Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 06:22:47 -0800 (PST)
From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Shadow Chapter 5 In the Blink of An Eye

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction.  I do not know the sexual
orientation of any of the celebrities who will be appearing in the story.

WARNING: The character does not have a happy life and will not have very
many happy events in his life.  If this kind of stuff bothers you, I do not
recommend reading.  Otherwise, enjoy.

The Shadow created by Street and Smith, Walter B. Gibson.  Copyright
Advance Magazine Publishing Inc.

Author's email address: authorjames2002@yahoo.com

Chapter 5 In the Blink of An Eye

	Striking out into the night, our hero became more active in
patrolling and spent less time investigating Dhani and Amit from the
A-Teens.  By their reaction to him, he figured they were somehow being
influenced by some form of drug.  There was no reason, no good reason at
all, for them to react so emotional around him.  It unnerved him.  To help
the two young singers get rid of their "feelings" and to help him not give
in to temptation, the Shadow stuck to patrolling the streets and focusing
on crime going on throughout the rest of the city.

	The bus pulled up and the young man disembarked.  Several people
got out after him attempting to say goodbye, but he wouldn't have it.  His
heart had been broken and he would not allow anyone in at the moment.
	Harris took a deep breath and headed down the street.  All he had
was his bag from the trip to Florida.  He did not care to stop at home to
pick up any more clothes.  Harris didn't want to risk running into anyone
that he knew.  All his life had culminated to the great pain he felt in his
heart, and he did not wish to experience that again.
	As he headed down the street, someone whispered to catch his
attention.  He looked into the alley.  "Need some place to go?" the voice
said.
	"No, thanks," Harris replied and turned to leave.
	A hand emerged from the shadows and grabbed him pulling him into
the darkened alley.  "You don't have an option," the voice said.
	The person tossed Harris against a wall.  Harris looked up at the
assailant and noticed it was a human being, not a vampire, like he had seen
and heard about many times before.
	"Don't I?" Harris asked.
	"Not in this city."
	Without warning, something came out of nowhere and tackled the man.
Harris couldn't tell what it was until, suddenly, it took form into a man
in a black cloak.
	'Oh, great,' Harris thought.  'No matter where I go, they show up.'
	The figure backhanded the man and then kicked him, knocking him
down.
	"I suggest you stop your mugging," the cloaked figure stated.
	The man nodded and crawled backwards.  After getting to his feet,
he ran away.
	"Are you okay?" the darkened figure asked.
	"Yeah."
	The figure nodded and turned to leave.
	"Do you know anyone by the name of Cloak?" Harris asked.
	"What?" the figure said stopping.
	"I know someone who dresses a lot like you.  But he's a wizard, and
a mutant."
	A chuckle came from the figure.  "You must be reading fairy tales.
When was the last time you ate something or had sleep?  You sound like
you're hallucinating."
	"Actually, I'm not.  You came out of nowhere, and it wasn't until
you actually hit the guy that your body took on form.  I thought for sure
you were just a shadow."
	The way the conversation was going bothered the Shadow.  He had
never heard of vampires and wizards being real.  "Are you sure you saw what
you saw?" the Shadow asked.
	"Yep, you were invisible, or nearly invisible.  Didn't you know
that?"
	"Of course I know I'm invisible.  No one gives me a second look.
Do you know how many people have ignored me in life?  Just about everyone
I've met."
	"I didn't mean that kind of invisible.  I meant, literally,
invisible.  All you appeared to be was a shadow."
	"You're dreaming.  You believe in ghosts and goblins so they are
everywhere you turn.  Sorry, but I don't ascribe to that."
	"You're not much older than me, are you?  Does your family know you
do this?"
	"My family doesn't know I'm here in New York.  And I don't think
they really care, either."
	"What makes you say that?"
	"I've been here for a while and still no one has come looking for
me.  I don't even hear about them looking for me on the news.  It's because
they don't give a fuck.  And frankly, I don't care either."
	"Do you think you deserve to be alone?"
	The Shadow didn't answer Harris.  Instead he turned.  "You better
get your things and run along.  I have important matters to deal with."
	"I'm coming with you," Harris replied as he picked up his bag and
followed.  "I don't have anywhere to go, either."  Harris caught up with
the Shadow who said nothing.  "Well, aren't you going to ask me what
happened?"
	The Shadow ignored him and continued walking.
	"Well, it all started last Spring while I was in school..."

	Dhani stood on the suite balcony looking up at the starry night
sky.  "It totally amazes me," Dhani said.  "I never thought I'd meet
someone who would care like that guy did and help us out.  He seems so
selfless."
	"Have to be careful about those kinds," Marie said.  "Selfless
tends to be a ploy to get into someone's pants."
	"But he had me naked in the shower.  He started to move down but
stopped himself.  He was definitely in a position of power to do something
if he wanted.  He didn't, though."
	"What are you thinking, Dhani?"
	"I don't know what to make of him, Marie."
	"If I were you, I wouldn't make too much of anything.  Most guys
who try to be tough tend to be only after one thing, and it isn't love."

	After Harris relayed his story, he asked the Shadow where they were
headed.
	"To Jared's apartment.  He is my technologist.  He helped me find
out some information about the A-Teens, a musical group..."
	"I know who the A-Teens are.  Have you met them?"
	"Yes.  Most evenings I stop by while they are asleep and watch over
them to make sure they are safe."
	"What's happening with them?"
	The two entered a housing complex and walked past several
buildings.  The Shadow got looks, but nothing too major.  The fact he was
wearing normal clothes instead of a themed mask made his appearance a bit
less conspicuous.
	"Dhani and Amit have been victims of some sort of mind control.
They've been having sexual escapades outside their control.  Someone is
collecting their sperm as well as videotaping their sexual behavior.
Neither of the guys remembers having sex.  They return from a concert, have
sex, then return to their suite where they shower and wake up from the
trance believing they've just returned from the concert.  At least a half
hour has passed, depending on what they do sexually and how long it takes
them to ejaculate."
	"Is it me, or is all this talk of two gorgeous guys making us
horny?"
	The Shadow, not being one to divulge any information, stopped
looked at Harris and stated, "It's you."
	"Oh, sorry.  My mistake.  I just assume that everyone I meet and
get along with is gay.  Funny, though, given my past.  You would think that
I would assume everyone I get along with is straight, after all I've been
through."
	"Here we are," the Shadow said.  He rang the doorbell and waited a
moment.
	"No one's here," Harris said.
	The Shadow opened the screen door and knocked on the wood.  "He
should be here.  He knows I was coming over."
	"Maybe something else came up."
	"My operatives know I don't like to be kept waiting.  They wait
until I'm finished with them.  Any other activities are suspended
indefinitely."
	"Man, you're a tough boss."
	The Shadow tried the doorknob and the door opened.  He stepped
inside cautiously.  "Jared?  Jared, it's me!"  Reaching over, the Shadow
hit the light switch.
	"Is he...here?" Harris asked, but then saw the body on the floor.
"Oh, my God.  It always bothers me when I see..."
	"Ssh," the Shadow said.  "There's someone else here."
	Harris buttoned his mouth.
	"Don't touch anything."
	Harris nodded and The Shadow knelt down by the body.  He checked to
find it cold.  "He's been dead for some time.  Someone knew I was coming.
Someone who connected him to me."
	"What have you guys done together?"
	"The only thing we've done together was...the A-Teens."
	Out of nowhere a black and blue streak tackled the Shadow and they
rolled out the door.
	"Shadow?" Harris said turning.
	"Don't even think about it," a voice said.
	Harris turned around to see a red-head with a bow and arrow pointed
at him.  "Uh, okay?"

	Outside, the Shadow rolled to his feet and turned to face a young
man, maybe two years his senior, in a defensive position.  The young man
wore all black with the silhouette of a blue bird across his torso.  The
"wings" ran down the youth's arms across two of his fingers on either hand.
	"What are you doing here?" the youth asked the Shadow.
	"I came here to visit my associate.  That's when I found him dead.
Who are you working for?"
	"Myself."
	"Why did you kill him?"
	"I didn't.  My boyfriend and I were passing through the
neighborhood when we saw these guys breaking into the victim's apartment.
We came in to investigate and found him dead.  The men breaking in were
nowhere to be found.  Then, we heard you coming in so we hid."
	"If you followed the guys in, then that means..."
	"They might still be in the apartment."
	Bullets flew out of the windows.  The Shadow and the other youth
dropped to the ground as the bullets flew overhead.
	"Harris!" the Shadow called out.
	"Arsenal!" the other guy called out.

To Be Continued...