Shadow



Characters: Shadow Character List

Chapter 1: Training
I was holding the tree so tight, it was a wonder my skin didn't stick when I re-adjusted my handhold. Immediately, I berated myself. ''Rule #1: Be silent, be unseen. ''And movement was a part of that. My ears pricked up when I heard a faint snap, every muscle freezing instantly. Controlled breathing, just observe. It took a while for the intruder to creep up close enough for me to see. A smile crept up my face. ''Perfect. All I need is....a distraction.'' That was easy enough to furnish. In a single sweeping motion, I leaped from my perch onto the branch of a particularly large tree. As expected, the intruder started, pointing around the weapon like a novice, which I knew he wasn't. Just a few more steps... He'll be in the right place... I rolled over, knowing there would be no sound from the branch I chose, and landed cat-like only a few steps behind him. He whirled around at the same time I had drawn my gun and pulled the trigger. He looked stunned for a moment. Then...

"Jeez, you always gotta do that?!" My best friend, Mark, frowned at the large orange splotch on his chest armor.

"Do what? As far as I'm concerned, I was doing what they taught us to do."

"No, Lil. You're like a ninja, completely in control of everything; silent but deadly. And ninjas take years to perfect that. It only took you a few weeks." I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"Come on, we were the last players. Let's get back before they put us on KP." I started walking.

"You're avoiding the subject." He had to jog to catch up.

"Well, maybe it's a bit crazy. It's just pure luck I won."

"Lily, pure luck would be if it only happened once. You've beaten everyone at this multiple times. There's no friggin way that's luck."

I sighed. This was probably the third time we've had this conversation, but every single time... He had never convinced me. "Whatever." I mumbled, repositioning my weapon and speeding up. The officers were strict. Once some poor kid was made to clean the entire mess hall with a toothbrush for sleeping in. Another kid did extra time on the survival training course. And anything was better than survival training. Thankfully, we were not in trouble and easily slipped into formation before the 10 minute time was up. All of my targets were easily seen; orange paint splattered across the cadets that had the misfortune to stumble across me. Maybe 12 out of the 18. Only one other person aside from me was completely paint free, easing some of my fear. There really was no reason for it, just an innate nervousness that prevented me from flaunting my achievements. Fear, maybe, that they would take me to wherever "the best" disappeared to. Barely, I heard the harsh voice of the lead officer ordering us to the next part of evaluation, because a figure caught my eye. Dark overcoat, hat pulled low, definitely a man. Completely out of place. And I could feel him watching me...

"YES SIR!" The combined voices of all the cadets made me jump. Shaking myself to attention, I followed the rest of the group to the survival training course.

I was burrowed underneath a large pine tree, covered in the scratchy pine needles, but not daring to move. In the distance, I could hear dogs and men. The 'game' went somewhat like this... everyone hid best they could. If you were caught by the 'enemy,' you would be sent to the interrogation room, which was never a good place to be. I had only been captured once, and was not intent on repeating the experience.

I held my breath, closing my eyes when I heard a dog's bark nearby. There was no way they could find me, I had tested this method and perfected it. A small, unfamiliar sound made my eyes fly open. A footstep? No, the slightest wheeze as if someone had been running and then had to control their breathing. And that was the beginning of the end...

Chapter 2:
"Misery, we need an entrance." I could almost hear him grinning like a Chesire cat and prayed Rue would keep him from destroying the entire northern hemisphere. "Jinx, eyes?"

"The plan's working perfectly; second sector distracted, third is down."

"Good, Nemesis?"

"Got vehicles incoming, northern sector." Silently I cursed.

"Risk.."

"On it, sweetheart." I rolled my eyes, hearing movement on the comm.

"Omega, are you in?"

"Yes."

"Good, meet up with Paradox; we're about to have company. Blackjack, I want you on the nines, take out the tires."

"It will be done."

I took a deep breath, fingering the handle of my sword and looking at the almost 20 foot fall between me and the other building. And the even farther drop between me and the other building. One miscalculation, and I would probably be nothing more than a smear on the road so far away.. Backing up a good ways, I took a running start and jumped, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest. Down down down, I fell, a jolt running through my body as I hit the concrete building top, allowing my knees to buckle, slapping the ground to stop myself from rolling. The slightest bit shaky, I walked to the door on the rooftop. Without a sound, it opened, Omega standing there with an unreadable face. I nodded and he turned, allowing me to enter the building. It was dimly lit with florescent lights, which emphasized the peeling plaster and faded tiles of the small, cramped hallway. Not speaking, I held my blade at the ready, moving steadily in front of my friend. Two floors down and multiple twists and turns later, I opened a door that had '214' in blackened numbers tacked haphazardly on. It was dark inside, a small shaft of light cutting through a muddied window and illuminating a collapsed figure in a chair. Omega stepped by me, attending to the prisoner while I kept watch at the door. It was still silent, as it had been the entire mission, which unnerved me. Where there was silence, there was usually a trap. "Omega, hurry up, I don't like how quiet it is.." I muttered just loud enough for him to hear. I didn't hear a response, but I could hear him moving faster. A few seconds later, he was at my side, a disheveled body slung over his shoulder. At first, it seemed to me to be a corpse, until I noticed the faintest rhythmic movements of breathing. Here was where we went separate ways. Omega went back up to the roof, while I went downstairs, distracting anyone who might be in the building so that the package, the now freed prisoner, could be air-lifted from the building. The most dangerous part of the entire mission, or so I was told. However, I was disappointed and put more on edge. Where are all the people..?  I stopped, deciding to think before mindlessly walking into a trap. Mid-thought, I caught the low creaking sound of pressure on loose tiles. Reacting immediately, I stepped into a corner, holding my breath, listening intently. Minutes dripped by like molasses, at least five passed before I heard the next creak.