Date: 3/13/2022
Time: 00:01
Location: Maroon Military Data Storage Facility (M.M.D.S.F)
Mission: Collect data from military computers.

The vent fell off the wall with a loud Bang. “I hope no one heard that,” I thought to myself as I leaped from the air ducts.
“Commander, I’m in the building,” I said into my com link quietly.
“Good. I’m sending you a list of what the Lotus Lady wants.”
My Pip Boy started vibrating. I lifted my arm up to see the list of files. “Dang. She wants a lot of files,” I thought, “Then again we need all that we can get.”
“Alright. I see what I can grab,”I said as I approached a computer. I started up the monitor as I sat down. The Maroon logo popped up. I’ve grown to hate the gold and maroon colored symbol. I started typing away as I hacked the system. Soon I found myself staring at a screen with files on it just like the ones in the list. JACKPOT! I thought almost out loud. I took the extension cord from my Pip Boy and plugged it into the download port. I didn’t have to wait that long until the files were on my Pip Boy and a hard drive.
“Commander. I got them,” I said to the com link.
“Good. Now get the heck outta dodge,” he said excitedly.
“Will do,”I said right as the alarms went off. “Son of a gun,” I said angrily through gritted teeth.
“Freeze!” a voice said harshly. “Turn around. Slowly. And step into the light where we can see you”
I turned around like the voice demanded and saw the voice belonged to a security trooper. He was dressed in white armour with blue stripes on his arms, chest, legs and helmet. His blaster was pointed at my chest. Slowly the guard approached, acting as if I were an animal of some kind.
“Now,”he said calmly, “you and I are going to take a walk over to the security office and take a look at what you’ve downloaded.”
“Alright,” I said as walked towards him. As soon as I was next to him I took my elbow and hit him in the visor of his helmet.
“Shadow? You alright in there?” the commander asked worried.
“I’m fine. Just a rookie guard. I’m on my way out,” I said as I climbed into the vents and put the cover on.
It took me ten minutes to get out of the vents and on to my motorcycle at the back of the building. As I rode through the city, neon lights lit the place up enough it was almost like it was day out. “The good old capital. Brightest city in the world,” I thought as I made my way to a bar that was almost ready to close.
“Rebel Special!” I yelled as I closed the door.
“Will do,” said Jackson as he pressed a hidden button behind a picture of a Samuel Adams beer mug. A door opened in the wall next to the bathrooms with a ladder in it. I climbed down into the darkness and opened another door with my Pip Boy.
“There you are,”the commander said. “The Lotus Lady is wait for you.”
“Got it,” I said as I walked pass him.
“Hey guys!” someone shouted “Grant is back!”
“Wooo!” Someone screamed.
“Man, I’m popular,” I thought as I opened the door to the office of our leader The Lotus Lady.

“Ah, Shadow,” The Lotus Lady said with pleasure,”I assume that you got what I requested.”
“Right here,” I responded as I slide the hard drive over to her.
She took the drive and put into a port on a laptop she had on her desk. She took a brief look at the screen and said, “Very good. Well done Shadow. Now I have another mission for you.”
“What kind?” I asked curious.
“A spy mission, and these are your targets,” she said as she closed the laptop and pulled out five files each with a picture attached. I picked up the files and saw that the pictures were of the Emperor's daughters.
“Spy mission? More like Staker mission,”I said with a chuckle.
“You’ll be attending their school as a peer.”
“What kind of school?”
“A private school. The best school there is.”
“Oh goodie. Let me guess, uniforms?”
“Yes,”said The Lotus Lady with an unreadable expression.
“Uhg. I hate uniforms.”
“You'll be heading out tomorrow to move into our dorm.”
“What about equipment?”
“Already packed and ready for use.”
“How am I going to spy on the older three? Haven’t they already graduated?”
“The oldest is the principal. The second oldest is the vice principal, and the middle child is the guidance counselor.”
“And I’m guessing that the youngest two are getting ready to graduate?”
“Yes. Study those files when you can, but now you need to get some rest.”
“Alright.”
“You know Shadow. I think that this mission will be good for you considering what happened five years ago.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you need to make some friends and get out of the past.”
“ I swore to stay in the past till I avenge what happened, and I won’t stop till that happens.”
“I understand that, but still there is something that in you that I see that you might not that’ll cause trouble. Anyway, dismissed.”

Date: 3/14/22
Time: 3:30
Location: Capital High School
Mission: Spy on the Emperor's daughters:Phase One: set up base

I was sitting in my truck listening to my playlist one youtube. The Warrior Song was playing when the school come into view. It had tall white walls surrounding it with a gate painted gold.
“You have an appointment?” the guard in the window asked as I pulled up.
I quickly pulled out a paper saying that I was a new student. The guard took it and opened up the gate.
“Enjoy your time here sir,” the guard said as he gave the paper back.
As I pulled into the parking lot I saw the courtyard. It was covered with trees and flower beds. There were also streams that led from fountain to fountain. Students dotted the green grass. Some of them sat on benches. All of it was beautiful thanks to the Maroon Empire. I HATED it. I got out of the truck and felt people staring at me, but I ignored it and started unloading my “stuff”. I unloaded the boxes in the cab first so no one could look in them and find out about who I really am. Thankfully no one approached me. I am know for giving off a bad vibe when I want. I went up to my dorm so I could get an idea of what I have to work with. The dorm was like a hotel room. There was a live area with a T.V. along with a kitchen that had a oven and refrigerator. The bedroom had a work desk and king size bed. “When the Maroon put in dorms the go all out,”I thought. I started heading down to the parking lot to unpack some more when I heard a knock at the door. I open up my door to see a jock standing there.
“You the guy with the truck parked outside?” he asked a smile on his face.
“Yeah, so?” I asked with a shrugging.
“Well,”he said,”You look like you were built to play some sports so…”
“So you want me to join?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll join... if you can beat me in a fight,”I said casually.
“Okay,”He said a little suprised,”how about we go and fight in the wrestling room.”
“Done.”

As we walked to the wrestling room more jocks started flanking us. He must have told his buddies that there was going to be a fight. We entered the wrestling room and saw that everything was already moved. The jocks that came with us surrounded the ring in the middle of the room.
“What are the stakes?” the jock that came to my room asked curiously.
“The stakes: if I win I don’t join the teams, if you win you place me on a team of your choice,”I said with a voice calm enough that it would creep anyone out.
“Alright then,” he said as he went to the other side of the ring.
One of the jocks came into the middle
“Begin,” he said. The jock that met with me hit me square in the chest making me fly back.
“Hu, I thought you were going to be more of a fight than that.
“Well,”I said taking my sunglasses off,”Only one can remain”
Everyone gasped in shock. I figure they would since my eyes are unnatural. Instead of have white in them, it’s replaced by black and the irises are a blood red.
I took advantage of the shock and rammed my elbow into his face. He came to his senses right after that, but he had no time to respond to my series of attacks. Next I clawed his face, then knifed him in the throt. He went down after that. He was completely unconscious.
“What the heck?” one of jock asked hatred and surprise lacing his voice.
“Like I said ‘Only one can remain,’”I answered,”It was his choice.” Then I walked out.

I got out to my truck and gathered everything and took it to my dorm and continued to set up the place. It was night by the time I finish my work. I was happy to be finished. I started up the security systems and linked them to my computer. After that I got ready to hit the sack and watch youtube “Man, I’m glad youtube survived the wiping that the Maroons did,” I thought to myself with a grin. Then I fell asleep  in the middle of a video.

Date: 3/15/22
Time:19:45
Location: Capital High School (C.H.S)
Mission: Spy on the Emperor's daughters:Phase Two: Locate targets

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! CRACK! “Man, I hated alarm clocks,” I said drowsily since I was just getting up. “What day is it?” I asked looking at my Pip Boy,“OH JEEZ IT’S MONDAY!” I rush over to my dresser and got my school uniform and hopped in the shower. After the shower I got a microwaveable sausage and gravy poppie going(my favorite). Then I stop and said “Why am I rushing? I got at least a half hour.” So I sat down on my couch and turned the news on. This has become a habit since I’ve joined the rebels. I watch the news just to keep up on what the Maroons are doing.
“And our military has found a rebel base in the city in the Emerald Sector,”the reporter said with an unreadable voice. “Emerald sector?” I thought “Guess some of the rich kids want to rebel as well. I make a note on that.”

Time: 8:15

“Alright class settle down,”the teacher said “Now I know that there are rumors saying that there’s a new student. Well, they are true. So allow me to introduce David McLearin, will you please stand.”
I stood up immediately on instinct since I was trained to follow orders.
“David, do you care to tell us anything about yourself?” the teacher asked.
“Yeah. Don’t mess with me if you want your limbs intact,” I said as cold enough to freeze the warmest of blood.
“Wait a second. You’re the one who beat up the captain yesterday,”a jock three rows up exclaimed.
“You’re right!”another one said.
“I oughtta give you a knuckle sandwich,” said a third.
“And I suggest you take my advice, unless you want to end up like your captain,”I said taking my sunglasses off for them to see my eyes again. Everyone who saw my face gasp then started yelling things like demon, monster, and devil. The jocks though started chanting telling their friends to fight.
“If it’s a fight you want then,”I said eagerly, “only one can remain.” At this point my eyes started to glow a blood red. At the rebel base I worked at in the slum sectors everyone would know to back off, here though no one got that.
“That’s enough class!,”the teacher finally yelled. “Open your textbooks to page 853,”she said clearly upset by the commotion.
“I get you later,”a jock hissed. “Try to ‘get me later’ and you’ll be a broken corps,”I thought.

Time:12:45

I was on my way to lunch when the jocks from my home room cut me off.
“Can I get through?”I asked a little rudely.
“Not till you pay the toll,”one of them said grinning and eager. At this point they were surrounding me.
“Alright then. What’s the price?”I asked already knowing what it might be.
“The same thing that happened to the captain,”he said as one of his buddies punched me in the back. I returned the favor with a elbow to the stomach. Thunk. I reeled back with fire in my veins.
“What’s the matter? Can hit us with metal plating on, now can you?” the jock said laughing.
“If anyone finds out about that then you’ll be sent to prison for treason.” Fuwip. “The can’t be good. Only a pocket knife sounds like that,” I thought as pain across the right side of my back.
“No one will find out. You can count one that,” he said has he started downwards with the knife, but to his surprise I quickly whipped around and stopped it.
“You want a fight? I give you a fight!”I shouted as I lifted him and slammed him into the tile floor. He went out cold. His friends then lunged at me with their own knifes. I was able to catch one of them, but the other cut me from my right temple to my chin. At this point my eyes were glowing bright and furious. I subdued the second then punched the third through the wall. I then charged at him to deliver the final blow. When I got to him and was about to punch I felt pain flow through my chest. I looked down and saw that he had put his knife right over my heart. I looked back at the jock.
“Died you demon,”he said faintly while grinning.
“Hail to the king,” I said as I pulled the knife out of my chest and stab it through his hand. “Hail to the one...kneel to the crown...stand in the sun...hail to the king,”I said as I fainted before I collapsed.

Date: 3/17/22
Time:12:08
Location: Capital High School (C.H.S) Medical Wing
Mission: Spy on the Emperor's daughters:Phase Two: Locate targets

Beep...Beep...Beep. This is the sound I awoke to. Everything was blurry at first, but as my vision cleared I was able to make out a white room with a couple of windows. I felt myself laying in a bed. I started to focus on where the beeping was coming from. That’s when I realized that I had no shirt.
“My cover might get blown if I can’t find a shirt,”I thought since I had the eight pointed rebel star tattooed to my chests like most rebels do. Then there was a knock on the door and it opened. A girl walked in. She had blond hair and blue eyes. Her skin had a peach tone to it.
“Oh, you’re awake,”she said half surprise half glad.
“Who are you?” I asked hesitantly.
“Hm? Oh, My name is Fiora,”she said with a smile on her face with a voice that made me feel relaxed, “What’s your’s?”
“My name is Grant,”I said trying to stay calm.
“Grant? What a nice name,”she said delighted.
“Thanks,”I said while thinking,”Stay calm, stay calm,just don’t let her see your chest or you’re DEAD.”
“You know there’s no point in trying to hide the mark on our chest,¨ Fiora said when she noticed me trying to hide my chest with the blanket, ¨I´ve already seen it.¨
¨Seen what?¨ I asked as if I didn't know what she was talking about.
¨The mark on your chest,¨ she said shaking her head a little, ¨you're a rebel.¨
¨Oh, you know what that means,¨ I asked sheepishly.
¨Who doesn't know the mark of the rebels?¨
¨Are you going to turn me in?¨
¨No,¨ she said catching me off guard.
¨´No?´¨
¨It´ll be our little secret,¨ she said winking.
¨What about the nurse?¨I asked quickly.
¨She on vacation till next week,¨Fiora said tilting her head with a shrug. ¨So what is a rebel like you doing here?¨
¨I...was sent to spy on you and your sisters for the rebels,¨ I hesitated.
¨Oh,¨she said sounding a little disappointed.
¨Yeah,¨I said not knowing what to do.
¨Well, you can tell the rebels that they have an ally in the royal family,¨ she smiling at me ¨in the meantime what happened to your eyes?¨
¨Itś a long story,¨ I said not really wanting to share.
¨I´ve got time,¨she said sounding intrigued.
¨Well, it starts like this,¨I said guessing it wouldn't hurt to share it.

Date: 7/4/15
Time: 12:30
Location: Monticello, IL
Mission: None

“The Shadow is back everyone with yet another survival episode with Beemer (aka Noah) and his friends,”I said since I was broadcasting.
“Hey viewers it’s nice to see guys again,”Noah said in the background since he was broadcasting also, “and today I’m here with Shadow, KillerWilliam, and the rest of the gang.”
“Hey what’s that noise?”I asked hoping someone was hearing the same whistling sound that I heard.
“Maybe they’re launching the firework early,” Noah suggested
“Dude, it’s 12:30 in the afternoon,”I said rejecting the idea, “there is no way they’d launch this early.” That’s when the loudest sound I’ve ever heard hit my ears. Then there was a flash of light and the world went black.
I woke up laying on my side covered in ash. I then knew what that sound was. The Maroon Empire had launched nukes at the Mid-West home of the rebels.
“Lacey!”I cried out hoping my dog would come, but she didn’t. “Cal, Reid!” I said hoping my siblings were there to respond, but none came. That’s when I noticed the camera was still intact and rolling.
“Hey guys,”I said to the cam as I picked it up, “It’s me Shadow, if anyone is watching this please send help. I just got my town nuked, I don’t know if the others are alive. And I think that I may be the only survivor. This is no joke guys, just see for yourself,” with that I turned the camera and turned around in a circle. “So for of those watching I’ll be giving updates on my position every day. For now I’m in what used to be Monticello Illinois. See ya all tomorrow,” and I turned the camera off after that and started looking for anything worth salvaging.
It was the end of the day by the time I made a shelter and salvaged things from a refrigerator I found in the rubble near by. The contents included Cola, lunch meat, cheese, milk, and more. I also found my backpack and emptied it of my school work. I made my shelter using a tent I found in what used to be my garage. The night was hot and moist. I didn’t get much sleep.
The next day I found a mirror and was surprised at what I saw. My eyes weren’t normal. The white in them was replaced with pure black and my irises went from hazel to blood red. I suddenly got angry and turned to punch a nearby safe. To my surprise my hand went through the metal and didn’t hurt after word. I then knew what I had to do.

Date: 3/20/22
Time: 21:50
Location: Capital High School (C.H.S)
Mission: Spy on the Emperor's daughters:Final Phase

I was getting ready for bed when my Pip Boy started vibrating. “Strange,”I thought, “I thought that the rebels weren’t going to contact me till tomorrow.”
“Shadow here,” I said pick up the lifting up the Pip Boy.
“Shadow, the base has been compromised,”said The Lotus Lady.
“What?” I asked shocked.
“Your extraction has been moved to next week.”
“Next week? Why not tomorrow?”
“Most of the rebels have been scattered, so until most of them get back there’s nothing we can do.”
“Alright. I’ll wait till next week,” I said with a bit of anger.
“Good, also try not to get caught.”
“Okay,” I said with a sound of sadness to it as I put up the Pip Boy.
A knock came from the door.
“Grant, you in there?” said the voice at the door. I knew immediately that it was Fiora since only she has a voice as sweet as the one at the door.
“Yeah, give me a second,” I said as I approached the door.
“Hey, Grant you have a moment?” Fiora said when the door was opened.
“Yeah. You want to come in?”
“No, I’m fine.”
The hall fell silent.
“So,” Fiora said breaking the silence, “the spring gala is tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to go.”
“Yeah. Of course I’ll go with you,” I stammered.
“Really?” Fiora said sounding surprised.
“Yeah.”
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I guess so.”
She then left after a little hesitation and I went to bed.

Date: 3/11/22
Time: 20:29
Location: Capital High School (C.H.S)
Mission: Wait for extraction

“Tonight is the night,”I thought,”tonight I’ll avenge the Midwest and all who fell to the Maroon Empire. Tonight the Emperor will DIE.”
I was walking to pick up Fiora from her dorm. I was wearing a black suit with a blood red tie and trim. I was starting to get anxious as I held the knife up my sleeve in place. Then Giora walked out of her dorm. I gazed in awe as she walked out. She wore a elegant red silk dress, a gold bracelet with a ruby in it’s centre. He blond hair was slightly curled and fell from her shoulders. It took me a moment to shake the effects her beauty set on me.
“Ready?” I asked
“Yeah,” she said nodding her head.
We walked in silence for a while.
“I liked your suit. I fits you,”Fiora said interrupting the silence.
“Thanks,”I smiled, “You look like a goddess.”
She didn’t say anything, but I could see her smile out of the corner of my eye.

We walked up to the ballroom entrance as a guard came up to us.
“Ten notes,” he said after looking us over.
I pulled out some of the notes I made in my room earlier that day. As we entered the ballroom I saw my most hated nemesis. The Emperor. He was dressed in a maroon suit with a gold tie and trim. His black hair was comb like trumps. He had a small beard also, not something that shows on many pictures.
“Ah, Fiora,” he cried out as soon as he spotted us, “it’s so good to see again.”
“It’s nice to see you to dad,” Fiora said as the Emperor meet up with us.
“And who is this?” asked with a confused look on his face.
“This is my friend, Grant,” Fiora said smiling.
“Oh good. For a second I thought he was your ‘special someone’,” he said obviously relieved, “Now I don’t have to worry about him courting you.” He started looking me over from the shoes up. “My word boy!’ he exclaimed, “what is wrong with your eyes?”
“It’s a long story,”I said faking my nervousness.
“Ah, I see,”nodding his head as if he understood.
“Well, if you’ll excuse me I need to greet your other sisters Fiora,” and with that he left.

It was the height of the gala. The slow songs were about to start when the Emperor called for attention.
“I would just like to say thank you all for making this a great gala, and I would like to give a special thanks to my daughter, June, for turning in a rebel that was hidden among us. Guards seize him,” he said pointing at me and the guards started at me.
“GRANT RUN!!!” Fiora shouted worry very present. I didn’t listen though, instead I charged at the Emperor. Everyone was moving aside for me. I then let the knife slide from my sleeve and into my hand. I was five feet away from the Emperor when I jump and tackled him. We rolled across the stage and stopped when I stood over him with my foot planted on my chest.
“Hello, Emperor. I remember you asked about my eyes earlier,” I hissed angrily, “I’ll tell you why. I lived in the Midwest. I lived among rebels. I survived the bombing, but no one else did,” my hands were trembling with hatred, “YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS!!!! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!!!! YOU KILLED MY TOWN!!!! YOU TURNED ME INTO WHAT I AM NOW!!!!! Now you will PAY!!!!“ I screamed as I started to bring knife down when I got hit with a tranquilizer. I don’t remember hitting the stage floor.

Date: 3/12/22
Time: 12:00
Location: The Emperor’s Court
Mission: Compromised

People were swarming the court house. There were hundreds of them. Most were commoners trying to sneak in, but the Emperor's elite green striped and gold chest plated guards held them off with brutality. News crews littered the place too. Most of them came up to the car that exhorted me here. The tried to ask questions but the guards had them stop.
As we entered the courtroom I started getting dirty looks, I guess it’s because I had no shirt on. The room was like the ones I remember from T.V. There was a stand for the jury, the judge’s seat, and so on.
“Please rise for his imperial highness,” one of the guards said unemotionally. Everyone except me stood almost immediately.
“You may be seated,” the guard said in the same tone as before.
“David McLearin,” the Emperor said as he seated himself on the judge seat, “you have been charged with attempted theft of military data, breaking an entry, murder, and treason.”  He looked down at me in my chains that kept my knees on the floor.
“How do you pled?” he asked barely keeping tension out of his voice.
“Guilty,” I said throwing him off guard.
“Well, to confirm that  we’ll call up a witness,” he said regaining himself, “I call Fiora come to the witness stand.”
It took her a moment to get up there, but she did.
“Fiora,” the Emperor said with a monotone voice, “you looked after this young man while he recovered from a fight where he almost died do to a knife to the heart, correct?”
“Correct,” she repeated shakily.
“Was there a symbol of some kind on his chest?”
Fiora glaced at me trying to see if I would be okay if she told them. I gave her a small nod.
“Yes there was. It was the mark of the rebels,” a few people gasped at this.
“Did you report this when you found out what it was?” the Emperor asked a slight grin starting to appear on his face.
“No,” Fiora said stress obvious in her expression.
“And why is that?”
“I...I,” she stammered. “I LOVE HIM!” she cried out. This caught everyone’s attention. Murmurs started then some of the high ranking officials started shouting.
“Well then. I hereby give David McLearin a life sentence in the highest security prison we have. Case dismissed,” the Emperor said wanting to end this now. Guards started to come over to me when I did what everyone didn’t expect. I broke the free of the steel shackles. Guards started to try and pin me but it only got worse. In the end they had to use a ZUSE-Z2 to bring me down. I killed 38 guards injured 56. The Emperor was true to his word when I got to prison. But for me… that was just the next step.

Date: 7/4/23
Time: Unknown
Location: Unknown Prison Faculty in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle.
Mission: Escape: Successful

It’s been over a year since I’ve been outside. It hurts to have the sun hit me. “This was no ordinary prison,” I thought as I walked to a helicopter, “I’m a freak now.” I was right too. This prison was a giant lad. Now I have power. I can 20 feet in the air, I can grow up to ten feet and shrink back to six feet. I can have pencil long claws come out of my fingers. I now eat only meat. My teeth are now fangs. My skeleton is made of stainless steel. I have stainless steel armour, and I get even worse when I’m angry.
“I’m no longer a shadow. Now I’m a nightmare,” I thought out loud, “and this time I have the upper hand Emperor. You better hope I don’t find you or we’ll start where we left.” And with that I took off and self distance the prison.
“IT’S TIME FOR THE NIGHTMARE TO RISE!!!!!!!” I screamed as I rode off to the capital.