Agent's Offer

After reaching the hospital, Andre and Emma were taken to a ward where there was hardly anyone. Two police officers stood as guards outside the ward to protect them. A female doctor checked both of them with a stethoscope. Emma was told to just take a little rest and she could leave the hospital tomorrow morning. She was no longer required to wear an oxygen mask either.  Andre on the other hand would be required to stay for a couple because he required stitches. Although the doctor informed Emma that he wasn't in any danger. 

Though she felt relieved, a part of her was unhappy about Cathy. Her burning body and her screams were still fresh in Emma's mind. She couldn't forget about it. She tossed and turned around on the white bed until she received a call on her cellphone from her anxious mother. Someone from the hospital had informed her that she was brought to the hospital in an emergency.

"Emma, are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?" Asked Helina Smith, anxiously.

"Mother, I am okay. It's Andre actually who got hurt," replied Emma.

"How did this happen?" Asked Helina.

"Someone attacked me and Andre as we got out of the car." lied Emma.

She did not tell the truth out of fear of receiving scolding. Her mother had advised her this morning to just go to school and straight come back home. She warned her from going to deserted places.

"Emma, you could have gone to his house later. I had already told you about this. Look, what happened."

"I am sorry mother."

"Should I come to take you now?"

Emma could still feel the anxiety in her mother's voice.

"No mother, it's okay. Don't worry. I will come tomorrow."

"How? Local transport?" 

"Mother, please, I don't feel like talking much. I will figure out everything and inform you tomorrow as early as I can."

"Emma!" said Emma's mother in a very stern voice.

"Please!" requested Emma.

She could hear a sigh on the phone. Probably her mother had decided not to pursue the topic anymore. Emma was not in the mood to talk either. She just wanted to avoid everyone for now.

"Fine but I should know your plan as early as possible," said Helina.

"Okay, bye."

"Goodnight, Emma. Take care."

The entire night went by painfully for Emma. The reason was that she kept crying and screaming in her sleep until the doctors decided to inject her so that she could sleep peacefully. Andre on the other hand too woke up hearing Emma's scream but he could not do anything because of the pain he got from the stitches.

Finally, at five in the morning, Emma opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying down in a blue hospital gown on the white bed of the ward. Curtains were drawn around her from all sides. Her cellphone was on a small white table on her right. As soon she picked up her phone, it vibrated showing a number she hadn't seen before. She decided to answer it to see who was calling her this time.

"Hello?" She asked, lowering her eyebrows.

"Hey, how are you?" Asked a familiar voice.

For a minute, Emma was stunned. Then she blinked before replying.

"Who is this?"

"Emma, it's me, Stephen."

"Oh!" that was all Emma could manage to say.

"How are you feeling now? Better?" Asked Stephen.

"Maybe," she replied before letting out a sigh.

"That's good!"

"How did you know my number?" Asked Emma, lowering her eyebrows.

"Oh, that! I ended up finding your sister on social media yesterday night. She gave me your number."

Emma frowned. Her sister, Nancy, was a social butterfly and had always wanted her to hang out with others as well. Being an introvert, Emma preferred to associate only with a few.

"Thanks for saving my life. If it hadn't been for you then I would have died," said Emma, softly.

"If you want to be so thankful, you need to do me a favour."

"What favour?" Asked Emma, confused.

"You need to do a small thing for me," said Stephen, calmly.

"I heard that. I asked what kind of favour you want?" said Emma, now irritated.

"Date me," replied Stephen.

Emma was shocked. She sat on her bed with widened eyes. She couldn't believe what she heard. She just lost a friend and this guy was asking her out now.

"Hell no!"

"Why not?" Asked Stephen, curiously.

"Are you stupid? I just lost my friend and in this difficult situation, you are asking me out. Besides, I am not into dating." said Emma, annoyed.

"Ok, I will ask you mother, if I can get permission to go out on a date with you?"

"Oh right! You think she would agree to it?"

"Of course, she will. Anyone would agree because I am smart and good looking."

"Dude you got it wrong. My mother hates such people," said Emma, clenching her fist.

"I will also tell her how I saved you from fire when you walked alone with a guy in the woods."

Emma hit her right palm over her forehead. She couldn't believe what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into. Perhaps, if she had told the truth to her mother, this wouldn't have mattered much.

"Alright, but you will not touch me."

"Don't worry I won't do anything until I win your heart."

Emma was surprised. She sat on the bed with a half-opened mouth. Her heart too suddenly began pounding. Though a part of her was annoyed with Stephen, a part of her was also glad.

A blonde female nurse, wearing a light blue shirt and trousers pushed aside the curtains. She smiled as she walked closer to Emma. To Emma's surprise, there was a tall man behind her. The tall black-haired man, in a black suit and black trousers, sat down, smiling, on a white chair beside her. Emma noticed that he was holding a grey coloured file. She was confused. She wondered who was he and why was he there.

"Hello Miss Smith, Agent Rupert Jones here, from the FBI." said the nurse.

"Finally FBI is here!" said Emma, folding her arms.

The agent turned and looked at the nurse, who nodded before moving away from both of them.

"I apologize for the delay. Please tell me what you saw or heard, everything from the beginning." said the agent, calmly.

"I have already spoken to Sheriff about that," said Emma, nervously.

"The thing is, there are other towns where stuff like this has been happening. The victims do not look murdered but there was another girl who died like your cousin."

"No murder?" Asked Emma, scratching her head.

"See this."

He removed two photographs from a file, that he was holding in his hands.

One was Julia's picture. The other looked like Andre's uncle, who went missing a few days before. They looked pale and there was no blood or any injury anywhere. There were some marks on their hands.

"Doctor examined and confirmed that those look like bite marks. The victims died of severe blood loss."

"How is that possible? There is no injury," said Emma, shocked.

"These kinds of deaths have been happening throughout the year in other towns. When it stops in that town, it starts in another. A teenage girl stated that she saw a man in a hood beside a body. The man had called someone on his cellphone and said that the dead girl was not the one. He also told that she found everything so he had to kill her. Two days later, this girl who overheard everything and told us, died exactly like your cousin."

Emma looked at the agent, stunned.

"Nothing makes sense. I have read your statement. But I want to hear again, just in case you remembered anything else."

"There is nothing else to add to it. But I heard someone in school talking about killing Cathy."

"Who is it?" Asked the agent, widening his eyes.

"Couldn't see his face. I was just passing by and he soon realized that someone heard him."

"There is something else strange. Are you friends with this young man Stephen?"

"No, he is just an annoying guy, whom I have to now date now."

"If you find him that annoying, then why are you dating him?" Asked the agent, curiously.

"I lied to my sister about going to Andre's house for notes. We came to the cabin instead. Both my mother and sister do not know the truth. Stephen told me if I don't date him, he will reveal everything."

"This Stephen is somehow connected but we have no evidence. "

"Are you sure? He jumped in the fire to save me," said Emma, lowering her eyebrows.

"The first death in this town happened when Stephen and his family moved to this town."

"But you can't suspect anyone just like that."

"His family is also strange. They have huge wealth but there is no record of anything regarding their past. Nobody knows how they became wealthy. The authorities at his native place are not giving us much response as well ." continued the agent.

"They must have an identification card for their native residents."

"The family has everything except for the source of wealth. Mr Tepes says he owns a couple of pharmacies, but we found out that he did it only recently."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Asked Emma, raising her eyebrows.

"Mr Tepes came to New York with his wife five years ago. His son came just two months before. These deaths started a week after the couple came. The first victim was Jake Parker. His body was found in Hudson. There were deaths like these, wherever they moved. Initially, only a few people died like this. Occasionally one or two bodies like this would appear. But only now it's increasing." explained the agent.

Emma sat silent as the agent continued.

"Mr Tepes does nothing apart from visiting his pharmacies occasionally. At home according to his housekeeping staff, he stays in the office. Most of the time, he goes out of the town for business. Both husband and wife, do not have any friends. Mrs Tepes hardly socializes. Their son Stephen, does not invite anyone home. He does attend parties of fellow students but strangely instead of asking out a popular girl, he wants to date you.

The FBI agent stopped and looked at Emma, who understood what he meant. Indeed it was strange of a young guy like Stephen to ask me out so suddenly. Emma knew that, unlike her sister, she was a typical nerd and often boys like Stephen don't prefer her as their girlfriends. Perhaps, there was a good reason for him to do this.

"I think only you can help us. We know everything about you. You are a brilliant student. We could help you get a scholarship at any good University."

"In return you want me to find out everything about Stephen?" questioned Emma, shocked.

"We want you to get close to his family as well."

"I don't think I can do that. From what you have told me, I even doubt his intentions now," said Emma, looking down at the white floor.

"Your cousin died in front of you. Don't you want justice for her? Just tell us when you find them doing something wrong."

"What if I don't find anything?"

"I am sure you will find something," he said smiling.