Fan Fiction: Crossovers
Can't Get You Outta My Head
Chapter 9 (pt 2)
Peter stood in the attic of Cranston Manor, looking around. The attic had been used as The Shadow's Sanctum almost 70 years earlier, before the subterranean summit had been built. Peter spared little time looking at the reference books, and the antique equipment, rushing instead to find the items he had been sent for.
Collecting a revolver, a knife, and a thick wooden board, Peter returned to the drawing room, where Stephen and Victor were pulling in the sleeping Mongol.
"You tied him up good." commented Stephen, sitting the Mongol in a chair. "We had to cut him out."
"Hey, that's what I do." Peter returned with a little, 'aren't I amazing' flourish.
Victor walked around the room, pulling the shades shut, and locking the entrances. "Stephen, do you think we'll be able to get anything? Khan puts very strong subconscious orders in his soldiers' heads. By all rights he would kill himself first."
Stephen nodded, and tied his captive tightly into the chair. "That's why we're both doing this. You work on breaking those rules in his head, I'll work on 'convincing' him to talk."
"Fair enough."
Peter usually stayed out of these conversations about psychic ability, being the only one in the trio that did not have any, but as Stephen tied The Mongol's hand to the thick wooden board, he felt he had to ask. "Do you still think this will work?"
Stephen silently used some strong tape to stick the Mongol's hand down, fingers spread wide. Once that was done, he took the revolver, and the knife from Peter, and gave a very sinister chuckle. "Peter, THIS is what I do."
"I can do this too?" Diane said in amazement.
Khan reappeared from nothingness, the last in a series of demonstrations of his power. "You have the gift for this power within you." he practically purred. "The energy in your mind is building. Soon, your power will overflow. When that happens, your strength will be made manifest, and your training will begin, and you will be able to do this yourself. I, and I alone, can show you the way."
Diane was still reeling from the events of the day, when she suddenly realized something. "The Shadow can do this too. He has this power."
Khan's smile faltered just the tiniest bit. "Yes. Ying Ko has the power, but he has chosen a different path. He has decided to protect and fight for the inferiors. Those weaklings who do not even know he exists are protected from the strong. Pathetic. The very laws of nature themselves dictate that the strong must rise above the weak, and we are the strong."
"But he will try to stop us." Diane said with fear in her voice. It was not a question.
"Yes." confirmed Khan. "He will fail. He has tried to destroy me before: he has failed. He tried to stop me from reaching you, and he has failed. He has tried to keep you from finding out about the powers that are your birthright, and he has failed. If he comes after us, he will fail again."
Diane thought about that. If Khan is right, then I would be smart to cement her agreement with him. Stephen can look after himself anyway, if he's The Shadow.
"I know who the Shadow is." She exclaimed. "Stephen Cranston."
Khan looked surprised. "He told you this?"
Diane was also surprised. "You know? I figured it out for myself."
Khan smiled again. "Ah, intelligence also. Most splendid. Yes I know, those of us who are trained always know. The man you call Stephen is merely the latest in the lineage of the warrior Ying Ko, just as I am the last in the lineage of the great Genghis Khan. He has tried to keep this power from you all this time hasn't he? What a foolish waste."
Diane thought that over. It's true. She decided. Stephen never once mentioned this to me. Another lie in his ever long growing list of lies. Well, I've seen what both Khan, and Stephen are capable of, and if Khan is going to help me out, then I will help him to achieve his goals. For as long as they match mine anyway.
"So." Diane asked. "When do we start?"
Shan Ruche woke up with a start. He kept his eyes shut, just as a second glass of water was thrown in his face. He opened his eyes; to find himself tied down, with his hand spread fingers wide against the wooden counter top. Less than two feet in front of him was The Shadow, on his left, another man, clearly much older with black eyes burning, and on his left was Spiderman flipping a coin. Shan Ruche felt just the tiniest twinge of fear. He knew who these people were. Khan had told them all what they could do.
The thought of being their prisoner chilled him.
"Good morning sunshine!" Spider-Man said cheerfully.
"We thought you might like to play a game. This is the Shadow version of Russian roulette. Here's how it works." The Shadow said slowly, clearly enunciating every word. "I am going to ask questions, you are going to give answers." He gestured to the other two men staring at him. "If my esteemed panel of judges like the answer, then I let one of your five fingers go loose. When your entire hand is untied, I will let you leave peacefully, as long as you don't attempt to do anything foolish. If we don't like the answer, then we flip the coin."
"If it's heads, then we do a knife trick," explained Spider-Man. "If it's tails then we play Russian Roulette with you." With that, he flipped the coin into the air and over the Mongol's head.
The older man tossed the knife and pistol he held in his hands into the air and snared the coin. The Shadow caught the spinning knife and revolver, then twirled the gun's trigger guard around his finger and flipped open its bullet compartment in one impossibly smooth move. He smoothly slid one bullet into the chamber, and spun it casually. "Where is Diane Burke being taken?"
Ruche felt his confidence melt away. "To Khan."
The Shadow shot a look at his companions. They nodded, and The Shadow reached forward with the knife, cutting his little finger loose. "Where is Khan?"
Ruche found himself actually considering whether or not to talk. The older man's glare was like a physical drill between his eyes. "I will not tell you," he said finally.
"Judges?" The Shadow asked.
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