Page 111 of Semblance

It was a spine tingling scene, reminiscent of Shadow’s party. Surrounding us were people wearing masks, similar to the ones I saw before. In fact, I even recognized some of the people in the crowd.

At the centre of the room were Donald Huff, Brevin West, and James Takeshi; still in their business suits, gagged, and tied to chairs. Luckily they were still alive.

They were situated around a circular table where at the centre were four silver-colored six-shooter pistols. Each one was well polished and glowed with a brilliant luster underneath the overhead lights. Behind them stood a woman in a black cocktail dress, wearing an owl’s mask. She held a giant mallet, one that could be used to strike a large gong that was beside her.

“What the hell is this?” Shadow asked.

Silence from the crowd.

“Answer my question,” Shadow demanded. “What’s going on here? And where’s Calisto?”

Out of the mass of onlookers emerged the man cloaked in black, the same individual that was seen hovering over Calisto in the image sent to Shadow’s phone.

“If you want to save your friends, you’ll have to gamble,” the man said, his baritone voice sounding filtered through a voice scrambler.

Both Shadow and Lincoln drew their guns on him.

“Who are you?” Shadow asked.

“You may call me Sinister,” the cloaked man replied.

“Did you kill my parents?”

Sinister unleashed a bone-rattling laugh. “You’re still fixated on the past, are you?”

“You fucking slashed their throats,” Shadow stated.

“Yes.”

“Tell me why you did it,” Shadow demanded, taking a step forward.

“Later Shadow, later. First let’s see if you can save your friends.”

“How about I shoot you in the neck instead,” Shadow threatened, his gun still pointed towards Sinister.

“An eye-for-an-eye,” Sinister said. Five men emerged from the crowd of onlookers, all in demon face paint, similar to the man who Lincoln had shot. “You may end my life with a bullet, but I promise you that once I die, none of you will be left standing either, including your precious love, the Golden Virgin.”

Shadow reluctantly lowered his weapon, his face a mask of anger.

“Take their guns,” Sinister ordered.

The masked demons obeyed and began scouring both Lincoln and Shadow for their weapons. When it was done and their guns were stripped away, Sinister turned to Shadow. “You always were easily intimidated. I guess her pussy must have some intoxicating power over you. For twenty years you tried to find me, and now that you have, you’re willing to let the sweet nectar of revenge escape your lips without so much as a taste. Tell me, does the bitch’s snatch taste that much better?”

“Fuck you,” Shadow cursed.

“Who are you?” Lincoln asked. “You seem to know us.”

Sinister didn’t reply. Instead he turned his attention to the three captives at the table. “Let’s try saving your friends now, shall we? Who will play?”

“You’re insane,” Shadow said.

Sinister turned to our direction and stared at us with dark eyes.

“You’re one to talk Shadow. We’re all a little insane in the end, don’t you think?” he asked. “Now I’ll ask again, who wants to play the game? It’s the only way to save any of them.”

“What if we say no?” Shadow spat.

Sinister sighed as he pulled out a gun from his cloak. Before any of us could protest, he pointed the gun at Donald Huff’s chest and pulled the trigger.

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