Chapter 2: Don't Feed the Animals

Venere looked up at the voice and started going for his massive cannon like weapon. Urthus had to get up to prevent a meltdown if disastrous proportions, arms up in a calming gesture. "Whoa whoa! Calm down. Asta kara! Asta kara! Friendlies here. Asatusa."

"Mind telling me who the cannon face is Frank." Marcus said in his demonic voice. Not wanting to let his guard down.

Urthus tried to speak before Venere spoke up. "Yensera dunketra mastaferu!" Urthus shouted back at him until he lowered his gun. "He's Venere, he's from my planet. It's along story, please relax before he starts shooting. His gun is designed to take down building sized creatures, I'd rather it not go off in here."

A nod was the only acknowledgement Murphy gave. Arriving outside the door to the Specialist's quarters, he rapped his knuckles on the door twice for the sake of being polite, before waving his palm--and by extension his sub-dermal access chip--over the scanner by the door, unlocking it. "Ms. Conner?" he called as he opened the door slowly so as to avoid any awkward....moments. Her office was more than an office, large enough to serve as both her workstation and her living quarters, with facilities to match. Which was why one time, he had accidentally walked in on a naked Kat coming out of her shower.

The end result had been him nearly losing an eye as she threw a particularly well aimed toothbrush at him.

That said, Kat was still at her desk, the station protruding from the wall with the back of her monitor facing the door. Small personal items cluttered the desk's surface, and off to the side of the room was her bed. Or, where her bed used to be; since the addition of her roomate, she had gained a bunkmate, so she now had a bunkbed.Looking up from her monitor, she gave a faint smile and said "Ryan, stopping by for another peek?" It had become a small joke for her. A near death experience for the highly trained operative on the other hand, and he gave a half-hearted smile. "Not today Kat, here so you can bring our foreign expert up to speed on Shadow."

"Nice to meet you Kat. If you could I would like to know about Shadows movements and activity's if that's alright." Gray would ask politely. He may have been rude to the solider but he had to be at least nice to the person that was going to help him.

"Heh. I could still kill him after he shot it." Marcus would say as he allowed his shadow to go away. "Nice to meet you Venere, where did Frank catch you from."

Venere looked to Urthus who translated, and Venere spouted something off in Asadan which Urthus then replied. "Depths of hell, he says." Both Venere and Urthus smiled at the reference to the Void.

"Oh, so this is the Australian," Kat said as she got up from her chair. She let Stella continue.....being Stella, clacking away at her computer. "Don't mind Stella, my assistant isn't the social type," Kat said as she held her hand out to shake. "So, you're the one hunting Shadow? Alright then."

"I ain't hunting him anymore. Or at least I hope not too. The kid was dangerous, mentally and physically. I'm just here to retrieve as much information and share some of our own from his time as Jack the ripper." Gray said as he gave a brief look at Stella before shaking hands with Kat and finding a seat of our own. "So why are you the smart vigilante person?" Gray would ask as he looked around.

"Not what I asked but right. Any of you seen Bella lately?" Marcus would ask as he looked at Franks new friend. His trust for the new being was little.

"Because I'm the smartest person on the base," Kat said with a smirk. "No, not exactly that; I'm smart don't get me wrong, but I have my reasons. None of which I'm gonna share though." She kept standing, close by her desk. Murphy kept to the door, though she noted his fingers twitched on his gun hand; he was either nervous, or ready to jump in if things went south. She doubted they would though.

"From what we can gather, Shadow is able to manipulate darkness, though that's an oversimplified explanation. If we had more time and equipment, we could actually monitor the area he uses them in, and test some theories."

"We did that too. Our test showed that if theirs a speck of it. He can grab and expand it. Not too much but enough to create a small dagger. He usually grabs at it from his own shadow and clothes. And the snakes.. I don't know what to make of those. They could crush metal plates." Gray would explain as he cracked his fingers. "I could also explain what he called his biology but to many it would sound like insanity."

"Well however it works, it seems to defy our laws of physics, at least how we understand them," Kat said slowly. "Our best guesses are still just theories, and even then they're probably false. One of our guesses is that he can manipulate darkness through......well, quite literally, dark energy." In other words, the theoretical and as of yet still unproven energy of the Universe, the power of nothing. The force that drove the expansion of the universe itself, perpetually. "That or he can generate particles of some unknown matter he can control. Light though seems to be a major weakness for him, as he operates in a limited capacity in the daytime. And when it gets bright, outside or indoors, his powers seem to be diminished."

"Huh. That sounds like what what he explained. 'I am a demon, a revanant. An undead ghoul come back to haunt this world thanks to a unfortunate demon of darkness. Fear me.'" Gray would repeat the words he had heard from the boy's demonic tone all that time ago. "And yes with the light, it does weaken him yet still during daylight he seems to operate without problems. Ultraviolet light has a different story. Steam in the color black was produced from his body when we tested it on him and sent him into a frenzy. Causing the death off five and that wasn't even him trying to escape. Another notion was that he use to.. talk to himself. Like their were three people in the room. Sometimes we even heard a demonic voice of the likes we never heard him speak. Could be a possible split in his personality." Gray explained as he tapped his foot. This talk of the kid was starting to get to him. "I heard a group had him under captivity for a short while which didn't succeed."

Zeru silently watched the minor incident still eating his food before speaking to urthus"i said it before and will say it again as long as this place isn't destroyed he's welcome to stay here"

"You and me both, Z. And no, I haven't seen Bella. Probably went for a walk or something, I think she still does that, right?" Venere leaned in to talk to Urthus, whispering even though it didn't really matter since they weren't speaking English. "What is that human?" "I think he's like Zeru, different in a way. Got some abilities your average one doesn't." "This species gets more confusing all the time." "You have no idea."

"Well, barring demonic stuff--which for the record, I personally call bullshit on--we've been working under the same hypothesis that his powers can be reduced or crippled by ultraviolet light. Normal levels like sunlight don't seem to do it, so we've been working on ways to create high-intensity UV emitters." She kicked turned to Stella and said "Stella, you've got the files for the UV-Project, right? Think you can open it on the wall?"

The 'wall' the desk was built against wasn't just a plate of metal; instead a portion of it (about 110 inches) was a giant flat screen monitor that worked for when Kat needed her own personal whiteboard, practice presentations........or more frequently, watch her favorite anime on a giant high definition screen.

Stella pressed a few buttons, and the wall binked to life for Kat.

"Thank you Stella," Kat said, turning to the screen. "We've got some ideas on how to mount high-intensity UV emitters to any weapons used by agents sent after him. Problem though is that we have no idea if it'd work. And that would be to subdue him, we don't have a means--yet--of keeping him restrained or contained for transport and housing."

"Unless we put him in a UV room of course...if that's even feasible."

"A UV room?" Murphy said. Kat explained "Basically, a box you can transport on a large enough truck, that you can cram the subject into; battery pack on the side used during transport powers UV lamps on the interior. Problem is......we don't know if long term exposure will kill him or not. To regular humans, UV light is bad since....well, you already know. Skin cancer, immune system suppression, etc. For someone whose own powers can be crippled by it, we're not sure what effect it may have on their own body or health. It could kill them faster than it would us."

Stella bit her lip. "Unless we dumped a lot of sunscreen on him." She joked.

Both Kat and Murphy snorted at the comment. "Even then, there's the issue of feeding them, taking care of basic needs like toiletry. Unless you and the rest of Odin are considering to deny them basic human rights?" she asked, rather accusingly, of Murphy. He didn't bat an eye as he said "Not up to Odin really, what happens to them. That's for our guest to decide."

Stella turned back to her computer, and again fell silent.

"Well he has that.. form. Where he becomes nothing but a shadow and simply passes though things like a ghost. And while the demonic part sounds like an insanity plea... The things he did where things not even the hardcore serial killers would do. To me he was truly demonic." Gray would say as old memory's would resurface. But then talk of proper containment with a UV box was about.

"I wish that would work but as I said. You flash him that shit hurts and he goes into a frenzy... Why bother trying to contain him now when he's saving people? I know he murdered at least a few dozens of people but now he's dealt with the likes of those normal police couldn't along with his fellow Vigilante.. Don't the comics call those hero's." Gray would sort of joke about but it was a thing he wondered. First hearings of the vigilante Revanant. he questioned that a vig killed for the greater good or what they thought was the greater good when this kid simply knocked them out.

Now shadow was at it as well, first they heard he did kill but ever so slowly he started using safer methods... "Hmm." Gray would begin to think of something that could help the group.

"Well, you're still here to determine if it is him at all," Murphy clarified. "And as for us, our job is to create a proper form of containment, for two reasons: one, in the event he is who you think he is. Two, even if he is helping, we need to make sure we can combat and subdue him." Shrugging, Kat then said "Even if it sends him into a frenzy, that it can hurt him is a......good sign, I suppose."





Back at Chris' house, the first thing James did......was, well shack up in his room. The talk with the therapist did what he just knew it would: get him thinking. Introspectively at that. He lay in bed, boring a hole through the ceiling with an introspective gaze as his phone sat on his chest, headphones plugged into his ears and the music playing. The stuff he had talked to the therapist about.....the nightmares, the flashbacks, the guilt. It wasn't all just him trying to spoon-feed the guy what he was no doubt used to hearing. They were real.

Raising his right arm, he stared softly at the mechanical limb. Twisting and turning, he just looked at what becoming a hero had cost him, and that wasn't even on the first day of it. Since then......more organ damage, tissue damage, bone damage. And all of it had to be replaced with nanites replacing what was lost. Before this was all over, how much of him would remain?

"I was here to confirm and if so help any way I can. Tell me Kat what do you think of his relationship with the other Vigilante Revanant?" Gray would ask as he went to start picking at his nails. "Any chance I could get a smoke?"

Marcus would allow his mask to return to his skin before looking for a seat of his own. "So really. What happened to get you two to meet. Just a simple portal and nothing else. All cheers and welcomes?" Marcus would ask, still curious about Franks new friend.

"Well, we don't know much about their relationship," Kat said. "But based on past intel we gathered.....I'd put it at strained. Revenant seems, despite brash, more willing to take into account collateral damage, so they have at times tried to avoid it. Less confrontational with the police. Shadow on the other hand, has displayed a loose cannon quality and lack of restraint."

Still waiting to see if Lauren would call him, James kept flat on the bed. He knew Michael and Chris were busy decorating the house for the holidays. Maybe I should help, he thought to himself. Not just a guest here. And I love Christmas. Every year, it'd always be...... His thoughts stopped cold then. It had always been him and Kat, every Christmas. Just the two of them since their mom died. They'd always have parties with Michael and Chris but in the end.....it always ended the same way: back home, just the two of them watching a classic, black and white Christmas movie with a hot mug of cocoa. Cliched sure but......it worked for them. It was their norm.

How does it go now....without her? he asked himself.

"Sounds like him. Back then he always did strange things. One time he protected this one woman for a whole day before ripping her to shreds. To say loose cannon is right, he's was also unpredictable in his actions. He had a chance to kill me but laughed and said I was too much fun to die before leaving. That was the last we saw of him before he went off the radar for a few years and reappeared here." Gray would say as he thought about his one idea. "You know. We could start a conflict between this Shadow and Revanant. Use Shadow's past.. I don't know how but if this Vigilante knew he was working with a mass murderer. What would he think. He would maybe think can I really trust this man?"

Urthus coughed a bit. "Well, that big explosion of nausea a few days ago? Yeah that was him arriving. The Void just sort of decided to spit him out and I don't know why. Haven't really had much time to work on anything so I don't even have a theory as to why. But, suffice it to say I'm sure it wrecked some stuff up throughout the city."

"Oh. So he was the thing that made me almost vomit.. Well thanks for that. Anything happen after or did you two just talk and come back here?" Marcus would ask just as he remembered he had to do something involving Bella. Arr I'll be real quick. Was all he thought while he waited for a reply.

"Got taken in with some agency thing in the background of the country I guess. Asked a bit about you and that Revenant person. Told them what I knew and they gave me this little tracker in case they wanted to talk to me more. Nice people, strange for humans though."

"Wait. Agency asking about me and Rev? You didn't say that I lived here Right?" Marcus stood up and the shadows around him started to play up a little. This was bad. This was bad indeed.

"Well, now that I think about it, I don't think they asked about you. Mostly just Revenant. Why?" Urthus was confused. Why would Marcus be upset over someone knowing where they lived? If anyone tried to attack them the group would more than likely be able to handle them.

Zeru was relaxing until he heard the tracker remark and stood up fast."you never mentioned this till now urthus so why didn't you let me know about it"he asked

Urthus shrugged, which got him a weird look from Venere (it was a very...awkward gesture to make in public on Asadan) and looked at Zeru. "It was such a minor thing, I honestly forgot about it until now."

"yeah well i'm worried that even tho i believe this place is secure and they can't track him here that as soon as he would leave they'd notice the discrepancy and come knocking and don't think anyone here wants that"

"Well so what? They didn't do anything, just wanted to ask questions. Besides, all they had were guns, we've got how many things better than simple guns?" Urthus asked, still completely relaxed about the whole thing, though Marcus' shadows were putting Venere on edge again.

"yeah well i'm on somewhat neutral terms with government and knowing our luck if they find out we are supers then things might not end so well.

"Do we look like the US Government to you?" Kat asked bluntly. "We're in the job of keeping peace, not pitting sides against each-other." Looking back at the Wall, she got out her own tablet from off the desk and selected her files on Revenant, censoring what needed to be censored before putting it on the wall. "Both of them have the capacity to do some serious collateral damage if they fought. Them fighting is the last thing we need."

It goes on, Gestalt said, without her. You have friends. You're still alive. Don't waste it up here in the room sulking.

Is that what I'm doing?

According to what I've learned so far? Yes.

You can be an asshole sometimes, you know that?

People always say that when they know they're wrong and the 'asshole' is right. Most of the time. Rest of the time it really is just because the person's an asshole.

"Of course not. I'm just saying counter measures. It one way to make them weak.. Depending if it even worked." Gray would say as he looked at the wall some more and sighed. It must be my charm. He would think when recollecting to the past before shaking his head. "Anyway, with the mask, your information and what we've seen so far. This man isn't what we came after, no he's something different. Something I wouldn't want to change. Is their anything else we might be able to discuss before I go? My wife shouldn't really be left alone as of now and I'd like to get back as soon as possible."

"Well Frank you remember how I go out and fight big bad mutants while those PMC's or whatever tend to try and kill me half the time. You guys may have big guns but they got the man power. If this group knew they could simply tell them to bust down the door." Marcus would say in an annoyed tone as he allowed the shadows to seep back to where they belonged. No use getting angry at Alien, this didn't seem like it mattered to him.

"You came with your wife?" Murphy blurted out, which was surprising to Kat; he had always struck her as such a business like man that doing anything out of character or mildly impolite, seemed rare if not unlikely. Speaking over him (and Gray in case of a response) she said "Beyond Shadow and Revenant? Not much. Our concerns have been mostly aimed at the task force set up to apprehend them. It's not that we think there shouldn't be one, don't get me wrong; there's always a need to have one force to keep another in check. But for the most part, Revenant, Shadow, and the few other powered vigilantes in play, haven't presented themselves as a force needing to be dealt with."

Gray listened to Kat while ignoring Murphy's outburst. What she said seemed the case indeed. "Well. We came and from what you've said to what we've seen. Yes we think he was the Jack the ripper of our time with him. Now he's the vig know as Shadow." Gray would stand from his seating and look towards his guard. "Yes. I brought my wife. I was planning on staying to just recon Shadow a little more and after our daughters death. My wife hasn't been the same. Not safe to leave her alone for too long."

"The only thing I'm really worried about is my research. This group showed no interest in conflict, and almost seemed interested in what I was working on. If anything they'd be a help. If you want take the tracker and go talk to them, I'm sure they'll be friendly, so long as you don't eat them with your shadow...things." Urthus countered, raising his eyebrows at the demonic human.

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared regardless"

"Wait.. I can meet with them." Marcus would walk towards Frank with a small smile. "Wheres the tracker, how do I work it? Now please." The final part of his voice got slightly off putting as he etched closer to Frank. This was just starting to get intriguing.

There was suddenly a loud knocking at James' door. At first he didn't hear it with the headphones still in his ear. Then it came again, louder this time and with an accompanying shout of "James, you awake?" from Chris. This time he heard her, mostly because the song had reached a quiet enough moment that her voice cut through the lyrics. Removing the headphones, he raised himself on his elbows and said "Yeah, still awake. What's going on?" His door opened, and the first thing he saw was red.

Or more specifically, a red hat. A Santa hat, worn by Chris. She had ditched the winter coat when they got back home, and wore a gray long-sleeve. He grinned when he saw the hat and said "Gee, I had no idea Mrs. Claus was visiting." Snorting quietly, Chris walked in---though he noticed she did so slowly--and said "Thanks for making me feel old. No presents for you." Sitting up and swinging his legs over, he planted his feet on the floor and said "Hey, coal's always good; can light it up and stay warm in this blizzard."

"So....you're just gonna leave him?" Kat asked. "Not that I'd encourage it, but if he is who you say he is, doesn't he need to stand....I don't know, trial or be called to account for his crimes?"

Urthus gave Marcus an odd stare and handed over the tracker, little more than a button. "From what I understood just push the button and they'll come to you. Though, judging by how they reacted to Venere's arrival on the island, I'd imagine they'd come armed. So, as a favor to me, don't kill them unless you absolutely have to. And I mean do everything you can to not fight back, so none of that looking threatening stuff. Please? I'd really like to use one of their computers one day."

"Heh. Question is. How do you make that guy stay long enough for it to work." Gray would respond in a hefted tone. He was in far a mass murderer but as of now he was also impossible to keep locked up.

"Thanks." Marcus would say with glee as he took the object and practically ran towards the exit. Once finally outside he would make a few more minutes of walking before pressing the button. "Fun all round the merry bush. Once all that seems."

Urthus watched him leave and looked at Venere and Zeru, "Bets on how quickly he kills someone? Unira uteria lunoin hauary?" Venere didn't look amused but nodded slowly and replied in Asadan. "He looks like he kills someone every hour. He should be locked up. Or at least under watch. Dangers to society should always have a preemptive watch on them."

"Well nothing's impossible forever," Kat said bluntly. "Sooner or later, someone will find a way to control him. Hope it's us though, we won't turn restraints into a leash."

She sat next to James, then surprised him as she draped an arm over his shoulders and pulled him close. "And we can't get warm by being close?" she asked innocently, to which he began to squirm in response, trying to get out of her grip. "Seriously?" he asked, managing to get out of her partial hug. "What?" she asked, slightly hurt. "Just a hug."

Marcus waited a bit before pressing the buttons a few more times. Even to holding the button down and speaking. "Hello? Anyone Home. How the bastard thing does this work?" Marcus would ask no one in particular as he sat down and waited again.

Human mind explaining what your doing?

"Well Dark. These people seem like the nice people. And in turn. maybe we can work on an agreement."

What?

"Nevermind. You don't get to know the beef."

I've heard that line before.