worst after she started flying the grey windsock and Shade didn’t come around. As he nodded Rebecca smiled and gave him a hug.

“Thank you honey.” As Rebecca and Kit went into the storage area and slipped under the docks to a swear pipe they made their way through the maze for hours and as Rebecca could tell it was starting to get dark outside she knew that even if they did find Shade’s lair that he might not be there, but at this point and time she didn’t care all she wanted to do was see some sign that he was still alive. While at that very time Shade walked up to the building he had observed the night before in street rags and his fur covered in dirt to give it a more brown tone, as he walked in he quickly held up his hands as several men dressed like the Ghost pointed guns at him.

“I give up no shoot.” Shade said as he held his hands high into the air and watched as the men lowered their guns as Officer Slade walked up looking angry.

“Kid what the hell are you doing?”

“Well the Ghost,… well I guess one of the Ghost said that if I wanted a hot meal that I should come here.”

“Is that so, and did this Ghost tell you his name?”

“No, he said that all I had to do was say that I would work for free, as long as I got some food.” just then Shade’s stomach growled and Slade looked down at him.

“Fine free labor who cares, come here.” with that Slade walked Shade over to a table and sat him down as a long line of Ghost imposters started to line up. “All you have to do is simple take the loot and check off persons name.”

“Name?”

“It’s not really their name just a Ghost number like this.” with that the Ghost imposter in front of the table handed Slade a bag of loot. “Name?”

“Ghost 45.” with that Slade looked down the list and checked off number 45.

“That’s all I have to do?”

“Yeah, and when he comes back put another check by his name, the more checks the bigger his take.”

“What’s take?” Shade asked, as he gave Slade a confused look.

“Never you mind, just do as your told and you’ll eat tonight got it?” with that Shade nodded and then sat at the desk, The entire night as he took the loot and checked people’s names he secretly locked his eyes with each imposter, making sure to leave a small surprise for them, and when he wasn‘t doing it to the runners he would lock eyes with the guards for only brief seconds leaving them the same kind of surprise.

As Shade worked his mental magic in the heart of the crime ring, back at his lair Rebecca and Kit walked into find the real ghost outfit laying on a cot, as Rebecca walked up and picked up the outfit she noticed that the Cot had a large red stain on it, as she looked at the stain her worst fears started to rush into her head, while Kit walked up and started to scratch at the stain. “Is that?” her voice was barely audible as Kit kept scratching at the stain. “Kit?”

“Tomato sauce.” Kit answered as he looked at Rebecca who let out her breath. “He must have spilt something a few days ago other wise he would of stained his costume.” with that Rebecca nodded as she looked at the outfit and then hung it up on a coat rack. “So are we just going to wait here for him?” Rebecca shook her head, then looked at Kit with a smile on her face.

“We aren’t, I am, you have school tomorrow mister.” with that Kit smiled slightly as Rebecca went back to her mothering ways, just seeing that the costume was still in one piece and knowing that Shade was still alive, at least a few days ago, seem to boost her spirits. Before Kit left Rebecca smiled, as she walked up to him and kissed him on the forehead. “Straight home Kit, and get your homework done, I‘ll be home as soon as I‘m able to talk with Shade.”

“No problem Ms. Cunningham.” As Kit left Rebecca couldn’t help but smile as she watched him leave, she knew that there would come a time when Kit would call her mom, but she also knew that she had to let it come naturally.

Mean while, back at the criminal’s hideout, Shade was working hard putting into place pieces that would ensure the downfall of this crime ring. Through out the night he kept up his act of the hungry street orphan, and as the first rays of sunlight started to pierce the dirty windows of the hideout, he smiled slightly as he saw Slade walked up to him with a bagel. “Alright brat, nights done, get out of here before I haul you to the orphanage.” with that Shade nodded and took the bagel as he ran out of the building like a scared child.

It was a few hours later before Shade made his way back to his lair insuring that he wasn’t followed. But as he walked in he was rather surprised to find Rebecca asleep in the old easy chair that he would sit in when faced with a troubling case. As he looked at Rebecca from the shadows as he looked around a few times and searched the lair to ensure that there was no one else, before making his presence fully known. The way he did this was by climbing up a ladder to the second story of the lair and dropping a lead pipe, getting Rebecca to jump up holding her chest as her heart raced, after a few minutes of her catching her breath she looked around and saw the pipe, as she looked up slightly she noticed Shade now in his Ghost outfit, looking down at her from his position. “What have I told you about scarring me?” Rebecca scolded, as she shook her finger in Shade’s direction, only to watch as his eyes turned cold towards her. “D-don’t you give me that look young man.” She was shacking slightly his look was sending chills down her spin, he had never been able to do this before, she had never been scared of Shade before, but now she was terrified of him, of the look he was giving her. “Sh-shade?”

“How much?” Shade asked, his words cold and cruel, no sign of love or respect as he kept glaring at her.

“H-how much? How much what?”

“How much did they pay you? How much are they paying you?” Rebecca was confused by the question as she watched Shade carefully, she knew he was fast, and she now feared that maybe all the stories she had been hearing was true and that Shade had finally become the very thing that he hated, with the people of the city turning on him his hate could have twisted his mind, and with his abilities it wouldn’t take much for him to make people do his bidding.

“P-paying me for what?”

“TO BETRAY ME!?! HOW MUCH IS THE POLICE PAYING YOU TO PLAY VICTIM TO DRAW ME OUT!? HOW MUCH WAS ARE FRIENDSHIP WORTH!? HOW MUCH WAS MY TRUST WORTH!?” As Shade’s words echoed in the lair Rebecca stepped back slightly in fear, she had never seen Shade like this and apart of her couldn’t help but remember what he had been able to do to others, she was scared that he was going to hurt her now, while at the same time her heart felt like it was breaking as she feared that she had lost him, that she had failed to prevent him from going down this dark path.

“I,… I don’t understand?”

“Do not play innocent with me Ms. Cunningham, I have fought long and hard for this city, I have stuck my neck out several times to protect your family alone. I would have never betrayed that trust, even when things were stacked against you or one of your family members I never turned my back on you, or them. I went out of my way to find the truth, I risked everything to protect you and your loved ones,… AND YOU TRIED TO SELL ME OUT!!! SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH THE COPS ARE PAYING YOU TO BETRAY ME!?!” With those words Rebecca’s fear started to vanish as she realized what Shade was yelling about.

“Sell you out? YOU THINK I WOULD SELL YOU OUT!?”

“YES!”

“NOW YOU SEE HERE YOUNG MAN! I HAVEN’T SOLD ANYONE OUT, NOT YOU LEAST OF ALL! I’M BEING BLACKMAILED BY OFFICER SLADE!” As she mentioned the name she watched as Shade’s expression quickly change, and she understood that he had misunderstood what he had seen, but she was still angry with him for even thinking such a thing of her and she wasn‘t about to let up now. “Officer Slade is threatening my family, and every night I went out and played the victim, as you called it, I prayed that you wouldn’t come to my rescue.” with that Rebecca started to storm off, now angry that Shade would ever accuse her of betraying him.

“Anything you say Ms. Pot.” These words stopped Rebecca in mid step, as she slowly turned around she found Shade now standing in the center of the room his arms crossed looking at her. As she opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, she stopped she realized what he meant.

**********

3 weeks ago

**********

Back when everything had started, when the police had issued an arrest warrant for Shade, or the Ghost as the warrant was written, he had come to them, it was cold night she remembered it so well because it was the first time they had made a fire in the fireplace, Kit, Molly, and Baloo sat in the living room making smores and laughing, while Rebecca watched on getting some final papers done from the days work, when there came a knock at the back door. Rebecca turned to the door and noticed that Baloo had heard it as well, as she shook her head to tell him that she would deal with it, she got up and looked through the window, as she opened the door and found Shade standing in the shadows hidden from sight. “What are you doing