October 2000 - #1

About fifty years ago, Lamont Cranston fought crime here as The Shadow.

About thirty years ago, Lamont Cranston, Jr. fought crime as The Shadow.

Seventeen years ago, Victor Cranston, son of Lamont Cranston, Jr. was born. When he turned thirteen, he developed special powers. He could turn invisible and read minds. His father and grandfather before him had these powers, but they had come by them with special training. Victor had these powers without training, meaning he was a mutant.

At first, the fact bothered him. Later, however, he knew that his powers were well hidden. When he developed these powers, his mother told him of his family legacy.

He was the son of The Shadow. He was the grandson of the original Shadow.

That scared Victor at first, too. His father was in a home because of some "accident" that no one in the family wanted to talk about. Every time Victor asked someone, they would change the subject. But then, he started talking to his grandfather about The Shadow of the 1930s and 40s. Victor started liking The Shadow. He knew that as soon as he could, he would become the next Shadow.

His grandfather encouraged it, while his mother was still a little weary of the idea. Of course, Lamont was able to convince his daughter-in-law to let the boy continue the family legacy.

Finally, the day came. It was summer break of 2000. Victor was seventeen, and about to enter his senior year of high school. That was the summer that he became The Shadow.

He had practiced the deep voice and the laugh from beyond the grave for years. That frightening laugh seemed to be a trait that ran in the family. Victor was glad to have it. Every Shadow had had it, and being The Shadow wouldn't be the same without it.

Victor found the designs for his grandfather's outfit and made his own. The original was real old, and Victor didn't want to risk ruining it. Victor practiced his mutant powers so he was able to stay invisible as long as he wanted to without it being a strain. He also practiced making invisible force fields.

Victor was ready.

The Shadow walked down an alley. It seemed familiar to him, although he had never been here before in his life. Could it be something from one of his grandfather's stories?

As Victor walked in, he heard a noise behind him. He still tensed up, forgetting for a second that he was invisible. It would still take a while to get used to these powers in public. He turned around to see who was in the alley with him.

It was a couple of teenagers, maybe juniors or seniors in high school Victor thought. They looked familiar to him. Victor guessed that he had seen them around school. One was big and black, the other was smaller and white.

The bigger guy pulled something out of his coat pocket. It looked like a brick. 'A brick?' The Shadow thought. 'No. It's white.' Victor thought for a moment. 'Drugs!' he thought. He couldn't tell what kind from his vantage point.

The second, smaller guy slipped the other guy some money. As he turned to walk away, The Shadow crept up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What do you-- UMPH!" he exclaimed as he turned around into Victor's invisible fist. The Shadow continued to deck the drug dealer until he fell to the ground.

"Oh, man! Jolt's bein' beat up by a ghost!" the buyer shouted, running away in fear.

The Shadow turned around and saw him running, but let him go. He had no chance of catching him, besides, if he left the dealer here before the job was done, the dealer might get away too.

Victor tapped a button on his hat. It was connected to a device that allowed him to contact 911.

"Hello?" he asked. "I heard some sounds of violence. I think drugs are involved."

The dispatcher asked for a location, which The Shadow gave. When the dispatcher asked for his name, he shouted as if something was happening and hung up. The dispatcher would just think that the violence had started up again.

About this time, the dealer, Jolt, as he had been called, was regaining consciousness. "What the hell just happened to me?" he asked.

The Shadow laughed.

Jolt's eyes grew wide. "That laugh! From beyond the grave! My granddaddy tol' me 'bout it! You The Shadow? The guy no one can see!"

"Yes I am," The Shadow said, walking to Jolt. He picked him up by the front of the shirt, slamming him against the brick wall behind him. "And you listen to me. You go, and you tell your friends that The Shadow is back, and he's playing hard!"

Jolt shook his head. "Yessir!" he said.

"Good. Now be a good little druggie and wait for the cops." With that, he put Jolt down, tied him up and walked away.

He still couldn't shake the feeling about the alley.

"So, Vic," Lamont said as Victor walked through the open window, "how was the first night?"

Victor was startled, since he was still invisible. "How can you see me, grandpa?" he asked, turning visible.

"You forget that I was pulling that same trick fifty years ago," Lamont replied with a smile. "Besides, you weren't that careful coming in. Add that to the fact that I can read minds as well as you can, you can't sneak by me. So, how was the first adventure of the new Shadow?"

"I'd hardly call it an adventure. All I did was bust a druggie."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but the strange thing is that the alley I busted him in seemed familiar. Maybe something from a story you told me?"

"Perhaps," Lamont agreed. "Where was the alley?"

Victor told him and Lamont nodded his head.

"I do remember it well," Lamont said. "It was in the early forties, I think. I busted some drug dealers there. That was the night I teamed up with . . . well, I can't remember his name. I believe he was a mutant." Lamont stared into space, as if reliving a memory. Suddenly, he looked at the clock. "You better get some sleep if you want to go to the court case tomorrow."

"I will. But first, I'll call Natalie."

"Ah, young love," Lamont said with a sigh as Victor walked out of the room.

Victor took off The Shadow's outfit, and ran his hand through his own light brown hair. He walked over to his bed and picked up the phone, dialing Natalie's number. The phone rang four times before she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, gorgeous."

"Vic! What's up?"

"Went out as The Shadow tonight."

"Cool! Was it fun?"

"Sure, but I wish I could have been with you."

"Vic," Natalie said. "You have a responsibility with your powers. I can't go along. I don't have the powers."

Victor sighed. "I know."

"What's up for tomorrow?"

"My grandfather wants to go to the some court hearing."

"Oh. Which one?"

"He won't say yet. Wanna come?"

"Sure! It'll probably help with my government class this year. Besides, court sounds like a good place to see The Shadow in action!"

"Are you trying to tell me something, Nat?"

"Maybe."

"Whatever. Pick you up at eight-thirty?"

"Eight thirty it is!" Natalie replied.

"See you tomorrow." Victor and Natalie continued on with small talk. All along, Victor was thinking how much he loved Natalie. He finally saw the clock, and knew he had to end the conversation. "Love you," he said.

"I love you," Natalie replied. "Bye."

"Bye," Vic said as he hung up the phone.

"Here we are," he said, climbing out of the car. He walked over to the passenger door and opened it. "Let me help you out, Natalie."

"Thank you, Victor," Natalie said, taking Vic's hand and stepping out. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Meanwhile, Lamont had climbed out of the car as well. He was wearing a suit and holding a cane, while Victor and Natalie were dressed very casually: Vic in a light blue t-shirt with a short-sleeve denim shirt over it and jeans, and Natalie was wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and jeans.

"So, Mr. Cranston," Natalie said, addressing Victor's grandfather. "Which case did we come to see?"

"The case we have come to see today is in the criminal court, young Ms. Casswell," Lamont replied.

"A murder trial?" Natalie asked.

"This is no mere murder trial. Unless I'm badly mistaken, we are going to witness . . . an assassination!" Lamont answered boldly.

"An assassination?" Victor and Natalie echoed.

"Yes, children, an assassination. The assassination of the character and reputation of one of the most outstanding and honest public men in America today."

"Oh, you mean Senator Bromine!" Victor said. "I've been reading about his case in the paper."

"So have I. They've certainly unearthed plenty of evidence that he accepted that bribe," Natalie added.

"Well, unless I've made a mistake in character analysis, that evidence is forged. Bromine is more than just a mere political figure, he's a statesmen. He has an independent income, he's devoted his entire life to public service."

"He's a very wealthy man," Natalie said.

"Yes, Natalie," the elder Cranston replied. "Senator Bromine has given away ten times more money than he is accused of taking as a bribe."

"Well, if that's true, grandpa, then the whole thing doesn't make sense," Victor said. "Why would a generous man like that risk a fifteen year prison term for taking a bribe that he didn't need?"

"That's the point that worries me," Lamont said. "It's also what I want you to find out."

"Me?"

"You're The Shadow."

"Yeah, but what can I do?"

"The same thing I did when I tried to solve a similar case!"

Natalie spoke up. "Wait a minute! Didn't I hear that the prosecution was supposed to spring a surprise bit of evidence today?"

"Yes. That's why we're here." Lamont looked up and saw people rushing into the courtroom. "Come along, kids. Court's already in session."

"He sure is in a hurry," Natalie commented.

"Yeah. I guess this is another way for him to relive some of his glory days," Vic replied. "I think he already knows how this case is going to turn out."

"Why do you say that?"

"Remember when he said something about doing like he did when he had a similar case?"

"Oh, that's what he meant! The original Shadow solved a case exactly like this!"

"Yes, I remember reading about it in some of his books."

"His books?" Natalie asked, a little confused. Then she remembered. "Oh, right! He did right some books about The Shadow. Very good, read them for some book reports a few years ago."

"Was that before or after you knew about my secrets?"

"Both. I read a few before, and a few after." Natalie looked over and saw that Lamont was already in the building. "Well, it looks like I'm not the only one ready for the debut of the new Shadow."

"Shhh," Victor whispered. "We don't want any of these people finding out."

"C'mon, Vic. Do they look like they're paying any attention to us? We're just a couple of lovesick teenagers to them. So am I right?"

"About what?"

"About not being the only one ready to see The Shadow."

"Well, since I am The Shadow, I'm more nervous than anyone else."

"Good. A little nervousness never hurt anyone. Just don't get clumsy and get someone killed."

"Never. At least, I hope not."

Just then, the couple reached the door. Victor took his arm off of Natalie and opened the door. "After you," he said, gesturing her in.

"Why, thank you," Natalie replied, walking in.

They walked in and found Lamont waiting for them.

"C'mon, the case is about to start!" he exclaimed.

"We're coming!" Victor yelled to him. He turned to Natalie and said, "Sheesh. He's the one that in his eighties, and he's telling us to hurry up!"

Natalie grabbed his hand and smiled. Victor smiled back and they walked into the courtroom together, right behind Lamont.

Until next issue,
Chip Caroon