LIGHT AND SHADOW
CHAPTER VII. TENSION
(Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Cranston, Lane, Scott, and their respective supporting casts are sadly, not my property. I'm creatively molesting them for my own sinister purposes.)
*NOTE: After a long hiatus, I'm picking up this story again. I had kind of lost the feel for where it was headed, which is why there have been no new chapters in so long, but realizing that it been my most popular story since Newcomer, I decided that I should put some more effort into it. Enjoy, and keep the reviews coming.
Alan had found that he'd begun to develop a taste for the Cobalt Club, a taste more thoroughly reinforced by the quasi-mandatory lunches at the New York Press Club.
"So, Scott, what've you been working on?" The man next to Alan at the bar queried as he slid a bit closer.
"Nothing to spectacular, I'm afraid. Really just a puff piece on Lamont Cranston that my editor wants as a companion to the coverage on his recent contributions."
"Lamont Cranston, hm?"
Alan, until now only absent-mindedly answering his lunch partner's questions now focused on the dark man next to him. He realized that he'd met him a number of times before. His name was Franklin Stern and he was a cub reporter for the Times, and Alan had come across some of his work on the AP wire.
"Why the interest?"
"Not sure. Cranston's pretty well connected in this city is all, what with his uncle being the police commish and all. No one seems to know too much about him."
"That's what I've noticed. So you're sure there's no reason you're interested in him?"
"Can I level with you?" Stern's face grew. well. stern.
"Sure."
"I don't like him. He's a perfect example of how the rich in this town can get away with just about anything. He's too well connected to be as squeaky clean as he comes across on paper. What's more, all the Shadow appearances started not too long after he came back to New York."
"You don't think that could just be coincidence?"
"I don't believe in coincidences." He said darkly.
"So you do think that there's some connection between Cranston and the Shadow."
"So do you, unless I miss my guess."
"I didn't say that. I do think something's going on though. Tell you what, as this isn't part of my assignment anyway, I'd prefer to keep this quiet. If I find anything, I'll let you know, all right?"
"And what's the catch?"
"What do you know about the Hotel Monolith?"
The almost predatory smile that came across Stern's face was a startling sight.
"That's where it all comes together. I did some digging after the Monolith 'mysteriously appeared' a few years back."
Alan listened raptly as Stern filled him in on the history of the hotel, from its buyout by Shi Wan Khan to its mysterious disappearance and reappearance before it was bought by Cranston. Upon leaving the press club, Alan was almost immediately on the phone to his Gotham office, getting another extension on his time in New York.
"I have you now, Cranston."
The connection with Shi Wan Khan was all it had taken. Everything dropped into place. Cranston's attack on his mind, the missing years of his life after his time in the Orient and the Shadow's confrontations with Khan.
Lamon Cranston was the Shadow.
Alan looked up and realized that the sky was starting to get dark, and that he'd been talking with Stern for a good two and a half hours. Nightfall would be the telling time, he knew. He hailed a cab and glanced at the cabbie's name plate.
"The Hotel Monolith, please, Moe. And hurry, if you can."
"You got it."
Alan didn't notice the flashing of Moe's unusual ring as the Sunshine Cab sped through downtown to the Monolith. Not too far away, Lamont pulled on his overcoat as Margot looked on.
"Please be careful Lamont. There's something different about Scott."
"I can handle Scott, don't worry about that."
"Just promise me that you'll take care."
I promise. He thought with intensity, directed at her. A quick squeeze of her hand and he was off, invisible to the eyes of men, cloaked in darkness as the Shadow.
CHAPTER VII. TENSION
(Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Cranston, Lane, Scott, and their respective supporting casts are sadly, not my property. I'm creatively molesting them for my own sinister purposes.)
*NOTE: After a long hiatus, I'm picking up this story again. I had kind of lost the feel for where it was headed, which is why there have been no new chapters in so long, but realizing that it been my most popular story since Newcomer, I decided that I should put some more effort into it. Enjoy, and keep the reviews coming.
Alan had found that he'd begun to develop a taste for the Cobalt Club, a taste more thoroughly reinforced by the quasi-mandatory lunches at the New York Press Club.
"So, Scott, what've you been working on?" The man next to Alan at the bar queried as he slid a bit closer.
"Nothing to spectacular, I'm afraid. Really just a puff piece on Lamont Cranston that my editor wants as a companion to the coverage on his recent contributions."
"Lamont Cranston, hm?"
Alan, until now only absent-mindedly answering his lunch partner's questions now focused on the dark man next to him. He realized that he'd met him a number of times before. His name was Franklin Stern and he was a cub reporter for the Times, and Alan had come across some of his work on the AP wire.
"Why the interest?"
"Not sure. Cranston's pretty well connected in this city is all, what with his uncle being the police commish and all. No one seems to know too much about him."
"That's what I've noticed. So you're sure there's no reason you're interested in him?"
"Can I level with you?" Stern's face grew. well. stern.
"Sure."
"I don't like him. He's a perfect example of how the rich in this town can get away with just about anything. He's too well connected to be as squeaky clean as he comes across on paper. What's more, all the Shadow appearances started not too long after he came back to New York."
"You don't think that could just be coincidence?"
"I don't believe in coincidences." He said darkly.
"So you do think that there's some connection between Cranston and the Shadow."
"So do you, unless I miss my guess."
"I didn't say that. I do think something's going on though. Tell you what, as this isn't part of my assignment anyway, I'd prefer to keep this quiet. If I find anything, I'll let you know, all right?"
"And what's the catch?"
"What do you know about the Hotel Monolith?"
The almost predatory smile that came across Stern's face was a startling sight.
"That's where it all comes together. I did some digging after the Monolith 'mysteriously appeared' a few years back."
Alan listened raptly as Stern filled him in on the history of the hotel, from its buyout by Shi Wan Khan to its mysterious disappearance and reappearance before it was bought by Cranston. Upon leaving the press club, Alan was almost immediately on the phone to his Gotham office, getting another extension on his time in New York.
"I have you now, Cranston."
The connection with Shi Wan Khan was all it had taken. Everything dropped into place. Cranston's attack on his mind, the missing years of his life after his time in the Orient and the Shadow's confrontations with Khan.
Lamon Cranston was the Shadow.
Alan looked up and realized that the sky was starting to get dark, and that he'd been talking with Stern for a good two and a half hours. Nightfall would be the telling time, he knew. He hailed a cab and glanced at the cabbie's name plate.
"The Hotel Monolith, please, Moe. And hurry, if you can."
"You got it."
Alan didn't notice the flashing of Moe's unusual ring as the Sunshine Cab sped through downtown to the Monolith. Not too far away, Lamont pulled on his overcoat as Margot looked on.
"Please be careful Lamont. There's something different about Scott."
"I can handle Scott, don't worry about that."
"Just promise me that you'll take care."
I promise. He thought with intensity, directed at her. A quick squeeze of her hand and he was off, invisible to the eyes of men, cloaked in darkness as the Shadow.