asked, “Just tell me you didn’t waste too much of our resources, Hacks. I remember exactly that we don’t have that much on money, the ones we have on hand or something.”Hacks sighed with relief that his friend is letting him off and beamed proudly but not too much to garner Chase’s dangerous glare again. “Don’t worry! I made sure that I hacked into reliable Deep-Web money sources, scrounge up the right amount of cash upon pilfering there without drawing attention, and then using it to stay in this hotel and also bribing the workers here to keep quiet about us--so there was no wasting that I did on our resources that we have hidden and safe-keeping.”“Well--just as long as nobody else gets their eyes or any attention towards us. Then we’re good.” Chase said, nodding with satisfaction at this before he turned to the side to see that more of their friends came out from the corner that leads to the bedrooms, as they went out to check if the others have returned and he smiled when they finally noticed him and gave their expressions of joy upon seeing him again.Graves and Mark went to their respective partners, which they are also lovers. Graves went to kiss the Chinese teenage girl on the cheek lovingly, the one with smooth long black hair and rare bright green eyes, for she is his girlfriend named ‘Scythe’, and she also appeared to be a martial-arts fighter and sword-wielder, judging from the katana blade she has always kept on her person, strapped and sheathed by her right side.While Mark went to his partner and boyfriend to pull him into a hug within his arms and against his body, revealing that Major and Chase aren’t the only pair of gay lovers among them, that is slender-build like a runner and has slightly-tousled short light auburn-blond hair and appeared to be British, which this teenage male is the one named ‘Sharp’.Both Sharp and Scythe returned the gestures lovingly with their partners, with the male Sharp hugging Mark back and Scythe kissing Graves on the cheek with a fond smiling look as well. Then they turned to smile at Chase, happy to see him there too and nodded to him which Chase nodded back.Now the last person and also a zombie among the gang of one human and seven zombie teenagers… is Seeker.The one dubbed and named as ‘Seeker’, is a slightly-short teenage Spanish-Mexican male, almost looking younger like a child than the others by his height, but his light humor and amusing personality was big enough for them to be close with such a funny friend. Though in rare moments and cases, Seeker can be an annoying pain-in-the-ass whenever the short teenager isn’t aware of their bad moods or not, and sometimes makes the mistake on cheering them up or something.“Hey! Boss-man!” Seeker cried happily to Chase as he came out from another side and sees him, and he instantly jumps on him, hugging him from behind.SMACK!“OW--Ouch! Hey--not cool, man! Not cool!” Seeker cried complaining as a bump started forming on his head when he got hit by Chase himself as he swiftly got Seeker off his back upon hitting him.“What did I say about personal boundaries, you little idiot!?” Chase growled at him with his fist up, ready to use it to hit Seeker once more if he tries again.The others snickered just as Major grinned at his love-partner amused. If this were an anime, they would see annoyed vein popping on Chase’s head, while Seeker pouted pitifully like a child.Scythe shook her head, grinning amused as well as she spoke in her thick fluent Chinese accent. “I see you’re the same tsundere as ever.”Chase didn’t mind the kind of term that one of his friends Scythe called him with as he’s used to it and smiles back at her. After giving a pointed glare at Seeker to not do it again and he pouted, they gathered around with Hacks ordering room service with specially added spiciness to their food orders so that they can eat and chat, catching up on what’s been going on with the others and then talk about Chase Mars.Chase was glad to hear that his partner-lover Major and his friends didn’t encounter any problems when they also moved from New York to California, just as he and his mom did. But when it’s now his turn as the last one to share his story, Chase told them of what he’s gone through since the first week he’s moved into California.Needless to say, their reactions of what Chase has gone through were already expected, which is usual for him.Butch shook his head disbelievingly. “I still can’t believe that you’re still acting and playing the part as a ‘psychic detective’ and all that.”Major just grinned proudly at his boyfriend. “And that’s why I love him.”Chase elbowed him for good measure at his teasing remark, but he smiled warmly back at him.“Of course, the first thing you do when you moved into your mom’s hometown…is solving your first case at her very home-turf,” Mark said wryly, like he thinks that this is funny or ironic as Sharp chuckled and shook his head knowingly at Chase’s love in solving mysteries and crime-fighting ever since they met and known him.“Well, I’m glad that Chase continued his passion for fighting crime and pursuing justice,” Scythe said, sounding like she’s chastising her friend Mark for debating against Chase’s decisions or what-not. “Despite that the victim was a prostitute--she does deserve justice for the crime that was done to her by her killer.”Graves agreed with his girlfriend. “Yeah, and not to mention that it was a dirty cop of all things--that puts a point and a positive vote for Chase from me.”“Good for you, man! I hate dirty cops! Especially those who think they rule the streets and everybody in the middle-class districts and all that!” Seeker cheered for Chase.Hacks joined in too with a whooping holler, “Hear, hear!”Chase rolled his eyes and clarified. “Technically, it was an accident that the man just tried to run past by me after hitting me straight into zombie mode at the time.”“But still you caught the guy. So savor your victories, love,” Major said fondly, kissing him again on the cheek and making Chase smile at him. Then Major asked curiously upon thinking of something. “Speaking of psychic…you said that your mom’s dad, your grandpa Keith was okay with your special abilities. But what about that guy named Logan? Your mom’s old boyfriend? Why don’t you trust him to tell him about it too?”Chase looked at him as if he’s crazy like his boyfriend is suggesting that he tells the truth that he’s a zombie by revealing upon coming out to the whole world. “Are you kidding me?!” he said incredulously. “He’s from the military himself--of course, I don’t trust him!”Mark blinked confused. “Didn’t you say he’s in the Navy?”“The Navy is a military branch, love,” Sharp explained for him and then Mark understood, nodding.“And besides that, he’s not my mom’s boyfriend. They have been exes for a long time! It’s not like they’re getting back together after it’s been ten years since they broke up. No way!” Chase added protesting, not wanting to think about how he saw his mom’s reactions upon seeing Logan again.Major decided to change the subject to other matters before he might ire his lover’s temper even more about it. So he said. “Well, thanks to Hacks’ gracious help, we’ve been comfortable here in this hotel, and so far, we haven’t encountered other problems as we were waiting for you to come to California and then trying to find you. So try to relax and lay off of him, okay? He has been a helpful human ally, you know. Not to mention, you’re the one who trusted him in the first place when you found out about him and everything.”Hacks gave Major a secret grateful look at his words and fortunately, Chase didn’t notice this as he sighed and relented into letting this go for now. That’s when he decided to also mention a matter that needs to be addressed and let the others know about something that had happened recently when he moved to his mom’s home in Neptune.“Speaking of human allies, much as I hate admitting this out loud but--we have a potential new one among us. He’s right about our age and he’s a ME/medical examiner-slash-young scientist in training, guys,” Chase confessed to them aloud. And he already knew what kind of reactions they’ll react upon this announcement expectantly.Both Sharp and Mark instantly glared at him like Chase is in for interrogation from them as Sharp asked suspiciously in a British accent. “Is he legit? Can we trust him?”“I wouldn’t have told you guys about him, even if I didn’t trust him,” Chase said calmly.“But is he trustworthy?” Mark demanded. “I mean, what’s so special about this new guy that you had to tell us about it?”Chase replied stating, “He’s the assistant of the ME-scientist that my Mom searched and trusted before we moved here. He managed to somehow find out about my circumstances, kept quiet about my existence with discretion, and willingly volunteered into wanting to help out finding, discovering, and synthesizing a cure for our undead conditions.”Graves blinked at that and looked at him dubiously. “He actually did that? Are you sure he’s sincere about his decision over this?”“Trust me, you should’ve seen him when my Mom, Dr. Claudia and Chief Moore found out about it and grilled him a bit hard over it,” Chase remarked with light humor as he remembered that time well. “He’s acting like he’s our biggest fan upon realizing that I was involved in that Seattle Lake Boat Party Massacre where the first real zombie outbreak occurred. It’s almost as if I’m his ultimate favorite rock-star for him.”Seeker snorted grinning, “Well, this is going to be really interesting and funny once this guy finds out that you’re not the only teen zombie around here!”“But how do we really know that this guy won’t rat us out to the world?” Butch asked, both nervous and wary on having another human ally mixed into their team-fold. For it seemed too good to be true upon finding out and knowing about this.Chase explained, “He found out about me more than two weeks ago when my Mom last contacted Dr. Claudia to confirming her trust over her before we moved here. So far, he hasn’t told, contacted--hell, I believe he didn’t even post online to tell anyone about my unique state.”“He’s right!”They all turned when Hacks voiced out aloud so that they’ll turn their attention towards him at his sudden outburst.It seemed that he had already searched and hacked online at his laptop computer to confirm Chase’s statement and the others’ suspicions about him and it was easy to find out who the assistant was and know everything about him since Chase told him about the adult scientist-ME Dr. Claudia Graves that his mom Veronica contacted and trusted previously before they came to California.“I’ve looked into any website links that this guy ‘Doc’ is registered and signed to and have checked and tried to find anything else that he might have posted online, including draft copies and such, if there was any mention about real-life zombies and all that. So far--there’s nothing that I’ve discovered, found or tried to find. It looks like what Chase said is all legit. This guy is super-cool into keeping you guys a secret from the whole world!” Hacks said and he seemed very happy to have another human ally being brought into their gang, albeit the others, except Chase, are still having doubts about this and debating over it uncertainly.But it was Major, the second leader of the whole gang, who made the deciding point for them all. “Chase, love…do you truly trust this person or not?”They looked at him, waiting expectantly on what Chase will answer or say, as he was eerily silent for a pausing minute. Then he replied truthfully, “Honestly, I want to…but not yet. Not until I test him on how he reacts upon finding out about us.”Major trusted his partner’s word for it as he suggested, “You should take some of us with you for proof when you tell him about us. How about me, Graves, and Sharp go with you?” Chase nodded in agreement at his lover’s idea but then Mark butts in, protesting about who is going and giving his opinion about it.“Hey! How come I’m not tagging along and going with you guys, huh?!” he demanded asking.Before Major could explain to him, Seeker intervened by giving an amused snort and then answered in a joking manner. “Are you kidding? If you tag along or maybe even Butch goes too--the new guy’s gonna be scared silly upon seeing you two big muscle-guys! Obviously, it’s a bad idea to have you along, just in case, you needed to intimidate him or something.”Mark scowled at him, not appreciating the humor of this serious situation but Butch laughed and ruffled his short friend’s hair for good measure upon lightening up the somber mood that’s slightly surrounding them. Seeker just grinned, happy that his joking statement has lightened up some of them, except Mark who’s still frowning at him and Chase just slightly grinned, shaking his head wryly.“I’m going to have to check with Mom first to see if she won’t be milling around the morgue at NPD tonight, before we get there and meet up with our potential new ally named Doc,” Chase said as he took out his phone and dialed quickly to her number when he noticed the time has gone by so fast that it’s now nearing sundown.Major and the others knew that Chase’s mother Veronica Mars does not know nor has she ever found out that her adopted teenage son has turned others like him. Granted there were grievous and most grave circumstances at the time when Chase turned them a year ago back in New York to be precise--but those stories will come later at a particular time.Right now, Chase is focusing on calling and checking on his mother to see if she’s available or not, so that he and his friends will meet up with their possible new friend, that is Doc. But when the cell-phone was answered on the other end, Chase did not expect somebody else to answer instead of his mom. [Hello?] “What the--?” Chase blinked at his phone dubiously upon hearing a stranger’s voice before he snapped indignantly. “Who the hell is this!?”He can almost feel the caller on the other end blinking with surprise at his rudeness just as he replied. [Well, who is this?]Now Chase became a little more annoyed upon the stranger talking and the nerve of him, like he somehow recognized the familiar voice. “This is Veronica Mars’ son--who the hell is the guy that just answered my mom’s phone!?”[Oh my God! Chase!] This time Chase can hear his mom and he realized that on the other end, his call was answered into speaker-mode. [That was extremely rude of you! I’m so sorry, Logan. He’s not usually like this. He tends to get overprotective towards me.] Chase bristled with irritation upon hearing and finding out that the ex-boyfriend Navy guy Logan is with his mother right now. And he wasn’t going to be polite about it as he ranted almost loudly through the phone. “Mom! Why the hell is that guy with you?! Where are you right now!?”[Chase, do not make me ground you for the kind of attitude you’re giving to Logan, young man. I’ll be going out with Logan tonight after I’m off from work, but you can stop by at the morgue to get your dinner from Dr. Claudia and her young assistant Doc. Once you got it, you go straight home and text me, okay? I’ll see you later, love you!] Chase wanted to protest to his mom on not going out on a date already with that Logan guy, even though it’s not and both of them were just going to have a pleasant conversation and catch up from before, but then he heard the line click upon his mother hanging up and he scowled fiercely at his smart-phone, looking like he want to throw it against the wall with mad frustration but he didn’t.“So what now?” Scythe inquired asking as they all know that it’s dangerous for any of them to go with Chase now that Veronica’s Navy ex-boyfriend is hanging around near Chase’s mother and in the vicinity with her when he goes to the police department later.Chase sighed and said, “Looks like I’ll just have to bring something to prove and show to Doc when I tell him about you guys. How about a group picture of us in zombie-mode? That should work.”They agreed and then Chase instructed them to get themselves into position and told them to carefully meditate and think of something that makes them angry or upset, to trigger his friends into zombie-mode. Hacks is the only one not joining into the group picture, because Chase is not letting him, for he is human and that he’s not letting Doc know about their first human ally yet, until the new guy proves himself trustworthy more into keeping his silence about them.Chase told Hacks to leave them for a moment as they go into zombie-mode and take a group picture and Hacks quickly did as he was told for he already knew and was given early knowledge that it’s dangerous for a human to hang around near his friends when they got into it--though Hacks jokingly voiced out to Chase before he left that he called the term when they’re in that state as ‘Z-mode’ from then on, which Chase just shook his head at his human friend’s antics and then he watched Hacks swiftly locked himself in one of the bedrooms to wait until they’re done.When Chase turned to his friends, he saw that they’re already in the zombie mode--or Z-mode from now on as the term is called for--with red inhuman eyes and few black streaks spreading across their faces that slightly went pale as they turn, but it looks like that they’re still maintaining control of themselves calmly from lashing out of anger or hunger, which Chase was relieved and impressed that they’ve been training hard for control, just like he does. He took a quick picture of them from his smart-phone, saved it, and then instructed his friends to carefully meditate again into thinking of something calm and soothing that will turn down their Z-mode back to normal. They did as instructed from Chase and almost faster than before, their Z-mode swiftly went back to their normal appearances with their inhuman red eyes going back to their normal colors and pale faces turning back to their spray-tanned skin features.After Chase was done on taking the pictures needed to show Doc later at NPD, his boyfriend Major offered to take him and drop him off there with his motorcycle and Chase smiled at his partner, giving his appreciation for it. Chase and the others exchanged goodbyes before Major and him left the hotel, and he told Hacks, after he came out of the room upon being called that they’re finished, to try to look into a more suitable place where they can live in better than staying in a fancy hotel, and it should be a spot where no people would dare to look into, even by just seeing it first glance and wanting to peek into the place curiously. Chase also had Seeker to assist Hacks on this endeavor and the short Spanish teen didn’t complain about his task as he went to help Hacks into looking for the better place that they can all stay and live in permanently there in Neptune, California.OOOOOBy the time, Major and Chase reached to the police department of Neptune, California from Major’s motorcycle, Chase got off and kissed Major when he took off his biker helmet as a gesture of thanks and appreciation for dropping him off and told him to get one of their friends to pick up his bike from the private tutoring school and deliver it back to his home apartment.Major nodded that he will do the task as ordered and then told his partner-boyfriend to be careful as always, which Chase returned in response that he will, and then Chase watched his Arabian lover leave on his motorcycle, driving in the direction back to the hotel where the others are staying. Then Chase went to the back door below the police building to get to the morgue as a shortcut there and he got inside, just in time to see Dr. Claudia carefully stitching up the latest recent corpse back to rights as it was brought in, with the whole brains taken out from the body and placed on a metal tray for him, and the teen assistant Doc looked up from writing the police report of the victim he’s nearly finished for.“Hey! Right on time!” Doc said gleefully, almost waving one of his hands with a flourish towards the brains that are on the table beside Dr. Claudia. “Your mom told us to prepare your dinner over there. Dr. Claudia was just finishing up with the body and was about to set-up the brains for you before you come in.”Chase nodded and called out to Claudia to get her attention but not loud enough to disturb her while she’s working. “If you don’t mind letting me use the kitchen, I’ll be the one making up my dinner, thank you, Dr. Graves.”Dr. Claudia, the ME woman and boss of the morgue just waved her hand in a responding gesture on allowing Chase to help himself and he grabbed the tray with the brains on it and brought it over to the small space at the corner of the morgue, next to the medical examiner’s office there, which is the kitchen. He placed the tray of brains on the table next to the cooker, went over to the cabinets to gather the ingredients needed to make his dinner, and was relieved to see that his mom Veronica had talked to Claudia into stocking up the kitchen so that he could cook and eat something else, other than quick-cooking cup noodles or microwave meals.Chase decided to make brains-omelette meal for his dinner and Doc was watching him as he swiftly finished his police report and placed it on his boss’ office and went to stand by the kitchen to watch him work. Doc was a little curious when he saw Chase cutting the brains in half to preserve the first half in a plastic container for the next day and then mincing the last one into tiny little bits to mix up on the scrambled egg omelette he’s making and cooking. So he couldn’t help but ask about it aloud for Chase to hear. “So what’s up with eating half of the brains? Is it another zombie-thing besides the large amounts of hot sauce you consume for your diet or something?”Chase looked at him like he’s stupid or an idiot.“Can you not say that word out loud, even if there’s a friendly, trustee or nobody around?” he snapped at him sharply annoyed. Doc flinched and put up his hands with a sheepish apologetic look, that got Chase to nodding with approval internally upon seeing how he reacted and such.“And did you forget when I told you before that whenever I eat whole brains from people--I literally become whoever I eat from their personality traits, mental disorders and everything?” he pointed out dryly.“Oh right! I forgot--sorry!” Doc sincerely apologized again, looking like he wanted to hit himself for being a real idiot, which almost got Chase to grin amused at him.“Also--the hot sauce that I consume for my dietary needs…it’s a necessity for me to add in a large amount of it, just so I’d be able to taste anything to link whatever’s left of my human sanity in a normal way. Seriously, you should start taking down notes and write them all on your own, if you’re going to be helping me in this endeavor to finding a cure for my condition and turning me back to human,” Chase suggested.Doc instantly nodded in agreement at his statement and looked like he will start doing that. When he saw Doc being sincere and everything, from looking at his reactions just now, Chase decided to test him a little more by showing him the pictures of his friends on the phone, but only after he finished eating his dinner and Claudia will go off to deliver the police report to the investigating officer of the latest victim.It didn’t take long for him to finish cooking the brains-omelette and after half-way eating the meal to empty the whole plate he made for himself, Chase glanced and saw Claudia leaving and he decided that the time is now for Doc to know about the others while the ME boss-lady has gone out.“Hey, Doc. Would you mind looking at this and tell me how you feel about it?” Chase casually said as he handed his smart-phone quickly to him with the picture he clicked and brought out already to show on the screen.Doc blinked confused on why Chase asked him that strange request, but once he took one look at the image showing on the screen of Chase’s phone in clear view without any alteration on it that the ME assistant could easily see, he stared at it, not comprehending for a shocked silent moment and then turning his head to stare at Chase and then back at the phone before he finally reacted after a minute or two of stunned silence.“OH MY--!”SLAP!Chase clearly didn’t expect that kind of reaction from Doc and he swiftly clamped a hand right over his open gaping mouth to stifle the loud exclamation leaving his lips and Doc just stared at Chase wide-eyed, completely taken aback and stunned silent upon the shocking revelation he’s been shown and given. He glared at Doc for a very good measure to keep his silence, even though it’s only the two of them down in the morgue and that Claudia is going to be taking a while to delivering the police report to her superiors upstairs of the police department.Once Chase ensured that Doc understood his slight mistake and nodded dimly that he’ll keep quiet about it before he removed his hand from his mouth and Doc’s wide eyes have now changed from stunned surprise to giddy excitement, which got the hooded pale teen a little wary about him.“O-M-G! There are more of you!?” Doc whispered asking excitedly, trembling almost completely with giddiness as he asked Chase about his friends. “Are they all zombies like you too? How did that happen? Where are they? How come your mom or my boss Dr. Claudia doesn’t know about them?!”“Whoa! Slow down, will you? And one at a time,” Chase whispered back, hushing him and glancing around with darting eyes like he’s trying to confirm and make sure that there’s nobody else around in the morgue but just the two of them. “Yes, they’re zombies. And I’m the one who turned them--but only with their decisions and consent! Right now, they’re here in Neptune, holed up in a temporary place and you’ll meet them later. And the only reason being why Claudia and my mom doesn’t know about them at all--was because it was exactly about three years ago that my friends became zombies when I turned them and it was back in New York and--my mom would seriously freak out and ground me for life when she found out that my old friends were actually zombies way before the Manhattan Island Bombings happened a year ago back then and they all escaped the same way we did before my mom and I moved here to California!”Doc gasped out loud almost and gaped at him wide-eyed as he exclaimed dramatically conspiracy-like. “You guys were also there at that time!?”Chase grimly nodded and explained softly, clarifying. “At the time, the previous scientist that was trying to find and make a cure for me, before my mom found your boss Claudia--he got killed by his own assistant when he found out that he was a crazy lunatic and tried to make and break out another zombie outbreak in New York, and managed to warn me on time before he died by his assistant’s hands.”“I knew it! I knew that there was something off about that shocking event of the New York bombings and everything! So--you and your friends were the ones that stopped the outbreak from spreading and saved some of the people there to leave the island before it was bombed like raining hellsfire?!” Doc demanded, grinning widely at him.Chase nodded again and continued, “Yes, I knew that the spreading of the zombie outbreak was going to get worse, similar almost like in the movies. So I had no choice but to get one of my friends to hack into one of the military units, take control of a few missile launchers and send it off to bomb the island into a fiery inferno before it spreads out throughout the states like wildfire. Fortunately, my friends and I managed to send out warnings to other people in New York to leave the island swiftly before it was bombed, in the guise that it was a sudden terrorist attack about to occur and all the investigators from FBI to Homeland Security had all thought that it exactly was that at the time when it was over and no one thought otherwise upon thinking that it was a real-life zombie outbreak occurring within this very country.”“O-M-G! You and your guys are like--world reality’s bad-ass superheroes!” Doc exclaimed with his arms wide, like he’s really wanting to hug Chase right now as if he’s truly one. But that action got Chase almost backing away a few steps from him as if Doc’s sickly contagious or something.“Okay--now you know everything. Can I trust you to keep this quiet and solemnly keep this very grave secret from your boss and my mom?” Chase asked calmly, his eyes narrowing pointedly at Doc like he’s assessing him on how he’s going to react at the news and revelations he’s been given.Doc just nodded vigorously like this is a super-great honor for him to be apart of this team-like conspiracy that Chase is letting him into. He cried gleefully happy. “Yes! Absolutely! You can definitely count me in and trust me completely with this and everything! Mum’s the word--not even the wild horses themselves, would even dare to stomp the secret out of me--even if my life depended on it and death is threatened upon me!”Chase chuckled at him, a little amused at his antics. “Okay, okay. There’s no need to go that far and say such things. We’re good.” he smiled at Doc who beamed at him happily still. And when Doc was about to ask him about the other zombie-teens, Chase quickly stopped him from talking when he felt like he sensed somebody coming. And his suspicious thoughts became true when Dr. Claudia just came down with his mom Veronica beside her, along with Logan behind the two women, as it seemed that the couple had returned from whatever date they’ve been on before and finished with their ‘catching-up’ conversation and came by to pick Chase up or something.Chase was about to smile at his mom upon returning to pick him up like she knew that he needed a ride home, but then his smile turned instantly into an intense frown upon glaring at Logan whose still there accompanying her. Then his frown swiftly turned into a blank expressionless look on his face so that his mom wouldn’t notice on him and scold him for it.The only one who noticed the mood changes from Chase was Logan Echolls himself, since he was expertly trained in the Navy to sharpen their senses and be aware of their surroundings. Logan tried to get into Chase’s good side by smiling at him, but the pale teen just glared at him with his eyes gazing daggers at him like he’s not aiming to be friends with him at all. Even if Chase’s mom, Veronica might want to get back together with Logan possibly or not.“Hey, you ready to go home, Chase?” Veronica asked her son.Chase nodded. “Yeah, mom. Just wondering on who the latest victim is on the slab over there though.”Logan thought that his ex-girlfriend from ten years ago was joking when she told him that her son is following on her former footsteps as a private detective, but hearing Chase ask that, he can easily tell that he’s curious and wanting to know about the case and Veronica nodded at Claudia that her son is allowed to know.“This poor unfortunate fellow--,” Claudia began as she walked towards the white-blanketed corpse that is recent and new on the morgue table and already processed and finished before Chase came in and had his dinner about the victim. “--is one of those members of the street gangs that roam our nicely decent yet crime-corrupted neighborhood of Neptune, who got caught and was stabbed to death in an alley by another rival gang. Witnesses called the police about the incident, but they couldn’t admit or tell on who or what type of the gang members were, because it was dark at the time they reported seeing the attack occur in the secluded alley, as they saw it go down.”“Hmm…look at this. This type of mutilation is familiar among the Asian gang-bangers,” Veronica said as her eyes narrowed intensely, studying the dead body on the slab when she saw and noticed that the right hand’s fingers were chopped off of their top half-digits, leaving them finger-pointing less stumps that seemed old, like it’s been done before the victim was killed from the stabbing.“Wow! How do you know that, Detective Mars?” Doc asked, impressed that she deduced this so quickly just by looking at a dead person’s cut-off fingers of the right hand.Veronica confessed, “I’ve seen this before back in New York years ago. The Asians--specifically the Korean-type gangs--were pretty ruthless with this kind of mutilation to make someone talk or put this method as a lesson among their members for punishment if you dare to talk back or go against them.”“Indeed, you are correct, Detective!” Claudia said and she did a flourishing wave upon removing the blanket to reveal the face of the victim, which appeared to be a Korean-Asian male in his young twenties or so.But when Veronica took one look at the face of the new recent victim, she stiffened in shock and then sighed with despair as she murmured softly to herself, but still can be heard by the others. “Oh no…”Both her son Chase and her ex Logan looked at her with confusion upon hearing her and just as Claudia was about to announce on who the victim was, since he still had his I.D. on him the time and place of the attack, the ME lady of the morgue was interrupted by Veronica as she calmly replied. “The victim was Sammy Lu-Wong. He was one of the members of the street gang known as the Scarring Vipers.”This time, all those in the morgue were staring at Veronica with strange looks like they’re very surprised that she knows this as Dr. Claudia inquired asking. “Wow…either you’re very good with your deductions, Detective--or there’s something you forgot to tell us upon recognizing this victim as a familiar fellow of sorts. Friend or…?”Veronica sighed, “No, he wasn’t an enemy--neither was he an old friend but…he would have been if only he accepted my help back then.”“So…you knew him, Mom?” Chase asked softly as well, like he’s being careful to not poke the sore subject that’s getting to his mom a little badly, from the devastated look on her face when she saw the victim’s face.She nodded solemnly then suddenly remembered that Chase had latched on to the victim who is now recognized and named Sammy. “Chase, don’t help me look deeper into this one. I’ll do this on my own.” she ordered him sternly.“Mom, if this is your case and you knew the victim, then I want to help,” Chase protested.“No! I mean it--you stay out of it!” Veronica said to him very firmly.She didn’t realize that the latter statement she just said, triggered a new vision into Chase’s mind and he gasped as he got pulled into it.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
“Easy…I’m not here to make trouble,” said Veronica in the victim’s point of view/POV, the scenery they’re standing on seemed to be from years ago, back in New York in a place that appeared to be a dark alley, late at night.
“You get out of here right now, cop! Or else do you wanna die tonight?!” threatened one of the gang-bangers of the Scarring Vipers that the victim is apart of them.
“Leave her alone!” cried the victim Sammy in a younger voice, sounding like he was a teenager when he met Veronica.
The one who threatened Veronica faced Sammy and he appeared to be Korean too when he snarled at him dangerously. “You stay out of it, Sammy! Or you’re gonna have one hell of a beating, boy!”
OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOOChase held back his inhaling startled gasp as he snapped out from the vision he had seen from the dead victim Sammy but he didn’t manage to hide his reaction when his mom Veronica already noticed this.Logan looked at the young teenage boy confused at the trance-like expression he had on his face before and then after Chase’s vision ended, but Veronica instantly knew upon seeing it happen and she demanded at her son firmly in a sharp snap. “What did you just see?!”Chase snapped out of the stunned shocked stupor he felt from seeing the short quick vision he saw and looked at his mom like she’s now a stranger to him that he’s scared of suddenly.“Nothing! Nothing, Mom--it’s nothing,” Chase tried to lie about it, but he knew that she didn’t believe him when he suddenly denied the vision he had just seen.Veronica was giving him her kind of version to be combined of mother and cop glare at Chase, but he maintained his composure and calm towards her with a blank innocent look on his face, to try to show his mother that he truly didn’t see anything at all from the vision he’s seen. But she decided to grill and interrogate her son later since she knew that the time is getting late already that very night and she didn’t want her son to miss another day or skip it from the private tutoring home-school, whether he likes it or not.Then she turned to Logan and told him that she’ll explain later on what and why her son was like that before with the strange trance and such, and either she wasn’t aware or ignoring the fact that her son Chase was glaring at Logan like he didn’t want him to know about his special abilities as a ‘psychic’ private detective, which got him into enabling to helping out with his mom before on her cases back from New York up to here and now in Neptune, California.Chase gave his goodbyes to Claudia and Doc, while also giving a secretive look to the teen assistant that they’ll talk later into making a promised schedule for Doc to meet with his friends, both zombie and human ones very soon.OOOOOAs if paying back against his mother Veronica from Chase talking to her before about Logan and such, Chase decided to skip and forgo the interrogation-like talk with his mom about him being involved on the case with the victim named Sammy that she’s familiar with years ago, and he decided to investigate privately by himself--with the help from his friends--to look into the matter deeply and find out what got Sammy killed and who was the killer responsible for his death.He made sure that he set the alarm this time to wake up almost a little early, just before right at the time that his mom will be going to work at NPD at the time, and once his alarm rang, Chase shot up from the bed like he didn’t sleep at all last night, quickly bathed, changed his clothes and then readied himself swiftly to get to his bike and ride to school without his mother knowing and following him.As if on cue as well, Chase was just packing up the lunch-box with the other half-brains that he preserved from the victim Sammy that he’ll eat later so that he’ll start working on the case, and then he heard his Mom stirring awake in her bedroom which he used his sharp zombie senses upon hearing her. He grinned like he wanted to make some light amusement out of this situation that’s about to happen, as he called out loudly to his Mom that he’s off to school. And then he couldn’t help but snicker softly at the joke he has made when he heard his mom Veronica scrambling around noisily like she’s trying to stop him from leaving.But it was too late, for Chase decided to leave as swiftly as he had called out loud for her to know that he’s going, and by the time she managed to reach for the door, Chase had already left with her staring after his shadow as he went down the stairs to the parking lot and ride on his bike to school.Veronica pursed her lips almost biting them as she thought of how to talk to Chase when it became clear to her that he won’t speak to her about the case before when she tried to prevent him from getting involved into it and help her solve the case because she’s familiar with the recent dead victim that is known as Sammy Lu-Wong. She started thinking hard on how to approach this with her son, since she could tell that it won’t be easy to confront him about it but then she suddenly thought of something brilliant, reached for her smart-phone and dialed a new number on the list of contacts that she’s calling for help on this one.The new number she added in and automatically dialed that she’s now calling for, is her ex Logan who she decided to put into her contact list ever since they reunited. But to give time and patience for her son Chase, both of them agreed to start over as mutual friends instead of getting back together as lovers again, even though Veronica really wanted it to be, back the way it was before, but she’s thinking of her son first.The line on the other end was answered and Veronica smiled upon hearing Logan’s voice. [Hello?] “Hey, Logan. It’s me,” Veronica said as she sets up her clothes carefully to get to work at her job in NPD and then started the shower to bathe and clean up before making her quick breakfast smoothie on the way.[Oh, Bobcat. This is a surprise.] Logan said, sounding happy to hear her too.Veronica rolled her eyes smiling at the novel term of endearment he’s called her for a long time before she went serious and asked. “Are you busy? Because if you are, then I can totally understand with that. It’s just--I need a really huge favor.”[What a coincidence! I’m not busy at all today, so I can do whatever favor it is you need. What is it, Veronica?] “It’s my son Chase. I think he won’t let this case go because he can see how I got bothered that I knew the victim. Do you mind keeping an eye at the private tutoring school he’s attending today? I’m sure that he might try to skip and sneak out to investigate more into the case,” she said.[Are you sure about that? Cause I don’t want to drive a rift between you and your kid, if he found out that you sent me to watch over him.] Logan said uncertainly.Veronica snorted. “You thought that I was worse back when I was investigating as a private detective with my Dad before? Try multiplying by times ten when it comes to my kid, after I taught him and told him everything that I’ve been through. Trust me--with you around and with my permission for you to use military discipline to rein him in…he’ll forgive me from being pulled out of the case and collared by you.”Logan asked seriously like he can read Veronica’s mind through the phone line. [Is the case really that bad concerning the victim?] Veronica nodded, but then she remembered that she’s on the phone with him so she answered with a solemn voice. “It is. The gang Sammy runs with--they’re one of the very worst street-gang criminals you’d ever come across. And I can tell you for sure that Weevil himself would be jealous that his own gang doesn’t run the same strip as the Scarring Vipers does, if they’re really here in Neptune. Just…look after my kid, okay? Besides my dad--I’m all Chase has got left, despite that we’re not blood-related. And no matter how much Chase denies it--I know that he knows it too, so he’d do everything with whatever he’s got to help me out on this case, whether it’s bad or the very worst one.”
[Don’t worry, Veronica. I’ll keep an eye on him and make sure he tries not to get into the case. You just work on your end and I’ll do mine, okay?]
“Thanks, Logan. It means a lot to me.” Veronica replied.
[Just do me a favor for me as well? Be careful alright?]
Veronica grinned. “You know that I always have been careful. Especially when I’m an official police detective here now.”
[All the same, Bobcat--just please be careful.]
“I will. See you later.” Veronica hangs up her call with her ex Logan and quickly gets on the shower to clean up and then dress up for work so that she’ll go and deal with the case about the dead gang-banger victim Sammy quickly as she could, so that her son won’t get involve into the investigation of it privately and might put himself into danger.She really hoped it won’t come to that, and she also hoped that Chase won’t be difficult when it comes to Logan watching over and keeping an eye on him so that he wouldn’t get into anything deadly or dangerous when it comes to this case about the dead Korean gang-banger, who was a part of a notorious ruthless street gang that she’s familiar with back in New York before, and she sincerely hoped that they’re not here in Neptune doing something criminal or the Korean street-gang might be there to tie up loose-ends.And that could possibly mean her.Veronica mentally prayed that her suspicions and thoughts about the latter part doesn’t become true.And she internally thinks that it might be coincidence or something upon having an old acquaintance-like person like Sammy being here in Neptune and he ends up dead.For she knows very well that her son Chase won’t react well if it comes to that.OOOOOAfter Logan heard his ex-girlfriend Veronica hang up on the other end of the line, he hides away his smart-phone and sighed softly. After being given the request from her to watch over her son Chase, that pale young boy, and making sure that he stays out of trouble like getting into Veronica’s case about the recent victim, he wondered how he’s going to approach him in a nice way without causing more hostility or tension from the teen kid against himself.It looks like that he’ll just run with it and go with the flow, and maybe it might turn out to be fine between the two guys later.
Yeah right.
After seeing first time with the moody albino teenager, it’s going to be a lot harder than he thought, with the way he remembered how the young male kept glaring at him like that with his eerie silver grey eyes. While Logan drove towards the mentioned school that Chase goes to and Veronica early-on told him the location of that place, he got there right at the lunch-break time, parked his cool style-type car at the other side of the lot across from the building, and then he patiently waits until he spots something amiss from the place where Chase is being tutored at.It didn’t take long for Veronica’s suspicions to come true and Logan’s disciplined patience turn out right when he spotted the mentioned pale teen, who he figured that the kid liked to cover the hood of his black long-sleeved sweatshirt over his head to hide his face or something, as he saw and watched him give some sort of excuse to his home-school tutor that he’s skipping the afternoon classes and will be leaving.It appeared that the tutor didn’t think anything of it and Logan believed that Chase might have done something like forging his mother’s signature for the excuse slip so that he’ll skip school for half the day and his eyes zeroed in sharply gazing at him as Chase casually walked towards his bicycle that is securely chained by the parking lot railing, and unlatched the chain-locks so that he’ll ride off to somewhere.Logan quickly prepared his car to drive and waited for Chase to go ahead first before he follows him behind discreetly. He watched Chase looking around cautiously, like he somehow knows that his mother might send someone like his grandpa Keith or one of her friends to watch him, and when the teenage boy found nothing, he relaxed a bit, got on his bike and then cycled off in a direction where it doesn’t lead straight to his apartment home or to his mother’s police station.After Logan made sure that he’s almost at a slight far distance away from Chase so that he wouldn’t be spotted, he carefully maneuvered the car to following the teen biker down the road as discreet and silent as possible, also trying to appear like another normal car driving down the street the teen is bicycling on, without looking conspicuous and obvious as he can.Logan was almost impressed, when he followed Chase in some sort of merry chase along the way as he maneuvers and goes riding his bicycle along corners and streets like he’s trying to lose any pursuer following after him and such. The Navy man was almost relieved that he finally stopped doing these evasive maneuvers on the streets and went down straight on one road that seemed to be familiar to Logan until he realized that the young male teenager is heading in the direction towards a fancy hotel which caters to the rich-type society.He maneuvered the car to the entrance of the hotel and got the valet to take it to the parking lot. After that, he went straight to the entrance lobby, asked the female receptionist that’s working on the counter with his usual flirting moves, that got her blushing and in the palm of his hands as he casually asked about the young teenager who came in and Logan showed the woman an image of Chase from his smart-phone. She nodded upon recognizing him, told Logan that he’s friends with a group of other teenagers that’s staying in their hotel and then directed him to where the room was, which is the penthouse suite and Logan thanked her with a suave smile that got the receptionist girl blushing again and she tried to compose herself as Logan left the counter, heading towards the elevators to get to the suite rooms where Chase and his friends are.As he got there and reached to the exact room where in that particular floor caters to the most fanciest and luxurious rooms in the hotel available for the rich-type customers, Logan knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. And if it’s Chase who answered, Logan prepared himself to calmly face against his anger upon finding out that he’s been followed by him.Before Logan had followed after Chase and arrived to the hotel up to the point upon being outside the door of the room they’re in, Chase was telling his friends about the new case he’s now working on, but this time he’s doing this investigation without his mother knowing about it. And he explained to his friends the reason why.“What? You think your mom got involved into something bad, like the street gang at the time when she met this guy named Sammy Wong?” Sharp asked incredulously, as he couldn’t imagine the picture he’s thinking in his head that Chase’s mother might have been a bad guy before.Chase sighed, “I don’t know, it’s just…seeing the victim Sammy really bothered my Mom so much, that she told me to stay out of it. That instantly triggered a vision into me seeing her trying to face against a few guys from the street gang called the Scarring Vipers, saying that she doesn’t want any trouble and I heard from Sammy’s point of view that he was telling the guys to leave her alone, when they threatened to kill her, trying to make her leave. He sounded younger at the time, almost our age and the scenery I could make out the place was in New York.”Major looked thoughtful and then he nodded his head to the room where Hacks has holed himself in, making it his personal computer-lab or something and said to Chase, “Maybe Hacks could look into the street gang and find out more about it, so that way we’ll find out more what kind of trouble your mother got herself into back then. Could it be possible that your mom went undercover or something to help Sammy get out from the gang? Maybe it would explain why she seemed broken up upon seeing him dead here.”Chase highly doubts that because he can feel it deep in his gut that there’s something more to it, but he can’t think of anything else besides the lone theory he has stuck in his head. But he nodded with agreement to Major’s suggestion on turning to Hacks for help in getting more info. Chase and Major went to Hacks room to tell him and request on looking into it while Sharp goes to the kitchen with his hands full of four Tupperware boxes filled with fresh human brains that Chase passed by from the morgue last night after telling their new human ally named Doc about them and he was kind enough to give Chase the new cut-out brains that he took out so that they’ll be given to the other teen-zombies to feast and preserve their food on.Both Sharp and Scythe were two of the zombie-gang that were taught well by Chase to cook their special meals and they learned very well as good students. Meanwhile, Butch, Graves, Mark, and Seeker were playing a card-game by the table while waiting for the call that the brains-meal are ready.To ensure that they don’t suffer any personality-change, such as a side-effect when it comes to consuming and eating whole brains and pieces, Chase learned earlier beforehand long ago, when he turned the others into like him, that mashing up the brains into creamy paste has lessened the personality-change and mental disorder effects onto them, but the only thing that remained upon consuming the human brains, are that they gained the abilities and knowledge on whoever the brains were. And it is the only up-side and good thing upon eating mashed-up brains, that it became a lifelong dietary routine for them, which Chase is the only one who consumes whole or pieces of brains to solving cases and mysteries as a teen private detective, while the others will take on mashed-brains from now and then on, but some of them offer to help out and assist Chase when he needed help on whatever cases he has difficulty with.Just as Sharp and Scythe were almost finished cooking and making up the zombie-meals for the others, the four teen guys still playing their game at the table patiently waiting, and Chase and Major were still with Hacks in the other room, there was sudden knocking from the main door and the two cooks and the three boys stiffened frozen like they weren’t expecting anyone to come visit them and instantly thought of an enemy at first, but then Seeker suddenly shot up standing from his seat like he knew who came by their special-suite rooms.“I’ll get it!” Seeker suddenly cried as he jumped off from the chair he’s sitting with the others and ran for the door. “Hopefully, it’s that sexy-lady housekeeper again!”Scythe scoffed with disgust at her friend while Graves stifled back his amusement so that his girlfriend wouldn’t scold or glare at him for his friend’s flirty antics when she noticed this. Sharp went back into preparing the dining table and set out the plates for them, just as Scythe scooped up the meals and placed them on the serving plates. All of them unaware that when Seeker answered the door to greet the person outside, it is not someone they’d all expect and will be shocked and surprised for, especially when Chase finds out who it is.“Yes?” Seeker said grinning suavely to greet the ‘sexy’ housekeeper that he mentioned before. But then his grin dropped and his eyes went wide in shock and fear upon seeing Logan that was outside the door, standing formally in his Navy white uniform.“Hi, is Chase Mars here?” He asked casually, smiling friendly at the short teenage kid.Seeker just slammed the door closed right in front of Logan’s face, surprising him a bit at the unexpected reaction and then Seeker turned and dramatically slammed his short stature and small body back against the door as if acting as a barricade himself to block the intruder outside from breaking in.“RED ALERT! RED ALERT! ALL HANDS ON DECK! WE HAVE AN INTRUDER OUT-BOUND HERE IN OUR VERY PREMISES!” Seeker yelled comically, looking like he wanted to wave his arms around dramatically in a panic, startling and shocking the others at his sudden loud outbursts.“The hell are you hollering about, Seeker?!” Butch exclaimed incredulously, stopping his card game with Graves and Mark, and then Chase came out with Major and Hacks from Hacks’ room upon also hearing Seeker’s loud panicking cries.“There’s a military guy standing right outside our door! Demanding for our fearless leader over here!” Seeker shouted, pressing himself against the door like he’s risking his life to block against the enemy that is standing still outside.“Military guy? What--?” Chase blinked in confusion upon hearing that, but his eyes suddenly widened and then narrowed in annoyed anger upon realizing and deducing on who’s the guy outside. He demanded in a calm icy tone, “Tell me Seeker…was he dressed up in a fancy Navy-type uniform and such?”“I don’t know exactly what Navy get-ups are supposed to look like--but I do know real military ones!” Seeker replied back, looking a little confused why his leader Chase asked him that strange question. “And when I saw him--I easily spotted the military tags and what-not that was on him.”Chase nodded like he’s satisfied with the confirmation and waved at Seeker to move aside. “It’s okay, Seeker. I know who the guy is. Relax and stay back with the others. I’ll handle him.”Seeker became more confused at this but he didn’t move from his place against the door as he seemed uncertain, and the same goes for Major who looked at his boyfriend, worried for him that he’s going out to meet a possible dangerous enemy outside. But Chase gave them a reassuring look on his face that it’s alright, so Major decided to trust his partner on this one, nodded at Seeker silently to do as he says and Seeker moved a bit reluctantly away from the door, and Chase went to open it and face the person waiting outside patiently.Logan decided to wait outside patiently, even after that short child-looking teen just slammed the door in front of his face. He could understand why he reacted like that because from first glance at the kid, he looked to be one of those street-kids that Chase seemed to take under his wing and look after him like he’s the leader of the teenage gang in the room. His thoughts about this suspicion and theory turned out to be true when the door opened again after a few minutes, while he stood outside and heard the vague shouting from inside, coming from the short kid who answered the door first, and then he faced Chase who’s glaring at him very irritated while his friends were gathered around behind him, looking at Logan with cautious and wary eyes.Chase looked at him blankly and gave a light smile, which seemed to be twitching to turn into a scowl at him. “Hello, Lieutenant Echolls,” he said in a polite tone but his eyes betrayed the coldness he’s glaring at him. “What brings you here, sir? Is there a problem?”Well, at least Chase was being nice enough to not lose his cool and calm composure when it comes to his friends.Logan thought that, and felt like he wanted to smile when Chase called him by his Navy title that he remembered vaguely that he told Keith Mars before about his profession and the older man must have told his grandson about it. He cleared his throat and said, “Your mother sent me here, Chase. She got a little worried over you from last night and called me to stay and keep an eye on you, in case you might go into any trouble. She insisted that I accompany you because she’s really concerned about you, Chase.”In other words, you better get used to me sticking around kid. Your Mom knows best, whether you like it or not.Chase thought that and inside, he’s scowling fiercely at Logan, who’s giving a calm composed look upon his person like he’s not fazed at all that he’s glaring icy-cold daggers at him, trying to intimidate him to leave and never come back. Seeing that he’s not leaving any time soon even by intimidating looks or convincing words, Chase had no choice but to let him in so that Logan will find out what kind of friends he’s with.It was a good thing that Chase’s friends were prepared to keep their zombie-thing a secret from Logan and act like they’re normal humans as usual like they’ve done before. Chase gestured Logan to come in and he made himself feel right at home while Sharp and Scythe decided to preserve the meals for a later time until the Navy man leaves. Logan noticed this by glancing around discreetly and thought that it was a little strange that they’re holding off their lunch to eat later than usual time, but then he understood quickly why they’re holding it off because Chase and his friends gathered around him like they’re doing some sort of group huddle to face against him when he unexpectedly intruded into their safe-house or something.“So how did you know that I went here and found out about my friends?” Chase asked first, in a slightly demanding and cold tone of voice.Logan just grinned back at him and replied. “I didn’t. All I did was watch you when you sneaked out of your home-tutor’s school building and followed you all the way here.”“You--you followed me here!” Chase demanded indignantly and was very much shocked and angry that Logan would be able to do such a thing after Chase was very skilled and careful into losing any pursuers that were following him, knowingly or unknowingly.“Damn! He’s bloody good!” Sharp whispered softly to his boyfriend Mark. Mark dimly nodded with agreement but he zero-eyed at the Navy-man with cautious suspicious eyes.Chase took a deep breath to calm himself and be cool and composed so that he wouldn’t lose his temper so suddenly and make his friends think otherwise about his unexpected mood-changes or something. He decided to be a little tolerant and introduced his friends to Logan. Though Logan seemed a little surprised and was wondering why the names been given and introduced to him among Chase’s friends, sounded like call-signs or nicknames or something, he decided to let it be and hoped that Chase will share to him his friends’ real names when the time is right and he was trustworthy enough to know them.Chase also told Logan about Hacks, who’s still in the other room, doing his online research/hacking about the new case, and also about the new guy that he decided finally to be let into their gang. “There’s also Doc--the young assistant named Doctoran Chakran, who works with Dr. Claudia at Mom’s NPD--who knows about us as well and he’s a new friend upon my group. So now that you know who all these guys are, can you tell me, at least what kind did Mom sent you here for, besides watching over me?”“Like I said, she was worried that you might get in over your head or something when it comes to the case, concerning that gang-member victim. She truly wanted you to stay out of it because it is a dangerous case that you shouldn’t involve yourself with and meddle into it, in case the members of that street gang might follow it up and it will lead straight back to you,” Logan said, explaining reasonably to Chase, trying to make him understand about the severity of this situation he might get himself into.Before Chase was about to deny to him that he wasn’t going to, Hacks pick the very bad time to come out and whooped in a shout of triumph towards him and the others.“I got it, Boss! It wasn’t much that I could find out from the street-gang called the Scarring Vipers, but at least, they were into online-tech so much, that some of their illegal activities were also put in and spread into the Deep Web so--!” Then Hacks suddenly stopped speaking and froze like a statue when he registered the Navy-man among them that is Logan, who seemed to be grinning amused, and Chase was glaring at him with an icy-cold angry gaze. “Uhh…oops? Bad time?”“You think?” Major said dryly, as the others looked nervous and wary all of a sudden again, now that the man Logan knows that Hacks has been researching and hacking online to look into the street gang that Chase is investigating into.“You must be ‘Hacks’ then? And what may I ask did you find out about the Scarring Vipers street-gang?” Logan asked casually, still smiling like he’s trying to show the frozen teen that appeared, that he’s friendly.Hacks looked very uncertain and scared whether he should answer or not since he’s facing against a real military man, or his friend that is the boss/leader of the zombie gang he’s with.However, it looks like Chase had thought that this was inevitable to begin with since Logan’s here, so he nodded silently towards Hacks to answer and he relaxed upon seeing it. He replied, “Well, the Scarring Vipers were formed and originally based in New York, but lately, the cops over there were gaining closer to their main base so they decided to move to another state to make another base of operations to do their illegal activities and continue their crimes. So--”“Basically, you’re saying they’re deciding to come and stay here in California?” Major deduced out loud his theory and Hacks nodded in confirmation at his words.“Yeah, according to a few sources from the Deep Web, they were en-route to moving their illegal goods and what-not here into Neptune, when there was an anonymous tip from a member of the Scarring Vipers who was aiming to reach out to the police here in exchange for freedom into getting out of the gang by trading inside info of his own gang.”“Let me guess--the so-called anonymous tipper was the gang-victim Sammy Wong, huh?” Chase asked calmly, like he already knew that it was the case.Hacks nodded, gravely frowning as he continued, “It turns out that he was ratted out by a dirty cop whose in the street-gang’s pockets and notified them about the snitch.”“Great! And here I thought that was the end of dirty cops after Chase’s first case here in Neptune!” Butch said frowning intensely, not liking the fact that there are more bad cops that are in the pockets of very bad criminals, such as the street gang, the Scarring Vipers and so. The others agreed on their friend’s statement as they also did not like the revelation upon this knowledge, but there’s nothing they can do about it, since the Navy-man Logan is preventing them from doing their private detective teamwork and such.But it looks like that Logan is going to be lenient about this when Hacks shared the facts about the dirty cop ratting the victim out as he asked demanding, “Did you look into the cop also and find out who he was?”Hacks blinked and shook his head in a negative. “No, I didn’t check into it. I was pretty much focused on finding out how and why the victim died and knowing about the Scarring Vipers gang, that’s all.”Chase knew where Logan is getting at and ordered him. “Well, find out, Hacks. If it’s true that there’s a dirty cop here, deep in the street-gang’s pockets, then we can get justice for the victim by ratting this guy out to the real good cops, and they’ll do their part on having him arrested and interrogate him about the Scarring Vipers.”“Also, make sure that you send out the tip to the cops in a secure line. There’s no telling that the Scarring Vipers themselves have somebody like you in their gang and find out about it, so that they’ll stop their moving process and might bolt to another state,” Scythe advised him. The others nodded in agreement at her statement, just as Hacks promised that he’ll make sure that he’ll keep it secure once he sends it out after he found and revealed who the street-gang’s dirty cop was.“And add in believable evidence as well, Hacks,” Sharp adds in his advice. “If somehow the cops don’t believe they have a dirty one among them, it’s better to get and show them proof of it.”Hacks nodded again and he went back to the room to do his tasks, leaving Chase, Logan and the others still gathered around in the room. Chase gave a quick glance to his friends that he’ll get Logan out of there swiftly, since he could see that some are getting hungry and need to eat their brains-meals, so he said aloud. “Well, now that we gotten that out of the way, let’s go, sir.”He further explained to Logan’s confused look. “I only came here to meet up with my friends and check up on them. And I already ate lunch, so let’s leave them to it, while you and I go out together upon doing some errands that I still need to do that’s for home back at me and my Mom’s apartment.”Logan looked like he’s pleased that he’s spending half the day out to go and get along somewhere with his former girlfriend’s son to get to know him better, and he nodded in agreement at this, not noticing that Chase’s friends were relieved that he’s leaving now. Chase got up from his seat, nodded to his friends in silent goodbye and then went to the door to leave with Logan following behind him. Chase made sure that he’s the one who closed the door behind them so that Logan wouldn’t notice and see that Sharp and the others are hurriedly taking out the meals to eat them when their hunger almost overwhelmed them and triggered them into Z-mode.OOOOOIt wasn’t long until two to three hours later, Chase and Logan were heading home in Logan’s car, and Chase’s bike was fortunately fold-able to be put in the back trunk, along with some purchased things that Chase had to go do some errand-shopping for incoming preparations for dinner and more necessary things for the apartment, like laundry and house-cleaning supplies. All the while they were out together doing the errands and such, Logan talked to Chase in some light conversation to get to know one another better and Chase didn’t mind talking and replying back to him since he could tell that the Navy-man is making some effort to make friends with him, even though he didn’t like the fact that he wanted to get back together with his Mom and be closer to her than ever. But if it made his Mom happy upon seeing them getting along and so, then Chase will tolerate him for the time-being until Logan does something that will hurt Veronica or break her heart or something bad.Logan was helping Chase out into carrying some of the bags into the apartment while Chase unfolded his bike and chained it to the railing in the parking lot before he followed Logan from behind with his carrying load as well. When they got there, Chase was relieved to see that his Mom isn’t around yet and that there’s something he need to talk to Logan about with only the two of them first privately.After they settled the bags in and sorted the bought stuff in their proper storage places and such, from more food to supplies, Chase turned on Logan and told him in a slightly pleading tone. “Don’t tell Mom about my friends yet. I want it to be a surprise.”Logan blinked, not expecting that as he was just about to ask him about it. “Veronica knows about your particular group of friends you hang out with?”Chase nodded and clarified explaining, “They were my old friends back in New York for so long, I was very much surprised upon hearing that they’re here and they told me that their families had moved, transferred, and are now staying to live here in Neptune. I was very happy upon hearing and knowing that, I pretty much forgot to mention them to my Mom that they’re around.”Logan understood but he didn’t know that everything Chase told him was a lie, and that the only thing that his mother knows is that he used to have friends back in New York but what she truly doesn’t know is that they’re all zombies turned by him--except Hacks--and that they followed after him upon moving and living in Neptune, California. Chase was relieved and very glad to see that Logan believed what he said, but he made sure that his expressionless blank face didn’t show the inner emotions he felt inside him upon his relief and such.It was near dinner-time with Chase and Logan preparing dinner, and then Veronica came home just in time when the meals were finished, and she was surprised and also very happy to see that Logan and her son Chase were getting along almost splendidly as she watched them set-up the dinner table for the three of them. Logan smiled at her when she came in and then he nodded towards Chase that there’s no problem between them to getting along and becoming friends just fine.Chase was finished placing the serving plates of food onto the table and he nearly jumped with surprise upon seeing his Mom there. “Oh, Mom! I didn’t notice you come in!”“Sorry, early night off-duty shift. I didn’t have time to call as I went straight home here. I see you two are getting along well,” Veronica points out calmly with a warm smile on her face.Chase blushed a little and rubbed the back of his neck a little sheepishly. “Yeah, turns out that Logan isn’t such a bad guy after all. You’d think that the way how Pops talked about him a lot--I really thought that he’s still the same hot-tempered bad boy you used to know back then, Mom.”“Oh my god! I’m going to have a serious talk with my father, once we’re done with dinner,” Veronica exclaimed with her eyes closing slightly with frustration, looking like she’ll make good on her statement by giving a good stern talking to her dad Keith after their small get-together family-like dinner.Logan chuckled amusedly and then Chase went to his room to change clothes and wash up while Veronica talked to Logan when her son left them alone. Veronica whispered, “So how did you do it? When Chase doesn’t like someone, it takes a long while for him to get along with somebody until he’s friendly with them.”Logan grinned secretly at her and simply said, “Let’s just say it’s easy to get along with someone when it comes to taking them by surprise.”Veronica didn’t get it but before she could ask him about it, Chase came back just in time, his long white hair tied back with a simple pony-tail tie and then the three of them settled down to eat dinner, the imagery of the three of them almost looking like a real family with one moody teen and two responsible adult parents.After dinner was finished and Logan complimented that her son Chase is really a good cook, which got him blushing again with praise at that, and Veronica smiled warmly at this, then Chase told his Mom that he’ll be doing his homework and went straight to his room where he’ll be doing his school studies and such and then sleep for another day.Meanwhile, Logan helped Veronica out to gathering the plates and cleaning them by the kitchen sink, and then Veronica continued her conversation with her ex-boyfriend concerning about Chase. “So how did it go with him? Was Chase hard on you when you took him by surprise upon keeping an eye on him and such?”Veronica had thought about this deeply over what Logan said before and figured that it might be the case when Logan somehow managed to reveal himself and caught her son by surprise when she sent him to watch over her son and keep him out of trouble or something. Logan grinned, as he already knew that she would deduce and figure it out so he replied to her in confirmation. “He did at first, but then I managed to convince him to stay out of the case about the gang victim because I helped him out into solving who caused his death and the reasons why for it. It turns out that I interrupted him in the middle of his research into looking deeper into the case by hacking online and looking for sources to find out what and everything.”Veronica sighed, “So you helped him out and found out whatever he’s looking for…okay, let’s hear it. What happened to Sammy?”Logan made good on his promise with Chase that he’s not going to tell his mother Veronica about his friends yet since her son will tell her himself when the time comes, that’s why he told her a little white lie that Chase was doing all the work alone as he answered her. “It turns out that Sammy wanted to get out of the gang and tried to exchange information to the police for a freedom deal when the Scarring Vipers gang were moving their base of operations here in Neptune. He was caught as a snitch by one of the cops working for the street gang and ratted him out. It’s the reason why he ended up beaten to hell and then dead, as he turned up at your department.”“Son of a bitch!” Veronica cursed, looking very furious upon being told of this revelation. “I knew that there was something odd when the Scarring Vipers managed to escape prosecution and evade the cops whenever they tried raiding whatever bases they’re hold up on, when they got info about them. A dirty cop in the Vipers gang’s pockets! Damn it! It explains a lot!”Logan looked at her with sympathy when he realized upon hearing the latter part she said. “Sammy tried to get out before?”Veronica nodded gravely, “Years ago back in New York. When I offered to help him be free from them, Sammy didn’t hesitate to jump at the chance. The poor kid was forced to be in the gang because his parents were exploited and extorted by the gang when he was a little boy. Sammy worked for the Scarring Vipers as a drug-trading runner, but he never wanted to work with them full-time and live his life like that, so when I came along, he thought he found his saving grace and escape route so he tried to help me bring them down by being the inside-man among their ranks. I’m guessing the dirty cop in New York might be the same one or not who found out of the inside-trading info and warned the gang about it. Fortunately, at the time they didn’t find out who was the snitch when Sammy suddenly called me out of the blue that he changed his mind and that he’s staying with the Vipers from now on. It was the last I heard of him exactly about three years ago before Chase and I moved back home here in Neptune.”Logan sighed solemnly, knowing where this is going. “I’m guessing Sammy tried to take another chance, when they were moving, to reach out to the cops once more to try to get out. Only this time the gang found out who the snitch was, caught him, and killed him.”“Ohh Sammy…I wish I’d known he was here so that I would have been able to protect him this time when I failed the last time,” Veronica murmured, looking devastated upon knowing what had happened to the poor kid she tried to help before.“Don’t blame yourself, Roni. There’s no way you could have known. If this Sam had known or realized that you were here, I’m sure he wouldn’t have hesitated to reach out to you for help again. He only backed off the last time from your help because the gang found out first about the snitching, so I’m betting that he was afraid that they would turn to you and torture you to find out who the snitch was,” Logan said, relieved that it didn’t happen to Veronica when she was in New York at the time when she tried to help the victim Sammy Wong.Veronica didn’t seem comforted at that, because she still wished she could have done more for Sammy long ago when she first met him as a young teen. She hated that he was one of the people that she failed to save during when she worked as a police detective in New York.While Logan and Veronica were talking to one another, almost quietly and cuddled close together on the couch of the living room, they didn’t realize that they were being eavesdropped by Veronica’s son, Chase, who was carefully leaning by his bedroom door, that is partially open, listening to them silently like a shadow. They didn’t realize that somewhere in the middle part of their conversation, had also triggered another vision into Chase and he managed to stifle his surprise gasp back so that he wouldn’t be heard by the couple, as it came to him in a sudden brain-wave flashing-like moment.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
We see the victim’s POV/Point-Of-View peeking through the slit of an open doorway, listening and watching a Korean guy quietly, who appeared to be the leader of the street gang he’s with, and he’s talking to someone on his mobile phone, almost ranting to the person angrily at the other end of the line, just by glancing at the furious snarling look on the Korean man’s face.
“I don’t care what excuses you have, cop! All I want is the identity of that detective bitch who’s been meddling into my business years ago back in New York. Nothing more!” he nearly yelled loudly through the phone, and from the sounds of it, he’s talking to his dirty cop informant that his gang has in their pockets. “If you don’t get me what I want--then you will be the one who’ll be having a ‘boot party’ and be sent as a message to all the cops over what happens to snitches who dares to rat out on our gang, the Scarring Vipers!” OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOOAfter the vision ended almost swiftly as it came to him, Chase held back his gasp again and his whole body nearly shakes and shudders slightly with shock and fear upon realizing what he had seen from the vision of the victim and deeply knew that somehow the dangerous street-gang, the Scarring Vipers are not only moving to Neptune, but the leader also wanted to find out on who was the detective that tried to take them down before, who turned out to be his mother Veronica right there and then. Chase knew very well, deep down, that his mother is in danger right now from whoever this unknown dirty cop is, and he decided then and there again, to trust Logan upon knowing this, but also make sure that his mom doesn’t know about it, so that she wouldn’t alert on whoever the dirty cop was, that might be working on her police department as well.Before the couple finished their conversation, Chase was glad to hear that his mom Veronica had also explained to Logan about what happened to him before when he had the sudden blank trance upon getting a vision back in the morgue. Granted Logan looked skeptical and disbelieving at first, but then he believed his old girlfriend when she further explained her son’s circumstances, how he got his special ‘psychic’ abilities, and also how Chase has been helping his mother since then upon realizing what blessings and benefits the visions can help them on solving the cases they did before in New York and now here in Neptune. After that, they finished their talk, Veronica kissed him goodbye before he left their apartment and then Chase quickly went to bed, giving the fake show that he’s sleeping before his mom checked on him and then goes to bed as well in her room.When she’s done, Chase opened his eyes and became thoughtful on how the next day is going to turn out again, since he’ll be with Logan, along with his friends, to solve the case about the gang-banger victim, get justice for him and also help out his Mom so that she wouldn’t unknowingly get into danger from the unknown dirty cop that’s working in the pockets of the Scarring Vipers street gang.OOOOOBy the time it was already the next day, Chase surprised his mom unexpectedly when he asked if it’s okay that Logan accompany him for the whole day, and though she’s glad that her son is getting along well with her old boyfriend, Veronica wondered why Chase is being so tolerant and nice towards him all of a sudden, that she became a little suspicious about it and it’s showing on her face.Chase reassured his mom that he likes Logan a little and wanted to get to know him better and more, and he also liked to learn and know about the Navy that he served honorably to and what kind of duties he does for that particular military branch. Veronica stared at her son blankly with suspicious eyes and Chase returned the gaze with an innocent interested look on his face, before she finally believed him at his words and then nodded that she’s allowing Logan to stay with him and keep him company as long as he likes.Chase nodded satisfied at that and then he watched Veronica leave first to get to work, after kissing her son goodbye on the forehead, and then he decided to skip home-tutoring classes at that very day the whole time, because the case is too important than going to school, where knowing that his mother might be in possible danger. He waited patiently outside the apartment building, leaning against his bike, for Logan to come pick him up after his mom called him, and it took about a few minutes later, for Chase to see him arrive in his fancy car again, that he wondered whether the money used to buy the cool-looking vehicle were from the military funds or his family inheritance.Last night, he emailed Hacks, to research about Logan’s past life, the military, and all that, and wanted to know about it, and his human hacker-friend was quick enough to send him responses and files on everything about him and Chase read and studied them all just before he slept on his bed and then sent a quick thanks to his friend on giving him the whole info. However, Hacks couldn’t do much into hacking into the military database because he didn’t want to get caught by them, and Chase understood and told him that it’s fine, for that’s the reason being why he told his mom that he wanted to know about Logan’s Navy life, just as he said he would, in the pretense upon getting along with him and knowing him better to be close friends and such.Chase watched Logan roll down the side-window and leaned forward to smile at him as he stood outside by the car. “Hey, want me to send you to your school, kid?” he offered. “You can bring your bike along if you need it later to get home when I’m not there to pick you up.”Chase shook his head in a negative, quickly chained the bike back to the parking railing of the outside parking lot and then gets inside the car, making Logan a little puzzled when he realized that Chase doesn’t have his school backpack with him or something. Chase just said to him, “Drive to the hotel where my friends are at. I’m planning to skip school the whole day today.”“Okay…why?” Logan asked, wondering curiously on what this is about.But then the answer that Chase gave him, was an unexpected shock.“Did my Mom tell you that I’m a psychic and that I can get visions from the murder victims on some of the cases she worked with?” Chase inquired, getting confirmation whether Logan knows it or not, even if he doesn’t believe it. When Logan nodded dimly after a silent moment, Chase further told him in explanation. “I just got another vision from the victim. I saw that the leader of the Scarring Vipers gang--at least I think he’s the boss or maybe an enforcer--he was talking with the dirty cop on the phone and was demanding the identity of a certain detective woman who tried to take down the street gang back in New York years ago, and he also threatened the cop of a so-called ‘Boot party’ so that it would send a message to law enforcement on what happens to snitches who rats out the gang to them.”Logan stiffened in horrified realization as he whispered softly. “They’re after Veronica…”Chase nodded, “I don’t know whether the victim Sammy had tried to run to her and warn her about it--but seeing that he turned up dead, it’s possible that they easily found out and realized that he was the snitch and killed him for it. I also don’t know if it’s coincidence or not that they’re moving here in Neptune but…it’s way too close to the fact that the leader seemed certain upon knowing that the detective from New York is now here in California.”Logan pursed his lips, almost angry at this revelation before he asked calmly to Veronica’s teen son. “I’m guessing you’re not letting your mom know about this because you think that this dirty cop might be working at the same police department she works at?” Chase nodded solemnly and he cursed. “Damn it!”“Some of my friends can help with this--especially Hacks--into looking deeper on the identity of the street-gang’s dirty cop, much faster than normal people would do before. So we better get there and not waste any more time before whoever the bad cop was, he’ll find out exactly on who the detective woman was and send word to them.” Chase said seriously.Logan understood the severity of the situation right now, but he told Chase that he does have to notify his home-school that he’s only skipping for one day only, and Chase nodded agreeing with the small compromise, and then Logan drove the car towards the hotel where his friends are staying in and notify them of the new developments that are gravely needed to be dealt with. Luckily, before Logan came to pick him up, Chase had already called his friends earlier that he’ll be coming over with him in tow and told them the gist of the tasks about to do for the day, and they understood and made sure that they already ate their special meals so that Logan wouldn’t notice anything amiss--for example, the large amounts of many hot-sauce bottles that are kept safe or might find the Tupperware boxes with brains in them put in the kitchen cabinets or fridges.By the time, they got there, Chase was satisfied and relieved to see that his friends are playing their part into acting like they’re all normal teenagers, hanging out together, while Logan wondered on which one of them is a son or daughter to a fancy family that could afford such luxury in this kind of hotel, but was happy to be friends with this type of mixed-up group of teens from what he could see among them. Even though the others were prepared for Logan’s coming appearance with their leader Chase, they still looked at the man with wary and cautious eyes, even when he’s dressed normal in casual clothing of a simple green sweatshirt and blue jeans on his person.Chase looked around upon noticing someone missing--specifically two people--to be exact. He asked his friends curiously, “Where are Hacks and Seeker?”Major nodded to the other room as he replied, “Hacks is preparing the results that he’ll be showing you about his findings, concerning the dirty cop. As for Seeker…”Butch interrupted, looking worried for his small friend, “He just went off after eating brunch, said that he’s going to help out to search where the Scarring Vipers street gang are holding up here in Neptune. I’m sorry, Boss--I mean, Chase--I tried to stop him, but he ran off before I could.”“Don’t worry, Seeker’s got a phone with him. Hacks says that he can track him, in case he gets into trouble,” Sharp reassured Chase before he was about to cry out an outburst about it or something.“He’d better not be. By the time he comes back, I’m going to have a serious word with him,” Chase muttered darkly, already worrying for his friend who recklessly ran off to do his thing, that got him called as ‘Seeker’. He sighed and shook his head, before he sat down on a chair with Logan doing the same, and then Scythe politely offered them drinks, soda cans or water bottles she brought over from the kitchen.Chase took one soda can and Logan got a water bottle and they drank it while they wait for Hacks to come out with the results and it was almost very awkward among them as Chase’s friends were silent and exchanged each other secret glances like they don’t know whether they should start talking or making up a conversation, which they don’t know they should talk about with Logan around them.Fortunately, Hacks seemed finished with what he’s doing and he came out almost waddling fast towards them, with one arm carefully carrying his laptop and the other feebly trying to keep hold of a pile of papers that he printed out from his searching and everything on his given assignment from the previous day. The others were amused or Chase, Logan and Sharp were blinking a bit dubiously when Hacks came over to deposit the pile of papers onto the table, nearly making a mess when some of the pages came flying off and scattered about. But Hacks wasn’t minding it as he seemed very excited about what he had found or discovered.“Hey!” Hacks said smiling widely as he sat down and placed the laptop onto his lap as he went typing. “So I narrowed down all the searching and everything about who the dirty cop was and what kind of ties he’s got with the Scarring Vipers--and boy, do I got a lot?”“Please say that it’s not this lot, Hacks. You didn’t have to do this much to produce some good results upon finding this guy and bringing them down or something,” Mark said as he stared at the pile of papers and then to his friend Hacks, like he’s not wanting to do some home-work reading or something and waste time any more than Hacks already had done fruitfully with what he’s been doing.“Hm? Oh no! That’s actually evidence that Chase here, who will be the one bringing them to the police--the real good guys--upon nailing this dirty cop that’s in the Scarring Vipers’ pockets. It turns out that the insider bad-cop didn’t do much to hide his tracks and wasn’t smart enough to cover the evidence that were all obviously out in the open for me to find and then print out solidly, which all of them won’t be refuted by the other police once they go through them!”“Good work, Hacks,” Chase praised him when he read through some of the papers and saw that he did print out solid confirming evidence about the dirty cop’s criminal deeds and the very ties he has with a dangerous criminal street gang. Hacks beamed brightly at that but then there was one thing that had to be really mentioned upon them all, which is very important.“So who’s the dirty cop anyway?” Graves asked seriously.Hacks wasn’t successful on holding back his wince upon that question as they all noticed it and then looked at him with slightly glaring pointed eyes. “Hacks…don’t tell me--!” Graves said in a foreboding warning tone.Hacks winced again visibly and cried, “I’m sorry! Apparently, the guy was smart enough to not have his identity revealed and known through the Deep Web sources when he worked with the gang. I tried looking into it deeper, but I haven’t found anything so far--not even a clue to what he looked like or a true link to his face or something!”“Great…looks like the only way to find out who the guy looks like and everything, is just wait for another vision to come,” Mark drawled a little dryly, giving a glancing look towards Chase, who nodded on getting the meaning of that statement.“How does it work, by the way? Are the visions triggered or something?” Logan asked about it curiously.“Well…sometimes, the visions I get from the victims, were triggered by looking at stuff I see that pertains to what they had in their lives or there are some actions, activities or events that link to what they do in their daily routines and such,” Chase said, trying to explain how they came to him to Logan. “And sometimes, there are also stuff or reactions when it comes suddenly to the victims, linked to how they were killed or murdered.”Logan got the gist of the latter part and looked at the pale albino teen worriedly. “Are you alright with that? Seeing their murders just like that?”Chase instantly understood his concern, even though it disturbs him a bit that the Navy-man cares for him like that, since it’s been only a few days that they’ve met, gotten along and known each other a little. “I’m fine. I get used to it. Granted I admit, I was shaken at first, when I saw the victim’s murders from the first cases before--but it did help out a lot when I solved them and brought justice for them. The feelings of pain and fear I had gotten from the victims when they were killed, fades away as easily when I got the visions of them, during their last time of life and such. I’ll be okay, don’t worry,” he said to him calmly.Logan didn’t seem reassured at that as he still looked at Chase concernedly, but he nodded at his statement and he will keep watch over him when the vision of the victim’s death comes to him. He hoped that the victim Sammy’s death wasn’t very bad when Chase sees it, as he made mental note to himself to call Veronica and asked how he had died, so that he would be prepared to comfort Chase when the vision comes.It didn’t take long for Seeker to return after a few hours, give or take, and when he did, Chase instantly gave him a stern earful for leaving and going on a dangerous mission like that upon trying to find the dangerous street-gang, which was fortunate that Seeker didn’t manage to find them exactly where they are. Chase told Seeker to not do it again and let the police handle it, for the only thing they can do was gather and provide information and give them to the proper authorities so that the dirty cop and the Scarring Vipers gang will be caught and apprehended.Seeker was very chastised from his leader about what he did, and he nodded meekly that he won’t do it again, so that he wouldn’t get another scolding like that, almost feeling like Chase is the responsible stern parent among their teen gang. After Chase was satisfied on giving his friend the ‘piece of his mind’ that he said before, he took the evidence papers and put them in one big envelope that Sharp obtained for him to carry around with and bring it to the Neptune police precinct where his mother works at.Chase shared his idea to Logan that maybe he might be able to get another vision from the victim if it was really possible that Sammy might have tried to contact Veronica upon finding out that she’s in Neptune, only he end up seeing the bad cop instead, and that might have lead to his death with the Vipers gang. Logan agreed that the theory is worth a try, so after exchanging goodbyes to Chase’s friends again, he and Chase left the hotel and he drove them to NPD.When they got there, Chase led Logan to where his mom works at her spot in the station, and they just reached to her desk, both of them relieved to see Veronica there, trying to search for something on her computer but didn’t get any good results, judging from the frustrated expression on her face. She looked up surprised when she noticed Logan and her son, and she also realized something upon seeing the time.“Chase? What are you doing here? It’s too early for school to be over. And why are you with Logan?” she asked curiously.“Mom, you need to see this. It’s very important that you give these to the right people,” Chase softly whispers to her in a conspiracy-like way, that got her confused at his words, and he handed her the large envelope with the evidence inside.Veronica took the envelope from her son, glancing confused towards Logan who just nodded at her to see them, and she did, reading a few of the papers without taking them out from the envelope. After she had seen what she just read and registered upon her very eyes, she snapped her gaze straight at Chase and whispered back, almost hissing sharply. “Where did you get these? And how!?”Chase shook his head at her and said seriously, “Does it matter? Mom, there’s a very bad cop somewhere here in Neptune--I don’t know exactly if he’s working here or not, but he’s in the Vipers gang’s pockets and he might be the one who found out about the victim and ratted him out to the gang upon realizing that he’s the snitch back in New York. There isn’t any lead yet about who the guy actually is--but it’s better to put the word out through the proper channels before this guy finds out and goes in the wind, so to speak.”Veronica pursed her lips silent for a moment, before she said sternly with a pointed finger right at her kid. “We’re going to have a serious talk, young man, about you following what I say the next time, when I told you to stay out of it. That goes for you too, Logan. You’re supposed to watch him and keep him out of this--not help him with it!”Logan sincerely apologized with a shrug, “I’m sorry, Veronica. But your son convinced me to be in on this as well, because he saw that the gang leader was demanding and ordering the cop to find out about your identity like he wanted to tie up loose ends upon moving route here.”She understood when Logan told her that, but she’s still disappointed and upset that her son and Logan investigated into this matter after she told not to. Though there is viable believable evidence that are good enough for her police chief and others to believe them as well, Veronica still feared that doing this might bring danger to her son and now Logan too.She sighed, “Okay, I’m bringing this straight to Chief Moore swiftly so that she’ll be dealing with this matter. Meanwhile--I want the two of you to get back home and stay there until I called you of the new progress concerning this case. Do not do anything else without me there or anything, or else there will be heads rolling, you understand me, boys?”Veronica said this so sternly and harsh that it got Chase and Logan to nod at her obediently and follow her orders, with Logan saying a ‘Yes, ma’am’ to her, almost making her amused at his words. She waved them off that they can leave and Chase allowed Logan to drive back and go home to their apartment, while waiting for his mom Veronica about the case. Seeing that they did their job done very well, upon delivering the evidence to her, there’s not much they can do but just wait and see if the results might turn up good or bad.However, something suddenly happened before they were about to leave the station, Chase had his head down upon thinking deeply over something, like he’s trying to make himself trigger a vision from the victim, to know who the dirty cop was.But either by Fate or Luck again, he collided right into a person and fell back right on the floor like he just hit a brick wall or something.“Oh! I’m sorry, kid. Are you okay?” the police officer who Chase bumped right into, reached his hand out kindly to him.Chase looked up and right at the cop’s face and then he gasped when the vision suddenly came.OOOOO--VISION--OOOOO
In the victim’s POV, the same cop was there as the members of the Scarring Vipers gang were beating him almost to death by kicking him with their booted feet and hitting them with their thick knuckled fists.
The victim tried to protect himself by curling his body and putting up his arms to protect his face, but the gang members mercilessly kept on beating and hitting him until the leader stopped them for a moment and loomed over him with a cold sneer on his face and stared down with dangerous eyes.
The leader smiled proudly at the cop in gratitude for finding the snitch and then he turned and glared at the victim with promised death on the scary look on his face. “You should not have done that, you little rat. Now that I know you’re the snitch--you’re going to pay the price. But first…who’s the cop-bitch that you’ve been trading info to, Sammy?” he demanded darkly at him.
“I’m not telling you anything!” Sammy the victim yelled and bravely spat at the leader’s feet to show his defiance. Then he cried out in pain again when a kick came out of nowhere from the side and hit him and he curled his body, trying to embrace the pain.
The leader didn’t like his answer, so for further intimidation, he took out his gun and aimed it straight at his head and threatened him. “Last chance, Sammy-boy--tell me who the whore was, then maybe I’ll consider letting you live.”
“NO! I’D RATHER DIE!”
Suddenly, Sammy used the last of his strength to jump right at the startled leader and grabbed at his gun, and they were grappling for it while the leader told his members to back off but then--
BANG! BANG!
“Argh! You little bastard! Why did you do that?!” the leader cried out in rage, kicking against the victim’s fallen dying body when he got shot by him, angrily realizing what the victim has done to himself.
Sammy lunged at the leader to make him shoot the gun at him in reaction, killing himself by suicide so that the truth about Veronica would die with him upon his death.
OOOOO--END VISION--OOOOOThe police officer--who turned out to be the gang’s dirty cop--asked Chase again with a confused look on his face, his hand still outstretched down at him. “Kid…are you alright?”Logan instantly realized what happened and he intervened by grabbing and lifting Chase back up on his feet, just as the teen gasped upon coming out of the vision and then the boy instinctively and swiftly hid behind the Navy-man like he’s truly scared of the cop before them. “It’s fine, sir. Thanks for trying to help. The kid here has been through a rough day,” Logan said softly, sounding like he’s the teenager’s father or guardian.The cop seemed to understand a bit when he took one glance upon the young teen and thought otherwise further from the real truth. “Ooh…let me guess, some bullies were picking on him from school very badly?” he whispered asking to him, feeling a bit of pity for Chase, who tried to hide his face more by pulling down the dark hood of his shirt and further hiding behind Logan’s back.“Something like that,” Logan said with a small nod and carefully wrapped an arm around Chase to comfort him, but in reality he’s protecting him from the cop that’s talking to them. “Thank you officer, but we really need to go now. Oh, I’m sorry, Sergeant…Winston?” Logan asked casually upon glancing at the name-tag on his uniform.The cop chuckled and corrected him, “It’s Warston, actually. Okay, you two take care of yourselves, now.”Logan nodded at him again in thanks, but he kept a steel gaze at the cop as he walked away and left them alone, making sure that he’s gone before he turned to Chase, who’s still trembling with fear beside him.“Are you okay?” Logan whispered softly, keeping his arm around him for protection.Chase took a deep breath to calm himself and then shakily nods, before he moves away from Logan’s warm-comforting hold. “Yeah…”Then Chase looked to the direction where the cop had left and whispered hurriedly, “Logan, that was him. That’s the dirty bad cop--I saw him from the vision of Sammy’s death. I’m positively sure of it!”Logan eyed Chase worriedly when he admitted it. “You saw the victim’s death?”Chase nodded dimly and shook a little like he’s seeing it again and he can feel the victim’s death upon himself as he said softly, “He jumped and lunged on the leader that was trying to threaten him to reveal Mom’s identity. But he didn’t--so he made sure that the truth died with him by making the leader shoot him with his gun. Sammy died to keep his secret about Mom by bravely sacrificing himself.”“Ohh Jesus…Chase, are you sure you’re okay?” Logan asked again, demanding at him gently.Chase wanted to deny it and put up a brave front, but he knew he couldn’t fool the man as one of his hands unconsciously reached up and rubbed at the spot where the victim was shot at, like he’s really feeling the victim’s death himself. “I think so…it’s like the victim was me, because I feel like I could really feel the two bullets that shot straight at the heart and then…I died.”Logan closed his eyes, knowing very well how traumatic that could have been and he couldn’t imagine how much the teenager has been suffering through with his psychic visions of the victims’ deaths that he’s gone through in unknown large numbers. The Navy man looked like he wanted to start hunting down these gang monsters and deal with them himself, starting with the dirty cop, for bringing this trauma into the poor pale teen.Chase instantly deduced and knew what Logan must be thinking and he stopped him before he’s about to do something that he’s going to regret and make his mom upset. “Hey, no. Don’t go do anything rash. The minute you go at the cop, he’s going to know what’s up and might warn the gang about it, and they’ll all bolt, and Mom won’t get her chance on bringing justice for Sammy upon taking this Vipers gang down. We need to be smart about this and let Mom and the police handle it themselves. Come on.”Chase gently ushered Logan for the two of them to get out of the police station and back to his car, and Logan relented, letting the teen boy lead him towards their vehicle, while still stewing to himself angrily that he let that dirty cop get away when he was just there and almost within reach. When the two of them got into the car and Chase warily watched Logan gripping his hands tight around the steering wheel, like he’s trying to calm himself down, he waited until the man’s cooled off and suggested his idea. “Call Mom and tell her the cop’s name, since we now know and saw him up-close and personal. Now it’s her turn and the official authorities to deal with him.”Logan took a deep breath to compose himself and then he reached for his smart-phone and called for Veronica quickly and she answered when it only rang once in the line. [Hello?] “Hey, Bobcat, it’s me,” he said, feeling a little glad and more calm upon hearing her voice, and he didn’t notice that Chase looked at him weirdly upon Logan calling his Mom by that nickname. It was a good thing that Logan didn’t put the phone into speaker-mode, because he does not want to know what kind of lovey-dovey talk his mom and Logan are exchanging to one another.[Logan? Did you brought Chase home back in the apartment already?] she asked confused, noting the time and wondered how fast he went upon dropping him off.“No, we’re still here. Listen, Roni, your kid got another vision. He saw Sammy’s death--and the cop was there.”[What!?] Veronica cried out in stunned shock.Then Logan heard her faintly apologizing to her other work colleagues upon her sudden loud outburst, before he continued. “It was one of your own--Sergeant Warston. Chase just bumped right into him and that’s when he got the vision. The man was there when the gang beat up the victim and then the leader tried to threaten him with a gun to reveal your identity but--the victim sacrificed himself by jumping on him and he got shot.”
[Oh my God…is Chase okay?!]
“He’s fine. He was shaken up at first but…he’s a fighter like you,” Logan said, nodding dimly at Chase, and the teen slightly blushed upon hearing the praise from what he said.
[Good. Take care of him--I’ll take care of…Warston. Damn! I should have known! I knew there was something hinky about that guy!]
Logan chuckled, “Same old Bobcat.”
[Oh shut up. Stay with Chase at the apartment. Be safe. I’ll call you later.]
“Yeah, sure. Take care, Veronica.”
[Always.]
Logan hangs up and then told Chase that he’ll be staying with him upon getting back home to the apartment and Chase nodded, deciding to let him stay, so that Logan will feel comforted and reassured with the fact that he’s designating himself as the teen boy’s protector since the case about Sammy and the Scarring Vipers gang is nearing to the closing end.OOOOOAs they reached to Chase and Veronica’s apartment, Chase was inside, already preparing for an early dinner while Logan called Keith Mars to have him come over and join them for dinner. When Keith asked through the phone-line if Veronica and Chase were alright with that, with a pointed tone on his voice, Logan responded to say that it’s all right and okay, and that his grandson doesn’t mind having him around as he told him that they’re getting along just fine.Keith replied back that he’s on his way over there and Logan almost thought that he heard disbelief in his voice before he hung up that he didn’t believe him but he shrugged it off for later and then nodded at Chase said that he’s going out for a quick errand to buy beer for Grandpa Keith since there isn’t any at home. Logan offered to put the finished cooked food into the serving plates and Chase nodded at him in gratitude before he went out in a run.Logan was done setting up the table and putting the plates filled with food for their dinner when there was knocking on the door a few minutes later and figured that it must be Keith who had arrived and went to answer it. He was prepared to face against Keith when he knows that the older Mars man still doesn’t like him after he broke up with Veronica and she left broken-hearted long ago back then.However, what he didn’t expect upon opening the door.It was Keith Mars standing there. Being held hostage by gunpoint. By a dangerous-looking Korean street gang member, who appeared to be very pissed off.“Hi--mind if I join in for dinner?” the gang-member said with a dark sneer on his face.Logan slowly put up his hands, showing that he’s surrendering to the bad guy’s demands so that Keith Mars won’t get shot and killed.Meanwhile, as Chase finished buying the beers for his grandfather who’s coming over to the apartment for dinner, his phone rang and he answered it upon seeing that it’s his mom calling. “Hey, Mom! What’s up? Grandpa Keith is coming over for dinner with me and Logan later. Want to join us?”
[I’d love to, but I’m going to be working late at the department.]
She replied and Chase became a little confused on why his mother Veronica sounded very happy despite that she’s missing out on family dinner, that he knew very well it’s going to be tense and awkward when it comes to Logan and his grandpa Keith.
[I got great news! We caught the dirty cop, Sergeant Warston after we confronted him that he’s in the gang’s pockets and then we interrogated him and took down the Scarring Vipers’ new base!]
“That’s great!” Chase said happily.[Yeah, and guess what?] Veronica said in an excited tone as she giddily continued. [We got all the solid evidence we need right here to take the whole gang down without any escape this time. Not only did we ran and took them down in their new base--we also stumbled right in the middle of them trying to sort out their illegal goods--drugs, weapons, contraband--you name it! And I’m sure it won’t be long that we’ll also find evidence of Sammy’s murder while everybody here of the Neptune station are processing and bagging everything here.] Chase smiled happily at that. “I’m glad you finally caught them, Mom. If Sammy were still alive, he would be very happy that they’re caught and that he’s now free of them.”Veronica sighed soundly. [I just wish he were…thanks for this, Chase. You really helped out on this one.] “You’re welcome, Mom. See you later, I’ll save you an extra plate when you get home, late or not.”[Just make sure that Keith and Logan behave. I don’t want to come home and find a bloody mess in our apartment.] Veronica ordered her son to do so.“No promises, though!” Chase joked lightly. Veronica hangs up with an amused chuckle that he can hear before the line beeped and then he pocketed his phone and continued his walk back to the apartment, hoping that Keith haven’t arrived yet and started ‘World War Three’ or something with Logan who is still there when he went out.But when he got back and entered through the door, he was about to call out to Logan that he’s back and ask if Keith came by, and then he instantly froze in shock, stopping in his tracks when he registered the sight of Logan and Keith both tied up with hands behind them and against the dining chairs and their mouths were covered with one strip of duct-tape to keep them quiet from shouting out a warning to Chase when he comes in.But both men didn’t stop in their struggles to break free and their wide eyes were looking at Chase in a meaningful panicked warning that he needs to leave now.However, it was already too late.Before Chase could make a move to look around alertly for the intruder or run to the two men to free them, he was suddenly hit from the side, blind-siding him almost by a sudden whack to the head of something metal and hard. And then Chase choked out a gasp when a big strong hand gripped him tight at his throat and shoved him against the wall, unexpectedly attacking him by surprise.But the attacker didn’t know that Chase is a teenage zombie, and the hit wasn’t hard enough to blind-side and weaken him as Chase looked up and face off his attacker. Instantly recognizing him as the leader of the Scarring Vipers gang from his visions.“Huh…for a boy, you sure have a pretty face,” sneered the gang-leader as he looked over the teenage kid he’s holding tightly with his hand around his throat.Chase held back his disgusted look at his words while Logan struggled even more upon somehow hearing the man’s words clearly.“I’m gonna enjoy doing my thing with you. And once I’m done, I’ll be turning to your mother next, once my men find her and bring her here,” the leader said, still sneering evilly at the boy.Chase was glad that earlier he discovered what kind of abilities he’d obtained from the victim Sammy as a side-effect upon eating whole human brains and such. He retorted at the leader with a calm brave look on his face, surprising him and then shocking him even more upon registering what Chase just told him. “Too bad for you, your men won’t be able to do that, because my mom and other cops just took down your new base and arrested them all. Oh--and here’s another shocker!”Chase suddenly used the martial-arts skills he had gained and expertly removed the grip and struck at the gang-leader, sending him flying straight at the short wooden table in the living room, breaking it to pieces and stunning him by the blows.Both Keith and Logan were shocked upon seeing this as Chase did a karate pose right at the Asian criminal. The Vipers gang-leader groaned and looked up at Chase, shocked as well. Then Chase retorted at the gang-leader with hushed whispers so that he can only hear him, and not Logan and Keith, provoking him by mocking him. “I learned that from an old friend of yours, who was Sammy!”Then a split-second, the gang leader snapped out of his stunned stupor, went back up on his feet and ran at him with anger, trying to fight back, but Chase anticipated his actions and struck first once more, using the expert martial-arts skills that he had taken and gained from Sammy the victim. Both Chase and the gang-leader kept exchanging blows while Logan and Keith just watched, stunned dumbstruck.But then they started their struggles to break free again when Chase didn’t expect a round-about swinging fist from the gang-leader and he was struck on the side of the face and fell on the floor, dazed by the surprising blow.The gang-leader growled, “You may got some moves, somehow kid…but once I’m done beating you up--I’m gonna do the same thing with your mom, after I give her a nice touch-up on her pretty little body!”And that was the wrong thing to say.Once the gangster said those words, Chase went into zombie mode, his eyes turning red instantly with fury.And when the gangster was about to swing down one of his fists to hit his back, Chase suddenly grabbed it with a backward grip, surprising him. Then the gang-leader cried out in pain when Chase twisted the hand he grabbed, and he tried to break free from the unexpected strong hold of the teenager and Chase slowly turned to glare at him with inhuman red-eyes, thankfully covered over by his shirt’s dark hood.Then Chase gave out a screaming yell, suddenly body-tackling the bigger man right into another room and without Logan and Keith watching them anymore, Chase let out his anger upon the man, using his zombie strength to beat, hit, and kick the bad guy with martial-arts skills to unconsciousness.That was when Veronica came just in time, who decided to come home early after her police chief decided to reward the Detective by sending her home after taking down the Scarring Vipers gang, and she was surprised to see the door of her apartment was wide open and when she came in, she was shocked to see Logan and her father Keith tied up in the dining area.“Oh my God! Dad! Logan!” she cried, instantly running at them to untie them, but when she gently pulled the duct-tape off from Logan’s mouth, he instantly yelled back at her. “Chase! Your kid--he’s fighting against a Vipers gang-guy at the other room!”With that said, Veronica registered the yelling and hitting from the said room where he’s still beating up the gang-leader in his zombie-mode, she quickly drew out her gun and aimed it, going to the room, to check on her kid, thinking that he’s the one being beaten up. But when she got there, she stared shocked silent for a moment upon seeing Chase kept hitting the gang-leader on the face, despite that he’s down and unconscious and then she instantly snapped out of it and shouted to him, to make him stop. “Chase!”Chase froze instantly upon hearing her voice and then he slowly turned his head to look at her with the hitting fist he used still up, and she held back her flinching reaction upon seeing that he’s still in zombie-mode with red eyes and few black vein-like streaks spreading on his face. But when her son looked at her, it fades away instantly, the angry zombie now turning back to normal pale teen before her.“Mom?” he whispers softly with shaken surprise in his voice.Veronica sighed with relief, put her gun back in its holster on her side and then knelt down next to Chase, pulling him to a big hug, embracing him against her body to comfort him so that he’ll calm down more from his temper, just so it won’t trigger him back to zombie-mode. Then she reached for her phone to call it in, quickly telling her boss, Chief Moore, that the gang-leader is at her apartment, down and subdued and then after she reported it, her boss replied back that she’s sending back-up quickly to come and take the criminal away. Once she’s done with the call, she hangs up and then ushers Chase to move away so that she’ll handcuff the unconscious man, in case he might wake up earlier than expected.But after the beat-up and beat-down the Vipers gang-leader took from the teen boy Chase--he won’t be waking up until the back-up cops arrive to take him in.It was a fast few minutes later that the cops have arrived and Veronica and Chase had finished untying Logan and Keith from their bonds, which both men were relieved to see Chase okay. And then one cop was taking Veronica’s statement about what happened, while three cops went into the room to get the subdued gang-leader as the beaten man started to stir, and then Logan, Keith and Chase were sitting down in the living room, the chairs and couch were not affected from the fight between the teen and the criminal.Chase tried to keep reassuring to Logan and Keith that he is fine and well, even though he was grabbed on the throat, hit on the side of his face and some of the blows he had got of the fight, from the criminal attacking him. They kept hounding and hovering over him worriedly that he should get looked over at the hospital, but Chase refused to do so, still insisting to them that he’s okay.However, Chase didn’t expect and was caught off-guard and unprepared when his mom just placed a bag of ice to the side of his face where he was hit there, after she was done giving her statement to one of her police colleagues.Luckily, he reacted humanly-like before Logan and Keith might notice something weird that he didn’t react in pain from the bruises and beaten hits that he got from the gangster, thanks to his special zombie condition.“OW! Geez--Mom!” Chase exclaimed incredulously in convincing reaction of pain, one hand instantly reaching up to hold the ice-bag on his face. “How about a little warning next time?!”Veronica huffed at her son as she played along, making sure that his act looked very convincing since she’s the only one who knows her son deep down. “Well, you deserve that, after you foolishly and recklessly fought back against that gang-banger man. Even though I’m thankful that I signed you up in self-defense classes back in New York then--that doesn’t mean that you’re suddenly the infamous ‘Karate Kid’ and all that.”“He’s the one who attacked me first,” Chase grumbled, keeping the ice bag on his face to cool down the ‘bruises’ on his face. “I was just defending myself.”Keith snorted with disbelief and told Veronica what Chase did, making him look at his grandpa with horror and betrayal. “But not when you provoked him by telling him that the guy’s gang was taken down and arrested and then surprised him with your fancy kung-fu moves.”“Traitor!” Chase hissed at him, flinching a little under his mom’s sudden stern glare at him, even Logan was also giving him the ‘parental’ glare like he’s the teen’s other parent, guardian or something.“What are you!?”They turned at the beat-up gang-leader who demanded shaken and angry at Chase when he was dragged out by the three cops after he woke up fully from the beating.Chase just grinned at him and retorted. “Just a kid! You got your ass beat-up by a teenage kid. Get over it!”Just as the police officers pulled him out and away, his last words resonated furiously which got Logan and Keith chuckling a little amused. “You’re a freak!”Chase grinned and then winced like his grinning pained him. “Ow, damn… well, I guess this face bruise is worth more than what I gave that guy, huh?”Veronica sighed and shook her head as if exasperated at her son’s actions but then she lightened up and then clapped her hands to get her boys’ attentions. “Well…while the guys here are processing the scene, how about we get out to have our dinner instead of here?”Keith nodded with agreement and said, “I’ll drive you there. And Logan…you can come too.”The older Mars had to admit, Logan did his best into trying to save him and try to deal with the situation when he was taken hostage by the criminal before the two of them were tied up. Not to mention, Chase looked like he wanted Logan around to stay with them and Veronica seemed to sense it and was happy for her son, wanting Logan to be there and everything.Veronica nodded and then she went to pack up the nearly-cold food on the dinner table to be placed into traveling plastic Tupperware boxes and move them to have their dinner at another place. Logan went over to help her out while Chase and Keith Mars just waiting, sitting on the chairs until they’re done, while the forensic investigators were processing the scene inside the apartment and sorting out the mess around it.But when Logan and Veronica were almost done packing the food, Keith glanced over to see what kind of dinner meals are they, and then he blinked upon seeing one of the plastic boxes labeled with Chase’s name and he could see the super extra spicy peppers that were added into it.Keith blinked and then turned to the teen as he exclaimed incredulously, staring at Chase. “What is it with you and spicy-food, huh?”“What? I like spicy!” Chase just protested like he doesn’t know what’s with them looking at him weirdly because he loves eating spicy food most of the time.Both Veronica and Logan chuckled upon hearing this and then they look at each other, exchanging warm fond looks, which both Chase and Keith noticed and Keith just frowned while Chase slightly smiled at the sight. By the time they left and went to Keith’s house, with the police were still there processing the scene and evidence, the small family of Mars and Logan Echolls were having dinner at Keith’s house and Veronica and Chase will be staying with Keith to sleep there until the police were done at their apartment.After they were done with dinner, Veronica was talking to Logan privately while cuddled together on the sofa, and Keith frowned, looking over to them while helping Chase to get settled into the guest room so that he could sleep there for the night. They looked like they were discussing something important but he didn’t know what.However, Chase knows what it’s about and didn’t mention it out loud to Keith so that his grandpa wouldn’t become more upset upon knowing what it is the former couple are talking about.Just as Veronica gave her goodbyes to Logan as he left to go back to his hotel, Chase was now settled into his room and falling asleep while his mom thanked her dad Keith for letting them stay there in the old house until their apartment has been cleared.But as it turns out, Chase was pretending to be asleep so that his Mom and grandpa would think so upon checking on him, and after they did, they went to bed and he listened with his sharp zombie-senses, waiting patiently until he hears them sleeping.Once he heard them softly breathing in slumber clearly, Chase opened his eyes and got off the bed and brought out his smart-phone to call his friends as he knew that they must be worrying over him and wanted to know what’s happening over the progress of the case of the gang-victim Sammy.Chase is calling them through the video-call and he made sure that the sound is silent so that Keith or even his mom Veronica would hear them talking.[Chase! Boy, you’re a sight for sore eyes!] Hacks cried as he answers the call on the laptop and then Chase smiles when Hacks called out to the others that Chase is on the line.They came, almost bombarding over Hacks’ computer, talking and asking almost too much at once, demanding what’s been going on with the case, as some of them saw the news that the cops have taken down the Scarring Vipers street gang.“Whoa! Slow down, guys. Yeah, the Scarring Vipers are officially over and all were arrested and their operations have been taken down. Everything’s good,” Chase said to them.[Good riddance to them. They bring shame to Asians like me alike!] Scythe said with a satisfied nod.Chase decided to tell his friends the next time later about the gang-leader breaking into his apartment and tried to get to his family but failed. He can imagine their reactions if he tells them now. So he told them that the case is over, Sammy’s murder has been solved and justice was brought to the victim upon the cops finding evidence linking to it and everything. That’s also including the fact that they caught the dirty cop, thanks to his help--specifically from the visions he got.[Good to hear. Glad that the case is over--but what about Logan?] asked Butch curiously.[Yeah! I mean--is he going to be hanging around more with us? I don’t know how long we could fool the Navy-guy into thinking there’s something wrong with us, no matter how convincing we are on playing the part and acting that we’re human.] Mark asked, worrying over this.“Don’t worry, I managed to convince Logan to keep quiet about you guys when I told him a little white lie that you guys know my mom and that you were old buddies back in New York and everything,” Chase reassured them. “He believed me and kept his silence until I tell my mom that you guys are here. But that’s what he thinks, anyway.”[So we’re still not going to be known and revealed to your mom, Veronica, huh?] Seeker asked, wondering why the zombie teen-gang need to be kept secret from Chase’s mother, since she’s a nice person and all.Chase sighed, “Mom’s still got a lot on her plate. I can’t have her worrying even more if I tell her now about you guys. When the time is right--I’ll tell her.”Then his face pinched into a frown and then told his friends about what he knew from the conversation earlier with his mom and Logan before and shared it to them. As it turns out, Veronica asked Chase first if it’s alright with him, that after the evidence processing was done at their apartment, Logan will be staying with them for the time-being and such, before he goes back to duty in the Navy. Chase wanted to refuse at first but then he realized that it’s going to be strange and upsetting for his mom when she learns that he still does not like him or trust him, even though he’s been helpful with him on the case. So he gave his positive answer to his mom which delighted her completely at his answer.[So I’m guessing that the Navy-guy is gonna be staying at the apartment with you and your Mom?] Major asked, holding back his amused grin on how annoyed Chase looked at the prospect of that.Chase sighed, “Just until that guy Logan finds his own place, instead of renting a room in the hotel, or goes back to duty at the Navy seas or something else comes up--which I really hoped that it will be very soon. I don’t like it any more than Pops does, but I let it be because my mom wants him there.”Seeker grinned slyly and commented like it too. [Well, this is going to be interesting!]Chase glared at him, like he’s pointedly asking silently ‘The hell does that mean?’But Chase turns off the sudden glare at his friend as he saw the time and it was getting late and he told his friends that he’ll meet with them the next time and said goodbyes and good night and they exchanged it back, nodding to him and congratulating him for another case solved in Neptune.Chase nodded and then hangs up the video-call and then goes back to bed and falls asleep.Before he went to slumber as he slowly closed his eyes, he wonders what kind of new case he’ll be going through and solving for, and what kind of person that he’ll be getting justice for upon consuming their brains and gaining the visions, abilities and everything.Chase will wonder about that until the next time another new case comes through.OOOOOOOOOOAUTHOR’S NOTES:The second chapter finished! I hope you like it!I am very sorry it took so long, but I will work hard into writing, posting, and updating faster, I promise!The next chapter for the story--Chapter 3 will be merging with Chapter 4--maybe or maybe not.There will be more for this story and others very soon, I promise!So…Enjoy Readers!OOOOOOOOOO
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
DISCLAIMER: READ CHAPTER 1.
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CHAPTER 3 - CASE OF THE BLOCK Z
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…LAST TIME…
Before he went to slumber as he slowly closed his eyes, he wonders what kind of new case he’ll be going through and solving for, and what kind of person that he’ll be getting justice for upon consuming their brains and gaining the visions, abilities, and everything.
Chase will wonder about that until the next time another new case comes through.
00000It wasn’t long until a week later, Logan had to leave for duty upon being called for deployment at the Navy, and though, Veronica was a little upset that he’s leaving, he promised her that he’ll be careful and that he’ll come back straight to Neptune for her after his deployment’s done.Chase managed to keep a blank face as he watched them exchange heartfelt goodbyes, and Veronica looked like she regret that she and her son couldn’t be at the station to see Logan off when he leaves onto the ship that he’ll be deploying at. Then he smiled (albeit fake) at Logan when he turned to him and nodded silently goodbye before he nodded back and left the apartment after leaving another kiss to Veronica and was gone from their sight.Veronica sighed as she tried to maintain her composure on the emotions she’s feeling in turmoil within her heart, and she wasn’t aware that her son Chase looked relieved that Logan is gone behind her back, and hid his expressions carefully when she turned around to look at him. She told him that she’ll be going off to work and that her father Keith will be stopping by, and Chase smiled widely like he’s very excited to have Pops around with him in their apartment.Fortunately, it was the weekend when Logan left and Chase has no classes or lessons to go to at the private schooling, and it explains the reason for his excitement upon having Pops Keith over so that they’ll have a chat to themselves, which amused Veronica a little upon thinking about it.Just as Veronica left and the same time Keith had arrived, the two boys were chatting together already about what’s been going on and everything the past days. As of right now, they’re discussing the recent main topic that both of them agreed on except Veronica, which they’re glad that she’s not around hearing their conversation.“Good thing that Logan isn’t around now, huh?” Keith joked lightly to Chase.Chase sighed, “Even though I hated how my Mom looked sad and upset after he left and returned to his Navy duty--I’m relieved to say the least that he’s not around much to bother her more on the decision on letting him stay with us. It was…very awkward and tense--only it’s been that way just between us guys.”Keith almost grinned proudly at his grandson as he inquired. “You still don’t like him, huh?”Chase rolled his eyes and said sarcastically. “Considering that he’s the one who broke up with my mom first years ago--I’d say, yeah. I still don’t like him, really. Even though we’ve been getting along as friends, I only put up with that, because of Mom.”Keith snickered and grinned at him. “You do know that sooner or later then, she’s going to find out that you’ve been faking it, huh?”Chase shuddered upon imagining it. “Don’t remind me, Pops. Please keep it a secret between us, cause the last thing my Mom needs to find out--is that I still don’t trust her ex, far more than she thinks that I did.”Keith nodded. “Don’t worry, kid. Mum’s the word on me--hehe, so to speak!”Then the two guys started discussing another topic, concerning the cases that Keith had worked on previously at his private investigations firm, while Chase told him the kind of lessons he had learned from his private school.It wasn’t long until Keith left Chase alone in the apartment, upon going back to work, and then Chase waved him goodbye as he left. Once the zombie-teen is all alone, he decided to leave in a hurry to meet up with his friends so that they’ll continue working on finding a place for them to live privately and isolated from other human people, in case they won’t be discovered and exposed from their true nature that they’re trying to hide from.Chase knew that he couldn’t let his friends stay in the hotel forever as well as they know it too. So they’re going to help out each other upon finding a new place that will be more secure and hidden for them to live in without anyone bothering them.00000However, about one to two hours later--that’s easier said than done. To say the least.Chase looked at Seeker incredulously. “And so far, you still didn’t find anything?!” he demanded.Seeker just put up his hands defensively as he protested, “Well, what do you expect, boss-man? I’m only one person around here--if I had an extra pair of eyes, I would’ve been able to find some spot sooner than later!”“Well, one thing’s for sure--we’re not letting Hacks go anywhere near you to find us a new base to stay in hiding and live in secret,” Sharp commented knowingly.Mark nodded in agreement. “Considering that the hotel was the least he could be able to find for us on short notice…we’re going to need to find somewhere better than that--something much more isolated yet comfortable for all of us to live and hide in from the living public.”Chase and his friends were all gathered around at a medium-sized cafe corner, almost far away from the hotel, and were discussing their living situations and trying to find a new one, while Hacks stayed behind all alone back at the hotel his friends were staying in.Scythe and Graves were glancing around, acting as sharp look-outs to keep their eyes on anyone that might listen in on them or something and watch out for them in case of exposure. As for Seeker, when he gave his report upon going off earlier on searching a new hide-out and living space, he hasn’t gotten that much luck and good fortune on that matter, and that’s why he’s now complaining that he needs help on finding someplace there in Neptune.Chase sighed and looked around like he’s trying to remember exactly where is a good place to start or something since he’s been in Neptune almost longer than his friends when he and his mother moved back home there.“There has got to be a suitable location somewhere,” he said softly.Major comforted him by wrapping his right arm around him and pulling him closer to lean against his side. “Don’t worry…we’ll find a place, love.”Chase smiled at his boyfriend fondly.Then Butch had a sudden thought and shared his idea. “Hey, what about finding a place from one of the cases you’ve solved, Chase?” he inquired.Chase and the others, except Seeker, looked at Butch like his idea is ridiculous and Scythe said so in her thick Chinese accent. “Idiot! That’s not how this world works.” she snapped, calling Butch an idiot in her fluent Chinese-Mandarin language. Graves nodded in agreement with her and said to him, “Butch, even if Chase somehow manages to find a place for us--wouldn’t it be watched by the police? It’s obvious that the locations of the cases that Chase has helped out and solved, they would still be considered crime scenes, even with the cases on them were solved and done with.”Butch winced like he’s forgotten about that and then he slumped. “Oh man, I’m sorry. I forgot.” Seeker patted his friend like he’s comforting and sympathizing with him.“Speaking of cases…it’s been a while since I haven’t gotten a case that I don’t need to especially ‘eat’ in my circumstances here in Neptune yet,” Chase mused aloud. “I’m thinking I should take a look and find one so that my detective skills won’t get rusty.”Major smiled, “Right. You always made sure that other people won’t get suspicious that every time there’s a case that does not concern with or have a dead body mixed into it. I remember that you were good at those few times back in New York.”Chase nodded and smiled back at his boyfriend for remembering their past lives back then before they moved to Neptune, California.“Sheesh! It’s not like a case like that is going to appear right out of the blue--!” Seeker said.But as if the universe wanted to prove the zombie teen-boy wrong, something unexpected suddenly happened that Chase will be on that very case, along with his friends this time.“OH MY GOD!”“SOMEBODY CALL 911--NOW!”Chase and his friends suddenly turned upon hearing shouts, and they saw a small crowd forming around two people that are on the ground and Chase could see with his sharp eyes that one of them seemed to be bleeding to death.They went over there at a hurried run and pushed hard to get through the forming crowd so that they can get to the center and then Chase instantly reacted into action when he saw that his suspicions of the sight he’s seen was correct.One man, an African-American descent, was frantically trying to stop the bleeding on the younger man, in which he is lying prone on the ground, and they both appeared to be families related to one another, like brothers or something. The one that’s trying to stop the bleeding, was crying uncontrollably, sobbing at the wounded one to hold on while attempting to apply pressure to stop the blood loss with his bare hands and shouting at some of the people crowding around them to call for help quickly.“Hey! Move! Give some space!” Chase yelled at the people as he took off his black hooded sweatshirt to help apply pressure and stop the bleeding, revealing his sickly pale self in a thin white shirt and long white hair. “Major! You and Mark call 911 and have them send an ambulance quickly! Sharp! Sai! Find and get more cloths, towels--anything you can find to stop this bleeding! Now!”His friends quickly did as he ordered them to and then Butch and Seeker helped Chase out into stopping the crowd of onlookers from growing closer and more upon gathering around them. Chase carefully moved the man’s hands from the bleeding gushing wound and then pressed his jacket firmly over it, applying pressure and stopping the bleeding. Chase also tries to calm down the frantic panicking man who’s worrying over the bleeding injured one.It was a tense and heart-racing moment when time flew by either slowly or fast as Chase focused on the victim to make sure that the bleeding has stopped and the wounds aren’t severe with his friends helping, while he and Major tries to calm down and soothe the victim’s companion, assuring him that the victim will be fine before the ambulance arrives in the rescue.The paramedics quickly came and Chase moved aside swiftly as they took over and he stood back up on his feet as he watched them leave and load their victim into the ambulance with his companion hastily following, getting inside as the vehicle left.Now that the commotion is over, the crowd parted to go back to their usual business, but Chase and his friends were the only ones who were lingering about longer, staring at the direction where the ambulance had come and left a while ago. It’s like they can read their leader’s mind as they turned questioningly towards him and it didn’t take long for Chase to voice out to have Hacks look into which hospital the victim was brought at and visit him there to find out what kind of case they’ll be getting into upon discovering the reason why he got wounded in the first place.Chase got interested in this for the reason is that when he was helping the victim, his sharp eyes had caught sight that the man was stabbed by a third party so harsh and gruesomely that the man was supposed to die from the attack if it weren’t for him around to stop it. His eyes darted around glancing like he thinks that the attacker might be around, but there’s nobody suspicious that he could see, so he also told Seeker to look about for anyone that gives a red flag and report back to him on what he found.Seeker nodded and darted off to do what he said with his big muscled friend Butch following right behind him.By the time, Chase and the others followed after the ambulance and straight to the hospital with their motorcycles, they arrived there in time that the victim was just brought into the ER for surgery and his anxious companion was waiting outside, pacing impatiently and worriedly.It seems that he also called his other family member, who appeared to be older and more mature, but this one’s strong and suspicious like he’s one of those shady guys who was raised and used to living in the street-life kinds.The two brothers were talking to one another, rather heatedly with the older one asking the other about what had happened and the second younger brother was explaining to him until he noticed Chase and his friends lingering by at the back.He beamed like he’s very happy to see them and told his older brother in a slight shout at the waiting area, near the ER doorway. “This is him, bro! This is the kid who helped out and saved our little brother!”Chase tensed, preparing himself for a hostile reaction of some sort, as he was being stared at and assessed by the eldest brother of the three black guys, who is glaring at him with his dark eyes.But it turns out that he wasn’t glaring at him in an angry way, just being studied until he deemed him trustworthy and gave him a grateful smile.And that made Chase’s friends relax from behind him when they were also tensed upon being stared at and were assessed too, even though it was only their leader the guy’s focused at.“You saved him?” he said in a demanding dangerous kind of tone.Chase was still for a moment before he stiffly nods at him.Then he--and the others--were taken aback unexpectedly when the large muscled eldest brother just moved forward and engulfed the shocked albino teenager into a big bear hug.“Thank you…thank you for saving my baby brother, man…I owe you big time!” he said, his voice sounding shaky like he’s in tears on the inside of his very being.Chase clears his throat, trying to not sound a little uncertain or nervous at this kind of hugging gesture he’s been given as gratitude from the family of black brothers. He simply said, trying to mentally sound like he’s telling him to let go. “No problem, sir. I’m just happy to help.”The big black man finally let him go after a secondary moment and then managed to compose himself back to his kind of cool calm persona, extending his hand out for a polite handshake as he introduced himself. “The name’s Austin. Austin Blocks. This is my brother, Wayne. And my baby brother who’s still in the ER is Zac.”The pale white-haired teen returned the gesture upon taking and shaking the man’s hand and said, “Chase. Chase Mars. These are my friends but we’re just here to check on your brother’s condition to see if he’s going to be all right and be on our way, just passing by.”“Thanks, man,” said the second older brother, the one named Wayne by the eldest one.They turned when the ER glowing sign turns off and the doctor came out to greet the victim’s family but he frowned when he noticed the small group of teenagers, in which clearly they are not allowed right there by the surgery waiting room, seeing that they’re not family-related.But then the big adult black man called Austin Blocks lied to the doctor that they’re family friends and asked him how his youngest brother’s condition. The doctor replied back to him calmly that he’s out of danger and is now at recovery where he will be healed and released about a few days, maybe about three or four by then. The doctor gave the medical warnings and procedures before the two brothers thanked the doctor for saving his life and he nodded, accepting the gratitude before telling them that visiting hours is limited with only family people and unrelated family members, such as the teenage gang gathered there are not allowed until the next day or so if the patient wakes up from the anesthesia during his recovery days.Chase understood what the doctor is implying so he nodded at the older brothers that they’ll leave now and will come back later to send their regards and check up on their youngest brother for his welfare, and the older men appreciated the gesture, for it looks like that there weren’t a lot of friendly people they can depend on or trust to, in which their kind of family situation revealed to Chase’s deductive mind that they live in a very poor kind of neighborhood where the black brother family is ostracized or disregarded by their so-called friendly neighbors, in whatever block they live on.Chase promised that he’ll come by next time then but the brothers were so focused upon their youngest brother being wheeled out from the ER and moved to the recovery wing as they didn’t hear Chase’s promising statement to them. Chase watched as the two men followed after their unconscious brother and the nurse transporting him there before turning to his team and instantly telling them that there is now a case they’ll be working on, and it’s finding out the mystery on why the youngest black man was stabbed in a very public place like what happened at the coffee shop before.His team members instantly beamed up like they’re excited to be in on this special kind of case, that doesn’t involve “Psychic-special-eating-kind” visions or something like that. Chase divided the part of roles they’ll be taking on or the kind of tasks they’ll fulfill and once they left the hospital, they split up, riding on their motorbikes to do their assigned jobs.Little did Chase…or rather, the whole zombie gang know…is that there’s going to be an unexpected surprising kind of development--that’s going to happen to one particular zombie teen, whose life is about to change either for the better…or perhaps, the worst.00000It was about a few hours later, nearing sundown, when Graves and his partner/girlfriend Scythe, or Sai as she likes being called in the nickname, were given the task by their leader to ask around or look for any clues back at the coffee corner where the young victim was stabbed, and it was quite a mystery that the crime happened right in the middle of a place where there are many people going around and about, which means many witnesses who must have seen what had happened when the stabbing occurred.But unfortunately and surprisingly--“How could no one have seen the perpetrator who stabbed the victim as they were right in the middle of the crowd like that!? That is simply impossible!” Sai/Scythe exclaimed incredulously, her voice thickening in her Chinese/Asian accent.“People can be oblivious or unaware, whenever it is ‘Rush Hour’ or a busy working day for most of them. I know this for a fact because I’ve seen this with my mom when she’s so busy working in the people charities she works on and with, and you can’t imagine how many times I had to call out or grab for her attention--until I was forced to do something drastic or outrageous like snatching away a big speaker-kind of a bullhorn and announce myself right in the middle of a crowd to get my mom’s attention right at me!” Graves told her as he remembered fondly of his past life before he got turned into a zombie teen.Sai blinked in surprise at what her partner told her and stared at him wide-eyed. “You did--what?!”Graves blushed brightly upon realizing what he just said and told her and admitted, “Yeah…one of my most embarrassing childhood moments--but it was worth it, because the look on my mom’s face when I shouted through the speaker-phone, it’s like she thought that I was my Dad who was proposing to her right there and then, in the middle of a public crowd.”Hearing his forlorn kind of tone in his voice, Sai knew that Graves was not thinking about the case they’re working on right now at that moment.“You still miss her, huh? (sees Graves go instantly blank and silent) Why don’t you just call her?” she inquired at her partner.Graves snorted, “Call her and tell her what? Oh hey mom, guess what? I’m okay but--I’m a teenage zombie now! Yeah right--she’ll freak out more and think I’ve gone crazy, and then she’ll call on whatever cops she’s been hounding upon or somebody to go out and find me and try to bring me home so that she’ll get me help. No way! It was the right thing for me to run away and never come back, or even make contact, at that time when I got turned back then, back when I was on a school field trip at New York long ago and then the--Manhattan Island Massacre happened and all that…I don’t want to make her suffer even more if she found out on what kind of state I’m in since then and right now!”“Still, Gray…” Sai said Graves’ other name like it’s actually his real name or something. “She’s already suffering when you and all of us went ‘missing’ after the New York mystery bombings happened and then we had to disappear. She does need to know that you’re alive and well and that you’re in a good place with friends.”“Alive? Well? You know that as a matter of fact that we’re not, right Sai?” Graves had to point that out even though he knows that his girl partner does have a point on what she said to him.Sai knew that but she just gave him a pointed meaningful look all the same as she tries to convince him to call his only living family, his mother, who must be still missing him and wondering whether he’s really alive or not out there.Though most of the zombie teen gang members are orphans and had no families at all who will be missing them or something, there are actually a certain few among them who does have family members left who still knows that they’re there and missing them, trying their best to find them since the grave kind of incident happened that turned and changed their lives into real living zombies, that was forced to hiding themselves from all of the living people society and had to disappear or go ‘missing’.And one of them is Graves, as he had his mother when he knew upon checking in sometimes that she still believes her son is alive and did every effort into finding her lost missing child until she finally finds him or not.Graves sighed after Sai stared at him with that pointed look for a silent tense moment and he grudgingly said, “Okay, fine. I’ll think about calling my mom--but not now, okay? We’re on a case, remember?”Sai/Scythe beams like she’s very happy that she’s gotten her way--almost always--when it comes to winning an argument or debate with her partner but she didn’t know that Graves let her win because he liked her too much and was always happy that they’re together as a couple, albeit they got together when they were turned into zombies by Chase.After getting no results or any clues in that public coffee shop corner for the stabbing incident, they decided to leave before cops might come into the scene to process it once the victim or the victim’s brothers tell them where and what had happened and go to investigate there.But as they left with Sai riding behind her boyfriend Graves with arms snugly wrapped around his waist as he drove off the motorcycle and veered it into the direction where the others have their designated meeting point to share their findings, pertaining to the new case they’re working on with their leader Chase Mars.Unbeknownst to the teen couple, they had been watched from the entire time since they came to the coffee corner and searched for clues or asked some of the frequent customers about the stabbing incident, by a native man who looked like he’s on vacation or on a tour in California, right there in Neptune, having ordered a coffee to stay up for some late-night errand or outing.And strangely enough but not noticed by other people as they are walking around and about in their busy day, even at the incoming nighttime--the native man almost gawked, gaping and staring wide-eyed in shock as his eyes stared right at the teenage boy Graves who he was watching and staring at.“I don’t believe it…” this native man of an unknown stranger whispered softly, as he looked at some small photo he hurriedly took out from his wallet and takes a close look at it as if confirming the person he’s looking at, is the exact same one he’s looking straight at.He murmured softly in shock and disbelief after confirming it and being positively sure, “…it’s him! I found him!”Then the native American-Indian kind of male stranger tried to look as casually normal as possible like he’s just another customer drinking coffee, keeping his eyes focused on the teen boy as he seemed to be on a date with the Asian girl and it didn’t take long for them to leave, and he managed to stop himself from being exposed of what he’s doing when he took his phone out and takes quick snapshots of the license plate from the motorcycle the couple is driving on, looking like he’s some kind of private investigator or an undercover agent or something like that.Once he got the shot, he pressed and clicked buttons on his phone like he’s calling one of his contacts to look into the license plate and find out the owner’s address--not knowing that it was fake until the results came in for the native Indian stranger, because Hacks faked all identities of the zombie teen gang, including the license plates of their motorbikes and rides.It didn’t take long for an hour later or two, for the results to come in and the native man frowned upon seeing that his contact is telling him the plates were faked so that means he won’t be able to find out exactly where Graves is staying or living at.But it looks like the native man is not giving up as he called for another contact, telling and asking for favor upon looking into any security cameras within range or other cameras in Neptune to find the teen boy that he never thought to expect for and has found him, which is the zombie teenager Graves, that he seems to have been searching for him.In which it’s going to be a very big surprise and shocking development later on when the reason why this native man is focused on Graves will be revealed.00000It was the next day later, maybe two days had passed since the stabbing incident, that Chase came back to the hospital to check on the victim and his two brothers, who are the Blocks family, as promised when he said that he would.Chase was coming in, managing to charm the lobby’s receptionist that he’s a family friend to the stabbed victim, who is young Zac Blocks and then the lady by the lobby counter smiled warmly at the pale teen’s politeness, despite his black hooded bad-boy kind of image, and directed him to exactly which room the brothers are in.Chase nodded and thanked her for the directions and went right to where they are, and he came just in time, like on cue to obtain information that he caught and got it interesting.When Chase is coming near to the said recovery room, he heard something that got him perking up with interest suddenly, as the eldest brother Austin Blocks was telling something to his two younger brothers of their desperate situation.Even though he knows that the older one still doesn’t trust him from before, he decided to help out when he discreetly listened into their hushed conversation and deduced what kind of problems they’re having trouble dealing with and believes that their situation is related to the case of the mysterious stabbing incident.Chase lightly knocked on the door to get their attention and they turned towards him with the adult older brother glaring at him again like he’s trying to intimidate him to leave his family alone as if he somehow figured out that he was listening in on them sneakily and very rudely.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to come in and anything but--I can’t help but overhear what you just said,” Chase said with a friendly smile.Unfortunately, that made the eldest brother glare at him even more and Chase noticed with a glance that he’s flexing his muscles, showing that he’s about to rise up and pick a fight with him.So Chase cut to the chase--literally--as he told them, taking the three Blocks brothers by surprise from his statement that he just proclaimed at them. “I can help. I’m a private detective. Well--I’m actually still a young detective-in-training but…my mom’s a cop and I help her out in some of her cases and mostly solve them. I can help with whatever trouble you guys are into, that’s also including my friends who you saw and just met the first time before.”“How? And why would you want to help us?” Wayne, the middle brother asked curiously, wondering the pale albino teen’s motives over their plight.“Because I care--not like most other cops say that they do…I can see it,” Chase said in a meaningful way like he knows what this small family of three brothers has gone through almost their whole lives.His words somehow struck into their hearts with the empathetic way as Chase said it but Austin felt like he doesn’t believe him and seemed suspicious about it, except he changed his mind when Zac weakly said softly in his hospital bed. “I believe you…so what do you want to know?”“You guys notice anything strange recently or something weird going on presently in any of your lives? I believe it’s not some mugging attempt or a mere coincidence that your young brother Zac here got himself stabbed,” Chase asked.Zac gave a confused look and he and Wayne shook their heads in a negative that they didn’t think of seeing anything unusual that’s happening in their lives, and there’s no sudden changes in their normal kind of daily routine.But their oldest brother Austin, on the other hand, thought of something and his eyes narrowed like he’s deep in thought, thinking that it might have something to do with his brother’s stabbing incident.Chase noticed this and asked politely, “Mr. Austin?”“It may be nothing but…about a month ago, there was some real estate guy who wanted to buy the house my brothers and I were living in but it’s been in my family for generations so I refused the offer because there’s nowhere else for us to go and stay at, and I don’t want to impose to some of my friends’ homes upon considering to share and live with them,” Austin said. “The next days after the refusal--there were suddenly other people attempting to break in or some tried to harass me and my brothers like they’re trying to make us leave our home. I stood up for my family when they happened and managed to drive them off with my fists and calling for the police too--but the harassment continues on, and the police I called for the attempted assaults, couldn’t hold them in jail long enough since no grievous harm was done to me or my brothers.”“Not until the stabbing with your brother Zac that the police will now act--I believe that those guys who were harassing you--must have been the ones who attacked him before. That and I believe that the real estate guy who tried to buy out your house, must have been the mastermind of it upon hiring the thugs to bother you guys,” Chase hated to admit his theory out loud after hearing this but he knew that they deserve to know what’s going on suddenly with their livelihoods.“What!?” Austin suddenly shouts and stood up from his chair, his whole body radiating with fury now when Chase said this to them.Wayne swiftly put a hand onto his big brother’s arm to stop him from leaving. “Bro, don’t! If what Mister Chase here says is true--then you can’t go raging like a mad bull and get yourself caught by the cops instead of them!”Chase nodded, “Your brother Wayne is right. All you’re going to do is make yourself the criminal instead of the victim if you went off and attack the real estate guy, who’s the mastermind and leader of the thugs he hired, the one responsible for Zac’s stabbing incident. We don’t have proof that he’s the one who orchestrated it all--but my friends and I have special ways to root them out and expose the guy and get him and all the people he hired under his bidding arrested by the police before they had a chance to react and hole themselves into hiding underground. I promise you that--even with my own life!”(Well--undead life actually.) Chase thought wryly in his head.After making his promise and discussing a bit more on what Chase is about to do for the three brothers, Austin and Wayne thanked him, just as Zac was falling asleep, feeling tired all of a sudden from their conversation. Chase left the brothers in the recovery room, promising once more to them that he’ll solve the case before the small family gets themselves harassed once more by those evil thugs of criminals, sent by whoever the corrupt real estate agent guy in on it, vowing seriously that he’ll catch them and have them exposed so that they’ll be arrested by the rightful lawmen and such.Austin smiled like he’s a bit amused by Chase’s ferocious-like tenacity into solving the case for them, thanked him again and Chase nodded and left them alone to themselves, with Austin standing guard protectively for his brothers in case the thugs might dare to come to the hospital and harass his brothers once again there.But it looks like there’s no need for that because Chase is now on this case and is on the hunt for solving the mystery for this one.00000It didn’t take long for Chase to call for his friends and gather around for the designated secret meeting spot they’ll be getting together and discussing for, concerning this new case they somehow luckily stumble upon.Hopefully, this case doesn’t draw too much heat that it will garner or draw attention into their secret gang but then Chase believes that this new case they’re going to solve the mystery for, is a minor one so it will be all right.The meeting place and gathering point where they all get together to have their secret conversation is by the public beach in Neptune but they made sure that they’re not camped near enough for many people to take notice of them or hear them as they have their hidden meeting.Speaking of the case, Chase told his friends about what’s going on and what he instantly deduced about it in a quick simple yet logical way, since it’s so obvious after hearing Austin’s story from it.But then…Mark sighed and complained out loud for the others to hear his opinion, “Please say that it’s not another gang-banger case. I still hold a grudge against those types of guys.”Sharp looked at his lover incredulously. “You’re still not letting that go!?”“Well, can you blame me?! One of them actually dared to stab you in the back--even if it was an accident and was not on purpose or not!” he defended.Sharp groaned exasperatedly as both Major and Graves chuckled at this with amusement.Chase cleared his throat like he’s asking for silence from his group and they did as he silently commanded before he said and told them. “No, rest assured, it’s not a gang-banger case. I believe it’s only some greedy real estate guy who thought to make some money upon forcing people out of their homes, buying their houses and lot, and evicting them so that he’ll make up on building some fancy resort or something like that.”“Ugh--if it’s one thing the kind of people that I really don’t like same as how Mark hates gang-bangers…it’s that I hate those money-grubbing greedy real estate people, guys!” Butch growled with full-on disgust in his face like he’s been served the brain-kind of food coming from those particular guys that he hates very much as well.“Hear, hear!” Seeker crows as he agrees and sides with his friend Butch when he said it.“First things first, I think it’s a better idea to deal with the hired thugs before moving into the mastermind of this whole plot of the case,” Major suggested as he gives out his own idea first for this case. “We need to know who we’re dealing with when we deal with the guys who’s been harassing the brothers. Did Austin tell you what they’re like when they started their attempted break-ins and the assaults, Chase?”“Not much was said because they never saw them clearly since they were mostly busy or absent at those times, only the fact that the break-ins happened while the brothers are gone from their house, and the assaults only occurred when one of the brothers are alone but nothing more serious happened until the brother Zac was stabbed,” Chase said as he took a drink from the straw of the soda cup, ordered and bought from a drinking stand by the beach they’re having their secret meeting on that secluded spot they’re in.“Don’t worry, guys. I asked Austin if his neighborhood or the streets around his home had cameras and he said there are so Hacks will have to look into them and see if he can get the faces of those people on the previous times when the break-ins happened. I already sent him the list of those dates back then and he should be checking in with the results by now.”
[RING!]
“Speak of the devil and he shall call upon the ring!” Seeker joked lightly like he knew that it must be their human friend Hacks calling Chase about the results on whatever findings he discovered. The others glared at Seeker like they’re not appreciating the humor upon this serious situation they’re now discussing over the case.Seeker slightly winced under their glaring gazes and then pouted in a dramatic sulk like his friends are all being spoil-sports for not appreciating his jokes.Chase answered his smartphone upon finding that it was a shared video online call and he clicked it open, showing Hacks’ face on the screen for him and the others to see and hear.
[Hey, Chase! Hi, guys!]
“Hacks, what do you got?” Chase asked calmly, hoping that he got good results and not bad ones.
[Well…I got good news--and not-so-bad news.]
“Hacks…” Chase said in a warning tone for him to get on with it already.
[Okay, so the good news, I got all the camera footage of the thugs that have been breaking into the Blocks home and some clips I managed to capture of them harassing the brothers whenever they were alone but they managed to escape--]
“And what’s the bad news?” Major interrupted in, stopping Hacks from rambling on.Hacks winced visibly on the screen and told them in a slightly slow reluctant voice. [The bad news…is that I can’t find any identification on them from any database that I can find! Both in the federal--and even in the dark web!] “What are you saying, Hacks?” Scythe/Sai asked, not liking the sound of this particular bad news he shared with them.
[I’m saying is that--either these kinds of thug criminals are good with hiding their tracks…or something far worse like--]
Chase figured it out and he said what Hacks is about to say in almost exact same terms. “They’re the kind of people who are off-the-grid--right?”Hacks winced again and nodded in positive confirmation of Chase’s statement.“Well, that’s just great! How are we supposed to find these guys now?!” Mark said as he threw his hands up in frustration over the fact that they have no idea who they’re looking for, even though Hacks succeeded in getting their faces clearly from the camera footage he managed to get off them.Chase was the only one who thought of another clever kind of idea or something but his eyes were focused on looking straight at Graves like he’s going to be part of the plan he’s making up in his head and somehow he sensed it and seemed like he’s not going to like whatever Chase’s idea will be revealed or going to be.“Why am I suddenly getting a bad feeling that I’m not going to like this?” Graves had to ask in a deadpan but knowing kind of voice upon noticing Chase looking at him with the kind of expression he now has on his face.“Judging by the look on our great leader’s face…I believe that your kind of gut intuition is superbly correct, my dear partner,” Sai said wryly upon noticing the slightly wincing expression on Chase’s face like he didn’t want to order one of his friends on something that he doesn’t want to do except he has no other choice but to make him do it, whether Graves likes it or not.Unbeknownst to Chase and his entire gang of friends, they were being watched almost from afar, by the same native man who spotted and started following them around, specifically stalking Graves, as he rides and sitting inside a truck vehicle that he’s renting and was using another kind of camera, an advanced smart one to take pictures of the group of young teenagers that Graves is with and it looks like he’s doing this to obtain more information about Graves’ friends before he tries confronting the teen boy for whatever reason why he’s been stalking and following him around.So far, from the looks of things, it seems that he does not like the scene he’s watching as they have their secret meeting and thought that the teen boy Graves is a part of some bad gang that he has no choice but to join, from what he saw the hesitant uncertain expression on his face when their leader Chase told him what his job is going to be next. He saw that Graves tried to refuse it but the Asian girl sitting beside him, seemed to encourage him that it’s okay to do it so Graves begrudgingly nodded to his leader that he’ll do it.It looks like the native man is going to feel even more upset and disapproving when he follows them and sees what Graves is forced to do, on whatever Chase’s idea had in mind to solve their mystery case they’re on, which he doesn’t know that these teenagers are actually some kind of vigilante crime-solving private detective kind of group.And here’s how it happened, as the time comes when Graves, Chase, and the other teens will soon realize that they’ve been watched and followed around by this unknown stranger, the native man.00000In some secluded spot, where Graves and his partner Scythe are waiting by the black motorcycle, both donning black clothes and had their biker helmets on so that their faces wouldn’t be seen by the street cameras and such, as they seemingly wait on that slightly very dark eerie-looking street alley for someone to come and pass by there.The others are also waiting at a distance from the couple and they’re all linked into comms underneath their biker helmets so that they’ll communicate with one another.And with the mention of the comms…“Just because I have the so-called bad-ass bad boy kind of look--doesn’t mean I’m actually one!” Graves protested with a harsh snap at whoever’s talking to him, his body tense like he’s seemingly glaring at some direction or spot to wherever the others are at.[Well, you gotta admit that Seeker does have a point--you do have the look of one, Graves.] Mark said calmly through the comms that is shared online to the entire zombie teen gang, including their human friend Hacks, who was the only one left behind at their hotel hideout, watching over his friends at the ready by his computers in case they need more backup, help or not.Graves growled annoyed underneath his helmet like he does not appreciate the humor when Mark sided with Seeker over this one. But before he could snap out or pick a fight, it was stopped by another.[All right, that’s enough, guys. We need to focus here.] Major said.[Are you sure that those guys are going to corner the man Austin here in this alley?] Sharp had to ask as he takes some sort of sniper position up there somewhere, almost nearby the alley, along with his partner Mark who is always right beside him there.It was Chase, their leader who answered for Major. [Yes, they will come. According to Hacks, when I also had him looking into that real estate guy that tried to buy out the Blocks brothers’ home--he sent out a call from a burner phone to whoever the thugs he hired, to go after Austin next after he somehow heard the news about younger brother Zac’s stabbing incident and thought it was a success. It seems he’s not hesitating to let his hired thugs finish things off with all of the three brothers since he must be thinking that it will be easier to buy out their house once the occupants are all gone and die from “unknown” circumstances.] [Ohh boy, that ain’t good!] Butch commented, realizing the implications from Chase’s statement over this.“Agreed,” Scythe/Sai said softly under her biker helmet too but it looks like she seemed to have noticed something by the far corner, other than the one they’re waiting for, except she shook it off like it’s nothing to be concerned about about about a few seconds later after looking closely at it. She inquired softly at the comms to Chase. “I presume that you were right on this and that we’re gathered here to stop it?”
[That--and it’s an added bonus that we find out what kind of criminals the real estate guy hired to bother and harass the Blocks brothers.]
[Speaking of the real estate guy, what did Hacks find out about him? What’s the info on why this guy’s desperate to get the brothers’ house, anyway?] Seeker had to ask this since this is the main plot of the whole case that they need to solve the mystery for the three brothers, as they are the victims of this.Before Chase was about to answer, he went silent like he spotted something and it became true when Chase said in a grim voice. [Showtime. Graves, Scythe--get ready. Here he comes. You guys know what to do.] With that, the couple standing and waiting by the one motorcycle tensed and they stood up like they’re bracing themselves at the ready for the incoming person they’ve been waiting for, to come and pass by the dark alley.It wasn’t long until Austin Blocks, the eldest brother came into view and his walking gait is almost moving at some fast sprinting pace like he’s trying to lose the pursuers who are following behind him. And it looks like the thugs that came to harass the brothers--are now wielding baseball bats or tire irons like they’re ready to dish out some kind of brutal beating until the black man’s death.All the while as this is going on and happening, the same native man was there, watching at a distance on his truck vehicle again but not too far for him to see that the biker disguised-looking Graves and his female partner were waiting in that alley.As the man watches the scene before his sharp-seeing eyes, he somehow had a bad feeling when he saw that they’re both wearing their biker helmets on even when it’s dark and that they’re just standing by the lone motorcycle like they’re waiting for someone to pass by that very alley they are in.When the black man arrived and there seemed to be a few men following behind him, the native Indian kind of male stranger was suddenly shocked when the couple went to the black man first and the helmet-covered Graves just pulled a handgun out of nowhere from his dark jacket and shot point-blank at the innocent man with three pressed shots at his chest like he used his big body as a silencer to muffle the gunshots.The black man’s pursuers were also shocked upon this happening but then the shooter’s partner suddenly brings out her own gun and points it at them, and it looks like these two are threatening them away like the alley is their own gang turf or something, and it was a split-second later that they reacted into running away, not wanting to stick around anymore since the target they’re supposed to attack with their weapons, have been beaten to it by being caught and then suddenly shot by these unknown yet new gang members ruling that spot.The native man stared wide-eyed stunned that Graves just shot and killed a man and then a black van just appeared into the sidewalk of the alley as he or his partner called for their backup to get rid of the dead body so that no police would investigate or even find out that the gang Graves is affiliated with, killed someone there.He watched as Graves and his partner stood by as lookout guards while their other gang members load the black man’s corpse into the van and then drove off swiftly with a slight skidding sound left behind their tires as they speedily get out of there before any more witnesses might notice something amiss in their neighborhood. Once the black van was gone, Graves and his partner went back to their motorcycle like their job is now done and Graves drives the bike out of there with his partner holding on to him tightly behind his back.When they almost left the alley, the native man managed to snap himself out of his shock and hastily follow after the couple before he loses them again.It wasn’t long until the couple on that motorcycle stopped at a small 7-11 shop to grab some food or drinks for their gang and the native man followed them upon getting out of his truck like he decided to try to get closer and confront Graves as he separated from his partner and went to another dark alley like he’s using the men’s room since there isn’t one inside the shop.Strangely enough, when they arrived at the shop, they didn’t remove their biker helmets like they’re paranoid or afraid that their faces will be seen and spotted by the street cameras when the shooting crime happened, and the native man believes that he needs to deal with this on his own without back up like he’s trained to do this as if he’s some kind of experienced federal agent or elite police officer.But he doesn’t know that it will be his greatest mistake yet on being there alone on his own, as he silently followed Graves from behind and into the dark alley he’s walking into. That and--his other mistake is thinking that the teenage boy Graves is harmless.When Graves turned around the corner and into the dark alley to do his business privately, and the native man followed right after him…he was shocked to find he disappeared into thin air--and that the alley is a dead end so it’s impossible for him to do that without him looking.The native man was completely shocked and confused on how he suddenly lost the young teenage boy until--!SLAM!“OW!” he cried out in surprised pain.“Who the hell are you!?” Graves snarled angrily under the biker’s helmet and the man tensed when the teen boy somehow managed to take him by surprise, even with the kind of training whatever the man’s got that is much more honed and better than him, and he tensed, even more, when he felt Graves pressed the gun right at his back as he pinned him hard against the wall.[Graves? What’s going on?] Major asked, noticing that something’s wrong when he suddenly heard Graves’ outburst as their comms are still online and linked.Scythe just appeared to assist her partner as she replied through the comms, telling them what happened, answering for Graves. “We have been followed. But Graves got him pinned right now and has him at gunpoint.”[Say WHAT NOW!?] Major exclaimed incredulously, as he couldn’t believe that they’d been spotted, and then followed.[HA! I knew it! Oh and--you’re welcome by the way!] Seeker crows like he’s admitting that he’s the one who noticed this instantly when he decided to follow behind Graves and Scythe to watch their backs or something.It seems the others are also shocked by this unexpected surprise except Chase’s voice intoned calmly, sounding like he somehow knew that two of his friends were followed. [Bring him back to HQ. But knock him out first so that whoever this guy is--he won’t know where he’s going.] The native Indian stranger did not like the look on the helmet-covered Graves when he dimly nodded like the man thought he exchanged silent looks with his partner and the next second--he got knocked out hard on the head, passed right out into the darkness upon getting hit unconscious from the strangely strong teenage boy.After knocking him out cold, Graves and Scythe waited for the others in the black van to come to their spot, and it wasn’t long until a few minutes later, the conspicuous vehicle came but when the doors opened, it revealed inside an alive Austin Blocks, showing that they faked his death so that he won’t get hurt or killed by the hired thugs/criminals before.Austin blinked in confusion and worry upon seeing the unconscious man being carefully lifted and carried by Graves and Scythe, moving him to join the others into the van. He asked, “Who is this?”“Don’t worry about that. He’s another problem that we’re going to be dealing with later--not yours. In the meantime--Hacks, you’re still tracking them?” Chase said as he’s in the front by the side seat, besides his lover/partner Major who is the driver of the black van.[Yeah. I haven’t taken off my eyes of them since they left after you guys faked Mr. Austin Blocks’ death. Why?] Hacks replied.“Can you multi-task besides watching and following the hired criminal kind of guys? We got ourselves an unexpected situation here and I need you to look into it besides our case,” Chase ordered. “But I’ll have to call you back later to do it, so focus on following after those thugs until we get more info, okay?”Hacks was silent a bit in the comms before he inquired nervously. [Oookay…should I be worried, boss?] Chase narrowed his eyes to stare at the unconscious native man once Graves and the others load him into the van and Mark tied him up with strong rope so that he won’t break his bonds until they get back to the hotel.“No, I don’t think so. Until we learn more about this unexpected situation we’re having--I’ll tell you about it. Just get back to working, Hacks,” he said.[Will do! I’ll give you the results once I got them before you guys return to the hotel.] Hacks said.“Take your time, Hacks. It’s not like this case has a deadline or that we’re in a hurry or something,” Chase said as he turns off his comm-link and glanced back like he’s making sure that the unconscious man doesn’t wake up as they drove back to their hotel hideout, even though he’s being closely watched by Mark, Sharp, and Graves.It seemed like they made it back to the hotel, in almost at a record time a few minutes later, when Major swiftly but discreetly drove the black van in the hotel’s parking lot and good thing it was still dark at nighttime when they carefully sneaked the living Austin Blocks and the unconscious native stranger inside without bumping into any guards or hotel employees working the late-night shift.Austin didn’t question on how easily they can carry a grown muscle-fit man into the hotel because Chase already thought of that and had the biggest strongest guys to carry the native stranger into the building sneakily and quietly, which are Butch, Mark, and Major so that the black man won’t think it weird if it were anyone of them doing it but they can because of their secret inhuman zombie strength.Once they made it there, with Seeker being on the lead and giving the all-clear and everything, he opened the doors for them to go through with the carried unconscious man being first and then Chase, Major, and the fake-dead Austin Blocks in the last, and the doors were swiftly closed shut and locked tight with the added “DO NOT DISTURB” sign hanging outside on the hotel doorknob.Chase stared at his friends with narrowed eyes still as they set the stranger down on the couch and then tied him up again in strong bonds of rope so that he won’t get out of it, not very tight to squeeze or choke the man to death but strong enough that he won’t be able to wriggle or break loose from them.“Guys, you make sure that he’s comfortable before and when he wakes up--we don’t want a certain someone here to think that we’re some bad kind of street gang who mistreat our uninvited guests,” Chase said in a calm but dry tone of voice.Mark looked at Chase like he thinks he’s joking but Butch and Graves nodded as they gently and carefully settle him on the couch while tying him up with the ropes and made the bonds very strong that will be difficult to break through and out of them.Scythe escorted the big black man Austin to where he can rest while staying with them in their designated room of the hotel hideout they’re in while laying out the rules for the deal of him in his stay there. It took only a minute or two for her to finish settling Austin in and then went back to the others just as they’re discussing what to do with the new unconscious stranger and how to deal with him--and also figure out the reason why this guy’s been following them.Or more specifically, why this native Indian man is following Graves as Seeker points out when he’s the one who noticed and realized it.Mark turned around and glared right at Graves once Seeker seemingly ratted him out with this surprising revelation.“You know him?” he asked in a sarcastic but demanding sharp tone.“No, I don’t! I never even met the guy! And I don’t know how or why he’s been following me! I only found out about it today!” Graves instantly protested.“I agree with Graves. He has not known that he was being stalked until the last minute that I pointed it out to him when I also noticed it, besides our friend Seeker,” Scythe voiced her sentiments, siding with her boyfriend.“It doesn’t matter if he knows him or any of us do or not--we can’t let this man go because he could compromise or jeopardize our case since he’s been following him around. Hey, Mark,” Chase said just as Mark turned to him. “Do you mind waking him up for us?”Mark almost grinned widely in an evil way as he said, “With pleasure, boss!”His boyfriend/lover Sharp glared at him in warning to not overdo it and Mark nodded back, silently promising that he won’t as he left to grab something that will instantly wake the unconscious adult man up.Chase watches him go and then looks down at the unconscious man before turning to look at the others. “While we wait for Mark to come back--Sharp, what did you find back in the man’s truck?”The man’s truck that he rented and used before had to be abandoned by the 7-11 shop but the others will be dealing with it later and before they left, Chase had Sharp check-in and look into the vehicle and grab whatever personal effects or contents he could find inside it and bring it over with them back to their hideout.“Not much--just two wallets, a 9-mil handgun hidden in the dashboard, and his cell phone, which he strangely left all of these behind in the big truck,” Sharp said as he handed over the items he took and brought it over for them to look and see the contents.Chase took one of the wallets and looked inside it to see what it holds while Major grabbed the other wallet, Graves took the cell phone as he got a few hacking skills as well to look into and hack into whose contacts the man has in it, and lastly, Sharp held on to the 9-mil handgun like he’s studying the weapon of its effectiveness and find out on what it’s used for.“Wonder who this Indian guy is? And why is he following Graves around anyway?” Seeker had to ask the main important question that’s all in their minds but then Chase surprised them when he found something more shocking upon looking into the wallet he’s holding.“He’s not just some normal native Indian person, guys--he’s a FED!” Chase suddenly proclaimed aloud, staring wide-eyed at the hidden federal ID badge that they found on this unconscious native man.“Wait…did you say Fed? Fed as in--the guy’s FBI!?” Mark exclaimed incredulously after their leader announced his findings and when Chase nodded in a positive answer and then showed the FBI badge to confirm his statement--in which they all suddenly backed away from the unconscious lying prone man as if they just attacked the US president himself, except Chase and Major who stood close by and next to the native man.“Ohh man…please do not say we just kicked and whooped ass--at a legit federal agent!?” Seeker complained, not wanting to go to prison for life, for striking and assaulting a real government kind of police officer.“I don’t think he’s here on some government assignment or a job, guys,” Major suddenly said when he found something else in the man’s wallet and he was very much surprised to find it and showed it to Chase so he could see it too.Chase’s eyes widened and then turned to look at Graves in shock after seeing the small almost crumpled and folded photo, which his partner Major had found and passed it over for him to see it.Graves blinked in confusion when Chase stared at him weirdly like that and he asked, “What?”“Graves…do you mind telling me why does this man--has a picture of you and an older woman, in which I suspect and instantly deduce that she’s your mom?” Chase asked him in a casual nonchalant way.“Say WHAT!?”Graves instantly snatched the picture from Chase’s hand and he lets him as he looks at it and stares with wide eyes, showing a positive confirmation that the woman in the picture, hugging with one arm around a younger teenage Graves by the waist, when he was about 15 or 16 years old, is really his mother.“And the plot thickens!” Seeker intoned in a dramatic low-toning way of voice, which made Sai glare at him so that he’ll shut up and he did with a wince, cowering back a little from her dangerous death-looking glare.“So are you going to recant your statement about knowing this guy, Graves?” Major had to ask him again in a pointed glaring manner.“And I told you that I don’t know him! If I had--even from before I ran away, I would have remembered him clearly if my mom and this guy were friends or something, and I know for a fact that my mom never keeps secrets from me, especially when it comes to somebody else! So--no! I really don’t know him or why this guy has my mom’s picture with me in it!” Graves snapped back at him furiously like he’s tired of being treated like he’s suddenly the bad guy here.Scythe patted him gently on the shoulder just as Major put up his hands defensively while Chase soothes him, “Calm down, friend. That’s not what Major was asking nor was he implying anything. Right?”Chase gave a pointed look at his boyfriend to show that he better not be saying what he’s implying with the words he just said and Major nodded back to his partner discreetly that he won’t, as he didn’t mean to upset their friend Graves.Graves sighed and looked at the native man, lying down on the couch, almost tied up completely like a mummy, and asked, “So what now?”Chase also sighed as his face goes blank but his eyes had a thoughtful expression as he looked at the knocked-out tied-up native stranger. “Now…it looks like knowing that he’s a fed, we’re going to have to put him back where he came from and make sure that we don’t leave any more tracks or something for him to keep on following us--even you, Graves. Speaking of which--Hacks, are you done yet or not?”“Yeah, I’m done, and boy, do I got everything from these bad boys that your mom and her cop friends are going to have the time of their lives busting them and--whoa! Uh…okay, I’m guessing this is the unexpected situation that you’re talking about, boss-man?” Hacks inquired nervously when he finally noticed the unconscious tied-up stranger lying on their couch, right there in the penthouse special suite of their hotel quarters.“Hacks, focus--what did you get or find?” Chase asked him calmly.“Okay, um--I got tons of electronic and physical evidence that your mom can haul the real estate guy in for not only hiring the criminal kinds of thugs to harass the Blocks brothers--but also other people that he bought house property or land from them when they were forced to move out because of the attacks and all that. But as for the criminals…well, you’re not going to like what I found out about them upon stumbling into the real truth about this particular criminal gang and why this real estate guy likes hiring them to do the job nice and clean--well for his despicable kind of standards--!”“Hacks…” Chase said simply but with a warning kind of calm tone.“The thugs--the criminals that were hired to do all that wet-work, break-ins, and the harassment jobs--they’re a small group of an anti-militia gang!”With that said, they all stared at him shocked like they never expected that kind of revelation, and it was a good thing that Austin is held up comfortably settled in the other room where he can’t hear their conversation but they didn’t notice that the knocked-out man on the couch beside them, is now stirring a little to wakefulness upon the slight fluttering from his closed eyelids.“You…have got to be kidding me!” Sharp cried out in a sudden snap like how similar he feels with his partner Mark on having issues against gang-bangers and the likes similar to that.“Ohh crap--does this mean that we have to deal with them, huh? And not the cops?” Graves had to ask the serious question that comes instantly to mind when it comes to dealing with this particular kind of criminal group as Hacks said that they are.Chase had to ask again to confirm it. “Are you sure that they are what they really are, Hacks?”Hacks didn’t need to voice it out to answer him but just silently nodded in confirmation.Chase sighs, looking blank and silently thoughtful for a moment before a tense minute later has passed, and then he said, commanding at his friends like he’s some kind of army general. “Okay, get ready and gear up! We’re leaving to deal with these guys tomorrow early at 0700, once I deal with my normal affairs and meet up with you after delivering an anonymous call. We’ll meet up at the rendezvous point, deal with this anti-militia group fast, and then leave quick like the wind before the cops come, okay?”“Yes, sir!” Seeker had to jokingly salute, but this time the others let him when Mark glanced over to the tied-up native man and asked, “What about him?”“We’re taking him back. Right where his truck is. Sharp, put all his stuff back on his person and you, Mark, and Butch will have to go and quickly get him back over there before he wakes up. It looks like we’ll deal with the Fed matter later on after we finish this case. Scythe, you go to Austin and tell him that he needs to call his brothers and have them stay where they are while he stays put here safely, okay? Alright--let’s move, guys! We don’t have a lot of time and let’s finish this!”They all nodded and went to do as Chase ordered them to do, and Major was the one who drove Chase home swiftly before Veronica might notice something wrong and try to track him upon going home late at that nighttime by motorcycle, while the three people carry the man back to the black van in the parking lot and drive him back to where he last came from, where he had been following Graves and Scythe before and he got ambushed by them.However, when the three teens drove and brought the man back there at the right spot, carefully moving him and untying him from his rope bonds inside the truck vehicle he’s using, they left quickly, just as the native male stranger abruptly woke up and sits up from his seat but nearly winces as he nurses the headache he felt from being hit there by Graves.The native man hurriedly got his cell phone out to call for whoever his special contacts were and immediately told him to send him results on whoever this teen gang were and advised him to call law enforcement to be at the ready to stop an impending attack or something, or else an innocent person will get hurt, or worse, killed.Especially from the main target that he’s been following and failed to make contact with him, which is the young teen Graves.The native man’s name and the kind of FBI profession he is has been finally revealed once he made that call.[Agent Black Runner. Just what is going on? Why are you calling with such a shocking favor?] The native man who is named or called to be Black Runner in a strange yet unique way just snapped through his cell phone. “Look, I’ll tell you all about it later and send in a report but right now--just do what I told you, alright!?”He hangs up the phone, double-checks to see if all his stuff is still there on his person, then fishes out the car keys and starts up the truck to drive to wherever he was staying at, to also get himself ready and follow the teen gang to the place that they’ll be going into, upon catching and eavesdropping on their conversation that they’ll be running right into a dangerous kind of firefight, and the native man is determined to be there to stop it before these young children get hurt.In which he’s not only doing this for Graves, that he’s targeting on, but also for his friends once he had heard enough and realized that his friends are not some bad kind of street gang--as it turns out from what he caught the gist of it, they are some kind of vigilante private detective kind of group.00000It was the next day later since the last night Chase and his gang have rooted out the criminal group upon faking the death of their client, concerning this case, and now they’re dealing with it themselves because of the shocking revelation about the thugs that the mastermind real estate man had hired, were the worst kinds, which is the anti-militia renegade rogue soldier kinds.If it was one thing that Chase and his friends hated the worst but had no choice but to deal with it themselves when it comes to these kinds of cases they’re solving on, it is that anti-military terrorist kind of group.Fortunately, Hacks shared and told them that this rogue soldier group is only small and that they are overly paranoid kinds of people like the conspiracy theorists kinds, and they can be easily dealt with first before the cops come and apprehend them.The reason why Chase said that he and his teen gang are going to be dealing with this one was that sometimes these irrational paranoid kinds of rogue soldier groups carry the big mean guns so their special inhuman abilities will enable them to deal with these guys to disarming them faster before the cops get there and find themselves right into a firefight, in which there will be casualties.That and--Chase didn’t want his mom to come into the scene after he delivers the anonymous call while at the fake pretense that he went off to the private school as normal as he should be doing but was doing something else that is secret and slightly wrong to Veronica’s standards if she found out about it or not--and get herself hurt once she drives right into a fiery trap or something worse like a battle fray or something.So after Chase left his mom, who’s oblivious of the latest new case he’s working on with his still hidden secret friends, and also the plan he’s about to take out right now and then, and then veered off to a different direction, calling his faculty teachers in the fake call that he’s sick and cannot come to school, went right to the meeting spot with the others and prepared themselves to get ready and geared up with their black wardrobe-covering kinds and their special kind of weaponry they’re arming up to get rid and disarm the anti-militia terrorist kind of criminal gang.“You guys, ready?”Chase asked his gang after they finished gearing up and dressing into full-on black biker kind of gang, with helmets on, and extra shielded bullet-proof vests under their dark jackets, in case the criminal gang shoots at them with the big guns and their zombie bodies won’t be able to withstand the shots, heal up, or something like that.Graves took a deep breath like he’s bracing himself to be prepared and ready for his special kind of weapon, which is a compound crossbow. “Ready as we’ll ever be, chief.”Chase didn’t mind the other kind of leader nickname he’s been given before he puts on his helmet and turns on the comm-link, which is shared to all of them and online right to Hacks, who was the only one left behind, back at the hotel HQ. “Hacks, you all set and we on?”[Yep. All set and ready to move! I’ll send out the signal once the cops are nearing your location. So far, your mom and the other elite cops are checking in to see if the anonymous call is legit and all that--but once you send up the fireworks…I’m pretty sure that all the cops in every Neptune precinct will come running and driving into the spot before you guys wrap it up over there!] Once Hacks confirmed and told them all this, they all tense like they’re getting ready to run into a war zone, in a dangerous kind of environment that is in the urban place such as the very spot they’re on now, which is the hideout of the criminal anti-militia gang, that Hacks followed exactly to where they are holding up from last night, gave the results on what he found from being caught on street cameras and other cameras nearby that vicinity.Chase nodded dimly, even though Hacks can’t see it, and then he looked at his friends who returned his gaze, even under the black reflective covers of their biker helmets. “Let’s fire it up and bring on one heck of a surprise on them, guys!”“HELL YEAH!” Seeker crowed, his body nearly vibrating with eager excitement upon bringing on the mayhem and raining the chaotic kind of Hells-fire into the criminal gang, taking them by surprise.It was a minute or two later, as the anti-militia criminal gang were just patrolling about for any unwanted visitors or intruders, as well as a few of them checking on their stored goods, such as military guns and weaponry, or canned food and stocks of bottled water, almost looking like this kind of gang seemed to be preparing for some kind of apocalypse or something--when suddenly right out of the blue--a small tube was thrown into the middle of the fray and when one of them noticed and was about to check it out and pick up whatever the object is, it suddenly exploded into a bright FLASHING LIGHT!Nearly startling all the thugs and blinding them from the sudden flash-banging grenade.“AH! WHAT THE HELL?!”“I CAN’T SEE! I’M BLIND!”“WHAT THE F#&K WAS THAT!?”BANG! BANG! NUMEROUS BANGS!!!After that sudden flash-bang, a small team of biker-looking guys just jump into the fray and shoot some kind of stun bullets--heck, even taser modified arrow bolts from a crossbow-wielding Graves, shocking and tasering all the criminal gang members into unconsciousness without harming or killing them.Once they took out this few members of the anti-militia gang, they spread out into separate directions, to deal with more of the criminal thugs one by one, from patrol guards to the low-ranking gang member wandering around and about in their hideout, unaware of the unexpected intruders that sneaked in without them noticing.The only one who knows this sneaky attack operation that Chase and his friends are doing--or rather, a certain two someones--are Hacks hooked up online in his computers, watching over them, as well as looking out in the police official lines, and also the native man, who is called Agent Black Runner as he was revealed to be an FBI agent and standing by his truck, almost faraway from a distance on the anti-militia criminal gang’s hideout, and he’s also gearing up with a protective vest and his gun, to get in there and stop the teen gang from getting hurt or maybe doing something worse to apprehend the criminal thugs in their own vigilante ways.When he sneaked in, however, he found the knocked-down stunned thugs, that were left lying and abandoned on the ground, and he carefully checked their pulses to see how they are, which he’s surprised to find that all of them were still alive yet unconscious from the shocking hits they got hit with from rubber shock bullets that he noticed were lying around, as well as a taser-modified arrow bolt, which he nearly shocked himself upon moving to pick some up and they were still alive enough to shock anyone else that comes by to touch them.The native man decided to leave them be so that when the cops along with the forensics, he’d like to know what they’re made of since these kinds of rubber bullets and bolts were ingenious enough to take them all out.He went off and continued on to try to find any one of the biker disguised teenagers or maybe confront a few of them but then he decided to find Graves first, which he managed to catch sight from his binoculars before on which one exactly is the right teenager, that is the one wielding the crossbow.It didn’t take long for the native man to find him, amidst the sudden shouts and faded gunfire he could hear, along with a few flashing explosions which he spotted and figured out that the teens are taking the adult criminals by surprise, by using flash bombs to blind, quickly stun, and knock them down--in which Graves moved and met the native Indian FBI agent first upon jumping out of nowhere, crossbow up and ready to shoot at what he thought was another criminal gang member coming around the corner, but instantly stopped and froze in shock when he saw that it’s the native man again, same from before, and he didn’t look upset that he was knocked out by him despite that he’s also pointing a gun right at him when Graves appeared.Before the native man Black Runner or the teen boy Graves was about to say or snap at one another, for wanting that the other one must leave this place and let them handle it, Graves’ helmet jerked like he sensed something, turned right around and confronted another gang member but this one is very angry and shot right at Graves on the chest with powerful buckshot from his shotgun before Graves had the chance to react and fire first.“NO!”The native man instantly shot at the offending criminal, perfect aims right at his head to kill him since the man just shot an innocent teenager right before his eyes. But then Black Runner became more surprised when the shot-downed Graves groaned soundly and twitched a little upon lying on the ground and he instantly went down to check his well-being.“I’m alright--hey, I’m OK! Get off me!” Graves said, his voice slightly muffled from the biker helmet he’s wearing, as he tried to push away the two hands brushing him down and trying to take off his black shot-off jacket to see the damage.The native man ignored his words and managed to pull and split the jacket apart but then he registered the sight of the shotgun blast shooting right at the modified kind of bulletproof vest that he somehow missed into not spotting it when Graves and his teen friends barged and broke into the criminal hideout.“See? I’m fine! You feds got your special bulletproof vests--my friends and I got ours too!” Graves said as he decided to take his biker helmet off so that the man can hear him speak clearly.“Well, I’m glad to see that you and your friends are prepared--but I think it’s time to pull you out of here before any one of you gets hurt, much worse than this!” he said in a firm and very serious tone as he strongly pulled and lifted him up with both hands and then grabbed a hold of him in a surprisingly strong grip so that Graves won’t run away or something.“What are you--!? I can’t! The others--! Hey! Let go!” Graves tried to struggle and break free of his hold but he’d rather not use his hidden zombie strength to twist or break the man’s hands as he kept holding on to him with one arm.That’s when Chase suddenly appears out of nowhere, right in front of the native man and Graves as the adult tries to pull and drag the teen away and when Graves thought that he’s about to snap at him for to stop, he surprised them when he said, “The Fed’s right! There are already cops incoming much faster and earlier than planned! Some of the others managed to deal with the other guys but a few--maybe three or four--of them are running away to escape by the north side once they heard the police sirens! You better call that in, Agent.”Normally, an adult such as this native FBI man himself would not listen to a civilian kind of person, especially a teenager but after seeing the kind of efforts this teen gang had made into subduing the criminals, he listened to him as he brought out his cell phone with his other free hand and called it in with his special contacts. And he still did not let go of Graves when he tried to use his distraction to break free of his hold but his grip stayed firm and strong still.It wasn’t long about an hour or so, as the time nearly passed by like a blur, that Chase, Graves, and all their friends in the teen gang are gathered around by the truck, next to the native man, who offered to get them out of there and hide them out of sight, just as the police arrived to take in and apprehend all the criminals in their hideout.Normally, a real legit government agent, such as the FBI native man Black Runner would have turned all the teenagers in for their vigilante actions they unsanctioned and done into the criminal’s hideout but they already dealt with and stunned all the criminals, taking them out, only leaving the mentioned fleeing runners which were easily caught by the police as soon as they arrived there.After the cops arrested and took all the now-conscious criminals once they woke up from being stunned or shocked by the disguised teen gang, they were all immediately taken to the station for processing and the forensics people are now gathering all the evidence they found and can find, to pin down the crimes, including the future ones on the criminal gang.They watched with smug smiles all on their faces, except the only one who’s not smiling or was torn to not smile upon seeing the scene, was the native Indian FBI agent.“Wait a minute…ohh sh--I mean, crap!” Chase suddenly exclaims out loud, startling his friends while minding his cursing when he saw the disapproving look from the native man’s face upon noticing his words.“What? What’s wrong?!” Major demanded, looking around alertly and instantly on guard like they somehow missed another renegade anti-militia soldier.“I forgot about my mom being there! Snap it all--we’re not supposed to be here--she’s gonna see us!” Chase hissed in a very low tone voice as he ducked down and tried to hide from view so that he won’t be spotted by his detective mother, Veronica Mars, as it turns out she’s part of the police squad called upon the scene and apprehending the group of rogue anti-militia criminals.The others realized this and also tried to duck down the same as Chase or rather run around to hide behind the big truck so that they won’t be spotted by Chase’s mother.The native man snorted like he couldn’t believe it but already knew this revelation as he’s the only one standing calm while the teenagers hid. “When I looked into all of you teens’ backgrounds--I couldn’t find anything legit or authentic from most of you, except young Gray here and Chase Mars--I never thought to find and discover that your mother Veronica Mars is an actual Homicide Detective working at Neptune Police department. Your mother is going to be very furious with you when she finds out what you and your gang friends have been doing right here and now then.”Graves suddenly said, “If I said that I’m gonna listen whatever it is that you had to say--since you’re my mom’s friend or something--would you please not call this in and leave my friends alone?! I know for a fact--that my mom must have sent you or something since I figured that you were pretty much focused on finding ME! So--will you--PLEASE?!”Graves had to help out his friends to not get in trouble upon being caught by the real law, especially from Chase’s mom, so he was forced to do this and hear this guy out, albeit at the same time he’ll find out why this native man has been trying to find him.It seems that those are the exact magic words that the native man has been looking or expecting for, so he offered again to drive some of the teens to get out of there, away from the Neptune police people’s sights but most of them decided to get back to the black van and the few motorcycles they used before upon arriving into the criminal hideout and have them driven out of there before other cops notice or see them, while the few left decided to accept it and drive with the FBI agent upon leaving the place.And that latter few is actually Graves, Scythe, and Seeker, which the last one also wanted to know what’s the deal with this FBI guy and find out why he kept following Graves around upon realizing that he’s the main target of this Fed.It didn’t take long for them to leave before any latter cop might have spotted them leaving or not and once they did, Graves had directed the native man on where they needed to go after they reached a faraway distance where no other police authority and even security cameras would spot them, in which Scythe silently relayed instructions from Hacks after he was briefed on what has happened and everything.By the time they went to a secluded isolated place away from any other people and parked on that very spot, it seems that Graves had a private talk with the native man, asking him questions, and the adult male returned in kind to answer everything that he needed to know. When it comes to the personal stuff, Scythe respected that privacy and forced the biker helmet back into Seeker’s head so that he won’t listen into the conversation. After the truck parked, all three teens left the truck and the native man is easily letting them go because he said or answered whatever Graves needed to know about why he’s there and also told him the truth about his mother still looking for him.It seems that the Indian agent decided to give Graves some time to think about his decision to call his mother and before he and the other two teens left, he called for him again to get his attention and reached something out for Graves to take.The native man, who calls himself Black Runner in his native Indian heritage namesake rights or something, reaches out a small piece of paper with the written numbers on it to Graves, as he looked at it uncertainly.“She loves you--and she still does, even when she’s always busy or was working back then--and even when you suddenly disappeared and had gone missing…just call her and let her know that you’re okay,” he told him softly.“I said I’ll think about it!” Graves snapped at him again, not liking how this Indian kind of guy is being pushy about it, even though he shares the same good point just as his girlfriend Sai/Scythe does.Speaking of her, she stood almost faraway distantly by the sidelines with Seeker, as they wait for Graves to finish whatever business he has with FBI agent Black Runner.After taking the paper with the call numbers on it, Graves nodded slightly at the native man as they exchanged goodbyes and the man left to go back wherever he truly belonged to, perhaps returning to relay the news to Graves’ mother that he’s alive and well, in which Graves finally decided that it was time for her to know, much to Scythe’s approval on this, except Seeker seemed uncertain about it since their leader prohibited contact of his friends with whatever family they got left or friends they know of, because of their inhuman kind of conditions.But before he left upon starting his truck to drive out of there, he heard the young teen male’s voice call out to him suddenly. “Hey!”He turned around to look back at Graves as he asked demanding. “Just who are you to my mom anyway?!”The native man didn’t answer but Graves can see that he has a slight smile on his face like there’s a little secret between him and his mother, which he doesn’t know deeply about.Graves didn’t know whether the expression on the man’s face is a good thing or not but before he could repeat the question, demanding it, the man already drove on out of there with a slight skid of his tires and Graves and the other two watched as he left and gone, his vehicle disappearing into the traffic lane horizon.It looks like the answer on who this native man Black Runner’s relationship with Graves’ mother…will be revealed later on in the future when the time comes or not.Graves shook his head like he’s a little annoyed to have his last answer unanswered from the native man but he turned and joined Scythe and Seeker to call in the others to pick them up while Seeker tried to ask Graves about what it was he talked with the Fed but Graves didn’t answer him, in which Scythe glared at him to be silent and not demand more or talk to him about it, in which Seeker meekly complied.00000By the time Graves, Scythe, and Seeker were picked up and Chase got home without his mom knowing that something’s amiss upon thinking that he went off to private school and he called back to Austin Blocks that it’s safe now for him to return to his brothers once the cops caught all the criminals, the case they’re on is officially been solved and dealt with.The bonus cherry on top of their case they just solved, is apprehending a would-be terrorist anti-militia criminal group before they were about to grow or expand into something more or far worse when it happens or not, now that they’ve all been arrested by the cops and the evidence that’s on them is enough to put them into jail for life.After Chase called Austin and shared the news, the older brother was so happy that it is finally over for his family, that he decided to help him out with very good favor, in which Chase took it when Austin offered anything on whatever he wanted and he’ll give it to him.Once that’s done, Chase had to share the good news with his friends but he didn’t want to keep their hopes up so he called Major first and he and his lover went to check it out to see if the gift was rewarded and given by their client is really legit and solid.“Hey, guys, we got some news for you. Do you want the good news…or the bad news first?” Chase asked nonchalantly to his friends.They all looked at him like he’s bearing very grave news, instead of good or bad when Chase and Major returned from wherever they went on their short errand to after the case was solved and the criminals were caught, which it showed on the latest news the next day later after the great arrests on the anti-militia rogue renegades' criminal gang.“When is it ever good news, even with the bad?” Sharp had to sarcastically inquire once Chase said those ominous kinds of words.Major suddenly laughed, taking them by surprise from his outburst and Chase shook his head and lightly glared at his partner/lover for ruining the surprise but Major interrupted before Chase could scold him. “He’s just pulling your legs, guys! It’s actually really good news--we found a new place for all of us to stay and hold up in.“Basically put, it was a reward given by Mr. Austin Blocks in thanks for solving the case and solving their family problems for further harassment and such when the cops arrested the real estate guy, his hired thugs, and all their crimes were exposed!” Chase grinned at them when their faces showed their stunned shock as he continued. “As gratitude for helping his family--he pointed out the right direction where our new hide-out and the safe base is--all government and tax-free, provided we pay back fairly in a monthly time during our stay there.”“Chase and I already looked into it earlier and checked it out,” Major finished for him. “That’s where we went. So…any of you guys interested in taking a look too?”There was a sudden noise coming from Hacks’ room, which they all turned to see what the commotion was about, and nearly all of them were amused upon seeing Hacks already packed as he tried to carry all his laptop bags, computer stuff, and everything electronics all at once in his big pudgy arms.“What are we waiting for?! LET’S GO!” Hacks cried excitedly, as he already got the news first before the others did.They laughed at his excited response while Chase and Major both shook their heads, even though they’re both grinning with amusement.It didn’t take long for them to drive over there by their motorbikes and black van as usual that the vehicles they have with them. And when they got there, their reactions were expected once they got a good look at their new home and hideout.And the place is actually an abandoned warehouse, almost in the middle of nowhere, even in the state of California, on Neptune city itself too.“Dude…this is the most awesome hide-out I have ever been on, man!” Mark exclaimed excitedly as he looked around at their new secret home base and hideout as they looked and checked it out from both outside and inside of the slightly large warehouse building.Chase shrugged. “I know, it’s not much--but in thanks from the Blocks brothers, they helped us to find a really good place for all of us to live in hiding. Even without worrying upon being spotted and recognized as the ‘NYC Survivors’ and everything.”“This--is--SO COOL!” Seeker exclaimed, giddy like an overly exuberant kid, wide-eyed in awe and wonder.Major chuckled. “Feel free to take a look around, guys. Oh, and also, we got a few of the rooms already set-up so--”“DIBS!” Butch suddenly yelled and dashed off.“Hey! No fair! I call it FIRST!”Seeker exclaimed incredulously as he chased after Butch who ran away to get the best room to himself first.Chase glared at Major pointedly like he’s blaming him for the two about to have a fight soon on whose who is taking whichever best room they wanted for themselves and Major just shrugged back at him helplessly like it’s not his fault.Then it didn’t take long for the others to follow Butch’s example into finding their own place upon any of the rooms in the warehouse there are and make it their own space, even to share it with their partner or not.And those paired or partnered rooms would be Chase and Major on the top floor by the big foggy or cracked windows so that they can look out and guard watch on the outside, along with Mark and Sharp beside them, then Butch and Seeker as they decided to share each other on the slightly best-looking room, which is some sort of storage unit space, for them to decorate or improvise to their liking.And finally and lastly, Sai/Scythe and Graves take the last room for the two of them to sleep and live in, which is nearby the generators in case they are needed to fix it, and the room space they took in is perfect to store more supplies or weaponry, as well as fixing or making stuff in there like creating new primitive kind of weapons, modifying them, and even fix or make up gadgets for their future missions.Sai nodded satisfied as she surveyed their new room, which she doesn’t mind sharing with her partner/boyfriend Graves.“This is perfect,” she said softly, not noticing that her boyfriend was still frowning solemnly to himself behind her until she turned around and saw it.She instantly knew what’s wrong when she saw how he’s still fiddling with the small piece of paper in his hands like he’s torn between throwing it away or holding on to it.Sai decided to give her own opinion to let Graves know what she thinks so that he won’t feel so conflicted in his thoughts.“You should call her, Gray…she is your mother,” she advised softly.“I don’t know…what if she hates me and says it the moment I call her?” Gray/Graves had to ask, looking very uncertain about it.“Well…you won’t know that until you try. So--just call her and get it over with,” she told him in a firm but soft tone to indicate that she’s serious and that she won’t hesitate to force her partner to call his mother, even if he wants to or not.Graves was silent for a moment like he’s thinking deeply, pondering over his decision mentally, until a minute later, after Scythe just gave him a pointed glare, he relented and reached out his other free hand for a cell phone to call.Sai smiled happily at his choice and lent him her phone as he dialed and called the exact numbers written from the small paper before he might change his mind.The ringing was sounded once and it was instantly answered by the receiver on the other end.
[Hello?]
Graves was silent for an awkward moment again and the woman on the other end doesn’t seem annoyed or irritated upon the caller being silent as she asked again.
[Hello?]
“Mom…?” Graves finally voiced out after a quiet minute or two, when in reality it was only a few seconds.
[…oh my God--Gray!?]
The female person, who was revealed to be his mother, gasped in shock but also joy from what he can hear or somehow sense as she cried out sobbing in the phone line.“Hey, Mom…I’m okay…how are you?” he said softly.Whatever conversation the reunited mother and son have through the phone line, was made private just as Sai/Scythe left Graves alone to have his emotional talk with his mom.Speaking of mother and son, it seems that Chase was checking up on the others to see if they’re comfortable with their chosen rooms they picked and found out that Graves is contacting his mother, despite the forbidden rule that he made for them--but he’s letting it slide because he can see that Graves needed it as much as his family does on not knowing whether their lost kids are alive or dead--since that grave incident that gotten his friends turned into zombies from his hands and such.Chase decided to do something else like he’s following Graves’ example and got his phone out to call for his mom Veronica, knowing that she believes that he’s at home after school in which she’s still unaware that he skipped it that day when he and his friends busted the criminal gang and solve the new case in their private detective freelance time.
[Hey, I wasn’t expecting you to call--but I’m glad you did cause I was about to call you and say that I’m gonna be a little late from work. Is everything all right, Chase?]
It almost sounds like Veronica Mars had the sudden feeling that there must be something worrying her son since he called her first before she did.“No, no. Everything’s fine--it’s just…” Chase sighs and decided to let it out before he changes his mind. “I was just wondering…when is Logan coming back? Cause I was thinking…we should get together and hang out, if that’s alright?”Veronica did not expect that coming from Chase but then she’s very glad that he likes to hang out more when Logan comes back from his Navy duty and be on leave upon returning to Neptune for her and her teenage kid, which he told her in their previous private contact to one another that he liked to get together and know more with Chase so that they’ll get along better like a family of sorts. The reason why Veronica didn’t tell Logan of her answer to his offer was that she wanted her son to reach out first--and behold, he suddenly calls at the right time and told her his choice, albeit it was nudged and caused by the recent case he and his friends have solved and went through at the latter end.Chase knew better than that he might regret this in the future…but he’d rather give this man Logan Echolls a chance anyway, since this case--or rather, Graves contacting his mom--seemingly taught him something and decided to get to know the man better than before since he is his mom’s former boyfriend long ago and she meant to decide or choose to be with him again whatever their kind of relationship turns out to.Chase didn’t know that both his and Logan’s relationship with one another…is going to change in another unexpected twist or turn in the future when another mystery-solving case comes for the teen zombie, that might bring them closer together--or tear them apart into a distance once more.0000000000AUTHOR’S NOTES:Another chapter finished! I hope you like it!I am very sorry it took so long, REAL LIFE is not kind to me, along with the ongoing COVID-19 PANDEMIC.Hopefully, by the next year 2022, or sometime then, things will be changing for the better and moving smoothly for me and my writing works!There will be more chapters and updates for this story and others very soon, I promise!Enjoy Readers!PLEASE REVIEW OR COMMENT!00000