Noctura

three

seunghoon

I SIT in a chair with my hands folded together, lying on the metal table in front of me.

Around the table, there are dozens of men and women, all waiting for the director to walk into the room and join us in our meeting.

A man incessantly taps his fingers against the table. I can hear the seconds ticking by on the clock behind me. A woman clears her throat.

Finally, the door opens and an older man with gray hair walks in the room, accompanied by a man and a woman.

Everyone around the table stands up and gives a slight nod to the director as he takes his seat at the end of the long table.

"Please, sit," he commands.

We all do as he says and take a seat.

"Thank you, everyone, for joining me in this meeting today." The director, Mr. Hamada, smiles at us all. "As you all know, there have been growing concerns about the Nocturas in Kraephis, especially here, in the fourth sector. Now, we know there is a gang of Nocturas located somewhere here or in the sixth sector. Sosa has more information regarding this."

"Yes."

I turn to my left to see Sosa, a man sitting four seats down from me. He glances down at his paperwork before clearing his throat.

"The gang calls themselves the Cobras. We know they do their work mainly at night, and they hunt every three nights. We only have one gang member in custody who has told us very little about the Cobras." Sosa takes a deep breath. "What we do know is that they have been responsible for over three hundred killings in the fourth and sixth sectors alone."

Murmurs break out among the people sitting at the table.

"Three hundred?"

"We really need to take care of the Cobras."

"What about the Malums? They've killed over five hundred."

"Aren't the Malums more nomadic?"

"Quiet, quiet," Director Hamada hushes us. "Sosa, please continue."

"Our main goal should be to take out the Cobras," Sosa proposes. "We already have one in custody, and I believe we have ways of finding out where the other members are going to be next. If we can figure that out, we can take out a large group of Nocturas who are doing a lot of killings."

Director Hamada nods. "This is true. Our main goal right now is the Cobras. I know you have questions about the Malums but right now the other divisions are working to stop that gang."

"Director, if I may."

We turn our heads toward a thin woman with shoulder-length, auburn hair, wearing a black pantsuit. She's sitting across from me, two seats down on the left.

The director nods. "Go ahead."

She takes a deep breath. "I know most of us probably know this, but the Cobras have been silent for over a week now. We haven't heard or seen any activity relating to them. Yes, they are a terrible group of Nocturas who are responsible for many deaths but I do not think it is our biggest worry right now. I think—"

"Right now, our biggest concern is the Cobras," Director Hamada interrupts.

"But, sir, I've been doing some studying and I think another group, a different one, is—"

"Enough, thank you, miss," the director cuts her off.

I look over at the woman and narrow my eyes.