When Darkness Whispers

Chapter 1

The Fourth of July was merely another date in Okinawa, but with all the American troops out celebrating, it was the perfect opportunity for the murderer to strike again.

Eva assessed the vibrant Japanese nightlife for insight into anything unusual. Anything. Each passing minute increased the likelihood of a murder happening again soon. How or why was still unknown. The murders, to date, offered no clue as to motive or means. During her three years as an enhanced Marine, she'd never encountered a being that could kill in such a vicious manner. A sense of urgency hastened her steps as she patrolled the area with her teammate, Sergeant Bates.

Saturday evening had descended over the capital city of Naha with messages flashing to convince locals and tourists to spend money. Eat. Drink. Dance. Shop. The business district on the tiny Japanese island looked like a carnival on steroids. While the lights lured others in with the promise of excitement, they flashed around her like a warning. Beneath the bright façade, darkness slithered.

She squinted at the intense illumination, magnified by her enhanced vision, and zoomed in on movement at the bus terminal. A mass of protesters paraded in a circle carrying signs echoing the growing sentiments of the locals and chanting the same message-Americans, go home.

"You want to try to break this up?" Sergeant Bates interrupted her thoughts with her Georgian drawl.

Eva stopped and glanced at the fit African-American woman who'd adopted a defensive stance. Bates was next in command and the other biogenetically-modified human on this Night Eagle Operations team. NEO 17 was formed last week and sent to Okinawa to investigate the recent murders that had been targeting American service members. Eva had joined after undergoing biological enhancements with injections that gave her greater strength and speed, a higher pain threshold, quicker recovery times, and animal-like senses. Other team members included two vampires, two gargoyle shifters, and two other shifters who could transform into any animal-who were a few of the many beings she didn't know existed until she'd been recruited. NEO 17 didn't work the same way other military structures did since they were a unique tribe, most of whom weren't human.

"No. We have no jurisdiction here. It would make the situation worse." This mission was Eva's first as a NEO team leader, and she couldn't screw it up. Too much was at stake with murders and cultural sensitivities. "We want to diffuse the tension, not escalate it."

Bates nodded and relaxed into a more neutral position. With all the uncertainty in their mission, defensive reactions were common these days.

"Resume patrol. I'll notify command." Eva pointed down the main street, which was buzzing with activity. American fast-food and coffee house signs beamed overhead-American franchises creeping in here on Japanese islands. "Take the other side of Kokusai-dori, and check in later tonight."

Bates nodded before slipping into the crowd. She wore dark jeans, boots, and a white shirt, but at five feet eleven inches, she towered over many around her.

Eva paused to take in the vibrant city, finding the pounding bass as overpowering as the neon lights. The city seemed so different now, compared to her deployment as a Private First Class here seven years ago. God, she'd been so naïve back then, she could cringe. While those around her were still blissfully ignorant of the existence of supernatural beings, she had been forced to waken and witness the devastation that dark creatures could incur. She took a deep breath, and then forced the past away on the exhale.

She picked up bits of conversation over the steady beat and hum of the crowd, but nothing to help her investigation. Youths clamored to get into clubs blaring Japanese or American pop hits. Couples and families strolled in and out of restaurants with enticing scents wafting out their open doors. Stores advertised the latest smartphones and technology that hadn't been part of the mainstream during her last deployment here. Although her survival instincts were as taut as sheets on an inspection-ready bed, she didn't perceive any active threats.