Shade's journal

[TCoS]

Property of Jessica Park

August 17th, 2018

The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can't Believe the Things You Say
I Can't Believe
I Can't Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You

August 18th, 2018

There was another shooting down by Peachtree Center while I was on patrol today. This time there were three victims, including the arbitrary killing of a passing teenager. The APD thinks it was a gang negotiation gone bad, but my gut says turf war. I attempted to apply pressure to the civvy's wounds, to no avail. He had passed away by the time emergency services had arrived. I think Alex's eyes might have gotten misty by then, but I couldn't tell due to the vermilion lenses.

My gloves reek of death.

August 19th, 2018

The APD has identified the other two victims: Juan Betancur and Ronald Collins. Both had a history of delinquency, though Collins appears to have dropped off public record for three years now. Betancur was an enforcer for the Tigers, just another typical gangbanger that this city seems to off in droves these days. I shed no tears for filth, but his death is certainly strange. Collins wasn't known to be part of any gang, but he was well armed, to a greater extent than your typical thug. It's surprising he only netted one kill before he went down. Regardless, the cause of the conflict remains unknown.

August 20th, 2018

I managed to clot my gloves with blood once again, though fortunately this time it was my own. I caught three hoodlums - who, curiously enough, were also unaffiliated with any known gangs - assaulting the leader of Golems. Things happened very quickly and I have forgotten how it happened, but I managed to get into a scuffle with the thugs. The first two went down without much of a fight, but my concentration lapsed, allowing the third to draw a nine millimeter and fire at me. By chance, a hapless round hit the one part of my torso that was unarmored: a shoulder blade. Thankfully the adrenaline numbed the pain, allowing me to take down the third man with relative ease. The Golems' leader was unconscious as well by then, so Venus called the APD to round up the criminals for me.

By the time I got home, my gloves were burgundy. I don't think I'll be donning the costume for a good while.

August 21st, 2018

Crash has advised to stay home until the bullet wound heals. Alex says he'll patrol with LeBlonde for the time; I just hope he stays safe.

Father asked me why I continue to do it. I find it odd how a man as ambitious as he would be so opposed to my exploits.

He told me the final straw should have been the life of an innocent seeping through my hands. I find it odd how a man as relentless as he would advise me to cease fighting.

I believe my exact words to him were "I'm saving lives here, you hidebound bastard".

August 22nd, 2018

Alex mentioned the increasing amount of unorthodox gangsters to me today, though I had not divulged my thoughts on the matter to him before. It's certainly odd, and somewhat unnerving. One might assume that well-known organized crime syndicates would flourish given the disparaged state of the city, yet here I am, writing about an increasing number of mysterious desperados.

We'll get the bottom of it. We always do.

August 23rd, 2018

Mother says I should be back in action in four weeks. Next time I'm out in the field, I'll have shoulder plates. I can't believe I let ordering those go for so long...

I'm somewhat worried about leaving Alex with LeBlonde, especially for a month. Then again, a scarecrow and a pirate running around and fighting crime is about the least weird thing going on these days. Alex says he'll keep an eye out for more of these freelance goons, and the APD is currently holding a cash reward for more information that witnesses can provide. We all suspect that these men are working together and not separately, but we have no solid evidence and their motives remain unknown.

I've spent the last half hour staring at my costume. My gloves still reek of death.

August 24th, 2018

Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real