Looking for the Light Through the Darkness

Chapter 11: Loud Volume

Point of View: North 

 Rubbing the grease off my hands and onto the blue company jumper I wore, I moved into the back of the shop to change into my regular clothes before heading home. Throwing my shirt into the locker I had been given, I honestly couldn't believe that I was in New York working at an auto body shop. Don't get me wrong I wasn't complaining, instead of taking apart my own cars and putting them together I was able to work on a variety of other cars and actually get paid. But the busy city life of New York was very different from down South. 

 Running a comb through my hair, I put on some deodorant before closing my locker tight. Nodding to a few of the guys on my way out, I paused finding that the beautiful weather from this morning had quickly changed into a heavy storm. Pulling up the hood of my sweatshirt, I hunched over as I made my way to my Jeep. The second I stepped in, I knew that the rain was not going to let up for a while. 

Shrugging off my now drenched sweatshirt, I blasted the heat and pulled out headed toward my apartment. Surprisingly, there was almost no traffic which allowed me to cruise along the road. The change in cities as well as the change in missions was in my opinion fantastic. The team was no longer a group of teenagers but instead a group of adults that could easily hold a job and had earned enough favors from previous missions to be one of the highest ranking in the Academy. Mr. B told us not to let the raise go to our heads but I knew that my brother's and I knew we had accomplished a lot. 

Since we were allotted the raise from the Academy, we each had been influenced in our own way. Each of us could work lone missions as well as group missions as long as it was approved by Kota and overall, we were able to determine, as a team, what would work best for all of us as far as high security and priority missions allowed. It was a fantastic set up.

 Pulling out my phone from my jean pocket I quickly opened up the messenger app and typed out to Mr. B that I was returning home. Since we are such a large group, the system we had developed for check in's had definitely come in handy in this large city. We all knew where at least one of us was at all times and our cell phones had been upgraded with a better gps system. 

 Turning on the music, I settled into my seat for the ride home when I felt my phone start to vibrate altering me of an incoming phone call. Carefully pulling off to the side of the road, I pressed the bright green answer button as Mr. Blackbourne's name lit up on the screen. "Its North." I grunt tiredly and run my hand through my wet hair as I look out into the dark stormy sky in front of me.

"Any news?" Mr. Blacbkourne's voice is deep as it echoes through the phone. 

 "Nothing from the garage. No one has brought in a damaged taxi and there is no chatter about what is occurring in the city." I quickly report now running my fingers through my eyebrows. There is a moment of silence before Mr. B responds. 

"There is nothing to report on my end either. The girl that Mr. Coleman met with Sean is still a ghost. I am unsure if the group knew that she was a ghost when they singled her out but it is clear that she doesn't exist." There is another pause before he continues. "Mr. Taylor went to meet her today and should be responding shortly but if you can try and ask around at work tomorrow about her. Stay under the radar however, we don't need other's sticking their nose in."

 I grunt confirming that I understand when I realize he hasn't stated anything about Marc being with the ghost yesterday. "And the other team?" I question unsure if I should have said anything or not.

 "Marc has contacted me and we discussed that there is no connection between their case and our case besides the girl, Sang." Mr. Blackbourne explains and I am surprised. I mean it was super shocking that Marc and his team was even in town let alone weirdly coincidental that Sang was involved in both cases. Mr. Blackbourne cleared his throat bringing me back to the present as he continued. "The team is working on a mission that has to do with the runaway group that has scattered throughout the city. I have promised them that if we find any information to their case that I would pass it along and vise versa. Check in when you meet up with Mr. Korba."

 With that the line went dead and I put my phone back into the cup holder. My mind swirled with different possibilities as I thought over the information that Mr. B just unearthed. Did this Sang girl actually have something to do with the runaways in the city and why was she targeted by the group we were searching for? More and more questions popped into my head but less answers were able to be determined. Frustrated, I smacked the steering wheel in front of me when the sound of something vibrating on a plastic surface distracts me. Quickly grabbing my phone I am surprised to find Luke's name flashing on the screen. 

 "What's up?" I answer when suddenly I can feel my chest tighten as Luke's serious voice answers on the other end of the phone. 

 "Hey." He stated and I can hear the heavy rain in the background and the sound of a door closing in the background. Why would Luke be so serious? Wasn't he supposed to be with the ghost. 

 "What happened?" I quickly ask shifting in my seat unsure if I am going to like the response.

 "I was walking Sang back to her apartment. It was trashed and there was glass everywhere and Sang got hurt. Could you go by and change the locks and bring a new key by my place?" Luke explained and as I registered the information that Luke just stated I begin to see red. The group that we were supposed to be on top of had stuck again and Sang had been injured in the process. 

Rage boiled in my chest as I yelled into the phone unable to believe what Luke had just stated. "WHAT?!" Suddenly there is a very small and soft voice in the background and I can hear Luke comforting someone on the other end when I hear him shift the phone once more.

 "North you need to calm down. I am taking her back to my apartment. She is very shaken so you yelling is not going to help. I am going to call Doc and Gabriel to give them a heads up." Luke stated informing me of his plan and silently directing me to warn the rest of the group as far as what was occurring.

 "I will be over in fucking ten minutes." I bark into the phone and quickly hang up and send the information in a large group text to everyone letting them know of what is occurring and the immediate plan of action. 

Pulling a quick U turn, I pushed hard on the gas as I drove to Luke's apartment as fast as I could without being noticed. What had happened and how had the group found Sang's living area? She hadn't been listed in the phone book or anywhere online, Victor had checked so that could only mean... 

I gripped the wheel harder and punched Victor's app. The phone rang for a second before there was a clicking sound. "Yeah North?" His baritone voice filled the phone. 

"They are tracking Sang." I barked unhappily as I took a quick right. "That's the only way they could have known where Sang lived. Get the camera footage from all of the traffic lights and watch the way she goes. Mr. B ran into her from a bakery ask him the address." 

There was a quiet pause and I took another sharp turn before moving down the street Luke and Gabriel lived on. "North be careful. She is strong but vulnerable." Then there was a click of the phone and I pulled into Gabe's parking spot and tucked my phone into my pocket before throwing open the door and rushing into the main entrance of the apartment building. 

Riding the elevator up, I quickly knocked on the front door of the apartment before letting myself in. Turning down the hallway I freeze seeing a beautiful creature in front of me. My eyes widen as I loose my breath. Before me stands a small girl, maybe only 5'5" that is so skinny that Luke's light blue t-shirt and black basketball shorts seem to be falling off. I spot the black sash covering her eyes that the other's had described and I instantly know that the girl before me is Sang. 

It is only then that I realize that she has also paused. She looks in my direction and she tenses her soaking wet sandy hair shifting behind her. The girl seems to know I am here even though I have not made a sound. Clearing my throat, I spot her tense and step away and I quickly take a step back when suddenly Luke's head pops out of the bathroom, a towel in hand. 

"Hey North!" Luke states, bubbly like usual and I spot Sang relaxing behind him. 

"Hey." I state walking forward and that is when I spot the blood slipping from Sang's hand onto the floor. Instantly, I am rushing forward and grabbing the towel out of Luke's hand. Sang shifts nervously in front of me and I quickly catch her hand and apply the towel to it. "Fucking hell Luke! She is bleeding everywhere and you didn't even notice?!" I yell and just as soon as I start Sang collapses into me sending us both down on the floor. 

Oh shit what did I just do?