Chapter 1 Part 2 (Reivival)

Drugs is Shadow's pre-mission ritual, to help him calm his nerves. Tonight though, all the crystal and weed in the world can help him.

Back in his room Shadow sat in bed for a few hours reading the poetry books, smiling at each inside message from the different group leaders. The first pair of socks was heavenly; Shadow always loved the fresh feel of socks on his feet. It was a weird thing to like, but Shadow just told people to shove it when they laughed at him.

It was about eight o’clock when Shadow stepped out for his smoke. Because of Shadow’s immortality, human drugs didn’t easily affect him. They were like candy to him, but he still smoked meth or a cigar when he needed it. Tonight was one of those occasions. Tonight the sky was deep purple, clouds drifting slowly across the night as Shadow sat on the balcony facing San Francisco Bay. His feet dangled over the side of the balcony; smoke spiraling into the air like dust being swept off the front porch. The cigar was supposed to calm his nerves; instead his fingers only shook harder with each inhale. Shadow didn’t have to look over his shoulder to know who had come through the rotting French doors and sat down beside him.

            “I know what you’re going to say, it won’t stop me from tonight,” Shadow said and his little brother sighed. Cicero Parker was the only person aside from Mason who could get away from calling Shadow by his real name.            

            “Jason, you don’t understand,” Cicero began, but Shadow cut in, “no you don’t understand. You’re the only one of us who hasn’t joined; you don’t know what good this will do for us.”

            “But I know the bad it will do for them,” Cicero retorted and Shadow went quiet. The two brothers sat there for a long time, watching cigar smoke rise into the air like a million gray birds.

Finally Cicero blurted it out, “Jason don’t do this.”

Shadow tapped the cigar over the side of the balcony, watching the gray flutter into darkness.

            “I don’t have a choice, Cicero.”

            “Yes you do. You’re the leader, you’re the brain. You can tell them the heist is off,” Cicero replied, his eyes and voice made Shadow cast his little brother a side ways glance. Cicero looked unhappy.

            “What’s bothering you, Cicero?” Shadow asked, putting out the cigar and turning his attention to the youngest of the Parker siblings.

            “I don’t want you to get caught. Hibernius said it would happen, but I want to stop it.”

            “Hibernius says I’m suppose to…” Shadow’s confidence and comfort dissipated as he coughed, “Caught?”

Cicero nodded and Shadow looked down at his unlit cigar and lit it again, his hands shaking more than ever.

There was a long, long pause as Shadow let his arrest sink in. He couldn’t believe it; he didn’t want to believe it.

Cicero looked out at the bay, trying to find an answer for some question.

            “Did Hibernius really mean it? When did he tell you?” Shadow asked, turning his head just enough to see Cicero’s worried profile.

Cicero swallowed and said, “He told me two years ago. He just said it would be during a heist you were trying to pull off.” Shadow went quiet again and looked out at the night sky again. It looked so much prettier than it had before Shadow came outside. That’s what moments like this made you do. Made you see the greatest beauty of the simple things. The quiet between the two brothers went on for almost eternity, when a third voice broke the quiet, making Shadow jump high into the air in shock.

It was Soho, who leaned out through the doors and said, “It’s almost midnight, Shadow. Are you ready?” 

            “Uh, yeah, yeah I’ll be there in a few minutes Soho, wait for me.” Shadow said and watched as the man vanished back through the door.

Cicero watched defeated as Shadow began to stand up, his knees knocking painfully together.

            “I have to do it then, Cicero. If Hibernius says I’m suppose to be captured then…” Shadow took a shuddering breath and looked back out at the sky. “Then I have to do it, no questions asked….” And Shadow vanished through the doors after Soho as Cicero called after him, “but Shadow you don’t get it!”

But Shadow was already gone.

            “I was supposed to stop you from doing the heist…” Cicero said quietly and looked out at the bay, where the water, stars, and the moon seemed to be mocking him.

You failed Cicero, you failed.

 

As nighttime fell, fog had started to roll in from the bay. It reminded Shadow of the poem that compared fog to a cat who sat on its haunches, letting its breath roll down onto the city. Shadow decided he would have to read that poem when he got home. Then he remembered he wouldn’t be coming back from the heist tonight, he was going to be arrested. Through the underground tunnels of the city they walked, rats moving hurriedly out of the way of the large ferret that moved ahead of the group.

            “Shadow, you feeling alright? You’ve looked a little pale since we left,” Spieren suddenly said, shining his flashlight over towards Shadow, who had been unnaturally quiet ever since they submerged into the darkness of the sewers and networks.

            “Hm? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Shadow said, but Spieren didn’t look totally convinced. They kept walking anyway, conversation hanging awkwardly in the still air that was stirred by the walkers. As they reached the tunnel that would take them to the building behind the San Francisco Museum, Shadow spoke.  

            “Guys, whatever happens, if something goes wrong, I want you to abandon the heist and get out,”

Soho spun around and yelled, “What?” so loud that his voice echoed for a few minutes.

It was Spieren who asked, “why?” looking absolutely devastated.

            “Because… as the leader of the group, it’s my duty to protect you, and even if it comes at the expense of my freedom then so be it.” Shadow said, drawing himself up to a monstrous height. Everyone looked at each other, and Shadow continued, a little shakier, “just, don’t question it, I know what I’m doing… let’s go.”

Soho turned around and pushed carefully on a plot of dirt, that popped a square of grass out of its place up above. Soho was the first to jump up onto the real world, looked around, and everyone else followed suit, pulling themselves up onto ground level and hurrying across the grass that was already wet from the settling fog.

Shadow set the grass square back in place and followed quickly after everyone else, vanishing for a few seconds, and reappearing inside the shadow of the Museum. It was one of his gifts, Shadowcrawling. One he found useful and troublesome at times.

Soho and Weasel broke off from Spieren, Shadow, and Dawn, slinking off into darkness. There were a few moments as noises could be heard from the creaking Museum, and Shadow stared out at the sky. Would he ever get to see it again? What would the humans do once they captured him? Would they keep him and perform experiments? Try and kill him? The thought made him snort, which earned him a weird glance from Spieren. They couldn’t kill Shadow, who was a human cockroach. Only he couldn’t be killed by being stepped on. He was a special case even for immortals, the only thing that could kill him was a special flower that bloomed once every 18 or so years for only two months. What were the odds of humans finding it anyway?

            “Shadow, Shadow!” Spieren whispered loudly, snapping his bronze fingers in Shadow’s face, who came from his thoughts with a shake of the head and an, “oh, sorry.”

Soho and Weasel were holding the door open, the alarms silenced. They were in.

 

Author's Note

So, how 'bout them Chargers? Not saying I'm a Chargers fan, just hoping someone's reading this out there.
Liefde - Saskia