Third chapter! Now things start to get fun.
Title: Hiding in the Shadow's Edge
Rating: T
Warnings: Mentions of slavery, sex trade
"That's it. Keep together and don't cause any trouble." Chains rattled over the voice of the goon, the links clinking together as they hung between each person that shuffled past him. Bound, collared, and gagged, the captives trudged forward. Teenagers held the hands of small children while the adults clasped their shoulders. No one dared to act out, the bodies of those who had dragged along by those at the end of the line.
They stepped through the darkened trainyard. Escorted by armed thugs on every side, hope had long since died from their eyes and defiance drained from their strides. The only thing they had left now was each other. But even that wouldn't be for long, if the whispers of their captors could be believed. Apparently they had little else to do beside place bets on who they thought would end up where. The healthy, middle aged adults to the dust mines. The kids to the drug lords. And, for the unfortunate few whose looks outweighed their other traits, their very own bed and shackles.
"I'll bet the boy at the end fetches a high price. Blondes have been selling like mad the past few auctions." A thug chuckled, nudging his buddy with an elbow.
"Yeah. A shame we didn't grab any shifters, though. One of them would've set us up for months."
Another lout shrugged. "Maybe we did. You can never tell with those buggers until you stab a taser in their gut." A whistle came from the back of the line. He paused, moving to check the area around them before returning the call with two quick clicks of his tongue. "We're clear to load. Open the door."
The first man nodded. Gun slung over his shoulder, he stepped up the metal staircase and unlocked the train door. He had to duck to enter the cabin; the tiny space used to contain only supplies but now served as their main hold for new slaves. Quickly he inspected it, making sure that all the window bars were secure and that the shelves were empty of any items their captives could use to escape.
"It's all set," He said, exiting. "Go ahead and send them-what's wrong?" Crouched low, his partners stood on either side of the captives. Each had a muzzle pressed into the temple of a teenager, although their focus remained on the back of the line. Immediately he followed suit, grabbing a kid and locking her under his arm. "Did something happen?"
"Jimmy's gone."
A frown tugged at his lips. People didn't just disappear in the middle of an open trainyard. "Have you sent someone to look for him?"
"Yeah. He's missing too."
Shit. Something was up. He'd worked this job for far too long to believe in coincidences. Arm tightening around the neck of the kid in his grasp, he jerked his head towards the train. "It's time to go. Dump the bodies and load everyone else."
The others didn't argue. Muzzles up, they barked at the captives, shoving them one by one into the cabin. Rattled and shaking, a child tripped and stumbled to his knees. The chains around his ankles tangled with the ones around his wrists, binding him further to the dirt and keeping him from standing.
"Oi! Get moving." A thug loomed over him. Impatient and on his last nerve-hadn't there been three guys guarding the left flank, not two?- he nudged the boy with his boot. "I said get moving!" He shouted when the kid fumbled once more.
Cowering, the boy curled into himself. An adult tried to step between them, hands up and eyes averted as she begged the man to give them a second. But the thug just snarled and raised his gun. He drove the butt into the woman's gut and knocked her down with a second blow to her shoulders. She toppled over the child, their binds intertwining and locking together in a giant mass of jingling chains. The line ground to a halt ahead of them, their connection to the rest of the captives preventing anyone else from moving.
"Fuck this." Lips curled, the thug jabbed the muzzle of his gun into the woman's face. "Get up now or I'll have them drag your body into the cabin."
She gawked but made no move to stand. Gaze focused just over his shoulder, her mouth hinged open in silent awe and, although he could feel her tremble underneath his weapon, hope lit a tiny spark in her eyes.
A moment later, he found out why.
The others never heard him scream when claws closed around his sides and ripped him away into the night. They did, however, notice the pause in the line. Another thug took his place and reached down to yank the woman up by the elbow. He grabbed the kid by the collar and dragged him the rest of the way to the cabin. The steel door slammed shut behind the boy, locking him and the rest of the captives within the dank confines of the train.
The thugs, or what remained of them, lined up outside the door. Guns hanging by their sides, primed and ready to shoot, they stared into the darkness. But nothing came. No sirens, no shouts for them to surrender and drop their weapons.
Minutes later, when the only thing their straining senses picked up was the shifting of the wind, the tallest stepped forward and prodded the two in front of him. "Go grab the bodies. I don't want to leave them behind for the cops to find."
The first jerked, sweat dripping down his brow. "But boss.."
"Go! Whatever was out there left, so hurry up before it gets back." The twitch of his fingers over the trigger sent them scurrying off.
The remaining men formed a crescent around the cabin door. Light was scarce in the trainyard. Only a few lanterns hung along the edges of the trains and a thick layer of clouds covered what little glow came from the shattered moon. Shadows quickly swallowed their comrades as they wandered out into the night. They had to listen to hear the rustle of cloth and the thump of boots in the dirt. The grunts, curses, and dull thuds as the two men worked to drag the bodies back to the train.
The muffled growl of something other than human and the rattle of guns falling to the ground.
"Shi-!" Half a cry echoed from the twilight. The men jolted, guns held tight by their sides as they scanned the darkness for any sign of what had just happened.
Metal screeched off to their right. Startled, the group opened fire, only to whirl to their left when something banged against the train next to theirs. A few of the braver souls ventured forward a few feet, but none dared to leave the protective ring of light that surrounded the cabin door.
"Hmph. The rest of you are smarter than you look." A voice murmured in the darkness. Eyes wide, the thugs fired in the direction it had come from. But the voice came again a minute later, this time from behind.
"That's it. Just keep shooting empty air." Perched on top of the train, a figure slipped into sight. Golden eyes glowed in sharp contrast to dark skin and clothes. Furry black ears flickered in the midst of cropped, brunette hair, each one swiveled forward and attentive to the men on the ground. "I can wait until you run out of bullets."
Frown hidden underneath an extensive face mask, Shadow's Edge tensed and rolled to the side when the men fired once more. Claws shifted into existence from blunt nails and raked down the side of the train as Shadow drew the spray of bullets away from the metal walls that housed the captives. Crouching low the moment they touched earth, the shifter lunged forward on all fours. Their body contorted as they moved. Fur took the place of clothing. Fangs sprouted and stuck out from a snarling muzzle, catching the nearest thug by the hip and wrenching him to the side.
The others shook in their boots as the giant cat came closer. Shadow didn't pause to gloat about it. Instead they darted from one man to the next, striking them down with teeth and paws and making sure that every gun was tossed firmly out of reach.
One by one the thugs fell. Down to the last three opponents, Shadow snarled and jumped into the air. They landed on the chest of the boss, pinning him down by the shoulders and snapping an inch before his nose.
He wriggled in the dirt, waving at the two still left standing. "You'll die for thi-urk." Fangs closed around his throat. Shadow glanced backwards at the guns aimed at their back, jaw tightening at the same rate the thugs' fingers squeezed over their triggers.
"Wait, wait!" The pinned man choked. His throat twitched between Shadow's teeth as he swallowed, voice dry and cracking while he plead. "Don't shoot!"
"Good decision." Shadow snarled the words, each one raspy and distorted by their beastly form. "Now tell them to drop the weapons and beat it."
The men did as commanded. As soon as they were out of sight, Shadow's jaw relaxed and they leaned back. "Your turn. But if I ever see you carting slaves again..." They trailed off, teeth closing inches away from his nose.
Catching the not-so-veiled threat, he nodded vigorously and strained his neck away. Shadow doubted that he would keep to his word, but they could always chase him and his flunkies later after rescuing the captives. So they stepped to the side, keeping a giant paw on his chest till the very last second.
He scrambled to his feet and took off the moment the pressured eased. Watching him run into the night, Shadow waited for a long moment to make sure he was really gone before trodding up to the door. A second and they shifted, human hands grasping the handle and pulling it open an inch.
"Hello?" Voice low, Shadow called through the crack. "It's safe now, so I'm going to open the door and get you all out of there, okay?" A rush of murmurs echoed back at them. Shadow waited until they died down, then wretched the door the rest of the way open. Tucked behind the thick slab of metal, they waved around it for the captives to step out. Everyone did so, filing out in a line much less organized than the one they had entered in, a few rushing ahead to kick at the guns lying on the ground. However, although many had already removed the cloth gags from each others' mouths, the chains still hung between their wrists and ankles.
With a sigh Shadow realized they had forgotten to grab a key and now needed an alternative way to remove the restraints. Ears flat against their skull, they strode from out behind the door to the nearest captive. "Here," they said, reaching out for the chains.
The teenager startled a bit at their sudden appearance but quickly calmed and offered up the restraints. "S-so you have super strength?" He stuttered, spitting around the piece of cloth that hung around his neck.
"Not exactly." Shadow cringed and stepped closer, incredibly aware of all the others' stares. Their ears twitched and flickered in their hair, the dark of the night barely concealing the movement. "Just hold still." Golden eyes closed at the same moment Shadow breathed deep. The world around them fell away. Left with only the sensation of cool metal between their fingers, the shifter let the bounds around their body loosen. Nails lengthed. Muscles bulged. Their grip tightened around the chains until they snapped, crushed by the raw strength of no-so-human hands.
Shadow exhaled. Everything had gone quiet and, in a moment of carelessness, their ears perked forward, swiveling to catch any hint of a noise.
"What is that-"
"Are those-"
"It's a-"
The whispers rushed in all at once. Ranging from surprised to angry, each one hit Shadow like a ton of bricks, weighing down their heart and dropping it into the pit of their stomach.
"You're one of those beasts!" Jaw slack, the teenager stared at her. He took a half-step back, hands wringing together even though they were free of any bonds.
Oh no. "Not a beast." Shadow murmured it, the protest barely audible over the din of all the other words. "My name is Shadow's Edge. I am a shifter, yes, but we're not-"
"You're a nuisance, is what you are." One of the men stepped forward, the sneer on his face matched only by the angry furrow of his brow. "The only reason they snatched us up was because they were looking for more of your kind!" He snarled, veins of his neck bulging as he strained onto his toes to get into Shadow's face.
A hand in his face stopped his rant short. Shadow took several deep breaths before they spoke, fighting down the rage that rose to meet his vicious words. "Your kidnapping was unfortunate, but I would appreciate it if you refrained from blaming my species for the actions of yours."
That did it. Like the straw that broke the camel's back, their comment shattered the man's last bit of patience. Even so, Shadow's reflexes were far superior, allowing them to duck away from his clumsy punch and dance around to catch his shoulder before he tripped over the restraints around his ankles.
"Let go of me, you animal!" He shouted, shrugging out of their grip and spinning around for another attack.
But before Shadow could dodge again, a hand snagged the man's shirt sleeve and pulled it back. "That's enough." A woman-the same who Shadow had saved earlier- said. "This child has done nothing but help us. Save your anger for someone who deserves it and leave those that help you alone."
For a heartbeat the three stood in silence. Then, with a roll of his shoulders the man turned away, his gait shuffled and unbalanced as he walked off.
"Um," Shadow started, a hand raising in the air. "I can break those chains."
He didn't even pause. "I don't want anymore help from you."
A sigh fell from their lips. Turning to the others-who had yet to stop staring- the shifter allowed their forearms to bulge and grow once more. "Would anyone like me to help?"
It wasn't even a surprise when no one answered. Shadow tried to keep their expression neutral, the mask hiding the downward twitch of their lips but doing little to hide the flicker of sadness in their eyes. "Alright then. The trainyard is safe. All you have to do is head to the north and you should be able to find some patrol guards to help you out." They had cleared it earlier, just in case circumstance had demanded a quick retreat. So, when the group left, Shadow didn't immediately follow, their gaze staying firm on the patch of dirt by their feet. Inch by inch the fur retreated from their arms, human limbs replacing the foreign cut of sinew and muscles.
Just the right shape for tiny fingers to grasp, a small tug drawing the shifter's attention away from their boots.
Lashes fluttered over surprised golden eyes. Shadow almost flinched away from the child as she drew into their side, short arms wrapping around their waist and squeezing with more strength than her little frame belied. Releasing the hug-but not Shadow's hand- the girl offered up a shy smile. Eyes downcast, she tucked her chin into her chest, her mop of hair in full display for Shadow to see.
As well as the floppy pair of dog ears that had sprouted out of thin air.
"You're-" The older shifter cut off, not willing to say it aloud while the others were within earshot. Instead they smiled, crinkles forming at the edges of their eyes, and reached up to pat the girl's head. "I'm glad I was here, then."
A hum served as the girl's reply. She ducked back in for one more hug, puppy ears disbanding into threads of brown before she danced away after the group.
Shadow sighed and kicked at the chains on the ground-which had mysteriously appeared by her feet at the same time as the girl. Then, crouching low, they bounded up onto the trains. Even if no one wanted a shifter's help, Shadow couldn't leave them alone in good conscience. They would just hang in the background and make sure everyone got out okay. Hide in the darkness that served as their name, and pray that no one noticed them trailing behind.
The dim light of dawn had just begun to color the world an orange glow when Blake Belladonna stepped down onto the sidewalk. Tossing her hair and smoothing the wrinkles in her shorts, she took a moment to brush the nonexistent dirt from her blouse and settle a black handbag over her shoulder before continuing on.
A jingle echoed from the recesses of her purse. Blake jumped a little, the sound loud and out of place in the stillness of the early morning. She dug through an outer pocket and pulled out the ringing phone-the tune from the openings of one of her favorite shows.
Unknown caller, the screen flashed. Thumb hovering over the answer button, Blake hesitated before she pressed down, raising the receiver to her ear a second after.
"It's me."
She nearly tossed the phone into the ditch. "Adam. How did you get this number?"
"Does it matter?"
Pace increasing, Blake rushed down the sidewalk. She kept her voice hushed, even though no one was around to overhear. "It'll matter when I go to buy another phone after this conversation." Clearly she couldn't trust the last place she had bought one from. But this was a new city, with new shops. One of them had to be safe from her ex-partner's sources.
"Blake."
"Adam, no."
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask."
She knew enough. The White Fang only ever called for one reason. "I don't care," a lie, but one Blake would tell herself till the end of time, "my answer is still no."
"You cared enough to go chasing slavers."
"What." Blake growled. "Have you been spying on me?" Already she dug deep into her purse, fingers searching for any sign of a bug or other tracking device.
"I've just been looking out for y-"
"Disrespecting my decision is not looking out for me!" She had cut all ties for a reason. The White Fang's tactics had gotten too severe. Too brutal for her to handle. Even as she supported their cause, she could no longer condone their methods. "This is the last time I'm going to say it!" Something crinkled underneath her palm and Blake snagged it from her bag. Sneer on her face, she yanked the foreign item out. "Stop tagging my stuff and stop tracki-"
Golden letters flashed by her eyes as she drew an envelope from her purse. Beacon Academy. Blake blinked several times, conversation dropping as she gawked. But after her lashes swept down and up for the fiftieth time and the words had yet to change, she sliced the paper open with a fine-edged fingernail.
"Blake?"
Dear recipient,
…..in the superhero world
...a hero worthy of…
Sincerely,
Squad #203
Port coordinates …..
"Blake?" The phone garbled, slipping from loose fingers and tumbling to the concrete.
"Blaaksshwashhhhhhh." A booted heel smashed down onto the device. Static drowned out Adam's call before it too died off.
Not that it mattered to Blake. She had already disappeared, vanishing back into the early morning shadows that still clung to every building.
Only one chapter left. Yang's, of course. After that I will be starting on the main story.
Oh, and to those who are wondering, Blake is black and genderfluid. They're a part of a race a shifters, it only makes sense.