The Spectrum Chronicles: Shadow & Flame

Chapter One

"We suspect a criminal organization is at work." Apollo joined his sister at the strategy table, his usually carefree demeanour absent. A seriousness Phenex seldom witnessed was etched across his face, eyes of emerald green steely when they came to rest on him. "Until we can gather more definitive information, however, we won't know for certain. That's where you come in."

"Espionage?" Phenex stared back at him, heat prickling at the back of his neck. "You want me to play the part of a common spy, is that it?"

"Phenex—"

"After all of the cases I've cracked, all of the criminals I've had thrown into Nowhere and the Underworld in the last fifteen years...this is what you'd have me do?" He turned toward Terran, not bothering to hide his disgust. "This your idea, Commander? C'mon, you all should know me better than that. Send me to the front lines, or send me to check up on those idiotic humans from time to time, I don't care. But playing undercover agent within a criminal organization? You must be joking."

"Remember your place." Though her expression remained inscrutable, there was no mistaking the edge in Venus's voice, wheat-blonde hair falling around her shoulders in shimmering waves, catching hints of white and lavender from the wall behind her. "If the council decides you are to undertake an espionage role, then that is precisely what you'll do. Or do you intend to quit the Regulations Force?"

Phenex ground his teeth together, averting his gaze. "No."

"Then we're in agreement," she declared, passing her gaze from Apollo to Terran, and then finally, back to him. "You may not believe me when I say this, but out of all of the operatives, you are the best suited to the task. Your knowledge of the current goings-on in the mortal world are an asset, as is your ability to remain incongruous in your investigations."

By this time, Venus and the rest of the Third Echelon had deigned to gather round the strategy table, murmuring their agreement. No matter Phenex's wishes, it seemed his course had already been decided. In spite of the vibrancy of his eyes—the one thing that caused most people to take a second look, even made them nervous when he locked gazes with them—his ability to blend in was uncanny. Whether it was thanks to Ra, Horus, or Apollo's efforts, it didn't matter. One way or another, Phenex had developed the skills necessary to blend in with the rest of society, and more than that, the know-how to be one of them. Even if his eyes and physique drew attention to him, it was no more than the slightly higher-than-average human male.

Women peered at him coyly from beneath their lashes, and men stared at him with a mixture of jealousy and longing; the desire to either be him or be with him written across their faces. The whole thing was absurd.

"Phenex? Are you listening?"

Shaking himself from his reverie, Phenex nodded. "All right, I'll do it. I'll infiltrate this organization, find out who's pulling the strings and what their end game is." When the others merely stared at him in shocked silence, surprised by his sudden cooperation, he added, "So, anyone planning on giving me the full skinny on this mission, or am I going to have to do some guesswork?"

***

Subject: Reeves

Subject I.D. Number: 6-R4T68F9-0

Entity Type: Shade, Caste level unknown.

Powers: Irregular, possessing great cunning, strength, and ethereal reserve. Not only able to merge with the shadows in his surroundings, but able to animate and control them. Uncommon among other Shades, Reeves is rumoured to possess greater strength during the new moon: greater still when a specific rite is performed in the location where he first emerged into the mortal world, coinciding with the exact time. If said new moon and rite occur on the exact date as well, powers will increase tenfold. For more data, read the secondary file.