The Juvenile Pack: The Dark Hour

Part I: Chapter 1 (Alone on New Years)

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Seattle, Washington State, USA

"Happy New Year, Cardo," An eighteen-year-old, Filipino-American boy said with a smile on his face as he held a black corded phone against his ear.

"Happy New Year to you too, Bang," said Cardo from the phone.

It is midnight right now, and the first day of 2014 has started. Bang De Leon spent his New Year night not with his family, but inside a phone booth.

"Sorry I couldn't get you anything for Christmas, bro," said Bang, chuckling softly. "Not just because the government wants me, but because I had no idea what to get you."

Bang heard his brother Cardo sigh through the phone until he spoke.

"Bang, our family owns a billion-dollar enterprise," Cardo replied. "You don't have to get me anything."

"Yeah, but it's nice to give, you know?" Bang said as he hears his brother chuckle.

"That's exactly what dad said back then..."

Bang's smile changed to a frown. "I know you miss them... but they've been twelve years," he continued. "Can't you move on?"

"You know I can't," Cardo answered in a serious tone. "After the revelation, Reagan Trust revealed to me; I must keep going until I find the person responsible."

"Cardo—"

"Mom, Dad, Amor, and Nathaniel—they were killed because someone wanted to kill us!" Bang's brother shouted through the phone. "We were lucky to live because of your teleportation powers!"

Bang didn't know what to say because Cardo was right. If he didn't activate his abnormal ability, he and his brother would have been buried alongside their family.

"We both got ourselves into a conspiracy we shouldn't have brought ourselves into, Cardo," Bang sighed. "The only difference is that they went after me, and you went after them."

Cardo didn't say anything after that, and it wasn't long until Bang heard the long beep coming from the payphone. He hung up on him.

Bang sighed and hung the phone back onto the payphone before exiting the booth. When he exited the booth, he didn't appear outside of it, but inside of a McDonald's bathroom. He couldn't help but laugh to himself.

"Guess I still need practice," Bang said to himself as he exits the bathroom, he noticed four people were working, despite the restaurant being empty.

Bang walked up to the woman working the cashier as she looked at him in shock. He doesn't know if she's shocked that 'Bang De Leon: The Billionaire' is here, or 'Bang De Leon: the abnormal wanted by the CIA' is here.

"I'll take a Quarter Pounder BLT meal to go," he said to the cashier before looking at her. "You and the others want anything?"

Later, Bang left the McDonald's with a paper bag in his hand and a medium-sized cup filled with Pepsi in his other hand after paying for his and the restaurant workers' food.

While Bang took a sip from his drink, he stopped under a light post when he saw a dark figure in the parking lot. Which he found strange, because even though it was past midnight and there are a few light posts nearby; the character was the darkest thing in the parking lot. The figure's head was down, and it's back hunched, and it looked to be 7" tall.

"Hey, buddy, shouldn't you be celebrating New Years instead of chilling in a McDonald's parking lot alone?" Bang questioned, putting his paper bag and cup down, getting ready for a fight.

The figure was growling like a wild animal, but the growling didn't sound natural. The sound was like boiling water if it was slowed down.

The figure suddenly rushed towards Bang. Startled by its sudden action, Bang stretched his arm out in front of him, making a fist and pointed it at the figure coming towards him. His fist and arm started to glow a neon blue as it made a sound similar to a sci-fi plasma pistol charging up before releasing a beam of blue energy into the dark figure. A hole appeared in the figure's chest until it dropped under the light post.

When the light shined on the figure, Bang was repelled by the black, tar-like creature that laid dead before him.

"Holy shit," Bang exclaimed as he stared at the black tar monster. "The hell is this thing?"

Bang pulled out a point and shoot camera from the pocket of his khaki pants to take a picture of the creature.

After taking the picture, Bang puts his camera back in his pocket before teleporting away.

~~~

After teleporting, Bang appeared in front of an apartment complex door with the number 33 on the front door. He looked at his wristwatch, and it was already 1:30 AM. He knocked on the door and waited.

The door was opened by a beautiful, long-black-haired, Chinese girl in her teens. She saw Bang and smiled at him. "Bang, it's good to see you again!"

Bang smiled back at her. "I'm not interrupting a party, am I, Lucienne?"

The girl, now known as Lucienne, giggled before shaking her head. "Nope! Everyone left ten minutes ago!" she answered. "Come in!"

Lucienne opened the door wide open to let Bang come inside as he did so. She closes the door after he entered and looks at the tall man.

"And I told you to call me Luc, didn't I?"

Bang chuckled as he made his way to the living room couch and sat down. "Sorry, Luc. Oh, and no one was following me."

"I don't expect anyone to be able to follow a guy who can teleport," chuckled Lucienne as she went towards the couch and sat down next to him. "So, what brings you here?"

Bang took out the camera from his pocket and turned it on before showing the picture of the black creature he killed to her.

Lucienne stared at the monster in shock and interest. "What the hell is that?" she asked before looking at Bang.

He shrugs at her. " I don't really know... but whatever it is, I hope there aren't more," he continued. "I'm thinking of getting you, Cardo, and I to meet up to discuss this."

Lucienne groaned when she heard the name Cardo. Bang looked at the girl with a raised brow. "Are you still mad at him?"

"Not as much as before," Lucienne sighed. "Who wouldn't stay mad if 'the Dark Hood' got their boyfriend killed."

Bang sighed and scratched his head. He would talk to her more about that, but he thought maybe another time.

"We'll meet here at your place at ten-in-the-morning," declared Bang. "He can help us figure out what that thing was."

"So we're gonna play hero again, huh?" Lucienne chuckles softly.

Bang smirks to himself and nodded. "Yeah... and by the way, can I sleep here for the night?"

"No..."