The Shadow (Book 1)

Chapter 14

Final Escape

Scarlet couldn't believe they were nearly finished. It had taken blood, sweat, tears and sneaking around in front of the camera, but they'd done it. The suits shell stood just out of sight around the corner from the exit to the cave.

''Is that the last thing?'' Scarlet swallowed thickly; she watched Tony cooling the helmet he had just moulded into shape, placing it down on the table. Yisen nodded, pulling the suit up, into a standing position.

''How're the explosives coming, Doc?'' Tony asked climbing, into the suit, his voice echoing from the vibration of metal surrounding him.

Scarlet hummed, connecting the last wire, ''just finished. Should go off without a hitch,'' she finished, shuffling back carefully before standing up, ''how are you feeling?''

''Nervous as hell, but ready. We're, ready right? All of us?'' Yisen was the first to smile. Tony turned his attention towards Scarlet, who grinned at him. The smiles, however, didn't last long. Shouting, loud and close, filled the cave.

''Shit,'' Scarlet cursed, shoving Yisen so they were further away from the bombes she'd set up.

''Yinsen! Doctor! Stark!'' there were several of them, no doubt armed and shouting each of the three names over and over.

''Say something. Say something back,'' Tony was panicking; Scarlet could not only hear it in his voice but see it in his eyes too.

''He's speaking Hungarian. I don't...'' Yisen broke away. He didn't speak Hungarian Scarlet assumed that's what he was, going to say before Tony cut him off.

''Then speak Hungarian.''

''Tony, he doesn't,'' Scarlet was cut off as the explosives she'd rigged up blew. The screams of several men filled the cave, fire licked the walls before quickly dying down as there was nothing for the flames to hold onto. Breathing in deeply, she turned her attention to Tony, Yisen and the suit.

''Initialize the power sequence now,'' Tony shouted. He knew they were running out of time and fast. Yisen was doing as much as he could, but he needed Tony's guidance, and Scarlet felt useless with only one arm.

''Tell me. Tell me,'' Yisen begged, his eyes glancing over a control panel he had no idea how to use.

''Function 11. Tell me when you see a progress bar. It should be up right now,'' Scarlet could only watch from the sidelines; her job was the lookout. Nobody was coming at the moment, but she knew that would change soon.

''I can help. Find something I can use as a weapon,'' The Shadows voice was silky smooth, sliding effortlessly through Scarlet's thoughts.

''You're right-handed like me,'' Scarlet whispered back, keeping her voice low so Tony nor Yisen could hear.

''I wield two swords, Scarlet. Yes, my left hand isn't as strong, but it's better than nothing. Look at your feet; pick up his machete or let me take control now,'' sure enough, by Scarlets' feet was a long-bladed knife belonging to one of the men that had been caught up when her explosives had detonated.

The Shadow was angry, and before Scarlet could do anything, several things happened at once. The first was the rest of the camp had caught wind of something occurring in the cave. Their shouts and cries echoed throughout the cave. The second was the sight of Yisen speeding straight past her, a gun clutched in his grip, quickly followed by the unmistakable sound of bullets. The third was Shadows control; the next thing Scarlet knew was that the machete was in her hand, and anyone that came near was cut down.

''Yisen,'' Shadow was the one to shout, her eyes wide watching as Yisen collapsed. The bullet had come from the very mouth of the cave, where their capture stood, gun loaded and ready to fire again.

''Shadow,'' Scarlet screamed as the cave entrance exploded, the man falling unconscious to the ground, rock and dust falling on top of him. Shadows grip slid away; despite her not caring if Tony found out, she sure wasn't ready for it.

''Oh, god Yisen,'' Scarlet, back in control of her body, fell to her knees beside the bespectacled man.

''Come on,'' Tony knelt down beside her, opening the helmet so he could see better, ''We got to go. Move for me, come on. We got a plan. We're gonna stick to it,'' Tony pleaded, reaching out to take Yisen by the shoulders.

''This was always the plan, Stark,'' he turned his head, acknowledging the doctor with a nod, who had now stood. The machete still gripped in her left hand, droplets of crimson dripping onto the dust below.

''Come on, you're gonna go see your family. Get up,'' Tony was desperate, not taking his eyes off of Yisen, he couldn't leave without him, not now, not with how far they'd come.

''My family is dead,'' Yisen wheezed, ''I'm going to see them now, Stark. It's ok. I want this. I want this,'' Scarlet knelt down once more reaching, out to take Yisens' hand.

''Thank you for saving me,'' Tony chocked slightly.

''Don't waste it,'' Yisen reached a finger up to tap on Tony's arc reactor ''Don't waste your life,'' he shook.

Turning his head slowly, he looked at Scarlet and with a voice that did not sound like his own, he uttered a phrase that caused her to freeze, ''you could have been more,'' with one more slow breath, his eyes rolled back.

''Scarlet, what the...'' Tony stuttered, but it wasn't Scarlet staring back at him. Green eyes cold and full of rage bore into his.

''I'm The Shadow, and he didn't deserve to die,'' she paused, catching herself; her breathing was erratic and uncontrolled, ''but they do. So go. I'll finish this myself.''

The moment the words fell from her twitching lips, she threw the machete in her hand, it embedding itself into the man who'd just entered the gave. Tony could only stare.

''Scar?'' Tony's brows furrowed; confused wasn't even the word to describe how he felt at that moment. Eyes he didn't know continued to stare at him, deep heavy breaths came from the woman before him; rage and revenge clouded her vision.

''Do you not listen, Stark?'' she seethed, stepping closer to him.

''I don't understand what this is? But right now, we need to get out of here, we can do the whole revenge thing later ok,'' Tony took a tentative step forward.

Shadow didn't, so much a flinch. In fact, Tony was sure she didn't even blink, ''Ok,'' for a split second, he thought raising his voice wasn't as good as an idea as he had first thought. However, it caused The Shadow to take a step backwards.

''Just to be, clear I'm only listening to you because Scarlet's telling me too,'' Shadow despite, her threatening words, seemed to no longer be as angry as she had been not too long ago.

''Right, well um stay close,'' Tony stuttered, closing the lid of his helmet down. He just about saw The Shadow nod and move out of his way, ''When I start up the thrusters, you gotta be close enough to grab hold right.''

''I'm not stupid. But yes, I'll make sure,'' Tony nodded, the heavy metal suit clunked when he began to walk. The Shadow watched sceptically, ''you sure he's going to get us out of this?''

''Yes,'' Shadow smirked, knowing Scarlet would roll her eyes if she could.

The Shadow ducked, bullets rebounded off of Tony's suit and in her direction. ''This is madness Stark,'' she shouted over the noise, trying to swerve out of the way of grenades, now being thrown towards the pair.

''Scarlet, Shadow, whoever the hell you are? You better be close,'' Stark called; he couldn't hold out against the assault any longer. Barely a second later, a body came into contact with him and the suit.

''Get. Us. Out of here. Now,'' Tony didn't need to be told twice. Taking in a deep breath, he activated the thrusters. Both didn't speak as they found themselves slowly lifting up off the ground. Shadow tightened her grip; clinging on with just one hand wasn't ideal, but she needed to make do. She had to survive for Scarlet.

And they did.