Shawn struggled against the cuffs, while looking around the office.  Small details jumped out at him from every angle; a dark spot on the carpet under his desk, candies on the desktop, and a computer which happened to be on.

Carefully, Shawn started scooching over to the mahogany desk.  He was just about where he could see the screen when the door opened.

In walked the burly guy, the small guy and then a young kid.  Behind them was Marcos, talking to them in a not so friendly tone.

“You don’t lock them in my office.  You put them down in the basement.  I thought I told you idiots last time not to do this.  Then, you send the new guy in?  As if I’d blame him for your mistak….The Red Shadow?” Marcos said in disbelief.

Shawn smiled, “So, you do remember me, El Burro.  I figured, with what your lunks were saying, you’d forgotten me.”

Mark straightened his tie and motioned for the three guards to leave, “I’ll talk to you idiots later.  And Frank, tell the rest of the guards to switch out for the night.  You’re in charge now.”

Frank’s face lit up and he nodded, walking out of the room quickly.  The other two slinked out, knowing they were in for it later.

Mark sat down at his desk and turned his chair toward Shawn.  He started chuckling.

“Still the same costume?  I would’ve figured, by now, you would’ve changed something.  Like, maybe become the Yellow Stripe?”

“The Yellow Stripe?  Why would I change my name to that?  The Red Shadow is more elusive and much more intimidating,” Shawn said.

Marcos shook his head, “No, the Yellow Stripe fits you.  You ran that night.  You are nothing more than a coward.”

Shawn tsked, “C’mon, Son!  I’m no coward.  You were caught and arrested by the police.  I merely ran to save my own skin.  You know they wanted me arrested, too.”

Marcos picked up the phone, “Yes, I know.  Which is why I’m calling the SBPD.  They can deal with you.”

Shawn started to struggle again, but stopped when he felt his mask begin to slide off.  Mark took notice and hung up the phone before he finished dialing.

“You know, it comes to my attention I never figured out who you were.  You always looked familiar to me, but I could never pinpoint it.  Now, I have my chance,” Mark said, grabbing the mask before Shawn could move. 

Mark stood there, with the mask in his hand, staring at Shawn’s face.  Recognition clouded his Mexican features. 

“Shawn Spencer?  You’re the Red Shadow?  Oh, this has to be a joke.  There’s no way you could be that clever,” he said with a laugh, tossing the mask on the floor.

Shawn sat there for a moment, letting his words sink in.  Before he said anything, though, Mark spoke again.

“Of course, it does make sense.  How else could El Sombra Rojo have known about all those shipments while you were working for me?  Then, the Red Shadow disappears and so do you.  You were a thorn in my side, Shawn.  But now,” Mark said, taking off the handcuffs, “You’re nothing.  I’ll let you go.  You’re not a threat to me, anymore.”

Shawn stood up and watched Mark carefully.  Slowly, Shawn picked up his mask and placed it on his face.

Carefully backing out, Shawn watched Marcos’ every move as he stepped out of the double doors. 

‘This is too easy.  I’d better watch myself,’ Shawn thought as he went back down the halls.

Mark picked up a phone as soon as Shawn vanished, “The Red Shadow is loose.  Shoot to kill.”

Halfway down the hall, the two men that had brought Shawn into the mansion found the vigilante/faux psychic heading toward the door.

“Hey, stop!” John said.

Shawn moved quickly, trying to outsmart the two guys by maneuvering through hallways and the old ‘door-to-door’ trick he’d seen on those Scooby-Doo cartoons so many times.

For a while, it worked; almost too well for even Shawn’s liking.  He could hear them grumbling about how many rooms were in the mansion.  That’s when he heard a phone ring.

“Did you hear that?” he heard John ask Peter.

“Yeah, a phone.  Sounds like it’s coming from in there,” Peter said.

Shawn fumbled to silence his phone as the ringtone (a lovely rendition of the Phineas and Ferb theme song) played loud and long.  It was Gus calling him.

He finally silenced the phone, cursing Gus’ timing, when the door opened.  Quickly, Shawn hid behind the closet door.

‘Yeah, like they won’t look in here.  Unless…’ Shawn thought, looking at the clothing hanging on the rod behind him. 

Before he knew it, the two dummies were opening the door.  They encountered a janitor behind the wooden frame, sweeping up the floor.

“Oh, hello, gentlemen.  I’m just finishing cleaning out this closet.  Is there a problem?” Shawn asked in his best British accent.

“We heard a phone go off in this room,” John said.

Shawn laughed, “Oh, that?  That was mine!  My wife was calling me, to see when I was coming home.  Which, I’ll be doing in a few minutes.”

“Did you see someone come through here in a red costume?  It had a mask and a cape,” Peter asked.

Shawn shook his head as he placed the broom against the doorframe, “Afraid not, gentlemen.  But if I see him on my way out, I’ll let him know you’re looking.  Goodbye, gentlemen.”

He walked out the door, carefully hiding his costume under the janitor outfit.  ‘That was close.  Thank goodness for that closet of spare costumes.’

Shawn made it out the door and down the drive without being noticed.  By the time he got to the gate, he felt like he’d gotten away scot free. 

What he didn’t know was that the police photographer, who was hiding in a van across the street, was taking pictures of Shawn’s every move.