Chapter 1 Part 4 (Revival)

     

            Shadow’s head hurt immensely, a throbbing that continued on and on and on. Like a miner slamming his pick into the side of a mountain was the best way to describe the headache. He opened up his eyes and tried to rub his head. His hand had been tied down to the arm of a very uncomfortable chair, as with his ankles and his shoulders. His entire body was aching, like the very mountain side that a miner was searching through for gold. There was a table before Shadow, and on that table was a tape recorder, a microphone, and a speaker. From the speaker came a voice that said, “Mr. Jason Parker, can you hear me, please speak into the microphone before you.”

Shadow tried, but couldn’t reach forward enough, so instead he cleared his throat and replied in a loud enough voice, “Yes.”

The best thing for him to do right now was cooperate. The worst they could do to him right now was…. Was… was nothing. They couldn’t hurt Shadow, maybe a few darts to his vital signs would knock him out for a few minutes, but a whole gallon of it wouldn’t do much either. Over doses, killing drugs, gas chambers, drowning, none of that could kill Shadow.

So the man leaned forward in his seat as far as the restraints would allow him and listened to the questions, answering each one. Did he have an alibi for the night of the murder of Matthew Capistrano? No he didn’t. Did he murder Gary Foulton? Yes he did. Why did he kill these people and the countless others they didn’t have the breath to announce? He had no impulse to stop himself. He told them exactly what they wanted to hear, and it seemed to be enough for them.

Towards the end, Shadow asked the big question, “What do you plan to do with me after this? You can’t do a trial because we all know that I am in fact the leader to Group 87, that I did kill all those people, made all those robberies, and attempt a break in at the Museum. What’s your game plan? You don’t have one, I guessed so. Your normal prison can’t hold me, I’m sure you know. If I were one of you and I had just arrested America’s most wanted man, I would have him be put in a high security vault in solitary confinement, but that’s just what I would do…” Shadow’s answer on the other line was total silence. He had either just given them the best idea they had ever heard, or they were laughing at his proposal. He didn’t care if they took him up on that offer, making it to that exact design. Shadow had no more regrets, only being caught. He didn’t care what they did to him now, his spirit would just leave him after death and go find someone else, leaving the Government and police rolling around on the floor in total hysteria.

During that day dream, the police said they were handing him over to Government hands, who would figure out what to do with him then, and suddenly people swarmed in and pushed more anesthetic into his system. The world began to spin, and Shadow’s entire weight brought the chair onto its side. Before his head hit the floor, he was asleep and there was nothing.

 

Sacramento was totally quiet when the armored van containing one of the most wanted men in America rolled by. The parking garage was just as monstrous as the capitol. Shadow couldn’t see it though. He felt like the lions in the cage that Shadow always sat close to when he worked for a small time circus. He had been one of their best performers, yet he preferred the company of the toothless lion, who would sit with its nose at the edge of the cage, looking up at Shadow with the most beautiful amber eyes. He felt like the lion now, which was most likely dead and gone now. He felt people leering in at him, observing him like some kind of new weapon. He wouldn’t be a weapon for them; he would find a way to kill himself before he had to work for them.

Then the doors opened and another blindfold fell over Shadow's eyes. He was really getting sick of all these blindfolds. Slowly, slowly, slowly, the man was pulled from the back of the van and was walked somewhere where it was warm, and it actually felt good and reassuring. Doors opened before Shadow, but because of the well oiled hinges, Shadow didn't realize they had entered a building until the two doors clanked together. It echoed, he was inside of the Capital, what for? Then they were walking, and they were walking... and they were walking... and then they stopped again, some people talked, and they were walking… all this walking but never seeming to have a location, or a destination to be aiming for. Then another door - not as elegant and well cared for - opened and Shadow was pushed into a chair and tied down. They left him there, staring, interrogating him once more so quickly he didn't have a chance to think of the answer for the first question. As sudden as it had happened, the questions ceased, and a door closed. Then he was waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Waiting for what?

This part of Shadow's arrest was by far the worst. Suspense and anxiety were not healthy components, especially for Shadow. The man’s fingers drummed in time with the clock, his eyes blinking methodically in time behind the cloth. He could hear voices coming from outside the door. Conviction… Island… solitary confinement… Were they high? Shadow mulled over the snatches of words, and he realized what they meant as the door opened.

            “You’re not going to put me in… in… Alcatraz, are you?”

The officer blinked at the man, Shadow Rowan Parker, most dangerous man in America, sat actually trembling in his chair. Shadow sensed the man smile as he replied, “Who told you that?”

            “I heard it, so are you?”

            “Funny, it suddenly matters to you now that you could be in danger, yet you never thought about any of those other people you killed.”

Shadow didn’t reply. He wasn’t scared; he wasn’t going to let the man’s taunting get a hold of him. He was going to keep cool, cool as ice, cool as a cucumber…

            “They are considering keeping you in solitary confinement for life. You are too dangerous to keep with other inmates, even if you were on your best behavior an accident can just happen. They know your tricks.”

No, he was going to be calm, he was going to relax, there was nothing to be scared of, it was just Alcatraz Island… just where the Bird Man, members of the Purple Gang… Wareagle, were held. It was just solitary confinement, and because Shadow didn’t need to eat, practically no human contact at all until Alcatraz closed down… which just might be never. Nothing big right? Wrong.

Shadow felt horrible, he wanted to disappear, he wanted the ground to open and swallow him. He wanted to not be there. No where in sight, maybe in the Demon realm, maybe with Hibernius who could cover him. Then again, it was that man’s fault in the first place, right?

Oh why couldn’t Shadow be as lucky as Mason at a time like this? He thought as restraints came undone and he was pulled from the chair.

Why?

 

Soho sat on the cliff edge that day, his legs dangling over the sides, teasing the hungry ocean. The coast Guards chaperoning Shadow across the bay was anything but discreet and inconspicuous. Sirens blurred and motors roared at volumes that Soho could hear halfway across the bay. He could see Shadow sitting in total solitude in the gut of the boat, maybe he was scared. No, impossible, Soho thought to himself as the boat came to a stop at Alcatraz dock. A tall figure that could only be Shadow was pulled from the depths of the boat, and walked up the stairs towards the check-in. Shadow wasn’t easily scared, but what if today was just another story? What if he was truly terrified? With a bitten lip, Soho stood up and dusted himself off. He cast the island what he hoped would be his last look and he walked into the house.

 

Author's Note

Chapter 1! Is finally finished.
Wow that was alot harder than it should have, but yeah, now we know how many parts it will take for the rest of the chapters! I think I'll just stop at maybe say chapter 4 or 5, so then it will make you want to buy the book when it comes out!
Liefde, Saskia