A table for two

Marcus walked down a quiet alleyway, the whimpers of a man the only sound to interrupt the peace that was his hunt, but Marcus.. Marcus hunted this man for a reason. It had been, too long. Far too long since he had seen a certain man. A certain someone that Marcus felt an obligation to do this for. Because he had been a pain in that man's side so many times, he had done some things... they had done things to each other that nether should forgive but in the end there was one certain fact. Marcus never answered that man's question, not properly anyway because back then he was stupid and stupid made him do stupid things. He was selfish and wanted to be something he wasn't. Wanted to be important. And Marcus saw that man as a way to feel important in his own twisted and crazed way. Stopping by the feet of a injured man, recently injured by yours truly, Marcus knelled down and stared him in the eye. "I know you work.. A peon for that organization. I won't kill you. But I need a message delivered to someone important. I need you to Tell Lucius Alba that Shadow has an answer for that question, an answer he will give and more at the location that it was asked." Marcus said this as he stood and turned on his heel to leave the man alone, a peon.. but useful, also the third peon he had done this too tonight and certainly not the last, difficult to find he would find them eventually and ensure the message was told. The exact same words repeated to each. Marcus wanted his message to get across and he knew Lucius, Lucius was smart, he'd know Marcus wouldn't stop and he'd know where to end these messages.

----

The next Morning

Marcus sat at his old fried rice place, it had been.. a year.. a long time since he had been here, been just as long as that since he spoke to Lucius. Marcus had been keeping up with the news, an attack here and there, a speech. He had been a busy flower but quiet all the same. Marcus had however been what he always was. A shadow to society. He explored, he killed. He met new and interesting people. Pulling out the dice like object the Queen of Arcadia had given to him as a sign of good faith, Marcus simply stared into it as he waited, waited for one man to walk though those doors so Marcus could do the one thing he should have done all those years ago, the one thing Dark never could do but instead did. Die.

For those that had denied Red's offer, this must have been an interesting time. Nobody had expected the amount of success the man had achieved, and now the young men and women that had said 'No' were either hitting themselves in the face, or were even more disgusted with Lucius Alba.

Whether it was self righteousness, or a flawed sense of morality, their choice was set. Lucius wasn't known for giving second chances. He reasoned that if they had resisted him once, there was no reason to believe they wouldn't falter. Keeping that in mind, though, times had changed.

Was this really about the things he said it was about so long ago? Was he still some champion of metahumans, even without powers? He was beginning to realize why he set out on this path in the first place, and it wasn't because he wanted power, or money, or even glory for his kind. He had a more personal reason, now more then ever. Anybody that knew him well knew that to be true.

So when he heard through the grape vine that Shadow, someone he had made a point to forget about entirely, was on some kind of crusade to speak with him, his eye twitched. Shadow was a relic of times past. The young man was a reminder of the days when Lucius was nothing more then a killer. What could he want now? Was their last encounter not clear enough?

Apparently not. The meeting place was in public, at a fried rice place.

I should just not show up....... After all, why would a world leader give someone like Shadow the time of day? ......................No, no i can't do that. He'll just keep harassing everyone if i do. 

Lucius sighed as he thought it all over, realizing the only way Shadow would cut it out is if they spoke. So it looked like he was going to get fried rice.

_______________________________


A dozen black, unmarked SUVs pulled up to the restaurant. People looked on in confusion and curiosity. Whoever the motorcade was for, they were obviously important. That said, it's doubtful anyone expected Lucius Alba to get out of the middle vehicle.

People gasped, some sneered, and some just got out of dodge. Men in black attire set up a perimeter in no time flat. Lucius then ordered his guards to wait outside with a simple hand gesture, and then walked inside, He wanted to be out of sight as quickly as possible; he hated the media.

Once inside, he ordered a Bourbon and looked around for Shadow. It didn't take long to find him, considering the boy had sat at the same table they shared over a year ago.

Same old fried rice place, same old cheap alcohol, same old Shadow.

"This better be good........." Red said quietly as he pulled out a chair and sat, then proceeded to scoot it back toward the table. The entire action, and his other overly proper mannerisms, seemed out of place in such a hole in the wall. Lucius was much more upscale, but Shadow had of course organized this meeting.

Red didn't even look at Shadow. He was far more interested in focusing on his glass of Bourbon, and then leaving as soon as he could. Only time would tell if that would change, though.

Seems Marcus didn't have to wait long, but he was... surprised. Every single time, Lucius came alone or with a powered buddy.. every single time. But now he was protected, by guards. Marcus knew the man was famous but this... this was weird. Still he said nothing as Lucius came in, ordered something and sat down and Marcus said nothing in return, waiting a few precious seconds before finally beginning what he wanted. "Hello.. I know it's... Been a while.. And I know you want something substantial. Something... worth it." Marcus said before putting the dice from Madeline safely in his pocket and looking to the guard detail outside, trying to figure out the mystery.

"To be fair.. I never thought this day would rightfully come. But long ago. You asked me.. What did I want in life." Marcus sighed, trying to find the words the reasoning he had spent so long trying to figure out. "I won't lie. Back then I was stupid. Ignorant. Self centered. And it was my fault because that what these powers... and Dark made me. And i was jealous of you. I wanted you. As a friend... or as a hated thing." Marcus said so, remaining calm in mind and voice, he did not want to sound like a child, no giggles, no unserious voice. Adult like. He needed to be an adult.  

"As of late.. After that child.. Peter Pan or whatever. Sent me to a strange realm. After I returned.. Who I met and the words of someone from a while ago." Jake remembered his talk with Nathaniel, how his words had little affect till after Madeline, and how Madeline's words only began to grow inside him, after so long of thinking. "I can't be.. that child. I can't be Marcus. So... My goal in life. Is my rule of three. I won't try, less my life is in danger. I won't try, less a friend's life is in danger. And I won't try less the world, this planet is in danger. So before I... continue.. I need to know.. If any of this.. Is of care. Because I need you.. to know. To care. If any.. of this.. change.. will work."

Marcus finished and waited, rubbing the snake like tattoo that adorned his right arm. Wanting to see if his words had any affect on Red, if he even cared about a single thing that sprouted from his mouth. Marcus needed to know, needed to see if this was all worth it. A year can change someone, and Marcus had changed. Now, he had to know if the person he knew longest as Marcus would accept that, if the person that most likely had hated him the most, then just as easily forgotten him, accepted that.

Lucius' brow furrowed. Marcus didn't seem to know how to say what he was feeling, and even if it was just for a moment, Red felt bad for him. This was a pitiful young man that had been trapped and lost for years, so it was difficult not to sympathize with him. After all, Shadow's issues were what drew Lucius to helping him in the first place. Unfortunately, the relationship turned to conflict instead.  

Maybe this was the chance to actually fix the kid. Perhaps whatever Shadow had gone through in the past year had opened him up. Regardless, this wasn't an old enemy out for blood; it was a desperate, broken person who needed to talk.

"Shadow.......... I'm, really, not quite sure what you think i am. I tried my hardest to help you for over a year, but you resisted me. I'm only a man. I don't know the solution to everything." Red said, sitting back in his chair as he looked at Shadow not with contempt, but with visible sadness. Lucius didn't know how to approach this. He didn't want to be too heartfelt, but he certainly didn't want to make it seem like Shadow was his tool all along.

"I'm sorry kid, i really am. Not many people would believe that i cared about you for a time, but i tell you now, honestly, that i did. It's painful to see you like this, so absolutely lost......... But i must confess, that i cannot help you, and i cannot forgive you. Too much damage has been done, even for us." Red said, taking a large drink from his glass. He winced a bit from the intensity, but with this conversation, he needed it. What Lucius said was a difficult thing to say, but it was true. Whatever relationship they had was thrown out the window when Shadow hurt his son, even if Red truly did still care. That, however, didn't mean this talk was pointless.

Marcus stared at Red. Stared at him for the longest time. The two of them were so very different. Yet in a way they knew each other the best. Lucius... I.. I'm a damaged man. I won't lie." Marcus closed his eyes, knowing that what he had to do was going to be his last words.. as the human part of him, as the one called Marcus. "You were too. Once. I know cause you told me. Your wife died, you were angry. You became a evil, monster. You killed people, a lot of people. But then, you started to change. Eventually, you became a better person because of it. I met you in the majority of those changes. And in the end. I stayed here, I stayed the same. No matter what. While you came to create a company. Rise? Take a whole country for... for meta kind. I stayed here, every day, I went around. I killed. I went around. I killed." Marcus stopped talking for a second, opening his eyes and staring at the snake like tattoo on his arm, staring at the red jewel of an eye that came to his hand. "I know you know some of my past. I died. I came back with a demon. I took over and my mind went insane with personality's. That is why... I am not going to just be Marcus... I called myself Shadow. So that. Is what I am going to be.. I'm going to be Shadow. Even if the name is just stupid." Shadow stated, looking back to Lucius.

"But a name doesn't change anything... I use to think... I could just go on, not needing help yet saying I wanted to be helped. I didn't know what... What I wanted.. But the truth is. Lucius. I do. I need more help then I would ever admit. And I am not asking you to help me. Damn right I don't deserve it from you. What I want from you. Is to just.. Forgive me.. For everything I did to you. To your son. To everyone under you. And let me. Be your sword. Your weapon. Your monster in your time of need that you need one. And I will find a way to help myself." Marcus finished, looking to the exit, to the many security details that were there to protect Lucius. A man who had all the power to destroy everything if he needed to. He could survive any assassin, he could melt this entire city block if he wanted to. Why would he need.... Help.