Behind the Mask

Chapter 5

The Shadow landed on a small island. Far away from the rest of the world. Doing things the rest of the world wouldn't approve of. This seven-acre island was the Hooded Figure's new base of operations. Five-acres might have seemed small to be a base of a huge criminal master mind but it was only the aboveground part. Below ground... let's just say it was big. Rather like the tip of an iceberg.

The Shadow landed on a flat slab of ground and got off. It walked into the facility and into a large training area. Holographical training systems were everywhere. Weapons were lying around. The Shadow didn't mind any of this. It strode past dueling pairs easily knocking weapons out of their hands. As the Shadow came to the end of the room, a man seemed to appear out of the shadows.

"My lord—"

"These... these 'Assassins', if that's what they're meant to be," it interrupted. "Are weak. Fools," The Shadow fought to keep it's anger down. "Is this now the quality of your teaching Gildias? This was your second, last chance, and you blew it!"

"My lord, please. There is someone... he trains alone... he was... let's just say too advanced," The Shadow followed Gildias through a dark passageway that brought them to another training alone.

He was asian and was wearing a black, leather suit. He turned his head across the room. A long scar was etched across his face, crossing upwards. He didn't speak.

"My lord, let me present you with... Zenix, your new assassin." Zenix bowed low but quickly leaped back as he dodged what should have been a killing blow.

The Shadow smiled. "At last, a worthy apprentice." At this, he turned toward Gildias and said, "You have trained this one well—"

"—He didn't do anything!"

"Do not interrupt child. As I was saying, you did help so you will be rewarded. Alas! Secrecy is secrecy. Don't worry, your family will be fine." The Shadow leapt forward and and yanked at Gildias' neck sideways and slit his throat in a fine straight line, blood dripping down the side of his body. He crumpled to the ground, all of the life, out of him.

The Shadow turned and walked back down the hall, it's cloak swishing behind it. Zenix followed quietly as the hooded figure reentered the training room. The assassins in training parted respectfully, only to be slashed down.

"Secrecy is secrecy."

As they soared after the hooded figure, Adenine felt for the first time that she wasn't special. After all, there was now someone who was more to Quad than Adenine was. Of course there was still Helix, but... he didn't count. He was her brother. She sighed, Quinn would always exist and she would have to accept it sometime.

The clouds drew closer and closer as the Shadow's trail lowered. Then it stopped, and so did the plane. Adenine lurched forward. She grabbed the chair to steady herself. As the plane steadied, Adenine's grip lessened. When the plane finally turned still, she stood up and walked to the cockpit, Helix by her side. Quad was already walking towards them.

She felt a surge of resentment. Why hadn't he told them? He eventually showed you. The reasonable side of her thought. But... He still could've told us.

"The Shadow's trail has stopped," interrupted Quad, breaking Adenine's train of thought. "but the part that we can see leads us to think that the Shadow was headed toward an island. Around 10 acres I think." The plane began to move again.

"Looks like we're going to the island now, sis." He was right. They headed down through the clouds, out into the open. Adenine expected to see the island, with robots and guards strolling along. Instead, she saw a vast ocean the stretched as far as she could see. Adenine pressed her face on the glass, trying to get a better view of the beautiful expanse.

Then she thought of the hooded figure. The Shadow's chase was the thing that brought her here. Perhaps there was something to thank the Shadow for. She smiled at the prospect of thanking the Shadow. After all the things that it had done...

"There it is," said Quinn, walking up to the window. Helix had also come. Looking down, Adenine saw what they were looking at . The island. There, some five hundred feet below, was the island. But... it still wasn't what what was expected. The only visible man made place was a tall tower. It could be the Shadow's base, she thought. It definitely gave off the same sinister feeling.

The plane landed loudly onto a small part of the island.

"There is no way that they don't know that we're here," Quad said. "Call for reinforcements, they are not unarmed and ready."

They stood in the forest for a while before setting up a camp. The tents were warm inside. After all, they had heaters.

Hours passed. Day turned to night. Even Quad began to look worried. "You guys get some rest," He said. "I'll take watch." Adenine lied down onto her bed and was about to close her eyes as she heard Quad speak again. "Squad 240, do you copy, Squad 240!" All Adenine heard was static.

"Hey," said Helix. Adenine jumped in surprise. He just smiled back. "What do you think happened with that squad?"

"Went down I guess," she said, turning to face him. "Quad's hiding something from us. He said he was going to take watch, but there are so many other men to watch! Plus, Quinn is still up. "

"I—" He was interrupted by the loud sound of a jet landing.

They were up in an instant, racing towards the entrance. Most of the men were already there. A woman stepped out of the plane.

"Agent—"

"I know who you are!" Quad interrupted. "What I need to know now is why you were delayed so much, and where the others are."

"We were attacked on the way. I saw some go down, but I saw some escape. When we ran, we lost contact with the others," she said shortly. Adenine met Helix's eyes. He was full of anticipation.

"Um... Quad?" she asked.

"Yes?" he replied, turning to face her.

"Can we go in now?"

Quad thought for a moment. "How many men do you have?" he said, turning to the woman.

"Enough. Perhaps 25."

"Then my friends, lets go."

They packed their things, then started to leave. The path was dark and rigid. They trudged through the path silently out of fear. Adenine felt the cool wind press against her face. The fresh smell of the forest made it feel calm. As the minutes turned to hours, Adenine lost all of her excitement. How is it so far? she thought. She looked ahead and saw an unusual tree. It looked as if it had a face. She smiled and thought again, Look at its nose! I thought I saw a nose like that before... wait a moment that's the same tree I saw a few minutes ago!

"Um, Quad?" Adenine asked.

"Yes?"

"We're going in circles." Quad looked at his surroundings. Then, he realized that Adenine was right. They were going in circles. He smacked himself in the head.

"You're right," said Quad. "But if we're going in circles, where is the tower?"

"One step ahead of ya!"Helix called as he reached the top of a tree. "The tower is north of here! If we keep going north, we should reach there."

Following Helix's instructions, they soon reached the tower. It was even more threatening than it had looked from afar. They stepped inside. Nothing happened. "Be on guard!" Quad yelled. They continued down the hall. Suddenly, the door snapped shut. All of their bodies turned to face the door. It was then, that all hell broke loose.

The door burst into flames, sending the men running. The floor fell beneath them, causing everyone to fall. The fall seemed to take forever. Even during the fall, bullets pinged around them, blades shot past, and lasers cut through the darkness, as the only source of light.

When they fell, many of the soldiers broke bones, or went unconscious. As Adenine forced herself upwards, she was immediately pushed back down. By force. By robots.