Young Writers Society

A small black four door automobile turns from a deserted business district road into a large and wide parking lot. The parking lot itself is illuminated in the neon lights overtop of a massive ten to twelve story building. The lights themselves depict the name of the establishment. The "Faded Shadow". It's the most popular techno/nightclub/dance floor type entertainment hangout in the entire city of Pos. Pos, the largest city known to date, is a place rippled with discontent, factionalism, and conflict.

The city itself rests in the region known as Area 88, the name of the region is a mystery, but it sort of fits the landscape for outside of Pos, is thick and heavily forested countryside. It sometimes reminds those who live here of a fantasized land out of some urban fantasy novel.

The driver of the previously mentioned vehicle, parks on the outskirts of the parking lot; near the road itself that he had just turned from. Kafeng Jerou took the last puff of his "Redman" brand menthol cigarette and then he put it out within the ashtray. He closed the lid to the ashtray and then he looked into his rearview mirror and ran his tongue around his teeth to check for leftover food. After he was satisfied with his appearance, he opened his driver side door and stepped out, checking his surroundings. In his line of work, paranoia was a normal trait, and it was a useful one as well.

Only one thing of interest caught his searching eyes, and that was on one of the third story balconies of the Faded Shadow. Pairs of eyes, that glowed a milky white, almost pearl-like, glowed brightly within the moonlit night. Aasir counted them as he shuddered for each one seemed to be trained on him and him alone. He counted six pairs of them, and after his eyesight adjusted to the darkness; he noticed they were all standing on the railing of the balcony.

Such balance was almost inhumane. Any normal man would wonder what living creature could produce such eyes that shined through moonlight such as they did. Though Kafeng was no normal man, and had his hands in certain aspects of his job that left him incapable of being surprised by such strange phenomena. Instead it left him intrigued, but not enough to slip his train of thought of of the job at hand.

Kafeng, with a suitcase in his left hand traveled across the massive parking lot, meanwhile he noticed the six pairs of eyes had begun to watch his every move.

He came to the double door's of the club, and as soon as he entered through the doors which had sun tinted glass, he was approached by a massive man. The man wore a grey business suit with a earpiece hidden in his left ear which most people wouldn;t have noticed. His eyes were a strange grayish color but with a hint of sea blue in the center. He also noticed a second man standing behind the one who had approached him wearing the same suit. Though he was thinner and shorter.

He was frisked for weapons, patted up and down and then the man brought out a long thin rod device, which he used to scan his suitcase. Afterwards satisfied, he motioned for Kafeng to go ahead past him. Techno music was being played, and the bass from the massive speakers the club must have seemed to echo through Kafeng's ears and he felt as if it was a second heartbeat and the building was somehow alive.

As he entered, two cages were on each side of the hallway that led to the dance floor and bars. Inside each cage was a woman who was completely nude, and dancing in the most erotic ways imaginable, it made Kafeng quite interested and he began to break into a sweat. Though only one of the woman brought forth that sensation. One of the women was bald, with a strange tribal-like tattoo on his skull, but her face was gorgeous, her body, a sculpture of perfection and with the right amount of curves in every possible way. Her eyes were the most inviting. A steely blue that seemed to beg him to move closer to the bars of the cage.

The other woman, she was unattractive to Kafeng, she wore a mohawk, with tribal tattoo's around her genital area. Her breasts had ring's tattooed around the nipple area, and they reminded Kafeng of the moon surrounded by stars in the sky. Her body though was the same as the previous, and her eyes, if possible were even more beautiful then the first woman. A pinkish red, as if she had contacts in them, and Kafeng broke out into a full-fledged sweat and forced him to look away and move on from the women's eyes.

The eyes that seemed to beg him to move closer and enjoy their company for all it was worth, no holds barred, no strings attached. Kafeng entered the lounge where the dancing and drinking was being done, and multi-colored strobe lights glittered the room, and gave everyone who was dancing , a bewitching quality. Everyone who danced produced erratic and berserk movements, following the pattern of the strange music that was being played.

As he was instructed over the phone hours before, he went to sit by the bar. Kafeng, the only one besides the obvious security in the building, wore a business suit, his blue pinstripes. The bar itself was made of black marble, formed in a arc, and completely crowded with partying people, some young, some older. Some old enough to be shunned for showing up in a younger stomping ground such as this.

The bar is packed, and Kafeng had to struggle past people, throwing elbows occasionally, looking for a space to stand. All the stools themselves were occupied. Each person he passed would give him a different look. The men, aggressive and angry looks, some women gave approaching looks, and others a quick uninterested glance.

The bartender himself was a tall and fierce looking individual, he was bald, left eye blue, his right eye green. He sported a scar that resembled a knife wound from his right cheekbone to his jawline.

Kafeng ordered a shot of bourbon whiskey and downed two of them before a man wearing an obviously expensive jet back tuxedo settled next to Kafeng and grunted and ordered a shot of the same bourbon whiskey Kafeng drank. His second drink was a rum and coke holding the rocks.

Afterwards, as Kafeng had predicted, he motioned with a jerk of his head for him to follow. Kafeng gripped his suitcase, only slightly surprised that no one had picked it up and walked off with it. They walked to an elevator, which people who danced moved aside for Kafeng and the suited man. Kafeng noticed the two security guards standing by the elevator doors. Noticing the black tuxedo was a security uniform apparently. They all wore gold framed sunglasses which had black completely circular lenses.

Inside the elevator when they finally stepped in, the security guard turned to Kafeng and spoke to him in a gruff and authoritative voice.

" Watch your step, and don't speak unless spoken too".

Kafeng felt a little mischevious and rebellious about tthe security guards order and decided to pick at him a bit.

" Nice glasses" said Kafeng.

The security guard turned to him and frowned deeply, but shook his head a bit and then replied with a grin himself on his lips.

" Of course".

The elevator opened into a lobby, which had four couches, two on each side of the wall, with four armed guards. Each guard had their jackets unbuttoned and open, which showed holsters inside carrying black steel .357 Magnums.

A beautiful brunette wearing a black dress accompanied with a low cut skirt, and fish stockings upon her legs watched him approach. The security guard that had brought him to this place stayed in the elevator and went back down to the first floor with it.

The woman, obviously a secretary, wore a Colt .45 strapped to her waist, just barely visible. She smiled a pearly white grin and then spoke to Kafeng.

" Mr. Jalay will see you now sir".

Rylan Jalay, who was the man Kafeng was meeting, owned Faded Shadows, and was a rich and poweful businessman. Him being highly influential in "underground" places was the reason Kafeng was here.

The woman pushed a button on her desk, and the door to Ryan Jalay'sown personal quarters slowly opened. So much security was the only thought that ran through Kafeng's mind. Kafeng entered, and came into an open room that led Kafeng to believe it was the home of Rylan. He lived in the entire top floor of his own club Kafeng thought amusingly.

The open room Kafeng entered was the den, where a mini-bar was against the left side wall, where amidst the middle of the den was a large couch. It was leather, shaped in an arc, and was facing a 92 inch Plasma screen television. A large window with the blinds drew back, revealed the city of Pos's massive skyscrapers and all the lights and illuminations that came with them. It was a very beautiful picture.

Rylan seemed to appear out of thin air or otherwise Kafeng had noticed where he came from but the man came to stand in frnt of the window. He blocked Kafeng's view and after a near minute, he himself seemed lost by the beauty of the cityscape flashing it's brilliance within the night sky.

" It's beautiful isn't it?" said Rylan Jalay.

Kafeng thought for a second, and then nodded.

" Yes it's quite the view I must say".

Rylan wore a snow white tuxedo, with a gold colored tie and a black undershirt, he even had a thin silver rope chain around his neck with a medallion saying Faded Shadow. Yes he was proud of his business.

Rylan turned to look at Kafeng and he smiled displaying canine teeth, two two sharp ones had been filed to resemble vampire fangs, and he had gold caps on the ends of them that were permanently placed. The man smiled when he noticed Kafeng checking out his fantasy-like teeth. Rylan pointed at them and explained them.

" A result of my younger days when I was going through a faze or two, and I possessed the money to act on those said fazes" he said.

Kafeng nodded.

" Is that so? Youth, I'm not really that old, but yes youth, a wonderful thing that's quite horrible when it's gone" Kafeng replied.

Rylan frowned for a second.

" I'm not to fond with my own, nor am I sad to see it gone. Still, it had it's cheery moments even in the worst of times" Rylan said in a sort of thoughtful way.

" Anyways, welcome Mr. Jerou, I hope you had no trouble getting through my security? They can be a little excessive with their jobs at times, but it's all for the best I think" said Rylan.

" No trouble at all. Which surprises me actually. This club scene you possess here reminds me of why I left the partying stage when I was at a young age. Good times, but we all have to grow up eventually" said Kafeng.

" Yes we do, some grow up too fast though, and that's the true shame of the matter" Rylan added, still seemingly thoughtful.

Rylan then added, with a sort of bored and uninterested tone:

" Yes it's no kind of life if you wish to be successful, but it's nice to be able to dance, drink, and have no cares in the world, if only for one night. Which to me is a precious thing considering the way events have been unfolding and developing. I sense a lot of conflict will arise in the future and there isn't much anyone can do to stop it".

Rylan turned and walked to his window once more and fell silent again.

" Who knows how many more chances I will have to look out this window and see the lights of Pos" Rylan spoke, still incredibly thoughtful.

Kafeng noticed the man was troubled about something obviously, he was spending to much time reminiscing, and less time worrying about the business at hand.

" Well down to business I suppose, I'm told by my superiors that they honestly only wish to know if there will be any problems with transportation of what they desire? They are prepared to pay all expenses and are insistent on me asking you to see to it that the numbers of the shipping and the prices does not change. Least of al due to any unseen circumstances" Rylan said with an edge to his voice at the last sentence.

Kafeng stood and cleared his throat.

" The Wright Brothers have sent me to assure you that everything will proceed as accordingly to plan and that nothing as far as numbers are concerned, have been altered in any way, shape, or form" said Kafeng.

" So it is all as previously discussed and settled correct?".

" Indeed".

Rylan smiled, nodded and then walked to his mini-bar, and grabbed a bottle of some alcohol or another, and at closer inspection, Kafeng seen it was a off brand of Tequila.

" Care to join me for a celebratory drink Mr. Jerou?" asked Rylan.

" Well I shouldn't. Still, I suppose one drink between future business partners isn't too much to ask for. I believe we will be seeeing a lot more of eachother now that the yellow tape has been cut. So I would prefer you keep V. Porter Vodka in stock, it is my favorite occasional drink" said Kafeng.

Rylan chuckled at that demand.

" I'll have it bought shortly I assure you" he responded.

Kafeng settled on the couch next to Rylan who poured them both a miniature goblet filled of the tequila and they clinked glasses in a short non-verbal toast and downed the entire thing in one gulp.

Kafeng grimaced at the strength of the liquor.

" Strong eh?".

Kafeng nodded.

" Yes, reminds me of my cousin. Drunkard and useless waste of a man, but you don't get to choose family I'm a afraid" said Kafeng.

" But yes, it's definately genuine" Kafeng added.

Rylan was pouring them a second glass for them both when the glass to the massive window shattered and sprayed everywhere. Shards of it cut Kafeng on his left cheek, and he held his hand out as blood dripped into his palm.

He was shocked and caught off guard, and then Kafeng noticed the splattered blood all over his own neat suit jacket, and then when he rubbed his face, more blood smeared upon his skin.

Was he hit?

He turned to Rylan and seen the man slumped against the couch, with a neat bullethole clean through his forehead right dead in the center. The man had died never feeling or knowing what hit him. A peaceful death.

Horror convulsed through Kafeng and he immediately hit the carpeted ground and began his crawl to the entrance door. Then he heard a series of thumps sound off in the room coming from the area of the window. As he franctically crawled, gloved hands lifted him off of his feet by his waist. With fear pulsing in his veins, he resisted but a syringe of something pierced his back by a second pair of hands, and his arms went numb instantly.

Kafeng brought his face to his attackers, and he seen a face hidden by a ski-mask, with only holes for the man's colorless brown eyes, and noseholes to breathe out of apparently.

The man spun Kafeng around and bound his hands with something, he couldn't tell what from the increasing numbness of them. Whatever drug they have pumped into him was extremely fast acting. His feet were kicked out from under him and he crashed to his stomach. There was a banging at the door and Kafeng knew it to be the security of the club, trying to get into to protect their exmployer though they knew not that they were too late.

Gunshots ripped through the locks of the door and it was kicked open, then the four armed guards from the lobby outside rushed in brandishing their heavy .357 Magnum revolvers and ready for combat.

A gunbattle followed. Kafeng was lifted off of his feet and he caught sight of six armed intruders with MP5 sub machine guns firing back at the security guards. All of them were wearing the same attire as the ones who had assaulted Kafeng.

It was a short but fierce battle leaving all four of the security guards dead, and two of the masked instruders dead and a third injured. One of the two men watching Kafeng approached the injured man, raised a pistol from under his covered shirt, and placed the barrel to the man's skull. Before the injured man could protest in any way, he was dead on the ground from an execution style shooting.

They just killed their own?????

This horrible realization went through Kafeng's mind like ice and steel, and he felt so scared and nauseous that his knees buckled and he lost the ability to stand. The man who had bound him caught him before he hit the ground and he was lifted over the man;s shoulder. All of the masked intruders communicated through short, crisp hand signals instead of their voices.

Before Kafeng was taken out of the window to a helicopter that had just appeared, Kafeng looked at Rylan's corpse once more.

" I guess that was your last view of the city" he whispered.

Kafeng remembered the six figures he had seen on the balcony railing, who were they? They weren't the men who had just attacked now. So who?

They tossed Kafeng into the helicopter once the man carrying him had lifted him out of the shattered window and gently exchanged him with one of the similarly dressed men within the helicopter.

Kafeng got one last look at the club and seen people racing out of the entrance door's racing for their vehicles, gunfire was clearly heard inside.

Soon, the Faded Shadow was too far away and out of sight. Kafeng was injected with another syringe and he was soon unconscious.