Now, dear reader, I’m sure you’re dying to know what happened a year ago. What terrible event or harrowing knowledge did I experience? In response, let me direct your thoughts to the Shade who’s existed since time untold.
Zero walked into his office and immediately began clambering onto his desk. We watched as he struggled to lift himself up, then scrambled over the top, before falling into his chair at the other end, like a man falling into his own grave. Papers, mugs, and stationary were thrown to the ground in this mad struggle against sanity. He twisted in his chair and righted himself, beaming at us like we hadn’t just witnessed him barefoot bouldering over a 2-foot-tall desk. ‘Take a seat,’ he said.
Do you see what I mean?
58 jerked my trolley near and ripped my gag off. He dropped himself into a chair.
‘Finally!’ I said. I shook my straightjacket. ‘Take this off too!’ 58 just scoffed and leant back into his chair. Zero frowned.
‘What happened to your arms? Did someone cut them off?’
‘They’re underneath this jacket you senile idiot!’ I snapped. ’58 remove it!’ Zero shook his head.
‘Why are you wearing a jacket? Are you cold? Youth and their fashion nowadays, I’ll never understand it. In fact…’ he stared at me, and I could see the light leaving his eyes. ‘Who are you?’ This was worse than Sunki-Me.
’72!’ 58 yelled. He had his hands on his temples.
‘Ah yes 72! Now who is…no wait! I have a note!’ He tore through a draw, throwing paper everywhere, till he found what he needed. ‘Look…at…arm…’ he read. He pulled his sleeve up to reveal a crudely blotted ‘72’ on it. My eyes rolled into my head.
‘Right, Grandpa has clearly lost it since last time 58, just shoot me and get it over with. Do yourself a favour and shoot him too.’
‘I remember you quite clearly, my wayward Shade,’ said Zero coldly. Gone was the demented old man, suddenly. An unnerving sharpness was in his eyes. ‘You are the one who cut through my Denali and butchered my Shades.’ We were getting to business now.
‘The one and only,’ I answered.
‘Then I’ll give one and only one chance to explain yourself before I reset you.’ Zero had his hands crossed on the desk in front of him. His stare held force behind it, as if all the centuries past were judging you. This was the real Zero. Everything else was an act, and those who had the displeasure of meeting this Zero knew how ruthless he could be.
I couldn’t care less.
‘There is nothing you could do to me that would have any effect, Zero,’ I said, returning his stare. ‘Kill me if you must. In fact, I dare you! If you can spare the soldiers, that is?’ Zero said nothing. ‘But of course...I’d just come back! All you’d be doing is getting rid of me for a while, but I’d get back!’
‘Not true,’ spoke up 58. ‘Your memories would be wiped. All that would carry over to your new body would be your soul-energy and your likeness. You’d be gone.’
‘Oh well, time to put ol’ 72 out to pasture then! Though, remind me 58, weren’t your orders to bring me back alive? Maybe because I’m the best damn monster killer you’ve got and killing me would erase that!’
‘I’m sure we’d manage without...’ muttered 58.
‘I’m positive you wouldn’t!’ I grinned wickedly at Zero. His clear eyes met mine. ‘You see, I had a lot of time to think during my sabbatical, and I realised how indispensable I’d become to Zero. It turns out-’
‘Oh please get to the point!’ yawned 58.
‘I was getting there you oaf! What’s your problem?’ I snapped back.
‘What’s your problem? Has anyone ever told you that you have an ego problem?’
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
‘Release this jacket and I’ll show you two ego problems!’
‘Enough!’ yelled Zero. ‘58, perhaps you should leave...I think you and 72 are not a good combination...’ 58 rolled his eyes and made to leave.
‘58, I would stay if I were you. I think you’re gonna want to hear what I have to say.’ 58 kept walking to the door.
‘Eh, you had your chance. I’m going to lie down.’
‘Think! Why does Zero want you to leave? Because he doesn’t want you to hear that...’ Zero interrupted.
‘It’s up to you. Stay and here his drivel or leave. You’ve done more than your share this past year hunting him down.’ 58 hesitated at the door. However, he began twisting the handle.
‘The Shades are working with the Angels and the Demon in a triad to maintain power!’ Instantly, something crashed against the door, causing 58 to rip his hand away. 58’s head snapped around, to see Zero had climbed halfway on the desk again.
‘Take a seat, 58,’ Zero said.
‘Annddd, now you can’t leave. Unless of course, you...’I made a circular motion with my head and the pretended to die. 58 ignored me.
‘Zero...’he said cautiously. Zero once again gestured to the chair.
‘A seat, 58. If you please.’ 58 sat down. ‘Now put your hands on the desk. I would like to avoid the potentiality of last year’s events, if I can.’ 58 shot me a sideways glance, and did as he was told. He studied the old man’s face curiously, as if he was a stranger.
‘Is it true?’ asked 58 finally.
‘The situation is...complicated. You see, we-’
‘Excuse me, you old sack, but I was telling this story!’ I interrupted.
‘And we can expect you to be impartial, can we? Quieten down!’ scoffed Zero. Impartial? I’ll impart your head from your shoulders you duplicitous bone bag!
‘I’ll give it a go,’ I returned evenly. ‘You can always twist the events afterwards.’ Zero mulled it over, then gestured for me to go ahead.
-
‘Ever wonder why we don’t target Angels or Demons directly, 58? Even though they’re the ones who are the filthiest?! Who play with human lives the cruellest?! It’s because everything we do protects their interests! I verified it myself.
Blood speaks a truth no mouth will say, and the blood says that the Shade Organisation, whose sole purpose is to protect humanity, offers humanity up on a platter to these beings! Unreservedly! Unashamedly!
We’re not a police force. We’re a bloody private army. We protect the enemy from the law and enact justice on the least deserving. If you were to kill even a single Archangel or Archdemon, humanity would be 100x better off then if you were to kill 10 monsters. You want to know why I’m hunted 58? It’s because I do my job!’ I breathed heavily as silence filled the room. 58 didn’t say anything, his eyes fixed on the desk in front of him. ‘Well, 58? Nothing to say now? Bet you want to leave Denali right now and go find the answers yourself. Just try it! Zero won’t let you find the truth!’
‘Okay that’s enough, 72,’ interrupted Zero. ‘The truth, eh...? I’ve no doubt that what you’re saying looks like the truth to you. But it’s distorted, through your veil of hate.’ Zero straightened himself up. ‘Yes, 58, we do have an arrangement to overlook certain activities with both Angels and Demons. Specific individuals and their operations of course. Strategic individuals. It’s not an agreement to allow evil, or overt debauchery, and it’s certainly not with everyone.
But the truth is, my hands are tied with when it comes to my allies. My Shades, you are only 99 members strong. Imagine that! 99 people, to protect 8 billion against countless threats! For the whole of human history! You are a candle, burning valiantly against a snowstorm. We must shelter it, though our hands burn from the heat. Better that, then to let the darkness overtake us. That’s why I’m so hard on you. It’s why I’ve sold my soul. It’s why-’ he shot me a look of utter contempt, ‘- discord in the ranks threatens to destroy us now.’
I sneered, ‘Save your righteous indignation for the plebs. The faster this place crumbles the better.’ Zero turned towards 58.
‘Now, my dear boy, I’m afraid I must press you for your judgement.’ This was it. Whatever 58 said now would determine whether he would leave the room alive. He was staring fixedly at the space between his hands. They had remained on the desk, unmoving, even an inch. I could see myself, sat in that very chair, one year ago. The blood pounding in my ears as Zero confirmed the blasphemy. The anger, the despair, the pure unfettered...RAGE! 58 slowly raised his head, jaw muscles flexing.
‘Zero...You did the right thing.’ I looked at 58.
You bloody sellout. You’re just a sheep, slaved to the will of this cosmically terrible old man. Though it pained me to admit it, I had held out hope that 58 would see things my way. But it turned out, this rage was mine alone to bear.
‘72 is wrong,’ he continued. ‘Any idiot can see, that for the greater good, there is no cost too great. The Shades will continue, nay, must! We must remain absolute! We must be absolute!’ He looked at me, a fire lit in his silver eyes. ‘We must uphold justice; justice above all!’