The Shadow Man

Six

"Are you married?"
She asks.
The little girl looks at me with eyes full of wonder.
"Why do you ask?"
I smile at her.
"Because in the stories my mother reads me, the princess always get married at the end." She says.
I laugh, adjusting her leg brace.
"No, I am engaged though. If that counts."
I whisper with a wink.
I stand up from my kneeling position.
"Alright, give it a try."
I say.
She stands up, and takes her first step.
The 8 year old girl looks up at her parents who lovingly rush over to her.
Her mother cries as she takes her daughter in her arms.
I smile down at them.
Her mother gets up and walks over to me.
"How much do I owe you?"
She asks, wiping a tear from her eye.
I look left, then right, scanning for the watchful eyes of my boss.
She's nowhere to be seen.
"Don't worry about it."
I smile at her.
"Take your daughter somewhere nice. Let her run." I say. She looks at me.
"Didn't you say you were engaged?
Weddings are expensive. Who's the lucky man?"
She asks.
I look down at the small ring on my finger.
He couldn't afford much.
That doesn't matter, I love him with everything I have, and I know he feels the same.
"I haven't seen him in a few days actually, I'm kinda worried about him. It's not like him to just disappear like that."
"He didn't call, text? Nothing?"
She asks.
I shake my head, letting anxiety pour back into me.
"Well I hope he's okay."
She says.
The little girl runs over to me and hugs me around my waist.
I hug her back.
After they leave I lock up, and leave myself.

Night falls over Anchorage.
I stand on the terrace outside my penthouse apartment and stare at the horizon, absentmindedly feeling the ring on my finger.
"Where are you my Dear?"
I ask in my mind.
"I left you a dozen messages, haven't you read them?"
My legs feel weak beneath me as if they're about to give out and drop me to the streets below.
"I need you right now. Where are you my Dear?"
I can almost hear his voice in my head as I look out at the gleaming twilight sun sinking into the forest of mountains.
I look at my phone, reading through old texts. Reading the sweet things he told me.
Where are you right now?
I hear a knock at my door and leave my royal terrace.
I lower the stereo playing soft songs before I open the door.
"Mason?"
I ask.
He stands there, wearing a black leather jacket.
"Can we come in?"
He asks softly.
"Of course yeah come on in."
I say.
Finley, Xander and the metal guy walk in.
"Can I get you guys some tea or coffee or...?"
"I've always wanted to try some British tea actually."
Says Finley.
I smile.
"Sure."
I pour her a mug and sit across from them.
"So what brings you guys to Anchorage?"
I ask.
Mason looks at Finley with an uneasy glance.
"We need your help."
He says gently.
I place down my mug, because whatever he says next is probably gonna make me drop it.
"Have you seen Donnie lately?"
He asks.
I'm suddenly glad I placed my mug on the table.
"It's been a week."
I mutter.
His face twists with worry.
I can tell his tongue is caught in his throat.
The metal guy gets up.
"We think something has happened to him. And he's in danger."
His voice is deep and unforgiving.
I think he's still mad at me for crushing his head with a sledgehammer.
"What do you know?"
I ask.
He thinks for a moment before his mouth lights up and he begins to speak.
"A year ago when Morgan sent Donnie into that coma, Rone, Kree, Xander and I went into that bunker in the woods. And in doing so, we released something from its prison.
When Donnie killed Dāku he closed the gate, because Dāku was the one powering it. By killing him, he was cutting off the portal from its power source.
Now that darkness is afraid of Donnie. It wants to kill him and open the gates for an unknown reason.
While the gates were open, Nolites came through. Powerful ones.
It is my belief, they have captured Donnie and want to use him to power the gate. So that's why we need your help."
He says.
I look at Mason.
"Why do you need my help?"
I ask.
"One of the things Rone told us, before he joined the SCO, was that they had the ability to tell of the Empowered."
Says Mason.
"So...?" I ask.
"He told us he could always find you.
You have a connection to Donnie, Alice.
You are Empowered."