The Darkness comes hunted

Chapter Nine: The First Warning

Back at the Prescott Manor, The Phantom Castle... a loud screaming noise can be heard from Valentina's room, who just wake up from her nightmare. touching her neck, her eyes shift to a doorway where her mother stares at her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Valentina, no more wearing Nathan's varsity jacket to sleep."

"It was really cold in this room mother... and I don't have any cold jacket."

"What about the Gucci Jacket, your father just bought for you last month."

"It's in laundry, Mother."

"And what with all this paper mess in your room, Valentina?"

"I-- I was working on the eulogy, Mother."

"Don't bother--- You won't be speaking at his memorial--- god knows what you say." Mrs.Prescott enters her daughter's room in a negligee, holding a glass of red wine." something to humiliate us" she continues, leaning down to grab a piece of paper from Valentina's hand.

After reading what Valentina has to say, she scrambles it and throws it away... It pissed Valentina off really hard but...it was her mother, so there is nothing she can do about it.

The next day at school, in the old stock room that now has been turned into the office of The Golden Red School's paper, Thanks to Betty and Jimmy, who have been cleaning that room for days.

In that room, Jimmy walks toward a board that full of information and their clue about the Merrick Biotech dirty secret that they have been researching for weeks--- nearly half of the information comes from the old employee that used to work for some of the Merrick sub-crime family, and the other half come from the police investigation.

Pointed at one of the pins on the board, Jimmy explain to Betty, on how he thinks that, all of the powerful and rich family in Lakewood especially The Blossom and the Prescott, all have a piece of a bigger pie and the involvement to the arrival of Merrick Biotech in Lakewood.

"This is the replica of my dad investigation board on The Bulldog and Nathan murder, before it was trashed, last night," Said Jimmy

"Someone broke into the precinct," Betty asks.

"No, Betty, it's not the precinct--- it is my dad's office at my house."

"Do your dad have any leads on who did that?--- and what they were looking for?"

"No--- not a single fingerprint was found--- but they stole a bunch of files--- background checks... and especially all the video and audiotapes of police interviews."

The door to the office opened, a footstep can be heard--- it Cole.

"Hey, Betty, hey Jimmy, --- what you guys doing here? I thought it a stocked room?"

"Cole--Hi---yeah it used to be a stocked room, now it's the Golden Red's Office."

"Oh---didn't know the Golden Red's back--- and sorry to interrupt your little secrete meeting."

"Oh---no it okay, Cole--- We're just working on--"

"The Merrick case, why didn't you guys tell me?"

"We know about your *House arrest* kind of thing with your dad, so we don't want to bring you any more trouble with your dad, but if you want to join us, you always welcomed?" said Betty

"Cool--Cool, I would love to, I don't want to work on the story at the booth alone--- you know when you guys busy, and besides I heard this room have a better WI-FI then the Arcade."

"Yeah--- it does, it's a really good Wi-Fi. 1OMB a second, Can you believe that?"

"Yeah Betty, it's crazy fast not gonna lie?"

"And what are you coming here for, Cole?" Jimmy asks.

"Ahhh---yeah I'm here to ask you guys to come to the Arcade tomorrow, after Nathan's memorial? I mean if you are free and not busying investigate some evil corporation?" Said smirky Cole.

"We'll be there, Cole" Betty replies with a smile.

"Okay---that cool, then--I'm--see you at Phantom Castle tomorrow then." Said Cole, staring at Betty for a sec, and leaving.

________________

Sunday coming, The Nathan Prescott's memorial at The Prescott Manor, and the so-called*Phantom Castle* is underway. Many of the rich and powerful people in Lakewood all attended that memorial.

Back at Cole, arriving at the Gate of Phantom Castle, waiting for it to open, riding with him is Cheryl Parker... parked and walking to the manor, Valentina come out and greet them both,

"Hello Vampire and Soul shucker, Welcome to the realm of the living." Said Valentina, giving Cole and Cheryl her usual normal greeting.

"Well hello to you too, Velo, nice to see you rise and shine like normal----, and I just want to offer my condolences."

"That so kind of you, but I don't think you feel sorry for him, Colie, you always want his spot as Captain of the Bulldog since the beginning of time, so it no wonders you dated the principal daughters just to secure your stolen spot from my Nathan as the new Captain," Valentina replies, walking away as nothing happen.

Cheryl can't handle Valentina's sassy comment at her boyfriend, she nearly goes and slabs Valentina in the head, but Cole stops her first before she makes a mess... and he put his black Varsity jacket on Cheryl over her black dress to keep her warm.

"Ready to enter the belly of the beast?" Said Cole

"With you as my white knight, Always," Chery replies with a smile,

The two holding their hand together, walk into the Manor main room.

While the two teens romance walking into the Manor, Valentina decides to go to The Prescott's graveyard and prepare her brother's forever resting place, before the actual buried ceremony comes.

After preparing her brother's grave and walking back to the Manor, Valentina sees Mike Sinclair coming with Betty Wheeler, talking to her mother of all people, she thinks.

"I can not believe you actually came... The invitation that I give to you is just a way for me to not get in trouble with my mother that all, I don't really intend to invite you two to my brother's funeral... so now you two can piss off and get out of my house." Said Valentina, splashing about a load of insult right into Betty's face, and proceed to walk away."

"Valentina, Wait---I know you're in pain, This is a horrible week for you, I'm sure that why you're being obnoxious---"

"Maybe--- what's your points?" Valentina cuts Betty off.

"Look, I don't wanna be locked in a catfight to the death with you--- and that only ends in one way-- mutual annihilation." Said Betty

"You right, I'm sorry, I agreed," Valentina replies.

"So can't we just be friends like old-time, or at least, frenemies?"

"If you really want to extend an olive branch, Betty, come to a sleepover I'm having?"

"Fine, sure, when?" Betty asks

"The night before Nathan's actual funeral." After saying that, Valentina walks up the stair and glazed back," I don't want to spend the night before I bury my brother in a big scary house alone." she walks off.

Betty nods and looks at Mike for approval, which Mike agreed,

Back inside Phantom Castle, a big red bouquet of flower setting on fancy gold and silver table with a big framed Nathan's picture set beside in the sitting room...while Mrs.Prescott's show Captain Hopper a way around the room,

"Nathan's memorial will be held in this very room...before he's laid to rest in the cemetery on Phantom Castle holy ground next week." Said Mrs.Prescotts.

"And can I know why you invited me here, Mrs. and Mr. Prescott's?" Captain Hopper asks.

"To look the person who murders my son in cold blood." Said Mr.Prescott's

"We've invited everyone on our list..." Mrs.Prescotts adds.

"What list is that?"

"A list of suspects, of Couse and if you still wondering, we invited you here to look for someone whose seem suspected or the people with grudges against us...many of them are the member of Lakewood's founding families, and I'm sorry to say, but someone in this town killed Jason and try to use the other Bulldog player death to make it seem like a group kills." Said Mr.Prescotts.

Captain Hopper nods in disagree. "I can't just arrest someone and bring them to question for no reason,?" Said the Captain

"No...but Mayor Blossom, your boss, may I remind you, Captain Hopper, Seem to agree with my idea....so your option is, do what I say, or you lost your job." Mrs.Prescott's said, looking straight at Captain Hopper's eyes.

To their surprise, Valentina has heard everything they just said while she walking in trying to get upstairs to her room.

"Oh, so that why you invited The Wheeler, The Walker, and everyone else here, to investigate them, right Mother?" she rolled her dark green eyes at her parents.

"No, Valentina, it's not like that...now go back to your room, the adults are talking." Her father replies.

"Oh come on, Daddy, that not what I heard when I'm walking in here... "

"Valentina, go back to your room now!!!"

"No, Mother, sorry---you guys just---bad---and you think I'm manipulative, heartless, and making this all about myself," said Valentina.

Mrs. Prescott's eyes roll toward her daughter's in a sign of disappointment.

"Valo, Honey, We don't need to fight right now---go back to your room, we talk after the memorial."

"You won't get away this time, Mother, Daddy."

_________________________

Meanwhile, in the sitting room, Cole, Mike, Betty, and Cheryl find each other and decide to sit next to each other for the first time--- I mean the first time Cheryl and Betty sit next to each other.

A minute later, a whole parade came in through the front door, it was Mayor Blossom and his family's.

"Such a BS" Cole whisper, but his whisper is a little bit loud because everyone around heard what he just said.

"What," Said Cole, Looking back at everyone around him after he just said Mayor Blossom is BS.

"You know they all are Mayor Blossom supporters right," Betty whispered to his ears.

"Who cares! I just exercise my first amendment right, that all--- if they have a problem with that go discuss it with James Madison, I'm sure he waiting for them in his grave." Cole replies, in *Cole Style* of way, which everyone hates.

After greeting the important and rich guest, Mrs. Prescott comes up to the stand and delivers her eulogy, but before she can do that---something surprise just comes down the Phantom Castle's long stairways.

All the guests in the room turn to the back of the room, now wearing a white dress, a white headband with a thin red belt. Valentina procced down the aisle like a bride.

Mr. & Mrs.Prescotts are now in shock with what their daughters just do to them, wearing a white dress to a Prescott's funeral is a big no-no in Prescott's family tradition book.

Cheryl and Betty gaps in shock "Oh my god"

Valentina continues to walk to the front of the room where her parents just stand still beside their son's casket adorned with flowers, in front of it is the podium and the guest.

"Welcome to Phantom Castle, Thanks you all for coming.---if you'll kindly take your seats---okay---I like to start the memorial---with a few words about Nathan and his ten other friends who died with him.

"

Mrs.Prescott's is not okay with this, she tries to get up from her seat, but her husband, Mr.Prescotts hold her tight, trying to contain his wife from unleashing the disaster, but the real disaster is about to hit them in the face real soon when Valentina starts her eulogy.