Shadow

by Jan Stryvant

  “Shit, well at least they’re not trying to grab me.”

  “Any idea why they’re holding her at old man Hennessy’s place?”

  “Go check it out, it’s like Fort Knox. Last guy that tried to break in there got greased pretty heavily. They not only have all sorts of ex-cops working there, but a few minor league supers are on the payroll as well. All straight laced, upright citizens too. Guys like you and me would get shot just on general principles.”

  “But I mean, why there? Incriminating evidence in your own house?”

  Carl laughed, “Shadow, Hennessy’s a respected man, the police aren’t going to go in there. Even if you called them!”

  “Got a point there. I can’t believe they actually want me to get the stuff back for them.”

  “I bet they’ve got someone else working on it, they probably just want to pin it on you. You’d stand out over there.”

  “Good point. I need to think about this some more. Watch yourself.”

  “You too!”

  Shadow waved to Jonny2fer who was sitting at the bar and slipped out the way he’d came in. This time he was ready for his tail and ambushed the guy immediately. It was short and it was vicious, the guy was a super. Not one of Shadow’s level, either they couldn’t afford guys that good or they didn’t realize just how good Shadow was. Shadow took all of his gear, trussed him up good, and shot him up with enough sedatives to make him an addict.

  “You want me to do what?” Circe laughed at him, “Help you free some little fuck toy for a job you did on the side without me?” She laughed again, “Let the bitch die.”

  “So you’re afraid of old man Hennessy as well?” Shadow said annoyed. He knew he shouldn’t have brought it up with Circe, but she was more experienced in these kinds of operations than he was, he was still getting the feel for his abilities and how to do things, he’d been running with Circe now for almost six months. He’d hoped she have some idea’s or advice if she wasn’t willing to help. He’d forgotten that she could be rather jealous at times.

  “Respectful is a better word for it.” She said and came over and sat in his lap, surprising him by reaching up and stroking his head. “Shadow, I know you feel guilty, but you can’t win this one. Let it go.”

  “But ....”

  Circe leaned forward and kissed him, cutting him off, and surprising him further. “I order you not to go in there and try to rescue her,” Circe said softly, exerting the full might of her power against him.

  Shadow growled a little, she’d never put so much weight into anything before.

  “I’m sorry, my Pet, but even I don’t have the power to take him on, yet. You go in there, you will die. I don’t want you to die, you belong to me. You will not go in there.”

  “Circe ....”

  “Don’t make me force this, Shadow. Give me your word.”

  “But ....”

  “Your word, Shadow, now.”

  Shadow sighed, he could feel it, she was terrified he was going to go in there and die.

  “I won’t go in there, I won’t rescue her.” He hung his head down and closed his eyes.

  “I’ll make it up to you, Hon, now let mommy make you feel better,” and she kissed him and made love to him. Shadow had to admit he was amazed; Circe had never been so tender before. This was the first time he’d ever fully given into her on anything, then again this was the first time she’d ever pressed him so hard on something. But he’d felt her fear, and fear was a motivator the cat understood.

  “I need to go out for a while,” He said to her much later.

  “You’re not going to?” She asked cautiously.

  “No, I gave you my word, but I need to think a while.” He thought a moment, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

  “Be careful, Shadow. Hennessy employs some powerful people. He can afford to.”

  “I know.”

  Shadow headed out then, and made his way back to his apartment. Something was bothering him, something someone had said. He couldn’t really put his finger on it. Two new guys were staking out his apartment now. He bypassed them both, and went inside. A thorough search showed that no one had been inside; the bug outside the door was still there, undisturbed. He got his phone and called Carl.

  “Hey, Shadow, good news or bad news?”

  “I think I’m going to Europe,” he sighed. Actually he had no such plan, but any respite was better than nothing and as he was near the door he hoped the bug would pick this conversation up. “See if you can find out who has the stuff. I’ll need a few leads to find it all.”

  “You sure about this?”

  “Not really, but I don’t have much of a choice, do I? My flight out is in a few hours. I’ll call again when I change flights. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Shadow hung up the phone, pulled the battery, and snuck back out. He went downtown to the warehouse district, found a quiet spot and perched on a park bench and thought. The sun would be up in a few hours, there weren’t many folks out and about, a squad car cruised by and slowed as they checked him out. He nodded to the officers as they looked at him. Shadow was always polite to the cops, they kept the riff-raff at bay, and if you treated them well, showed a little respect, sometimes they could help you out ....

  Tomas! He’d helped Tomas, Tomas owed him! Carl had even unknowingly hinted at it. Hennessy wasn’t expecting the police, all of his people wouldn’t think twice, they’d let them right in. A guy like that wouldn’t tell his people that he was holding a hostage, he employed straight up types, mostly.

  Shadow moved off and found a quiet place, and then he called Tomas.

  “Hello?” came a sleepy voice.

  “I need a favor, Tomas.”

  “What?” Tomas paused a moment, then Shadow heard, “It’s four in the morning!”

  “You owe me, you owe me big! Get your team out of bed, get the cops out of bed, get fucking everyone out of bed. Where can we meet? A young woman’s life is at stake.”

  “Dammit, why don’t these things happen at noon?”

  “Cause I’m in bed. Where can we meet?”

  Shadow heard Tomas groan, “This can’t wait?”

  “No. You owe me, I need help. Where can we meet?”

  “Twenty minutes, behind the fifth precinct.”

  “Just you and me, no cops.”

  “Worried about being turned into a coat?”

  “If that happens, it happens. No, I’m worried about word getting back and this girl getting killed.”

  “Okay, across the street from the back in the alley.” And Tomas hung up.

  Shadow got there early and waited. Tomas showed up early as well.

  “Okay, what’s so important that you had me rouse everyone? I got the swat team up even.”

  “Old man Hennessy kidnapped one of my girlfriends and is going to kill her if I don’t deliver the former Hennessy jewel collection back to him in ten days. He’s holding her at his mansion here in town. Here’s her cell phone number, you can track it if you want.”

  “Whoa! You want me to believe that story? That’s pretty far out, even for you, Shadow!”

  “You know that insurance agent that was murdered a few days ago? Phil something?”

  Tomas paused a moment, “I seem to recall something about that.”

  “He was the guy retained to try and recover those jewels for the original owners, I took on the job, Hennessy found out.”

  “So why don’t you get her yourself?”

  “They’re all over me. The place looks like a fortress. He’s got all sorts of supers and stuff on the payroll. She’d be dead before I got her. I’d probably be dead too.” Shadow sighed.

  “Yeah, probably. Lot of ex-cops, retiree’s and such work there. But I still need proof, something, if I’m going to roll into the house of this city’s richest citizen.”

  “You know who Vincent Gregory is, right?”

  “Yeah, even ran into him a couple of times down at city hall when Mister He
nnessy was asking for help with something or other.”

  “Think you’d know his voice?”

  “Probably.”

  “Okay, listen and be quiet.”

  Shadow got out his phone, powered it up, and called Stephanie’s phone.

  “Hello?” Someone answered.

  “Let me talk to the man in charge.”

  “It’s early.”

  “Yeah, too bad. Put him on.”

  “One minute.”

  Two minutes later the voice that had called Shadow originally was on the phone.

  “Shadow Cat, I hear you’ve been running around town?”

  “I had to check and make sure you were for real. Now I know you are.”

  “And you’re a day behind schedule.”

  “I want to make sure that your people aren’t going to follow me once I leave town. I can’t do this if I got to watch out for them all the time. Also, I want to hear Stephanie again. I want to be sure she’s still alive.”

  “She’s asleep.”

  “So wake her up! And you didn’t answer my other question.”

  “You won’t be followed once you get to Europe. I’d recommend the Schweitzer’s in France first by the way, they have the part of the collection my boss wants back the most.”

  “Thanks, now put her on.”

  “Here.”

  “Shadow?” A groggy voice came on the line.

  “They still treating you okay Stephanie?”

  “I’m scared, Shadow. They won’t let me out of that room, I haven’t even gotten the chance to shower or wash my hands! They say if you don’t do this soon, they’re gonna, gonna k.k.k.kill me,” and she started to cry again.

  “Don’t worry, Hon. I’ll do as they say. You’ll be fine.”

  Vincent’s voice came on the phone again. “Next time you call, I expect you to be in Europe. Better hurry, Shadow, time is running out and the dogs are getting hungry. You’ve got nine more days, then she’s just so much dog shit on the front lawn.” And the line went dead.

  Shadow took the battery out and looked at Tomas.

  “Yeah, that’s him alright.” Tomas said shaking his head. “I would never have suspected this in a hundred years. You sure she’s really been kidnapped? That she’s not being paid to act or something?”

  “I know it’s her. I can go by her place and see what signs there are, but I know they killed that one guy, they’ve been after the guy who contracted me, and they’ve been after me.”

  “Hold on, let me check something.” Tomas pulled out his phone and stepped away. Shadow heard him asking someone about recent disappearances.

  “She’s been reported missing,” Tomas said coming back. “Her parents called it in last night; she’s been gone two days now and there were signs of violence at her apartment.”

  “So you’ll help?”

  Tomas nodded his head and smiled, “Yeah, I’ll help. Want to come along?”

  “I can’t.” Shadow looked away, “I’ve been ordered not to go in there.”

  Tomas looked surprised, “By who?”

  “Circe, I went to her for help. She’s afraid if I go in there, I’ll die.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t try anyways,” Tomas looked surprised.

  “Yeah well, sometimes Circe can compel even me. She’s afraid of Hennessy.”

  “Huh, didn’t know that. You know people are going to figure out you tipped us off.”

  Shadow shrugged. “It’s my fault she’s in there. If I have to pay, I’ll pay.”

  “Good luck, Shadow, keep an eye on the news. We’ll probably go in at eight.”

  “Thanks, Tomas.”

  Shadow watched as Tomas walked over to the police station, and then he headed back to Circe’s. She was happy to see him.

  “Where have you been?” She asked when he crawled into bed with her.

  “I did the only thing I could think of,” he sighed and gave her a hug. “I suspect you’re probably going to want to kill me.”

  She looked at him hard. “You told me you weren’t going to go in there!”

  “I didn’t even go near the place.”

  “Then what did you do?”

  Shadow looked at the time, it was after seven am. “I tracked down the super hero Tomas that runs the supers team and proved to him what was going on. They’re going to raid Hennessy’s place in an hour.”

  As Shadow talked, Circe eye’s narrowed to slits and Shadow could tell she was getting mad, until he got to the part about the raid, then she just ... stopped.

  “What? They’re going to raid Hennessy’s place?”

  Shadow nodded.

  “How did you get them to agree to that?”

  Shadow shrugged, “A lot of fast talking, then I called in to check on Stephanie, make sure she was still alive and they went into some detail about how they were going to turn her into dog food and feed her to the dogs if I didn’t do as they said. Tomas heard the entire call, even recognized the voice of the guy I was talking to. Apparently he knows him. He wasn’t happy. I also told them about Carl’s contact that was murdered.”

  “And just like that they’re going to raid the place?”

  “Hennessy is supposed to be this outstanding citizen, I guess finding out he’s really a bad guy pissed him off.” Shadow shrugged, “Tomas and his team are the good guys after all.”

  Circe started to laugh, shocking Shadow. “Oh this is priceless! Priceless! For years everyone has been trying to take that old bastard down and you finally do it by using the City’s super heroes against him! The very ones he put up the original grant money for! Oh, Shadow, you have no idea how funny this is!”

  “So you’re not mad at me then?” Shadow said surprised.

  “Of course I’m mad! Everyone is going to know you ratted someone out to the cops. On the other hand a lot of people are going to be impressed that you used the City’s Supers to do your dirty work and take down one of the untouchables in this town.

  “So I’m not going to kill you, but you are going to be punished!”

  Shadow sighed and hung his head, ears down and tail drooping.

  “Oh don’t be such a baby, you knew I’d be pissed but you did it anyway. So I have to punish you. I’m also mad that you felt strongly enough about this little fuck toy of yours to risk my anger!”

  “Circe,” He said softly, eyes down, “It was my fault, I don’t like other people paying for my mistakes. Compared to you, she’s nothing to me.”

  Circe smiled, “You’re so sweet when you’re begging”

  Shadow growled, but kept his eyes down. “I’m not begging, there are many who have tried to tempt me from your side, Circe. I will not abandon you.”

  “Will nor or can not?”

  Shadow looked up into her eyes briefly, “Will not! It is my choice. If your power over me ended this instant, I would stay. If you’re going to make me into a rug, do it already. Torturing an animal is beneath you.”

  Circe smiled, their relationship when back and forth fairly often, she was going to enjoy having the upper hand again.

  “You will wear my collar for four months!” She said.

  Shadow growled softly but nodded. He was the only one of Circe’s who didn’t wear it normally.

  “You will also stay in full cat form for the next four weeks.”

  He nodded again.

  “And you will not leave the compound during that time unless you’re wearing a leash and I’m holding it!”

  He looked up again, his eyes angry, but she was staring right back at him.

  “The other bosses need to see that you are punished. Now do as I say.”

  Shadow changed and laid down on the bed, feeling humiliated.

  Circe smiled and got his collar off of the night table and put it on him. “We’re going out tonight. We’re going out every single night this week. I want everyone to see that I do punish you when I feel you’ve been bad.”

  Shadow grumbled, she’d have him hating life by
tomorrow, he was sure of it.

  “Oh don’t be such a big baby,” she repeated and started rubbing up against him, “I’m still impressed that you managed to con the cops into doing your dirty work. That deserves a reward, now how about coming here and claiming it? Hmmm, my big black nasty kitty cat? Let me show you exactly how I feel about you!

  Shadow’s eyes opened wide as her hands slipped under him. The rest of the day turned out to be rather enjoyable, Circe really did love him, he was an animal after all, and now that he had been punished she moved on, the matter all but forgotten.

  They walked into Bell’s together, Shadow padding along on all fours, Circe smiling besides him; the leash was evident though it was loose. Shadow could see people were looking at them; he never came into Bell’s in full cat form. When they got to the booth he hesitated, waiting for Circe to go in first.

  “Well?” She said.

  “You first,” he replied.

  She raised an eyebrow at him.

  “I can’t protect you from the inside.” He said in the way of the cat.

  “But you’re being punished,” she responded in kind.

  “Then I’ll lie at your feet under the table. I can’t protect you from the inside.”

  “Maybe I don’t need protecting?”

  “I can’t go against my nature, Circe, I have to protect you, you know that.”

  Circe laughed and slid into the booth, Shadow jumping up onto the bench seat to sit on his haunches next to her. The waitress came over and looked at them both.

  “Orders?”

  “I’ll have a Mai-Tai,” Circe said.

  “White Russian, in a bowl,” Shadow grumbled. He didn’t like speaking English in animal form; it was difficult to be understood clearly.

  “Sure thing, Circe, Shadow.” The waitress, Sue was her name, said and walked off.

  Carl walked up as the waitress walked off. “Circe, Shadow, may I?” he motioned to the seat. Shadow looked at Circe, she nodded.

  “Thanks,” he said and sat down. He looked at the two of them and smiled a little and shook his head. “So I take it he’s being punished?”

  “I can still talk, Carl,” Shadow growled.

  “I know, but Circe is your boss and you’re obviously in trouble so excuse me if I defer to her.”