PRESENTS

#2
FEATURING

"Gathering Shadows"
by Kell Carpenter
barchettaboy@yahoo.com

"Slow down a bit, Joan - I'm not as spry as you are, you know..." Molly Scott panted as she struggled to keep up with Joan Garrick.

"Sorry, Molly. I'll slow up a bit." Joan looked around. "Say, there's a snack bar right over there. Want some water?"

Molly slowed to a near stop. "That sounds WONDERFUL, Joan. I'll just go and sit down..."

Joan nodded and got in line at the snack bar. She watched Molly as she rubbed her feet and legs on the mall bench, worried about her friend. The line moved forward and an impatient grunt from behind her brought her back to herself. She apologized, paid for two bottles of water and headed over to Molly's bench.

"Here you go, Molly; ice-cold water, filtered for maximum purity...!" She handed it to her friend and watched as she gulped down the cold water.

"Oh, that's GOOD!" Molly pressed the cold plastic bottle to her cheeks and forehead. "Joan, I'm sorry to be so slow. I just never imagined I'd be this OLD..."

Joan put her hand on Molly's. "Oh, Molly - you're just as old as Jay, Alan, and I. You're only as old as you feel."

Molly laughed. "Yes, but remember that I don't have the benefit of extended youth like you all do. I wasn't around when Ian Karkull bit the dust*..."

*It happened in All-Star Squadron Annual #2 - Pre-Zero Hour Kell

"I'd forgotten about that, Moll - we spend so much time together..." Joan took a drink of her water. "Have you gone to the doctor, talked with him? Maybe there's something he can give you...?"

Molly's smile disappeared. "Joan, I HAVE been to the doctor..." She twisted the water bottle in her hands. "If I tell you something, can you keep it a secret? From Jay?"

Joan was taken aback. "I-I don't know, Moll. Jay and I have no secrets from each other...what is it...?" She was even more concerned about Molly now.

Molly started slowly...

Elsewhere in the mall:

Jay Garrick and Alan Scott stood in front of the Techno-Hut. There was a front-window display of the latest home theater system that Jay was drooling over.

"...but Alan, it's got everything I'm looking for in a system; not to mention that it's the lowest price I've ever seen on one!" Jay gestured wildly as he spoke, excited about his "find".

Alan shook his head. "Jay, I'm telling you: don't buy this thing - in a year, you'll regret it. There's such growth in the technology that you'll probably regret it in a month."

Jay's shoulders sagged. "Alan, I've been saving up for something like this for over a year..."

"Hey, I didn't say not to get a system. I said to not buy THIS one." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I think I know someone who might be able to get you a good system for about half the cost..." He looked slyly at his old friend.

Jay's face lit up. "You mean it? Alan, that's GREAT!!" He clapped Alan on the back and shook his hand. "You're the best, pal o' mine!"

"No problem, Jay. Let me just talk to a couple folks back home and see what my guys can do for you..."

They grinned at each other. Alan shook his head. "We're just like two teenagers, Jay - drooling over high-tech toys. What's next, exaggerating about our conquests with the fairer sex?"

Jay raised an eyebrow. "I've already told you, Alan: I don't HAVE to exaggerate. It's all factual information..." His grin widened.

They burst out laughing, loud enough to draw some stares from other shoppers.

Alan wiped his eyes, laughter subsiding. "Say, we'd better catch up with the gals - don't wanna get in dutch with our steady dates, do we?"

Jay nodded. "Let's go rescue our fair damsels from their drudgery..."

Joan's mouth was open. "Molly, you've got to tell Alan! You can't keep something like this from him..."

"Joan, please - I told you because I've got to be able to confide in someone. Remember, you promised you'd keep this from Jay..." Molly pleaded with her eyes.

"I don't know- here they come!" She stood and waved. "Over here, boys!" She turned back to Molly. "All right. I'll keep your secret for now - but you've GOT to tell Alan as soon as you can. It's just not right..."

Molly grabbed her arm. "We'll talk about it more later. Thanks for letting me confide in you Joan; you're a good friend..."

They greeted their husbands and the four of them headed off for lunch.

Later, after lunch:

"Well, guys, I guess it's back to Keystone for us. Thanks again for the technical advice, Alan - I'll be on the look-out for your guys to contact me." Jay shook hands with Alan.

Alan shrugged. "Not a problem, pal. I hope you have a good trip home. See you around..."

Alan surrounded himself and Molly in a green bubble and they rose out of sight, heading in the general direction of Gotham City.

Jay put his arm around Joan. "What say we head off to the old homestead, Mrs. Garrick?" He looked at her, his brow creasing. "Joan? What's wrong, hon?"

Joan gave a start, her thoughts interrupted. "I-I'm sorry, Jay. I was lost in thought, I guess." She smiled, looking more like herself. "Come on, let's get going - I thought you were the Flash, dear...!" She winked and gave him a playful jab in the ribs.

He grinned, his worry gone. "Indeed I am, m'dear - indeed I am...!" He winked back at her, then gathered her in his arms and they were on their way to Keystone City.

Elsewhere:

The red mists swirled madly. They were not moving aimlessly - their pattern of movement was the direct reflection of the angry intelligence that resided within them.

It was focusing its full consciousness, its full mind, into the effort to achieve substance. It had learned how to make use of the red mists in many ways. Through their hazy red film, it had learned how to view other planes. With practice, it grew adept at this - it now monitored the physical plane regularly.

Its main subject of study was one man. The mists swirled and shook violently whenever it focused on that man.

Jay Garrick.

Its rage was barely contained, even in this spirit plane. That hate was as deep and red as the mists that were its only companion. The rage receded enough to allow it to focus itself more intently upon its goal.

Using that hatred, it focused its will on the mists. The mists swirled again, defiant, but then calmed and bent to its insistent shaping. The crude form of a being became discernible amid the swirling, misty stuff.

It was a ghost-image, a shadow of a real creature, but its crude imperfectly formed appearance was a giant leap for the intelligence that had formed it. That intelligence's anger and hatred abated - however briefly - with the tremendous impact of this breakthrough. It could use the mists, could bend them to its will...

...and that meant that it would be free soon. Free to have its revenge.

Laughter bubbled forth from it, echoing into the endless depths of the red mists.

Soon...

Keystone City:

Jay worked around the house, finishing off some projects, then settled down to read a book…or two. He noticed Joan sitting in her chair, her knitting almost completely forgotten in her lap.

"What's wrong, hon?" Jay asked.

Joan came back to herself. "Sorry, Jay. What was that?" She looked at him.

He cocked his head and looked at her. "Something's bothering you. You've been - I guess 'preoccupied' is the word that fits best - all day, ever since we saw Alan and Molly. Is everything okay?"

She smiled at him. "I'm just worried about Molly, Jay. She's not as young as we all are, and I guess I really noticed it for the first time today. I keep thinking that it could be me. That's all..."

Jay smiled back. "I know what you mean, Joan. Ever since that business with Neron*, I've been wondering about the age gap between Alan and Molly. Things seem to be all right now, though. Time's just marching on, like it does for us all..."

*Molly sold her soul to Neron to gain youth in the Underworld Unleashed special event - Archivist Kell

"Yes, that must be it..." Joan's smile became wistful. She hated keeping secrets from Jay...

Later:

Jay was asleep, one of many small, quick naps he took in the course of every day. A noise brought him fully awake, sitting up.

"Joan...?" He scanned the room, then the house for her. No sign of her anywhere.

"JOAN?!?" He searched the neighborhood, then the city, with no luck. Back at home, he conducted a more careful, slower search - it took five minutes. Now that he was taking his time, he found the note. It was in one of the books he had been reading, holding his place alongside his bookmark. It read:

"Dear Jay - Sorry to not wake you, but you were resting so peacefully. I've decided that life in Opal is just too dull, so I'm taking a little vacation to your lovely Keystone.

I needed a guide since it's been so long, so I conscripted your lovely bride, Joan, to fill that position. Come find us, or I might just tire of her companionship...!

Just like old times, isn't it?

Yours,

The Shade"

Jay crumpled the note. A grim determination on his face, he took off like a rocket, crisscrossing Keystone several times per minute. He found Joan on the fifth pass, tied in a chair in a warehouse in a seedy part of town.

"JOAN! Are you okay? I've been searching all over..." He stopped in mid-step towards her.

She wasn't speaking. He looked at her, thinking. Without a word, he ran out of the warehouse. In a moment he was back, with a large floodlight. He turned it on, bathing the warehouse with millions of candlepower's worth of light.

"Joan" writhed, howling, and turned into the Shade.

Holding an arm over his eyes, he smiled. "Nicely caught, my old foe! What told you that I wasn't your wife?"

Jay folded his arms over his chest. "What DIDN'T? I've been married to Joan for over fifty years. It'll take more than an illusion to fool me into thinking someone else is her..." He stepped menacingly toward the Shade. "...now where is she?"

The Shade squinted at Jay. "You are taking this rather seriously, Jay. You've changed..." He sighed. "Ah well, enough games for today, I'd say. She's safe at home - I took her back home while you were searching the city. And, since she's safe, I'll be going now..."

With that, Jay's floodlight winked out and the warehouse was pitch-black. Within moments, the light came back on, and Jay's sight returned. The Shade had left a message scrawled in shadow on the warehouse wall. It read:

I'M BORED, SO I'M GOING TO BE IN KEYSTONE AWHILE TO PLAY. SEE YOU SOON - S.

Jay pushed his helmet back on his head and shook his head. "Why me? Why now?"

Back at home, Jay found Joan sitting on their bed, bound and gagged. To the Shade's credit, the bonds and gag weren't too tight. He probably hadn't meant any malice toward Joan, after all.

However, Joan was beside herself. "Jay, Jay - I'm so sorry...!"

Jay soothed her. "It's okay, hon. The Shade's gone for now, and I don't think he meant to harm you. It's really okay..."

She shook her head. "No, you don't understand, Jay. I lied to you earlier..."

"What?!?" Jay leaned back and looked at her. "About what?"

"About why I was worried about Molly." She looked Jay in the eye. "Molly told me she has cancer, Jay..."

NEXT ISSUE:
More strange encounters with the Shade. A bit more on the dweller in the mists. Plus some repercussions of Molly's revelation unfold...

Fast Talk:

Welcome back. Here's a progress report of sorts on what I've been doing since last issue:

Since we last "saw" each other here, I've been digging through my comics collection and surfing the 'Net for information and characters to use in this series. I found exactly what I needed for the mystery of the red mists, as well as uncovering some wonderful old foes of Jay's to drag out of the toy chest. They've literally been (pardon the pun) been running through my head constantly.

On top of all this, look for a crossover between my Flash and Neil Gow's JESSE & JADE to start within the next couple of issues or so in both our titles. Things are definitely not going to be dull...!

That's what's going on in my fast-paced corner of the world. Let me know what you think of the series so far. I'm always interested to hear what you're thinking.