Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 06:22:47 -0800 (PST) From: Author James Subject: The Shadow Chapter 5 In the Blink of An Eye Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. I do not know the sexual orientation of any of the celebrities who will be appearing in the story. WARNING: The character does not have a happy life and will not have very many happy events in his life. If this kind of stuff bothers you, I do not recommend reading. Otherwise, enjoy. The Shadow created by Street and Smith, Walter B. Gibson. Copyright Advance Magazine Publishing Inc. Author's email address: authorjames2002@yahoo.com Chapter 5 In the Blink of An Eye Striking out into the night, our hero became more active in patrolling and spent less time investigating Dhani and Amit from the A-Teens. By their reaction to him, he figured they were somehow being influenced by some form of drug. There was no reason, no good reason at all, for them to react so emotional around him. It unnerved him. To help the two young singers get rid of their "feelings" and to help him not give in to temptation, the Shadow stuck to patrolling the streets and focusing on crime going on throughout the rest of the city. The bus pulled up and the young man disembarked. Several people got out after him attempting to say goodbye, but he wouldn't have it. His heart had been broken and he would not allow anyone in at the moment. Harris took a deep breath and headed down the street. All he had was his bag from the trip to Florida. He did not care to stop at home to pick up any more clothes. Harris didn't want to risk running into anyone that he knew. All his life had culminated to the great pain he felt in his heart, and he did not wish to experience that again. As he headed down the street, someone whispered to catch his attention. He looked into the alley. "Need some place to go?" the voice said. "No, thanks," Harris replied and turned to leave. A hand emerged from the shadows and grabbed him pulling him into the darkened alley. "You don't have an option," the voice said. The person tossed Harris against a wall. Harris looked up at the assailant and noticed it was a human being, not a vampire, like he had seen and heard about many times before. "Don't I?" Harris asked. "Not in this city." Without warning, something came out of nowhere and tackled the man. Harris couldn't tell what it was until, suddenly, it took form into a man in a black cloak. 'Oh, great,' Harris thought. 'No matter where I go, they show up.' The figure backhanded the man and then kicked him, knocking him down. "I suggest you stop your mugging," the cloaked figure stated. The man nodded and crawled backwards. After getting to his feet, he ran away. "Are you okay?" the darkened figure asked. "Yeah." The figure nodded and turned to leave. "Do you know anyone by the name of Cloak?" Harris asked. "What?" the figure said stopping. "I know someone who dresses a lot like you. But he's a wizard, and a mutant." A chuckle came from the figure. "You must be reading fairy tales. When was the last time you ate something or had sleep? You sound like you're hallucinating." "Actually, I'm not. You came out of nowhere, and it wasn't until you actually hit the guy that your body took on form. I thought for sure you were just a shadow." The way the conversation was going bothered the Shadow. He had never heard of vampires and wizards being real. "Are you sure you saw what you saw?" the Shadow asked. "Yep, you were invisible, or nearly invisible. Didn't you know that?" "Of course I know I'm invisible. No one gives me a second look. Do you know how many people have ignored me in life? Just about everyone I've met." "I didn't mean that kind of invisible. I meant, literally, invisible. All you appeared to be was a shadow." "You're dreaming. You believe in ghosts and goblins so they are everywhere you turn. Sorry, but I don't ascribe to that." "You're not much older than me, are you? Does your family know you do this?" "My family doesn't know I'm here in New York. And I don't think they really care, either." "What makes you say that?" "I've been here for a while and still no one has come looking for me. I don't even hear about them looking for me on the news. It's because they don't give a fuck. And frankly, I don't care either." "Do you think you deserve to be alone?" The Shadow didn't answer Harris. Instead he turned. "You better get your things and run along. I have important matters to deal with." "I'm coming with you," Harris replied as he picked up his bag and followed. "I don't have anywhere to go, either." Harris caught up with the Shadow who said nothing. "Well, aren't you going to ask me what happened?" The Shadow ignored him and continued walking. "Well, it all started last Spring while I was in school..." Dhani stood on the suite balcony looking up at the starry night sky. "It totally amazes me," Dhani said. "I never thought I'd meet someone who would care like that guy did and help us out. He seems so selfless." "Have to be careful about those kinds," Marie said. "Selfless tends to be a ploy to get into someone's pants." "But he had me naked in the shower. He started to move down but stopped himself. He was definitely in a position of power to do something if he wanted. He didn't, though." "What are you thinking, Dhani?" "I don't know what to make of him, Marie." "If I were you, I wouldn't make too much of anything. Most guys who try to be tough tend to be only after one thing, and it isn't love." After Harris relayed his story, he asked the Shadow where they were headed. "To Jared's apartment. He is my technologist. He helped me find out some information about the A-Teens, a musical group..." "I know who the A-Teens are. Have you met them?" "Yes. Most evenings I stop by while they are asleep and watch over them to make sure they are safe." "What's happening with them?" The two entered a housing complex and walked past several buildings. The Shadow got looks, but nothing too major. The fact he was wearing normal clothes instead of a themed mask made his appearance a bit less conspicuous. "Dhani and Amit have been victims of some sort of mind control. They've been having sexual escapades outside their control. Someone is collecting their sperm as well as videotaping their sexual behavior. Neither of the guys remembers having sex. They return from a concert, have sex, then return to their suite where they shower and wake up from the trance believing they've just returned from the concert. At least a half hour has passed, depending on what they do sexually and how long it takes them to ejaculate." "Is it me, or is all this talk of two gorgeous guys making us horny?" The Shadow, not being one to divulge any information, stopped looked at Harris and stated, "It's you." "Oh, sorry. My mistake. I just assume that everyone I meet and get along with is gay. Funny, though, given my past. You would think that I would assume everyone I get along with is straight, after all I've been through." "Here we are," the Shadow said. He rang the doorbell and waited a moment. "No one's here," Harris said. The Shadow opened the screen door and knocked on the wood. "He should be here. He knows I was coming over." "Maybe something else came up." "My operatives know I don't like to be kept waiting. They wait until I'm finished with them. Any other activities are suspended indefinitely." "Man, you're a tough boss." The Shadow tried the doorknob and the door opened. He stepped inside cautiously. "Jared? Jared, it's me!" Reaching over, the Shadow hit the light switch. "Is he...here?" Harris asked, but then saw the body on the floor. "Oh, my God. It always bothers me when I see..." "Ssh," the Shadow said. "There's someone else here." Harris buttoned his mouth. "Don't touch anything." Harris nodded and The Shadow knelt down by the body. He checked to find it cold. "He's been dead for some time. Someone knew I was coming. Someone who connected him to me." "What have you guys done together?" "The only thing we've done together was...the A-Teens." Out of nowhere a black and blue streak tackled the Shadow and they rolled out the door. "Shadow?" Harris said turning. "Don't even think about it," a voice said. Harris turned around to see a red-head with a bow and arrow pointed at him. "Uh, okay?" Outside, the Shadow rolled to his feet and turned to face a young man, maybe two years his senior, in a defensive position. The young man wore all black with the silhouette of a blue bird across his torso. The "wings" ran down the youth's arms across two of his fingers on either hand. "What are you doing here?" the youth asked the Shadow. "I came here to visit my associate. That's when I found him dead. Who are you working for?" "Myself." "Why did you kill him?" "I didn't. My boyfriend and I were passing through the neighborhood when we saw these guys breaking into the victim's apartment. We came in to investigate and found him dead. The men breaking in were nowhere to be found. Then, we heard you coming in so we hid." "If you followed the guys in, then that means..." "They might still be in the apartment." Bullets flew out of the windows. The Shadow and the other youth dropped to the ground as the bullets flew overhead. "Harris!" the Shadow called out. "Arsenal!" the other guy called out. To Be Continued...