Page 2 of Shadow

Despite the element of surprise, the sound of their arrival had stirred some of the Reapers awake. Shadow could see them emerging from the other buildings, prepared to defend their turf.

Shadow checked the chamber of his revolver. Then he swung himself out of the truck and into the fray to join his brothers.

The air was thick with the stench of sweat and blood. When he ran out of bullets, he reached for his knife. Eventually, Priest, the enforcer for the MC and the leader of tonight’s crew, gripped Shadow’s shoulder.

“Reinforcements might arrive soon, we can’t waste any time,” he said. “You and Rooster check that building. It’s the largest one in the compound. If the merchandise is there, get more men and start loading it into the truck.”

Shadow nodded in understanding. He and Rooster set off toward the designated building. They kept to the shadows and dark corners to avoid engaging enemies prematurely.

They didn’t encounter much resistance, the intel they had received about the compound’s minimal security proving to be accurate.

Silently, they ducked behind a parked car as three more Reapers ran out of the entrance.

Shadow studied the building ahead. “We’ll go through the back,” he said, wanting to avoid additional trouble as much as possible.

Shadow and Rooster managed to slip inside without alerting a soul. Priest’s intuition was right. Shadow approached one of the crates and pushed the lid open, revealing the gleaming arsenal of weapons nestled within.

A grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he whispered, “Bingo.”

“I’ll call in more guys to help us with the motherlode,” Rooster said. With reinforcements on the way, their task seemed more achievable.

As Rooster made the call, Shadow continued to investigate the vast expanse of the storage space, his eyes scanning the room as he tried to estimate just how much they could carry with them. The sight of the stacked crates filled with weapons and contraband gave him a sense of satisfaction.

Shadow’s keen senses then caught something else—a faint sound, barely audible above the noise of the fighting outside. At first, he dismissed it as a figment of his imagination, a trick of the mind brought on by the memories of Trish that still haunted him.

Shadow heard it again—the soft, plaintive sound of a woman sobbing. His heart skipped a beat as he froze in place, his instincts on high alert.

Maybe it was nothing, just a trick of the wind or the creaking of the old building. Deep down, he knew better. The sound was real, unmistakable in its anguish.

Shadow’s heart raced as he followed the trail of sobbing, his footsteps echoing softly against the concrete floor. With each step, the sound grew louder, a haunting melody that tugged at his conscience.

He knew he should ignore it, that their mission was already a success, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to investigate further.

Approaching a corner where the sound was loudest, Shadow narrowed his eyes. He pushed aside a heavy crate, revealing a hidden latch embedded in the floor. His gaze lingered on it for a moment, uncertainty clouding his thoughts. Should he leave it alone, focus on the task at hand, and leave whatever was down there to its fate?

But then, unbidden, memories of Trish flooded his mind—her kindness, her unwavering belief in him despite the way of life he’d chosen. She had always seen the good in him, even when he struggled to see it himself. With a heavy sigh, Shadow knew what he had to do.

“Shadow, what’s keeping you? We’re almost done,” Rooster’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Shadow glanced up to see Rooster approaching. Rooster widened his eyes in surprise as he noticed Shadow’s discovery.

“What’s in there?” Rooster asked, his voice hushed as he, too, caught wind of the sobbing emanating from below.

It was a relief to know that Shadow wasn’t imagining things.

“Help me open the latch,” Shadow said.

“We don’t have time for this,” Rooster said.

Despite those words, they knelt together beside the hidden door. They worked in tandem to release the latch. With a soft click, the door swung open, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.

“You got a flashlight on you?” Shadow asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rooster nodded. It was one of the reasons Shadow liked doing jobs with Rooster. He always came prepared.

Rooster handed Shadow his small flashlight, the metal cool against his palm as he gripped it tightly. With a soft click, he switched it on, casting a narrow beam of light that pierced through the darkness.

“You still got any bullets left?” Rooster asked.

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