The Darkness comes hunted

Chapter Six: The Paper trail

Morning comes up, school comes back, Lakewood High opens its door again for it student to come in, and that includes Betty, Mason, Jimmy and Cole, The man that just went through the worst path of his life recently.

"Thanks, You, guys again, for helping me go through the worst path of life yesterday, without you guys, I don't think I can do it."

"Don't you worry, Colie, we will always be there when you need us, we will always back you up no matter the circumstant, Right guys?"

"Yeah, man, Me, Betty, and Mason will always be there for you, Colie." Said the heart whelming Jimmy Hopper, Cole hugs them, to show them the sign of love that he has toward them all.

But the happy moment that the four of them just experience has come to an end, when Principle Parker with Cheryl Parker standing beside him, comes out from his office and asks the four of them to come in.

"Your Four, Over there, near the bookshelf, My office Now."

"Seriously, Again, two days in a row right now."

Walking back into the Principle office for the second time in two days, make the four of them feel like the exhausted students that are tired of all the school bullshit and want to kill themself because that is the only way to avoid this world or this school to be precise, if it matters.

"What is this now, Mr.Parker?" Said *tired, confused, and want to go to sleep right now to avoid listening to Principle Parker BS* Cole.

"We heard that you four have started your own little teen detective firm and trying to investigate our Bulldog football team sponsor this year... and well, I need you to shut it down now, especially you Mr.Walker?"

"WHAT! NO - - NO NO NO NO, you can't shut down Free press, it illegal, and besides why do you want us to shut it down?"

"Because I said so, Mr.Walker, are we on agreement term, hmm?"

"NO, Sire absolutely not--- and how do you know we investigate Merrick Biotech in the first place, and why do you even care, you have a large stock in that company or something?"

"It a matter of school reputation and student safety, especially your four?"

"Cheryl, Do you tell your dad about this?" Mason looks straight at Cherly's eyes and asks her why, while she standing next to her dad, doesn't respond, and silently listens.

"Yes, my daughter tells me about this, she just brings her concern about your safety to my attention, that all?"

"Well, you don't have to worry about us, Mr.Parker, we can take care ourself, and besides why does Merrick Biotech try to harm us anyway, we just studying, researching, and connected the dot that can show us to the truth, that all."

"And what truth do you guys seek to find, enlighten me please?"

"Whatever dirty secret we can find on them, and also, to find the answer to our question?"

"And what is that?"

"What is their main goal, why did they come and set up shop here, in Lakewood, of all places in the whole United States of America?"

"They are a Phamicitacail company, Mr.Walker, I'm pretty sure they come here just to expand their market, that all, and again I'm shutting your investigate toward them down, effective immediately, do you boys understand?"

"Sir, Yes sir?"

"Now get out of my office."

While walking out of Principle Parker's office, Betty leans toward Cole, trying to tell him something that she just saw on Mr. Parker's desk.

"Cole, I just saw a file with Merrick Enterprise logo on it, setting under principle Parker's keyboard?" Said Betty, whispering to Cole's ears on their way out.

"Really! He must be in bed with that guys too!" lean back toward Jimmy, Cole whispering to his ears" Jimmy, I need you to find and dig up all your dad file that has anything related to Mr.Parker?" and then leans more right toward Mason, asking him to join his whispering group chat.

"Mason, I need you to be closed with Cherly and Valentina or both if you can, and if you have a chance try to find a file, a record, or anything that tied their family to the Merrick?"

"Yeah, Boss, But why?"

"You didn't notice, Cherly didn't know jack s**t about our investigation, her father just use her as a shield to prevent us from suspecting him, but I'm pretty sure Principle Parker is also in bed with those asshats."

"Poor, Cherly... okay, Colie, if I have anything I will call you."

"Okay, we set, now let's act like we drop the case, but we don't, we investigated them from the shadow, if they get a wind again, that we didn't drop the investigation, they will burn all the evidence, and we never get to the truth?"

Leaving the principal office, with sweat on their faces, the four of them went to their class individually, trying to act normal, blend in, don't want anybody to suspect them anything, because the truth is too important, they just don't want to blow it again.

------------

Back at Mike Sinclair, he skip school today, busy writing some kind of story for his college submission, focusing, trying to dive his way to the truth like his best friend, Cole Walker.

"Everytown has one, The Spooky house that all the kids avoid... Our was The Phantom Castle, the Prescott family's Manor...with its very own graveyard... and trapped within its walls, like some gothic heroine... Was Valentina Prescott, The Crown Princess of Lakewood, still grieving for her beloved big brother, Nathan Prescott, linked in death, even as they were in life."

Meanwhile, in gym class, Cole Walker wearing red pair of athletic shorts, he pouching hard at the punching bag, trying to blow off som steam, didn't know that Cheryl Parker has been standing and watching him for the past 5minutes from the door, but when Cole turns back to grabs his water and accidentally saw her, she tries to act normal and not like a creeps, spying on somone, and decide to say hi.

"Hey, Rocky."

"Hi, Cheryl."

"You know, I never thought I'd say that I miss you playing football, but---"

"Yeah, Cheryl, me too, but now, I'm just trying to get back in fighting shape for the field."

"And so this is all for football?"

"Yeah, Coach Clayton is about to set the starting lineup, and I don't want myself, as a new team Captain to be weak,"

"Wow, I'm impressed, Colie."

"Yeah, Just like you said, Football gets me a scholarship...which gets me to college, where I can study more Arts with the professional."

Cheryl rises a tump up toward Cole and walks away wearing a look of concern staring at Cole for a second before leaving, Cole gets confused but he didn't care much, so he went back to punching the sandbag to blow off his steam, AGAIN.

_____

An afternoon train travel on a track behind Pop's Pizza, The best Pizza place in town. Fred Walker enters the diner, Mrs.Monica spots him walking in from behind the counter.

"Your usual. Turkey on rye, hold the tomatoes, to go."

"Oh, great. can I get a huge cup of coffee to go, Monica, I'm running on little or no sleep, right now, ......and Cole .....Cole up all hour, writing his article, training, all kind of that stuff, it not good for his health you know?" Said Fred.

"Yeah, Fred, Kids this day, they just don't know what will happen to them when they get old when they keep doing all of this *late night* stuff all days." Said Mrs.Monica while cooking up Fred's coffee.

"Listen, I was thinking maybe we should take another stab at going on a date... So, what do you say? Dinner?" Said Fred, sitting on the front counter waiting for his coffee to boost his day up.

Mrs.Monica turns back toward him with a pot of coffee and an awkwardly smile, "Fred, Ummm...I'm married... and you are too."

"Wait, wait, wait... I'm confused here, so last time, you, me at my house, that wasn't a date?... totally my bad, Monica, I'm sorry." finishing his sentence and don't want to stand any embarrassment, he quickly grabs his meal and goes.

"Fred, wait, Fred."Mrs.Monica quickly leans down to catch Fred's hands.

Fred moved Mrs.Monica's Hand aways from his, "It's all good, Monica, I'll catch you later." and then again, Fred leaves the dinner with his food and coffee.

Meanwhile, in the evening on the football stand, Betty, Jimmy, and Cheryl walk down the stand, toward Mike, while he busying writing the story about "The mysterious of Lakewood."

"Well, Betty, you're positively radiating Nicholas Sparks... Tell me everything about this Trev." Said Cheryl, trying to tease Betty into talking about her new love crush.

"There's nothing to tell, he's just one of Betty's sources, for her new article,...Oops... Cheryl, don't tell your dad about that okay."

"I never snitch Jimmy, ... I'm sick and tired of being Daddy's shield."

"And Hi Mike Sinclair, how's life in a PB world?"

Mike turns back and eyes Cheryl. "PB? Post-Betty? What, too soon?" Said Cheryl.

Mike turned back, look at the computer screen for a sec, and then slam closed it, "Mr.Jefferson say I have a shot at getting the hundred percent Blackburn scholarship, to study with Cole in Arcadia Bay, if I can submit this story to him in time, so I'm not thinking about anything else right now."

"You're back to being boring now,Sinclair.?" Said Cheryl.

"Are you maybe throwing yourself into writing this story? just as a way to avoid your feelings?" Said Betty, come down from the top stand and sit next to Mike.

"I'm not avoiding anything, Betty... I'm just trying to get my life back on track."

"I can help you with that." Said Veronica, that just walk out of nowhere and then sit next to Mike.

"Understatement of the year." Said Cheryl, whispering to her friend that sit next to her.

"I heard that, There's this amazing writer from Chicago...Who's an adjunct at Melbourne College?... INCREDIBLE MENTOR." Said, Veronica

"I don't think I have a chance, Veronica."

"Don't worry, Mike, He does some coaching on the side, and I told him about you,how good you are... you wanna meet him?"

"Yeah, yeah, I would love to, but I got a scot team and ..."

Betty interrupted in a heartbeat when Mike said he got scot mission and don't want to pursue his writing career," No, Veronica, Mike can, and he will go." looking straight at Mike's eyes, and don't want to make Betty angry again, so he agreed.

"Call him if you want, Mikey, But do it soon, his spots fill up fast." Said Veronica, while putting a card into Mike's pocket and walk away

"Thank you, V appreciated it." Looking back at Betty, Mike give an eyes sign that said*Why did you do that*

"Hey, it's good for you, now you have zero excuses for avoiding to write your story, people of Lakewood need to know what happen to their town, and you are the best story teller we got."

Mike smile and then proceed to give a hug to Betty.

And out of nowhere, Valentina just pops up and ruins the mood.

"Sorry to interrupt Sad Breakfast Club, but I'm here to formally invite you to Nathan's memorial at Phantom Castle this weekend." Valentina hands out a black envelop invitation to everyone but decides to give it to Cheryl last, "To my surprise and chagrin, Mother added you to the guest list, but in case you're tempted to steal our silver candlesticks, DON'T... we'll be searching bags." and she walks away.

Betty turns to Cheryl, " Hey, try to remember, she is burying her brother...give her a slack, okay."

"Okay, --- yeah I'll know, Betty."