Shadow reappeared outside GUN's headquarters in Station Square. He looked up in surprise. He'd intended to teleport directly inside the building, but he'd ended up on the street instead. He clenched one fist, digging his fingernails into his palm. He was growing careless. He'd let his subconscious dictate where he ended up one too many times, and it was beginning to affect his accuracy.

He sat down on a nearby bench and looked up at GUN's headquarters. The building was a brutalist monolith that was taller than it needed to be, just like any other government building. It blended in with the grey architectural landscape of Central City, but at the same time, it also cast an oppressive shadow over the surrounding streets.

The concourse between the sidewalk and the entrance to the headquarters was busier than usual – even for this time of evening, which was when many of the agents usually left work and returned to their homes. It wasn't just agents milling on the steps that lead to the entrance. There were also civilians in the mix, holding placards. Security guards were barring the doors.

Shadow narrowed his eyes, and he began to tap one finger on the armrest of the park bench.

His earpiece began to beep, creating a disjointed chorus that told him several people were trying to get through to him at once. Using his abilities interfered with his comms sometimes, and he may have also been out of range while he was in Station Square.

'What?'

'Sweetheart, I've been trying to get a hold of you. Where are you?'

He looked up. Far above him, Rouge leaned over the railing on the roof of GUN's headquarters and gave him a flirtatious wave. He sighed and raised one hand, flashing his middle finger. 'Very funny. You can damn well see where I am.'

'Just checking that you weren't having another crashout on the other side of the world.'

'… Right. So you weren't calling to tell me about the situation unfolding out here?'

'I think you can see it for yourself.' She leaned further over the railing, and Shadow's gaze snapped back to the stairs. He could hear raised voices, and the protestors' placards were smeared with red and black. But between the movement and how far away he was, the text on the signs was difficult to read.

'Are you coming in?' she asked.

'In a minute. I want to see what's going on.'

'All right, but … Try to keep your cool, okay?'

'What do you mean?'

As one of the protestors turned, their placard swivelled, and he could finally read the writing on it.

GUN MUST ANSWER FOR THEIR CRIMES.

'Shadow?' Rouge's voice took on a worried tone. 'Shadow, honey?'

'I hear you. I'll bail if things start getting out of hand.' His earpiece beeped again, and he gritted his teeth. 'Can you get off the line? My comms are blowing up.'

'Fine, be that way.' Shadow glanced up to see Rouge blow him a kiss before flitting out of view.

'Tch.' The next call came through, and he said, 'What is it?'

'Shadow, it's Abraham.'

'Commander …' Shadow caught sight of another placard, and he trailed off. He felt his chest begin to tighten.

GUN WAS RIGHT.

'Listen, Shadow, if you're coming back to headquarters, you should avoid the main entrance –'

'I'm already outside.' He watched the chaotic, disjointed movements of the crowd. He slowly pressed one heel against the pavement, and his thrusters began to burn against the concrete. 'I heard about this from Bridges before I heard it from you.'

'I'm sorry, Shadow. Between the Time Eater, Black Doom, and all the issues with the hospital program … I've been preoccupied.'

'Is it really that surprising that the PR team got so desperate? You're being attacked from all fronts out here.'

'"We". We're being attacked. These might be disparate movements, but you're still the focal point of all of them, Shadow.'

'Can you tell me exactly what is going on?'

Shadow heard the slam of a van door, and he turned, looking to his left. A news van had pulled up beside him, and a reporter stood on the sidewalk, microphone in hand, giving instructions to her crew. Then she took a step back, standing against the backdrop of concrete, glass and red-and-black placards. 'Good evening. My name is Scarlet Garcia, and we're coming to you live from Central City, outside the headquarters of the Guardian Units of Nations, the national defence forces of the United Federation. GUN has recently come under intense scrutiny, though its detractors and their criticisms are as varied as the organisation's controversies.'

'Shadow –'

'Never mind, Abraham,' Shadow said under his breath. 'Someone already beat you to it.'

Scarlet took another step back, gesturing to one group of protestors. 'On one hand, there has been a growing sentiment that GUN's military power has continued to grow unchecked, and netizens are claiming that this is evidenced by the organisation's continued use of their strongest military asset, Agent Shadow. There are also growing concerns that GUN's continued use of Shadow as a biological weapon is unethical and constitutes numerous rights violations. These concerns seem to stem from GUN using financial pressure and military force to control Project Shadow in both the past and in the present.'

'Shadow,' Abraham said. 'You need to get out of there –'

'Be quiet. I'm not going to do anything rash.'

Scarlet turned and gestured to a different group of protestors. 'On the other hand, others believe that GUN was right to put Shadow in stasis. They also think that Shadow still poses a threat to public safety in the present. Some netizens are worried that using Shadow as a weapon is too great a risk if that "weapon" cannot be controlled.'

'Shadow,' Abraham said urgently. 'I know more about this than what you've heard so far. You need to listen to me for once –'

'I know what I need. I need to hear this for myself,' Shadow said, and he abruptly ended the call.

'These two conflicting views have already inflamed the discourse about GUN and Project Shadow, but there is also a third, more alarming view of the situation …' Scarlet turned again, coming face to face with none other than Shadow himself. Her microphone fell out of her hand. Shadow crossed one leg over the other and gave her an unimpressed look.

One of her cameramen also turned to see what she was staring at, and as he did, his camera rig rotated, slowly swivelling in Shadow's direction. Shadow stiffened. But before he could react, Scarlet clapped her hand over the camera lens, swinging the rig back toward her. 'Apologies, everyone. We're having a slight technical malfunction. We're going to go to weather for a moment, and then we'll resume our coverage of unfolding events. Over to you, Darrell.'

'Thanks, Scarlet. Well, folks, you can really feel the sunshine on Resort Island this afternoon, and there are no clouds in sight …'

The glowing red light on the camera turned off, and Scarlet heaved a sigh, picking up her microphone again. 'For heaven's sake!' she said, tossing her head toward Shadow. 'He didn't consent to be on camera! Are you out of your mind?'

'I-It was an accident,' the cameraman stammered. 'I didn't know it was him until I turned to see what you were looking at.'

'Look first, film second! He's the subject of the protest that we're filming – a protest that could turn into a riot at any moment – and you nearly cut to him on live TV! Again, are you out of your mind?!'

'S-Sorry –'

Scarlet shook her head. Then she weighed Shadow up, glancing between him and the growing crowd outside GUN's headquarters. Then she walked over and took a seat on the bench beside Shadow.

'Sorry about that. I don't suppose you'd be willing to give us a comment?' she asked.

Shadow cast a wary glance at the nearby cameras. The red light was still off, and Scarlet held her microphone loosely at her side. He shook his head. 'GUN has media representatives. And their agents need clearance to talk to the press.'

Scarlet looked up at the building that towered over them. 'So even someone like you isn't allowed to talk to us without authorisation, then?'

'It doesn't matter what I'm "allowed" to do, but I could care less about giving you an exclusive for your channel.'

'Of course.' She paused and rolled her microphone between her palms. 'Yes, of course. But right now, it feels like people's imaginations are running wild. Everything the public knows about you comes from anyone and everyone except yourself.' She held out the microphone, offering it to him. 'I completely understand if you want to stay out of the public eye, but given the circumstances … Are you sure there isn't anything you'd like to say?'

Shadow stood up, straightened his jacket and adjusted his inhibitor rings. 'My actions speak for themselves. I don't have anything to say, and I don't care what people say about me either.'

Scarlet glanced at the cameras, then gave him a forced smile. Despite her self-restraint, she was still probably wishing that those cameras were rolling right now. 'All right. Thanks for talking to us. All off the record, to be clear,' she added hastily.

'Hmph.' Shadow crossed his arms and gave her a sceptical look. 'You said something about a third view. What "third view" were you talking about?'

'Oh, right.' Scarlet raised her microphone, but then she remembered that she wasn't live. She stowed the microphone under her arm instead. 'Online discourse and conflicting opinions are one thing, but there seems to be a rise in extremist sentiment as well.'

Shadow jerked one thumb towards the throngs of people outside GUN's doors. 'If that's not extremist, then what is?'

Scarlet hesitated. 'Well, there are some people who think that –'

'GUN DID NOTHING WRONG!'

Shadow's blood turned to ice. The sharp, piercing sound of feedback from a megaphone rang in his ears. Scarlet stood up suddenly and strode over to her crew. 'Roll cameras, now. We have a situation.'

Shadow slowly stood up, staring at the figure that had appeared to the left of the protestors. A half-mask with valves obscured his face. He held a megaphone in one hand and had a placard slung over his shoulder.

'We're back,' Scarlet said, standing to the side so that the camera could capture what Shadow was seeing with his own eyes. 'And the situation is still unfolding. A new individual has appeared on the scene, and they seem to be espousing an extremist sentiment that has been a recent cause for alarm …'

The man's placard was adorned with the image of a girl with blonde hair, a blue dress and an eerie smile. In place of the blue eyes Shadow had loved so dearly were red crosses, and red paint dripped down the girl's cheeks.

Scarlet stared at the placard, and her voice began to shake. Her microphone began to slip from her grasp. 'S-Some people … anarchists … believe that the atrocities committed onboard the Ark by GUN were not only justified but also …'

The image was static, but the composition and lines of movement were as plain as day.

'… Praiseworthy.'

The girl was applauding her own death.

Shadow held one hand to his earpiece. He began to cross the concourse, one foot after the other. His chest heaved with every breath, his vision turned red and the yells of the protestors faded to a distant whisper.

'Abraham? What the hell is going on down here?'

To be continued...