Black Footprints

Chapter I

"Hey what are these things?"
"Hey don't touch tha-"
"And then KABOOM!"
"You're telling the story wrong."
"Shaddap! No i'm not."
"Let me tell it."
"Ugh fine whatever."

The time was around eight o'clock in the evening, a man, let's call him Shaw, stood staring out of an old office building. He was in his early thirties, average height, blonde scruffy hair that covered his forehead. His eyes were dark and watchful but as lights flew past, they glowed an icy blue colour. His clothes were neat but odd, he wore a white collered shirt, a black waistcoat, tight trousers, shiny leather combat boots and a large fur lined coat.
He stood for a moment, staring through the misty glass-
"Why are you making yourself sound so deep?!"
"Shut up!"
He turned suddenly as the sound of footsteps disturbed him from his thoughts. Another man around the same age and height entered with a smug look on his face.
"Okay i'm taking over now."
"Fine."
He leaned against the frame of an obliterated door and gazed into the wrecked room. We was smartly dressed in a suit and tie, hair slicked back, neatly bearded and wore a pair thick glasses that made his eyes glimmer, let's call him Jonah. He walked up to the other man with his had outstreched.
"Hey! How are ya?!" He said with a sparkley smile.
The other man stared at him contemptuously, there was an awkward pause which was broken by Shaw.
"The boss just called. We have a mission. Are you ready?" While he spoke he packed up his gear, he carried a rucksack but it was empty, all he held were two broadswords at his hip.
"I sure am!" Jonah exclaimed, twirling two pistols on his index fingers.
"Oh... you're a gun guy... i worked with several guys who prefered that sort of weapon..." Shaw spoke, trying to hold back his laughter.
"Hah hah... yeah well i'm no good a sword play." Jonah chuckled softly then glared at Shaw suddenly. "I heard alot of your partners were killed mysteriously. That noone actually knew how or who killed them."
Shaw's eyes met Jonah's. "What are you getting at!" He barked.
"HAH HAH" Jonah burst out with laughter "i'm joking man, take a chill pill. Ah, are we going or what?"
Shaw stared at his new associate bemused. He chose to ignore him for the whole mission.
"Hey! No! I didn't ignore you!"
"Yeah you kinda did!"
"Shut up! I'm doing the story now"
The two men wandered out of the building into the cold air, the time now was about 8.30 in the evening. All manner of life had ceased, but not because of the hour... because of what lurked waiting. The screech of a car jolted the men's attention, a small truck came down the road behind them.
"SHIT!" Jonah yelled, sprinting to the other side of the road, he looked back to Shaw who stood still.
The car came at him with no sign of stopping, then swiftly, Shaw retrieved his blade and leapt over the vehicle, piercing the roof as he went, killing the driver in the process, then landing back on the ground. The car span and then crashed into a near by lamp post.
"Was that necessary?" Jonah said contemptuously.
They continued to walk along the empty street, strolling past antient apartment buildings and new, high-tech buildings.
"Huh. What's that?" Jonah asked while pointing at a tall glass spire the pertruded out from the forest of concreet.
"That? That's the Kal Industry building. What about it?" Answered Shaw.
"Ah no reason. I've never been to this town before, it jusy looked like a cool building." He smiled as he spoke, Shaw stared at him for a moment with suspicion.
They followed the road until they reached a dead end, a circle of rotten houses stared at them, roof falling, vines climbing.
"Well where do we go now?" Jonah said, scratching his head and walking toward the dilapidated properties. Shaw rolled his eyes and crouched, pressing his fingers to the ground.
"Hm?" Jonah grunted bemusedly "what're you-?"
Shaw had found a hidden panel in the tarmac road.
"Come on then." He said.
"What do you mean? Theres nothing-"
The panel clunked into the ground and a set of stairs leading down formed infront of it.
"This way." Shaw chackled "you're in for a treat."
They wandered carfully down the stone stairs using their phones for light, the walls had small indents where candles could be placed.
"How old i this place?" Jonah questioned.
"How the hell should i know? Its just a tunnel, theres loads of them."
"And where do they lead?" Jonah continued.
"Ugh, come on, i am not going to tell you where everyone of the tunnels lead." Shaw rolled his eyes and scoffed. Jonah looked down at his feet embarassed amd a little annoyed.
They stomped down the steps for ten minutes before reaching a grey, steel door.
"Here we go." Shaw grasped the door handle and twisted it hard, the door swung open. Bright lights shone in the men's faces, the light settled and revealed a bustling allyway of shops and restaurants from all over.
"What the f-"
"I know right! Blew my mind too." Shaw interupted.
"What th heck?" Jonah exclaimed as he burst past Shaw. He sprinted to the first ramen bar he could see, pushing past all the crowds. Shaw followed slowly, keeping his eye out for their target.
Jonah's face was bright in the glow of the great ovens. His mouth watered as a bowl of ramen was passed to him.
He slapped his hands together and yelled nonsensically "icky deckoo mass!!!!" He was about to chow down when a suspicious looking man carrying a brief case ran past him, nudging him slightly.
"HEYY WATCH IT!!" he screamed. Shaw's eyes darted to the shady man and he pounced grabbing Jonah by his scruf and dragging him away as though he was as light as a sheet.
"Hey! What about my food?!" He cried.
"For get your food! That's the guy!" Shaw threw him to his feet and they ran through the bazaar. Charging through crowds of people, sliding past moving carts and leaping over and through busy stalls.
"There he is!" Pointed Shaw. The man stood clutching the case as though it were an explosive baby, he was waiting for a lift to open. Shaw and Jonah were ten feet away. They looked at each other. Knodded in a way that some would call acknowledged team work.
"Shall we?" Asked Jonah.
"We shall!" Replied Shaw.
To their dismay, the lift had already been and gone, the man they wee so readily hunting had vanished.
They stood stock still.
Looking at eachother again, this time with faces of fury and exasperation.
And they yelled "FUUUUUU-"