RISE OF THE SHADOWS PART 2

Malcolm has been to Metropolis before and the city left him stunned every time. The buildings were high and the sun seemed to always shine there even on the darkest of days. He use to have plenty of meetings here when he was running his company. He stood still as the elevator in the airport descended to the ground floor. He walked through the airport lobby but came to a stop when his phone rang.

"Hello," Malcolm answered.

"Why exactly do we need her?" Lacroix suddenly asked.

"If we are going to be operating from behind the scenes we need a face for everyone to look to."

"She doesn't exactly have that great of a track record."

"That's where we come in," Malcolm said hanging up.

The woman he was looking for use to be a major player in Metropolis till her organization was exposed by a reporter who ratted her out. All he had to do was find where she was hiding and let his talking do the rest.

Malcolm walked the night streets of the city of tomorrow making his way behind a building where he was met by a man guarding the entrance.

"Password," he said.

"Cobra," Malcolm said. The guard nodded opening the door letting Malcolm inside.

The place was much better looking than it looked outside with the floors and walls being red. He noticed an open bar in the corner and dozens of people partaking in illegal gambling. He walked around the place till he finally found the woman he was looking for. Wearing a red china dress people only knew her as Roulette. She use to have a lot of say in the city till she lost everything and it seems she was about to try her hand at making a quick buck. Malcolm went over and sat at the table she was at meeting her eyes.

"Alright," the dealer started passing out the cards to all the players at the table.

They all looked at their hands except Malcolm and the bidding began. Malcolm looked at the people at the table as they all just starred at their cards.

"Haven't see you around here before," Roulette suddenly said to Malcolm.

He smiled at her, "Arthur King," he greeted her.

"Roulette," she responded.

"I know," Malcolm said. "I'm sure everyone here knows you."

"Perhaps," she said looking at Malcolm's cards he has yet to look at. "You do know you have to know what you are playing right."

"I like being surprised," Malcolm said.

"Are you going to bid or not," one of the other player said. "If not just fold."

Malcolm just stared blankly at the man before pushing all of his chips into the pile. "All in," he said still not looking at his hand.

"You cocky mother…" the guy began pushing all of his chips in as well. "All in."

"All in," Roulette joined.

The rest of the people at the table folded at the last three waited to see their cards. The dealer was intrigued ad to where this was about to go. This Arthur King fellow was insane betting all in on a hand he has not looked at.

"Please show your hands," the dealer said.

"Four of a kind," the man said flipping his cards over with a smirk.

"Good, but not good enough," Roulette said showing her cards. "Straight flush."

"Bitch," he said glaring at her then to Malcolm. "What about you?"

Malcolm lifted his cards flipping them over stunning everybody at the table. "How about that? A royal flush," Malcolm stood up from the table adjusting his suit. "Thanks for the fun but I'll go collect my winnings."

"Unreal," Roulette said watching as Malcolm left with a case full of money.

Roulette came out the place hours later not having any winnings. That first game was her chance but Mister King had to ruin it. A royal flush of all things he just so happened to have a royal flush and on top of it his name had to be King. Roulette was about to hit the street when a group of guys came from around the corner. Unfortunately she knew who they were and what they wanted.

"Tell your boss I'll have it soon," she said trying to walk past them but they got in her way.

"You said that last time and I still don't see any money. Intergang doesn't take kindly to being played Roulette."

"I'll have it soon," she said but they still didn't get out of her way.

She quickly punched the closes one across the face then kicked another in the jaw. She tried to run but another guy grabbed her by the arm and restrained her.

"Let's go," the guy said.

Roulette gritted her teeth as the man pushed her. She owed Intergang some money because she was struggling after she was exposed and needed it. The problem was paying it back which she tried to by taking on other jobs but none over panned out for. Now she was being taken to the big man himself and probably won't see the sun again.

An arrow suddenly came out the ski hitting the man holding Roulette. They all looked up and saw man wearing black with a bow and arrow. He fell down and Roulette saw it was Arthur King from the game. The guys pulled guns aiming them only to both get his by arrows. Roulette just stared as Malcolm approached her.

"How would you like to come work for me?"

"Who are you Mister King?" she asked.

"My name is actually Malcolm Merlyn," he tells her. "You can still call me King if you want."

"I'll pass," she said.

Another man suddenly came out the darkness wearing a mask and holding a briefcase.

"This is one of my associates," Malcolm said introducing Lacroix.

Lacorix handed her the briefcase that she opened seeing a lot of money.

"That is the money I just won,' Malcolm explained. "Use it pay off Intergang with interest."

"What exactly do you want from me?" she finally asked.

"To do what you were doing here in Metropolis only in another city," he said.

"Where?"

"Starling," Lacroix said.

"I can do that," she said. "When do we start?"

"Not for a while there are still somethings to take care of."

"You seem to have the luck I need. After that hand you played you must have the odds in your favor."

"The odds are always in my favor," Malcolm said walking past her. "I cheated by the way."

Malcolm stood alone on the roof and a figure stood behind him. Malcolm turned to see Vordigan standing there.

"Vordigan," Malcolm acknowledged.

"Al Sa-Her," Vordigan said back.

"Stop calling me that," Malcolm said approaching.

"Sorry, old habit," he said.

"What has the League been up to?"

"I was able to throw them off your trail with a false lead," Vordigan informed.

"Good, I can't have them knowing what I am planning just yet."

"You better finish soon because Ra's is no full. He will find out what you are doing. He wants to kill Crock because of their falling out he allowed you to leave but he knows you two are together now and he could have you targeted as well."

"I will be finished soon enough then I'll go into hiding," Malcolm assured.

"Hurry and finish," Vordigan warned. "I can't play double agent forever."

"You won't have to old friend. Soon we will both come out of the shadows."