The guest.

Vincent's eyelids pathed open, the view that was reflected to his vision was of a hazy image. He blinked his eyes twice to adjust his retina to the brightness of his surroundings.

 "This is my room." Vincent spoke in a faint tune, noticing the familiarity of his surroundings. "But how did I get home?" He questioned himself, trying to put together what he could remember. 

"The last thing I could remember was feeling dizzy and blacking out. Aaahh! My head hurts." Vincent responded, he felt a slight ache. "It probably must be as a result of the fall. But how did I lose balance so easily? My body. It's heavy and aching. It must be from those bruises. Why can't I make out the full details of what happened."

He struggled to sit-up, and it was a success after two trials. He held his head gently with both hands, bending his head to see if the memories would flow in. 

 Eventually, he remembered all that had taken place yesterday. Ranging from the fight with Henry that bruised his entire body, to the monster they encountered at the alleyway. The one that almost killed them if not for the intervention of a man. An exorcist! He remembered that the man stated that someone had implanted something in Jordan's bag that drew the monster's attention to them. Clearly he was certain it was Henry and his goons.

"Shit! I can't believe that bastard had the nerve to almost get us killed." Vincent cursed, he totally disliked Henry. Especially because he and Sharon had been playing him for a fool. 'It's not like it was him that was playing me for a fool. It's the wench.'

 He remembered seeing the item that Henry had implanted in Jordan's bag. A human hand wrapped with bandages like it belonged to a mummy. Only that these bandages had ancient symbols scribbled on it like something of the occult. 

 'I can't believe the world still practices that shit. This is the twenty-fourth century, for God's sake!' Vincent exclaimed to heart, the act of finding out that people still practice occultism, irritated him entirely.

 But then sadness masked his sweet, charming face. He suddenly remembered Jordan's predicament. He had lost a limb. His left leg was eaten by the monster. He felt bitter about his friend's current condition. He thought of how he would fare without a leg to aid his movement. He deeply regretted ever fighting back at Henry, if only he had given in to his punches and insults, his friends wouldn't have found themselves in such a grave situation, and obviously, Jordan wouldn't have lost a leg.

  He jerked out of bed to his feet, ignoring the slight pains he felt. "I need to hurry to Jordan. I need to be by his side." Vincent concluded. Then, while gazing at his reflection on the mirror attached to his closet, his eyes picked up an abnormal look. The bruises that surfaced his entire body and face were gone. Gone without even leaving a scar. This was weird to him, he quickly lifted up a part of his orange top shirt to gaze at his abdomen, surely there was no way the injury he suffered there would have disappeared. It would take at least two weeks of medical treatment to heal up, not to talk of the scar it would likely leave behind. 

 Behold, there were no injuries, not even the slightest, not a scar, not even a scratch. His body was smooth and fresh. He dropped his clothes, marveled by his experience. 

"Was it all a dream?" Vincent doubted, but he got the feeling that all that had happened was not a dream.

"Vincent, honey. Someone is here to see you. He said he is a friend of yours, and that you guys met yesterday. He said his name was Sean!" Vincent's mother's voice resounded, from the first floor of their apartment.

'Sean?' Vincent thought to himself. 'It's him. The guy from the alleyway. The exorcist.' His face brightened a bit, he was finally gonna get answers. 

"Coming." Vincent responded to his mother's call, he hurriedly rushed into the bathroom to freshen up.

****

Thirteen minutes later, Vincent sat at a sofa, facing Sean, who sat at the couch in front of him, while his mother sat at the far end of his couch.

 "So you're saying that Jordan was attacked by a wild animal. And he survived, but he lost a limb. Are you certain it's Vincent's Jordan you're talking about?" Vincent's mother, Elena, questioned, after hearing a made up story from Sean.

"Yes ma'am." Sean responded with utmost seriousness, it was as if what he mentioned was the actual story. 

 

 Vincent on the other hand, stared Sean deep in the eyes. He could tell that all he was saying was a made up story to cover the whole truth. That was what organizations, such as his, do, especially when they are not yet introduced to the public or they wanted to keep their operations a secret, thus, giving out a made up information to fill in the gaps of worries in the people's minds. Especially when the activities that they undergo are not of ordinary knowledge. Given that who would believe stories of invisible monsters attacking humans from the shadows, slowly feeding off humanity until what is left of the human race, sums ZERO.

 

Sean smirked just immediately he noticed Vincent's gazes, he was smart enough to not let Mrs Elena notice him. He stared back at Vincent, and the latter immediately withdrew his eyes, feeling discomfort.

 

 "So Vincent, I want you to go with him to the hospital, to see how your friend is coping. He is really lucky to have survived such a tragic incident. I mean none in the records of this strange massacre had ever survived it in one piece, not to talk of life to tell the tale. At least there is a bit of good news in the tragic encounter. Send my regards to his family, and tell him I wish him quick recovery." Mrs Elena voiced, she stood to her feet to retreat to her room, leaving Vincent to converse with his guest. "Don't stay out too late. And yeah, you're skipping school today, I would inform your principal about that."

 Vincent was puzzled, there had never been a time when his mother would agree for him to skip school, even when her father died and the funeral preparations were going on, she still insisted that he go to school. And now, she wasn't just agreeing to it, she was suggesting it. Perhaps, it was because she knew the tight bonds Vincent, Jordan and Brian shared, and wouldn't want to restrict him. A faint smile escaped his saddened expression. 

'Mom is always full of surprises.' He complemented his mom's decision.

"So then, can we take our leave now?" Sean inclined, drawing Vincent's attention to himself. The latter sized Sean up, intensively. It was time for his questions to be answered. He wanted to know what had happened after he became unconscious! How he appeared in his bedroom, without his mother raising an alarm, and furtherly scolding him, that he spent a long time outside? And how did his injuries suddenly disappear? Had he slept off for an entire day?  These questions bothered him a lot.

"What happened after I became unconscious?" Vincent finally asked, letting his curiosity get the best of him.

"You have a beautiful house. I for one thought you lived in the slumps, I mean that's the only reason why people get bullied. The rich oppressing the poor. But you're of average status. Neither rich nor poor, just in-between them." Sean complemented, ignoring Vincent's question. The latter was feeling uneasy, he wondered why the former was interested in their family status. 

"I asked a question! How did I get back home and to my bedroom? Did you carry me? Why make up a lie to my mum, when you could've just told her the truth." Vincent uttered, he finally figured out that Sean was trying to change the topic, and wasn't falling for it.

"Hey shush! Don't fret, I got you all covered. I will tell you what I intend to say to you now, while other answers are classified and therefore can't be leaked out to a mere teenager." Sean continued, locking eyes with Vincent, the latter did well to pay attention. "About how you got home, I literally carried you all the way from the location of the incident to your bedroom, you can imagine the distance. I told your mom you got into trouble and that she shouldn't mention it to you, or you would get a trauma and eventually breakdown, until you're clouded with mental illness. So it seems like she played her part in it. Then about Jordan's incident, technically I didn't lie, I mean the news media identified the strange death Incidents to be as a result of encountering a wild animal, which attacked the victims, feeding off them, so I am just following the same pattern in explaining it all to your mom."

"And about what that thing was? Am afraid that information is classified, as to that I cannot reveal any further details to you." Sean concluded. "I hope I've cleared you out."

"Those words in my head, what was that thing.." Vincent got interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"Sorry lad, but that also is classified information. Can't be revealed to you now." Sean immediately replied.

"Then when do I get to know, when would you be revealing all this classified information to me?" Vincent asked, staring Sean deep in the eyes.

"Until I place two offers on the table and you accept them." Sean responded.

"What offers?" Vincent inquired, curiosity enveloped him.

"Not just yet. Then terms and offers would be revealed to you, at my appointed time. But for now, let's go say hi, to a friend of yours." Sean added, he could tell that Vincent felt disappointed, but he wasn't willing to risk exposing classified information to the lad.

 "Fine!" Vincent agreed. The duo stood to their feets and exited the building. Outside the building, rested Sean's ride.