The flat was impeccably clean and well-maintained. The walls were painted a crisp white, and the floors were a gleaming hardwood. The furniture was modern and stylish, and everything was arranged in a way that made the space feel both inviting and spacious. The living room was anchored by a large, comfortable sofa in a soft gray fabric. Two armchairs in a matching fabric were positioned opposite the sofa, and a coffee table with a glass top sat in the center of the room. A large window let in plenty of natural light, and the view of the city skyline was breathtaking. Jacob looked around, allowing all of this to sink in.
Jacob couldn't help but wonder who Beatrice was and why she was helping him. He had a feeling that she was going to play a big part in his life, and he was excited to find out more about her. She is a super human, just like him. Twenty minutes later Beatrice came in to the living room, she was wearing the same black clothes back when they first met the only difference is, they're cleaner. She beckoned him to sit down at the coffee table and he did just that.
"Want some coffee?" she asked.
"Um…yeah sure," Jacob said.
She poured him coffee and for herself. Jacob added three cubes of sugar and stirred the coffee. After stirring it he put the cup to his lips and took a sip. The warmth of the coffee filled his whole body. Beatrice took a sip from her cup and stared at Jacob as he finished drinking his coffee.
"You like coffee yeah?" she asked.
"I love them," the words escaped him before he knew, he blushed.
"I had an older brother who loved coffee," she chuckled. "He loved them more than his little sister."
Jacob frowned, "Is he…" his voice trailed off fearing that his question will make her sad or worse throw him off the window or worse, they'll never see each other again.
She put her cup down and smiled at him, "yeah, he's dead."
Jacob felt sorry for her.
"I know what it feels like. I lost my family when I was a little kid, ever since then I've been alone."
"Yeah, sorry about your family."
"No need to be sorry about," he said as their eyes met.
He felt a spark inside of him, is she feeling the same…or maybe it's just him.
"I've been alone too, but then someone came into my life," she said.
Jacob suddenly felt the urge to hug her, he knew she was talking about him.
"And that someone is-" she said.
There was a knock on the door, and before they reacted the door was opened and a man stepped in, Jacob thought he was another assassin sent here to kill him. Just as he stood up, left fist curled, right hand on his dagger. Beatrice walked up to him. Jacob waited till she punches him across the flat, but instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and did something horrible.
She kissed him.
The sound of smooching lips made his insides turn upside down, he wasn't expecting her to see someone else. That moment shattered his future plans with Beatrice, he wanted to jump of the window and fall to his death. A moment dragged itself by as the couple finally let go of each other. Jacob was on the verge of tears. Beatrice turned to look at him just standing there, quiet.
"Oh, where are my manners. This is my boyfriend Sean. Sean this is Jacob, the kid from the news."
Sean stepped up to him, he's really tall, 6'3 perhaps, broad shoulders, blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He's what every woman in the world would refer to him as a very handsome man. He had a pretty big smile, he moved with a speed and took Jacob of his feet, he thought he was about to kill him instead, he was hugging him.
"Can't believe it's you man!" he spoke with much enthusiasm.
"The kid who lit up the sky and killed a hybrid Oscuro," he continued, still carrying him around the flat.
Beatrice was laughing, she calls this funny? Jacob could hear his other self, laughing at him.
"Wait, what's a hybrid Oscuro?" he asked.
Sean stopped and put Jacob on his feet, he turned around to Beatrice.
"You haven't told him yet?" he asked, it sounded like he was whining.
"I was about to tell him."
Sean sighed, "okay I'll be in the bedroom while you tell him, I need some sleep. It is awesome that I had to meet you Jacob, gotta tell ya I still can't get over the fact that you killed a hybrid. They're usually hard to kill."
He turned a corner and a moment later they heard him close the bedroom door.
Beatrice led him back to the coffee table and they both sat.
"How long have you been together?" was the first question he asked.
"He and I met four years ago when I was in a mission in London, had to track down some bad guys."
"Wow," was all Jacob could say.
"So, back to our initial conversation. Not the loosing people stuff. We were about to talk about what happened earlier, and stuff related to that."
"Oh, yeah sure,"
"Now let me ask you this, how long have you had your powers?"
"Eight years."
"How old are you sixteen, seventeen?"
"Eighteen."
"Wow can't believe I'm only a year older than you,"
That information added another weight on his shoulders, he was hoping she was the same age as him.
"How many Oscuros have you killed?"
"What? You mean those dark shadowy monsters?"
"Yes those, we call them Oscuros."
"Uh well…I don't know. A lot."
"That's impressive, now about that fight that took place at the Opera house, was it you first time fighting a hybrid?"
"Yeah, he was a weird one."
"How did you found it?"
"I was doing my usual patrol in the park then this man…"
"Man?"
"Yes, a man came to me and fell."
"What did he look like?"
Jacob thought for a second, "he was in his mid-thirties, probably…he had dark hair and his skin was getting pale."
"Didn't you notice something in him?"
"I did, like I do whenever those monsters are around."
"We all have that in common."
"Cool."
"What did the man say?"
"He said he wanted it to stop."
"Stop what, his transformation?"
"It seems so."
She thought for a moment, "I see, was he in pain."
"Yes, despite how cold he was, he was sweating a lot."
Beatrice went quiet for a few minutes. "He's the third hybrid we've seen in two years."
"So there's not that many of them?"
Beatrice sat forward, deep in thought.
"No, hybrid Oscuros are rare. They don't just happen; it has to be forced. An Oscuro can't blend with a human body, the human body is too weak to handle its pressure. No, someone is behind it."
Jacob remembered something, "back when those men were about to kill me, I heard one of them calling it an "experiment" so maybe you're right. Who could do such a thing?"
"Nightshade." She said.
"Nightshade? What is it some sort of terrorist group?"
"You're absolutely right, they're the most notorious organization known across the globe. They are a group of terrorist who believe they are superior in every way; they are those who plan on taking over the world."
"Were those men involved in this?"
"Yes, they are Nightshade agents. Known as the triplets and they were sent to kill you."
"So what organization do you work for?"
"White-clad." She responded proudly.
"Huh? Okay…" Jacob sipped his coffee, clearly unimpressed.
Beatrice frowned, "what's wrong?"
Jacob lit up, "oh, nothing." He lowered his voice, "Nightshade sounds cooler though."
Beatrice stared at him like he was a mad man, but said nothing.
"What's the plan now?" said Jacob quickly changing the subject.
"Well, now that we've seen what you can do and knowing that Nightshade is after you, we've decided to take you in."
"Like recruite me or something?"
"Yep, you'll train under us and once you become certified. We'll kick some ass, what do you say?"
Jacob hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded. "So, where we going?"
"We're going to New York tonight."
Jacob, Beatrice, and her boyfriend Sean boarded the train from Detroit to New York. As they settled into their seats, Sean turned to Jacob with a big grin on his face. He started asking him all those questions about his abilities, when he started using them. Where he lived, what his favorite flavored snow cone is…et cetera.
Beatrice shot Jacob an apologetic look as she tried to steer the conversation in a different direction. Nevertheless, Sean was relentless. He kept bombarding Jacob with questions about his life, his hobbies, and his interests. Jacob struggled to maintain his composure as the hours passed by. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of Sean's relentless interrogation, the train pulled into New York City. Jacob let out a sigh of relief as they disembarked from the train.
"Okay people let's get the show on the road, my car is right over there you're gonna love it Jake…mind if I call you Jake?"
Jacob shrugged.
"Okay Jake it is, come on follow me."
As they stepped onto the bustling platform, Beatrice turned to Jacob and whispered
"I'm sorry about Sean, he can be a bit much sometimes."
"No, it's okay."
They turned around the corner and stumbled upon a black vehicle. The Ford Mustang, an iconic American muscle car known for its sleek and powerful design. Its exterior features a low, aggressive stance with a long hood and short rear deck, giving it a sporty and aerodynamic appearance. The interior of the Mustang is designed for both comfort and performance, with a driver-focused layout and modern amenities. The cabin offers a combination of retro-inspired elements and contemporary technology, providing a nostalgic yet sophisticated driving experience.
Jacob couldn't help himself, he grinned. Sean turned around and looked at his awe struck face and grinned. "Pretty sweet ride huh?"
"Real sweet." Jacob admitted.
"Come on let's get in the car, he's waiting." Beatrice said.
"Who's waiting?" Jacob asked, not taking his eyes off the car.
"You'll meet him."