Film Noir: Enter the Shadow

[labcoatgirl]

Betty Ross walked a determined pace along the sidewalk, holding her notes and purse snugly under her arm. The weather looked about to turn inclement so she wanted to get home as soon as possible. There was an uneasy feeling carried on the wind, a typical California phenomenon called a Santa Ana. Betty was a little more uneasy as she walked, distracted by her thoughts of work.

She was so distracted in fact, that when she saw an opportunity to hail a cab, she ran right into a man exiting one of the many clubs on the strip. Her papers all went to the sidewalk. "Oh no!" Betty scrambled on her knees to try and collect them before the wind could take them too far to catch.

Comments

[sable_cloak]

He had his feet free just as the key clicked in the door, and the turn of Betty's head gave him the opportunity he needed to slip into one of the dark corners in the room, taking his ropes with him. There, the dim lighting cast weird shapes and hid the only mark of his presence.

Leaving Betty on the floor was less than ideal, but it would further confound the villains. Stepping in, they almost tripped over each other when they saw that the spot where Lamont had been placed was vacant.

"Where is he!?" One of them walked over, standing in the exact spot and then looking around the room.

"I trussed him like a turkey! Houdini couldn't get outta those ropes!" A comment was made that at least Betty was still there, but with a potential troublemaker unaccounted for and the room otherwise empty, the majority of the group filed back out the door to search for Cranston.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty was just as surprised to look back and find an empty space where Mr. Cranston had been. But while she didn't know where he had hidden himself so quickly, Betty could see how smart a move it was, splitting the goons attention into finding him.

Unfortunately that didn't leave her out of the equation yet. She was pulled up onto her feet, the bonds cut so she could walk and was pushed along in front of a thug with a gun to her back. Her hands still tied tightly. "What is this about? Why are you doing this??" she tried to get answers as she was marched out of the room and towards the upper deck.

"You'll find out, just shut your yap before I do it for you," the man said threateningly, keeping a tight hold on her tied wrists as he maneuvered her up the stairs. Betty tried to resist and stall him. "Let me go, I didn't do anything!" The guy gets fed up with her slowing him down and shoves her against a wall, one burly hand around her throat, the gun in his other hand. "You want to do this the hard way, doll-face?"

[sable_cloak]

Lamont let them take her from the room, following at a distance and maintaining his invisibility. He wanted to know where she was being taken, clearly someone was to interrogate her, but who and where on the ship were they?

Her stalling puts a kink in his plans, but it's nothing he can't adjust for. When that one thug pins her to the wall though, he's not about to let it escalate into physical violence against her for the sake of his curiosity.

A sibilant laugh issues forth, quiet at first, but clear and audible. The ship's corridors help the already uncanny sound bounce weirdly around the thugs, making them look around as the chills creep along their spines. It was unfortunate Lamont hadn't recognized the criminals, so he couldn't call them out by name, but that wasn't about to cripple the effect.

Because a moment later a disembodied fist came out of nowhere, a sort of black fog following in its wake and hitting the thug holding Betty to the wall and knocking him clear off his feet before it disappeared into thin air. That laugh only became louder, filling the air with its mirth.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty keeps still, not sure what was going on. The laughter was so ominous and undefinable, it was enough to make even the hardest criminals hair stand on end at the back of their neck. The thug turned to scan the corridor with his gun, his other hand still on Betty's neck. But he didn't even get a chance to say 'who's there'.

He went down hard, Betty suddenly free to act. She backed up two paces, trying to work out if she just missed seeing who punched the man or...

That laugh again. The thug jumped to his feet, Betty forgotten for the moment as he turned wildly to get a shot at whoever slugged him, getting angry with himself at being taken by surprise. Betty stayed still, torn between escape and the fear and curiosity of the unknown.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont wasn't about to let the thug shoot blindly in the hallway. The cramped corridors was rife with surfaces for bullets to ricochet. The other thug was backing up, his gun pulled out, but too fearful of the invisible force attacking his partner to figure out where to shoot.

That was when he struck, a nebulous, dark form emerging but never quite coming into focus as he shoved the other thug bodily against the wall. Desperation flashed in the man's eyes, Lamont's face was fully changed, a cruel set of eyes glaring back at the crook. And then they were gone again as Lamont hauled the thug back against the opposite wall, his laughter ringing out. Crime would be denied it's ill-gotten pound of flesh tonight, even at the cost of knowing the reason behind the evening's events.

[labcoatgirl]

The second man turned to see his partner being held against the wall by....nothing. Too scared to fully pull the trigger, he was a sitting duck for Betty, who had finally pulled her wits together and had picked up a metal bar from the deck with her tied hands. She swung as hard as she could and thug number two crumpled like a sack of potatoes to the floor. The one the Shadow had in his grasp was so terrified, he actually fainted.

She kept the bar in hand, not knowing if the mystery assailant would finish with the bad guys before having a go at her as well. Her eyes searching to try and see an invisible man. The metal bar lifted over her shoulder. "Whoever is there..." she started braver than she felt. "...don't try anything funny."

[sable_cloak]

That was Lamont's cue. He released that darkness, but only once he was back behind Betty. He poked his head out from a nearby hall, a place that would theoretically never have allowed him to engage in the fight and called out quietly.

"Miss Ross!" He had his ropes in hand, looking around in a somewhat urgent manner. He made his way over to her, holding out a hand so he could undo her binding. While he does, he gives a nod toward the unconscious thugs. "I see you've met my friend. Come on, we need to get to one of the life boats before the ship is too far out into the bay."

[labcoatgirl]

She whirled, nearly swinging her weapon in his direction when she saw who it was. "Oh, Mr. Cranston!" Betty quickly hurried over, relieved to see him in one piece. She put out her hands so he could untie her. "I don't know what happened..." Technically the bad guys had been beat up by nothing more than a shadow. That laugh still felt like it was lingering around. "That was your friend?" Betty giving him a worried look. "I would hate to see your enemies."

[sable_cloak]

There's a coy grin that flashes on his face, but then he smiles down at her hands once he has her free. He slides over to the thugs, trussing one of them up quickly.

"I think his enemies would be more worrisome." He gave the knot a cinch, and then moved on to the next thug. "But I owe him my life, many times over. Come." Even with the thugs trussed at his feet, he holds out his hand as if he were merely leading her out of the Cobalt Club and onto the streets of New York. Still all poise, and a gentle grin staying on his face.

"I have a promise to keep, and it was getting you off of this ship safely. I am under the distinct impression that you have found a friend tonight, as well."

[labcoatgirl]

She was exceedingly grateful that the thugs had been dispatched with before anything bad had happened. Betty takes the offered hand, stepping over the trussed up thug as she follows him up towards the main deck. "But...who was that?" she insists in a half whisper so as not to be heard by anyone up there. She was a scientist after all and what she just witnessed flew in the face of conventional science.

[sable_cloak]

He may be gallantly leading her onward, but he still keeps a low profile, not the sort to let conventional courtesies get in the way of safety and stealth.

"He calls himself The Shadow. If your experience is anything like mine, this won't be the last time you see him." He pauses, and gives a low chuckle. "Or won't see him, as it were." A finger is lifted to his lips, his ring winking faintly in the dim light as footsteps draw near. They've cleared the hallway with the thugs, but until they can reach a lifeboat, and get to shore, they're not in the clear yet.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty has more questions, but all of them will have to wait. Right now they had bigger problems to solve. As they step out onto the deck, staying low so as not to be seen, it was apparent they were very far from shore. Much too far to swim.

There were guards with semi-automatic weapons in hand, watching and patrolling back and forth. Betty held to Lamont's hand a little tighter, glad that she wasn't alone in this dilemma. These guys still wanted her, for what purpose, she didn't know. But the sooner they were off of this ship, the better. In a quiet whisper near his ear, "Maybe we need a distraction?" If the guards were looking elsewhere, they would have a better chance of getting away.

[sable_cloak]

"Agreed, but I think someone's a step ahead." Lamont ducked down by a doorway, pressing close to the wall but keeping his eyes ahead. So far Betty didn't seem to be aware of the psychic energies being thrown around, but it was still a risk to use them right next to her. He motioned for her to stay down as he peered around a corner.

His eyes took on an almost metallic color as they glinted like his ring earlier. There was a faint echo from across the deck as he reached out, creating a prickling along the neck of every thug on the deck. And then that laugh rang out loud and clear, it's location impossible to pinpoint as it seemed to issue from every corner of the deck. A flashlight turned on, and in the quick sweep of it, a shadowy figure appeared and then was just as quickly was gone. It was enough, and the thugs took off after the apparition.

[labcoatgirl]

One thing was for sure. Betty was glad this Shadow character was on their side.

Every man with a gun froze in step and aimed their gun at where they thought the laugh might have come from.

"What was that?!"

"Wait, there he is! Get him!"

Betty peeked over the railing to see every person on deck heading in chase of the shadowy figure. Despite the scary laugh and the feeling of unease, she couldn't help worrying that someone was risking their life to help save them. She quickly gets up and moves along the deck towards the lifeboat without invitation. Assuming that Lamont would be close behind as she tugs at a rope tied to the deck. "How long do you think they will be?"

[sable_cloak]

Lamont lags a moment, clearing his own mind and hoping the push is enough to keep the thugs busy until they can at least reach the water. He's moving up alongside her, freeing up the other side of the boat. He's glad to have someone along who's proactive, it's a pleasant change.

"A few minutes, but it should be enough." There was a shout and a single report of gunfire from the other side of the deck. Lamont didn't flinch, but it was worrying, because it meant the thugs would be spreading back out sooner to search for the shadowy figure. "After you Miss Ross." With the pulleys readied, they only had to get in and lower the ropes.

[labcoatgirl]

There's a sharp chk-chk that stops Betty in her tracks cold. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Betty turns slowly to find both of them were at the business end of a very large rifle. Her heart sank as she put her hands up. This apparently was the boss of the operation, while his goons were out chasing their own shadows, he had found out where their hostages got to. "We've still got some questions for you, Dr. Ross." The man motioning with his gun for the two of them to follow ahead of him towards the captain's cabin.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont kept his hands down, but gave a disarming smile at the business end of the gun which menaced him.

"Move it!" He demands and Lamont gives Betty a motion to walk ahead of him. With their chance for immediate escape lost, they wouldn't have a chance to lower the small dinghy to the chilly waters and get far enough away to be relatively clear of threats. The frazzled thugs were working their way back to their posts, two carrying a wounded comrade from the fruitless fight down below decks. Another joined up with the boss, giving a hushed report before doubling up the weapons pointed at Lamont and Betty.

"I don't care! Find him and kill him! Or at least force him off the ship! As long as he'd aboard, we'll be chasing our own tails." The boss grumped at the news, ordering Betty up ahead to take the short stairway to the Captain's quarters.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty's heart thumps in her chest as she moves where prompted, her hands still up as she walks. At least the thugs were still looking for Mr. Cranston's 'friend' which meant he hadn't been captured yet.

Once they got to the Captain's cabin, they restrained Lamont to a chair but the boss kept his gun trained on Betty. Banking on the fact that the man wouldn't do anything while the woman was in shooting distance. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but we're on a tight schedule." Betty is sat down forceibly at the desk, a piece of paper and pen put in front of her. "I want the new polymer you've been working on."

Betty knew she couldn't give it to him. But as she's pausing for a suitable answer, the man points his gun at Mr. Cranston. "You start writing or in five seconds, I'll be putting a bullet into your friend here. And every five seconds after that." Betty wasn't willing to give up someone's life for a scientific discovery. She clutched the pen worriedly before starting to scribble something as slowly as she dared.

[sable_cloak]

Indeed, Lamont wasn't about to risk Betty's life so long as the weapon was pointed at her. He grudgingly allowed them to strap him to the chair. The demand made it only too obvious, her being addressed as "Doctor" was a well-deserved title, if they knew she had the information they wanted. It helped him to know she was not only sharp, but intelligent.

Finally the weapon is pointed at him, and he keeps that impassive expression on his face as he eyes up the gun, the hand holding it, and then the boss. A glance over to Betty tells him she's stalling for time, but it won't work for long, which is why he's working his hands free again. He's trying to work quickly, because Betty's tactic is working, but it won't stay that way for very long.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty is doing her best to stay calm, writing out a variant of the polymer but not the exact formula. She was hoping he wouldn't know the difference either way. But she was still writing slowly, trying to think of a way out of this.

"Faster, please," the boss sets the barrel his gun against her head to motivate her. Betty can't help the pen wavering as she tries to accommodate.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont scowls as the threats begin to escalate, and realizes he has to create another diversion, something to buy both of them time. The other thug who had met up with the boss was still in the room, so Lamont closes his eyes. He doesn't want them to betray his identity, but not seeing Betty at gunpoint also helps him focus a bit better. He can feel the thug's mind, and the weak will there is precisely what Lamont was hoping to find. He opens his eyes slightly with his chin lowered, the effect looking more like a resentful glare than the concentrated focus it really is. With his eyes shrouded, the wouldn't reflect what little light there was in the room.

He willed the underling to bend to his command, but it wasn't an easy task. Precious moments were wasted, but if that gun wasn't turned away from Betty, Lamont couldn't make a move without threatening her life. Slowly he could feel the thug's mind bend, but it was requiring intense concentration. He had to hold off on giving the command to attack the boss until he could be certain the thug would follow through, but it would only be a moment more until he could start the cascade of events.

[labcoatgirl]

"Okay, okay! It's done, here." Betty giving over the scribbled papers to the boss as he backed off with the gun still pointed at her to glance at them. A smirk flickering on his face. "Nice try. This is useless and you know it." He crumples the paper in his hand and tosses it at her sharply. "I've had enough of your stalling." He nods at the henchman, "Shoot him."

[sable_cloak]

Well, that worked too. In fact, it serves as a premature trigger, and the thug dumbly turns, raising his gun at his boss and pulling the trigger. Lamont loses his concentration, a bit surprised, and perhaps disappointed at the results because the thug, in his incomplete state of hypnosis, has missed.

The boss is staring dumbly for a moment at the thug before raising his gun at the man as the fog lifts, and he realizes what he's just done. He makes panicked motions, begging for his life as the boss snarls and fires.

That, is Lamont's cue as he frees his hands at last, and makes a desperate dive at the boss, both men dropping to the floor and getting into a grapple for the gun in hand. Lamont could have gone for the other weapon, but he's more concerned that the boss would start shooting wildly in the room, endangering Betty. At least this way, he can work to control where the gun is pointed, even if it occasionally wavers dangerously toward himself.

[labcoatgirl]

Betty's not sure what went wrong, but she is moving the moment the thug is dropped by the boss's bullet. At first diving for the floor but when she sees where Lamont has gone for, she quickly gets up to try and help. The only weapon is the thug's gun which she retrieves and points at the struggling men. Lamont was too close though, she couldn't fire it off without hitting him.

[sable_cloak]

Lamont is managing to stay on top of the boss, holding the advantage to some degree. The gun wavers again, but it's not pointing toward Betty, so when the weapon fires, Lamont doesn't pay it much mind. He knows he's been hit, the arm stinging, but his adrenaline helps him to ignore the pain as he finally wrestles the weapon back around. With the muzzle pointed at the boss, the trigger is pulled. It's not a kill shot, but the man is more severely wounded. The gun clatters to the floor and Lamont rolls off. He's breathing heavily, tired and sore as he looks up at Betty, a hand idly wandering up to cover the oozing wound.