Lena Matthews

My green eyes met their own gaze in my reflection. The purple frames of my glasses outlined their stoic expression as my thoughts slowly swirled into a quiet despair. I tried to smile, but it felt fake. Mom was too preoccupied doing my hair to notice.

A freshly curled orange ringlet fell in my face and I blew it out of the way, annoyed.

"Lena!" Mom reprimanded.

I huffed, but refused to say anything. I adjusted my mint green gloves and resigned to stay still for the rest of Mom's obsessive pampering. She had probably been waiting her entire life for this. My mom was eager to see how pretty her daughter could become. Here I was, finally normal in her eyes.

She had no idea.

She had no idea that my Forbidden brand resided beneath my glove. She had no idea that instead of going to Kiara's house to help her practice for the performance tonight, I was about to visit a Forbidden murderer.

I was starting to get dizzy just thinking about what I had to do, so I stared back at my reflection to steady myself. My eyes hid nothing. They looked as terrified as I felt.

"Are we done?" I asked. I couldn't sit still anymore. I needed to be outside right now.

"Patience, Lena." said Mom gently, not a hint of urgency in her voice. She reached into a small jewelry box and pulled out a thin gold bracelet. On the inside, I could see Mom's name carved in cursive along with mine and Aurelie's. The outside of the bracelet had circles all the way around it, like screws. Mom placed my gloved hand in the center of the bracelet and clasped it shut. She grabbed what looked like a small screwdriver and locked the bracelet in place.

"Your Dad got me that after Aurelie was born." Mom explained. "You can't take it off without this." Mom playfully waved the small tool. "You have no idea how forgetful I was. I still am. He got me this because he knew I would never lose it."

"What if you lose that screwdriver thing?" I asked. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" I was completely disenchanted with my parent's romance now.

"I suppose." said Mom, laughing. "But would that be so bad? You'd have a bracelet that lasts forever, like a mother's love." She kissed my forehead and I immediately stood up.

"Mom." I complained.

"Right, personal space." said Mom. "You still look beautiful."

I stared at my reflection again, this time seeing the full picture. I was wearing the dress Makaya bought me, matching gloves from Jessica, and the bracelet from my mom. I looked like a new person. An important, sophisticated person. Or dryad. You could barely tell I was wearing tennis shoes underneath the dress.

"Wow." said Finn as I carefully made my way downstairs. "You look amazing."

"Shut up." I replied automatically. I was trying my hardest to not trip over the green and gold fabric.

"Pictures!" Mom announced.

"Mom." I groaned. "What happened to waiting until we got to the Academy?"

"But you look so pretty." Mom insisted. "Now smile with your brother."

"I want to be in the picture too!" Aurelie announced. She stomped downstairs in the dress she had gotten for the occasion.

"Okay!" Finn agreed. He held out his arms so Aurelie could jump up. "You know you're getting way too old for this right?" Finn asked as he adjusted Aurelie at his side. Aurelie only giggled in response.

"Alright everyone, smile!" said Mom. The bright flash of her cell phone momentarily blinded me.

"I need to go before Kiara has a panic attack." I said quickly. "See you at the Academy."

The moment I stepped outside, I felt a million times better. Whenever I was cut off from the outdoors, it felt like I was being weighed down with an invisible cloak. Everything was constricted: my movements, my breathing, even my thoughts somehow. The moment the cold air hit my skin, I was free.

I walked into the backyard, my dress bouncing with my movements. I slipped off my glove, letting the frigid breeze kiss my Forbidden brand. I carefully set my palm onto a tree and let myself drift into natural oblivion. I floated freely in the arboreal world, and allowed the blur of green and brown stitch itself together to construct a new horizon. I could feel the sensation of bark against my palm once more, in a new forest. For once, I hadn't fallen over after traveling.

"You made it!" said Kiara, grinning enthusiastically. Despite her long white dress, she was able to run to me without tripping. She hugged me, grinning wildly. It was an attitude that didn't quite match the task at hand, but I've gotten used to that from Kiara.

"What's with the fancy clothing?" Aaliyah asked. She and Jerome were wearing jeans and hoodies, while Carter had on a maroon suit.

"It's a talent show thing." I explained.

"What did I say? Extra." said Jerome.

"You think living outside the gate makes you better than us?" Carter asked.

"You know, it just occurred to me that I might be picking a fight with a vampire, so I'm going to shut up now." Jerome decided.

"Don't worry," said Aaliyah. "I could take all of them, no problem."

"I doubt that," said Kiara, crossing her arms.

"Okay, fine. You kinda scare me." Aaliyah admitted.

"Was it the lightning thing?" Kiara teased.

"No, you're just too happy." Aaliyah corrected.

"Are we going to get out of here?" I interrupted.

Despite the fact that Jerome had agreed that arguing with a vampire was not good for his health, he and Carter decided to bicker the entire car ride. Aaliyah and Kiara were in the front, both of them struggling to decipher Makaya's vague directions. Kiara was at the wheel, shooting glares at Carter and Jerome whenever she could.

"Will you two lovebirds shut up?" She asked finally.

Carter and Jerome silenced instantly.

"Nice." said Aaliyah, high-fiving Kiara.

"Guys. I think we're here." I announced. We pulled to a stop in a circle of asphalt. There weren't any lines to mark parking spaces, but a few black vehicles were scattered nearby. Kiara parked next to one of them and shut off the engine.

"Okay." said Carter, his voice wavering. "What's the goal here exactly?"

"First, we need to confirm that Fuyuko is a yuki onna. If she is, we need to figure out how she's getting out of the facility." said Kiara. "Right?" She asked, looking at me.

I nodded grimly before awkwardly turning my body so I could get a good view of the building. It looked like a brick cube that someone had accidentally placed there and never bothered moving. "It's mostly underground." I realized.

"How do you know that?" Jerome asked.

"It was just an observation." I said, climbing out of the car. The sun greeted me warmly, but it couldn't shake my nerves. Finally, there was sunshine in Oregon and I couldn't enjoy it.

Carter, on the other hand, was nowhere near as enthusiastic about the weather as I was. Even though sunlight wasn't deadly, he claimed that it messed with his senses and caused some blindingly painful headaches. Carter had decided that his best solution was to take off his blazer and put it over his head like a shield. Jerome was in charge of making sure he didn't bump into anything, although I suspected that Carter didn't need help.

"Why don't you give him your flower thing?" Aaliyah asked.

"Why don't you mind your business?" Kiara responded, pressing her flower crown tightly onto her head. It had been strategically placed so it could cover up the blowhole on top of her head. Aaliyah held up her hands in a mock surrender and rolled her eyes.

"We need to look professional when we get in there." I instructed. Jerome turned around to glare at me from beside Carter, who definitely looked unprofessional.

"We'll be fine." Kiara assured me.

I took a deep breath before entering the building. Inside, linoleum tiles lined the floor, with a single desk by the wall. Behind the desk sat a woman and a nondescript gray door with a keypad. Carter took the blazer off his head to stare in confusion at the beige walls and fluorescent lighting.

"I was picturing something different." He announced.

I walked forward to speak to the lady at the front desk. "Hi, my name is Ivy Scott. Makaya Gladwell sent us."

The woman frowned. "I wasn't told about an Ivy Scott."

I turned around. When I couldn't see them, it felt like everyone was glaring at me. But as soon as I looked back, I realized that I was being paranoid. Aaliyah was trying to touch Kiara's headdress, and Kiara was playfully fighting her off. Jerome and Carter were locked into a conversation, and I was probably the last thought in their minds.

"Fine." I muttered. I reached into one of my dress pockets and fished out my wallet. I flashed my Agency ID to the lady at the desk, and saw a smile tug at the edge of her lips.

"Follow me." the woman announced sharply. Everyone stared as she walked to the keypad. The woman punched in a code, and the door clicked open. "What are you looking at?" She asked. "Let's go."

Bare light bulbs dangled from the concrete ceiling by weak chains. Their dusty light barely filled the thin corridor, where the sound of our footsteps echoed. I could hear the faint scraping of my dress against the sides of the hallway. I groaned and lifted my skirt to save it from the brash concrete.

"Ivy, you've got to be joking." said Carter, breaking the tense silence.

"What?" I asked.

"You're wearing tennis shoes?" He asked.

"It's not like anyone can see it." I defended.

"Yeah, but..." Carter sighed, defeated. "If we have time, I'm grabbing something from Rosie. The girl had a shoe obsession."

"I don't think shoes should be the focus." We were joined by a tall officer dressed head to toe in black. He had on a heavy coat, despite the fact that the hallway was already warm. The man also toted a large gun over his shoulder, which made us nervous.

The woman smiled and waved goodbye before abandoning us with the new stranger.

"I'm Agent Dwyer." said the man. All of us stiffened immediately.

"What kind of agent?" Carter asked. His eyes were narrowed dangerously, and Kiara looked two seconds away from sprinting out.

"I'm with the Society," said Agent Dwyer.

"So not the Agency?" Kiara confirmed.

"Not the Agency." Agent Dwyer agreed.

"There's a difference?" Jerome asked.

"Why are you looking at me like I know what's going on?" Aaliyah scoffed.

"You guys are here to see Ms. Kazama, right?" Agent Dwyer asked.

"Right." I answered.

Agent Dwyer nodded and led us further into the tunnel. I was starting to get nervous. The further I was from daylight, the scarier the situation became. There was no chance I could summon anything through the concrete, leaving me powerless. We stopped before a metal door with another keypad. Agent Dwyer entered a code, and the door popped open to a more spacious room.

Two men, one in a lab coat, and another in an outfit matching Agent Dwyer's, were crouched over a large switchboard with more buttons than a cockpit.

"There she is." Agent Dwyer announced. 

I gaped at the large panel of glass above the switchboard. Not glass. A two-way mirror. I stared in horror at the woman who paced behind the mirror, unaware of our presence. Her mangled black hair obscured her face from view, but when she looked up, I caught a glimpse of her wild eyes. She was in a room that was meant to look like an apartment, with soft red walls, classical music, and a chair by a fake fireplace. But this woman looked insane.

I glanced back at my friends, who were just as shocked as I was.

Slowly, I walked closer to the glass. No one stopped me, but I could feel their alert glazes follow my movements. I studied the black switchboard carefully. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but there was one thing I understood. I grabbed the small microphone.

"Hello?" I asked. "Fuyuko?"

"Dare desu ka?" Fuyuko screamed at the ceiling of her room.

"Anyone know Japanese?" I asked. Everyone shook their head. I sighed. "Hello? Um... Konnichiwa? Watashi wa Ivy Scott. Uh... Tomodachi desu."

"Good luck getting any English out of her. She used to be fluent, but one day she just snapped. Mrs. Pearce set up this facility right afterwards." Agent Dwyer explained. "The Society's job is to keep magic under wraps, so you can see how she was a threat to that mission."

"I think Jessica told me about you guys." Carter chimed in. "She called you neutral to a fault."

"That would be us." Agent Dwyer agreed. "If it doesn't directly interfere with our mission, we can't intervene."

"Wouldn't three mysterious deaths interfere with your mission?" Aaliyah pointed out.

"Did any non-magical person suspect the supernatural?" Agent Dwyer asked.

"Well, not really, but-"

"I think you have your answer," said Agent Dwyer. I had heard about the Society a couple of times from Dad in passing. If one of his missions went sideways, he would call them to fix the mess. The Society may not be full of killers, but they were allies of the Agency.

I looked back at Fuyuko, who was still pacing, her arms swinging by her sides. It was hard to believe she had been hit with a dagger a couple days ago. "So... um.... Anata wa yuki onna desu ka?" I asked through the microphone. 

Fuyuko laughed. Her hair swirled with a sudden gust of wind. Snow started to fill the room, almost blocking her from view. "Dokono?" She asked, screaming over the sound of her blizzard. "Musuko wa doko no?"

The room flashed red and as an alarm blared.

"Great." said Agent Dwyer. "Everyone out." I stared at him blankly. "Now!"

Panicked, we shuffled out of the room and nearly tripped our way back outside. Agent Dwyer slammed the door shut as soon as we left, and I could hear the distinct sound of a lock clicking into place.

"What was that?" Aaliyah demanded.

"I don't know." I murmured.

"So that was it right? Case closed?" Jerome asked.

"I don't know." I repeated, rubbing my temples. That facility was clearly well thought out. And Fuyuko was clearly unhinged. Too unhinged to be a methodical killer. Something wasn't lining up.

"How can't you know?" Carter asked.

"Hold on. Let me call Jane-Anne. I have a question." I said. I dialed her number and put it on speaker so everyone could hear.

"It's just Ivy, Taylor." I could hear Jane-Anne's muffled voice say. "Hey, what's up?"

"Can you translate something for me?" I asked.

"My Spanish sucks." said Jane-Anne.

"Not Spanish." I clarified. "Japanese."

"Oh. Yeah. That makes sense." said Jane-Anne. "What is it?"

"Musuko wa dokono. Does that mean anything to you?" I said.

"Basically, someone's looking for their son." Jane-Anne answered. "What's going on?"

"It's a secret." I explained.

"What kind of secret? Like, 'my real name is Lena' kind of secret?" Jane-Anne asked.

"Jane-Anne?"

"Yes?"

"You're on speaker phone." I looked up. Aaliyah seemed confused, but nowhere near as lost as Kiara. Jerome looked shell shocked, and Carter looked blank. Something deep inside me registered that he knew.

"We've met," said Jerome. "It's been coming to me really slowly. We were in Monty's. You told me-"

"Stop," said Carter. "I need to hear Lena say it before you do."

"Say what?" I asked.

"I'm not stupid." said Carter. "I think you know exactly what we're talking about."

"It's not what you think." I said nervously.

"Don't tell me what I'm supposed to think!" Carter exploded. "Tell me the truth for once!" His eyes turned bright red, and I could see his fangs. I shuddered involuntarily.

There was no use hiding anything. Every lie, every manipulation, and every mistake I had ever made was backfiring. The game was finally over. I had no choice but to come clean.

"My name is Lena Matthews. My family and I were sent by the Agency to collect evidence of a Forbidden presence in Atalka." I swallowed nervously.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't kill you right now," said Carter.

"I know who the killer is. And it isn't Fuyuko Kazama."

A/N: The secret's finally out! According to Lena, the killer isn't Fuyuko Kazama. Whether she's telling the truth or lying to buy herself some time is up for debate. Now that her friends know the truth, anything can happen. So buckle up for the next chapter! Things are about to get insane (yes, I'm going to hype up all of these final chapters).

QOTD: Do you think the killer is Fuyuko? If not, who?