
Daniel decides to pursue a vendetta against an old foe, but soon discovers that hunting down the Shadow may prove more difficult than expected
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Daniel
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are the things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. What's the best time of day to get a deal? All day with Jack in the Box's all day. Big deal. Meet meal. You get to choose from four entrees like the supreme croissant and five tasty sides, plus a drink starting at $5. So hurry in or take your time. You've got all day at Jack. Every bite's a big deal. The Road of Shadows Created by Mark R. Healy A Beyond the Dark Production.
Amber
Season three Episode four Cornered.
Daniel
Okay, Amber, we need to get into this place fast, hopefully without anyone seeing us. Keep an eye out while I grab my tools.
Amber
The coast looks clear. Go for it.
Daniel
Damn.
Amber
What is it? Why? Why did you stop?
Daniel
The door isn't locked.
Amber
Are you serious?
Daniel
Yeah, check it out. We can walk right in.
Amber
Blake isn't even trying to slow us down.
Daniel
She's practically laying out the welcome mat.
Amber
So she wants us to follow her? Either that or she's in such a hurry, she didn't want to waste time locking the door.
Daniel
Let's get inside and take a look around. I don't want to lose her.
Amber
Right behind you.
Daniel
This place is a mess.
Amber
Looks like it's been abandoned for a long time.
Daniel
What's that over there in the middle of the floor?
Amber
Oh, hang on while I grab the flashlight.
Daniel
Okay, this definitely isn't a warehouse.
Amber
What is that? Is that a swimming pool?
Daniel
Yeah, but I doubt it's held water in years. It's completely dry.
Amber
So that's what this place is. An old indoor swimming pool complex? Or a health club of some kind.
Daniel
What the hell is Blake doing here?
Amber
It's an abandoned building. She can probably do whatever she wants.
Daniel
Maybe she brings victims here. Like the shack.
Amber
In this part of town, with nobody around, no one would hear a thing.
Daniel
Let's worry about that later. Right now, I just want to know where she is.
Amber
I don't see any sign of her.
Daniel
We might have to start searching the place systematically. Start over here. And.
Amber
What was that?
Daniel
It came from through there at the back. Come on, let's move.
Amber
Well, it looks like a maintenance area. Lots of pipes and electrical conduits.
Daniel
There. Look. That has to be the door we heard.
Amber
Might be a utility room.
Daniel
I'm going to open it.
Amber
Easy. She has to be close now.
Daniel
Do you feel anything?
Amber
No, not yet.
Daniel
This one's not locked either.
Amber
Open it.
Daniel
Shine the flashlight down there.
Amber
What do you see?
Daniel
It's a narrow room. Not much more than a crawl space. More pipes and stuff running through it.
Amber
Some sort of plumbing for the pool?
Daniel
Yeah, but it's long. I can barely see the end of it.
Amber
I. I think I feel something here. Like. Like back in Schilling's bedroom.
Daniel
You think there could be a den here?
Amber
I can't say for sure. Maybe.
Daniel
I guess there's not much point going back. We always knew we were going to have to take some risks if we wanted to kill Blake. I guess we'll have to go single file, right?
Amber
Not much room to swing an axe in there.
Daniel
No, it's not.
Amber
Do you want me to go first?
Daniel
No, I'll lead. Just keep that flashlight up so I can see where I'm going.
Amber
What's your step, Dennu? If Blake does have a den in here, there might be a hole in the floor or a trapdoor that leads down to it. You don't want to fall through that.
Daniel
I don't see anything like that yet.
Amber
Can you see the end? How. How far does this corridor go?
Daniel
I think there might be a wall ahead.
Amber
A dead end?
Daniel
Yeah, looks like it.
Amber
So there has to be a hidden passage or doorway here somewhere. Like at the shack.
Daniel
Well, I don't see it yet.
Amber
Shadows can't dissolve into thin air, can they?
Daniel
They can do a lot of things, but not that. At least not to my knowledge.
Amber
So Blake has to be here.
Daniel
Unless. Shit.
Amber
Unless what?
Daniel
Unless she never came in here at all.
Amber
God damn it. There goes the flashlight.
Daniel
F. Blake closed the door from the outside. It's pitch black in here.
Amber
What do you want to do? Keep going forward.
Daniel
No, back up. Fast.
Amber
What is she doing? I hear something outside.
Daniel
Let's just get out of here first. We'll worry about that later. You okay?
Amber
I tripped. Shit. I can't see.
Daniel
What the fuck is that?
Amber
Is it the pipes? They sound like they.
Daniel
Shit. Look out. They've ruptured.
Amber
Help me out.
Daniel
Come on, Amber. We have to keep moving.
Amber
I told you, I can't see a thing.
Daniel
What about the glow sticks?
Amber
Where are they? Hang on. Well, I. Yeah, okay, okay. Okay. Got one. Come on. Come on, baby. Come on.
Daniel
What happened?
Amber
Give me. Give me a second to shake it.
Daniel
Hey, I think it's working.
Amber
Yeah. Yeah, we're getting something.
Daniel
Hold it up.
Amber
Yeah, I can see again.
Daniel
God damn it. These fumes are making me choke.
Amber
Is that Bitch trying to gas us.
Daniel
Get the door. Go that way.
Amber
Fuck. Fuck. She locked it.
Daniel
Move behind me and stand back. I'll use the ax.
Amber
Okay. Okay, I'm clear. Can you still see?
Daniel
Hold the glow stick right here. That's it.
Amber
Daniel.
Daniel
Okay, here we go.
Amber
I'm getting woozy. This fucking gas.
Daniel
I know.
Amber
Is it working?
Daniel
I'm sure the luck but there's something blocking it on the other side.
Amber
Can you get past it?
Daniel
I'm trying.
Amber
We don't get out of here in the next few seconds. Hang on.
Daniel
I've almost got it. One or two more blows. You got it.
Amber
Not a moment to spare.
Daniel
You okay?
Amber
Yeah, I'm good. A little light headed, but otherwise fine.
Daniel
Look at that. She chained it from the outside. Looks like she set this whole thing up from the beginning.
Amber
It's her.
Daniel
Blake, stop.
Amber
Head around that way. Cut her off at the entrance. I'll follow her.
Daniel
On it.
Amber
Come on, Blake, cut the shit. It's over. Ah.
Daniel
What happened? Where is she?
Amber
She went in here. Behind this door. Looks like it's locked from the inside.
Daniel
What is this, a sauna?
Amber
I don't know exactly, but it didn't look like it had any exits. We've got her trapped.
Daniel
Okay, stand back.
Amber
Hate to tell you, but you're not making a dent in this thing.
Daniel
Shit. What the hell?
Amber
Well, it looks like it's been reinforced.
Daniel
Why would someone do that to a sauna?
Amber
Look at the construction. It seems newer than the rest of the building, right? More modern.
Daniel
Yeah, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Amber
I think this might be part of a renovation of some kind. In fact, it might even be a panic room.
Daniel
A panic room?
Amber
Yeah, one of those safe rooms that rich people put inside their houses in case of a home invasion. At the first sign of trouble, they lock themselves inside and call the cops.
Daniel
Who puts a panic room inside a health club?
Amber
Something tells me this renovation was made after the club closed down.
Daniel
You think Blake bought the property after it was vacated so she could install this room here?
Amber
Wouldn't a panic room like this be a perfect place for her to bring victims? It's like. Like an extra layer of security on top of this place being in the middle of a deserted neighborhood. Inside that room, she would really have the freedom to do whatever she wanted. No one would hear a thing.
Daniel
Makes sense. Now we have to figure out a way to pry her out of there.
Amber
I don't think the axe is going to cut it.
Daniel
No, man, there's no lock to pick.
Amber
Well, the good news is we've got her cornered now. We're holding all the cards. If she ever wants to leave this building, she's gonna have to go through us.
Daniel
Right, And I doubt we're gonna be bothered by anyone else in this part of town.
Amber
Exactly. That should give us all the time we need to figure this out.
Daniel
Okay, let's take a minute to catch a breath. Are you alright?
Amber
Feeling a bit short of breath, but I'll survive.
Daniel
She really set us up in there, didn't she? We walked right into it.
Amber
Yeah, she must have been waiting nearby as we went inside the maintenance corridor. Then overloaded the pipes and chained up the door, hoping we'd be stuck inside.
Daniel
In that tiny corridor. It would only take a few more seconds and we'd have passed out, no doubt about it.
Amber
See, It's a good thing I told you to keep that axe handy.
Daniel
It's also a good thing that you came up with the idea of the glow stick. Without it, I doubt we'd have gotten out.
Amber
Hey, maybe the shadows can't affect glow sticks the way they do with flashlights.
Daniel
Maybe.
Amber
I guess that gut feeling of mine at the entrance of the maintenance corridor had nothing to do with the den after all.
Daniel
It could have been due to the fact Blake was getting close to us or something like that.
Amber
Yeah, I suppose I need to fine tune my interpretations a little. Sorry. That could have ended badly.
Daniel
Don't worry. You're still trying to come to grips with this whole thing, just like I am.
Amber
Anyway, we should probably get to work figuring out where to go from here. It's not over yet, right?
Daniel
Something tells me this room is going to be one tough nut to crack. Let's put our heads together and come up with some ideas.
Amber
My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big roas man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day.
Daniel
Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do. Get a hundred dollar credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn, the place to be. To be. Okay, I think that's all I've got for now.
Amber
Let's go over everything from top to bottom and figure out what to try first.
Daniel
Right. So the first one I have here is the idea of using power tools to cut through the outer door.
Amber
What kind of tools are we talking About?
Daniel
I was thinking maybe a power saw or a grinder, something like that.
Amber
Do you know how to use tools like that?
Daniel
Sure. I've been on plenty of work sites in my time.
Amber
Well, there's one glaring problem. I can see right away. The whole power thing.
Daniel
What do you mean?
Amber
You're gonna need to plug these tools into something. Right. I'm guessing from the state of this building that the power outlets won't be much good to us.
Daniel
Damn, you're right. The power was probably shut off years ago. And we can't run a lead to a neighboring building either.
Amber
Not around here, no. I mean, we're surrounded by derelicts.
Daniel
Maybe we could hire a generator from somewhere.
Amber
Do we have enough cash for that? Considering we would have to pay for the tools as well.
Daniel
Probably, but we might be stretching it.
Amber
The other thing that worries me is the amount of noise we're going to be making if we've got a generator running. In addition to grinding away at this door with power tools. People are going to hear that from a mile away. It's gonna bring attention here.
Daniel
This neighborhood is abandoned, remember?
Amber
That doesn't mean people don't come through here. Hell, you could hear a power saw from inside a passing car easy.
Daniel
Yeah, you're right. And I imagine if someone walked in here and found us grinding away at a panic room containing one of Black Ridge's most respected citizens, that would be a very bad look for us. The cops would throw the book at us. False imprisonment, harassment, you name it.
Amber
Straight to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Daniel
So power tools might be a last resort.
Amber
What else have we got?
Daniel
Let's see. We take the door out of the equation and concentrate on the walls instead. Go around the back of the sides and use a sledgehammer to try to break through that way.
Amber
Yeah, I don't know if I like that one either. If this is a true panic room, it's probably reinforced on all sides. Just a big steel box. You're just gonna encounter solid metal whichever way you approach it.
Daniel
At least a sledgehammer doesn't need a power outlet.
Amber
And it is cheap. I guess. Yeah, I guess it might be worth trying if you can pick one up at the hardware store. What's next?
Daniel
The next option is sit and wait for her to come out.
Amber
Oh, yeah, that was. That was one of mine.
Daniel
How is that going to work exactly?
Amber
Just like it says. We stake out the door of the panic room and wait for Blake to stick her nose out. I mean, she has to come out eventually.
Daniel
Does she?
Amber
Yeah, she has to come out for.
Daniel
For what? To go to the bathroom. I don't think the shadows bodies work like that.
Amber
Okay, okay, maybe not, maybe not. But she'll need to drink, won't she?
Daniel
I've never seen a shadow drink anything but human blood. As far as we know, they might not need water at all.
Amber
Then she has to eat.
Daniel
Shadows can go months between kills, maybe even years.
Amber
Oh, I doubt she's gonna have the patience to stay cooped up in there that long.
Daniel
She doesn't have to. She only has to wait long enough for us to leave.
Amber
Well, we are not going anywhere.
Daniel
You say that now, but give it a few nights of sleeping in this musty shithole and you might change your mind. It's going to be cold, uncomfortable.
Amber
We can set up bedrolls on the floor and try a little campfire or something.
Daniel
Eventually someone's going to notice that we're here. They'll see us coming and going to get food and supplies. If they suspect we're squatting, the cops will come looking.
Amber
And that puts us in the same situation again. Blake will step out of her cozy little hidey hole and tell the cops we've been holding her hostage.
Daniel
Right. So even though it seems like we have all the time in the world here, I don't think we do. We need to end this in a day or two. No more than that. Otherwise we risk someone stumbling in on us.
Amber
Maybe we're just approaching this the wrong way. Maybe we should be making her come to us.
Daniel
How exactly would we do that? Amber?
Amber
Is there a way we can trick her? Pretend like we're trying to bargain or something?
Daniel
She's too smart for that.
Amber
How about if we pull back a little? Make it seem like we've left? We could hide outside the building and grab her as she comes out.
Daniel
Shadows are too closely attuned to us to fall for something like that. She'll sense that we're still near and realize it's a trick. Hell, there's a chance if we pull back too far that she could sneak out undetected, too.
Amber
What if. What if she's already gone?
Daniel
I'm not sure what you mean.
Amber
I didn't get a chance to see much of what was inside that panic room before she shut the door. Did you?
Daniel
No.
Amber
Is it possible that she might have a secret escape route built into that thing? Like a tunnel or something that pops up somewhere outside the building?
Daniel
You really think she'd have something that elaborate?
Amber
Well, we already know she built a kick ass state of the art panic room Inside a derelict building out here in the middle of nowhere. So it's not that much of a stretch to imagine she might have added a few extras. Let's see if we can figure out what we're dealing with here. See if we can get her to respond to us. That would let us know that we're not standing here guarding an empty box for a start.
Daniel
You want to talk to her?
Amber
It can't hurt.
Daniel
Be my guest.
Amber
Blake. Susan. Blake. We know you're in there. Why don't we talk about this? Hmm? What'd you say? I mean, it seems as though we're at a bit of an impasse, doesn't it? How about we work something out? A compromise. We can be reasonable.
Daniel
That went about as expected.
Amber
Should I go and scout the area outside the building, See if I can find a tunnel entrance?
Daniel
Don't waste your time. If a secret exit is there, it's going to be well hidden.
Amber
Well, looks like we really screwed this whole thing up, didn't we?
Daniel
Come on. There's no way we could have anticipated that Blake would have a panic room at the ready.
Amber
Oh, not just that we screwed this whole situation. Blake has been pulling our chain from the beginning. Delaying us with Mr. Cordell and then pretending to run away from us. She was leading us into a trap. And we took the bait like a couple of idiots.
Daniel
Yeah, like I said before, if we hadn't picked up those glow sticks, it might have been curtains for us. That tiny corridor was filling up with gas awfully quick.
Amber
We underestimated her.
Daniel
Maybe.
Amber
I think we need to take this as a warning. You possess a conduit now, and I can make them bleed with my bare hands. Sure, that's great. It gives us an advantage in close quarters, but we have to admit that we're still up against it. Every time we walk into a new town, we're entering their turf. And in most cases, these shadows have had decades to prepare for any threats that might come their way. Who knows how many of these little surprises Are waiting in store for us?
Daniel
I don't know about that, Amber. I think most of them are still unprepared.
Amber
Why do you say that?
Daniel
Because I've never seen a combination like you and me before.
Amber
Yeah, that's exactly the type of overconfidence that's going to get us gassed in a fucking maintenance corridor. Don't think that.
Daniel
The fuck is that?
Amber
Yeah. Yeah, I heard it, too. It came from the panic room.
Daniel
I guess we have her answer now. She's still in there.
Amber
Yeah, but what the fuck is she up to? I don't like this.
Daniel
Come on, let's get closer in case she decides to make a run for it.
Amber
Any idea what the noise could be?
Daniel
Sounded like something being slid aside the lock. Nope. It's definitely still locked.
Amber
Hey, do you hear that?
Daniel
Yeah. I can hear breathing.
Amber
I can hear you out there.
Daniel
Blake. Open the door.
Amber
Not on your life. What are you playing at? Come on, quit screwing around. I won't come out, but maybe there's another way we can move forward here.
Daniel
What other way?
Amber
I'll talk, just like you wanted. Okay, I'm. I'm ready to negotiate.
Daniel
The Road of Shadows is created by Mark R. Healy.
Amber
Want to delve deeper into the story?
Daniel
Head over to Patreon to find character.
Amber
Concept art and other bonuses like ad.
Daniel
Free episodes that you can hear a week early.
Amber
All of that and more is available now at patreon.com BeyondTheDark Check out more of my podcasts at the roadofshadows.com the Road of Shadows Season 3 stars Hamish Plagemas, Marta Da Silva, Liz Mory, Maria.
Daniel
Damunu Simon, Allison, Eden Solomon Xander Grant.
Amber
Sian Luxford and Terence Addison.
Daniel
The Road of Shadows is a beyond the dark production. The fable and folly network where fiction producers flourish. Curious Matter Anthology the multi award winning hit fiction podcast is back for a brand new season. Please proceed to a customs terminal for processing this summer. Take the journey to the red planet in the Exile. What'd you have to do to piss off a whole planet? I'm not really sure how to answer that. Tiffany Smith stars as ex Earth federal agent Bryce Gordon.
Amber
Put on a badge and it becomes a shield against all of this.
Daniel
The Exile features an all star cast. Phil Lamar, Trace Lysette, Kevin Smith. It's not just the atmosphere that's changing. There's a star storm on the horizon. Tricia Helfer, Malcolm Barrett, Todd Stashwick, Eugene Byrd.
Amber
You're going to water the sand right here.
Daniel
Tracy Thoms, Colin Ferguson, Raymond Lee, Anjali Bomani, Kaitlin Bassett and many more.
Amber
Mars, Humanity's great endeavor. It's first immediately.
Daniel
This is an unlawful assembly. But it had come to symbolize something else. We should be out there helping these people, not putting them in mines. Nothing free, no air. We don't steal no food. We don't take no water that ain't recycled from our blood and mist. We are Mars and Mars is war. Curious matter Anthology Season 3 the Exile available wherever you listen to podcasts June 18th with early access and ad free listening available exclusively on Apple Podcasts starting June 4th.
Release Date: October 15, 2024
Host/Author: Mark R. Healy
Production: Beyond the Dark
In Episode 3.4, titled "Cornered," of The Road of Shadows, listeners are plunged deeper into the tense and mysterious world of Daniel Knox and his relentless pursuit of the enigmatic creatures known as Shadows. This episode heightens the stakes as Daniel and his ally, Amber, find themselves trapped in a perilous situation orchestrated by their elusive foe, Blake.
The episode begins with Daniel and Amber plotting their infiltration into a seemingly abandoned building, suspecting that Blake may be using it as a base.
Daniel: "Okay, Amber, we need to get into this place fast, hopefully without anyone seeing us. Keep an eye out while I grab my tools."
[Timestamp: 01:25]
As they proceed, they notice peculiarities that hint at Blake’s intentions.
Amber: "Blake isn't even trying to slow us down. She's practically laying out the welcome mat."
[Timestamp: 01:52]
Upon entering, the duo explores the derelict space, discovering remnants of an old indoor swimming pool complex, which raises more questions about Blake's activities.
Their investigation leads Daniel and Amber to a maintenance corridor where they encounter unexpected obstacles.
Daniel: "Let’s get inside and take a look around. I don't want to lose her."
[Timestamp: 02:04]
As they navigate deeper, they trigger a trap set by Blake, resulting in the door locking them inside a narrow crawl space filled with rupturing pipes and toxic fumes.
Daniel: "Blake closed the door from the outside. It's pitch black in here."
[Timestamp: 05:24]
Struggling with the darkness and fumes, Amber ingeniously uses a glow stick to restore some visibility, allowing them to assess their dire situation.
Amber: "Give me a second to shake it. Hey, I think it's working."
[Timestamp: 06:14]
Realizing they are trapped in a panic room—a fortified safe space designed to prevent intruders from escaping—Daniel and Amber brainstorm methods to break free.
Daniel: "So Blake has to be here."
[Timestamp: 05:10]
They consider using power tools or a sledgehammer to breach the reinforced walls, but both options present significant challenges, including the risk of attracting unwanted attention and the practicality of acquiring such tools in an abandoned area.
Amber: "The power was probably shut off years ago. And we can't run a lead to a neighboring building either."
[Timestamp: 12:31]
Another strategy involves waiting for Blake to make a move, anticipating that she might eventually need to leave the panic room, although this approach carries the risk of prolonged exposure to the toxic environment.
Daniel: "We need to end this in a day or two. No more than that. Otherwise we risk someone stumbling in on us."
[Timestamp: 15:59]
Facing limited options, Amber suggests attempting to communicate with Blake to find a peaceful resolution.
Amber: "Maybe we should be making her come to us. How exactly would we do that?"
[Timestamp: 16:10]
They try to negotiate, hoping to establish dialogue and possibly uncover Blake's motives or weaknesses.
Amber: "Blake. Susan. Blake. We know you're in there. Why don't we talk about this?"
[Timestamp: 17:43]
However, Blake remains unresponsive, reinforcing the sense of entrapment and the complexity of their adversary.
As the episode progresses, Daniel and Amber reflect on Blake’s cunning and the broader implications of their battle against the Shadows. They acknowledge the increasing sophistication of their enemy and the dangers that lie ahead.
Amber: "Blake has been pulling our chain from the beginning. Delaying us with Mr. Cordell and then pretending to run away from us. She was leading us into a trap."
[Timestamp: 18:22]
Daniel: "Maybe most of them are still unprepared."
[Timestamp: 19:25]
This introspection sets the stage for future confrontations, highlighting the relentless nature of their quest and the formidable challenges they must overcome.
Episode 3.4 "Cornered" intensifies the narrative of The Road of Shadows, showcasing Daniel and Amber's strategic planning, the ingenious yet precarious solutions they devise, and the ever-present threat of Blake. The episode blends suspense with tactical dialogue, leaving listeners eager to see how the protagonists will escape their confinement and continue their hunt against the mysterious Shadows.
Daniel: "We need to end this in a day or two. No more than that. Otherwise we risk someone stumbling in on us."
[Timestamp: 15:59]
Amber: "Maybe we should be making her come to us. How exactly would we do that?"
[Timestamp: 16:10]
Amber: "Blake has been pulling our chain from the beginning. Delaying us with Mr. Cordell and then pretending to run away from us. She was leading us into a trap."
[Timestamp: 18:22]
Daniel: "Maybe most of them are still unprepared."
[Timestamp: 19:25]
To delve deeper into the story of The Road of Shadows and explore character backgrounds, concept art, and other exclusive content, listeners are encouraged to visit patreon.com/BeyondTheDark. Additionally, staying updated with future episodes and related podcasts can be done through the official website at roadofshadows.com.
Credits:
The Road of Shadows is a production by Mark R. Healy under Beyond the Dark. The season features voices from Hamish Plagemas, Marta Da Silva, Liz Mory, Maria Damunu, Simon Allison, Eden Solomon, Xander Grant, Sian Luxford, and Terence Addison.