"What is it? What do you know?" Shadow Cat asks eagerly. The man struggles a bit before being able to speak properly. "You didn't find it odd that the second you were sent away for a target Randy appeared for Marie? The man asks trying to give him a hint. He knew he couldn't say everything clearly. The man knew he would be watching, he was always close, and he had a family of his own to protect. Shadow cat furrowed his brows as he stopped to think.
It all made sense. The man had basically told him what he thought a while back. He had been betrayed, there was someone here in contact with Randy. Michael said he had been watching so did it mean he was probably the backstabber? No that can't be right can it? "What are you trying to say?" Shadow asked, he just wanted a name, he wanted for the man to cut to the chase and tell him who he need to teach a lesson.
The bloody and tired man looked around the room and upon noticing no one else inside he spoke again softly his voice as a bear whisper. "Think about it, we all know you and when it came to the girl were you really careful? Who else knew about her? Who else knew how much she meant to you? Randy was not around at the time so how did he find out?" The man's questions started making sense.
Shadow was sure he was careful when it came to Marie. He made sure to even stay out a while before coming home to her. He had made sure no one knew she was alive. Even when he sent the gift shadow made sure to always stay away and making sure to use alias to get the ring done. No one could have possibly known.
No one knew his identity other than Marie, AJ, and Michael and no one but they knew about Marie. If Michael had been watching him closely then maybe he knew. AJ was his help his best friend, the one who he sent to protect Marie would one of them do it? No, they were family they couldn't have. Shadow knew although the man was not clear he had hinted him that the rat who back stabbed him was someone who was close to him and that narrowed his choices greatly. But who had betrayed him?
"He didn't know about her Shadow, he was told. Then you were sent away which gave him the perfect opportunity to get to her and play her. He knew the story Shadow, he knew you had left her, and he knew you loved her and wanted her safe. He knew it all! So, tell me Shadow who else knew about the relationship?"
No this can't be could his own brother be capable of that? No, they had problems but he would have said something, Randy was the enemy and he said he wanted his best soldier back so why give me to randy? But AJ he is my best friend, like a brother, he was always there for me, he would never betray me he protected Marie all this time, would he do this? No this does not make sense.
"I was betrayed?" Shadow asked in disbelief. "NO! You are lying I don't know what you are trying to do but I swear I will kill you!" Shadow yelled in rage. "I was there I don't know who it was I didn't see his face but I heard it all. He wanted you dead he wanted her to himself. He said something about loving her since kids."
Shadow stood there dumbfounded, the more he thought about it the more it made sense. The hospital, the police he was sure he was betrayed then but that was before he kidnapped Marie and the only two who knew about the hospital were Michael and AJ. Shadow felt outraged he was betrayed by one of his brothers.
"Where is she? Where is she being kept" "I don't know I swear I had to leave before they took her and before I could get ahold of Randy your men took me. I am telling the truth I swear please don't hurt my family." Shadow closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. He had found out about being betrayed but he doesn't know who did it and where is Marie. "What can you tell me about how Randy works?"
After being told everything the man knew Shadow headed upstairs to find out who betrayed him. He first decided to head towards his primary suspect. Michael. Michael laid in a bed while a doctor changed his bandages he still looked a bit rough but overall it was better than before. "Leave us!" Shadow growls upon entering the room. Wasting no time he grabs Michael by the collar of his shirt. Michael winces in pain since he is still bruised. "You son of a bitch, tell me was it you? It was you wasn't it?!" Shadow yelled anger coursing through his veins. Michael looked at him in both fear and confusion.
"What? What are you talking about?" He asked genuinely confused. He was sure he hadn't done anything other than not stopping Randy take Marie. "Don't what me you lying piece of shit, you were the one who betrayed me, you told Randy about Marie! Be a man and confess." At this point Shadow was so mad he could rip his own brothers head off right here right now. Michael felt offended by his words. He began to fill angry and disrespected. He knew it would be hard for his brother to trust him again but accusing him of betrayal was over the line.
"How dare you!" Michael yelled back. "I may have done a lot of things including doing nothing while Randy took Marie even when I could have stopped it but I would never help the bastard who killed my family, my men, and my friends." Shadow let go of Michael's shirt and grabbed fist full of his hair in frustration. Michael sounded convincing.
Part of him told him that his brother would have not been capable of betraying him but could he follow his gut Michael was the one who let Randy take his lover. Shadow was angry even if Michael had done it he would never confess no one will and he had no name, no face, no proof nothing and his princess was in danger.
"Then who? Who else would have done it? It was you who sent me far away for the target, it was you who kept me away from her the same weeks Randy got close, it was you who knew about the ring, and it was you who could have stopped him but didn't. Who else but you?" Shadow yelled not caring if anyone else listened all while he pointed his finger accusingly at Michael. At this point he held tears in his eyes but this time due to all the anger he felt inside as he desperately tried to maintain control.
Michael responded almost immediately as if he didn't even have think of what to say. "I gave the target to AJ! He is the one who suggested that you do it. He claimed he was not ready to take on someone as skilled as Sammy, he said that only you could get the job done and only you our best assassin could wipe him out of existence. I sent him but he said he was sure he couldn't get the job done and would only put us at risk!"
"AJ! That mother fucker how could he? We were best friends, like brothers, basically grew up together, how could he? Why would he? No this can't be right. You are lying AJ would never betray me!" Shadow yelled. Michael sighed and breathed slowly since each scream only made him hurt more. He did know more but he was afraid of what his brother would do when he found out but after all he has done the least he could do was come clean. "AJ told me." Michael's voice was but a bare whisper as guilt ate him up. He had to tell Shadow the truth.
"I didn't know about the girl, I knew you were changing, I knew each week that went by you got further away from the gang but I didn't know why, I didn't know anything about the girl, I thought you have gotten rid of her that night. He was the one who told me." Michael stopped speaking and breath in trying to ease the pain he felt on his jaw everything his spoke as he looked towards his half brother with a look of guilt and sincerity.
Upon noticing the look of disappointment and pain in Shadow Cat's face Michael continued. He need to be believed in, he knew he had fucked up before but this was truly something he was innocent at.
"Luke I swear to you I didn't know a thing but one day I questioned him. I asked why you had been distancing yourself, I asked why you had left the school when that was one of the things you loved the most, I asked why you didn't want to take of many jobs, I thought there was something wrong, that maybe you were sick or hurt but that's when he told me.
He said and I quote "A girl. All for her." I questioned more and he told me about kidnapping her and falling for her, letting her go, everything. At first I couldn't believe it, I mean you were always one to follow father's rules, you basically lived by them so I refused to believe it.
But then I began to watch both you and AJ closely. I could see that you cared for her. I stood in the shadows as you went up in the rooftops every day watching over her and protecting her for afar but then I began to notice AJ acting strange. He had the same look in his eyes when he was near her, then later he started disappearing from time to time.
Each time I tried to follow him but even I lost his track. I must say you trained him well. I then started to notice him becoming more nervous around us. I notice a flash of anger in his eyes when would talk to her about how much you loved her.
Then the job came and he suggested I give it to you. At first I didn't think anything of it but then two days ago news came to me of Randy and that's when I began to piece it in together but greedily I waited. I wanted to let it all pass so I can have the great almighty Shadow Cat back, my best soldier.
I figured I could deal with AJ once I had the proof. I am sorry I didn't think of what this meant for you I only thought of the fact that you could be devoted to the gang once again. I truly am sorry brother. If I had known about the baby I would have never let it happen. You know my motto is Family first but I didn't understand since the gang is the only family I have ever had."
At that second Shadow was 100% certain that Michael had been nothing but truthful. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to handle the new information. AJ his own friend, his brother had betrayed him. He didn't know how to feel about it. He felt angry at the betrayal, disappointed in himself for not staying with Marie, he felt like he wanted to run, scream, burn Canada to the ground but all he had strength for was to cry.
He trusted AJ, AJ knew how much he loved Marie why would he do this to him? Shadow nodded at his brother's words signaling him that he believed him but then he couldn't help but to run to his brother's arms and cried.
"I really love her. I wanted to run away with her. I wanted to have a family and get married, she is my entire world, had been since I was 13. I love her, I need to find her. Why would he do this?" Shadow Cat sobbed in his brother's arms leaving a shocked Michael. Even Michael himself had never seen Shadow cry he was sure his brother truly loved this girl and now he feels guiltier than ever. He knew he had to help rescue her.
It was his fault in the first place. "I know, I understand that now and I am sorry. It is all my fault I should have known how you felt, I should have stopped him but I promise I will help you find her. Don't worry it will all be ok and together we will find her and end Randy for good. Okay? Now what do you say find AJ?" Shadow took a deep breath and nodded anger filled his veins again as he thought of AJ's betrayal. He would get to the bottom of this!
"Okay then lead the way boss."