The Dome (Shadow Origins, Part One)

V

The morning after my psychotic breakdown, my mind had cleared up and I realized just how crazy I had been. I broke into the Head Senator's penthouse and watched his daughter sleep. What the hell was wrong with me?!

Shaking my head clear, I sat up in my tattered mattress and looked around at my surroundings. A dusty, mold filled room that just happened to hold the bells of Saint Margaret's Cathedral. Thank God no one knew where I stayed, I got enough crap from Donny and his boys calling me kitten all the damn time. I didn't need them calling Quasimodo too.

A couple years ago, after my mom had passed and I was sleeping in the streets a middle aged priest passed by my little cardboard shed and for the first time in my life, someone showed me true kindness. Guiding me back to the Cathedral, Father Mathis gave me a room in the back, but I never stayed there. I preferred the more secluded floor at the top of the bell tower, I only stayed there when it was too dangerous to stay out on the streets. And after what I'd seen last night, I wanted to feel a little bit safe.

Looking at a watch I had stolen a few days ago, it was almost time. I slipped on my signature stolen leather jacket and ripped jeans, who needs to buy ripped jeans when a street kid gets them free of charge. Launching myself onto the bell rope, I slid down the bell tower with an almost catlike grace, no wonder everyone called me kitten.

With the church bell successfully rung for the morning , I made my way past a couple of familiar nuns.

"Bye Damian!" "Be safe, Damian!"

I wouldn't say that I was close with anyone of the church people at Saint Margaret's but I wasn't completely opposed to flashing them a small smile back.

Running out of the cathedral and onto the streets, I made my way to the dirtiest part of town. Now I'm not saying I have a regular job or anything, say like a pizza delivery boy or a speed bike messenger, but I did have errands to run. After all, the church was a nice place to lay my head but they aren't exactly handing out Benjamins to scraggly orphans.

No, I had to do errands for anyone who wanted my services, those services being; spying on a couple people, sending threatening messages to those who needed it, oh and of course, stealing anything that I was asked to. My main "employer" was none other than one of the top bosses in the Blade Zone, Sandrino, V's left hand man. Now I wasn't that important to have a full time job with someone like Sandrino but he favored me for some reason. Gave me jobs that were too low for even a henchman's henchmen.

Not even breaking a sweat, I made it to the Shacks in practically no time at all. Preferring not to deal with the apes who guarded the front door, I settled for climbing the drain pipe in the back alley. Pulling myself up to the third floor, I slid open the window and landed in Sandrino's office where he was sitting, a big hunk of beef sitting behind a tiny desk. Now Sandrino had a reputation, one I rather not spread rumors about, so let's just say that the reason they call him the Tank was not completely unfounded. I heard he once threw a single punch to someone's head and caved their skull in.

Walking up quietly to my sort of boss, I waited until he noticed me or spoke up, and it didn't take long.

"Hey kid."

"Hey Mr. Sandrino."

Finally looking up from his work, he gave me a deep sigh, "Kid, how many times do I have to tell you. Call me Tank." Now from the sound of him, you would guess he wasn't so bad right? A total softy? Nope.

There was an edge to his voice that let me know that there wasn't any other option this time but to go with it. "Yes, sir. So Tank, what can I do for my favorite thug today?" We had this sort of witty banter often, but there were times where I knew I had to pull back. Sandrino gave a cocky smirk and beckoned me closer to his table. I knew better than to stand too close, so instead I hopped onto the seat of a chair, balancing myself on the balls of my feet. I knew that should this conversation turn bad, I had to be ready to bounce in an instant.