The Shadow.

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 On the walls of the dimly illuminated basement that was located beneath the impressive MI6 building in London, the cold and damp air, soaked by the river seeping in from the Vauxhall bank of the river Thames, misted the walls like fog in a forest. This was just another night in the hazardous world of espionage and illegal gain for the burglar and spy who went only by the name Shadow. The sound of his footfall reverberated softly on the stone floor as he moved with a purposeful silence. His mind was totally focused on one thing: the encrypted communication device that was concealed behind the seemingly harmless disguise of an Apple Pencil.


Shadow had methodically studied the layout of the MI6 facility, analysed the guard rotations, and exploited every flaw in their security measures in order to organise this theft, which had taken him several months to complete. Now as he was making his way through the maze-like passageways of the cellar, he could feel the negligible weight of the replacement gadget in his hand. It was, nevertheless a palpable reminder of the risks he was taking and the blood he was willing to expend or lose in order to accomplish his objectives.


Shadow came to a complete stop as he rounded a corner, his senses tingling with the presence of another person. At the end of the corridor, there were two guards waiting/ They shouldn’t have been there, but of course, sometimes the best security is provided by unpredictability. Shadow quickly removed a small but lethal sword from his coat, and its silicon blackened edge shone darkly in the dim light. A flick of his wrist, his motions a blur as he murdered the guards with cold, silent efficiency. He didn’t normally stoop to killing, but his handler on this occasion had stressed that he should maximise opportunities for ‘extreme prejudice’.  It seemed to Shadow that somewhere in the turmoil of world geopolitics, someone intended serious embarrassment for UK security service.


He carefully stepped around where the cold stone floor was covered in a pool of blood carried on. He was surprised to note that despite his normal coolness, his heart was hammering in his chest as he got closer and closer. He could hear the faint buzz of electrical equipment in the direction ahead.


After what seemed like an eternity, he made it to the entrance of the safe room where the device was supposedly kept, Suddenly, he felt a strong jolt of electricity running through his body, which caused him to fall to the ground in agony. Shadow was caught off guard by the crudely effective security system that had been installed in the entrance. He had expected lasers, touch sensitivity, pressure pads, humidity sensors - whatever - to close doors and shutters. It was a complete surprise to fall for the old electrified door handle ploy.


Shadow gritted his teeth against the pain and forced himself to stand up. His mind was racing as he searched for a means to get beyond the security systems that were in place. A wave of adrenaline rushed through him as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small electronic device that he had created himself. It was a tool that was built expressly for situations such as this one.


He started to control the device with nimble fingertips, exploring the electronic defences of the door with a talent that was born out of years of practice. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and the seconds passed by as if they were an eternity. He felt a click beneath his fingers, which was then followed by the gentle hiss of the door moving open.


Shadow strode into the room with a jubilant smile on his face, and his eyes immediately began searching the space for the device he was looking for. And there, tucked away in the midst of a sea of wires and circuits, was the Apple Pencil that he had been looking for. Its sleek form belied the power that it carried within.


Despite the fact that his hands were shaking, Shadow reached out and grabbed the device. He was experiencing a surge of adrenaline that was coursing through his veins. However, his triumph was short-lived for, even as he turned to leave, he was confronted with the sight of armed guards rushing into the chamber with their weapons focused on him with a deadly precision.


When Shadow was considering his choices, his mind was rushing with a thousand things all at once, and it appeared as though time had stopped moving for a little minute. On the other hand, he made his choice with the composure of a predator assessing its prey under the circumstances. He tossed the decoy Apple Pencil across the room with a fast move, causing it to clatter against a wall, and, as he’d hoped, the small charge he’d placed inside it exploded with a bang that resounded throughout the room.


The guards either ducked for cover or rushed to grab him. Shadow made the most of his opportunity and dashed for the exit with the speed and agility of an animal that was being hunted. He barged past the surprised guards, taking two down with his sword but leaving one by the door and two others sheepishly jumping back up out of cover. As he ran, red laser targeting lights flashed all around him and the odd set of taser wires flew by him, skittering and sparking on the walls. He was racing against the time, looking for a way to escape. He was fast, and he knew his way around these cellars from hours of preparation. He vanished darkness and eventually out through a sluice to the river and away into the night like a ghost, leaving nothing but mayhem in his wake.


He had the device. He was free and clear. There was a massive security operation going on across London, centred around Vauxhall. Helicopter, boats, foot patrols, plain clothes officers, dogs. But Shadow sat in a small cafe near to the Borough market and handed an Apple Pencil to a man with an iPad. The man clipped it into the holder in the case and left. Shadow checked his bank account on his phone.


“The Maldives, I think,” he said to nobody in particular. He got up and left.


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