HELP
New York, Queens
Classroom A2
14:49
"...I see..." A stern voice was heard from the other side of the phone that Aaron was clutching with both hands next to his ear.
"What do you mean "I see" Mr. Steinn, we've got a crisis on our hands here!" Aaron voiced in the loudest and most anxious whisper possible. Even though he was in a state of panic he never once started shouting any of the info he passed onto Dr. Steinn, simply because he could very well be overheard by a passerby outside the classroom. Then again, as the emergency of the situation would have it, that particular phone call could not have waited for until Aaron had left the school grounds.
"Calm down. Do you think you'll solve anything by panicking like that, you moron? Get it together already." Steinn spoke through the phone yet again, this time speaking in more of a scolding manner.
Surprisingly enough, the young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before speaking up. "You're right, but what are we gonna do?" He asks, clearly a lot calmer than before.
"My hypothesis on the subject according to what you told me, is that he wasn't aware of the change himself. Which means that change either hasn't manifested before or it never reached a critical or dangerous level yet." The scientist spoke with a serious tone as Aaron nodded from the other side of the phone.
"...But, what's wrong with him anyway? I mean as far as I'm concerned werewolves don't exist, right?" The young man furrows his brows as he contemplates on that.
"Look, for now, I think we're on the clear. I mean your girlfriend said he looked normal, right? If that's the case, you should monitor him while I look into what might have caused it. Also, the school is far from the best place to talk about this, so head on home and I'll call once I find something out." Steinn explained as Aaron nodded in agreement yet again. "That's all for now, I'll call you later." Were his final words as he hang up the phone.
"Okay..." Aaron voiced while looking at the disconnected call. "Wait, she's not my girlfriend!!!!" He later found himself shouting with a flushed face.
...
After the call between Steinn and Aaron had ended, Aaron decided to head straight home, after confirming that Brad had also left the school grounds.
I still can't believe what I saw... I mean Olivia said he looked normal, so maybe it was just a misunderstanding on my part? But I remember those animal features so vividly, like they were really there...
While Aaron stood there absentmindedly looking at the ceiling and doubting himself, his right wrist and pocket started vibrating. Without a hint of hesitation, the young man picked up, bringing his phone to his ear.
"Hello?" He voiced.
"Aaron, where are you now?"
"At home. Alone."
"Great, I think I've got something, but I need you to answer some questions for me."
"Hey, why does that choice of words sound like I'm a suspect in a murder case?" Aaron tried to lighten the mood.
"While I'm glad you got over the earlier shock, this is hardly the time for jokes." Steinn replied sternly, causing the young man's expression to stiffen and lean forward from his position on the couch.
"You're right, go on." He admitted.
"Did his behavior seem strange before you noticed that change in his facial features? Did something happen?"
"Well, we were playing basketball and his team lost with a buzzer beater... so he was REALLY pissed."
"Hmm... so he was angry? That makes sense." Steinn commented while Aaron perked up.
"Wait, it does? Really?" The teenager voiced slightly taken aback.
"Yeah. My guess is that since he's not aware of it, and since that according to what you said, his facial features changed in the feat of anger..."
"...He is indeed a werewolf! Is there a full moon today?!" Aaron interrupted Steinn's speculations.
"No shut up and be serious for once kid!" The scientist barked to which Aaron just pulled the phone away from his ear, protecting their well-being.
"I was serious, though..."
"...Anyway..." Steinn sighed and continued "...My guess is that he's probably mutated, in a weird way. He was most likely looming in the area during that WalCorp incident."
"Really? Can radiation turn you into a werewolf just like that?"
"He's not a werewolf for fuck's sake! The mutations in his body just have canine resemblances, which is probably related to something we don't and, at the same time, can't know..." Steinn voiced in a skeptical manner.
"Could he have been walking his dog while the explosion happened? Or he got beaten by a mutated dog or something..." Aaron hypothesized and to his surprise the scientist didn't scold him like before.
"...While your guesses sound like fantasy, I can't neglect anything at this point. That gangster who had his ears healed is still stuck in my mind... Not to mention that the form of radiation that spread throughout Queens that day has yet to be identified. As far as we scientists are concerned, it could very well be a new form... one that humanity witnessed for the first time." Steinn spoke with a hint of uneasiness in his voice. It was not unusual for a well-established scientist like him to feel uneasy in the face of the unknown, or more precisely the unexplained. "...But with all that aside, it's your job, as Wraith, to stop that werewolf kid, when and if his mutations get out of control. So, I'd suggest you go about your patrols the exact way you have up to this point, all the while keeping an eye on that kid during school hours." The scientist explained in a more reassuring tone, as Aaron silently agreed.
...
"Mom, I'm home." The blonde, brawny boy spoke as he closed the flimsy front door behind him. He attempted at least, as the door gradually cracked open once again. Brad narrowed his eyes to the mostly frequent phenomenon before turning around, and swinging it back in place. This time, the door disobeyed and stayed closed.
"Hrmrmrm..." All he could hear was rumblings in response to his greeting, as he slowly stepped over the layers of clothing and other unnecessary items filling the floor.
"...Come on..." He voiced after a sigh, which was caused by none other than the sight of his mother, who was passed out onto the couch. She had been fired from her job a while back, and with his no-good of a father not around she was the only source of income in the household. With that being the case she tried all sorts of things to bring money in, but she could never bring in enough. And the worst thing was that they didn't only need that money in order to make ends meet, but they had to pay a certain someone back, who had lent them a huge sum not too long ago.
With a deep sigh, Brad sunk onto the couch, next to his sleeping mother, after grabbing the letter lying on top of the small wooden coffee table. "How are we supposed to pay the fucker back...?" He spat and clicked his tongue after reading the letter addressed to his mother. "...Crane." He let out a familiar name. With his parents divorced, his mom coming home drunk pretty much every day, and his household consisting of a one room apartment with a small kitchen and a rundown bathroom, Brad's life sure was a pile of shit, as he used to think himself. On top of all that, he also had to find a way to pay back that bastard, Crane, otherwise his problems would increase by tenfold, since he would start by being kicked out of the house, if he lived to tell the tale, that is.
...
"I'm off to get us dinner, mom." He spoke in a nonchalant manner, clearly not expecting an answer, as he got out of the house and made for a nearby convenience store, after locking his house back up.
That cocky bastard...
As he walked down through the back alleys, away from the bustling streets of Queens, he reminded himself of today's P.E. session.
I can't believe I let him beat me like that! He's even shorter than me!
Brad found himself infuriated by the very thought of losing to a kid like him, who most likely had everything already waiting for him back home. A plate of warm food, a "welcome back" from his parents, and most of all, a normal life. He knew nothing about him yet that was the aura Aaron Beckett emanated towards him. He was just a spoiled easy-going kid that only cared about having fun.
Lucky him...
His train of thoughts continued as he took a turn in yet another alleyway and came face to face with 3 men playing cards while crouched down in front of a wooden box.
"Ha if it isn't the KID!" One of them spoke cockily while getting up.
"Piss off." Brad spat angrily as he tried to walk past them.
"Woah there... You ain't just gonna leave like last time..." The man grabbed his arm, which was stuffed inside his jacket's pocket.
"Yeah, the party's just getting started, you can't leave now kid!" Another man from the group of 3 joined in, as he got up and tossed his playing cards away.
"Leave me the fuck alone, losers." The teenager replied as he pulled his arm away from the thug's grasp.
"Losers? Look who's talking... Isn't your mom that blonde whore who sucks d*ck on that bar downtown just for a few pennies?" The third man finally joined, his remark making Brad completely lose it.
"Don't talk about my mother, you bastard!!!" He shouted while swinging his arm at the guy who made that comment. Of course, he had already seen through it though, as he ducked underneath the large swing, and his two subordinates got a hold of his arms and pinned him to the wall.
"You think you can walk around my neighborhood and then just punch me in the face? Huh?!" What appears to be the leader of the 3 men spat, as he punched the resisting teenager on the stomach. "Hey kid, this might take a while. Why don't you call on that whore of a mother of yours and let her know you'll be late?" The thug continued, as he enraged Brad even more so than before.
"AAAAAHHHH!" He let out an ear splitting roar as he tossed the two men holding him down, aside like sandbags. "Fuck you!" He barked at his assailant, without noticing that his voice had become much deeper than it was.
"...What is this?" One of the two men who were tossed voiced, as soon as he got his bearings back.
"He's a monster!" The other one said in a terrified manner.
A monster?
Brad thought as he looked at his hand, that were no longer what they used to be. They were now filled with brown fur, and his nails were long and black. But that didn't bother him... It didn't bother him at all. He let his anger take over and felt himself getting taller as he burst out of his clothing.
"Kill..." The abnormal creature spelled out before it lunged at his attackers.
...
"Wraith!" Chief Monroe's hasty voice came through the other end of the speaker, as soon as Aaron had accepted the incoming call.
"Chief Monroe! What's wrong?" The teenager asked as he stopped swinging and stood at the top of a nearby building.
"I know it's not related to Crane, but we've got a problem on our hands! I need you at the Queensboro Bridge right now! There's an unknown creature attacking civilians there and we're having trouble dealing with it!" The police head spoke without so much as a pause.
Unknown... Creature?! It can't be, right?
"Got it! I'm on my way now chief!" Aaron nodded to himself before the call was disconnected. Deciding to neglect the usual patrol route, he hastily ran along the rooftops of every building, and alongside the help of his hooks he made for Queensboro Bridge.
...
When Aaron finally got there, he found that the traffic on top of the bridge had completely stopped, as a humanoid creature with features resembling that of a wolf was jumping from one car to another, in a frenzied state. Some cars were completely smashed, while others were stuck so close to each other, no passenger could escape the vehicle. Other than those still trapped inside their cars, a majority of the civilians were running as far away as possible from the creature in question.
Just as Wraith was assessing the situation unfolding before him, as he hung from one of the main piers of the structure, suddenly he felt his pocket vibrate. Without thinking about it, he pressed a button on his suit and released his phone from the special pocket, quickly checking on the sent messages. It was from none other than Olivia. Its contents...
HELP
Sent
Classroom A2
14:49
"...I see..." A stern voice was heard from the other side of the phone that Aaron was clutching with both hands next to his ear.
"What do you mean "I see" Mr. Steinn, we've got a crisis on our hands here!" Aaron voiced in the loudest and most anxious whisper possible. Even though he was in a state of panic he never once started shouting any of the info he passed onto Dr. Steinn, simply because he could very well be overheard by a passerby outside the classroom. Then again, as the emergency of the situation would have it, that particular phone call could not have waited for until Aaron had left the school grounds.
"Calm down. Do you think you'll solve anything by panicking like that, you moron? Get it together already." Steinn spoke through the phone yet again, this time speaking in more of a scolding manner.
Surprisingly enough, the young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before speaking up. "You're right, but what are we gonna do?" He asks, clearly a lot calmer than before.
"My hypothesis on the subject according to what you told me, is that he wasn't aware of the change himself. Which means that change either hasn't manifested before or it never reached a critical or dangerous level yet." The scientist spoke with a serious tone as Aaron nodded from the other side of the phone.
"...But, what's wrong with him anyway? I mean as far as I'm concerned werewolves don't exist, right?" The young man furrows his brows as he contemplates on that.
"Look, for now, I think we're on the clear. I mean your girlfriend said he looked normal, right? If that's the case, you should monitor him while I look into what might have caused it. Also, the school is far from the best place to talk about this, so head on home and I'll call once I find something out." Steinn explained as Aaron nodded in agreement yet again. "That's all for now, I'll call you later." Were his final words as he hang up the phone.
"Okay..." Aaron voiced while looking at the disconnected call. "Wait, she's not my girlfriend!!!!" He later found himself shouting with a flushed face.
...
After the call between Steinn and Aaron had ended, Aaron decided to head straight home, after confirming that Brad had also left the school grounds.
I still can't believe what I saw... I mean Olivia said he looked normal, so maybe it was just a misunderstanding on my part? But I remember those animal features so vividly, like they were really there...
While Aaron stood there absentmindedly looking at the ceiling and doubting himself, his right wrist and pocket started vibrating. Without a hint of hesitation, the young man picked up, bringing his phone to his ear.
"Hello?" He voiced.
"Aaron, where are you now?"
"At home. Alone."
"Great, I think I've got something, but I need you to answer some questions for me."
"Hey, why does that choice of words sound like I'm a suspect in a murder case?" Aaron tried to lighten the mood.
"While I'm glad you got over the earlier shock, this is hardly the time for jokes." Steinn replied sternly, causing the young man's expression to stiffen and lean forward from his position on the couch.
"You're right, go on." He admitted.
"Did his behavior seem strange before you noticed that change in his facial features? Did something happen?"
"Well, we were playing basketball and his team lost with a buzzer beater... so he was REALLY pissed."
"Hmm... so he was angry? That makes sense." Steinn commented while Aaron perked up.
"Wait, it does? Really?" The teenager voiced slightly taken aback.
"Yeah. My guess is that since he's not aware of it, and since that according to what you said, his facial features changed in the feat of anger..."
"...He is indeed a werewolf! Is there a full moon today?!" Aaron interrupted Steinn's speculations.
"No shut up and be serious for once kid!" The scientist barked to which Aaron just pulled the phone away from his ear, protecting their well-being.
"I was serious, though..."
"...Anyway..." Steinn sighed and continued "...My guess is that he's probably mutated, in a weird way. He was most likely looming in the area during that WalCorp incident."
"Really? Can radiation turn you into a werewolf just like that?"
"He's not a werewolf for fuck's sake! The mutations in his body just have canine resemblances, which is probably related to something we don't and, at the same time, can't know..." Steinn voiced in a skeptical manner.
"Could he have been walking his dog while the explosion happened? Or he got beaten by a mutated dog or something..." Aaron hypothesized and to his surprise the scientist didn't scold him like before.
"...While your guesses sound like fantasy, I can't neglect anything at this point. That gangster who had his ears healed is still stuck in my mind... Not to mention that the form of radiation that spread throughout Queens that day has yet to be identified. As far as we scientists are concerned, it could very well be a new form... one that humanity witnessed for the first time." Steinn spoke with a hint of uneasiness in his voice. It was not unusual for a well-established scientist like him to feel uneasy in the face of the unknown, or more precisely the unexplained. "...But with all that aside, it's your job, as Wraith, to stop that werewolf kid, when and if his mutations get out of control. So, I'd suggest you go about your patrols the exact way you have up to this point, all the while keeping an eye on that kid during school hours." The scientist explained in a more reassuring tone, as Aaron silently agreed.
...
"Mom, I'm home." The blonde, brawny boy spoke as he closed the flimsy front door behind him. He attempted at least, as the door gradually cracked open once again. Brad narrowed his eyes to the mostly frequent phenomenon before turning around, and swinging it back in place. This time, the door disobeyed and stayed closed.
"Hrmrmrm..." All he could hear was rumblings in response to his greeting, as he slowly stepped over the layers of clothing and other unnecessary items filling the floor.
"...Come on..." He voiced after a sigh, which was caused by none other than the sight of his mother, who was passed out onto the couch. She had been fired from her job a while back, and with his no-good of a father not around she was the only source of income in the household. With that being the case she tried all sorts of things to bring money in, but she could never bring in enough. And the worst thing was that they didn't only need that money in order to make ends meet, but they had to pay a certain someone back, who had lent them a huge sum not too long ago.
With a deep sigh, Brad sunk onto the couch, next to his sleeping mother, after grabbing the letter lying on top of the small wooden coffee table. "How are we supposed to pay the fucker back...?" He spat and clicked his tongue after reading the letter addressed to his mother. "...Crane." He let out a familiar name. With his parents divorced, his mom coming home drunk pretty much every day, and his household consisting of a one room apartment with a small kitchen and a rundown bathroom, Brad's life sure was a pile of shit, as he used to think himself. On top of all that, he also had to find a way to pay back that bastard, Crane, otherwise his problems would increase by tenfold, since he would start by being kicked out of the house, if he lived to tell the tale, that is.
...
"I'm off to get us dinner, mom." He spoke in a nonchalant manner, clearly not expecting an answer, as he got out of the house and made for a nearby convenience store, after locking his house back up.
That cocky bastard...
As he walked down through the back alleys, away from the bustling streets of Queens, he reminded himself of today's P.E. session.
I can't believe I let him beat me like that! He's even shorter than me!
Brad found himself infuriated by the very thought of losing to a kid like him, who most likely had everything already waiting for him back home. A plate of warm food, a "welcome back" from his parents, and most of all, a normal life. He knew nothing about him yet that was the aura Aaron Beckett emanated towards him. He was just a spoiled easy-going kid that only cared about having fun.
Lucky him...
His train of thoughts continued as he took a turn in yet another alleyway and came face to face with 3 men playing cards while crouched down in front of a wooden box.
"Ha if it isn't the KID!" One of them spoke cockily while getting up.
"Piss off." Brad spat angrily as he tried to walk past them.
"Woah there... You ain't just gonna leave like last time..." The man grabbed his arm, which was stuffed inside his jacket's pocket.
"Yeah, the party's just getting started, you can't leave now kid!" Another man from the group of 3 joined in, as he got up and tossed his playing cards away.
"Leave me the fuck alone, losers." The teenager replied as he pulled his arm away from the thug's grasp.
"Losers? Look who's talking... Isn't your mom that blonde whore who sucks d*ck on that bar downtown just for a few pennies?" The third man finally joined, his remark making Brad completely lose it.
"Don't talk about my mother, you bastard!!!" He shouted while swinging his arm at the guy who made that comment. Of course, he had already seen through it though, as he ducked underneath the large swing, and his two subordinates got a hold of his arms and pinned him to the wall.
"You think you can walk around my neighborhood and then just punch me in the face? Huh?!" What appears to be the leader of the 3 men spat, as he punched the resisting teenager on the stomach. "Hey kid, this might take a while. Why don't you call on that whore of a mother of yours and let her know you'll be late?" The thug continued, as he enraged Brad even more so than before.
"AAAAAHHHH!" He let out an ear splitting roar as he tossed the two men holding him down, aside like sandbags. "Fuck you!" He barked at his assailant, without noticing that his voice had become much deeper than it was.
"...What is this?" One of the two men who were tossed voiced, as soon as he got his bearings back.
"He's a monster!" The other one said in a terrified manner.
A monster?
Brad thought as he looked at his hand, that were no longer what they used to be. They were now filled with brown fur, and his nails were long and black. But that didn't bother him... It didn't bother him at all. He let his anger take over and felt himself getting taller as he burst out of his clothing.
"Kill..." The abnormal creature spelled out before it lunged at his attackers.
...
"Wraith!" Chief Monroe's hasty voice came through the other end of the speaker, as soon as Aaron had accepted the incoming call.
"Chief Monroe! What's wrong?" The teenager asked as he stopped swinging and stood at the top of a nearby building.
"I know it's not related to Crane, but we've got a problem on our hands! I need you at the Queensboro Bridge right now! There's an unknown creature attacking civilians there and we're having trouble dealing with it!" The police head spoke without so much as a pause.
Unknown... Creature?! It can't be, right?
"Got it! I'm on my way now chief!" Aaron nodded to himself before the call was disconnected. Deciding to neglect the usual patrol route, he hastily ran along the rooftops of every building, and alongside the help of his hooks he made for Queensboro Bridge.
...
When Aaron finally got there, he found that the traffic on top of the bridge had completely stopped, as a humanoid creature with features resembling that of a wolf was jumping from one car to another, in a frenzied state. Some cars were completely smashed, while others were stuck so close to each other, no passenger could escape the vehicle. Other than those still trapped inside their cars, a majority of the civilians were running as far away as possible from the creature in question.
Just as Wraith was assessing the situation unfolding before him, as he hung from one of the main piers of the structure, suddenly he felt his pocket vibrate. Without thinking about it, he pressed a button on his suit and released his phone from the special pocket, quickly checking on the sent messages. It was from none other than Olivia. Its contents...
HELP
Sent
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