Shadow

  Chapter Ten

  As Century and Katsuya speed to the Katsuya estate in the limo, Century can’t help but think of the irony of the situation. Katsuya Sr’s life is in danger by the same mad scientist invention he planned to use on the other mob families. “Sweet evil justice.”

  “Kats?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m going to have to kill Shadow.”

  “I understand.”

  Century has held back because he gets no joy in taking a life and because corporations like these usually value their property more than human life. In his mind this mission was shaping into almost a total failure. All the board members were dead except Kats Sr. What had he accomplished? Did he mess up so bad that by holding back that things were now un-repairable? Wouldn’t be the first time but it’s been a very long time since the last. He ponders these thoughts as they pull into the opening gates of the estate. The gates close behind them.

  Once they have stopped in the driveway, Katsuya jumps out and heads straight into the house while Century overlooks the grounds. Standing away from the car, Century blinks and as he uses his enhanced vision to overlook the estate something catches his eyes. It’s the exhaust pipe from the motorcycle that Shadow was on earlier; it’s hanging a little out of a bush.

  “She’s here.”

  He is dropkicked by Shadow who was on the roof of the house.

  He lands on the concrete driveway, “What is it with you and roofs?”

  She doesn’t acknowledge his statement. He squeezes his fist, which extends his spikes, “I didn’t want to hurt you...bad, but now I have no choice.”

  She motions for him to bring it on. This display of emotion doesn’t shock him anymore. He charges her with kicks and punches, all which she dodges. She lands a thrust kick to Century’s midsection sending him back a few feet but standing.

  “Nice. But you aren’t the only one who can switch up styles.”

  He charges again but throwing more punches and at varied paces than before. He lands one of his spiked knuckles to her left breast inflicting a massive wound. She reels to the ground bleeding badly from the wound. Century is standing and hopeful that she’s had enough considering that blow was delivered to a near fatal spot. He looks on from about twenty feet away. Century can’t believe his eyes, even though he has seen something like this before, it’s still a very rare sight. The wound on Shadow heals itself in less than five seconds. Shadow stared at the wound as it healed.

  “Did I just see what I think I did?”

  Shadow just smiles. She stands and draws two daggers, one from each side and throws them at Century who easily catches them both, one with each hand directly in front of his face. “Come on now. I didn’t look that shocked did I?”

  She smiles a very familiar smile.

  Century thinks, “Why does that particular smile bring back bad memories?”

  He notices that there is a thin line connected from Shadow’s direction to that of the daggers. Before he can drop them, a surge of electricity sends him sailing through the air and all the way down by the entrance gates. The surge this time was much stronger and even caught his trench coat on fire. He removes it revealing his muscular, statuesque build. He’s wearing a jet-black body suit with a belt carrying several gadgets, long black boots and the word “Century” across his chest.”

  As he runs toward the house he says, “I knew I shouldn’t have worn this today.”

  Once inside the house, he has no clue where Kat’s, his father or Shadow might be. He stops and focuses his hearing to find out where the action is. A window shatters upstairs. Century takes to the stairs. Once he’s upstairs he can hear someone sobbing.

  He enters the master bedroom to find Katsuya holding his father’s headless body. Century moves to the broken window, no sign of her. He can see the bush where her motorcycle was stashed. It is gone. Century drops his head in personal disappointment.

  Katsuya’s father or the board members meant nothing special to him, but he feels because of his over-arrogance or mistake, five people are dead and a killer is still on the loose.

  Human reactions and emotions are hard to predict at times like this. One person may want to be alone and another might want to be consoled. Kats was the prior.

  “You fucking bastard! You good for nothing bastard! You’re a joke! Everything is gone. Everything is ruined! Get out!” Kats screamed between sobs.

  Century walks past as if Katsuya wasn’t there. If Jin-Jun only knew that those comments and the realization that he failed miserable hurt him more than anything that had happened to him the last few days, maybe he would be consoled. But Century will never reveal that kind of pain to another being again. He heads downstairs.

  “Shadow, I will find you and I will bring you down.”

  Century leaves the estate.