Fan Fiction: Short Stories

The Red Talon
by Corey Christopher

  Dr. Roy Tam sat in the library of the safe house. Dr. Longfellow was fast asleep. His work was done. Tam's, however, was just beginning. He surveyed the list of kidnapped scientists given to him by Moe Shrevnitz earlier in the evening. It was early in the morning, way before the sun was set to rise. Only a small desk lamp lit the room where Tam was thinking. There was an answer to the riddle of the missing inventors and he had been trying to pin it down all night. Metallurgist, electronics, chemist, and a scientist delving into the new field of animatronics were all among the missing. How did the vanishing of these scientists coincide with the VX formula? There was something more sinister afoot than intercontinental rockets, but he could not put all the pieces together. One of these scientists held the key, but which one? Tam yawned and looked at the clock. It was 4 a.m.! He decided that he needed sleep to work on the puzzle tomorrow, and rested his head on top of the desk.

  Near the safe house where Dr. Tam and Professor Longfellow had retired for the night, a strange activity was occurring outside in the streets. It was a late hour, and the only illumination was the glow of the electric lampposts near the road, and the passing of headlights from automobiles. A lone police patrolman was out this night, watching for anything unusual. He didn't happen to notice the fleeting patch of black that skirted the circle of light produced from a lamppost. A momentary blotting out of the light was the only sign that someone was approaching the house. This blotch of living darkness neared the bushes in front of the building just as the officer strolled by. Mere inches passed between this hidden personage and the alert patrolman.

  The Shadow had arrived at his destination!

  Still unseen, this visitor approached the front steps and stopped at the door. A momentary pause, then the faintest click of metal and the door slowly opened. A light was still glowing from a room at the end of the hall. When the door opened ever so slightly, it seemed as though blackness itself was oozing through the crack in the door, preventing all light from reaching the outside. The Shadow glided down the hall to the dimly lit room. On the right side, sleeping on a cot, was Professor Longfellow. Passed out near by was Dr. Tam. The Shadow did not disturb the two. Instead he went to the desk and took the report of the formula and went into an adjoining room. This was the laboratory of the safe house. Here, in small test tubes, was the greenish liquid, and on the bottom of the test tube was a small crystalline cube of the same color. One of the two test tubes disappeared into the folds of the black cloak.

  A piece of paper and a pen came into view. A brief coded message was inscribed, and then the paper was quickly folded and inserted into an envelope. This was left behind in the vest pocket of Dr. Roy Tam while he was sleeping. His errand finished, the door reopened and shut silently. The Shadow had departed!

  *Click*

  Somewhere in Manhattan, at a location undisclosed, The Shadow had returned to his Sanctum. Only this was not the regular "click" of the blue-shaded desk lamp, this light fixture hung over huge slabs of black polished stone: The Shadow was in his laboratory! The green test tube returned to view. Black rubber gloved hands deftly worked the stopper off the end and secured the tube to a metal stand. A scratching noise and then a puff. A gas jet had been lit. Aiming the flame at the top of the test tube the greenish liquid ignited. It burned at a slow steady pace similar to a candle. The Shadow noted this and snuffed out the "candle" with a cover. Taking long tweezers he dipped them into the tube and broke off a tiny chunk of the crystal. He then brought over a beaker full of distilled water and swiftly transferred the tiny bit into the jar before it had a chance to make contact with the air. The test tube with the greenish liquid was put away. The beaker was now under inspection. There was no reaction in the water, nor had it changed its color to green. The tiny piece had begun to dissolve however, and was now even more miniscule than before. The gas jet flame was again placed over the beaker to ignite it. Nothing happened. Then the flame moved away as if of its own accord. Gleaming eyes were staring at the beaker, and behind those eyes a powerful mind was at work.

  Quickly everything on the stone table was put away except for the beaker and the tweezers. This pair of tweezers was different though. They were easily two feet long. But as long as they were, the gloved hand worked easily to slowly draw out the tiny chunk from the jar. The chunk made contact with the air, and after only a tenth of a second exploded into a miniature fireball! The end of the metal tweezers was scorched and slightly twisted. The test was complete. The Shadow had learned what he had needed to know. Facts that were revealed tonight would play an important role in events to come in the future! A shuddering mirthless laugh echoed off the black walls. The Shadow knew that his discovery would mean doom to those that sought to steal the formula. Those that wanted to use its power for evil would be blown to bits if they mishandled the dangerous solid.

  *Click* Darkness reigned once again in both the Sanctum and the lab.

  The Shadow was gone!!

  Back at the watching place of Cliff's mob, Cliff was soundly dozing off for a few hours of sleep that he complained for. Actually Cliff was wide-awake and alert as usual, though he was feigning sleep. Through squinting eyes he could see any movement in Harry's window, or any from the mobsters. Suddenly he got the feeling that he was being watched. Cliff made a slight nod in response to a whisper no one had heard. It was as if the wind was sighing. It came closer, and was right next to Cliff. He was communicating with his Chief via nods. Cliff had received instructions about the formula's completion, and that The Shadow would move the Professor back to Harry's apartment. Cliff was to raid Harry's place when he had returned, and keep a close eye on the formula and anything else the professor might bring with him. Cliff nodded. He understood. His last instruction was very clear. "Do not open any test tubes with a black stopper!" The emphasis on this last statement was impressed into Cliff's mind. He seemed to hear its echo in his mind even after the Shadow had departed. Cliff did not know what the role of the stoppers was to be, but he was definitely not going to disobey orders!

  In a sense Cliff understood the meaning of The Shadows cryptic order.

  Whoever touched those fateful stoppers would be uncorking their own Doom!

  Inside his room, Harry was reading his orders from an envelope that appeared there overnight. Taking in his new instructions, he set them in his mind so as to not forget them. He was to retrieve Dr. Longfellow back from the safe house, and bring him back to his apartment.

  Harry Vincent got dressed and grabbed his things. He headed out the front door so as to be seen by some one who was supposed to be watching. He entered into the awaiting cab and took off for his destination.

  Across the street Cliff was watching everything take place as Harry went on the move. He looked over at his slumbering partner who had been put to sleep under The Shadow's influence. Cliff Marsland waited for what would happen next. He remembered what he was supposed to do and when to do it. All that was to happen now was to see how things played out.

  Both Doctors Tam and Longfellow were awakened by Harry Vincent.

  "Dr. Longfellow, wake up. We have some new instructions. We have to go back to my apartment immediately."

  "What is going on?" Dr. Longfellow was wiping the sleep from his eyes.

  "Gather your things and come outside. The cab is waiting. We have to hurry." Harry sounded urgent. "I'll wait in the car for you."

  As Vincent left the room both doctors looked at each other. Dr. Tam was the first to speak.

  "Well you heard him," Dr. Tam was putting on his jacket. "Get up and hurry!"

  Dr. Longfellow went into the laboratory they had worked in and glanced about. He didn't notice anything different about his set up but grabbed the few test tubes that were there and headed out for the car.

  Dr. Tam was just discovering the coded message left in his vest pocket. He looked it over carefully and put it to memory. He helped the professor with his things and showed him to the door.

  In the taxicab Dr. Longfellow spoke to Harry," Why are we to go back to your apartment when those men might come back for us?"

  Harry stared at him. "The Shadow's orders don't always make sense, but you will learn to trust him. Everything will work out all right." He gave Longfellow an assuring look and left it at that. They were silent for the rest of the ride.

  They entered Room 318 and were sure they were being followed. They quickly closed the door behind them and waited for whoever it was.

  The door suddenly burst open and they were looking at two men who were greeting them, each with a leveled gun. Harry caught the eye of the one in the back. It was Cliff, and he replied with a slight nod.

   "So, you boys decided to come back here for something?" The man who spoke was Cliff's associate. " And what do we have here?" he looked down at the case that Dr. Longfellow was holding.

  Cliff tightened his grip on his gun as he watched his partner open the case and pulled out three test tubes. He looked intently at two in particular. The ones with a black stopper!

  "Here Bones, let me hold onto that for ya." Said Cliff.

  "Thanks." Replied Bones as he passed the test tubes and the bag to Cliff.

  "Keep dem mitts in da air!" growled another gangster. Reluctantly Harry and the two professors complied. The room was electrified. You could cut the tension with a knife.

  "Move along to the elevator! Get goin'!"

  They all piled in the elevator, and the captives groaned a complaint. "One sound outta yous guys and you're toast!" They all walked out of the hotel without a yell for help, and got into a waiting coupe. They headed off for an unknown hideout. Shortly after the coupe pulled out, a trim roadster joined them on their journey. Tailing relatively far behind was an eerie laugh that grew in a crescendo of mocking echoes. The Shadow was following Harry and Cliff's lead.

  Lost in the badlands, Harry and the two doctors had no clue where they were, or where they were going. Even Cliff, who was keeping an eye on the prisoners in the back seat, had no idea where the hideout was. He could have reported to the Shadow so he could have lay in wait for their arrival.

  The coupe reached its destination, and the roadster silently parked a block away. When inside they threw their guests into a corner and started threatening them.

  "Where's the formula?"

  "Its, Its inside the bag." The gang leader rifled through the bag and went over the papers. "Yeah its all here. Now we gotta check the stuff for the boss." Said Bones. He grabbed one of the test tubes out of the bag. "The boss says to light this stuff wit a candle" he grabbed a matchbook out of his pocket, and stated tugging on the cork of the tube. He found that it was stuck.

  "Hey Cliff, you got strong hands. Be a pal and open this thing!" Bones tossed the test tube through the air and Cliff caught it with one hand. His eyes widened slightly. It had a black stopper! Luckily for Bones, he couldn't get it off. Now the fateful stopper was in Cliff's hands! He couldn't decline and give away his position in the gang, nor could he disobey The Shadow's orders! He had to stall for time until The Shadow arrived.

  "Don't do it! Don't open that!" Shouted Dr Longfellow. Cliff ceased his motion.

  "Why?" Bones asked.

  "Because..."

  "Because it hasn't been tested!" jumped in Harry. Always thinking on his toes Harry made sure that they didn't give out too much information. He also knew that he had to help Cliff stall for time.

  "Shut up you!" Snarled Bones as he signaled Cliff to continue tugging.

  "I wouldn't do that if I was you." Insisted Harry. "Something bad will happen."

  "I don't believe in…" suddenly Bones stood mouth gaping towards the far wall near the corner. There in the gloom of the corner stood the black-clad avenger. Two mammoth automatics stared back in their direction. Another gangster voiced the words on everyone's lips.

  "The Shadow!"

  Thunderous laughter ricocheted off the walls. "You should have listened to him," sneered The Shadow. "Now you shall listen to me or you shall meet your doom!" Absolute silence reined. The only sound to break the silence was another peal of mocking laughter.

  "Who is your boss?" His statement was not a question, it was a command to speak.

  "The...The Red Talon!" gasped Bones.

  "How do you get your orders?"

  "B-By phone, from here!"

  Just then a guard from outside the door came through. He spotted The Shadow, gangland's most hated enemy, and opened fire. Tongues of flame shot from The Shadow's automatics. Not to the guard at the door, for his shot went wide, but to another member of the gang, who was swinging his aim toward The Shadow. His finger never fired the fateful bullet. The Shadow beat him to the shot. Next the he whirled and fired back towards the door, dropping as he did so. The next bullet seared the top of his black slouch hat, while the gangster who fired it toppled to the ground. Bones was the slowest to fire, for he had holstered his weapon while looking through the bag. While The Shadow was dealing hot lead to the ducking gangsters, Bones hid behind a desk and prepared to gun down both the captives and the Master of Darkness.

  Sensing the next move of the cowardly gang leader, The Shadow shot out the single light bulb that hung over the room. Cliff, not inactive during these brief moments, had snuck closer to the captives. Now that the lights were out, he was free to guide them outside to safety. Harry recognized Cliff's voice, and grabbed the professor, while Cliff led the way. With the Shadow providing plenty of cover fire, they made it out safely. Cliff came back into the room and The Shadow was still toying with the only survivor, Bones. Cliff wondered why he hadn't finished him off. The reason was clear: The Shadow wanted Bones alive. But as Cliff came back into the darkened room to "escape" with Bones, he ran into unexpected trouble. Bones, in his nervous craze to kill his enemy, thought that Cliff was the Shadow! Since the black clad master moved with such stealth he was firing at any slight sound! With finger on the trigger, and an evil grin on his face, Bones was aiming to shoot his fellow comrade point blank! Before Bones could fire, a shot rang out from another corner of the room. With unerring aim The Shadow drilled Bones through the heart, the only shot that could have saved his agent. Even though he wanted Bones alive, The Shadow was not willing to risk the life of his agent.

  The scene now grimly quiet, The Shadow stood above the crumpled form of Bones like a weird specter of the night. Sirens sounded in the background. Apparently the fray had not escaped the detection of the police. A hiss in the darkness. Cliff understood. He was to make a break for it, so to not get nabbed by the police. He would await instructions later when he made his report.

  Tonight The Shadow had gained a triumph. He now knew the name in back of the crimes with the kidnapped inventors. He also knew that the mastermind contacted his flunkies through phone. He could tap the wire here and trace the call without the caller knowing. Or there were other options he could take, some more risky than others, but had greater rewards. The Shadow, still unmoving from the room of death, ignored the sirens and proceeded to tap the wire. Quickly and efficiently, he attached the hookup, and dialed Burbank. He was to watch this line for any calls.

  An eerie laugh pervaded the silent room. The Shadow was bound for the other option as well. Leaving no room for error, he made sure that contact would be made soon with the evil plotter, because the lives of the kidnapped inventors were at stake. What else would the criminal mastermind have in store?

  Only The Shadow knew...