Shadow-Man

14

When I was finally able to get back to being Shadow-Man, I was ecstatic. I had missed it so much, and I couldn't wait to get back to punching criminals again. I went out the night after I was told that I could start wearing binders again, and train with Warren again, and it was just like my very first night as Shadow-Man, but so much better.

The first crime I had come across was a mugging. I quickly helped the woman who was being mugged, successfully beating up the man who did it. I decided that even thought I had the batons, and even though I was learning how to use them, I wasn't going to use them unless I absolutely needed to. A lousy mugger with a switch blade was night one of those situations. However, I was quickly thrown into a situation where I thought I would need to use my batons, because soon after I had stopped the mugging, I was slammed roughly against a wall by a very large man, and his buddies.

"It's you again." The man who had me pinned against the wall hissed. It took me a moment to recognize him and his friends, but I eventually did. It was the group of guys that I had beaten up in the video that Clair had showed Gill and i the day that she found out that I was Shadow-Man.

"Indeed it is." I responded, unafraid of the men.

"You attacked my brother. He couldn't reach his quota because of you, and he got punished for it. He only has one eye now, and it's your fault."

"Your brother was a criminal, and so are you. He deserved what he got. Maybe now you guys will see that you need to turn your lives around."

"We can't do that. You don't know what we're up against. None of us have a choice anymore." The man seemed very distressed. 

"You always have a choice. Tell me what you're up against. Tell me what's going on and let me help you." I was getting concerned.

"I can't. He'll kill me if I do."

"I won't let that happen. Tell me what you can."

"He-he'll kill me. He's merciless, an-and he doesn't make any exceptions. I've already told you far too much."

"Please, at least tell me his name."

"I don't know his name. Everyone just calls him Pip."

"Where does he live? Where do you guys meet?" The man groaned when I asked him the question, which let me know that he did know the answer to this question.

"God, I'm gonna get killed." The man sighed. "We meet in the old paper factory by the harbor. Our next meeting is tomorrow night."

"Morton." A deep voice called. All heads turned to the side, where the voice had come from. The other men that were there took off, running in all directions, trying to get away as fast as they could. The man who had me pinned to the wall, who I assumed was Morton, groaned. He let me go, then took a step towards the sound of the voice.

It was another man. He was tall, and muscular. He looked as if he had an immense amount of influence over others, and by the way Morton practically kneeled at his feet, he probably did. I stepped closer, but tried to stay in the shadows. I wanted to see what was going on, but I didn't want to make my presence known, even though it was likely that the man already knew I was there.

"Morton, what have you told this man?" The strange man asked, making a lazy gesture in my general direction. He definately knew I was there.

"Nothing Pip! I would never betray you!" Morton said desperately. So the strange man was Pip. I really should have known that.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I was trying to get revenge for what he did to my brother."

"Your brother deserved what he got! He shouldn't have been caught by this imbecile in the first place! We can't have that kind of recklessness!" Pip boomed, startling me a bit too.