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The Shadow Knows! (Final Update 6/3/04)
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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 1377421" data-attributes="member: 16760"><p>[Another short session. I've been getting sicker instead of better, and I really wanted to get some sleep. SP was busy, too. On the other hand, I did want to get this scene played out. It's been on my mind. ... The Shadow had just said, "Well, Carlos, it looks like we have our work cut out for us."]</p><p></p><p>"No kidding, sir! What's next on our plate?" "In a few days, you and I are going hunting." Carlos digested that for a long moment, then said, "For Legion?" The Shadow gave him a bit of a look, and the boy flushed slightly. "Right. So you're going to lay a trap for it?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes. I think our first priority will be to visit the places it's been seen. If you sense it there, we'll take whatever measures suggest themselves. If not..." He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to take Maria up on her offer of a drug shipment." "Don't want to owe her any favors, huh?" "Absolutely not. ... Though of course, she'd best know there are strenuous limits to the favors I am willing to perform in return." Carlos nodded amiably in agreement.</p><p></p><p>"In any case..." the sable sleuth levelled a finger at Carlos' chest and said sternly, "You are going to be wearing a bulletproof vest. Since you have not worn one before, I want you to get used to moving in one before it becomes an issue." "Yessir." The young man got up and fetched a spare vest from storage and the Shadow helped him put it on. Carlos started stretching and moving around, getting used to the feel of the thing. The Shadow suggested, "Perhaps we should spar a bit."</p><p></p><p>Carlos looked dubious - and maybe a little nervous. "Well... If you think it would help." They'd never done anything like that before. "I do." The Shadow strode into the gym, onto the mat, Carlos trailing behind. Sketching a bow to each other, they began.</p><p></p><p>Almost right away, Carlos fumbled, zigging when he should have zagged. The Shadow's blow, which had been intended to stop with no more than a firm tap to the young man's side, connected quite solidly. Even through the Kevlar, the boy had the wind expelled from him and he winced visibly. The Shadow halted at once and looked at him, concerned. "Maybe this isn't a good idea after all..."</p><p></p><p>When he had enough breath, Carlos gasped, "No, sir, it was my fault. My sensei would not approve." The Shadow hesitated, looking anywhere but Carlos. With great intensity, he began, "I don't..." but he let the words trail off as Carlos recovered. "OK, sir, I'm ready." They began again.</p><p></p><p>The Shadow quickly learned that Carlos was faster than he had suspected - perhaps faster than he had thought possible. The boy was like smoke, eluding blows the Shadow was certain would land - maddeningly dodging at the last possible moment. On the other hand, the cloaked crusader could easily fend off Carlos' less-practiced attacks as well. In the end, it seemed clear that the Shadow could take Carlos down if they were serious - but that it would take quite a long time for his superior skill to tell. Starting somewhat clumsily in the vest, Carlos quickly got the hang of things to the Shadow's satisfaction. (In fact, he was shocked that the lad kept on getting better.)</p><p></p><p>Carlos inadvertantly knocked the Shadow's hat off as Alex ducked his blow and attempted a sweep. Alex did not bother to retrieve it.</p><p></p><p>When they were both panting, Carlos called a halt moments before Alex was about to do the same. The boy put a hand lightly to his side, trying to hide his wince. He started to take off the vest, and Alex moved behind him to help him with the buckles in the back. Quietly, he asked, "Are you OK?" "I'll have a bit of a bruise there, sir. It'll be fine." Alex gripped Carlos' shoulder for a long moment, then managed to say what he hadn't been able to finish before. "I don't... want... to remind you of your uncle."</p><p></p><p>The boy froze, tense. When his words came out, they were soft. "You don't. You're trying to help me. He... only thought he was doing the right thing." Which is probably far more credit than the man deserves, Alex thought, but he let it pass. He slowly turned the young man around and took him by both shoulders. With great intensity, he said, "Carlos, I have something important to say." He received in return complete, undivided attention.</p><p></p><p>"In a few days, or perhaps even tomorrow night... as I said, we are going hunting. And that means there is a measurable, though hopefully very small, chance that... one of us will not return." He had to look away and pause for a moment before going on; Carlos did not move a muscle, completely receptive.</p><p></p><p>"There are many things that have been going unsaid in the last eight months or so. I learned... when my wife died..." Here Alex choked, but grated out the rest, "That there are things that one does not wish to leave unsaid." At the mention of Alex's wife, Carlos, already motionless, froze - a subtle point, but a real one.</p><p></p><p>He did not breathe as Alex forced himself to look in his eyes and say quietly, "I love you." And he remained stiff for a moment in shock as Alex hugged him tightly for the first time.</p><p></p><p>Finally, relaxing and returning the embrace fiercely (even through a layer of Kevlar), he said in a choked voice, "I love you too." There followed a long silence; Alex waited for Carlos to break it. "I know you can't... be my... father. But I have to tell you... If I had a father - a real one, I mean - you're everything I'd want him to be." "Thank you."</p><p></p><p>They parted. Carlos couldn't meet Alex's eyes. Alex said quietly, "I think I am going to take the rest of the night off." Carlos nodded gratefully, took a deep breath, and said, "There's some stuff I should look up on the web. I suppose it can wait for later." Alex nodded briskly. "You can do that while I cook." The young man smiled shyly and fled to the computer.</p><p></p><p>Alex followed him out, doffed the cloak and vest, and called as he went to the kitchen, "What would you like?" "We did Oriental last time. Maybe something American?" Alex nodded in approval. Best to keep it simple, he thought, and started whipping up a stew with what ingredients were to hand.</p><p></p><p>A sudden thought struck him. "What would you like to do next Thursday for Thanksgiving?" "I dunno... I hadn't really thought about it." "Do you have any family traditions you'd like to continue?" "...Not really. My aunt and uncle thought of Thanksgiving as an Anglo thing." His tone suggested that even if they'd had any, he'd just as soon forget them. "Well, if you have no objections, I have a few traditions. And, well, maybe we could create some." "That sounds great, sir!"</p><p></p><p>Carlos called, "Oh, and sir, you remember I mentioned a site you should probably look at?" [SP tells me Carlos said this to the Shadow last session, but I don't remember it.] "Yes?" "Is now a good time?" "Very well." Alex set the stew to simmer and walked over to join Carlos at the computer desk.</p><p></p><p>The two of them were all business as Carlos called up a typical homemade site devoted to the Shadow. "This guy claims he's actually seen you. Worse, he says he's seen the Shadowmobile. No pictures, though, just eyeballs. He saw you land, get off, and vanish. Then the bike went up and he lost track of it." [No, the Shadow doesn't fly around visibly. SP says the guy probably was so focussed on the rising motorcycle that the Shadow's personal invisibility clicked back on for him.] "Hmmm." "Of course, as you can see, he has all sorts of crazy ideas about it - he thinks you're a gadgeteer in league with a corporation, your invisibility the product of a "distortion field"... still, his guesses are not too far from the mark in some ways."</p><p></p><p>"Yes... What kind of buzz is this generating? What are people saying in his guestbook, and elsewhere?" "Well, the 'vampire' and 'ghost' theorists of course dismiss him loudly as a nut." That would be the pot calling the kettle black, Alex thought wryly. Carlos continued, "I first encountered the site as a link on a derisive post on Mike's site, actually. It hasn't been up very long."</p><p></p><p>Alex mulled it over. "There's no immediate threat, of course. I don't think I need to take any action now, and perhaps not ever. Our best bet may be to drown his ideas in misinformation. ... Perhaps we can play up the conspiracy angle. There are already people out there who think the government is spying on people with black helicopters... black flying motorcycles shouldn't be too much of a stretch. What he thought was a hat and cloak were really a high-tech helmet and armor." "Gotcha, sir. Actually, Mike has a username that goes in for that kind of thing. Want me to do some plants?" "I do, when you can manage it. And make a note on the monthly calendar for us to reassess the situation." "Will do."</p><p></p><p>Dinner was served shortly thereafter; the two were companionably silent through the meal. They played some cards desultorily afterward, with little of their usual banter. Both seemed content just to be with each other, the tension of the things that had been said earlier winding down into an easy camaraderie.</p><p></p><p>Eventually Alex yawned and said, "I should sleep. There's a long day ahead." "Gotcha, sir. Good night!" "Good night, Carlos." Was there a new undertone to the simple greetings, a new level of meaning?</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the Shadow's hat lay on the floor of the gym, forgotten.</p><p></p><p>[I have to say that I find it extremely telling that their first hug was while they were wearing armor. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Very moving scene, though. I have the impression that the yuckiness I'm still feeling is affecting my writing for the worse, but maybe that's just me.]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 1377421, member: 16760"] [Another short session. I've been getting sicker instead of better, and I really wanted to get some sleep. SP was busy, too. On the other hand, I did want to get this scene played out. It's been on my mind. ... The Shadow had just said, "Well, Carlos, it looks like we have our work cut out for us."] "No kidding, sir! What's next on our plate?" "In a few days, you and I are going hunting." Carlos digested that for a long moment, then said, "For Legion?" The Shadow gave him a bit of a look, and the boy flushed slightly. "Right. So you're going to lay a trap for it?" "Yes. I think our first priority will be to visit the places it's been seen. If you sense it there, we'll take whatever measures suggest themselves. If not..." He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to take Maria up on her offer of a drug shipment." "Don't want to owe her any favors, huh?" "Absolutely not. ... Though of course, she'd best know there are strenuous limits to the favors I am willing to perform in return." Carlos nodded amiably in agreement. "In any case..." the sable sleuth levelled a finger at Carlos' chest and said sternly, "You are going to be wearing a bulletproof vest. Since you have not worn one before, I want you to get used to moving in one before it becomes an issue." "Yessir." The young man got up and fetched a spare vest from storage and the Shadow helped him put it on. Carlos started stretching and moving around, getting used to the feel of the thing. The Shadow suggested, "Perhaps we should spar a bit." Carlos looked dubious - and maybe a little nervous. "Well... If you think it would help." They'd never done anything like that before. "I do." The Shadow strode into the gym, onto the mat, Carlos trailing behind. Sketching a bow to each other, they began. Almost right away, Carlos fumbled, zigging when he should have zagged. The Shadow's blow, which had been intended to stop with no more than a firm tap to the young man's side, connected quite solidly. Even through the Kevlar, the boy had the wind expelled from him and he winced visibly. The Shadow halted at once and looked at him, concerned. "Maybe this isn't a good idea after all..." When he had enough breath, Carlos gasped, "No, sir, it was my fault. My sensei would not approve." The Shadow hesitated, looking anywhere but Carlos. With great intensity, he began, "I don't..." but he let the words trail off as Carlos recovered. "OK, sir, I'm ready." They began again. The Shadow quickly learned that Carlos was faster than he had suspected - perhaps faster than he had thought possible. The boy was like smoke, eluding blows the Shadow was certain would land - maddeningly dodging at the last possible moment. On the other hand, the cloaked crusader could easily fend off Carlos' less-practiced attacks as well. In the end, it seemed clear that the Shadow could take Carlos down if they were serious - but that it would take quite a long time for his superior skill to tell. Starting somewhat clumsily in the vest, Carlos quickly got the hang of things to the Shadow's satisfaction. (In fact, he was shocked that the lad kept on getting better.) Carlos inadvertantly knocked the Shadow's hat off as Alex ducked his blow and attempted a sweep. Alex did not bother to retrieve it. When they were both panting, Carlos called a halt moments before Alex was about to do the same. The boy put a hand lightly to his side, trying to hide his wince. He started to take off the vest, and Alex moved behind him to help him with the buckles in the back. Quietly, he asked, "Are you OK?" "I'll have a bit of a bruise there, sir. It'll be fine." Alex gripped Carlos' shoulder for a long moment, then managed to say what he hadn't been able to finish before. "I don't... want... to remind you of your uncle." The boy froze, tense. When his words came out, they were soft. "You don't. You're trying to help me. He... only thought he was doing the right thing." Which is probably far more credit than the man deserves, Alex thought, but he let it pass. He slowly turned the young man around and took him by both shoulders. With great intensity, he said, "Carlos, I have something important to say." He received in return complete, undivided attention. "In a few days, or perhaps even tomorrow night... as I said, we are going hunting. And that means there is a measurable, though hopefully very small, chance that... one of us will not return." He had to look away and pause for a moment before going on; Carlos did not move a muscle, completely receptive. "There are many things that have been going unsaid in the last eight months or so. I learned... when my wife died..." Here Alex choked, but grated out the rest, "That there are things that one does not wish to leave unsaid." At the mention of Alex's wife, Carlos, already motionless, froze - a subtle point, but a real one. He did not breathe as Alex forced himself to look in his eyes and say quietly, "I love you." And he remained stiff for a moment in shock as Alex hugged him tightly for the first time. Finally, relaxing and returning the embrace fiercely (even through a layer of Kevlar), he said in a choked voice, "I love you too." There followed a long silence; Alex waited for Carlos to break it. "I know you can't... be my... father. But I have to tell you... If I had a father - a real one, I mean - you're everything I'd want him to be." "Thank you." They parted. Carlos couldn't meet Alex's eyes. Alex said quietly, "I think I am going to take the rest of the night off." Carlos nodded gratefully, took a deep breath, and said, "There's some stuff I should look up on the web. I suppose it can wait for later." Alex nodded briskly. "You can do that while I cook." The young man smiled shyly and fled to the computer. Alex followed him out, doffed the cloak and vest, and called as he went to the kitchen, "What would you like?" "We did Oriental last time. Maybe something American?" Alex nodded in approval. Best to keep it simple, he thought, and started whipping up a stew with what ingredients were to hand. A sudden thought struck him. "What would you like to do next Thursday for Thanksgiving?" "I dunno... I hadn't really thought about it." "Do you have any family traditions you'd like to continue?" "...Not really. My aunt and uncle thought of Thanksgiving as an Anglo thing." His tone suggested that even if they'd had any, he'd just as soon forget them. "Well, if you have no objections, I have a few traditions. And, well, maybe we could create some." "That sounds great, sir!" Carlos called, "Oh, and sir, you remember I mentioned a site you should probably look at?" [SP tells me Carlos said this to the Shadow last session, but I don't remember it.] "Yes?" "Is now a good time?" "Very well." Alex set the stew to simmer and walked over to join Carlos at the computer desk. The two of them were all business as Carlos called up a typical homemade site devoted to the Shadow. "This guy claims he's actually seen you. Worse, he says he's seen the Shadowmobile. No pictures, though, just eyeballs. He saw you land, get off, and vanish. Then the bike went up and he lost track of it." [No, the Shadow doesn't fly around visibly. SP says the guy probably was so focussed on the rising motorcycle that the Shadow's personal invisibility clicked back on for him.] "Hmmm." "Of course, as you can see, he has all sorts of crazy ideas about it - he thinks you're a gadgeteer in league with a corporation, your invisibility the product of a "distortion field"... still, his guesses are not too far from the mark in some ways." "Yes... What kind of buzz is this generating? What are people saying in his guestbook, and elsewhere?" "Well, the 'vampire' and 'ghost' theorists of course dismiss him loudly as a nut." That would be the pot calling the kettle black, Alex thought wryly. Carlos continued, "I first encountered the site as a link on a derisive post on Mike's site, actually. It hasn't been up very long." Alex mulled it over. "There's no immediate threat, of course. I don't think I need to take any action now, and perhaps not ever. Our best bet may be to drown his ideas in misinformation. ... Perhaps we can play up the conspiracy angle. There are already people out there who think the government is spying on people with black helicopters... black flying motorcycles shouldn't be too much of a stretch. What he thought was a hat and cloak were really a high-tech helmet and armor." "Gotcha, sir. Actually, Mike has a username that goes in for that kind of thing. Want me to do some plants?" "I do, when you can manage it. And make a note on the monthly calendar for us to reassess the situation." "Will do." Dinner was served shortly thereafter; the two were companionably silent through the meal. They played some cards desultorily afterward, with little of their usual banter. Both seemed content just to be with each other, the tension of the things that had been said earlier winding down into an easy camaraderie. Eventually Alex yawned and said, "I should sleep. There's a long day ahead." "Gotcha, sir. Good night!" "Good night, Carlos." Was there a new undertone to the simple greetings, a new level of meaning? Meanwhile, the Shadow's hat lay on the floor of the gym, forgotten. [I have to say that I find it extremely telling that their first hug was while they were wearing armor. :) Very moving scene, though. I have the impression that the yuckiness I'm still feeling is affecting my writing for the worse, but maybe that's just me.] [/QUOTE]
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