ACT II
Burke scoffed at the man's strange sense of humor and mysterious demeanor, then laughed. "Well, Mr. Dameon Edwards, if you need a lackey you might want to find someone else, see? I've done this whole 'lackey' bit before my whole life, and I ain't gonna do it anymore. Down here, I get respect. There are a couple dozen fellows down here that won't come near me, you know why? Because they're afraid of me, that's why. Another half a dozen are envious because of how I've become the shark in this little pool of misfits down here. At least they feed me better now as long as I make them money." Burke pointed both of his thumbs toward himself and held his head high. " I...am the boss down here, Edwards. Nobody tells me what to do, except when I have to fight next. That's right, down here it's MY rules.
"Out there, I lived by other people's rules for years. My father made rules, and I was paid off with beatings. One time I tried to run away, and he beat me so hard his hands were raw for two weeks. Ever been beaten that bad, Edwards?" Dameon sat still, expressionless and silent. Burke leaned in close. "Well, I have. I was beaten all the time as a kid. I was the poorest kid in the whole town. My dad couldn't hold a job, and that Collins family never lifted a finger to help us. I took jobs modeling for a painter named Sam Evans for quarters, and I walked out at night combing the beach for glass bottles to turn in so I could get food for my mother and me. When I grew up, I had friends who set me up and railroaded me outta town for something I know I didn't do. That's how I ended up here, Edwards. Not only that, but the woman I loved married my accuser the next day. How do you deal with that, huh?
"Down here, I'm the one making the rules. Everyone knows that I'm worth something down here. So you tell me, why would I want to leave this place? If I left here, nobody would respect me because they would look at me and just see another ex-con. I'd never be able to get a job, and no one would ever respect me like they do here." Burke sat back in his chair. "Here, I matter. I'm number one. So why don't you take your offer and go find someone else?" Devlin turned to motion for the guard.
Dameon held up his hand to the guard who was starting to open the door, and he motioned for him to stop. Dameon leaned closer to Burke, his voice filled with authority. "Listen, I understand that you 'think' you're really something down here. Have you ever thought about what is going to happen to you in a few years? Burke, you're not going to be young and in the shape you're in forever. My friend, eventually, someone will come and take your respect away from you and beat you without mercy. You will be humiliated, and when the 'Shark' is eaten by a bigger shark, he's finished. That's what will happen to you, my friend. You're only good to them while you're winning these fights. That's all you are, Burke. You're their pawn. Once you stop making money for them, what will you be left with? You'll be a broken down man in his thirties who is unable to work because of the brutal beatings you will suffer when you lose. You will be a mockery, a has-been, Burke. Since you're the shark, you know what happens to these men down here who show their weaknesses. You'll be worm food before you know it." Burke sighed and looked down as Dameon continued.
"Is that the kind of life you want ? You're not a lackey for one man, but a lackey for an entire city. I can give you what you want, Burke. I can make you wealthier than you could have ever dreamed of being. I know you already know this. You've thought this through many times. Your anger and survival instinct push all this to the back of your mind, and all you do is live for the day. That's all you've ever known to do, Burke. I have a better life to offer you, and it won't be long before your life takes a different turn for once. You will have your money, your respect, your freedom, and most importantly, your revenge against those who put you in here. If you will give me a moment, I will explain the plan."
Burke sat still pondering, and Dameon gave him a sinister glare. "Come now, my friend, you know you want to hear it."
Burke rubbed his square jaw with his hand, and looked at the shining serpent symbol on Dameon's cane. His fingers ran through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He sighed deeply, as if the words spoken by Dameon had broken through his barriers and reality had settled in. Once again he realized he had become a pawn. No matter where he was, he seemed pre-destined to be this. He was done with it. His face hardened and his eyes focused on Dameon's blank stare. Burke replied, his voice filled with melancholy. "Okay, what is it that you have? I want to hear the WHOLE story, not just some of it. That "Need -to-know basis" kinda stuff doesn't set well with me. "
Dameon smiled. "Of course, my friend. As I told you earlier, I am only a speaker for my master. I speak the entire message he gives me to bring, and I deliver it only once."
Burke interrupted. "So you say your... 'Master'...sent you to me, huh? Why? Who are you people?"
Dameon answered in a low, chilling tone. "We are what remains of a devoted society that has been here since the beginning of time. We are many, and our eyes and hands are in every place. We have survived through the millennia, shaping and changing history. We are many members, but one body. We all belong somewhere. I am the speaker. My master tells me to speak for him, and I obey. You have been watched for a long time, Burke. Though my own eyes have never seen you before, others in my...'family'... have. You were seen as a boy. Their eyes watched you the day you were sentenced by Roger Collins' testimony against you. Their eyes have seen you fighting and lining the pockets of those who have used you like a pawn with money they have stolen. My master is offering you a way of escape, my boy.
"In the few moments we have spoken, I have seen deeply into your soul. You have unmatched anger and hurt. Buried underneath it all, you have a conscience, my friend. Your hate quickly dissipates when your longing for a better life settles in. You love money, Burke. All of your life, you have seen how money carries with it a host of influence. It carries with it respect, envy, love, and power. These are things you have been denied since the day you were born. Now, you have all these things within your fingertips. If you follow what my master has planned, you will quickly surpass the Collins family's wealth and live a life free of worries and loss."
Burke's face had softened now that his deepest emotional scars were being brought to light. His tone was grim and full of sadness. "But why me, Edwards? Know what I am? I'm a convicted felon. Nobody will take me seriously. As soon as my so-called 'fortune' comes, people will find out that I spent time in here and won't have anything to do with me. I'm nobody out there, Edwards. Your master picked the wrong guy."
Dameon quickly defended his master's decision. "Burke, I do not question my master's actions. I obey them. If I were to guess, he chose you because deep down, you have a conscience. That is what you must have to follow through with my master's plan. Now, you will remain silent as I deliver my message."
Burke sat back in his seat, his arms folded. He felt a barrier of pride and skepticism going up, and his body language followed suit. Dameon was unaffected by his attitude as he spoke.
"Mr Devlin, as I told you, we are history changers and devoted followers to our master. We work in secret, and my master rewards us openly for our obedience. My master has seen how dissatisfied you are with the way some of your fellow inmates are treated, as well as the whole corrupt system of politics within this city.
"Someone petitioned my master last year for an opportunity to govern this city in exchange for a tribute known only between them. You are going to help him to achieve that power. You will act on our behalf, and you will dissolve the political powers that are leading this city."
Burke leaned forward and quickly interrupted. "Wait a minute...what?! You want me to lead a revolt and overthrow the government here? I'm no..."
Dameon stood angrily, staring down into his eyes. "One more interruption, and I will see that you never leave this place. You do not question. You listen, is that clear?"
Burke said nothing. With a deep sigh, he nodded his head as Dameon began to speak again. "The election is in two days. Tomorrow, a fight between yourself and William Shaw will be taking place. The funds from campaign donations and charities are at their highest during the election week, and whoever has the most winnings at the end of the match is the one who stays in power the next four years. I am sure you know by now that votes are merely ruses to make the people believe that they are contributing to 'the right man for the job'. In truth, it is a way to influence them to contribute their money to raise the stakes for the match tomorrow."
Burke's eyes grew wide in disbelief, and Dameon scoffed. "Come now, my friend, did you really believe that the people's opinions sway the balance of power?" Burke looked down as his hands clasped together nervously, but he answered, "I thought you were delivering a message, Edwards, and not lecturing me with a civics lesson."
Dameon's lips pursed at this bold retort, but he continued where he left off, keeping sharp eye contact with Devlin. "Tomorrow night, you will lose. You are the one that all of them are expecting to win. William Shaw is a recovering drug addict, and is in no shape to fight a man like you. He's good, but no match for you. The governor is so determined to be re-elected that he personally carried out orders to transfer Shaw to this prison for the sole purpose of losing to you tomorrow. All the odds are in your favor, Burke, and all bets will be placed on you. We are going to hit them where it hurts and return the money to the state treasury where it belongs. There, it will be secured.
"The governor's actions will be brought to light, as will all the details of what goes on in the Iron Red. There will be scandal and shame brought to the governor and the other candidates for their taking part. The people will want a new leader, a symbol of justice. That is the opportunity the man who petitioned my master will seize, and the position will be his for the taking. As a token of appreciation, my master is offering you a chance at life, with all the riches you could imagine. Also, you will be granted opportunity to have your revenge on those who put you here." Dameon stood as Devlin's eyes stayed locked in with his.
Burke's mind lay heavily with questions he was afraid to ask, but he was unable to stop himself. "But...how? How can I fake losing like that? Won't they know that I lost on purpose to a man who is such an underdog that he's practically a worthless opponent? They would come after me and kill me if this plan of yours doesn't work! I don't even know anything about you and your 'family' as you call them."
Dameon, still standing, leaned forward. "Burke, we haven't survived several millennia by ill-conceived plans. The method has already been chosen to ensure that you do exactly as we have planned. You do not have to concern yourself with how to carry out our plans. You only agree to obey them. You go down to the Iron Red as always, and you fight as you always do. We will take care of the rest. All you have to do is agree to our terms of payment once you are awarded your freedom."
Burke felt another barrier go up, leaning back with a cocky turn of his head. "So now here it comes. Do I offer you my first-born child or sign away my soul with a blood-dipped quill pen?"
Dameon grinned slightly as he spoke. "In exchange for your freedom and all of your fortune that is to come, you will be required to pay in tribute the one thing you hold most dear. You may keep everything else, but you must surrender your most beloved treasure to my master as a tribute offering. A small price to pay for a lifetime of prosperity, don't you think? You've known loss all of your life, so what is one more thing? Accept my master's offer, and your new life will begin."
He nervously ran his fingers through his hair, and rubbed a raw spot on the back of his neck.. This was too good to be true. He couldn't resist the urge to ask, "How will I be released and guaranteed freedom?"
Dameon coyly replied, "Well, my friend, as long as you're making them money, you will never leave here. They will make sure of that. Then, the moment you lose your position you hold, you are as good as dead. My master guarantees your freedom, and the plan will be revealed to you when you have completed the task my master asks of you. You have nothing to lose, save the one term of payment required of you by my master."
Dameon stretched forth his tattooed hand toward Burke. "Now is the moment of your choosing. You may only choose once. Reject my master's offer, and I will leave and you will never see me again. Accept, and your new life begins, my friend."
Burke knew that there was no other way out. If he would take this, he would finally have the life he always wanted. His whole life, he had dealt with loss and survival. He would only experience loss one more time. With a fortune greater than that of the entire Collins family, he could stand to lose his most prized possession. The ends justified the means. The sacrifice was well-worth the reward.
Burke stood to his feet, his lips struggled to utter the words. "I...I...uh...", he took a deep breath. "I accept your offer, Edwards."
Dameon smiled, and said, "You have pleased my master, and I am pleased when obedience is shown to him in return for his generosity. Now, the covenant must be sealed. Give me your arm, Mr Devlin."
He looked at his own right arm and reached for Dameon's hand to shake on their agreement. Dameon pulled Burke's arm close and pressed his tattooed hand on the underside of Burke's forearm. Burke pulled his arm back after Dameon released it and asked him, "What was that? What did you do, Edwards?"
Dameon remained calm and took his cane in his hand. "Your new life has now begun, Burke, and the mark of my master has been placed on you to carry out his plan. I suggest you rest well tonight. You will need all of your strength to survive tomorrow." Dameon walked to the door and opened it, and looked back at him. "It's just a matter of time..."
Burke sat there staring at his forearm where Dameon's tattoo was pressed down. His eyes never moved from the spot on his arm as the guards came and placed the shackles around his wrists and ankles. The guards escorted him back to his cell, and he lay on the cold concrete slab, trying to take in everything that Dameon told him.
Burke's mind ran rampant with questions. "Was this for real? Does Dameon's master really have the resources to simply give me all that I want? How can I just lose tomorrow? What is going to happen to me? Will I really be able to bankrupt the Collins family one day? When will I get out of this place?"
In his mind, he heard the chilling echo of Dameon's voice, "It's just a matter of time..."
(I do not own the rights to "Dark Shadows." This is only my fan fiction written for the enjoyment of the reader.)