A STUDY IN BLACK ✓

VI

Dallon forced the two leave after they found the message carved into Jerry's abdomen, telling them he'll fill them in if there's any more developments. Tyler treated Josh to lunch at a local diner as penance for the trauma, but he'd lost what remained of his appetite after what he saw.

"Don't be so squeamish, Josh," Tyler joked, eating three fries at a time. "It's not like it's the first time you've seen a dead body."

Josh stared at his milkshake, still feeling sick to his stomach. "It's different there."

"When you're at war, everything is different."

He looked up. "How long have you been doing investigations like this?"

"Long enough to make very powerful enemies," Tyler replied. "I'm assuming you're curious about the nature of the message."

Josh snorted. "Yeah, no shit. I'm kind of wrapped up in this now."

"It's kind of a long story, really. And you might not believe me if I tell you," Tyler said.

"Less believable than you being targeted by a psycho serial killer who carves up people like pumpkins on Halloween? I think I can handle it."

Tyler smiled slightly, but his face turned serious quickly. "Before I worked with Dallon Weekes, I was the apprentice of two dangerous men known as the Way Brothers."

Josh met his eyes. He remembered hearing Dallon and him discussing them. They were real?

"They trained me in observation, manipulation, predicting ones actions. They made me into a weapon, using me to find the enemy's weaknesses and use them to my advantage."

"So, you're like the Black Sky."

Tyler blinked. "That what?"

"Black Sky." Josh stole one of Tyler's fries.

"The kid who was trained by the Chaste to become a weapon of mass destruction. You know, Daredevil, Elektra, all that."

Tyler scowled. "This isn't some fantasy, Josh. I'm confiding in you, don't be an ass. Moving on, eventually I became an international threat, and people were sent to kill me. British assassins, Soviet spies, the whole nine yards. One of those sent to kill me was Jenna Black, but she saved me instead."

Josh nodded his head to show he was listening, stirring his shake. It started to melt, so he sipped it slowly as Tyler continued.

"So, wait," he interrupted. "Why would they use your old drug dealer as a warning? How did they even get into the Korean Cartel? They're practically untouchable."

"The Ways own every cartel in the Western Hemisphere, if not the world. And have some governments under their thumb, too," Tyler explained. "At least, they did until two years ago when they were supposedly gunned down in their secret base in Manchester."

"Supposedly?" Josh echoed, raising a brow.

Tyler looked around before leaning into Josh, whispering. "They didn't die."

Josh leaned in as well. "What?"

"They escaped, obviously. And now they're coming after me. They must've found it that I was the one who betrayed them."