The Assassin and the Shadow Part I

The Assassin and the Shadow Part I

        It's been twenty years since the economic collapse. A promise of an economy for everyone. A promise of equal opportunity. They continued to raise taxes. They continued to spend. A Federal Reserve that printed money like it was the daily newspaper. All gone. Eventually the economy couldn't take it anymore, and faced its inevitable collapse. The mighty U.S. Empire, destroyed from within. They said the Russians would invade. They said the Chinese would take over. Why would they? They just wanted to see us burn to the ground. The whole world just wanted us left for dead. Who could blame them?

        Eventually most people killed each other over remaining resources. Surrounding nations built walls to keep us out. As our resources ran scarce, so did the lives of many. The only ones who could survive were the gangs that formed. They control the empty streets now, making it almost impossible for one to survive alone. As many gangs as there were, all cowered to the Wolves. If you weren't good with the Wolves and didn't stick to your territory, you were prey, and the Wolves always capture their prey. The wolves fear none, and none walk the streets alone. Except for one.

        The feared Assassin. The highest ransom on her head. She walks her path with no name, no memory of her past. She was only three when it all happened. Maybe it was luck that she survived, it didn't matter to her. She knew nothing else. Some call her the Snake, some call her the Panther, some call her the Phantom. She was never one for names. Just another attachment to weigh her down.

        She moves through shadows today, like any other. The wolves have been out in the streets more than usual lately, perhaps picking up her scent. They're on her trail, but nothing she hasn't taken care of before. She approaches an old Super Store, perhaps a Wal-Mart, maybe a Target. Who can tell anymore? She goes into stealth mode, and plans her strategy. Six wolves. No, Seven. Two guarding the entrance, one raiding the freezers, two going through the hunting sports section for ammo and gear, and two carrying out an old generator that might still have some gasoline. Easy job. The Assassin disappears into the shadows on the west side of the store, and silently makes her way up to the roof, as the Panther she is. She drops in through the vents and crawls over to the bedding section, where she lands silently into an aisle of comforters. The Snake is alive in her. It helps being 5'4 at 110 pounds. Over to her first target. He made a huge mistake going into the freezer section alone.

        As she approaches him, a small black shadow moves across the corner of her eye. She turns sharply, nothing there. She continues to the hungry man getting the hungry man dinner he'll never be able to enjoy. The kill is silent, aside from blood splatter on the warm freezer glass. The two Wolves guarding the entrance turn to each other with puzzled looks. “Better go check it out”, one says to the other. Their slow reluctant walk turns into a sprint as they see the edge of the blood splatter. As they run over to the scene of a Wolf with a slit throat leaning face first into the glass, a new coat of red splatters across the face of the wolf on the right. As he turns to his friend, who now has a katana in his back sticking out of his chest, he screams, “She's here...” only to have his head turned 360 degrees in the other direction to blackness. The two Wolves, who had just loaded up their .223 rifles with ammo they just picked up, load one in the chamber each. “The bitch is ours!”, they say with excitement knowing that Manson will make them high commanders in return of the Assassin's head. The early morning sun becomes covered by some passing clouds, and the Assassin is now truly the Phantom.

        She allows the two riflemen to approach the freezers, as she moves back up into the nearest vent. As she is about to turn into the perpendicular vent in front of her, the black shadow shoots past her again. What could it be? Is it death? She welcomes the thought, as she has nothing to lose. She finds a vent opening that will soon be right above the approaching Wolves. Almost simultaneously with the step past the vent opening, she drops down behind her next victims. In one motion, she slices off the left Wolf's legs, and in one sweeping upward motion, the right Wolf's trigger arm. The sound of the rifles falling to the ground and discharging is almost completely silenced by the screams of the ones who wielded them. She waits for the final two to approach their demise.

        To her surprise, they are not even focusing on her at all, they have found something far more appealing. So appealing, it is as if they weren't even remotely concerned about the danger they were in. They had found the Shadow. A sight so rare and almost mythical. A little black animal. Animals have long been extinct, skinned and eaten in desperation. The wolves knew their destiny, and they would have one last 5-star meal. The little black animal hisses, ready to fight, unaware of its own size and fragility. They pick up their hunting blades high in the air. Suddenly they look down and notice the blades are now by their feet, with their bloody hands attached to them. They turn around and almost get a glimpse of the feared assassin, right before their heads join their hands on the ground. The Assassin, miraculously not even slightly breathless, looks at the animal in awe.

        It's been so long since she's seen such a being. She quickly shakes off her fascination. One more attachment, not worth her time. She carves her logo into the floor next to the bodies (two crossing katanas) and turns to begin collecting supplies. A blade sharpener, still in it's package! Her katanas will be absolute scythes now. She jolts as she feels something at her leg. What the hell? The little black animal rubs its body against her and makes a strange motor-like noise. “Get out of here you stupid thing”, she says. She moves across the aisles and picks up a few new black garments to wrap herself with, along with some packaged food items. She looks back to the the Shadow following her again. “Go away, I'm not gonna tell you again.” She knows better, attachments are distractions. She has nothing to lose and prefers to keep it that way. She begins walking out of the store to the desolate streets with a stubborn follower not far behind. She would not make the mistake of gaining an attachment, but she had made one mistake today. There were eight in the store.

        She picks up her pace as the annoying little ball of fur picks up its pace faster. Flustered, she turns and halts, dropping her katanas without notice. “You want to get sliced? You better not keep following me. I'll do it, don't test me!” She hears a noise behind her and turns to see four Wolves with menacing smiles, holding her katanas. “The Panther ain't shit without her claws” one says, laughing with maniacal eyes. The assassin is livid. God dammit you stupid animal. This is how it ends, really? All because of a stupid... she looks down, the Shadow is nowhere in sight. Now it leaves?? God dammit. The Wolves begin to point their rifles when all of a sudden, a screech and a dark Shadow lands into the face of a Wolf. He drops his rifle and tries to pry off the claws that are dug deep into his face. The other three are shocked and don't have even a moment to comprehend what just happened, due to a sweeping kick that knocks them on their backs.

        The lone Wolf manages to throw the animal off of his face, turns, and sees his three partners bloodied and sliced, one on top of the other. Suddenly he sees a blade sticking out of his stomach, and fades into a dark realization of his fate. The assassin turns sternly to the Shadow. “You stupid idiot! You almost got me killed. If it wasn't for you...”, she stops puzzled at the animals next move. It appears to be licking her and rubbing its head against her with its big green eyes lit up. The assassin feels something, something she has never felt before, or at least not in her memory. What could it be? A warm feeling, is this attachment? The Assassin is in shock, it actually feels good. “No!”, she says knowing the dangers of distractions. But she can't help but feel what she feels. After all, the Shadow put her in danger but did also save her life. She thinks about it, as the Shadow looks up at her with its hypnotic spell. “Shit...” She says as she starts walking. She looks back to the reluctant animal who is anticipating her decision. “Come on”, she says. The Shadow leaps to her, and will never leave her side.

        The Leader of the infamous Wolves sits in his chair, fuming at the news his henchmen has brought him. “So, let me get this straight. You just sat there hiding behind the counter, and let her make a fool out of us as she slaughtered your blood brothers like cattle. Then you call over four more of your brothers from down the street to do your dirty work for you, as you run back here to tell me. And what should response be?” “Mr. Manson, Sir”, the Wolf says, voice trembling, “I'm just one man, there's no way I could have...” he flies back from a kick to the face by his leaders boot. Manson cocks weapon of choice, a rusted old pump action Mossberg. “You break my heart, I don't like having to spill the blood of a brother”, he says circling slowly around his prey. “...But you're no brother of mine.” He aims his weapon. “Mr. Manson, No! Please! I… I just...”, as he is silenced by a shotgun blast. “Take out the garbage”, he commands to two nearby Wolves who seem to not be phased by his actions.

        Manson is an older man, greyed out from his years on earth. He flaunts his facial scars with pride, and is a man who is very pleased with his status. As leader of the infamous Wolves, he is known to all as the Grey Wolf. He remembers a time before the collapse, which not many people have the privilege of saying. He named himself after his favorite cult leader, and aspires to be even more brutal. “What was his last status report?”, he asks. “He said he saw her walking with a small black animal towards the lower east side, probably heading for the docks”, another Wolf responds. “I think we might actually corner her this time, Sir. We've already got men deployed there waiting to ambush.” “I'm not sure how to feel about that”, says the Grey Wolf. “We should be happy , Sir. With her gone, we have no opposition, the world is ours!”, responds the Wolf. Manson smiles, looking away from his men. “What would the Joker be without Batman, my brother?”, Manson says. “He'd be a madman with no purpose. A loaded gun without a target. Is that what I should be happy about?” “I'm not sure who those people are, Sir, but you certainly are no joke”, the Wolf responds. Manson's smirk diminishes with a hint of frustration. He sighs unenthusiastically, “Let's head out, men”. The Wolves load their arsenal of rifles and head out with Manson left behind. “Perhaps this is it. I'm not sure how much longer I can carry on with this charade. We'll see who's legacy will prevail, The Wolf or The Assassin. Nature will decide I suppose.”

        “So what are you anyways?”, the Assassin asks her new friend. “I remember seeing you in posters a while back, something like… cor?” The Shadow responds with a weird word. “That's right you guys go, 'meow'. I remember that.” She meows again. “Haha, that's wild. You're a… a corp, right? A cap?” The animal dances around playfully, amused. “A cap… no wait… ugh I swear I know what you are… you're ...you're a cap...a cad… a… a CAT! That's it, a cat!” The assassin feels herself smile in celebration. Almost as soon as she does, she is overcome with chills as the hairs on the back of her neck stick out like needles. She drops to the floor, she feels blood come down from her eyes as she wipes them off, but it's not red. It's clear. Tears. “I… I remember my name...” The Shadow approaches her concerned. “My name… is Katherine. I remember now. Katherine, somebody used to call me Kat… but who?” The Shadow licks Katherine in compassion and rubs her head against her. Katherine comes to from her flashback. She smiles at her new friend. “You know what? That's what I'll call you. Kat. Do you like that, Kat?” Kat meows in agreement. “Then it's settled! Come on Kat, we have Wolves to kill.” Kat gives a menacing smile. An unapologetic killer, just like her Assassin friend.

        Katherine carves her logo on the floor for Kat to see, two downward crossing katanas. “Now, I think it might be missing something.” She carves a cat skull above the katanas to resemble a skull and crossbones. “What do you think, Kat?” Kat puffs her chest out and meows as proud as ever. Katherine giggles. They travel East towards the docks.