by Jan Stryvant
Shadow launched at the ceiling and twisted through an arc as he hit the ceiling inverted and pushed hard off of it at them, switching to his offense form as their guns tracked up trying to hit him. He enjoyed the looks of surprise on their faces as the leopard coming at them suddenly turned into a leopard man. He hit the first one and rolled, gutting him with his claws and grabbing the gun as they rolled into the second one. Shadow kicked the second one in the face, letting his foot claws rake the side of their face as he wrested the gun free of the now dying man and fired a burst into the body of the other one.
Springing back to his feet he slammed into the door to his daughter’s room, only to find he was too late. Circe was laying on the floor, covered in blood, a look of sheer anguish on her face, and a metal stake thru her chest.
“Circe!” Shadow yelled and slid over to her, the floor was covered in blood and there were a half dozen dead people in the room, two of them Shadow recognized as Circe’s people. There were also five dead wolves, and no sign of his three-month-old daughter.
“Shadow,” she gasped, “they took her. They took our daughter!!”
“Help is coming, take it easy, Circe, keep it together, don’t die on me.”
“Our daughter, my baby! They took her, Shadow!”
“And I will kill them all,” he growled, his blood growing hot in his veins. “Did they say anything?”
“The wharf, he mentioned the wharf,” she said coughing; blood was coming out of her mouth. “He said my daughter would pay where I could not! That if I lived maybe he would let me have her when he was done!” Circe started to cry then and Shadow switched to his healer form and pulled out his kit. He started trying to stabilize her.
“Leave me, go save her!”
“Shut up, Circe! My wife is coming, with help. As soon as you’re safe I’m out of here. But I can’t leave you to die either; I won’t lose either of you!” He growled that out as well, because he wanted to do just that, he could pick out the scents now, they were fresh. They’d left here only a minute ago. But he was sure they’d left fast, Circe was hurt bad, they’d gotten the child, they were probably planning on using his child as bait to get Circe, maybe him too if they’d figured it out. Then again, most people thought cats didn’t care about their offspring. That was a myth they’d soon be disabused of.
“He called himself the ‘Dispatcher’,” Circe said weekly, “he can read your surface thoughts, he knows what you’re thinking, what you’re going to do. He could dodge my attacks because he saw them coming. Be careful, Shadow ....”
Shadow tilted his head back and roared out loud then as she passed out. He had done what he could, it was time to hunt! He stood up and looked around, all he had was his duster, at least it was the armored one. He had no weapons because there had been no need, now there was. He looked around the carnage of the room, Kate, one of the dead amazons, was a blade user like himself. He found her Daito, it was a lovely piece of 440 steel, nice and straight like he preferred. He cut off a section of curtain and made a sash and stuck the blade and scabbard in it.
He could hear people approaching, Shirley had come.
“Shadow!” He turned as she entered the room, Tomas on her heels.
“Take care of her,” Shadow’s voice was flat as he pointed to Circe on the floor, “she is dying and I’ve done all I can do. I must hunt now.”
“I’m coming with you!” Shirley said, she was scared, she’d never heard his voice so drained of all emotion before, yet his eyes burned with an anger that she could feel through their link. He was beyond angry; he was enraged to a degree that she could not believe.
“No!” Shadow growled, “You are the only one I can entrust with her safety and protection. There is a pact between us, you are my mate, you must do what I cannot. Save her!”
Shirley understood and nodded, she was torn, but she knew he was counting on her to do this for him. She cast a spell on Circe to prolong her, and got Centurion to help her get Circe out of there.
“I’m coming Shadow,” Tomas said softly.
“A child has been taken, a child has been hurt, there will be no mercy, there will be no quarter, there will only be the hell that must be paid. Understand Tomas, it’s the old days.”
“I understand, Shadow.”
“I’m coming too,” Jimmy piped up.
“Jimmy ...” Tomas started.
“There will be death, Jimmy, maybe even yours.” Shadow said softly.
“But I can help. Come on, I got something in the courtyard that you’ll need.”
Jimmy took off out the door and Shadow followed with Tomas hot on his heels. Shadow had no idea what Jimmy was up to, but the kid was a certified boy genius after all.
“Do you have any clues?” Jimmy yelled back at them as they ran down the corridor and then down the stairs.
“The wharf was all I got out of her before she passed out.” Shadow growled.
“Okay. I got some beta samples on the way in here.”
They ran outside and Shadow was in time to see Centurion and Shirley flying off with Circe in the direction of the hospital. Jimmy’s little flying craft was sitting there as well, while Jimmy had super fast reflexes, he had no super powers beyond his intellect, so he had built this little number so he could keep up with the team when they flew. He hated being carried.
Jimmy ran up to his machine and popped the hatch and jumped in. “I’ve been gathering data on this guy’s aura since last week, samples, traces, beta scans, and ...”
“Cut to the chase, Jimmy!” Shadow growled interrupting.
Jimmy looked up at Shadow, “If I can get within a couple hundred yards of this guy this light will flash.” And he pointed at a device on the control panel. “The wharves cover miles. This will save time.”
“Good. Lead on.”
“I can’t carry you; you’ll have to get Tomas ...”
Shadow dropped the duster and shifted, he hadn’t had the time to get used to his newest form yet, or adapt his duster to it, but he would manage. He quickly re-secured the sword to his waist.
Both Jimmy and Tomas gasped as suddenly a large set of bat like wings appeared on Shadow’s back, along with a set of wicked looking horns from his head.
“How the hell did you do that?” Jimmy mumbled but started his craft up into the sky.
Tomas said nothing and Shadow followed them both up into the sky. Normally he would have enjoyed this, flying was still new to him, but there was little room in his mind for much of anything else currently. His thoughts were getting less and less human as the old rage came upon him, and he embraced them fully, his eyes on Jimmy’s small craft as it zipped towards the docks along the river that split the city in two.
Shadow was dimly aware that Jimmy had picked an effective search pattern to track their quarry, his predator mind approving of it. His tracking abilities were hampered in this form, but up in the sky those wouldn’t have helped anyway. He had no idea how long it took until Jimmy suddenly flew down to land on the roof of a building across from a large block of old decrepit storehouses in one of the city’s rundown districts.
“He’s in one of those buildings,” Jimmy said pointing. “I can’t narrow it down beyond that.”
Shadow shifted and looked across the street. Night had fallen, it was full dark now, and several hours had passed. “Good enough,” he growled and located the fire escape and ran down to the ground below.
He was aware that the others were following him, as he made his way carefully across the street and onto the middle property. He used the sword to quickly slash an opening in the chain link fence, pleased with the sharpness of the edge.
There were sentries, he spotted them and smiled, that was a good sign. Going full stealth he quickly killed two of them, then prowled around and killed several more, including the ones Tomas had rendered unconscious.
Tomas didn’t say anything, and held up a hand to silence Jimmy before he could protest. Jimmy gulped but kept his mouth shut and f
ollowed. Shadow had been nice to him for months now, and had been giving him advice in the one area he most needed it: women. He had a good idea of what Shadow was capable of, or at least he thought he did. But he had overheard Shirley telling Tomas that it was Shadow’s child that was in danger and knew that in Shadow’s world children were important. He’d gotten that lecture when he’d asked Shadow what to do if he ever got one of his newfound girlfriend’s pregnant. To be honest the depth of Shadow’s feelings on the issue had rung home with Jimmy. In Shadow’s world adults protected children at all costs, and Jimmy realized he wanted to be an adult in Shadow’s eyes. He was shocked at how heartlessly Shadow killed as they took out the sentries, but he saw Tomas did not flinch, so he would not either.
Tomas sighed inwardly as Shadow dispatched those he had rendered unconscious with his powers, but he was not surprised. He had seen the death in his friend’s eyes, and he knew there would be no reining Shadow in. To do so might place his own safety in jeopardy. He was there more to keep Shadow alive, Shirley would be devastated if Shadow died, and to bring him back when this was finished. He had no illusions as to what Shadow really was and could do. It was an animal leading them now, the man had stepped aside completely for what was to be done.
Shadow led them around portions of the building, scenting and listening, peeking and sneaking. Finally he stopped outside a door near the back of the building and turned to the other two. Jimmy looked a bit green to him, but then Shadow had been leaving a trail of dead bodies. The Raven gang had lost six members so far tonight. They were about to lose a lot more.
“Listen up,” Shadow said softly. “Once I go through that door it’s on. Anyone, anything, that you see is the enemy, kill it. If you can’t kill it, disable it and I’ll kill it. Watch your backs, and if you see the child, grab it and leave immediately. Do not wait for me or anyone else. Go to Shirley immediately.”
They both nodded.
Shadow shifted to his attack form and kicked the door in. All hell broke loose shortly after that.
Shadow had had to switch to his defense form more than once so far, he was wounded he knew, but he couldn’t feel it, wouldn’t feel it, until this was done. He’d left a trail of bodies, some dead, some dying. Tomas and Jimmy were somewhere behind him in the building, covering his back, dealing with the smaller players. But the one before him, he was the one Shadow had come for. This one would die!
“Well well well, if it isn’t the Shadow Cat. Looks like I’m getting a two for one today! Guess the rumors were true. That is your brat, isn’t it?” The Dispatcher laughed.
Shadow could hear the baby crying in the next room, “Whether or not the child was mine, I still had to come. You will die.”
“I don’t think so. I think I will use your hide for a coat, then all will see how I defeated not only the mighty Circe, but you as well. And they will all fear and respect me. Your child will just be icing on the cake, a torment to take to your grave!”
Shadow growled and attacked.
Tomas and Jimmy made it to the room where Shadow was fighting, there were still more of the Raven gang and The Dispatcher’s henchmen left, but Tomas thought it best if they stayed with Shadow and covered his back. When he got there and saw Shadow he realized that it was a wise idea.
Shadow’s body was covered in many places with blood, and it was obvious that some of that blood was his own. He had been shot at least once that Tomas could see and Jimmy quickly zapped a henchman that was trying to bring Shadow down from behind. The fight was furious, and the two were going at it heavily, the Dispatcher was obviously a super and a powerful one as well, obviously skilled in fighting because he was blocking all of Shadow’s strikes, and inflicting more damage than he was taking. Tomas could see that he was also fresh and unwounded as opposed to Shadow. He’d never seen the cat take such a pounding before, how he was still able to stay on his feet and move as fast as he was Tomas couldn’t understand.
He and Jimmy tried to attack then and found that they couldn’t, some sort of shield prevented them, and as Tomas studied it, to his horror he quickly discovered the Dispatcher’s power, he was Psion, and one of such power as Tomas had never seen. He could see now with his own psionics that he was reading Shadow’s mind as the other fought him, giving him the ability to block every attack.
He blocked Shadow’s attacks with a club that was obvious imbued with his powers, and would then attack Shadow back with it. Twice Tomas saw it connect with Shadow and send him reeling, but the cat would spring off whatever was handy and come right back at him, blade swinging and slicing and thrusting.
“We have to do something!” Jimmy said, looking around.
“I can’t breech this wall, we need help, Jimmy, he’s too strong for just the two of us!”
“He’s killing Shadow in there, Tomas! We have to save him!”
Tomas tried to focus his mind against the shield once again, but he could find no cracks in its armor.
“Oh shit!” Jimmy said as the saw Shadow’s right arm broken by the club. Another shot sent Shadow flying across the room to slam into a wall, and Jimmy could not believe that Shadow threw himself back at his enemy, picking up the sword left-handed now and trying still.
“How can he keep going like that?”
“He can’t stop, Jimmy, it’s not in him to give up.”
“But he’s going to get killed!”
“I know.”
“Come to watch the great Shadow die, have you?” The Dispatcher called out, noticing them for the first time. “You will be my witnesses to my greatness; I’ll even let you live so that you may tell the others how I slew him this day!” He laughed at them, and made a slashing motion with his free hand that opened up four long gashes across Shadow’s chest.
Shadow kept attacking, kept trying; trying not to think about what he was doing and just doing it. But no matter how he tried the other always seem to know. Could understand the commands his mind sent to his body as he moved. Only the ferocity of his attacks was allowing him to hurt the other at all, but he was dealing far less damage than he was taking. And he had taken a lot.
Tomas and Jimmy watched in mute horror as Shadow got hit once again, only this time the Dispatcher added some kind of psychic blast to it, staggering him hard. Shadow lost the sword and the club came down and broke his leg, sending him to his knees as the Dispatcher laughed and hit him in the head, obviously stunning him.
“What a nice sword,” the Dispatcher laughed and held out his hand, the sword slowly flew to his hand as Shadow swayed on his knees, blood coming from a dozen wounds on his body.
“I think it’s time for me to end this, but I’m not cruel. Besides, I’ve already put enough holes in your pelt.” And with that he pulled back the sword and swung it around in a flat arc to take off Shadow’s head.
“Save me cat ...” They heard Shadow gasp as the blade came around and suddenly, Shadow was in his cat form, the blade taking off the tip of an ear as he crouched there on all fours and sprung up grabbing at his enemy’s body with his claws, a last desperate act with his failing body, the act of an enraged animal that knew no pain.
The Dispatcher panicked and dropped the sword, he could not understand the animal’s mind attacking him now, could not read the moves before they happened. He needed time to understand, but those claws were savaging him, jaws snapping at his face. He lost his concentration and resorted to something crude, but equally powerful and pulling out a gun started shooting Shadow point blank in the chest.
They watched stunned as Shadow’s body jerked with each shot, once, twice, a third time, but then he pulled himself up the other’s body by some force they could not understand and those large jaws gripped his head and they heard a scream over the remaining shots followed by a sickening crunch, and suddenly there was only a twitching corpse underneath Shadow’s body.
The field dropped the instant Shadow crushed the Dispatcher’s skull, and Tomas and Jimmy ran forward, the only sound in the sudden silence
that of a baby crying. Reaching out with his left paw, they watched as Shadow started to drag his broken and bleeding body towards the door from which the sounds were coming.
“Must ...” Shadow growled, then coughed, blood coming from his muzzle.
“Get the baby, Jimmy,” Tomas ordered, “bring her here.”
Jimmy took off like a shot, kicking in the door, a gun in hand looking for any threats. There weren’t any, the baby was on the floor on some bedding, frightened and cold. He picked her up and ran back out, dropping to his knees before Shadow who was back in his normal form, Tomas was trying to stop the bleeding from a dozen wounds, his hands covered in blood.
“Take her ... to Shirley ... Tomas.”
“Jimmy can take her, I need to stay here and help you.”
“Nothing ... you ... can ... do. Go now.” Shadow growled, “Go!”
Shadow closed his eyes, he was in his healing form now, but the wounds he had sustained were pretty major. He wasn’t sure he was going to survive this. He coughed tasting the blood. “Go, Tomas ...”
Tomas took the child and left, flying out one of the broken windows off to where the hospital was. Where they’d taken Circe and where Shirley was. He got on his phone as he got away from the warehouse, there had been some sort of a jammer there, which was typical, but it was time to call in some favors, assuming Shadow lived long enough.
Shadow sighed and using his one good arm pulled himself back over towards the dead body of his foe. Jimmy was stripping the clothes off the dead body and using them as bandages.
“Good ... thinking.” Shadow gasped, he was getting light headed from the loss of blood.
“He won’t be needing them anymore, don’t talk, try to conserve your strength. Help is on the way Shadow, you have to hang on.”
“I ... envy you ... you know.”
Jimmy blinked. “What?!”
“If not ... for what ... happened ... to me. I could ... have turned out ... like you.” Shadow was having trouble breathing, his body was numb now. He could not heal faster then the damage was draining him. He was dying, he would be dead soon.