A new mission…
Of Shadow Born
Mission Two: Money and Power
The door opened slowly. A man, obviously concentrating on something in the hall, backed in quietly. He was dressed in black and had wrapped a charcoal scarf around his head. Surveillance cameras would pick up a dark clad ninja on the premises. That is, if they saw him at all. Even then only his eyes were visible.
He backed into the office closing the door with barely a sound. Staying low in a crouch, he turned and scanned the room letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He produced a small light from his pocket and again scanned the room, locking his sights on the desk in front of the window.
He moved slow taking large, controlled strides testing his footing before taking the next step. He was careful. He had done this before. He had never been caught.
A sound drew his attention. It sounded almost like a giggle from somewhere deep in shadow in the room. The man dropped to a defensive posture and searched the darkness with his mini light. He saw nothing, but one shadow in particular drew his attention. It seemed to pulse with something he couldn't even begin to understand.
"Ninjaaaaa…" A voice said. Before he could react in any way, the shadow itself launched at him. He knew only fear in that instant. He wanted to scream, but his voice failed him. He wanted to fight, but his muscles had abandoned him. He wanted to run, but his legs had lost their strength. He had been a part of the shadow. He had made it an ally in his missions. He died, wondering why it had turned on him.
The shadow, now a fantastically beautiful young woman stood over the body of the dead man. Nothing could have been done for him. His end had already been written in the pages of a book kept by a secret guardian and his dark angel. The kittenish creature of the darkest places stood over him in contemplation. She was not sad, nor was she happy. She had no feeling in moments such as this. She merely watched for a minute, looking upon this one like so many others. He never had a chance against one born to shadow and stealth.
Security would find him the next morning. Rigor Mortis will have set in, locking his body into a bizarre pattern loosely resembling the defensive posture he had chosen before the shadow had reached out for him. The woman running the office would find him. A scream would erupt and others would come rushing in. She would know why he had died there on her floor. She would run to her computers and frantically tap her fingers until she realized her hard discs no longer existed. Her fears would be realized. She would have to leave or die. She would be left with only nightmares of the look of absolute fear forever etched on the dead ninja's face.
Satisfied with her immediate mission, she moved to the desk and pulled out the base unit of the computer. Two minutes later, the small dark haired beauty was gone. Her rival was lost to his own abyss. The prize she sought was in her possession. She stood out on the ledge several stories above the dark Seattle night looking down on the city. Off in the distance stood a tower she called home. It was a place full of secrets.
In a central chamber of a dark tower, a man sat quietly in a chair. The kitten purred behind her man watching closely everything he did. Pages of information flashed across the screen. Video and recordings of meetings played out. Occasionally, the female would point and the man would nod. Occasionally the male would point and the female would nod. In time, they had what they needed to make the next move. The plans were set and when the moment was right, they would strike at their next target.
A small piece would be slipped back into place. It wasn't much, but a little here and a little there would have to do. They took their destiny seriously. They had chosen this path and after all had been said and done; they alone stood free and clear while their enemies fell to inevitable doom around them. They had become legends in their time, but only a few highly trusted associates and friends actually knew them.
With the plans set. The small dark goddess stared up into her man's eyes. He looked deep into hers. With a nod and a hesitant smile, the little one of shadow phased into her true self as the man returned to his devices. Together, with fear and shadow their only friends, they would bring down an empire of pain and suffering.
Three guards stood quietly conversing under a tree. They were discussing chicken dinners and the inevitable shortage of toilet paper while thanking their gods they were on the inside unlike so many out there. Hidden above them, protected by shadow and silence, the kitten waited for her opening. When it came, she was no more than a breeze rushing through the trees. The guards remained clueless and continued their irrelevant conversation.
Across the field, in a pocket of deep shadow the kitten rested a moment counting down seconds to the next stage of the operation.
Three…
Two…
One…
And all the lights went out on the sprawling estate. Shouts and calls of alarm went up around the grounds. She smiled as she dashed through the dark expanse of intricately manicured lawn and garden to disappear into a grove of trees lining the back patio.
On the patio, a small group of security personnel had gathered to discuss plans. The kitten waited patiently as they shouted and argued. She watched as it almost came to blows and then, as if on cue, the lights came back up.
"What the hell?" One of the guards asked.
"It doesn't matter." Another said. "It's just a brown out. It'll probably happen again so be prepared."
"Prepared for what?" A third asked.
"Anything!" The second one shouted. "Now back to your posts. Move out."
They scattered, leaving the chief guard standing there. He turned and looked up toward the balcony. A man and woman were there. They had worried looks on their faces. The guard leader gave the all clear signal as he backed up a few steps to the stand of trees. He had no idea what was about to happen. Neither did the couple in the window.
The shadows twitched behind him. Wind rustled the leaves. The couple looked at each other. As their eyes focused on one another, the shadows focused on the guard, and without a sound he was engulfed by the trees behind him. When the couple turned their attention back just a scant three seconds later, the guard had disappeared. Wind whistled on the edge of an approaching storm. One small branch on a tree was waving up and down.
The couple clutched tighter to each other and slowly backed away from the window. They knew it would end soon. They were not stupid, but they had been greedy. They used deception and lies to gain their advantage. Now their time had come.
The home was lavish and filled with treasures both rare and wonderful. Antique furniture and classic statues decorated every room. Famous paintings and ancient tapestry lined the walls. She moved quickly between rooms. Her movements were precise and timed perfectly.
She knew her destination. The blueprints had been secured and studied. The path was clear. She looked up at the camera in the corner of the hall. A stolen glance let her man know she was on schedule and in control of the situation. She nodded and the power again dropped.
Shouting and confusion built outside. The kitten could hear their chaotic screaming, the mad yells and pleas for answers. They demanded to know where their chief was. They wanted to know what was happening as a light rain began to fall. They would not find his body before morning. None realized they were already broken.
She moved quickly up the steps in the darkness. A guard stepped out onto the landing in the hall and looked down to the floor below. He did not notice the void within the surrounding shadow approaching at inhuman speed. He would not understand what sent him to his darkest place. He never knew what sent his lifeless form crashing to the intricate marble floor below. The dull thud of his body would not draw attention.
She ran down the long hall. A quick distraction later, she stood in the study watching the couple. The room was a shadow itself, black except for the arc of a rare bluish-white glow of the full moon shining in from the balcony. The middle-aged couple stood arm in arm, silhouetted against the sliding French-style doors leading to the balcony. A quick movement and a slight, but planned noise brought the couples attention to the center of the room.
"Who's there?" The man demanded. His voice cracked with fear. "Who are you?"
"What do you want?" The woman pleaded. "We can give you money…" She said as if it mattered.
The kitten giggled and the couple turned toward the sound, but surrounded by shadow, they could see nothing. There was an audible click and the television set against the wall gave off a dull hazy glow brightening with a snowy field.
The familiar crackle and fizzy pop brought a smile to the feline presence still tucked safely in her shadows. Two sets of eyes, phasing between male and female appeared behind the snow, staring out at the couple. The eyes watched them.
"Oh God!" The woman whispered. "No… not him…"
"Do not attempt to adjust your set." A pair of voices spoke. One male and one female voice announced the inevitable. "This is a streaming freedom satellite hack of the Eyes Only Informant Net." They said. The snow dissolved to reveal the scrolling blue and red background of Eyes Only. "This hack cannot be traced. It will not be stopped. It is the Only free voice left in this broken world."
"This isn't happening." The man mumbled. "This can't be happening."
"Do you recognize this man?" Eyes Only asked. A picture of the man standing in his wife's embrace floated across the screen followed by the woman holding onto him. "How about this woman?"
"Of course you recognize them. The man is Henry Finch and the woman is his wife, Mary Elise Finch. They are senior partners of Finch, Finch and Dunleavey. You may recognize the law firm they own as well. It is well known in certain circles where good people fear to tread. You see, the Finch's are quite adept at protecting criminals while innocent people get set aside and forgotten, left to die or waste away never to be heard from again."
"Not us…" The woman had started to cry. The man was not making a sound. "We don't deserve this…" She muttered.
"They have protected the wrong people for far too long. They will no longer have free reign to do as they wish. Recently they handled a lawsuit for Jaxon Simpson. Mr. Simpson was arrested on smuggling charges. He had been shipping heroin, cocaine and several designer drugs into this country in exchange for young men and women. He supplied the teens to foreign investors in exchange for the drugs. There have been countless lives lost on both sides of the Pacific to Mr. Simpson's actions and thanks to Finch and Finch; he is again a free man."
"How can he know?" The woman asked. "It hasn't even been announced yet."
"God help us…" The man said.
"Mr. and Mrs. Finch will learn a hard lesson tonight. They will be the message sent to Mr. Simpson that he is next." Eyes Only finished the statement. The husband and wife dropped heavily to the floor still in each others arms. No higher power would help them. They had been abandoned as Simpson would soon be. "This has been a streaming freedom satellite hack."
"Peace."
"Out." The screen dissolved into snow. The eyes, male and female slowly faded leaving only the snowy static. Eventually, the screen went blank. She had come for them. She accomplished what needed to be and left before the bodies slumped to the floor.
Across town, Jaxon Simpson sat quietly in his own study wondering what had just happened. His people were gathered around the television in silence. They were stunned. They were shocked.
When they turned he was already on the phone. "Bring my car around!" He commanded someone. "I don't care. If he thinks he can get to me, then he's got another thing coming!" He explained. He stood and looked at his people. "Get me Finch on the line."
"What do we do now, Sir?" A woman asked. There was an edge of fear to her voice. "If Eyes Only is on to us…"
"Eyes Only is just trying to scare us." Simpson shouted. There was a twitch in his voice. "I am not afraid of Eyes Only!"
"But the rumors…" Simpson's bodyguard said. "What if those rumors are true?"
"They aren't." Simpson said. "Eyes Only is a myth. I'll have Finch on the line in a moment." He smiled.
"Mr. Finch on line 3." A voice said across the intercom.
"Henry…" Simpson started switching the phone to speaker so everyone could hear what he believed.
"Umh… no." Said a man.
"Who is this?" Jaxon demanded.
"This is Peabody. Mr. and Mrs. Finch are dead sir. We don't know how it happened." Peabody said. "We don't know where the chief is either."
"What do you mean? My brother is head of security over there. Where is Darius?" Simpson demanded.
"He's missing sir. He disappeared from the patio just before we saw the hack." Peabody explained. "When the power went out, we went on full alert, but we didn't detect any movement or see anyone. By the time we reached the study, Mr. and Mrs. Finch were already dead."
"Who did it?" Simpson demanded. "There has to be someone there. They couldn't have gotten far. I just watched the hack myself."
"That's just it, Sir. There is no one here. There has been no one here. They were alive when the hack started and they were dead when it ended. We don't know anything else…"
Simpson knocked the phone from his desk. He looked at everyone in his office. "I'll be on my boat." He announced. Three minutes later he was in his car and leaving the grounds.
Pier 13 was alive with activity. A small pocket of shadow waited patiently for an opening. There was no hurry. Eyes Only had already seen this. The yacht was going nowhere. Jaxon Simpson would fall tonight and never rise again.
She slipped from the shadows on the dock and dropped with hardly a wave into the water alongside the pier. The murky water welcomed the creature that swam through it, a willing ally of shadow in times such as this.
It wasn't complicated to reach the main deck of the huge yacht. Everyone's attention was focused on the pier. The gangplank was the center of all commotion. She climbed the short distance from water to boat and dropped immediately into a crouch.
Her man had secured the design of this particular yacht from the manufacturer's database and together they had studied the blueprints. They knew he would run. No one stays and waits when they know that the eyes are watching. Jaxon Simpson was no different. He ran as fast as he could.
She moved along the port side heading into the depths of the large boat. She would work her way up from down below. The message had to be sent to anyone that had already considered picking up the mantle of this operation. It was a hard decision to make, but together, the guardian and his dark angel were aware of what had to be done. They understood why it had to be this way. They were willing to make the example.
She moved toward the engine room first. Three men were hard at work preparing to leave the bay. She moved fast. A quick movement placed her behind the first target. She snapped his neck and moved for the second man. He had no idea what slammed his large, muscular frame into the bulkhead. She lifted his arm twisting it up and over her head sending him into a rotation which brought his feet into the third engineers face just as he turned toward the commotion. He saw only a small, dark shadow manipulating his counterpart before he lost consciousness. The feline entity moved fast, ending the other two lives and shutting down the engines for good. A small charge was rigged to explode as soon as the yacht powered up again. With a sarcastic giggle, she was on to her next target.
Moving from the engine room up through the galley, she was surprised to find three people there preparing meals. They did not notice her enter and when she left they would never know what power had rendered them unconscious. She left the galley, moving quickly without sound past the cabins toward the main room. Laughter and squeals could be heard there as some of the Simpson's friends and associates were starting up the bon voyage party early. No one noticed her slip into the room. No one paid any attention as she made her way out and around toward the upper decks of the boat.
Approaching the cabin, she noticed two men walked out, heading in opposite directions. She stepped back becoming one with the deep shadow on the port side, opposite the shore. The man walked toward her as his partner disappeared around the front of the cabin heading toward the reporters to make a statement.
Stopping directly in front of her, the tall dark skinned man stared out over the water. He pulled hard on his last cigarette before flicking it out into the ocean. He never saw it hit the water.
Jaxon Simpson sat in the Captain's chair. His hand held his chin up while his elbow dug into his leg above the knee. He was staring at the small monitor in front of him.
The phasing eyes and chorused voices of Eyes Only spoke in sad yet beautiful tones of the death of one man. "Jaxon Simpson thought only of running to protect himself. He believed he could flee and not have to stand for his crimes. He is wrong. Tonight, at this very moment, he will understand." Eyes Only said.
Jaxon stood to his full height. He did not attempt to defend himself. He had accepted his fate. "I have money." He said. His tone was one of confusion. Money and power were supposed to protect him. Neither would matter any more.
Eyes Only continued. "Money will not help you. Power will not make your crimes disappear. You, like so many others, will be forgotten. You will be lost to the dark abyss you made an ally of for so long." The phasing eyes of man and woman faded into the snow on the monitor. "There is no place in this world for his kind. Eyes Only will not rest until this world is free and clear of itself. Peace." The eyes flashed wild feline pupils. "Out."
One minute later, his men burst into the cabin. They found his body sitting in the seat he had risen from. They could find no trace of an intruder. They could see no attempts at forced entry or struggle. They found only Jaxon Simpson's body. The neck had been broken.
He had no light to follow in the end.
Only endless falling into nothing.
One hour later, a kitten again, she emerged from the shower with a long t-shirt and walked over to her man standing in the large picture window that looked out over their city. She didn't hesitate. He didn't resist. They embraced in the moonlight and held fast to each other. She sipped his wine and pressed her cheek into his chest.
In time, they would again continue their lives. Their chosen path would beckon and they would come from the shadows, his Magick and her Power would conquer any that stood against them. There will be freedom or they will die trying. The world demanded at least that much.
Soon, the brooding would end. Slowly, they would begin to move in unison to music they held within themselves. Their steps, perfect. Their energy would always be pure. They alone would bring order to a world gone mad. The past was and the future would be, but always somewhere in between, the dark angel and her guardian stood alone against Chaos
Somewhere not here, the darkest Aspect of ultimate power remained silent. Proud. He watched over them as they watched over that which He created. The battles are numerous but the war has always been. It would always be. They found each other amidst Chaos. They were born of shadow. Together, they would return that which had been lost.