Beneath The Shadows

Chapter 1

The howling late November wind bounced off of the walls of the large estate. The six sat round the table, going over their hands, examining each other. It was a good act, but the hybrid already knew that's what it was. He could have disposed of the five easily, but decided to have some fun with it. But after playing for about an hour, and not winning much, he was starting to get bored.

"So, Mr. Dante…" the head of the table started. "What say we take a look at that hand of yours?"

Dante smirked as he flipped his cards.

"Two pair; aces and jacks." He said confidently.

"Not too bad. But bad enough to lose… again."

He threw his cards down.

"Had you from the flop."

Flush.

"Shit." Dante said.

The head collected the chips from the center of the table, an unpleasant mix of cigarette and cigar smoke permeating in the air.

"That's just about been your luck tonight." Another laughed.

"Maybe I'm just bad at cards."

"Or maybe we're just very good. Maybe no matter the circumstances, you can't win. Have you ever felt that way, Mr. Dante?"

"Nope."

"Really? You've never been in a situation where you just feel that you're completely fucked?"

Dante moved his hand for Ebony.

"No, can't say that I have. I don't usually get fucked… 'less I have fifty bucks or so."

They laughed.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Tonight, it's on the house!"

Dante reacted before they could all change. He flipped the table up and kicked it into the demon that was at the head, sending him into the wall as he pulled out Ebony & Ivory and let off three rounds each to his left and right, dropping those two. A few more came at him as he leapt into the air, kicking off of one as he sent a wave of bullets down upon them while propelling through the air. Upon landing, he had his back turned to another group that came busting through the back door. But before they could even get close to him, they were ear-holed by another wave of bullets from above. Dante looked up with a smile.

"Right on time."

"Aren't I always?" Lady said as she made her way down the staircase. "Wouldn't have had to display my perfect timing if we could have just done a sweep and clean like I wanted to."

"Just wanted to get a little gambling in."

"Dante, you can't win bets worth a shit."

"Thanks for reminding me." He put his guns away. "These shit jobs are starting to get old. Morrison hasn't made me any real money in months."

The job was a sting on this group of gambling demons, essentially a quick extermination and armed robbery. The client had come to them with a combination to the safe in the large mansion where they resided. According to the client, who had worked there as one of their servants, this group cleaned out everyone curious and daring enough to try to defeat them, and if they didn't, they killed them and took their money anyways. Over time, he had found a way to sneak down to the cellar where the safe that held all of the "winnings". He spied on them, as they would deposit the money there, memorizing the combination after seeing it so many times. He took his leave of employment from the mansion without letting them know as to avoid being killed, knowing that would have been the result. After a few months of waiting, he got in touch with Morrison to acquire the services of Devil May Cry.

"Then why don't we just crack this safe ourselves and take our 'fair' share?"

"If I had the combination, I would. Speaking of which, call him and tell them to get rolling."

"Have something to do?"

"No, I just wanna' get the hell out of here. Been sitting at that table for more than an hour."

"I thought you wanted to gamble."

"I didn't think it would last that long."

"So, you're not busy later?"

"No."

"Good, cause' I have something to do for you."

"Ooo, I like the sound of that." He put on his evil grin.

"Keep dreaming, Dante. It's just a small favor."

"Now why would I do you any favors?"

"Because if you do I'll forgive whatever's left of your debt and we can split this payday 50/50."

"Hmm, that is a good reason." It was, after all, another five grand. "What do you need?"

"I need you to come by my apartment around 10:30. I think there's been a group of demons hanging around the place. I can hear random noises below, but when I look out, nothing's there. I wanna' try to catch these bastards, but I need your help."

"Alright. As boring as this'll be, I'll come and keep an eye out."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Now, call Morrison."

She nodded, and got out her cell phone to let Morrison and the client know to move out.

Morrison and the client got to the mansion about twenty minutes later.

"Another blood bath as always." Morrison said.

"The sign of a job well done." Dante boasted. "So, slim, this combination?" He said to the client.

"Come on, follow me downstairs." He replied.

The three followed him to the basement and to the large steel safe door in the far wall.

"I hope they haven't changed it."

He began dialing the combination into the safe lock. One try and the lock opened.

"Oh, how I love it when things just go right." Lady said.

"Especially when 90% of the time they don't." Dante scoffed. "Alright, let's start counting."

Nearly an hour went by before the four had come to a mutual agreement on how much money there was.

"OK, everyone," An irritated Lady started. "Your totals, my total, add them together. I know that it's something as hard as basic math, but let's try to get through this. I have nineteen grand here."

"I got twenty-six." Dante said.

"Thirty-four." Morrison said.

"Twenty-two." The client said.

"Dante, think you can add that up?" Lady slyly asked.

"Hundred-one grand." Dante proclaimed confidently.

"Good job, Dante." Morrison said. "Now you can finally move on to pre-algebra."

Lady chuckled.

"Good suggestion, dick." Dante snapped. "OK, you, take your fifty and skedaddle." He said to the client.

"Thanks guys," he said. "I'll let anyone I know with a demon problem know about you."

"Thanks." Dante said.

The client left and the three worked out the remaining money.

"Your ten, agent with the 20% fee." Dante tossed Morrison his cut.

"Hey, you want jobs or you wanna' go broke?"

"I'm gonna' go broke anyways with you leeching off of the few jobs I do get."

"Quit your bitching. I'll let you know as soon as I get word of anything else."

"Great. Get a hold of me whenever."

"Will do. Take it easy, Lady."

She nodded.

"Well, twenty a pop isn't bad." Dante said.

"Only if you do me that favor later."

"I will."

"Good. And there's actually a grand leftover."

"Maybe we can run up the old tab later?"

"Hmm… I'll think about it."

Dante stood outside Lady's apartment in the sudden rain that came in a blanketing sheet from out of nowhere. The unpredictability of east coast weather did have a constant in late fall and winter; bitter cold. Rain and snow made it worse, but this night; it wasn't quite cold enough to snow, or even sleet.

Dante didn't mind whatever the weather was, though he was getting bored rather quickly. He had been waiting for a half an hour and had seen all of two cars go by. He was half tempted to go into Lady's apartment and wake her up so he could try to make a move on her.

Then again, who wants to get shot?

A few more minutes went by before he thought about taking off. He'd been there as long as Lady wanted him to be, and he hadn't seen anything.

Just as he turned to get in his car, a van pulled up through the back alley. He moved behind the wall, readying his hands on his pistols.

The van stopped, as two got on from the front and six more from the back.

Dante realized that they were humans, and took his hands away from his guns.

The two instantly noticed his car as a few others doubled back around, the others now coming towards Dante. He went around to the other side to cut the three off. As one went around, Dante caught him and slammed him into the wall, kicking his knee in as he bounced off. The other who came around received a vicious uppercut that sent him airborne, but the third was able to fire off some shots with his Uzi before Dante whipped a nearby tire iron at his face. The others came rushing at him, and he battled them off with ease using his bare hands.

Despite the tremendous blows he gave each initially, they struggled back up. Dante went for another series of critical blows before feeling a sharp prick in the back of his neck. He instinctively thrust his elbow back, knocking the one who had stabbed him out. He pulled a syringe out of his neck, and began feeling woozy and light-headed. He looked back to the others and was greeted with the butt of a shotgun, finishing the job the syringe had started.

Lady had awaken from the sounds of gunfire and commotion, and looked out of her window to see Dante being tossed into the back of a van.

"What the hell?"

She raced outside as fast as she could, but not before the van had taken off.

She looked on the ground to see Ebony, Ivory and Rebellion.

She knew they weren't demons, but why take Dante? Why crowd around her apartment for weeks if that's all they were planning? And how the hell did they subdue him?

"...Who the fuck are these guys?"

Well, been a minute. Done with school for this semester, passed all my classes, and actually with pretty decent grades this time. :) I intend on giving this story a lot of focus now that I'm done, and I should have the update for you quickly.

"Phone's ringin', Dude."

PEACE!