The Tube train raced through dark tunnels, jostling the packed compartment, sending the occupants swaying, like grass blown by the wind. The car smelled of stale air battling with the scent of too many bodies. Most heads were bent over phones, lost in other worlds.

Hayden leaned against the back wall, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her leather jacket. She surveyed her traveling companions, studying their faces and memorizing their eyes. An old man with warm dark chocolate brown eyes. A woman in her forties with dull gray eyes dotted with freckles. A teenager with moss green ones.

Hayden met a pair of sapphire blue eyes that dropped the moment she connected with them. The guy had dark skin and short, tight black curly hair. She studied him for a moment, before moving on to the next passenger.

The Tube train glided to a noiseless stop. The doors parted and the train's occupants burst out, like water from a faucet. Hayden rode the tide as it carried her towards the exit. The sound of footsteps echoed in the cramped corridors.

As she jogged up the station stairs, the noise of London's busy thoroughfare wrapped around her. A fall breeze whipped past her, billowing her shoulder length blonde hair. She headed down the clogged sidewalk, the faint sunlight warming her olive skin. Horns blared at each other, as drivers yelled out protests.

She broke from the congested sidewalk and turned down a smaller alley, lined with quaint shops, with windows displaying antiques and dusty books. The alley spit her back out in a another busy section, filled with storefronts and cafes. She fell into step with the milling throng, seamlessly navigating her way through.

Before her the sight of Big Ben and the House of Parliament reached up out of the mayhem of brick buildings. The Thames gleamed just beyond. At the corner, Hayden pulled the door open to a small cafe.

The smell of coffee, tea and pastries escaped into the world as she stepped inside. Large windows on either side filled with the place with cool light. Students huddled around tables, while others sat alone slouched in their chairs, studying computers screens.

Hayden stepped up to the counter and ordered a coffee, noting the woman's eyes and tucking away her accent, British with hint of French, for later use. Taking the coffee cup, she looked over the cafe, searching.

Her search ended when it fell on a hoody tucked beneath a blazer and a pair of jeans. She cut her way through the tables towards the young man.

A pair of intense blue eyes, hidden behind black glasses, looked up as she approached. The guy gave her a hesitant look. He had pale skin, whitish blonde hair, pushed to one side, and features that were common edging on handsome. He stood as Hayden stopped before him. He was a few inches taller than her but looked to be in his early twenties, about her age.

"Hayden Chase?" he asked, in a cautious, deep voice.

"Dodger Harris?"

The guy nodded and started to sit back down. Hayden raised a hand.

"Not this table," she said.

She looked around the cafe.

"Come," she said.

Gesturing for the guy to follow her, she moved back through the room. She stopped at a table nestled in the corner, with a view of the front door and close to the door marked for employees only. She took a seat, setting down her satchel onto the chair beside her. Dodger took the chair opposite her, his back to the door.

"In your line of work I would assume you know not to sit with your back to the door," Hayden said.

Dodger glanced back and then shifted his chair closer to Hayden.

"I don't get out as much as you would think. Online is my domain," he said.

"And that is why I came to you," she said.

She leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. Though the posture was relaxed, her gaze darted to the entrance of the cafe, every two minutes. She crossed her legs bringing the knife hidden in her boot within reach.

"So-" Dodger said.

Hayden raised her hand silencing him. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a small round disk. She set it on the table and pressed the top.

"Now we can talk," she said.

Dodger looked at the device.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It's my own modified version of a Humming Bird. Not only does it stop our voices being heard by emanating a low level frequency, it also will erase our images from the security feeds."

Dodger stared at the Humming Bird, his expression a mixture of amusement and wonderment.

"Now tell me what you have found," Hayden said.

Dodger opened his messenger bag and pulled out two thick folders. Hayden raised a single eyebrow.

"You didn't strike me as the type to use something as old as paper," she said.

"Paper can't be hacked," Dodger said. "I have hard copies of every important piece of information I have ever found. I don't trust technology, though I use it."

Hayden nodded.

"What did you find?" she asked, her eyes flickering to the door.

Dodger leaned across the table.

"How much do you know of I.S.T.?" he asked.

Hayden said nothing and Dodger hurried on.

"I.S.T. stands for International Surveillance Taskforce. It is the combined project of MI6 and the CIA. It's one of the world's best kept secret."

Hayden gave Dodger a mocking look.

"Then how come you have discovered it?" she asked.

Dodger smiled, the expression turning his average features into something attractive.

"Because I am the best," he said.

The corner of Hayden's mouth twitched.

"Enough said. Continue."

Dodger nodded.

"The I.S.T.'s main job is to prevent crime through the moderating of data. They collect information through video surveillance, phones, online activity...the list goes on. If you write it down, they can get to it. They have a branch located in every major city. The locations of the sites are so well hidden even I have had a hard time finding them. They are as efficient as they are because they are comprised of the world's most impressive spies. Which leads to my main discovery."

Dodger moved his chair closer and leaned in more.

"Have you heard of project Shadow?"

Hayden said nothing.

"Project Shadow was MI6's way of making the ultimate spy," Dodger said. "Twenty-five years ago scientist experimented on ten individuals. Five men. Five woman. They altered their DNA, enhancing their ability to adapt to situations. For instance, they could pick up languages easier. They could withstand cold and hot climates better. They could go as far as changing their own physical appearance. Skin and hair color, but not their eye color. The results were beyond what they could have hoped for."

"But..."

"The project was shut down. The test subjects were too difficult to control. Being impossible to control, it would prove almost impossible to track them. These people could become shadows. There was not a place they couldn't blend in. So they were killed. Not all at the same time. Some escaped, but in the end they were all eliminated."

Hayden became aware that her whole body was tense and forced herself to relax.

"Have they ever tried the replicate the project?" she asked.

Dodger straightened and shook his head.

"Not that I could find. Just imagine how dangerous those people could be. They would be unstoppable assassins if they choose to be."

Hayden nodded.

"Indeed," she said, quietly.

She looked up into Dodger's blue eyes.

"Do you know where the I.S.T. site in London is?" she asked.

Dodger shook his head.

"The closest one I know about is in Paris."

"Then that's where I need to go."

Hayden stood and swung her satchel over her head. Dodger reached out and took her arm. She looked at him and he dropped his hand.

"Tell me," he said. "Why do you want to find the I.S.T.?"

"For answers," she said.

She collected the folders and put them in her satchel as well as the Humming Bird device. She took a step towards the front doors but stopped. Outside two black SUVs pulled up to the curb and men in black suits stepped out. Hayden turned to Dodger.

"Were you tracked?" she asked, her voice hard.

Dodger shook his head.

"Phone?" she asked.

Dodger fumbled in his bag for the device and handed it to her. Hayden glared at it then back at Dodger.

"You idiot. I told you no phones. Now we're both in danger."

She dropped the phone onto the floor and stamped on it.

"Come with me," she said.

The front door opened as Hayden ducked into the employ only entrance, Dodger close behind her. They ran through the storage room and burst out of the side door onto the sidewalk.

Men outside the front of the cafe spotted them and rushed forward.

Hayden grabbed Dodger's hand and raced in the opposite direction but came up short when another black SUV shrieked to a stop before her.

Without thinking, Hayden hurried into the street, dragging Dodger behind her. Drivers swerved and horns screamed as Hayden raced to the other side. The shouts of men raced after them as they ran. Hayden skidded to a stop when two men in black suits appeared, out of the chaos of traffic, in front of her. She turned back to see more men approaching from behind. Dodger looked at her, his eyes wide with fear.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

He swallowed, his jaw flexing.

"Yes."

Hayden took his hand and spun them around, facing the Thames.

"Take a deep breath and don't let go of my hand."

Before Dodger could let out a single sound of protest she jumped.

They plummeted toward the water. An icy cold enveloped them as they were submerged.

Hayden tightened her hold on Dodger's hand as the current grabbed them and dragged them away. She closed her eyes and opened them again, the murky water becoming clear. Her lungs expanded, lengthening the amount of oxygen she held. The current pulled them onward, tumbling and twisting them around. Dodger's hand gripped Hayden's in a vice like grip.

She twisted to look at him. His eyes were closed and his body was tense. Hayden grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her.

She then wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him.

Dodger's eyes shot open. Hayden kept kissing him, giving him some of her oxygen. She broke away and focused on righting herself. The bottom of barges and house boats passed by. Up ahead, Hayden spotted an anchor and swam towards it, Dodger trailing behind her. She kicked furiously, diving for the thick chain.

As they neared, she reached out and grabbed the slick chain links. She was jerked to a halt as her body kept moving, but her grip on the chain stopped her. Dodger passed her and she tightened her grip, keeping him from being dragged away.

With the current against her, Hayden struggled to pull Dodger in. He kicked against the strength of the water.

After agonizing seconds, he found the anchor and attached himself to it.

They climbed the chain and burst through the surface, sucking in large gulps of air. Hayden's lungs contracted back to their normal size. For a moment they stayed there, clinging to the chain, dripping water.

Hayden grabbed the lip of the boat and hauled herself over the side. She turned back and helped Dodger up. He collapsed to the floor, still taking in deep breaths. Hayden crept to the side of the boat and peered around the edge. She studied the sidewalk, searching for the I.S.T. agents. She let out a relieved breath when she spotted none.

"We're clear," she said, turning back to Dodger. "But we need to get out of sight before they have a Seeker on us."

He pushed himself up and wiped his face.

"We travelled roughly twelve blocks. We need to move though," she said.

Dodger nodded.

"We should find something dry inside," Hayden said.

Soaking wet, they crept around the boat house until they found the front door. Hayden pressed her ear to it and when she heard nothing, picked the lock.

Inside was a large open room with a bed, kitchen, table and closet. They slipped inside and shut the door. Dodger blinked around at the empty space as Hayden moved to the closet and opened it. She tossed Dodger a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Put these on," she said.

Dodger moved to the bathroom. Hayden opened her satchel and pulled out a spare set of clothes and quickly changed. Dodger emerged a moment later dressed in a jeans and a baggy shirt. He looked Hayden over with a expression of surprise.

"They had your size?" he asked.

Hayden shook her head as she pulled her hair back into a pony tail.

"No, I travel with a change of clothes," she said.

"But your bag was wet?"

"Yes, but the inside is sealed. It's been modified."

Hayden moved over to the mirror. As she stared at herself her skin took on a lightly tan color and her hair darkened to a chestnut brown. But her hazel eyes remained the same. When she turned back to Dodger, he was gaping, pointing at her.

"You're..."

Hayden smirked and grabbed her satchel.

"A Shadow? Yes, I am." 

******************

Heyo!

This is an action adventure book about a girl trying to find the truth behind her parents' death and who she is, while trying to survive with the world looking for her. Finding Dodger gives her the lead that she is looking for but it ends up meaning becoming attached to someone she doesn't know. This book is filled with romance, betrayal, double crosses and exciting twists!

Are you intrigued? What did you think? Would you keep reading? Do you understand what a Shadow is?

Vote, comment, follow, let me know what you are thinking!