Heights had never really caused him much of a problem. But his adrenaline was up, and a touch of vertigo asserted itself at his seven story vantage point of the garage below. It didn't help that there was an irritated voice chattering away in his ear.

-This is really stupid! The plan was to give the authorities an anonymous tip. Not play out your Dark Knight fantasy!-

"I got this, Landrey. Stop worrying so much, or your head's going to burst. And I don't need that on my conscience." Freddy had been watching for over an hour. From previous nights spent in surveillance, they'd determined there were eight full time members who would be in the shop. Number Eight had just pulled in with their latest acquisition a few minutes ago.

-We agreed stuff like this was too risky. Right' Didn't we agree" "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves." Those were your words. And they were smart words. What happened to the smart words, Freddy"-

That was a low blow, plucking at his ego. "They're just running a chop shop. It's not like we're busting up the local mob or anything. So relax. I'll be in and out before anyone knows what?s going on. Then you can call the fuzz"or whatever derogatory name is used for the police around here"and have them clean up the mess." Easy peasy. He almost had himself convinced.

-No. Absolutely not. I'm putting my foot down on this one. It's too dangerous. You hear me, Freddy! I'm not"-

"Sorry. Things are happening. I have to go radio silent." He plucked out the earbud mic before Landrey could say any more. It was set on the rooftop as he moved to a crouch. A few quick breaths, like a diver getting ready for the plunge. No matter how many times he did it, this part always set him on edge. There was a prickly sensation, and his clothes flopped into a heap beside the microphone. Then he fell away from the building, gliding. Silent as he passed effortlessly through the stone wall. He clung to the ceiling as he took a moment to get his bearings and mark his targets.

There were four cars propped up and in various stages of dismantling. He could see one person working on each. Two at a small table, watching TV as they ate some takeout from Larry's Deli. Voices came from a small office in the back. That would be his missing Seven and Eight. This should be no sweat.

Soundlessly, he launched from his perch, the room streaking below him. His trajectory took him in a straight line at the men working on the cars. It wasn't until the third head striking metal that the other men finally looked up. Too late for the fourth chopper, knocking him unconscious like the others before focusing on the two diners.

"Is that a freakin" dinosaur?" It was as far as the man got before two large, shadowy shapes swung at the pair's heads, clonking them together. Bodies dropped even as they were reaching for guns unwisely tucked in their waistbands. No time to admire his handiwork. His attention turned to the office door, the voices inside having fallen silent and the light through the small window in the door going dark. He quickly made his way over. It was a safe bet that they'd locked themselves inside. He looked down at his arm. It was nothing but a thin silhouette, with the approximation of a hand at the end. The sort-of fingers flexed into a fist, a long black spike extending from the knuckles. He did love his movies. Dead or alive, you're coming with me. Classic.

Gunshots sounded almost directly behind his head, and bullets pinged off the door in front of him. Even caught by surprise, he had to admire the center mass grouping. How could there be another one still in the shop with him' He whirled around and brought his fist up for a good old gut punch. Which earned him a satisfying wide-eyed look of shock from his assailant. Except, instead of doubling over with a gasping for breath, the man's jaw went slack and his eyes filled with fear. Followed by a few forced choking sounds.

Freddy pulled his hand back quickly, the man dropping limply to the floor. The spike was still there. A coating of blood added some color to it. There was the prickly sensation again and the blood rained to the floor, leaving him clean. His mental voice screamed at him to clear out. Things had gone too sideways. But he couldn't leave whoever was in the office. He turned to finish the job.

———————————————————-

Back at the rooftop across the street, he pulled on the plain black sweatpants and shirt. With reluctance, the earbud was slipped back in. It took a moment to collect himself before he was able to speak.

"Landrey. Are you there?"

-Thank friggin" god. You ok, Freddy' How'd it go"-

"I'm fine. You better call in the cavalry. And"make sure they bring an ambulance." He made his way to the opposite side of the building and the fire escape.

-An ambulance" What happened" Freddy' Is everything alright"-

The mic was popped out of his ear again, shoving it into a pocket. He made short work of the descent in his eagerness to put some distance between him and the scene. So, Freddy. Where are your smart words now?

It was no surprise to find Landrey parked in front of a bank of monitors. If she could have her way she would be a brain floating in a jar, hooked up non-stop to her computer. But even he had to admit that her set-up was pretty impressive. She still wouldn't tell him how she managed to get her hands on all of it.

"It's about time, Freddy! Are you too good to answer a text, when I'm trying to watch out for your scrawny butt?" She hadn't turned around when he entered her bunker. And it really was a bunker. Some doomsday nut must have found his way to RhyDin, saw all the craziness, and dedicated himself to building the most expansive bomb shelter ever. She still wouldn't tell him how she came into possession of that, either. More than likely there were hidden cameras squirreled away everywhere, which is how she managed the eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head thing.

He strolled over to bathe in the digital glow next to her. "You only sent me five of them. I wait until the tenth one. Then I know it's starting to get serious." Most of the screens were incomprehensible to him, though a couple had video feeds on them. "Is that the Red Dragon' How did you get spy cameras in there" More importantly, when" The only time I ever see you out of your hidey-hole is when you come to my place to yell at me."

"Don't worry about that." She finally swiveled her office chair around to face him. "We have a problem. A couple of the guys you went kamikaze on gave a description of their attacker to the authorities. They're saying a big, black pterodactyl got into their shop and went on a rampage."

"That's just silly. Their garage is pretty small. I couldn't make it that big. Besides, I can't really use more mass than I already have?" She cut his explanation off with a shrill howl. That actually hurt more than the punch she gave him yesterday. He cringed a little until she stopped.

"Will you shut up" They said it wasn't a real pterodactyl, but like one made out of shadows. What about that, smart guy' Still think everything is going to be ok?" He had to admit, she really knew how to glower. She stared up at him, arms crossed over her chest.

Freddy tried to disarm her growing agitation with a smile and reassurance. "So what? Plenty of people use shadow magic here. There are shadow walkers. It's not like a 'shadowy creature" is going to get linked back to me. You're blowing this way out of proportion."

"Unless the one you stabbed decides to break his silence about what happened. He's the only one you actually scared with your stunt." Her glower only deepened, offering a flash of her sharp little teeth.

His guilt swept over him when she brought that up. "I told you. That was an accident. He caught me by surprise. I was just going to unlock the door. And even if he did talk, it's not like he could identify me in a line-up, or whatever they do here."

She let out a long-suffering sigh. Her head dropped into her hands, before she stared up at him again. The expression on her face told him she worried about his ability to function on a level higher than a toddler. "You're still missing the point. I'm not exactly worried about the Watch breaking down your door. We don't know if any of The Collective are on this world. God, that name is so over-used," that last part was muttered to herself. "If there are, and they read stories about someone able to get into locked rooms, acting like some shape-shifting shadow, and taking on the criminal element in the city, how long do you think it will be before they start zeroing in on you?"

There was no way he could wise his way out of her question. She was right. He slumped down to sit on one of the tiny clear spots on her desk.

"We made a pact, Freddy. That we would watch each other's backs. I'm just trying to protect you." Her voice held open sympathy, which drew his eyes back to her. The look of concern she gave him only made him feel like a bigger shmuck.

"Thanks, Landrey. You're the best friend a guy could have. I'll try not to cause any more trouble." He pushed off the desk and started for the vault door that served as her entrance. "You want tacos tonight' I think I need tacos tonight."

He could feel her eyes following him, and not just the ones hidden in the walls. "Yeah. Tacos would be awesome. But one more thing."

This got him to pause and look back at her with a quizzically raised eyebrow.

"No more renting flashy sports cars so you can impress the chicks. Or we won't even be able to afford tacos soon." The judgmental expression she shot his way put him on more familiar ground.

"It's not to impress chicks! It's all part of my carefully crafted cover. You know, hiding in plain sight and all." He dragged up a grin for her, to help get them back into their usual rhythm.

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of his grin. That was a good sign. "Yeah' Well, your cover better find enlightenment in giving up material things, or we're going to be broke."

Landrey crowded him into the corner of his kitchen with a flurry of fists and incoherent growls. He hunched his body in an attempt to make himself as small a target as possible.

"Ow! Will you stop" It's like getting hit with bony clubs!" She stopped punching him and let out an ear-piercing screech. A mix of nails on a chalkboard and cats in heat. As he hunched in on himself even more, he wished she would go back to punching him.

"Why are you so stupid?" Those were the first words she had spoken since he opened the door and she immediately started attacking him. "Are you actually trying to get caught' Right in the middle of the Inn! With witnesses! What's wrong with you?" Her fingers were bent into thin little claws, as if she intended to rip his eyes out of his head if she didn't like his answer.

He held his hands up. Partly in surrender and partly to defend himself from further onslaught. "I know. I know! It was absolutely stupid. But Icer was in trouble. I couldn't just sit there and watch her get disemboweled!" His own paranoia had dogged him since the incident. The couple of conversational near misses hadn't helped with that.

"It was over a dragon' Seriously' You can't walk down the street in this place without stepping on one." Her hands finally dropped to her side, the expression on her face one of incomprehension. "So you almost ruin everything because a couple of them got into a fight?" He could see she was trembling, unable to get any more words out. But the ones she threw at him got his own anger to rise.

"She's a friend of mine. Maybe if you would get out once in a while and make some of your own, you would know what it feels like to see one of them in trouble." He regretted what he said, even as he was saying it. But he wanted to hurt her a little, the same as her accusations had hurt him.

She jabbed a finger at him, but stopped short of actually touching. "I do know what it feels like. Frequently. Every time I see you pull one of your stunts." Her hand fell again, some of the rage draining out of her. "Dammit, Freddy. You're the only person I have here. What if one of them can't keep their mouth shut' If it gets out what you really are" What do I do if you get caught?" Through the mask anger on her face, he knew that she was afraid.

He stepped in closer, his hands settled on her shoulders. They stayed there when he felt her tense up, not letting her draw away this time. "Harry's a friend, too. He covered for me afterwards, without me even having to say anything. The doctor"well"I don't know. She seemed to get it when I was able to warn her off. And, no, I didn't give her any details. Hopefully I can trust her to keep quiet. As for Icer, I don't think she'll say anything. Especially since she sort of owes me one now. Believe me, I know it wasn't the smartest move. But if it were you in trouble, I'd risk everything to get you out of it, too. If saving my cover means letting one of my friends get hurt, then it isn't worth keeping. I'm sorry."

She looked up at him. It was the closest to being on the verge of tears he had ever seen her. But she refused to let them flow, and instead doubled down on her angry face. "Don't you dare ever play hero for me, you understand" I'm not going to live with the guilt knowing I'm the one who got you busted. I can take care of myself. You're the one running around, seeing how quick you can get yourself into trouble."

Once more, he threw caution to the wind and pulled her in for a hug before she realized what he was doing. For a long moment, she was little more than a stone in his arms. Then he felt her hands grab onto his shirt as she leaned into him. "Why did I have to get teamed up with the biggest moron in the universe?"

It felt good to have something to smile about, and he rested his chin on the top of her head. "It looks like you share in some of my idiot luck.?

She stared at him with wide, surprised eyes. And this time they didn't hold a hint of frustration or suspicion. He felt a slight smug sense of accomplishment at this rare achievement.

"You seriously have two jobs?" He could tell Landrey had a hard time processing this information. "They're going to pay you real money' It isn't some deal where you volunteered to help someone out and you're just calling it a job?" The temptation to take a picture of the look on her face was strong, but he didn't want to spoil the moment. Especially since the fury at his purchase of an admittedly expensive camera to work on cases for Harry had been averted by the good news.

Freddy took a few proud strides around where she sat in front of her computer before answering. "It's all on the up and up. You can officially consider me the breadwinner of this little family. So you can stop freaking out about how we're going to pay for stuff."

The chair swiveled so her stare could follow him. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. You followed through. Even if one of the jobs still lets you scratch your do-gooder itch. That guy, Harry, must be pretty desperate to let you play detective for him." Even that dig couldn't diminish the pleasure he felt at having gotten the upper hand. So he only increased the intensity of his smugness. "But I still don't really get the second one. This"what was his name" Alvin?"

"Alvinod," Freddy corrected her.

"Right. Him. He wants you to draw up some kind of survey map of the city' That sounds pretty fishy." The first tremor of doubt began to return to her voice.

"No, not a survey map. He wants me to track what?s trending and where the hot spots are in the city. Alvinod's some sort of social organizer, looking to start a club or restaurant or something. My job is to let him know what people are into and what would sell." He gave her a shrug. "It sounded like an interesting way to keep busy and earn some extra cash. I get paid for each lead I can provide. So it might not be a long term thing, unless he wants to hire me on when he opens his place."

"I still think it sounds fishy. As long as you don't wind up being an accomplice to a serial killer or anything." The smirk she offered up said that she wasn't totally joking.

He refused to let her paranoia ruin the employment high he was on at the moment. So instead, he opened the case hanging at his side and pulled out the new professional digital camera he bought as an investment in the P.I. job. He earned a horrified expression from Landrey when he pointed it at her.

"Don't you dare! If you take my picture I will smash that thing over your head." She was already out of the chair, her body going into attack readiness. "I mean it, Freddy! Put the camera away!"

He looked at her with a trace of pleading. "Come on. With those distinctive features of yours, you'd make an amazing subject! It'll look great. I promise. Turns out I've got a real knack. If these other jobs dry up, I was thinking I could open a photography studio. Do portraits and get commissioned for weddings and stuff."

"Good for you. I'll still brain you with it if you take my picture." Her sharp teeth flashed in warning as she started to stalk towards him.

"Ok. Jeez." He settled the camera back in its case. "You know, this stress really isn't good for you. If you'd let me take you out for some fun, it would do you a world of good."

She dropped back into her chair, her mood turned sour. "I'll tell you what isn't good. That stupid hat. You're not Humphrey Bogart and this isn't some film noir flick. You look like an idiot."

He adjusted the homburg on his head at the mention of his hat and looked at his reflection in one of the dark monitors to primp. "You're crazy. It's perfect! Just the right finishing touch to my ensemble."

At this point, Landrey started making an effort to ignore him.

The little disposable camera clicked away as he took pictures of the ledgers in Parry's office. Thankfully there was still a dedicated group in RhyDin who demanded the ability to use film. He wouldn't have felt so bad if someone had discovered the cheapo camera hidden in the men's room, even if it would have hamstrung his investigation. If his shiny new digital one had taken a walk, that would have been a different story.

Just from the brief skim he gave the pages, Alston had called it. He would never make it as an accountant, but even he could tell things didn't quite add up. Where exactly the money was disappearing to was another matter. Octavius hadn't left any damning receipts laying around, so that meant some deeper digging was going to be in order. He would try to butter up Landrey later to have her give him a hand with that part. But at least this pointed him in the right direction. He started to feel like a real detective now, and wished he had gone for a trench coat rather than the duster to fit the role better.

With this part of the evidence done, he started the slower trek to the roof. The camera would be set down with each locked door that stood in his way. A shift of form to pass his hand through the obstruction, tumblers scrambled to open the way. His old bosses had given a lot of thought to their particular needs when they installed him with his bag of tricks. May they all rot in whichever Hell had the pointiest pitchforks. If only they could have figured out a way for him to not be naked whenever he needed to use them.

Soon enough he reached the river, huddled in on himself to try to retain some warmth as he made a beeline for the stashed clothes. He dressed quickly, then peered cautiously over the side of the roof. No prying eyes that he could make out, so down the service ladder he went. He would take the film to be developed tomorrow, then work out his next steps. The work involved would be worth it when he was able to turn in the results to Harry.

———————————————————-

The woman watched from behind her veil as the shadow flitted from one building to the other. Unmindful of the cold as she moved unseen to the other side of the office complex. She continued to observe a while longer, until the figure hurried down the ladder. A faint smile touched her lips as it dropped to the ground and strolled off, looking quite pleased with itself.

With an odd gesture, she opened a channel to report in.

"Subject has been located. Commencing surveillance. Will summarize the situation in my next communication."

She began her pursuit the long lost runaway.

In order to get to the headquarters for Lux Enterprises, Freddy had to burn off some of his recent earnings to rent a car. It lay well outside the city proper, while still being a fair distance from the starport. The inconvenient location had only given Landrey more misgivings about this whole endeavor, and this time he was inclined to go along with her feelings. His nerves were already on edge as he drove. The agitated voice in his ear didn't help with that.

-They have a regular patrol on the grounds, though they're keeping it subtle. Probably because nothing says "creepy compound" like armed guards marching around the front yard. So we'll have to time your entrance while the grounds are empty. I should be able to play a loop feed through the camera, so nobody notices a moron trying to slip in. You'll need to exit the same way and watch for the coast to be clear. I'll keep up the loops, since I won't have any way of knowing you're out until you get back to the car and signal me. This is officially your worst plan yet.-

"I don't know what I would do without these little pep talks. You have a knack for keeping my spirits up." He was unusually snarky. Most likely because he felt pretty stupid about this whole thing. But the case gave him a weird vibe. He had to find out if his instincts were right.

-Just"please be careful, Freddy. I seriously don't like this. You're right about the situation being fishy. We don't know anything about these people or what you're walking into.-

He didn't want to let her know he was just as paranoid as she was for a change. So he forced a calm into his voice that he didn't feel. "I'm not going to do anything reckless. Promise. I'll be radioing in before you know it." He pulled the car off the road a couple miles from his destination, a nice little opening in the trees offered enough cover that a casual glance wouldn't notice the strange parking job. "I'm here. Give me about ten minutes, then do your thing."

-Good luck.-

The simple sign off felt like a bad omen. He wished she had insulted him once more. The earpiece was plucked out and placed on the passenger seat. His clothes followed. He shifted without another thought to the what-ifs and instead focused on the job as he oozed through the car door. The scenery raced by as he skimmed along the ground, a black serpent that passed through the woods.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the wire fence that surrounded Lux Enterprises. The exterior gave the appearance of a large warehouse facility, complete with oversized truck garages, clouded windows, and a sense of normalcy. Except he could hear the faint hum that resonated from the fence. Electrified. There must be something valuable in there to risk frying the local wildlife and potential busybodies. Thankfully, this wouldn't be a deterrent for him.

A security guard began to walk into view. He had to remind himself there was a chance that's exactly what it might be. Just your run of the mill night watchman. Bored with the lack of anything to do as he casually strolled the grounds. As much as he wished for his luck to take a turn for the better, the self-reassurance didn't work all that well. He waited until the figure was well out of sight, so the camera would have complete nothingness for Landrey to record and repeat. Counted to ten, then shot quickly toward the wall. A hyperactive oil slick that didn't disturb the gravel lot. The wall offered no resistance as he slipped inside. So far, so good. If he'd taken the time to shape fingers, he would have crossed them.

When he emerged into the first hallway, the normal fa"ade was stripped away. The interior looked like something out of an old Star Trek episode. Low lighting. Drab colored walls. Pneumatic doors with touchpad electric locks. Nothing seemed to be labeled or numbered. Just rows of locked doors and more hallways. With no idea where he should start, Freddy seeped into the closest room. Unfortunately, it was dark and windowless, and he didn't want to take the chance to search for a wall switch or lamp, concerned he might trip something he wasn't supposed to. So he left and made his way to the next room. Only to find the same thing. Room after dark room followed. His concern started to deepen. If the whole place was blacked out, he was going to have to start taking risks if he hoped to find anything. Also, the clouded windows he had seen outside must be fake, since several of the rooms should have had them.

By the time he'd gotten to the third hallway and only found more of the same, concern had given way to foreboding. The only sign of life he'd seen was the guard outside. It started to feel like he was Lara Croft, but this was the emptiest tomb ever. As he was he was about to leave the latest black hole, an odd sound froze him in place. He was glad he didn't have skin right now, because he would have jumped right out of it. Pressed to the ceiling, he waited. Not that he had to wait long. It came again. A keening wail, hushed and desperate. That was it. He had to know what was going on. Freddy slithered down the wall next to the door, opposite where he knew a keypad was. He extended an appendage through and could sense the current coursing in the mechanism. It took only a thought to disrupt it, to release the lock. As the door began to slide open, the room was flooded with a pulsing red light. A siren sounded throughout the facility, loud and disorienting. Then the door lurched shut once again. So much for getting in and out unnoticed. But thoughts of his escape evaporated as he got his first view of the room.

A woman, terrified, was curled in the corner of the barren room. The word "cell" popped into his head. Both her and her clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in some time. When she spotted the strange dark shape that hovered in front of the door, she let out a shrill, panicked scream. Freddy wanted to quiet her. Console her. Assure her that everything would be ok. But the more alert part of his brain reminded him that would be an absolute lie right now. Instead, he raced through the wall, intent on getting a quick peek into more rooms. He found women in each. All different races. Some stirred as he passed through, others were cowered on floors, and still others didn't react at all to the strobe and alarm.

He'd seen enough to get an idea of what was going on here. There was no desire to see any more women he was unable to help, so he returned to the hallway and zipped his way back to where he had entered. When he reached the wall, an internal warning stopped him from his initial decision to just fly through it. A tendril reached out to touch the wall carefully, then withdrew with a flinch. Apparently, when he set off the alarm he had also caused a magical barrier to seal the building from the outside. This was going to be a major problem. Especially since it sounded like he wasn't going to get much time to form a different plan. There was nothing quite like the thunder of many booted feet heading your way in a hurry to fill a person with urgency.

His shadowy form would jinx the protective spell that penned him in, but the result was unpredictable. Good thing he didn't have the luxury to worry about it too long. He eased through the wall and pressed against the barrier. It warped at his touch, its original intent reshaped. Please turn into a waterfall of soap bubbles or a really big bead curtain, he prayed silently. Of course, it wasn't going to be that simple. Arcs of barbed mystical energy lashed over the entire surface of Lux Enterprises, which lanced at Freddy as he dove for freedom. The pain knocked him senseless. He wanted to scream, but his body remained incorporeal and could not make any sound. With mindless determination, he continued to try to claw away from the building. His body jumped rapidly into a wild collection of shapes in reaction to his agony.

Halfway to the fence, the magical assault relented and he hovered in place for several moments. His body struggled to regain control. The changes gradually slowed until he was just an amorphous blob huddled on the gravel. His thoughts were just as sluggish in their attempt to collect into something sensible.

"Over there!" The shout helped rouse him from the stupor. But his body was still reluctant to follow any advanced direction, so he floated his blobby self toward the fence. This still just banked on average electricity to work as containment. Thank goodness for small favors.

It wouldn't do to have his pursuers follow him to the car, so he made a show of leading them in the other direction until he was able to safely sink into the ground, let them pass overhead, and double back.

There was some minor relief when he was finally able to revert to his regular body, though the pain still firmly embedded itself in him. He found the car door a challenge to open, and dressing next to impossible. Eventually he found himself back in the driver's seat, able to take a moment to catch his breath. A glance at the earpiece that sat beside him filled him with dread. But he had to let Landrey know he was still alive. He set it back in his ear. Even that felt like it had been scraped raw.

"Major Tom to Ground Control." Somehow he managed to keep his voice steady while each deep breath felt like a hammer pounding into his chest.

-Thank god! What did you do' The place is going crazy! It's like a small army came swarming out of the doors!-

Downplay now, reassure later. This wasn't quite over. Apparently what Parry imported was women. For what was still a big question mark. Since this little misadventure would likely get back to his quarry, he would need to move fast before the weasel disappeared into a hole. "They weren't quite as blind on the inside as we thought. On the plus side, at least they don't have a face to look for." His cell phone chimed from inside his coat. A text. He drew it out and checked the screen. Harry wanted to know where he was.

-Ok. Get back here. I'll keep on top of them to make sure they didn't tie this to you somehow.-

He typed a quick response back to his de facto boss before returning the phone to his pocket. A short face to face would be in order before he went after Parry. "Not yet. I need to talk to Harry first. Tie up some loose ends." Before that, he needed to pay The Formal Gentleman another visit while the night was still on his side.

Brain crabs definitely weren't what he had expected to find when he snuck into the dilapidated house.

He had no idea what they really were, but the name Freddy gave them just fit too perfectly. They looked like giant brains, but instead of exposed squishy matter they were surrounded in undulating muscle. Large crab-like legs carried them around in a surprisingly quick scuttle. Even when they stood still, they swayed and bobbed slightly. There weren't any eyes or mouths noticeable on the things. His skin crawled as he watched them, even in his skinless state.

All this was visible only because Parry stood with a small flashlight in the center of a circle of about a dozen brain crabs. The windows were entirely blacked out and there were no lamps to be seen within the range of the flashlight's glow.

"There's been a slight complication. The source of my stock was compromised last night, which may cause a delay in the next delivery." Parry fingered something that hung about his neck. From Freddy's vantage point on the ceiling, it looked like a small gem on a chain. "But I assure you, I will still be able to meet your request."

The room fell silent. Brain crabs continued their unnerving restless motion. Freddy wondered if they were considering Parry's words. But then the man nodded in response to something. It wasn't a one-sided conversation taking place. Either these were some sort of telepathic brain crabs, or the jewelry Parry wore let him communicate with them somehow. Either way, it was going to make it that much harder to find out exactly what was going on here.

Or so he thought, until two more creepy crawlies appeared from another room. An expressionless woman followed behind them and calmly took her place in the now-larger circle to sit cross-legged on the floor. She looked relaxed, hands folded in her lap. Parry blanched noticeably, even in the poor light, as the woman joined him.

"Of course. I understand the importance of this?" His words trailed off as the woman's face went slack. Her eyes went wide, a trace of terror in them. The brain crabs were stock-still. Freddy could practically see the life drain out of her, before she fell over limply to the floor.

"I"yes"I know your dietary schedule is very strict?" Parry managed to stammer out before he grew quiet again. Only a nod here and there as the brain crabs obviously read him the Riot Act.

He was the world's evilest pizza deliveryman. He made a profit off the sale of trafficked women for these things to suck dry. Freddy's anger snapped, his form involuntarily quaked at the rage he felt toward this dirt bag and the freaky leeches he did business with. A slip, which caught Parry's attention. The flashlight beam slashed towards Freddy's perch. Except the strange dark shape overhead threw him, his face screwed up in confusion.

The brain crabs grew agitated. Their circle slowly broke up as they tried to locate the source of Parry's distress. It was hard to tell since they didn't have a face, or anything remotely humanish, but Freddy got the sense they were alarmed. After the display with the woman, he was confused himself. His first assumption that they were telepathic was a pretty safe bet, given what he witnessed. So why didn't they hit him with a mind whammy' Their victim had been little more than a puppet. Unless his shadow trick somehow made his thoughts unreadable to them. With that hope, instinct and fury drove his next actions.

It had taken quite some time to learn how to solidify parts of himself. Eventually it became reflexive. Thanks to his recent injuries, though, doing it now felt as if he were trying to dislocate his own limbs. As a flurry of deadly needles rained down on the brain crabs, skewered them, shredded them from within their protective muscle casings with clawed barbs, his form trembled with renewed agony. Thankfully, his former employers trained him well. Even in a near mindless state of pain, it was easy to follow through on the kill.

Parry hadn't gone unscathed. When he saw what happened to his customers, he had made an attempt to escape by the front door. One of Freddy's lances had speared him through the calf, pinned him to the floor, before Mr. Slime could reach it. The flashlight dropped with a scream as he crumpled to his hands and knees.

With the brain crabs in the room dead, Freddy swept down from the ceiling. He was nearly at the end of his endurance and wouldn't be able to maintain his hold on Parry for long. This would need to be quick.

His plan didn't even get a chance before Parry whipped an odd looking stick from beneath the rumpled sport jacket. Was that a magic wand? Without even a word, a bolt of energy leapt from the stick. That was a sign of quality artisanship right there. It was the only thought Freddy managed before the spell struck him. There was a harmless crackle and spark as his shadow-self altered the magic and sent it rebounding back at Parry. Only now it was a liquid. And apparently highly corrosive. Freddy wished he could have taken pleasure in the man's final moments. But the sight of the face as it dissolved turned his stomach too much.

His bare bottom struck the floor, unable to hold on to the shadow form any longer. Or to stand, for that matter. He sat there and shivered in the cold house, equally repulsed and gratified by the sight of what he'd done here. After a small bit of forever, he grabbed up the flashlight and forced himself to his feet. It seemed unlikely anyone else was here, but he had to make sure.

After he confirmed he was the only living thing left, he trudged nakedly to his rental car. So numb, tired, and hurting that the frigid air was barely registered. Even the possibility of Peeping Toms who could tie him to the scene were low on his list of things to worry about right now.

Somehow, he managed to get dressed and operate the car without being the cause of any more fatalities. He needed time to rest and lick his wounds. But he didn't want to be alone. He needed to see Landrey. Her wild lectures on his appalling lack of intelligence would be a wonderful comfort right now.