Greed, crime, and apathy plaque all. Evil lurks around every corner as well as within the hearts of men. There are but few who seek to bring Justice to those who would harm others. Among them, a lone figure with the power to cloud the minds of others and the ability to meld with the darkness that sprung him. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!
New York City, 1938
The Shadow could think of better ways to spend his nights. For the last ten minutes, the dark sleuth of the night had been tailing Freddy Gonzo, a smalltime hood and coward. The Shadow had met up with Freddy at the mayor’s office, where he had foiled an attempt to steal evidence linking Mayor LaGuardia with the Big Boss, New York’s most famous crime lord. Freddy had been scared silly and was now unwittingly leading the Shadow straight to his employer.
It wasn’t easy keeping up with the crook. While Freddy could dodge down alleys, the Shadow was forced to leap along the rooftops as best he could. It was a good thing Lamont Cranston had picked up more than just mental discipline during his travels in the Far East. His leg muscles would have been screaming otherwise.
“Out of the way, ya damn cat!” hollered Freddy as he stumbled into several trash cans to avoid a stray. One thing was for sure: a blind man could follow Freddy with as much noise as he was making.
The Shadow had no fear of being spotted by the hood. The darkness of the night clung to his body like an invisible blanket, making him completely safe from any prying eyes, including Freddy’s. The only thing he was unable to hide was his own shadow, cast by the wavering moonlight. The old man had warned him of that…
Soon, Freddy reached his destination. The underworld kept its secrets well and the Shadow would have never found this place without Freddy’s help. At almost the exact center of town was the Rimshot Hotel, the apparent home and headquarters of Big Boss. The Shadow watched from a rooftop across the street from the establishment as Freddy entered through the front of the brightly lit building. Sneaking into a dimly lit office was one thing…walking into a building shining like the sun was quite another. The Shadow would have to find another way to follow his prey inside. First, however, he needed to contact one of his agents at the local precinct.
~~~-<>-~~~
“Freddy, you numbskull!”
The insult was followed up with a quick wrap around the head. On the receiving end was the still frightened Freddy Gonzo, shaking in his pinstripe suit and smelling of salty perspiration. The antagonist was none other than the Big Boss himself. Dressed in plaid pants held up by suspenders reaching over his massive shoulders, Big Boss was a visual display of his own name. The man was simply large, weighing at least four hundred pounds. His stature, however, brimmed with self-confidence and authority. There was no doubt that among all the men gathered in the room, he was the one in charge.
“Ya didn’t get the permits like I told ya!” Big Boss said.
“I couldn’t, Boss! The Shadow was--”
“Don’t gimme those crap excuses,” the large man said, cutting him off. “There ain’t no Shadow! Where’s Mikey? And Lewis? And Leroy? Hell, did ya lose everyone tonight?”
“I done told you, Boss. The Shadow showed up before we could--”
Another slap to the head shut up Freddy this time. The smalltime gangster flinched in minor pain, slouching back to join the rest of his associates, lest he take a third smack.
Big Boss turned around in disgust, dropping the thick book that was in his hand. Despite his lazy dialogue, Big Boss was one of the most cultured men Freddy had ever known. He reasoned that was what made him a step above himself. Freddy had never even heard of “War and Peace,” but he guessed it was something without any pictures.
“Those permits link me to the mayor,” said Big Boss. “He sold me that property down by the docks so that I wouldn’t have to haul my imports the whole way across town, risking the attention. I can’t believe ya screwed this up. All I told ya to do was get into the office, mess it up a bit, and make off with the permits. Ya good for nothing…”
No one else in the room made an effort to defend Freddy. They all knew the consequences of going against Big Boss. Several of their former comrades now lay at the bottom of the Hudson, secured to the depths by large weights fashioned from cement. There were seven other people lining the edges of the room beside Freddy and Big Boss, all of them trying to make it seem like their attention was drawn more to the fichus than to the squabble before them. Several other men in pinstripe suits like Freddy’s averted their eyes while a few girls who had been brought in for entertainment simply sighed.
“The mayor may be getting kickbacks from doing business with me, but that don’t mean I can trust the snob!” he yelled, waving his arms slightly. “He could decide to bring down New York’s biggest crime boss so he can bolster his own image with the voters! All he has to do is change up those permits a little bit and it will look like I’ve been extorting him!”
None of the lackeys offered up any suggestions. They all knew better than to make a comment when their employer was this upset. Once he vented his frustrations he would come up with a logical solution to their problem – he always did.
A slight breeze moved through the expansive room, causing the plants to gently sway and the gaudy chandelier to jingle. They were all gathered in the living room of the penthouse suite, many stories above the street. Since the Big Boss owned the hotel they could be in any room they wanted, but the large gangster had filled this one with art and decoration in an attempt to bring a bit of class to his crew. He spent most of his time here, sending out orders to his soldiers on the streets.
“If I had a nickel for every time I--”
The lights along the walls all suddenly went out, leaving the large room to only be illuminated by the jewel-encrusted chandelier. Refracted light danced along the high walls and ceiling, occasionally showing the confused faces of people scattered throughout the room. One face in particular, however, was covered in terror.
“No!” Freddy screamed. “It’s him again! He’s coming here to get me!”
“Shut up, ya idiot!” ordered Big Boss. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had strong doubts that anything having to do with this Shadow character was true. Rumors had been swirling among his troops, but he knew better than to encourage any superstitious garbage. Criminals were cowardly enough as it was. “It’s just a fuse or something. Eddie! Call the boys downstairs and have them take a look.”
A man with a thickly greased mustache made his way to a telephone mounted to the wall and picked up the receiver. After clicking the cradle several times, Eddie looked back at the large man with a look of confusion on his face.
“Phone is out, Boss. Ain’t nothing there.”
“Well, get your skinny ass down there yourself and take a look!” Big Boss shouted, his patience beginning to wear thin.
No sooner had Big Boss finished his sentence than a large snap! sounded through the room. It had come from somewhere above them…but before anyone could tilt their necks back to see what had caused the sudden noise the chandelier came crashing down in the center of the room. Everyone, even Big Boss, jumped in utter surprise from the resulting explosion of glass and wires.
The room was totally dark now. A decent amount of moonlight shone through the windows, but it barely allowed anyone to see a hand in front of their face. Freddy Gonzo had fallen to his knees, arms covering his scalp in a feeble attempt to shield himself from the flying bits of chandelier.
Then…the laughter started…
It was both deep and high-pitched, berating them all with queer cackles. Somehow, it echoed all around them, foiling any attempt to pinpoint the source. It was the same laughter that Freddy had heard at the mayor’s office barely an hour ago.
“Oh, God…” Freddy whimpered. “It is him! It’s the Shadow! He’s gonna kill me!”
“Condolences are in order, Freddy. You led me right to him,” the dark voice said, reverberating off the walls in an eerie manner. “The self-appointed lord of the underworld! The Big Boss himself. Your crimes are greater than most others. I know what sins lie in your past and tonight you pay for them.”
“Parlor tricks!” Big Boss scoffed. “Where are ya hiding? How many guys you got with ya? Eh? Someone downstairs to cut the power?”
“I’m all around you, Francis. I exist wherever the light refuses to shine. I have no need to enlist others. I am here alone, but you’ll find I am more than is necessary to bring you crashing down!”
“H-how…how did you know my real name? Nobody knows that!”
The insidious laughter began once again, subsiding only so the strange voice could utter a few more words. “The Shadow knows!”
“Find this guy and take him down, boys!” ordered Big Boss. He wasn’t sure who this guy really was, but he did know one thing: he couldn’t be bullet proof. “Search the whole damn building if ya have to!”
The unmistakable noise of handguns being cocked and loaded chirped from where the other gangsters were standing. The laughter continued to roar, but it was different now…somehow it seemed more focused.
Shots rang out from the center of the room but they weren’t from the Big Boss’ henchmen. Light flashed from the muzzles of twin 45 caliber pistols, both of which were pointed at the goons lining the walls. The quick stabs of light briefly showed the man holding the weapons, standing just in front of the chandelier, as he squeezed both triggers again and again.
Big Boss had never seen anything like it…the muzzle-flash didn’t so much reveal the shooter as it did unveil him. In truth, the light seemed almost…afraid of the man. The blams! from the assault matched his maniacal laughter that still coursed through the large room.
The women ran and the lackeys all slumped to the floor, motionless. Blood began to pool under each of them, seeping out of the various holes that now permeated their bodies. The barrage stopped and the gunman’s laughter had finally begun to die down. His cloak flowed behind him in the soft breeze still moving around the room, now tainted with the smell of death. In the dim light, Big Boss could see his face was mostly covered with a scarf as crimson as the blood now seeping into his expensive shag carpet.
“You ain’t taking me!” bellowed Freddy from behind the man dressed in black. Freddy held aloft a thin podium that had previously held up one of the many statues in the room, swinging it with deadly intent. He charged the man and swung his impromptu weapon, but was blocked by the dark man’s left arm at just the right spot. The two stood there, struggling against each other.
“But I already have you, Freddy…” the man murmured, just barely loud enough for Big Boss to hear.
Freddy felt something pressing against his stomach and looked down to see the other pistol still in the man’s hand, now buried in his gut. In the time span of a single heartbeat he pulled the trigger; the flash suppressed this time by Freddy’s own body.
“Who…who are you?” Big Boss asked. He was in a state of shock after seeing this strange apparition tear through his men…like a demon of some sort.
“I’m the one who knows all about your dealings with the mayor,” the dark man answered as Freddy dropped to the floor. He turned to face the large Italian, a hint of superiority in his movements. “You’re going to pay for your crimes, Francis. Justice has found you and I am her messenger!”
“I ain’t afraid of you!” Big Boss fingered the trigger of the Thompson submachine gun resting behind him. No one made threats like that against him and walked away to tell the tail. Another second and he would get the drop on this intruder.
“You should be…” the man chuckled. His wide-brimmed hat kept most of his face hidden but the rest of his body somehow stood out in the darkness, even though he was apparently dressed in black.
With practiced motions, the intruder slid his pistols under the folds of his cape. Big Boss mentally smiled to himself, preparing for the perfect opportunity to pump this man’s body full of lead.
“Betting on that Tommy Gun to stop me?” the man asked in his raspy voice. “Don’t look so surprised. I already told you, Francis…I’m all around you. I know everything about you.”
“Wha…j-just die! I’ll kill ya! Go to hell, you psycho!”
Big Boss slid the weapon off the table behind him and began spraying the room with bullets before the tip was even pointed at the man.
Amazingly, every single bullet missed. The man flung his cape up quickly and dodged to the side, avoiding the streaking ammunition. Faster than Big Boss could follow, the man appeared in front of him and grabbed the gun in his hands, yanking down on it hard. The submachine gun ripped out of his hands and out of his control. With another swift movement, the dark man shoved the butt of the stalk into Big Boss’ throat, causing him to stumble back, gasping for air.
“Out of the millions of people coming through this city everyday,” he began, dropping the bulky gun to the floor, “you twist and contort that which is good more than most. Convicted killers would blush at the acts you’ve committed! But don’t worry, Francis. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to spare your life. You’re going to prison for a long, long time. Everyday for the rest of your life, I want you to remember that I let you live and that I am in complete control of your life. I can come for you whenever I choose, regardless of where you are. That means I know own you, Francis. How does it feel? What do you think about not being in control of your own life?”
Big Boss couldn’t speak; his throat was closing up from the brutal hit it had received. He could only manage to gasp in an effort to suck in the precious air around him.
The man known as the Shadow walked forward and grabbed Big Boss’ suspenders. With a decent amount of effort, he managed to raise the large man’s face to meet his own. “Know this, Francis Turiano,” he said through the red sash around the bottom half of his face. “I will come for you. One day. You will live in fear of the next time you see me. Until that day I want you to lay awake at night, wondering and waiting. Just like those whose lives you have ruined with your greed, you will feel as if your life has been forfeit.”
The Shadow released him, allowing Big Boss to slump down onto his knees. The pain in his throat was dissipating and it was beginning to get easier to breathe. How could this have happened? How could he have been humbled by a man half his size? He was the Big Boss of New York…at least he had been…what was he going to do now?
“As easily as I cloud your mind I can already feel your fear,” the Shadow said.
The light seeping in through the windows waned for just a moment, but it was all the Shadow needed to disappear. Big Boss opened his eyes as wide as he could, but to no avail…the Shadow was nowhere to be seen. Then, the laughter started once again. Echoing off of the walls, it terrified him to the core of his very soul. Truly, this man that had broken him was so much more than a mere human…
Sudden pain rushed through his nerve-endings once more; a well placed chop to the back of his neck knocking him unconscious. The scene the Shadow left behind him as he moved back out the window he had easily entered through was one of total chaos. When the police arrived shortly to carry away the crime lord they would be confused as to what exactly had happened. There was already no trace of the Shadow left behind in the room…save for his insidious laughter still echoing off of the walls.
~~~-<>-~~~
“Mr. Mayor!” a random reporter yelled from the crowd. “Mr. Mayor! What of the accusations Big Boss Francis Turiano made against you this morning during his arraignment?”
Mayor LaGuardia scrunched his face slightly. The gathered men and women before him were all clamoring for his attention and it was getting more than a little annoying. It was barely passed nine in the morning and already he felt worn. It was going to be a long day.
“Those false accusations you speak of are just the ramblings of a well-known crime figure trying to cop a plea,” the mayor said, his voice booming over the crowd. From his perch atop the highest step leading into the courthouse he had no need of special equipment to enhance his voice. “The Big Boss of New York has been brought down and this city’s citizens can sleep soundly tonight.”
From behind the large crowd of reporters stood a lone man, impeccably dressed, as he was known to be. He smirked at the mayor’s comments, slightly amused as his assistant ushered the reporters away and escorted the mayor back into the courthouse. He knew of the connection that the mayor was trying to avoid.
“Excuse me, aren’t you Lamont Cranston?” a soft, feminine voice said from beside him.
Lamont turned, slightly surprised to see she had gotten so close to him without him being aware. Normally he would have sensed a person getting so close.
“Yes,” he replied. “Guilty as charged. What can I do for you, Miss…?”
“Lane,” she said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled. “My name is Margot Lane.”
~~~-<>-~~~
Casefiles & Comments
In researching the character, I decided to set this Shadow series in 1938. I just wanted to point out that LaGuardia is the actual name of the real mayor of New York City during that time. It was rumored that Mayor LaGuardia had some connection to known criminals, but I’m unaware that anything was ever proven. This being fiction, I thought I would have some fun with it.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to point out that my version of the Shadow is going to be slightly different from the famous radio and movie versions. The characters in my series are more like tributes to their original versions. You’ll see what I mean when I delve a little deeper into Margot Lane in the near future.
The Shadow could think of better ways to spend his nights. For the last ten minutes, the dark sleuth of the night had been tailing Freddy Gonzo, a smalltime hood and coward. The Shadow had met up with Freddy at the mayor’s office, where he had foiled an attempt to steal evidence linking Mayor LaGuardia with the Big Boss, New York’s most famous crime lord. Freddy had been scared silly and was now unwittingly leading the Shadow straight to his employer.
It wasn’t easy keeping up with the crook. While Freddy could dodge down alleys, the Shadow was forced to leap along the rooftops as best he could. It was a good thing Lamont Cranston had picked up more than just mental discipline during his travels in the Far East. His leg muscles would have been screaming otherwise.
“Out of the way, ya damn cat!” hollered Freddy as he stumbled into several trash cans to avoid a stray. One thing was for sure: a blind man could follow Freddy with as much noise as he was making.
The Shadow had no fear of being spotted by the hood. The darkness of the night clung to his body like an invisible blanket, making him completely safe from any prying eyes, including Freddy’s. The only thing he was unable to hide was his own shadow, cast by the wavering moonlight. The old man had warned him of that…
Soon, Freddy reached his destination. The underworld kept its secrets well and the Shadow would have never found this place without Freddy’s help. At almost the exact center of town was the Rimshot Hotel, the apparent home and headquarters of Big Boss. The Shadow watched from a rooftop across the street from the establishment as Freddy entered through the front of the brightly lit building. Sneaking into a dimly lit office was one thing…walking into a building shining like the sun was quite another. The Shadow would have to find another way to follow his prey inside. First, however, he needed to contact one of his agents at the local precinct.
~~~-<>-~~~
“Freddy, you numbskull!”
The insult was followed up with a quick wrap around the head. On the receiving end was the still frightened Freddy Gonzo, shaking in his pinstripe suit and smelling of salty perspiration. The antagonist was none other than the Big Boss himself. Dressed in plaid pants held up by suspenders reaching over his massive shoulders, Big Boss was a visual display of his own name. The man was simply large, weighing at least four hundred pounds. His stature, however, brimmed with self-confidence and authority. There was no doubt that among all the men gathered in the room, he was the one in charge.
“Ya didn’t get the permits like I told ya!” Big Boss said.
“I couldn’t, Boss! The Shadow was--”
“Don’t gimme those crap excuses,” the large man said, cutting him off. “There ain’t no Shadow! Where’s Mikey? And Lewis? And Leroy? Hell, did ya lose everyone tonight?”
“I done told you, Boss. The Shadow showed up before we could--”
Another slap to the head shut up Freddy this time. The smalltime gangster flinched in minor pain, slouching back to join the rest of his associates, lest he take a third smack.
Big Boss turned around in disgust, dropping the thick book that was in his hand. Despite his lazy dialogue, Big Boss was one of the most cultured men Freddy had ever known. He reasoned that was what made him a step above himself. Freddy had never even heard of “War and Peace,” but he guessed it was something without any pictures.
“Those permits link me to the mayor,” said Big Boss. “He sold me that property down by the docks so that I wouldn’t have to haul my imports the whole way across town, risking the attention. I can’t believe ya screwed this up. All I told ya to do was get into the office, mess it up a bit, and make off with the permits. Ya good for nothing…”
No one else in the room made an effort to defend Freddy. They all knew the consequences of going against Big Boss. Several of their former comrades now lay at the bottom of the Hudson, secured to the depths by large weights fashioned from cement. There were seven other people lining the edges of the room beside Freddy and Big Boss, all of them trying to make it seem like their attention was drawn more to the fichus than to the squabble before them. Several other men in pinstripe suits like Freddy’s averted their eyes while a few girls who had been brought in for entertainment simply sighed.
“The mayor may be getting kickbacks from doing business with me, but that don’t mean I can trust the snob!” he yelled, waving his arms slightly. “He could decide to bring down New York’s biggest crime boss so he can bolster his own image with the voters! All he has to do is change up those permits a little bit and it will look like I’ve been extorting him!”
None of the lackeys offered up any suggestions. They all knew better than to make a comment when their employer was this upset. Once he vented his frustrations he would come up with a logical solution to their problem – he always did.
A slight breeze moved through the expansive room, causing the plants to gently sway and the gaudy chandelier to jingle. They were all gathered in the living room of the penthouse suite, many stories above the street. Since the Big Boss owned the hotel they could be in any room they wanted, but the large gangster had filled this one with art and decoration in an attempt to bring a bit of class to his crew. He spent most of his time here, sending out orders to his soldiers on the streets.
“If I had a nickel for every time I--”
The lights along the walls all suddenly went out, leaving the large room to only be illuminated by the jewel-encrusted chandelier. Refracted light danced along the high walls and ceiling, occasionally showing the confused faces of people scattered throughout the room. One face in particular, however, was covered in terror.
“No!” Freddy screamed. “It’s him again! He’s coming here to get me!”
“Shut up, ya idiot!” ordered Big Boss. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had strong doubts that anything having to do with this Shadow character was true. Rumors had been swirling among his troops, but he knew better than to encourage any superstitious garbage. Criminals were cowardly enough as it was. “It’s just a fuse or something. Eddie! Call the boys downstairs and have them take a look.”
A man with a thickly greased mustache made his way to a telephone mounted to the wall and picked up the receiver. After clicking the cradle several times, Eddie looked back at the large man with a look of confusion on his face.
“Phone is out, Boss. Ain’t nothing there.”
“Well, get your skinny ass down there yourself and take a look!” Big Boss shouted, his patience beginning to wear thin.
No sooner had Big Boss finished his sentence than a large snap! sounded through the room. It had come from somewhere above them…but before anyone could tilt their necks back to see what had caused the sudden noise the chandelier came crashing down in the center of the room. Everyone, even Big Boss, jumped in utter surprise from the resulting explosion of glass and wires.
The room was totally dark now. A decent amount of moonlight shone through the windows, but it barely allowed anyone to see a hand in front of their face. Freddy Gonzo had fallen to his knees, arms covering his scalp in a feeble attempt to shield himself from the flying bits of chandelier.
Then…the laughter started…
It was both deep and high-pitched, berating them all with queer cackles. Somehow, it echoed all around them, foiling any attempt to pinpoint the source. It was the same laughter that Freddy had heard at the mayor’s office barely an hour ago.
“Oh, God…” Freddy whimpered. “It is him! It’s the Shadow! He’s gonna kill me!”
“Condolences are in order, Freddy. You led me right to him,” the dark voice said, reverberating off the walls in an eerie manner. “The self-appointed lord of the underworld! The Big Boss himself. Your crimes are greater than most others. I know what sins lie in your past and tonight you pay for them.”
“Parlor tricks!” Big Boss scoffed. “Where are ya hiding? How many guys you got with ya? Eh? Someone downstairs to cut the power?”
“I’m all around you, Francis. I exist wherever the light refuses to shine. I have no need to enlist others. I am here alone, but you’ll find I am more than is necessary to bring you crashing down!”
“H-how…how did you know my real name? Nobody knows that!”
The insidious laughter began once again, subsiding only so the strange voice could utter a few more words. “The Shadow knows!”
“Find this guy and take him down, boys!” ordered Big Boss. He wasn’t sure who this guy really was, but he did know one thing: he couldn’t be bullet proof. “Search the whole damn building if ya have to!”
The unmistakable noise of handguns being cocked and loaded chirped from where the other gangsters were standing. The laughter continued to roar, but it was different now…somehow it seemed more focused.
Shots rang out from the center of the room but they weren’t from the Big Boss’ henchmen. Light flashed from the muzzles of twin 45 caliber pistols, both of which were pointed at the goons lining the walls. The quick stabs of light briefly showed the man holding the weapons, standing just in front of the chandelier, as he squeezed both triggers again and again.
Big Boss had never seen anything like it…the muzzle-flash didn’t so much reveal the shooter as it did unveil him. In truth, the light seemed almost…afraid of the man. The blams! from the assault matched his maniacal laughter that still coursed through the large room.
The women ran and the lackeys all slumped to the floor, motionless. Blood began to pool under each of them, seeping out of the various holes that now permeated their bodies. The barrage stopped and the gunman’s laughter had finally begun to die down. His cloak flowed behind him in the soft breeze still moving around the room, now tainted with the smell of death. In the dim light, Big Boss could see his face was mostly covered with a scarf as crimson as the blood now seeping into his expensive shag carpet.
“You ain’t taking me!” bellowed Freddy from behind the man dressed in black. Freddy held aloft a thin podium that had previously held up one of the many statues in the room, swinging it with deadly intent. He charged the man and swung his impromptu weapon, but was blocked by the dark man’s left arm at just the right spot. The two stood there, struggling against each other.
“But I already have you, Freddy…” the man murmured, just barely loud enough for Big Boss to hear.
Freddy felt something pressing against his stomach and looked down to see the other pistol still in the man’s hand, now buried in his gut. In the time span of a single heartbeat he pulled the trigger; the flash suppressed this time by Freddy’s own body.
“Who…who are you?” Big Boss asked. He was in a state of shock after seeing this strange apparition tear through his men…like a demon of some sort.
“I’m the one who knows all about your dealings with the mayor,” the dark man answered as Freddy dropped to the floor. He turned to face the large Italian, a hint of superiority in his movements. “You’re going to pay for your crimes, Francis. Justice has found you and I am her messenger!”
“I ain’t afraid of you!” Big Boss fingered the trigger of the Thompson submachine gun resting behind him. No one made threats like that against him and walked away to tell the tail. Another second and he would get the drop on this intruder.
“You should be…” the man chuckled. His wide-brimmed hat kept most of his face hidden but the rest of his body somehow stood out in the darkness, even though he was apparently dressed in black.
With practiced motions, the intruder slid his pistols under the folds of his cape. Big Boss mentally smiled to himself, preparing for the perfect opportunity to pump this man’s body full of lead.
“Betting on that Tommy Gun to stop me?” the man asked in his raspy voice. “Don’t look so surprised. I already told you, Francis…I’m all around you. I know everything about you.”
“Wha…j-just die! I’ll kill ya! Go to hell, you psycho!”
Big Boss slid the weapon off the table behind him and began spraying the room with bullets before the tip was even pointed at the man.
Amazingly, every single bullet missed. The man flung his cape up quickly and dodged to the side, avoiding the streaking ammunition. Faster than Big Boss could follow, the man appeared in front of him and grabbed the gun in his hands, yanking down on it hard. The submachine gun ripped out of his hands and out of his control. With another swift movement, the dark man shoved the butt of the stalk into Big Boss’ throat, causing him to stumble back, gasping for air.
“Out of the millions of people coming through this city everyday,” he began, dropping the bulky gun to the floor, “you twist and contort that which is good more than most. Convicted killers would blush at the acts you’ve committed! But don’t worry, Francis. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to spare your life. You’re going to prison for a long, long time. Everyday for the rest of your life, I want you to remember that I let you live and that I am in complete control of your life. I can come for you whenever I choose, regardless of where you are. That means I know own you, Francis. How does it feel? What do you think about not being in control of your own life?”
Big Boss couldn’t speak; his throat was closing up from the brutal hit it had received. He could only manage to gasp in an effort to suck in the precious air around him.
The man known as the Shadow walked forward and grabbed Big Boss’ suspenders. With a decent amount of effort, he managed to raise the large man’s face to meet his own. “Know this, Francis Turiano,” he said through the red sash around the bottom half of his face. “I will come for you. One day. You will live in fear of the next time you see me. Until that day I want you to lay awake at night, wondering and waiting. Just like those whose lives you have ruined with your greed, you will feel as if your life has been forfeit.”
The Shadow released him, allowing Big Boss to slump down onto his knees. The pain in his throat was dissipating and it was beginning to get easier to breathe. How could this have happened? How could he have been humbled by a man half his size? He was the Big Boss of New York…at least he had been…what was he going to do now?
“As easily as I cloud your mind I can already feel your fear,” the Shadow said.
The light seeping in through the windows waned for just a moment, but it was all the Shadow needed to disappear. Big Boss opened his eyes as wide as he could, but to no avail…the Shadow was nowhere to be seen. Then, the laughter started once again. Echoing off of the walls, it terrified him to the core of his very soul. Truly, this man that had broken him was so much more than a mere human…
Sudden pain rushed through his nerve-endings once more; a well placed chop to the back of his neck knocking him unconscious. The scene the Shadow left behind him as he moved back out the window he had easily entered through was one of total chaos. When the police arrived shortly to carry away the crime lord they would be confused as to what exactly had happened. There was already no trace of the Shadow left behind in the room…save for his insidious laughter still echoing off of the walls.
~~~-<>-~~~
“Mr. Mayor!” a random reporter yelled from the crowd. “Mr. Mayor! What of the accusations Big Boss Francis Turiano made against you this morning during his arraignment?”
Mayor LaGuardia scrunched his face slightly. The gathered men and women before him were all clamoring for his attention and it was getting more than a little annoying. It was barely passed nine in the morning and already he felt worn. It was going to be a long day.
“Those false accusations you speak of are just the ramblings of a well-known crime figure trying to cop a plea,” the mayor said, his voice booming over the crowd. From his perch atop the highest step leading into the courthouse he had no need of special equipment to enhance his voice. “The Big Boss of New York has been brought down and this city’s citizens can sleep soundly tonight.”
From behind the large crowd of reporters stood a lone man, impeccably dressed, as he was known to be. He smirked at the mayor’s comments, slightly amused as his assistant ushered the reporters away and escorted the mayor back into the courthouse. He knew of the connection that the mayor was trying to avoid.
“Excuse me, aren’t you Lamont Cranston?” a soft, feminine voice said from beside him.
Lamont turned, slightly surprised to see she had gotten so close to him without him being aware. Normally he would have sensed a person getting so close.
“Yes,” he replied. “Guilty as charged. What can I do for you, Miss…?”
“Lane,” she said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled. “My name is Margot Lane.”
~~~-<>-~~~
Casefiles & Comments
In researching the character, I decided to set this Shadow series in 1938. I just wanted to point out that LaGuardia is the actual name of the real mayor of New York City during that time. It was rumored that Mayor LaGuardia had some connection to known criminals, but I’m unaware that anything was ever proven. This being fiction, I thought I would have some fun with it.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to point out that my version of the Shadow is going to be slightly different from the famous radio and movie versions. The characters in my series are more like tributes to their original versions. You’ll see what I mean when I delve a little deeper into Margot Lane in the near future.