The Animal Inside

Chapter Nineteen: How's that for Cryptic?

After dinner, Gaia and I settled into the couch in the lounge area of our dorm building. It was the first time in the past few days I was able to talk with her. I had been so busy training in the past few days that I had barely seen any of my friends.

“How you going?” Gaia asked.

“Ok. Diego’s been training me like crazy and I’m exhausted. But at the same time I’m grateful ‘cause I’m learning how to control my Powers. What about you?”

“Homework’s driving me crazy, but nothing I can’t handle. How are things between you and Lock?”

“Alright I suppose. I haven’t seen much of him, or anyone really, with this extra training. When I do see him, he’s distant, like he doesn’t want to talk to me,” I said sadly.

“I’m sure it’s not that. Have you asked Dex about it?”

“I tried the other day when he walked me to the principal’s office, but he just said that he was doing it for a reason. He almost said something the other day, but stopped himself. The bell rung before I could ask him about it, and I haven’t had a chance since.”

“Are you-”

“Can we not talk about this?” I asked.

“Sure.” Gaia grabbed the remote and started flicking through channels.

“Hold on, go back,” I said. Gaia went back a few channels. I stopped her on a news report. The caption read ‘The Shadow Master Strikes with a Vengeance’.

“Are you sure you wanna watch this?” Gaia asked. I had told her about the Shadow Master’s second visit, missing out the part about the government creating Supers. Hushing Gaia, and motioned for her to turn it up.

“Now back to breaking news. We have received reports of an attack on a government laboratory by super villain, the Shadow Master. Reports say he is holding one hostage. Let’s cut live to a video feed coming live from inside in lab. Warning, this is live and unedited, and may contain images which viewers may find disturbing.”

The screen cut to a fuzzy video. The camera was focused on a man. He was middle-aged, his short hair a dirty blonde. Blood was running down the side of his face, originating from a large cut above his eyebrow. He also had a black eye and was hanging by his hands from the ceiling. Instead of chains, he was being held by shadows.

The camera moved suddenly, and we were met with the cold, dark stare of the Shadow Master.

“This man is responsible for the death of so many innocent people; Supers and normals alike. This man is part of a team of scientists hired by the government to experiment on Supers. This man deserves what’s coming. If you’re squeamish, I suggest you look away now.” A cruel smile grew on the Shadow Master’s face. He put the camera down and positioned it on the scientist. The Shadow Master walked into the shot, and held out his hand. Much like the night at Heroes, shadows appeared then disappeared, this time leaving a gun, rather than a knife, in the Master’s hands. He put the gun to the man’s head, right between his eyes, and pulled the trigger. I flinched, averting my eyes from the screen momentarily.

When I looked back, the Shadow Master approached the camera, smiling. The picked it up and aimed it at his face.

“How’s that for cryptic?”

The feed cut out, and the programme cut back to the news station. I turned away from the screen in shock. I was shocked, not just at his violence, but at his words. ‘How’s that for cryptic?’ he had said. I had told him that he had been cryptic last time we met. Those words were directed at me, I just knew it. I got up and ran to my room, ignoring Gaia’s shouts.