Red Flags

CHAPTER FIVE.

The sounds of the chains echoed through the passages as the werewolves' prisoners were pushed out to the backyard where the annual ceremony would take place.

Each year, on the day before the full moon, a ceremony would take place where the werewolves captured were experimented on by Dr. Matt. His experiment usually last till the full moon was over.

Dr. Matt sat patiently, watching as the soldiers pushed all the werewolves out.

***

Mrs. Sparks and Caroline sat in Sparks' living room gossiping and giggling. Mrs. Sparks stole surreptitious glances around to convince herself that no one was around. "I have filed for divorce," She whispered. "I hope I'm doing the right thing."

Caroline's smile broadened. "The best decision you will ever make in life. Have your kids read it to him?"

"Not yet," Mrs. Sparks answered. "It'll come in today. I feel bad for them."

"Don't. They'll be fine," Caroline assured. "Jordan's a strong girl."

"And Tory?" Mrs. Spark's voice had worry in it. "I don't want my kids to hate me."

"They won't, in a couple of years they will understand why you made this decision, and they will applaud you for it." Caroline gave Mrs. Sparks a reassuring smile. "Now go and get dressed, you'll be late for the interview."

Mrs. Sparks left the living room, looking sad. Caroline looked around, as if she was irritated by the environment.

***

Megan stood in her bedroom, staring outside the window. In a few hours, it would be the full moon.

And in celebration of this, she was expected to transform at least one human into a werewolf.

"Count down to the full moon, yeah?" Mr. Trainor questioned in a pitiful tone as he walked inside Megan's bedroom.

"You know what this is about!" Megan replied, her eyes focused on the sky.

"What is happening on this full moon?"

"The usual thing. Nothing new, nothing special." Megan lied. He must have thought of her as a fool.

"You do not need to sneak out tomorrow without your shoes to partake in the full moon," Mr. Trainor said. "You are free to partake in the full moon tomorrow, freely."

Megan turned to face him excitedly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." Mr. Trainor nodded.

"Why the change of heart?"

"If I refuse you'll still find your way, right?"

"You're not wrong." Megan smiled. "Seems you're tired."

"I won't spend all my life chasing you about," Mr. Trainor snapped. "I really hope you stick to our agreement this time, I'll like to see you put up the same energy during classes."

"I guess you've been listening too much to that man," Megan closed the blinds of her window. "He never has anything good to say about me."

"Zain?"

"Yes," Megan's tone changed negatively. "Why is he masquerading to be a coach at the gym? We both know he has zero knowledge about gymnastics."

"There's nothing I can do about it sadly." Mr. Trainor shrugged. "All the top executives voted him in."

"Why does he hate me?"

"He is jealous of me."

"What do you have to make anybody jealous of you?" Megan chuckled mockingly.

Mr. Trainor felt a sharp pain in his heart. "I have a family, my daughter is the most awarded gymnast in the history of Ocean Academy. That is something not everyone has."

Megan frowned. "How about Jordan?"

"I tried but every other coach wants her to stay."

"Thank you," Megan said in sincerity. If there was one thing she was thankful to her father for, it was his efforts to get Jordan expelled from the Academy.

"Anything for you." Mr. Trainor smiled. "Enjoy the full moon, freely."

"I will." Megan smiled. "Thank you."

Mr. Trainor walked out of Megan's bedroom, buried in deep thoughts.

***

"Hey!" Avara said as she dragged Charlotte's bags. "Stay!"

Charlotte looked at Avara silently.

"Please!" Avara added, smiling.

"That's not a proper apology," Charlotte said, placing her hands on her waist. "I need a proper apology."

Avara frowned. "I'm sorry. But, you also owe me an apology."

"I'm sorry," Charlotte said reluctantly. "But it's all your fault."

Avara threw Charlotte's bags all over the place. "How could you talk down on fourteen million like it's fourteen thousand?"

"Do you know the way you were sounding the day you told me to quit my job that you've made millions of money?" Charlotte raised her voice. "You sounded like you had five hundred million."

Avara laughed. "You think money is easy to make?"

Charlotte sat on the sofa. "Tomorrow is full moon.."

Avara's face saddened. "And I am yet to find him."

"How will you find him when you hardly visit home?"

"I heard he hardly visits home too," Avara replied in frustration. "He is very active in this part of the world. What if I go home and miss my chance of meeting him?"

"They say he is a billionaire here."

"I have tried to link some billionaires in town." Avara sighed. "They all have excessive pride, I can't deal."

"What did you expect?"

"I really like Zain," Avara muttered lustfully. "I would like to be more than business partners with him."

"Get rid of those deceitful emotions and focus on your destiny," Charlotte advised in sincerity. "Finding the alpha should be your second priority."

"Second?" Avara expressed shock. "What's my priority then?"

"Money!" Charlotte answered. "Making money."

"All that won't matter in due time," Avara replied. "We will soon take over this world."

"So?" Charlotte began. "Money will go extinct?"

"Things will change."

"Okay." Charlotte gathered her bags. "We don't even know when that will happen."

"I believe in the alpha," Avara said with confidence. "It's just sad I haven't found him yet, what if he doesn't like me when we finally meet?"

"Tomorrow is the full moon. Pray to the moon goddess, she will grant your heart desires." Charlotte carried her bags and moved towards the bedroom. "Who knows? You might find him on this full moon. Be hopeful and patient."

"Thank you." Avara smiled. "And I'm really sorry about my behaviour."

"It's fine." Charlotte's voice receded with distance as she walked to the bedroom. "I'm sorry too. I guess I will have to make another list."

"A pocket-friendly one, please!" Avara screamed. "Thank you!"

***

Dr. Matt walked into his office with his assistant, Chicago. He exchanged glances with Mr. Trainor, then looked away. His assistant looked away too and murmured something to Dr. Matt. Mr. Trainor sat back in the leather chair.

"Trainor!" Dr. Matt smiled. "Long time no see! What brings you here?" Dr. Matt sat on his special chair, and his assistant stood beside him.

"Tomorrow is the full moon," Mr. Trainor shrugged, his expression anxious. "Is there any special activity that is supposed to happen on this full moon?"

"How would I know?" Dr. Matt questioned.

"You have them in your care, you should know." Mr. Trainor tried to tame his voice. "Is there anything you have achieved with them, or you're just wasting the government's time and resources?"

"I am doing my best."

"With no results for how many consecutive years?" Mr. Trainor raised his voice.

"You have no right to question me," Dr. Matt snapped back. "I do not answer to you anymore."

"I might have resigned from the police force, but I am still a full-time member of this movement." Mr. Trainor reminded him. "I deserve to know whatever is going on."

"Nothing yet," Dr. Matt said. "Hopefully we'll achieve something on this full moon."

"Have you at least found a way to turn them into permanent normal humans?" Trainor tried to control the frustration in his voice.

"Not yet," Dr. Matt replied. "But, I am sure something big will happen tomorrow. I have noticed great changes in them. Let's see if they can still transform tomorrow. If they don't transform tomorrow then..." Dr. Matt paused.

"Then what?"

"Then just maybe," Dr. Matt looked at Mr. Trainor in the eyes, "they might never transform into their werewolf bodies again."

Mr. Trainor nodded attentively.

"That is all for now, Trainor."

"Keep me in touch." Mr. Trainor stood to his feet. "Thank you."

The moment Mr. Trainor walked out of Dr. Matt's office, his assistant quickly occupied the chair Mr. Trainor sat on.

"He is being too nosy," Chicago said. "Shouldn't he be focusing on his family, and his daughter most especially? I heard his daughter is going to the Olympics this year."

"She's a smart kid." Dr. Matt agreed. "Trainor won't give up, he is dedicated to this movement."

"Does his family know he still wants to get involved in this fight?"

"I doubt they do." Dr. Matt pushed to his feet and felt the office. "Come, we have work to do."

***

"How could you be this wicked and heartless?" Jordan screamed at the top of her voice. "Mom, I'm talking to you!" She stood across Mrs. Sparks' bedroom in tears.

"Bring down your voice," Mrs. Sparks said, trying to park her hair into her hair net. "He might hear you."

"You should have thought about that before you filed for divorce." Jordan normalized her voice. "Do you even care about him?"

"I am doing this for us," Mrs. Sparks muttered, fixing her gaze on Jordan. "I am doing this for you and Tory." She looked away. "And for your father."

"Don't lie." Jordan broke down in tears. "Mom, please don't do this to us."

"Do you know how much my heart breaks when I wake up everyday and cannot find my 16-year-old son, and cannot even give an account of his whereabouts?"

"Have you also thought about how he will feel when he hears this?"

"I need to do this," Mrs. Sparks insisted. "My mind is made up and nothing will make me change it."

"Mommy, please." Jordan fell to her knees. "Please don't go, I promise to fix our finances."

"I won't leave you to shoulder responsibilities that aren't yours, this is why I need to leave."

"To where?"

"Please get up." Mrs. Sparks said in pain.

Jordan shook her head disapprovingly. "Where are you going to?"

"I found a job."

"Where?"

"You don't have to know."

"Is divorce a requirement?" Jordan looked up to face her mother.

"Yes." Mrs. Sparks brushed a tear off her face. "I will send you money frequently."

Jordan looked in the direction of the bedroom. She heard a familiar noise. She knew it was her father, probably struggling to get something.

She was weak in the knees. She felt miserable. There was nothing she could do to dissuade her mother from leaving. Her mind was made up. She remained on the floor and cried helplessly.

Mrs. Sparks ignored her, and continued to study her face in the mirror. "Which of the Austins are you dating, Quavo or Bernard?"

Jordan looked up at her in tears and shock. "Austin is the reason why you are divorcing dad, the reason why you're leaving your family?"

"Which amongst the two is your boyfriend?" Mrs. Sparks questioned.

"May God forgive you," Jordan said and stood to her feet. "God help you." She left the bedroom.

Mrs. Sparks didn't seem perturbed. She continued looking in the mirror.

***

"Honey!" Mrs. Trainor cried out. "Honey!" She stammered.

Mr. Trainor ran out of the bathroom, and sped to the centre table in his bedroom. His wife was sitting there, applied to her MacBook. "Honey, are you okay?"

Mrs. Trainor strove to speak normally, her throat clenched with fear. What the hell has she just read?

Mr. Trainor drew a deep breath, realizing how terrified his wife was. "Talk to me, honey."

"Tomorrow is the full moon." Mrs. Sparks straightened slowly.

Mr. Trainor darted a glance at their door that was open, then rushed to shut it. "Be careful, Josie is wondering about the house. Yes, tomorrow is another full moon, are you just knowing?"

"No." Mrs. Trainor shook her head. "Tomorrow is a special full moon, the blue full moon, all werewolves living among humans must turn at least one human into a werewolf."

Mr. Trainor studied her. As far as he could see, she wasn't joking. "I need to inform Dr. Matt, he needs to be careful."

"We need to be careful!"

"Why?"

"Megan." Mrs. Trainor calmly said. "We need to do something about this."

"How did you get this information?"

"It doesn't matter," Mrs. Trainor paced around the bedroom. "Megan is what matters now!"