Grift and Shadow

By L. Rigdon

Stealing from a Rupt security firm was easy. Now, Bogdan and his team—including two dragons, a shifter, and a non-human weapons expert—find out that the intel they stole was far more powerful than they could have ever imagined. Letting it out would spell disaster, but refusing to give it over to Isabel Bryxur, the psychotic terrorist who hired them, would mean a slow and painful death.

Caught in the middle, Bogdan and the team have to pull off the biggest con of their careers if they want to survive. Join the ride as they grift their way through every twist and turn. Will they fool Bryxur and stop her from her evil schemes, or will Bogdan's plan unravel with the team left holding the bag?

• Language: English
• Publisher: L. Rigdon
• Release date: Aug 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370365852

L. Rigdon

Working out of my home office in Beaverton, OR, I have been an academic and professional writer since 2007. I earned my bachelor's degree from California State University, Stanislaus and graduated magna cum laude in 2008. At CSUS, I majored in English and minored in journalism. In 2013 I finished my master’s degree in literature and graduated with distinction. My graduate areas of focus included medieval literature, Renaissance Literature, gender theory, discourse theory, spatiality, psychoanalytical criticism, and semiotics.Currently, I split my time between contract work and my own works of fiction.Besides writing, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, baking, reading, playing games, crafting, streaming shows, and singing.

Book preview

Grift and Shadow

By L. Rigdon

Cover Art

By Pixabay artist ' darksouls1'

Edited

By Jonathan Paul Bard Glasscock

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

First Edition Text copyright © 2017 L. Rigdon

Second Edition Text copyright © 2021 L. Rigdon

Smashwords Edition

All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents

Current Works Written by L. Rigdon:

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

LOVE LOVE LOVE TO MY FANS!!!

Acknowledgments

Current Works Written by L. Rigdon:

Rupt World Stories Volume 1: Monsters Are Real

Rupt World Stories Volume 2: Monsters Can Help

Rupt World Stories Volume 3: Real Monsters Hide

Words on a Feather

Grift and Shadow

Beyond the Rupt Door: Stories of Wonder and Fright Volume I

Beyond the Rupt Door: Stories of Wonder and Fright Volume II

Follow L. Rigdon’s journey on her website:

www.LRIGDON.com

Go HERE to sign up for L. Rigdon’s newsletter, filled with insider exclusives, updates, and sneak peeks!

Upcoming Titles:

As this is the second edition release, L. Rigdon has added several titles to her list of works above. Her upcoming project, Rupt World Stories Volume 4: The Monsters We Create, will be launched in 2022.

Subscribe to her newsletter and follow her on Facebook for all publishing updates.

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Prologue

Classified Documents

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Clearance Level Password: ***********

Accepted.

Provide biometric identification.

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Provide audio-visual identification.

Accepted.

Classified documents accessible.

File Folder: Outsiders Team

File: 06 29 2017

Background:

Sagewood and Birch (S&B) Security deny that any information was stolen during the robbery that crashed their unbreakable network. WE have decided to investigate covertly. Sources indicate that a large quantity of surveillance footage was copied off of a targeted portion of S&B’s systems.

The information copied from the system could only have been identified and recognized as valuable by someone with access to the security system protocols. Someone inside of S&B, or someone with direct connection to the security organization, has most likely assisted the team of criminals that broke into the security firm.

Due to S&B’s refusal to admit that anything was stolen or admit that a breach of security occurred, WE cannot officially call in any suspects.

Our contacts and surveillance have already revealed that the crew responsible for the break-in was hired by Isabel Bryxur, ex-IRA, and one of the most wanted criminals in the Sanction, the Vocroft, and the Neutral Nations.

Bryxur was recently incarcerated for arson and illegal weapons trading, but, for reasons unknown, was released. WE suspect she has connections with highly influential people, although no one in Bryxur’s known network seems capable of such influence.

Bryxur and her organization, the Modge Podge Gang, are political activists, abductors, illegal substance distributors, black marketeers, weapons traffickers, and terrorists. WE believe they do not possess the finesse necessary for infiltrating an organization such as S&B.

As WE still do not know the nature of the data stolen from S&B, our assumption is that the data was valuable enough that Bryxur outsourced the job. There is no evidence that Bryxur was obtaining the information for another party. How she discovered the existence of the information is still unknown.

Unconfirmed sources have implied that the information taken from S&B may have provided Bryxur with surveillance of her competition in the illegal Shaylumstyne trade. If these sources are correct, such information would allow Bryxur to remove her competition and become the main distributor for the most volatile and sought after magical element in the Rupt World.

Current Surveillance:

While Bryxur and her organization are under surveillance, WE have judged it prudent to also watch the team Bryxur hired for the S&B heist.

Since two days after the break-in at S&B, WE have set up covert surveillance of the team led by Bogdan Krugin, a Dark Shadow Minion. Although most Minions stay close to their Dark Shadow Overlords (DSOs) in absolute servitude, Bogdan has proven unusual. He has no current affiliation with his Overlord. In fact, since Bogdan is estimated to be over 200 years old, the identity of who his Overlord is remains unknown.

See the file on BOGDAN for a full record of his history from becoming a Minion to the present.

In the criminal world dating at least as far back as the 1950s, Bogdan was recognized as one of the best mercenaries for hire. He has used his abilities to move through the Shadow Realm to get himself into facilities previously thought impenetrable. Sources indicate that he has been connected to over 50 assassinations, 35 abductions, and an unknown number of robberies. Bogdan no doubt has his own agenda, but all data implies that the majority of his criminal activity has been at the behest of his wide network of clients. Bryxur is only one of his known clients.

Records prior to 1950 indicate that BOGDAN more often than not worked alone. After 1954, for reasons that have never been made clear, our analysts have found documentation and reliable eye-witness accounts of BOGDAN recruiting mercenaries, ex-military personnel, professionals, and criminals to work together on team projects. As a sort of human resources expert of the criminal underworld, BOGDAN has assembled no fewer than 12 different teams for an unknown number of illegal activities. Records indicate that up until the 1970s, most teams assembled by BOGDAN only worked together for brief periods of time. Since 1972, Bogdan has developed a more regular team of associates.

BOGDAN’s current team includes suspected and known criminals, including but not limited to the following individuals:

Ehmooria, alias Sparks, has been a key player in the Rupt criminal world since 1968. She is a Sahpsae, but unlike the majority of her species that live off world and work in the Lapshurveh Library, Sparks uses her unique Sahpsae abilities to reverse engineer technology, reinvent new technology, and to build intricate weapons and other incendiary devices. SPARKS has been reported dead on several occasions, usually by her enemies. Sanction databases have been updated to indicate that SPARKS is presently alive.

Records indicate that Sparks has had direct dealings with Bryxur since the mid-1980s. Sparks' relationship with Bogdan goes back to at least 1977, if not earlier. Bogdan and Sparks have worked together often, and many witnesses have attested that the two are mutually loyal to each other.

Heinrich Ernst, who prefers the name Hank, and his sister, Margaret Ernst, who usually goes by the name Peggy, are both dragons and belong to one of the few dragon species allowed on the Earth Plane, the Quaitaaroug. As Quaitaaroug dragons, the siblings can transform themselves into human-looking bodies. Unlike other shape shifters, the Ernsts remain limited to one humanoid form each. The Ernsts are the only living grandchildren of Duke Ernst, and as such have gained titles, land, and property. Records indicate that the siblings were born sometime in the mid-1800s.

Hank and Peggy are often referred to as the twins, yet they are opposites in many ways.

Hank is a career criminal. During the 1890s, he was convicted of smuggling, and in 1923 he was convicted of illegal weapons dealing. Although he has not been captured or incarcerated since 1942, he has been linked to numerous assassinations, black market trading deals, illegal goods and substance trafficking, larceny, and other acts of fraud.

In the Rupt criminal underworld, Hank is well-known, respected, and feared. Sources indicate that he does have his own agenda, but he has worked for hire on numerous occasions, including for both Bryxur and Bogdan. During the 1970s and into the 1980s, some records imply that Hank and Sparks were competitors, especially in Morocco. The two tried to sabotage and kill each other more than once. During the early 1990s the two had little-to-no involvement outside of working on Bogdan's team. Reports indicate that as of 1996, HANK and SPARKS began working on projects outside of BOGDAN’s team, as the two were and have been seen together all around the Earth Plane and the Parallel Planes on numerous occasions.

Peggy has spent the last century as a political liaison and lobbyist for hire. She has connections with Rupt politicians and diplomats in all political parties on the Earth Plane as well as on the Parallel Planes of Existence. Within the past 30 years, her loyalties have appeared to be linked closest with the Sanction. Nevertheless, her vast network of associates have been connected with suspected bribery, coercion, fraud, backroom deals, treason, and espionage. It remains unclear as to Peggy's involvement in these criminal activities.

Peggy has been involved with Bogdan directly since 1984. WE suspect she has been feeding him information or acting as a go-between for bribes to certain officials. Peggy has used her connections and her skills as a lobbyist to avoid suspicion or incarceration.

While Peggy’s political leverage and reach is impressive, there is nothing to support any allegations that she was involved with securing Bryxur’s early release from prison. If anything, it has been suspected, although not proven, that Hank and possibly Sparks had some involvement, either direct or otherwise, in getting Bryxur arrested. Since Peggy remains unquestionably loyal to her brother, helping his enemy escape prison seems unlikely. We are still following leads on who might have assisted in securing Bryxur’s release. While the list of suspects is short, most evidence has been nothing more than hearsay.

Wilhelm Ginmund, aka Will, is a shape shifting Razioni previously declared dead in 2012. WE have since updated Sanction records to correct this erroneous piece of information Sources indicate that Bogdan recruited Will at the same time that this Razioni was declared dead. WE suspect Bogdan and other unknown affiliates were responsible for faking Will's death.

As a shape shifter, Will can appear in any human form. Additionally, he can recreate both clothing and some accessories. Images of a Razioni are, therefore, useless for our purposes. If necessary, our Profiler Unit can use their innate abilities to identify different species of shape shifter, including Razioni.

Monique Chase, alias CHASE, has no criminal background and no real connection to any of the above individuals prior to the S&B heist. Inside sources suggest that she was abducted from S&B during the original heist, but it is unknown as to why she was in the firm's facility, as she is not an employee. Chase is a reporter of some reputation, but was not interviewing anyone on-site during the break-in. She is also an acolyte of the Fleshwire faith, and WE suspect her abilities as a Fleshwire led to her abduction.

As of this document, Chase is still working with Bogdan and his team. Inside sources state that she does so of her own free will, but WE have reason to suspect otherwise. Our team is looking into Chase's background to determine if she is being blackmailed or otherwise forced into involvement with Bogdan or his team. It has been recommended that WE reach out to Chase, but that decision has not been finalized.

Action:

Our surveillance teams and inside sources will continue to watch Bogdan, his team of felons and suspected criminals, and the Fleshwire, Monique Chase. This classified mission has been given clearance from the highest authorities in the Sanction. All operatives are provided intel on a need-to-know-basis, to avoid breaches of intelligence, should anyone be captured.

Chapter 1

The RXPs blow up orphanages and sell people into slavery, so tell me again why we’re not letting Bryxur kill them herself? Hank’s nervous voice rang out over the communications network.

Will and Monique, who were already inside the RXPs’ central storage and server facility, ignored Hank’s question.

It was night, and almost all the main lights were off in the facility. Will stood in the entry hallway wearing all-black clothing and, for the moment, he looked like an average, nondescript European man, which was his neutral form. Monique, a young black woman, had her curly hair pulled back tight, so she could wear an unattractive, but sadly necessary, metal headband equipped with specialized tech for hiding her true identity. She rolled her hazel eyes at Hank, as she had gotten tired of his incessant whining about the RXPs.

Hank, stay off the system unless you see movement, Bogdan ordered.

As leader, Bogdan had to stay where he could keep an eye on all of his key players, so he sat with Sparks in the get-a-way van. Bogdan sat next to Sparks, comfortable and accustomed to the close quarters. Even in the oversized van, his tall, broad Russian frame seemed cramped inside the vehicle. While the middle part of the van had comfortable seating for all team members, the back part of the van was cramped with Sparks’ tech and computer equipment. Since only the two of them were in the van at the moment, the overhead lights in the middle area of the van had been turned off. Now, the majority of the lighting came from the monitor screens in the tech area. The distilled, somewhat eerie lighting from Sparks' monitor screens highlighted the battle scars and age lines on Bogdan's face.

Whereas the light from the screens made Bogdan look older, the lights emphasized the shimmering quality of Sparks' mahogany-colored Sahpsae skin. As her seven-fingered hands rapidly entered keystrokes into the keyboard, her skin sparkled. Like all Sahpsae, she had white eyes, save for the colored pupils. Her pupils were a brilliant shade of violet. Inside the van, the low light from the monitors reflected on Sparks’ white eyes, making her dilated pupils have an odd neon purple glow about them. Sparks pointed to one of the monitors, alerting Bogdan's attention.

Bogdan nodded as he and Sparks continued to monitor the team. Will, what’s your status?

Even though the building was empty at this time of night, Will kept his voice low. Monique was able to plug Sparks’ device into the security system outside and get us in. We’re making our way to the main hallway now.

Will, remind little-miss wanna-be-hacker that the RXPs’ bosses are known for their anti-Fleshwire security protocols, Sparks butted in. If she takes that scrambler headband off for just a second, their systems will detect her and it’ll be bye-bye cyborg reporter.

I can hear you, Sparks, Monique replied, mildly agitated. She adjusted the headband to make sure it was secure.

Let’s stay focused, people, Bogdan said. Peggy, how are we doing on the south side?

Everything’s clear up here, Peggy responded.

Up on the roof of a nearby building, Peggy was partway transformed between her dragon self and her human form, so she could take full advantage of her enhanced dragon sight. Since only her head was in the form of a dragon with opalescent scales, the rest of her tall and sultry full-figured humanoid form remained, wearing what appeared to be designer clothing, as was her preference. She looked out directly in front of her at the rooftop of the building across from the north side of the RXPs facility. Everything O.K. over there, brother?

Hank was also partially transformed into his dragon self, only he had burning amber colored scales that looked black in the night. Like his sister, his humanoid body was tall, muscular, and dense. Clothing was part of the shape shifting ability for his species of dragons, and although Peggy always preferred high-end design, Hank often chose clothing that was functional for the situation. At the moment his clothing looked like black jeans, steel-toed boots, a long-sleeved dark hoodie, and a thick and bulky black duster. The layers of fabric and his tall, broad human body disguised his massive dragon form.

Hank kept looking around nervously. No death squads on the rise, if that’s what you mean, sister. But if we’re going to do this, we need to get it done now. The RXPs and I are already on bad terms, boss, and I don’t want to add to their list of reasons to kill me.

Did I mention how your team mates are like little rays of sunshine? Monique joked as she looked at Will.

We do have our moments, Will replied with a grin.

Will, you’re getting close to the cameras in the main hallway I told you about earlier. Better get your face on, Sparks instructed.

Acknowledged, Will said.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of a man whom he had never met. The picture quality wasn't spectacular, especially in the dim light of the service lights in the hallway, but the picture was good enough for a frame of reference. Within a moment, Will used his Razioni ability to shape shift his body to look like a doppelgänger of the man in the photo. He was now slender, gangly, and wore a plain black suit. His weasley-looking face made him look like the typical bureaucratic crony found throughout both the Sanction and the Vocroft.

According to intel that the team had uncovered from the files Monique had originally stolen from Sagewood & Birch (S&B) Security firm, the man in the photo was a low-level Sanction government official who has been in league with the RXPs for some time. Using him as the fall-guy for this heist would keep the RXPs safe from Bryxur, for the time being, as it would minimize their stores of Shaylumstyne and make them less of a target for Bryxur and her Modge Podge Gang. The RXPs would almost certainly take out the real government official after seeing the footage from tonight's break-in, with Will shape shifted into this government lackey. Then the RXPs would be in desperate need of a new government contact. With her many diplomatic connections, Peggy already had a few government candidates in mind whom she could use as pawns to keep control over the RXPs. However, controlling the RXPs was a later part of the plan, a much later part of the plan.

After shifting into a perfect copy of the man in the picture, Will turned down the hallway that had all the cameras still running, making sure that his false face was clearly visible for the security footage that the RXPs would look at later on. Monique, using her Fleshwire abilities to sense all technology around her, kept herself out of sight from the cameras. At the end of the corridor, Will found a security panel. On the panel was a miniaturized keyboard and monitor.

I’m at the monitor, Will said.

Do you remember the code I taught you? Monique asked.

Entering it now, Will replied while typing in the lengthy stream of computer code. Done. Did it work?

I can sense the cameras – they’re down, Monique replied. She ran quickly down the hall to meet up with Will, keeping one hand on the headband to keep it from falling off.

All right, Bogdan said while standing up in the van, his head just barely lower than the roof. Will, now that the cameras are down, go into the main storage area of the warehouse and raid the RXPs’ supply of Shaylumstyne. Monique, hack into their system and give us a backdoor. Sparks says we need a way to use their own files against them if we want this whole plan to work out.

On it, Will replied.

Before Will could run off, Monique grabbed his arm. Wait, something’s wrong with the system. I can feel it working through the code I gave you. It’s finding a way around it. The whole system is getting ready to reboot. We’ve got six minutes max before we’re dead in the water.

I knew this was a bad idea, Hank complained. He paced back and forth on the rooftop, using his dragon vision to see as far as he could in every direction.

For goodness sakes, Hank, stop pacing around like a child and act like a dragon, Peggy chastised her brother."

Easy for you to say, Hank retorted bitterly as he looked across the buildings at the other rooftop where his sister stood. It's not like the RXPs want you dead!

Enough! Bogdan's voice commanded obedience. We're now down to five minutes. Sparks, guide Monique to hack into the system and buy us more time.

Understood, Sparks replied excitedly as she typed madly on her keyboard specially modified for her Sahpsae seven-fingered hands.

Will, use an emergency knocker if you have to, but get the product out of that building.

On it, boss, Will said. He shifted his body out of the form of the government lackey and into a tall, bodybuilder with six pack abs, tree trunk thighs, and enormous shoulders. This form was Will's go-to body for moving heavy loads. The form didn't look like any one person, but more like an amalgamation of actors from 1980s action movies.

Twins, you are our eyes in the sky. Go aerial and keep us up-to-date on any activity.

We're on it, Peggy answered for herself and her brother.

She looked over to where her brother stood. Since they were both partially transformed and using their dragon sight, even though they were easily over 100 yards away from each other, they could see each other as clearly as if they were standing right in front of each other. Peggy gave her brother a stern look, one she had no doubt given him countless times before. It always had the same result of making Hank focus on the problem at hand. He nodded to Peggy, and the two of them began to transform.

The twins were medium-sized dragons when they were fully transformed, but even medium-sized dragons were each about as big as a city bus. In their human forms, both Hank and Peggy were tall, broad, and sturdy brunettes. They did not look overweight. In fact, both Hank and Peggy were thought of as quite handsome and alluring by human standards. Most Slums and even Rupts would guess that Hank was a former football athlete, because of his musculature and frame. Some of Peggy's human associates had often described her as being built like an Amazon, which made her chuckle. The real reason for their larger bodies was probably more related to physics that anything else. After all, condensing all of that dragon form into something as small as a human was a feat in and of itself. Dragons of their species could only manage the feat by transforming their bodies into the shape of a human with layers upon layers of clothing on top. The clothing could never come off, but they could alter the clothing to look like anything they wanted. The layers just gave them extra room to compact their true dragon selves.

Hank and Peggy took one more look around from their rooftops before going full dragon. Even at night, Peggy's opalescent scales shimmered as they caught every speck of light. Hank's scales burning amber scales looked almost black, but glinted in the light of the stars and the city. Once they reached full dragon form, which took only a matter of seconds, their strong, bat-like wings flapped hard to lift them off the rooftops and into the sky.

Comms check, this is Peggy.

We can hear you Peggy, can you hear us? Bogdan answered louder than normal.

More or less, Peggy said. We really need to work on a communications device that can handle going from a human ear and into a dragon ear.

On my list, Sparks said absently as she still focused on typing lines and lines of code.

Can you hear me, boss? Hank's voice came in faintly.

Yeah, but I think you're flying in the wind, Hank, Bogdan answered with his hand over his ear trying to improve the quality of what he was hearing.

I'm in the freaking sky! There's wind everywhere!

Bogdan rolled his eyes. Keep circling, twins. Bogdan walked over to Sparks' terminal. Status, Sparks?

Annoyed, Sparks bluntly answered. Monique, you need to open that backdoor, Sparks called over the comms.

Inside of the warehouse, Monique had a USB cable connected from the port inside of her hand to the main system terminal that Will had originally used to type in the code and turn off the cameras. When in full Fleshwire mode, Monique's eyes rolled and moved independently as her higher processes began to function at lightning speeds. I'm almost there, Monique said. In her mind's eye, she could see the internal structure of the warehouse's computer system. In the distance, she could hear the security program trying to undo the code Will had entered. If the security program decimated the code, it would have full control over the system and be able to throw Monique out and block Sparks from getting into her backdoor. Monique did what she could to tap into the system and essentially throw curveballs at the security program, but she was no hacker. True, her Fleshwire abilities allowed her to sense technology, understand it, and see the information, but seeing the information and doing something about it were two very different things. Luckily, Monique had an ace up her sleeve named Sparks.

Monique, I'm sending you something nasty to upload into the system, Sparks explained as she hit enter on her keyboard.

Part of Monique's internal systems included constantly streaming Bluetooth capabilities, so she always had access to her emails and could read them inside of her mind. Generally she preferred to use an actual monitor, since reviewing her email in her brain meant temporarily ignoring what her eyes were seeing. Being that she was already plugged into an unknown system, her regular eyes were of little use to her at the moment. I got it. What is this thing? Monique asked, her voice full of horror and disgust as she gazed at the code that, in her Fleshwire vision, looked like a slimy, slithering three-eyed monster with rows of razor teeth.

No time for questions, Fleshwire, do it! Sparks ordered.

Against her better judgment, Monique pushed the wriggling code into the computer system. This thing better not infect me!

Not as long as you have the headband on, Sparks replied.

After half a second, Monique could hear the security program screaming in the distance.

Will, what's your status? Bogdan called out.

I'm using a knocker to move as many boxes as I can off-site, but I'm not even a quarter of the way through. We need more time, Will explained as he carried two huge crates to a wall that he already set up as a long-lasting two-way knocker opening. He walked through the knocker portal and was instantly transported from the RXPs warehouse to one of Bogdan's hidden warehouses located in the middle of nowhere somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. He stacked the new crates on the ones he already moved through the portal, then ran back to the portal and into the RXPs warehouse where he would be back in communications range. Sorry, I lose the comms every time I walk through the portal. How much more time do we have?

Whatever the heck Sparks just gave me seems to have killed the backup security system, literally, so I think we should have plenty of time, Monique said with a bitter taste in her mouth. Sparks, you’re sure this virus won’t get into me, right?

For the millionth time, I uploaded a firewall into your mainframe before the mission. It’s specifically set to block the virus, among other things, Sparks explained.

What other things? Monique blurted out nervously. There was no mention of other things!

Let’s keep focused, people, Bogdan butted in. Monique, you still have a job to do. Get that backdoor up and running. Sparks, walk her through it.

You’re not the one with other things after you, Monique pouted.

Bogdan ignored her. Eyes in the sky, status?

Nothing on the south side or coming from that direction, Peggy called out, the sound of her wings flapping could be heard in the background.---side bogey ---, Hank’s voice came in and out across the comms.

Come again, Hank? Bogdan said loudly.

East side bogey, Hank called over the comms as slowly and loudly as he could.

Peggy are you seeing whatever Hank is seeing? Bogdan asked.

Affirmative, Peggy responded, although her voice was also distorted by static. Four targets. RXPs. Standing near the side door. Do we engage?

Negative, eyes in the sky. Do not engage. No one can know we were here, Bogdan ordered.

I still need more time, Will called out as he moved another load through the portal.

I need at least two minutes for this backdoor, Monique explained.

Bogdan nodded in acknowledgment, his body tense with nerves and frustration. He knew what he had to do. Understood. I'm going dark.

What does he mean going dark? Monique asked frantically.

Focus on your job, Monique, Sparks instructed fiercely. She often took the lead when Bogdan was otherwise engaged. Sparks nodded to Bogdan, quietly communicating that she had this. Bogdan patted her shoulder in reply.

Bogdan took a few steps away from Sparks and moved into the middle part of the van where all the lights had been turned off. There, in the darkness, he transformed his solid body into a shadowy mass that looked like pulsating smoke. In this form, he could travel through the shadows as if they were portals. The transformation process from flesh to shadow was almost instantaneous. Bogdan’s shadow form dropped into the shadows of the van and disappeared.

A fraction of a second later, Bogdan was in the shadows near the east side entrance. He could see and hear the four RXPs. They were smoking and making jokes. As far as Bogdan could tell, the four were definitely not security, so he had no idea why they were on-site. Bogdan couldn't risk dragon fire, as it would draw too much attention. Plus, since the RXPs and Hank were old enemies, dragon fire would just bring the RXPs to Bogdan's doorstep.

Nope. He had a better option.

Bogdan moved through the shadows to stand inside the ground shadows of the four men. Younger Minions didn't have the focus to pull off a four-way life-drain, but Bogdan had been a Minion for two centuries, so for him this was child's play. From their very shadows, Bogdan began draining life energy from the four targets. It didn't take long before all four RXPs became lightheaded and fell to the ground. Paranoid that there were cameras nearby, Bogdan didn't re-materialize near the four men, and instead went back to the van via the shadows. As he popped out of the shadows and retook his solid form, his eyes were still glowing red. All Minions, and all Dark Shadow Overlords for that matter, had glowing red eyes when they were hungry and sometimes after they had just fed. Bogdan was shaking slightly from the energy high of feeding from four vessels.

Eyes in the sky confirm all four targets neutralized, Peggy's voice announced over the comms.

Wait, neutralized like dead? Monique's voice betrayed her panic.

You can relax, Ms. Chase, they are only unconscious. We don't have any need to draw too much unwanted attention, Bogdan explained, grabbing the handles on the side of the van to keep from shaking. Despite the fact that Monique had been working with them for almost two months, Bogdan still had a habit of addressing her in a more formal fashion. It was something he had picked up when he was in the military many decades previously. The formality was how he handled civilians who had no business being involved in affairs that concerned him.

I'm getting the last . . . of the boxes now . . . boss, Will said, his voice indicating how out of breath he had become from his efforts.

Good. When you're done, deactivate the knocker, cover your tracks, pick up Monique, and go out the same way you came in. We already checked your entrance point and we know that it is clear of cameras, so stick to it, Bogdan said. Sparks, do you guys have the backdoor up?

Sparks typed a few more keystrokes before icons on her screen began to flash. We are in, Bogdan. I might even be able to use this access point to get into some of the other RXP computers in the other facilities, but no promises.

Bogdan grinned. His eyes still glowing red from the feed. We got the product and we set up a backdoor to find out what else they're doing, so I'm calling this a win. Eyes in the sky, do you copy?

Here boss, Hank replied, his voice finally coming in clear.

I hear you just fine, Bogdan, Peggy said.

Circle overhead for a bit longer. Our team should be out in less than 10 minutes, but we don't want any more surprises. When we're clear, everyone meet back at the rendezvous point.

Copy that, the twins said in sync.

While every one of Bogdan's bases had high levels of security protocols, many of which were designed, created, and installed by Sparks herself, only a few of the bases were absolutely impenetrable. The first base that they had taken Monique to, for example, was one of Bogdan's most secret and most secure bases.

The team initially had taken Monique there, because she had stolen the information that Bryxur had originally hired them to steal. With her Fleshwire abilities, Monique was able to upload the information into her brain and keep it from the team. She knew the volatile nature of the information she had stolen, especially how it could give Bryxur and her Modge Podge Gang insider information about all of Bryxur's competitors in the illegal Shaylumstyne trade. As a reporter, Monique knew how a little information could leverage everything, and she wasn't about to let a known killer and terrorist like Bryxur become a kingpin overnight.

Being beaten to the heist was not in Bogdan's plans, and nor was it in his plans to have to deal with a moralistic crusader like Monique. When Will showed up at the getaway van with a +1 who was holding the intel hostage, taking her with them was the only thing Bogdan could do. That's also when he decided to take everyone to his most secure facility to keep safe from Bryxur until they had figured out what they were going to do. True, they were working for Bryxur, but everyone on the team except for Will had worked for Bryxur before and had seen the atrocities that could happen when Bryxur didn't get her way. If she was going to rain hell down on them for a heist gone wrong, Bogdan decided he would rather be somewhere he knew could keep himself and his team safe, at least for the time being.

Bogdan and the team found themselves between a rock and a hard place. They either gave Bryxur the information she wanted, or they risked Bryxur killing them slowly.

If they couldn't get the information from Monique, the only other option was to give Monique to Bryxur, but Monique had other plans. She used her Fleshwire powers to hack into Sparks' systems and find just enough useful information to leverage against mainly Sparks and Hank. It wasn't much information, but it was enough to uncover the truth concerning how Sparks and Hank were the real reason that Bryxur got arrested in the first place.

Armed with a little bit of blackmail, Monique had the team at a stalemate. Fortunately, no one on the team had a death wish, and Monique herself wanted to survive this mess. As she had developed a brief connection with Will when he had abducted her and protected her as they escaped S&B Security, Monique was willing to make a deal using Will as the liaison. Will didn't exactly want the liaison job, but the pressure from his team to throw a Hail Mary was enough to motivate him. While making the deal, Will and Monique also uncovered a few other details about the heist, Bryxur, and Bryxur's secret contact.

With the deal firmly in place, the team and Monique were all now on the same side, which was against Bryxur.

After the RXP heist, everyone met up at the rendezvous point, which was at one of Bogdan's many bases on the Earth Plane. This one was on the north side of Portland, Oregon, in a more industrial area. Parking was wherever you could find it, if you could find it, but parking anywhere in Portland had become almost impossible these days, and overpriced in certain districts. The surreal juxtaposition of old and new throughout the city gave each district its own character. At Bogdan’s base, on NW York Street, many of the warehouses were old buildings, but they were covered with fresh paint in modern colors. Most of the warehouses in this district were also decorated with the eye-catching signs of businesses that had converted many of these buildings into office spaces, as part of the adaptive reuse movement.

Despite the fresh paint on the outside, on the inside, some of the warehouses were allowed to show their age. Inside the building that housed Bogdan's base, for instance, you could still see the remnants of mortar handprints on the brick walls, which were left there by the original brick masons. The open ceilings in the loft areas also allowed people to see the old beams, both of wood and steel. While the original windows in many of these warehouses had been replaced for more energy-efficient ones, several of the warehouse owners stuck with the aesthetic of the boxy-looking windows from yesteryear. Bogdan had specifically wanted to keep the windows for the panoramic views of the surrounding buildings, as well as the tree-covered mountains and snow-capped peaks off in the distance. Sparks, who saw windows as giant liabilities, agreed to keep the windows, provided she could make them out of a modern glass composite that was bulletproof. She also covered the building, windows, walls, and everything else with magical barriers, wards, and a high-tech security system. Not to mention the thick, vintage steel she used to reinforce doorways and key structural walls.

Congratulations on a successful mission, everyone, Bogdan began. He was the only one standing at the moment in the break area of the open loft office. His broad frame and tall figure towered over everyone, even more so with all of them sitting. Beneath him, his shadow moved like an excited and loyal dog following its master. It moved of its own choosing, giving away the truth of Bogdan’s Minion abilities.

The break area was distinguished by a large, dull, red area rug, three couches in a U-shape for comfortable seating, and coffee table in the midst of the U-shape. Behind Bogdan was a bamboo parchment floor-to-ceiling room divider, behind which was the actual kitchen area. There was some clinking noises going on in the kitchen, and soon two more people came out of the kitchen, each holding trays of celebratory drinks.

We have everyone's favorites, Abigail said. Her sweet, southern accent seemed to fill the room with home-grown hospitality. She was a short, slender, and spunky woman in her early 30s, with big doe eyes and wavy blonde hair. She handled her tray with the skill of a veteran waitress.

"Some of you have also received messages and reports