"Where is the Shadow?" Desmond hissed from under his hood, holding a thug at sword's length.
"I-I don't know!" the man blubbered.
Desmond pressed the point of his sword harder into the man's chest, "You're lying..."
"But I heard that there's activity!" the man blurted out. "I-I heard that in Upstate, New York, there's some kind of an operation going on...in an abandoned air hangar!"
"How do you know?" Desmond ordered.
"You hear things...on the streets! I've heard rumors about it through other gangs," the old man gasped. "P-Please don't kill me..."
Desmond released the man, letting him crumple to the ground. He sheathed his swords and darted away from his victim quickly. For hours, since nightfall, Desmond had been searching for any leads he could get on the whereabouts of the Black Dragon. His findings had led him all across the city, to many dead ends, and the night was growing old. The Shadow still had yet to be found and he couldn't dismiss any lead because it might lead him to his foe.
Since the threat against the country the entire nation had scrambled to find the Black Dragon. However efforts were futile since the organization excellently covered all of their tracks. Essentially, it was as if the Shadow didn't even exist. But Desmond was able to go deeper than the police patrols by physically going around and questioning members of gangs known to have had affiliations with the dark organization. It gave him information that would have taken the police departments weeks to find; and it might only be hours until the terrorist attack.
Olivia hadn't been seen since he had gotten back and it was because C.I.N.A. had kept her locked away, questioning her experiences. Desmond tried to find her but, like the Black Dragon, there was no Olivia Jones to be found. It troubled him that he didn't have the backup he needed because Olivia had always been there to have his back. After a while, and with a heavy amount of regret, Desmond decided to move on and press all of his energy into searching for the Shadow alone.
Desmond ran to his parked motorcycle, a new one he had bought so he could travel around without having to rely on a ride, and mounted the vehicle. He gunned the engine and roared off into the night. The wind whipped against his face and Desmond had to duck his head so his hood wouldn't fly off. As he rode he pulled out his cellphone and looked up airstrips in Upstate, New York. Desmond swiped a little more and found an address to one of two of the only inactive airbases.
The night wore on while Desmond flew through the backstreets of New York. He passed buildings that were crumbling and through streets that seemed to be almost abandoned. His bike swerved to avoid hitting a peculiar black cat that scurried across the road in front of him. Eventually, he entered the region and made his way to the address that he'd searched up.
**
He came up behind the shell of what had originally been an aircraft hangar. From the outside the entire facility looked abandoned; dirt and grime covered the exterior of the sloping building. Surrounding the perimeter was a rusted wire fence that was meant to keep intruders out. Stretching out from the hangar was a cracked air strip.
In the distance dawn was approaching and turning the sky a dull gray. Desmond quietly parked his motorcycle at a distance from the hangar and crawled over to look through the surrounding fence. He peered across the street and saw a secondary hangar but it didn't buzz with activity. Desmond licked his dry lips as he chose the hangar closest; he would have to dismiss the secondary one.
Desmond silently scaled the fence and landed on the other side. He sprinted towards the hangar and kept to the shadows. Nobody noticed him slip through a crack in the hangar's back wall. Inside, Desmond gaped in awe at a sprawling complex of people quickly maneuvering around each other and loading airplanes. Each one of the flying machines was loaded with a crate the size of three people, and then silently pushed towards the air strip. Above, walkways had been built for people to quickly get from one side of the hangar to the other without interfering with the massive operation below. Desmond squinted closely at one of the arms of the workers and he saw a snake spiraling across his forearm.
Around the perimeter of the interior were dozens of men armed with machine guns and Kevlar vests. Above, a few of them were even patrolling the suspended walkways. Desmond saw a ladder leading up to one of the walkways and scurried over to it. Conveniently, the ladder was mostly shrouded in shadows so he could climb without being seen directly. As he went up the rungs he looked down and saw everyone kneel when several cars drove up outside of the hangar. A man got out, surrounded on all sides by soldiers for protection, and was led into the interior of the building. It wasn't until Desmond got to the top of the ladder that he was able to see who the figure was.
It was the Shadow.
He looked the same as he had the last time they'd met. The Shadow wore a dark cloak and supported himself on a cane. He walked toward the center of the hangar and appeared to converse with some of the workers before heading into a closed-off office, overlooking the hangar interior, on the opposite side of the complex. There was a staircase leading up to the office and the Shadow took it, disapearing inside. Desmond watched him carefully before looking across the walkway he would need to traverse in order to access the Shadow.
He reached into his back pocket and took out his cell phone, dialing 9-1-1.
"9-1-1, what is your emergency?" the voice on the other end asked.
Desmond whispered into the receiver, "I've found a Black Dragon operation facility with connections to the Shadow."
"The terrorist?" the woman on the other end asked.
Desmond rolled his eyes, "Yes!"
"I'm tracking your signal now," the voice replied. "Are you able to speak freely?"
"No," Desmond whispered, "and I've got to go. How long until you get here?"
"The nearest dispatch is two minutes away," the voice said. "I'm sending them now."
Desmond put the phone to the side so they could track his signal; at least he would have the police on his side. There was bustling beneath him and Desmond looked below to see a pilot getting into one of the planes. Perhaps he didn't have as much time as he thought; he needed to act.
He took a deep breath, darting forward and taking out the first Black Dragon soldier. Noiselessly, in the same manner that he had done so while infiltrating the Black Dragon facility, Desmond smothered two of the other guards and made his way across the walkways bordering the hangar. Nobody saw him traverse to an area above the office space and climb down until he was on top of it. Slowly, Desmond took out his swords and gritted his teeth as he cut a hole in the roof and fell in within seconds.
**
"Hey!" a soldier cried.
"What?" another said.
Faster than he could even think, Desmond had taken out all three soldiers in the office building and was crouched in the center with blood dripping from his blades. He slowly stood up and sheathed his weapons; confronting the man who had given the execution order to his parents.
The Shadow was seated in a chair turned away from and toward a painting on the wall. When the third soldier fell the chair turned around and Desmond confronted his enemy. The Shadow didn't look surprised at all; in fact, he looked as if he had expected Desmond.
"Mr. Pierce," said the Shadow. "It's a pleasure to see you again. I must say your clothing is rather...unique. We almost didn't see you when you scaled the ladder."
"You knew I was coming?" answered Desmond, suddenly self-conscious of his hood. It was meant as a threat, but he thought he looked more like a hoodlum than a hero.
The Shadow nodded his head, "Naturally, I anticipated your arrival. I took extra precautions, and I was almost afraid you wouldn't show. Now though," he stood up from the chair, "I'm glad to see my preparations weren't in vain."
"Preparations for what?" asked Desmond.
"For my demonstration, of course," replied the Shadow as he pulled out a photograph from his pocket and stared intently at it.
Desmond unsheathed his swords, "This ends now."
The Shadow chuckled, "The end? Oh no, I'd be one to argue that it's the very beginning."
Desmond took a step forward, "I'm not afraid of you."
"Fear," the Shadow whispered under his breath. "It's such a powerful force, isn't it? It seems to...override our other instincts in an effort to keep us alive. But, if fear is struck in just the right place," the Shadow laid the photograph on the table, "it can be used as a means of control."
Desmond stared at the photo and shuttered; it was a picture of his parents. Somewhere, deep within him, an ancient, familiar feeling began to unearth itself.
"What're you going to do?" Desmond asked. "Why did you take me? Why did you kill my parents?"
The Shadow raised both his hands, "It's obvious Desmond Pierce. It's so simple and obvious..."
Desmond backed away and the man began to approach him, "Stay back!"
The Shadow towered over Desmond, "Your kidnapping, the destruction of Platinum Tower, and what is transpiring tonight are all just an example. They're all a demonstration to show the true power that the Black Dragon has, and to instill fear into the population," the Shadow blinked. "Your father died just to make a point: that the Black Dragon was not an organization to be confronted."
Desmond raised his swords, "Shadow..."
"It's a changing world," the Shadow continued, while undraping his black cloak from his shoulders. "This is the age of revelations. You have no idea the world this is going to become Mr. Pierce, and after tonight the Black Dragon will be at the forefront of it all. Our demonstration will send a message to the world, and show our true power. Especially now, since we have fully perfected the serum that can enhance my disciples."
"The serum you used on Olivia and I?" Desmond asked.
"It will bring us unprecedented power..." replied the Shadow. "But, it will also be our protection from the new age. It's all been a preparation, Mr. Pierce, since the very beginning," the Shadow smiled, "because we will the only ones who can withstand what comes next..."
"You son of a bitch," Desmond growled.
The Shadow reached onto his back and unsheathed two samurai swords that had been previously hidden, "Believe me you'll be glad that your life is going to end tonight. It'll spare you from all the terrible things you would have had to see."
Outside, there were shouts and gunfire could be heard. Police sirens wailed outside of the hangar as people yelled and screamed.
Desmond gripped his swords tightly, "You're a maniac."
The Shadow went into a similar stance that Desmond was in, "Take your shot."
Desmond lunged at the Shadow and struck his swords against his foe's. Sparks sprayed everywhere, the Shadow easily deflecting Desmond and kicking him in the chest. Desmond hit the door and broke through it. He tumbled down the staircase into the chaos that was ensuing in the hangar below.
"Hey!" a man shouted. "Over there!"
Desmond quickly got to his feet, gazing around him. There were police officers everywhere, apprehending the men who had been loading the crates into the airplanes. He looked around at the dozens of officers surrounding him and Desmond realized that, during his fall, his hood had fallen off.
"Is that...Desmond Pierce?" one of the officers asked out loud. "Holy shit..."
Desmond turned around and began to run up the stairs but stopped when a bullet grazed his shoulder and collided with the broken door in front of him. He whirled around at the officer who had shot him.
"I'm not your enemy!" Desmond yelled, among the calamity. "Tonight, I am your ally! The Shadow is your enemy!"
"How the hell do you expect us to trust you?" one of the officers yelled.
Desmond shook his head, "I don't. But tonight, we both share a common enemy. The Shadow will stop at nothing until everything is gone! You have to trust me that I'm on your side-" he paused as one of the officers was attacked by a Black Dragon soldier.
Desmond picked up one of his swords and threw it at the soldier, who fell to the ground dead.
"I'm in this with you," Desmond said to the officers, retrieving his weapon.
One officer looked to the other, "This is madness!"
"You're coming with us," an officer ordered. "You have the right to remain silent..."
But Desmond ignored them, instead turning and pulling up his hood.
"Get the hell back here you son of a--" an officer began, but he stopped when a Black Dragon soldier suddenly engaged him in combat.
He flew back into the office but stopped; the Shadow was nowhere to be found. Desmond rushed outside and gazed up towards the ceiling. Up, on one of the elevated walkways, was the Shadow.
"Shadow!" Desmond shouted, climbing onto the walkway and ignoring the shouts from below.
He paused, standing directly in front of his enemy. His eyes locked with those of the Shadow's and his heart rate doubled. Time seemed to slow down, and not even the calamity below could distract Desmond.
The Shadow turned, his samurai blades gleaming in the dim light of the hangar, "It's time, Mr. Pierce."
Desmond started at a slow sprint that accelerated and the Shadow did likewise. Their blades collided in a hurricane of sparks and echoing clangs. Below them, gunfire blazed as police officers fought with Black Dragon soldiers. Through gritted teeth, Desmond pushed the Shadow back and struck again.
"You can't avoid the change," the Shadow said, dodging the blades. "Just accept the inevitable."
"No!" Desmond screamed, his blades colliding once again with the Shadow's.
"Look!" a voice cried from below. "They're up there!"
Desmond's and the Shadow's blades were once again interlocked as their eyes met. Fear uncoiled in Desmond and he slackened; just enough for the Shadow to push forward and send him sprawling onto the walkway floor. One of Desmond's swords spun away to the hangar floor.
Screams, explosions, dust curling in the air.
Desmond squeezed his eyes shut, images dancing before his eyes. He had to keep going even if he was terrified.
"Let it be known that your struggle is over," the Shadow said, raising one of his swords. "You may rest."
Desmond opened his eyes, forcing himself to remember his promise. He remembered his father pleading for him to go on, even if it was too hard. Desmond remembered his entire journey from Platinum Tower to the temple with Sensei. He remembered the long training sessions with his former mentor and learning to conquer his fear. Desmond remembered Olivia urging him to move on and Sensei falling to the ground from his head-shot wound. He remembered his father under the heap of rubble and the Black Dragon soldier walking into the headquarters of Pierce Enterprises in 1996...
Suddenly, the fear vanished.
As the blade came whistling down upon his head, Desmond held up his own sword and the two objects collided. Sparks erupted like fireworks and the metallic clang echoed throughout the hangar's interior.
"No..." Desmond whispered to himself.
He pushed upward and threw his body into a fighting stance. The Shadow tried to slice again but Desmond was too fast, slicing at his wrist. His adversary screamed in pain, dropping his sword to the ground far below.
"No," Desmond said louder.
With his remaining blade, Desmond summoned every single lesson he had ever had with Sensei and switched from defense to offense. He slashed at the Shadow and sent him back several steps. Their blades spun through the air and collided in several frenzies of metallic clashes.
"No!" Desmond yelled.
Their swords were blurs, their epic battle raging above the chaos below. Desmond hacked at the Shadow and his anger boiled over. He spun and blocked attacks with ease, all the while staying on the offensive. Desmond could feel the Shadow's swipes begin to slacken in strength.
"NO!!!" Desmond screamed, knocking the Shadow into a kneeling position. His hate boiled over, flowing through his veins like fire. He hated the Shadow for everything he had been put through.
Desmond raised up his sword and brought it down with as much strength as he could muster. The blades collided and the air around them exploded in a blast. Desmond brought his weapon up again and struck down on the Shadow's, feeling the power flow through him. He brought up the sword for a third time and sent it down with so much ferocity that it broke through the Shadow's own blade. The weapon shattered and Desmond's foe fell to the ground in a heap.
Desmond breathed heavily, "It's over you sick maniac. No more people will die. It's all over...it's all over..."
The Shadow smiled, gasping and looking up at Desmond, "Mr. Pierce, do you really think that you conveniently discovered my only base of operations?"
Desmond glared at the Shadow, "There's more?"
The secondary hangar.
"Its seems like you have a choice now," the Shadow said, continuing to gasp for breath on the ground. "Kill me, or save millions?"
Desmond looked down at the Shadow and felt an uncontrollable urge to end the struggle, right there and then. He had traveled so far, through so much pain, and finally he would be able to end it. But, something within him seemed to hold him back. Despite the want to kill his foe, he knew if he did it would make him no better than the Black Dragon. He would be no better than the Shadow who killed for power and control.
As Desmond hesitated, the Shadow quickly shifted and rolled off of the platform, plummeting down to the ground below. Desmond could only watch him disappear in the midst of all the chaos, possibly dead. He was most certain that he didn't survive the fall.
Desmond, knowing he had to act quickly, sheathed his sword and sprinted back towards the office as fast as he could. Through the hole, and down the staircase, he went, charging out of the mouth of the hangar and across the airstrip. Just ahead he could see the lights of an airplane about to take off.
"No!" Desmond yelled, running faster and scaling the barbed-wire fence surrounding the hangar.
He ran further and scaled the secondary fence surrounding other hangar. The plane was beginning its journey down the runway, going faster as its engines hummed. Desmond sprinted as fast as his body would let him, jumping on the tail of plane just as it began to lift itself off of the ground. He grasped the side of the metal bird, ground was whisking away from underneath him and the air cascaded around his face. Everything was a mixture of black and grey as Desmond crawled along the outside of the plane, gripping for his life. With his hands he reached and pulled out his final sword of which he used to tear a gash in the metal. He tore as much as he could until he made a narrow opening in which he just barely weaseled himself in.
**
Desmond pulled himself into the airplane and fell to the floor. He gasped for air and scrambled when several hands grabbed him. Desmond swung out with his fist and hit a man in the head.
"Hey!" a soldier screamed. "Who's back there?"
Desmond opened his eyes and lashed out with his hands to take down two more soldiers standing guard against a metal crate. The final soldier in the plane interior pulled out a gun and aimed it at Desmond. He kicked it out of his hand while bullets sprayed upward, making holes in the ceiling of the plane. With one, final, punch Desmond took down the final soldier and slumped against the wall out of breath.
"Hello?" a voice called from the front. "Hello?"
There was some shuffling and a pilot walked into the back of the plane. He had the Black Dragon tattoo snaking its way around his forearm and a permanent scowl etched upon his face. When he saw Desmond, and the soldiers lying on the ground, he quickly rushed back into the cockpit.
"We have a code Blue," he said. "Repeat, the plane has been breached."
He was torn away from the console, Desmond shoving him up against the wall.
"What's in that crate?" Desmond hissed.
The pilot shook his head, suddenly biting something in his cheek. Foam frothed from his mouth and the pilot's body went slack. He had eaten cyanide.
Desmond dropped the body and went over to the massive crate that took up most of the interior of the plane. He pulled the box-lid open a little and peered inside.
"Bomb..." Desmond moaned in annoyance, seeing the familiar wires and tell-tale signs. "Why does it have to be a bomb?"
Further in the crate Desmond could see a tiny screen with numbers flickering away on it. Quickly, he realized that the bomb was on a timer. It was the Shadow's plan all along: set off a bomb, kill people, and make everyone fear the name of the Black Dragon. Desmond shuddered at how little the Shadow cared for human life.
Of course, he had no idea how to defuse a bomb.
In all of his months of training with Sensei he'd never been taught what to do in a bomb-like situation. Desmond's mind raced but all he could think about was cutting wires. What wires he was even supposed to cut was beyond him.
Then, a depressing thought came into his mind.
Desmond dropped his remaining sword, while he went up the plane and into the cockpit. If there was one thing he could do, it was to keep as many people safe as he could and fulfill his promise. Desmond was going to take the plane as far away from the city as possible. He looked across the control panel and flicked on the radio just as he had seen the Black Dragon soldier do.
"Hello?" Desmond asked, into the speaker. "I don't know if anyone can hear me, but my name is Desmond Pierce and I have the control of the second plane. There was a second hangar next to the first that was entirely overlooked. If there are any police agents, or other people, head to that hangar and dispose of everything."
Desmond waited but all he heard was static; there was no response.
"In my plane there is a bomb," Desmond explained. "I don't know how to defuse it, but I do know how to keep everyone safe. If I don't get a response on how to defuse it, I'm going to fly over the ocean when the bomb..." he trailed off.
Still, there was simply static.
"I know that I'm not a good man..." Desmond said, the sprawling metropolis passing away beneath him. "I've neglected a lot of people, and I've flaunted my wealth in ways I shouldn't have. If there's anybody listening to this right now...I just want to say that I'm...sorry."
The static continued and sweat pooled on Desmond's head. He swallowed, continuing to speak into the receiver, as the bay began to approach him.
"I don't know how much time I have until the bomb explodes," Desmond continued. "It could be any second now. But I'm clearing the city and heading out over the water..."
He sat back in the chair, steering the plane over the ocean. The sky was brightening and he could see little boats on the water just starting out the day. Everything looked rather peaceful as Desmond's plane continued to soar away.
Tears filled Desmond's eyes as he began to hum a song. The song was about not being afraid of dying and it was the same song he had listened to on the day of the bombing. He closed his eyes, his mind filling with the endless beat. Desmond flowed along with the music, the plane flying farther away. Slowly, he let out a long sigh.
"This is Desmond Pierce, and I'm out," Desmond ended, clicking the radio off.
Moments later, the plane exploded.
**
From the coastline, hundreds of people stopped and looked over the bay as a massive explosion illuminated the morning sky. The explosion resonated with intensity and sent waves rolling toward the coast. A sonic boom shook the glass windows of the surrounding buildings.