At blazing speed he arrived quickly making his way down town to one specific building, instantly maneuvering himself inside.

 

“nnggghhh!!!” he grunted as he dug his claws into the floor to pull against the force of his instant stop.

 

Quickly he looked around to make sure he was alone. He stood inside the lobby of an old deserted hotel that was no longer structurally sound. For some reason the city has never gotten around to tearing it down and replacing it, so for now it just sits here. But it makes a great temporary base.

 

Chase took a moment to catch his breath, enjoying the ways the sunlight of the low sun drafted in and was caught by millions of dust particles. But he didn’t let himself enjoy it for too long before standing straight, and putting his mind to the problem at hand.

 

Immediately on command, the room burst to life as the thoughts of his mind formed a web of connections around him. It was kinda like a bunch of small orbs floating around, each one with “strings” connecting it to other orbs, each with their own set of connections. It was how he saw the world.

 

“So let’s see” He started as he mentally traced the path of all the “strings”, “Right now I’m focusing on finding Tech,”

 

“But he’s nowhere to be found” Shadow finished examining one of the “orbs” that was Tech and following its connection to the frequency. “And so far the only way we can track him down is through the code’s he sends up to the satellites”

 

“Exactly” Chase agreed “but there’s a problem”

 

“The code is only vulnerable within the first second of its sending” Shadow agreed

 

“But every time that opportunity comes along, there is always conveniently something going on, something that keeps me away.” Chase continued thinking back to the most significant one so far, the Times Square bombing.

 

“And each time it’s worked” Shadow sighed. “Because-“

 

Suddenly the room exploded with a violent gust of wind,

 

“rgh!” Chase grunted as he dug his heel and toe claws into the wood for stability. Shadow also gripped the wood, but being without claws as he was, that was a little hard. Chase thought he felt something slither pass his feet, it was cold and black. He and shadow exchanged a glance, through his mask. Then Slash drew his claws. Something was here.

 

“Because hero’s have to make choices!” the voice mocked from the darkness accumulating on the other side of the room. Suddenly from it, two glowing red eyes opened, and the blackness began to take shape. Slowly it stepped forward, it was humanoid, but its whole body was dark and black, in fact it seemed to be emanating darkness, as if it was a cup that was overflowing. Except for the eyes which emitted a dim red glow.

 

“That’s pathetic.” It growled

 

“It’s the right thing to do” Slash countered, much to Shadows surprise.

 

“That’s not how you’re going to win!”

 

“I don’t care” Slash stated, but the darkness continued, suddenly angrier

 

“Stop pretending to be something you’re not and play the game!” it demanded

 

“It’s not a game” Chase replied

 

“It’s Chess!” it roared “and you need to start seeing the whole picture!”

 

“No!” Chase growled “that is not how I work. We are not dealing with pieces on a board, these are people’s lives!”

 

“What’s the difference?” it laughed “just try to see the board for a minute”

 

“NO!” Chase thundered “There is no board! No one is a pawn, no one is disposable.”

 

“Since when?” it pried

 

“Goodbye” Chase replied forcefully

 

The thing stopped, it did not like the tone that Chase was taking with it. From somewhere deep in its throat, it emitted a low rumble growl.

 

“I said. GOODB-AAGGH!” Chase let out. Instantly the creature had snapped its fingers and from them darkness erupted, covering the whole room. It was cold to the touch.

 

Slash immediately recovered and opened his eyes, the darkness was no longer filling the room, but it had not left. He looked up, the web of connections was no longer in his mind, it was now physical, the darkness had reached into his mind and formed it. It now covered the room in its own darker version. Now Chase was angry.

 

“You DARE reach into MY head! And pull out MY thought!” He yelled now pushing past the dark orbs toward the creature, Claws drawn ready to fight. “What RIGHT D-“

 

“JUST SHUT UP FOR A SECOND!” It yelled “I can help you!”

 

Chase stopped just short of impaling this annoyance. But his claws were still ready.

 

“Aside from a few simple connections that any two year old could make, you can’t understand how any of this connects, and I know that it’s driving you crazy!” it gleefully stated, gesturing to the web all around them. “But I can help you!”

 

“How?” Chase replied

 

“I can see everything! I can understand every connection, and see how it works, why it’s there, and can even plan ahead! IT ALL MAKES SENSE! The same could be for you if you would just let yourself think!” it exclaimed “simply let yourself think! And stop chaining yourself to the thought process of a… well, you know.”

 

Chase was quiet for a second, then put his head extremely close to that things shadow of a face so that his next words had no chance of being misunderstood.

 

“I will not. EVER. Become like you. EVER, again.”

 

The thing growled, its red eyes boring into Chase Mask.

 

“Now GET…OUT...”

 

For a moment, no one spoke, as the two glared at each other. But finally the darkness stepped back.

 

“You can’t escape who you are.” It warned. Instantly all the blackness around him rushed back to its point of origin and collapsed in on itself. Then it was gone, and Chase realized just how bright the room had been before.

 

No one said anything. Slowly, Shadow turned to Chase.

 

“What. The heck! Was that?!!”

 

Chase turned to him, making sure that he could see his eyes under his mask.

 

“It’s complicated” he stated “but it’s been following us for a while.”