Shadow Taking Over

9- Branded

"Lone Shadow, wake up," a voice boomed.

Eve expected to see Lance. Instead, Alice's glassy face greeted her waking eyes. Her makeup smeared streaks beside the ovals of her eyes. Thin strands of dirty blonde hair stuck to the sides of her head. She gestured for Eve to stand, offering her hand. Of course, Eve did not accept the help. Alice got the memo; she backed off to allow her sister to stand on her own accord.

"I see you still have your clothes on. Growing fond of them?"

"I had to retain heat levels within my body to ensure I would not die after consumption of water," Eve said blandly.

Alice nibbled at her lower lip. There really wasn't a proper response to that. She decided perhaps she should not socialize with Eve anymore. Rather, Alice should be doing her job.

"Father is sending you on a task. A hunt for one of his targets who just arrived in the city yesterday evening. You must subdue the target and escort him back here in two days time."

Eve scoffed bitterly. She openly spoke in disapproval without fear of reprimand from Alice. She wouldn't have the guts.  "I don't have the skills- He just expects me to know how to kidnap a man ? In just two days?"

"It's a wonder why he favors you." Her eyebrows knit together. "You will do as Lance commands, or suffer severe consequences. You have two days to bring him this man," Alice thrust a photograph into Eve's coat pocket, "Dead or alive."

From the depth of her back pocket, Alice retrieved a small sponge and miniature container of water. Turning the bottle upside down, she allowed the sponge to absorb the water. A gray mist clouded the surface of it. Sizzling, crackling green bubbles oozed as the water mixed with a preexisting, unfamiliar substance. Alice held the sponge in her bare hand, meaning whatever it was soaked in did not affect her. 

Sensing the danger, Eve tried to sink into the floor, but was apprehended by a swift shove into the wall. Alice pinned her with her left shoulder to separate Eve's right arm from the rest of her body. Because her transformation was interrupted, every inch of her body was momentarily stunned. She remained helplessly paralyzed as Alice applied the sponge to her inner wrist. Eve swallowed a scream. Alice pressed down harder, increasing the pain for her own silent delight. The mist absorbed into her skin, stirring under the surface. Alice's shadow suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own as Eve manipulated it. It grabbed Alice by the shoulders and flung her across the room. 

As soon as she was free, Eve slapped her other hand over the burn until the sting subsided. Carefully, she peeked through the slender gaps of her fingers at the damage. She made out the shape of her father's insignia, a silver lance underneath a cursive L. I've been branded, she said inwardly. A brief flashback of Alice screeching from her own branding two years ago came to her mind. Visible scarring still stretched along her sister's collar bone.

"Before you ask, it's not permanent. Once the mist dissipates under your skin, the brand will fade. It's not like mine."

Eve caressed her wrist with her index and middle. "And it lasts...?"

"Two days." Alice tapped an invisible watch. "Starting now; the time is ticking."

Never in her life had Eve been up the stairs and out the door faster.

The small scale city didn't seem so small today. While she lived in forest surrounded suburbia, there was a neighboring city just West of her house that had an assortment of mini skyscrapers, shops, malls, restaurants- all of the essentials. How could she manage to find this man? He was a skittle in a bag of M&Ms. She feared getting lost in the sea of sweets. Eve first entered the city in her shadow form, gliding underneath the surface for the swiftest travel, but she found that the shadows of other people blended together. She would not be able to decipher which shadow belonged to the person of interest. So, she took to public transit to scope out the streets efficiently. It was the most used means of transportation. Perhaps she would run into him.

Beeping from the ticket vendor irritated her. Eve mashed her fists in the lowest pockets of her trench coat and shuffled awkwardly to the side. She pressed herself firmly in the space where the door met the wall, making sure to keep to herself. From this angle, the entire car was in her sights. The natural heat emanating from Eve slowly gained the attention of the crowd. Unknowingly, many stepped away from her general direction. She was hotter than the blistering summer outside. The car was at its capacity, as well as the connecting ones, so unfortunately every person around her suffered from the oven-like temperature. A few window-seated individuals clawed at the glass pane, searching for a way to crack the window to escape the stuffy air. Noticeable sweat stains formed around the neck of a stout man's tee shirt. Eve bit at her lip with her fang. She couldn't feel bad for these people simply because their crowded presence disturbed her. Since a young age, she had been claustrophobic. They could all agree on one thing. This was Hell.

As the morning dragged on, the crowd naturally died down due to the work rush ending. She scanned each building as the tram zipped by. Nothing stuck out at her as extraordinary. It's just another run of the mill city, she thought.

The final stop of the line and still nothing. She had crossed half of the city, hoping to locate the 'target' but, logically, the chance of finding one man among hundreds in a vast space was little to none. Especially a man of whom she had no prior knowledge. All Alice had given her was a picture and a name. Eve gathered her sleeve to safely hold the crumbled picture in her hand. At the bottom of the page, the name 'Ace' was scribbled in blue ink. The picture had been taken of a cafe from afar, but the photographer had zoomed in on his face. His eyes were deep-set and focused on a cup of coffee. Much of his flesh was concealed under layers of clothing. The heat was sweltering, so most likely the photo was old. He seemed distant and secluded despite the crowded atmosphere. A sort of mysterious vibe described him. 

Who is he, she wondered.

Eve crumbled the picture in her pocket, making her way to exit the car at the next stop. The sliding door released her into the open underground space. A gut-wrenching feeling sent a hard blow to her stomach. Or maybe that was one of the shadows trying to direct her attention elsewhere. Whatever it was, it forced her to pause for a moment. The crowd diverted to avoid bumping into her. At the stairs leading to the street above, a male fitting the photo's description waltzed directly in front of her. He didn't pay her any attention as he stepped into the car. Eve blinked away the surprise and spun around to follow him. She skidded to catch up,but was rejected by the swiftly closing door.

Desperately, she pried at the crease. The tram didn't wait for her. It zipped away immediately after. A miniature group of people who exited the previous cars watched her peculiar actions. Blatantly, she ignored them. Eve took a few steps back from the tracks. Now what?

 An idea, an insane idea, popped into her mind as she traced the silhouette of the car on the wall. After it reached the street, dozens of other shadows would overlap it. She squeezed her eyes shut and sprinted down the line, taking a leap of faith.