Throughout the grey skyline of Portland, Nero sits in the shadows. Waiting for his prey to come along. Wrapping his coat even tighter around himself, he shivers violently. "At least I can't get sick from being out in this." He says to himself miserably. He'd been here for a few days, and of all the Chunt's he'd tortured, none of them knew where lab 32 was. Well, no one else except for commander Shaw. The last Conduit Hunter he'd tortured broke after a few seconds and told Nero everything he knew. Which was pretty much nothing.

He smiled grimly at the memory, and grinned at the night he'd planned for Shaw. He was supposed to be making his rounds very soon, and by rounds he meant that the commander would be heading to his favorite pub, The Moon and the Sixpiece. Apparently the Commander would Dress as a civilian so he could drink in peace. Being a soldier on the losing side of a war was enough of an excuse to drink, being in charge however was a constant need for inebriation.

Just then he spots him, a man in his late twenties with a crew cut and an old hoodie. He's younger than expected, but it's him. Nero couldn't miss the scar that lined his face, arcing from is forehead and down to his cheek, cutting through his left eye. It's Shaw all right. Taking a deep breath, Nero drops from the ledge he was on to the street startling a hobo in the process. Pulling his hood up higher on his head and hunching his shoulders, he heads into the pub to confront his target.

The pub smells of wood, smoke, and top shelf Irish liquor. Nero pushes down the nostalgia that washes over him. It's just dark enough to provide a nice atmosphere, and it's warm in here to ward off the cold. Taking in a deep breath of the cider wood that permeates through the air, he takes a seat at the bar just two down from Shaw. Nero pushes his hood back and nods at the man behind the bar. Definitely a resident of Portland, no one else would be this comfortable in the weather. He's wearing a red flannel shirt and work jeans. His beer gut sticks out over his jeans and his face has lines that show he smiles a lot. At least he used to, there's grey in his beard and it isn't because of his age. He has wrinkles that show how worried he is and has bags under is eyes.

Reaching inside his pocket he pulls a few bills out and slides it to him, "Glenn Fiddich, on the rocks." He says calmly.

The bartender raises an eyebrow and snorts. "Ain't you a bit young to be drinking?" he asks with humor in his voice, which is laden with a subtle Irish accent.

Nero narrows his eyes and sets his jaw, and is just about to comment on how old he is when a new voice picks up. It's the kind of voice that carries no matter how soft it's spoken. It's the voice that demands respect and is oozing with authority and power. Nero's eyes flash wickedly when the message reaches his ears, and he puts the voice to a face.

"Let the kid drink Reilly. He's seen enough to warrant that drink." The Commander drawls.

Reilly nods and pours Nero his drink and dismisses himself under the pretense that he needs to check on the stock on his liquor. Shaw finishes his drink and slams his glass down on the Maplewood bar, cracks his neck and looks at Nero. Recognition flashes across his face as their eyes connect. Then to Nero's surprise he grins and chuckles to himself. Not sure what to think about it, Nero knocks back his drink, relishing the strong and bitter burn that follow. Sighing at the delicious flavor and strong kick, and slams his glass down.

As his glass hits the bar, Shaw speaks up. "How can I help you Shadow?"

Nero chuckles at the nickname he had received, on he nonetheless answered to.

"I think you know why I'm here Shaw." Nero replies tiredly.

"Those twelve dead men couldn't tell you?" The young commander whispers, with and inhuman growl Nero tackles him to the ground and pins his arms. Letting the shadows spill from him, he manifests a dagger and slams in down inches from Shaw's head. The commander chuckles and flashes the shadow-mancer a grin before he launches him into the air, and crashing into the bar.

Shaw stands up and produces a knife and gets into a fighting stance. Recovering from the shock of the attack Nero stands, forming his dagger again. "You think that piece of steel will hurt me Shaw?" Nero taunts.

Smiling, the young commander shakes his head. "This isn't for you Nero." He almost whispers as he runs the blade across his palm, then the other. Confused Nero watches as the blade slices flesh, parting it and letting the blood out. Shaw doesn't even wince at the sight. "You must be confused how I launched you away so easily." He states matter-of-factly as he holds his palms out, letting the crimson liquid pool in his hand. Taking a deep breath, the blood begins to glow. Opening his eye, Nero can see the pupil is red, almost black. With a twitch of his fingers, the blood rises into individual tendrils.

Inhaling sharply Nero pushes down his disgust. "You're an engineered conduit aren't you?" he spits out. "What conduit did you steal that from Shaw? What did glass do?" He screams wanting answers, and all the more worried for his little sister and Girlfriend. Shaw just shakes his head sadly, and thrusts his hands out, sending the tendrils into Nero's chest knocking him back into the already dented bar.

"Fuck." Nero growls through the pain and turns intangible to lesson the pain. Looking down at the tendrils of solidified and crystalized blood and following them to Shaw; he sees regret on his face, along with disgust and pain. "So am I gonna get Aids now?" He jokes. Snarling Shaw, removes some of the tendrils, like recalling a whip and reforming them into a spear.

"Are those your last words?" Shaw questions through his rising disgust. Laughing Nero shakes his head and walks forward, keeping the tendrils where they are. Frowning Shaw increases the size of the tendrils, but it does nothing to Nero. Instead he teleports through the commanders shadow, coming up behind him. Summoning his scythe, he sweeps Shaw's legs out from under him.

Using the shadow underneath him, Nero uses thin strips of darkness to tie him down. He places bubbles of shadows around his fists as well. Turning around, Nero sees tears staining the ruined face of Shaw. Sobbing, and struggling against his restraints he whimpers, "Kill me. Just kill me. Please put me out of my misery." Confused Nero cocks his head and kneels down next to the thrashing commander.

"KILL ME. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST FUCKING KILL ME!" The commander screams.

"You actually want me to kill you." Nero states. Shaw just whimpers more and nods. "Why?"

"I'm an abomination. I didn't want this! I wasn't a conduit before all this shit, then the higher ups decided I'd be a perfect candidate for their experiments." He says between sobs.

"Why don't you just run off? Join us?" Nero responds.

"Because I'm an engineered Conduit. I'm not human, but I'm not Conduit. I'm an abomination. I hate this affliction; I hate these powers, this pain. I hate Glass and the higher ups. I just want out." He whispers, tears still coming out.

Shaking his head Nero stands up and releases his bonds. "If you hate them so much, tell me what I want to know. Help me destroy them."

Shaw takes a deep breath and tells him where it is. Nodding, Nero starts to walk towards the door and stops. "Shaw?"

Shaw looks at him quizzically, "what?"

"If you want out, gather those who you know that support us, gather up the engineered conduits into your own company. And when we come back here, help us kill them all." He states with fire in his eyes.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Nero sits up, his whole body protesting in response. Breathing hard and sweating, he takes in his surroundings. He's in a makeshift tent, evident by the different materials patched together, and it's a typical A-frame tent. The kind used in the legion. He smiles worriedly. How did I get back here? He thinks to himself, the last thing I remember is. His mind flashes back to the dagger Glass stuck in his ribs. Looking down he sees bandages wrapping around his chest. Well that'll be another scar to the count. He sighs lazily.

He tries getting up, but he ends up not being able to breathe. Looks like that dagger fucked me up more than it should have. Well that and liberating all that energy. Sitting back down he stares at the top of his tent, listening to the sounds of the legion, right outside his tent. Worry begins to settle in his stomach, did victoria and Jess make it back here? Are they even alive? His thoughts are ripped away as the front of his tent his flipped open. Standing there is the one person on his mind.

Starting at her boots, his eyes climb. They climb past her ripped white jeans with the black spider-silk leggings underneath, past her black shirt with a hastily drawn sideways C on it. Up past her collar where the beginning of a sun necklace, to her delicate jaw, interrupted by the healed scar curving up to her beautiful forest green eyes, ones that hold relief when they see him up. They fill with tears and she rushes towards him and wraps her arms around him. Nero wraps his around her and is finally able to breathe without feeling as if a boulder is on his chest. "Hey Vi." He says with a smile upon his face. The first genuine smile he's had in weeks.