Author's Note: I'll admit it's not the best ending as the action scenes are not my strong suit. But I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of the Roswell Conspiracies crew and the overlap that Gargoyles fan might enjoy.
Valra ducked at the sond of the window breaking, leaving her exposed for Goliath to grab around the waist and lift in the air. Startled, Valra dropped the syringe, but used her motile tail wrapped around Goliath's waist with surprising strength to pull him off. Her wings beat uselessly against Goliath's chest, adding an ominous thumping sound to the cacophony of screeching, and hissing gases from the test-tubes littered around the room.
"You!" Demona cried.
However, she wasn't directing her ire at Goliath. She was rather nonplussed by his presence, her attention taken up by the writhing, screeching redheaded vampire in his arms.
Demona leisurely stepped forward, picking up the syringe that stip squirted a bit of its purple serum.
"What does this do?" She pointed it at Valra's throat.
"I don't have to answer to you!" "A better question is what were both of you planning?" Elisa said as she and the rest of the clan entered the increasingly crowded basement.
Demona sneered at the sight of the brunette detective before turning a critical eye to the rest of the gargoyles, and the Alliance agents.
"Enemies of yours," Demona said drolly to Valra.
"The lady's right. Enough playing around, what are you two plotting? A gargoyle-vampire army? Annihilating the sun?" Nick said.
Suddenly a light flickered on and off like a lightning strike. The gas that had been steadily bubbling from the test-tubes exploded into a light purple fog, bubbles popping and fading, leaving acid russet stains on the stones.
The gargoyles leapt into action. The trio leaping to subdue Demona while Hudson and Angela went to aid Goliath.
With the flickering light, Elisa, Nick, and Nema were wary of firing their respective guns and blasters, but Sha'lain had no such apprehension when it came to her powers.
Unable to warn the others without tipping off Valra who was divverted anyway by Hudson grabbing at her while Angela scratched at her tail, Sha'lain let loose a scream.
As before, Brooklyn's ears rang and he faltered to his knees, giving in to his urge to cover his ears. Same with his clan-mates. Goliath, too, faltered in his grip on the vampire.
But he had some experience in hearing banshee screams. Using the momentum of Valra's weakened, distracted state, he threw her to the ground and with the sudden wrestling twist, grabbed Valra's tail and wrapped her into a knot.
The light came into flickered on again just in time for Elisa to spot a sliver of silver fly through the air and land on Valra's neck. The syringe.
Demona had managed to pin Lexington down, and push past the incapacitated Brooklyn and Broadway.
Elisa stepped forward to go after Demona when a different, much more blood-curdling screech emitted from Valra. A small trickle of black blood trickled from where the syringe struck her.
At first Valra tensed up as if she was paralyzed, then she began to shake. Stepping away from where he had straddled her, the group watched in fascinated horror as the vibrations of Valra's scaly form began to peel and crumble as if she was burning up from the inside. Valra's scream was cut off by the sound of her choking and gagging.
Like a wildfire, the starting spark was slow, but once it began to burn, Valra's form shrank and crumpled like thin paper and then she was gone.
“Everyone okay?” Elisa called out after the smoke cleared of Valra's body. The group answered with confirming coughs and yells of agreement. The only ones who didn’t cry out were Sha’lain and Nema.
The two women were studying the pile of ashes formerly known as Valra. Nema had pulled out a strange contraption that glowed and hummed when she waved it over the ashy embers.
Lexington looked questioningly when Nema handed it over at his silent plea.
“She’s gone. There’s no way she’d known ahead to fake her death,” Sha’lain said definitively.
“She wouldn’t have thought it could happen to her anyway,” Nick snorted, kicking over the small pile.
“Demona?” Elisa looked to Goliath
“Escaped,” Brooklyn rasped with frustrated resignation.
“Then let’s go after her,” Nick said, "We have to find out what they were planning."
“It’s not worth it. She’ll have changed her plans after tonight, and come back. Then we will stop her like always,” Goliath said.
“He’s right,” Elisa inserted before Nick could insist, “Ti-Yet should have probably convinced Dorn to call the channels and reverse his statements. Not that’ll stop the Quarrymen from their hunt, so we should head back before the sun rises.”
“What about confiscating all this stuff,” Sha’lain asked, examining a small gargoyle statue that they recognize as the vessel Demona had almost used to spread her virus.
“We-“ Elisa paused. She had never confiscated any assets from Nightstone Unlimited because there was no legal recourse for her to do so. As for as the world knew, Dominique Destane was an upcoming entrepreneur, and as publicly law-abiding as one could be.
But the Alliance did not have to abide by the laws of New York State. They didn’t exist after all.
“Take whatever you want,” she smirked. This should derail some of her schemes.
Carrying armfuls of their repossessed loot, they flew back to the castle. Ti-Yet and Fitz were waiting to greet them just as the sun was starting to lighten the horizon.
“Did you give that scaly freak hell?” Fitz held up his hand for a high five.
“We sent her to it,” Sha’lain smacked it
“I’m guessing your presence means you’ve pulled off another success?” Nema gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Did you?” Goliath repeated curiously. How could this man convince a mob rule inflamed with prejudice and fear to give up their hunt in a matter of one night.
“That’s not possible,” Hudson echoed Goliath’s thoughts. But as he did so, they all come to realize there was the absence of yelling. The insults and jeers that had come to be a tolerable background noise from those with the time to protest 24/7. Looking over the edge, Broadway reported that there was a lone picketer.
“Well, okay. Maybe I haven’t solved it in one night but Matt and I started the first phase to it. And it was inspired by our good friend, Jon Castaway,” Fitz said mischievously.
That drew even more baffled looks from the clan, and Nick hit his friend on the arm, “Stop playing around and tell us already.”
“With how Jon was saying that the gargoyles are being used as Xanatos’ corporate espionage soldiers, and the government should step in. Why not tell the people that’s exactly what we do with them. Hide the gargoyles away for a few days, tell the public that the government is going to reprogram the gargoyles as agents of good. A week goes by, you return and do what you’ve always done, and the public will recognize that you’re only here to help.”
There was a long pause as the clan processed Fitz’s proposal. It was a simple deception. Almost ridiculous that the public were willing to believe that the gargoyles would only be a force of good thanks to the intervention of humans.
Yet. . . .
Owen, who hand patiently stood in the background in his normal deference, spoke up, “Mr. Xanatos, Fox and I spoke in the car and we all thought this would be the most advantageous course of action for the gargoyles to take. You may continue your quaint acts of heroism unimpeded, and Mr. Castaway’s complaints will have lost their fire if the public believed your actions are sanctioned, and controlled by federal forces.”
The trio and Angela had begun to cautiously smile among each other. Hudson was thoughtful and Elisa’s expression remained neutral, but she had not contradicted Owen’s assessment.
Goliath reflected that when he had first woken up in this strange time that he had agreed with Elisa that the world was not ready for the existence of gargoyles despite their good intentions. It was a disheartening realization to know that centuries laters the humans they sought to protect still judged them by their appearances.
However, it was not the gargoyle way to fulfill duty for the sake of glory.
Although Fitz was all cocky smirks, he could see the hopefulness in his eyes. Same with Nick, Sha’lain, and Logan. His daughter was nodding at him, a silent telepathic urge to say yes.
Elisa touched his hand, “I think this might be the best option.”
"That would be fine," Goliath assented. Suddenly a smile crept across his face as a new thought came to him. Although he was not sure of fully joining the Alliance.
"To better pull off the deception, shouldn't we travel on your jet and stay in Roswell for a few days?"
Nick was startled, before he came to realize what Goliath was saying, "We'd love to have you. Also you'll be free to fly around, tourists love spotting objects in the sky."
"We can go to Roswell? Yes, our own world tour!" Broadway cheered
While the clan turned the Alliance agents, peppering them with questions about the sights to see, Goliath felt Elisa's hand grip his own.
"Think you can get leave?" Goliath asked quietly.
"I might be able to scrounge something as the head of the gargoyle taskforce. Not that we'll be needing it much longer," Elisa replied.
With one final hand squeeze, Goliaht looked toward the rising sun. A cautious but visible smile on his face as he faced a new, hopeful better tomorrow.
Author's Note: Now we get to the real action, and the characters interacting. Enjoy!
Xanatos paused, thought for a moment, then smiled, "I knew there weren't as they seemed, but that simply means I will have to adjust my preparation. I'll have Owen pick up some garlic cloves as a contingency."
Nick looked at Xanatos' calm expression with bafflement.
"Garlic doesn't do anything to vampires," Sha'lain interrupted, "They are not the suave figures humans make them out to be. They are saly, slithery pests. The only way to fight them off is direct sunlight."
"Again, they are vampires. You should let us handle them. They haven't been cooperative about agreeing to not interfere or kill humans. It wouldn't be safe," Nick said.
Xanatos lightly chuckled, "I've dealt with the king of fairies himself. I can handle some vampires. Especially now that I have you to aid me in any gaps of knowledge."
The guests didn't seem to know what to say as Xanatos smoothly maneuvered them into being his newfound accomplices. Goliath understood the feeling well. Even when you tried to act on your own, Xanatos managed to wrangle your actions into fitting his advantage.
While he would have liked to wait for Elisa to return from her shift, so he could discuss whether this assortment of humans, and supernatural creatures could be trusted, his intuition said their mission was genuine. While he did not like the solution they proposed, he appreciated the concern they expressed.
"Perhaps we can deal with the. . the vampires together as a show of faith. You know more than we do about these creatures and we know the layout of this place, and how Xanatos' machinations work," Goliath said, a slight jab at Xanatos' manipulativeness that the man accepted like a compliment.
"All settled," Xanatos clapped his hands, "Where are you staying?"
"We were just going to sleep in our jet. But our other friends said they'd call and see if they could make arrangements with the NYP-" Ti-Yet shrugged.
"Won't do, you'll stay in our guest rooms. We have so many, and you must tell me more about your species," Xanatos said, guiding Ti-Yet out of the room to which the bewildered creature instinctively followed.
Nick took a step forward, then a step back, looking between Xanatos and Ti-Yet's retreating forms and the gargoyles.
"Is he real?" he asked, then shook his head like he wasn't sure if the question made sense.
Hudson bypassed that concern, "Your friends are with the NYPD? We have a friend there too, Elisa Maza. She should be the one to talk to."
"Is she part of the Gargoyles Taskforce?" Sha'lain asked.
"Yes," Brooklyn answered.
"Then Agents Fitz and Perrera should be talking to her now. Hopefully, together they can come up with a better plan. I should update them about the appearance of Intracom," Nick said, taking a phone from his pocket and ducking out of the room.
"Would you like to go with him? Or we can give you a tour of the castle?" Lexington suggested to the banshee who was so different from the one Goliath had encountered in Wales, and Avalon. She was significantly younger for one, and did not appear to have an obvious magical aura around her. She was calm, and sweet, and not at all screechy. Bronx took a liking to her as well, sniffing at her feet. Unlike the constant barking he exhibited when they had been near Molly before she revealed her true nature.
Though he suppose that was right. It was presumptuous to assume that there was only one banshee like he had thought they were the onl gargoyle clan. Even more that all banshees would act like King Oberon's loudest child.
"I'd rather stay here," Sha'lain demurred, "Banshees and technology don't mix well. I saw a lot of metal in the other part of the building. I don't want to break anything. Just the castle is fine."
"Then just a tour of our home. Let's show her the library first," Angela eagerly grabbed Sha'lain's arm and the other youngsters followed them.
Elisa escorted Nema from Chief Chavez' office where she got to witness some of Nema's acting skills as the brunette adopted a prim British accent, explained she was on loan from the FBI and that she was to coordinate with the Gargoyle Taskforce to resolve the gargoyle problem once and for all. And no, Chavez may not sit in on the meetings. She didn't have clearance.
That rankled Chavez, but Nema, or Lori Findly as she called herself, explained that the FBI would be taking the full brunt of the public's favor or ire depending on how the plan went. Elisa knew Maria would be in favor of that as the precinct's reputation had taken a nosedive ever since the gargoyles showed up. Having someone else take the fall if something went wrong was a plus, although she'd never admit it.
"That went easier than I thought," Elisa admitted, "You are good."
Nema was about to reply when her phone rang, "Pardon me."
Elisa entered the conference room that had been temporarily dubbed the Gargoyle Task Force HQ where Matt and Fitz had papers and files hiding the table and detailed conspiracy board already laid out.
"Wow, you've been working hard," Elisa said.
Her partner rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "Uh actually, i was showing Fitz my theories for sasquatches."
"I'm keeping track of how much he's got right. 3 out of five so far, Nema. We should be recruiting him," Fitz said excitedly when Nema entered the room.
"We can discuss that later. Nick called. Intracom is getting involved with Xanatos Industries."
"Not those guys again," Fitz groaned.
"What's Intracom?" Elisa asked wearily.
"It's a corporation run by vampires," Fitz sighed.
"Vampires," Elisa repeated. She shouldn't be surprised. Everything else was real, why not vampires. Apparently, the gargoyles had been mistaken about the three species-humans, gargoyles, and fey.
"There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, then dreamt of in your philosophy."
"We'll stop by St. Peter's and load up on Holy Water then," Matt said.
"Vampires are not defeated by garlic or holy water. Nor do they wear velvet capes, and vant to suck your blood," Nema said.
"They look like mafia, and act like it too. They mainly try to eliminate each other's families, but they get into the corporate game so they can drain energy from electrical outlets and inventions. Dabble in biological engineering and transportation. Typical mad scientist stuff," Fitz continued.
"But they are most dangerous when they show their real forms. Snakes with wings," Nema explained, "They can only be defeated by sunlight."
"Okay, corrupt corporate executive mad scientist snakes with wings that want to work with Xanatos. That's a new nightmare," Elisa said sarcastically.
"Nick said the gargoyles are hesitant about joining the Alliance, but they want to work with us to rein Intracom in. I'm heading over there with Elisa. You two should keep brainstorming about the gargoyle problem."
"Got it comrade," Fitz saluted.
"Not the Russian," Nema said sternly.
"Fine. General Armstrong at your service, m'am," He retorted with a Texan accent.
The sun was peeking over the horizon and most of the gargoyles had come to settle at their respective perches. It was agreed that they'd convene the next night to go over the plan the Alliance and Xanatos would create to outmaneuver the vampires.
Sha'lain was resting near Angela, watching the sliver of yellow rays break through the cracks of the city skyline.
"It's fascinating that banshee have clans like we do, and you were only a country away."
"Yes, but we do not have parents or elected leaders. We have our queen, but all the elders are to be respected and obeyed. Those my age or younger are my sisters."
"We don't have parents either. Or at least real gargoyle clans don't have parents I'm told. I was raised by Princess Katherine and Thomas, so it was different. But the others say the whole clan is family."
"Not so different after all. Although you keep your men," Sha'lain laughed lightly.
"I suppose. I guess you don't and that's why there are no male banshees?" Angela questioned.
"No, they inherit second sight but nothing else, so we give the boy babes to childless families. Then meet up with human males who are trying to escape death, and they do for a time. They raise our children and then we let them go. Usually it's a hundred years later. Time is different for us. not that I plan on doing that with Nick. He's made the idea of a human family sweet."
"Human ideas tend to do that. I miss Avalon sometimes, but this has become my home. It's more interesting here, and I feel . . . I feel like I'm doing something important."
"I understand. My life before was similar. Green hills and still lakes, I was cared for, but it was so sheltered too. I used to sneak away with my sisters to watch the steam trains and see that the world was so much bigger. If only we could be part of it."
"We have so many gifts, and abilities that humans do not. We help nature thrive, we can clear out decay and pollution. If we could co-exist peacefully, think of the good we can do. But my clan thinks humans are selfish and self-preservation is all we have against our enemies," Sha'lain said.
"Humans can be selfish, but they can be so creative, and passionate. They make such great works like books, television, and motorcycles. I think it's a case by case basis," Angela said.
"You don't have to convince me. While I miss my clan, they can be grudge-holding and narrow-minded. So can I. Once I got a taste of leadership, and went to. . . never mind. Long story we don't have time for. But it's nice to meet someone else who knows what it feels like. Believing we can be better, but everyone says that humans aren't worth it. I'm too naive."
"I know," Angela agreed, "But we bring a new perspective. It's a good thing."
"I hope your clan will join our Alliance. Even if it's not like an official one. But simply as friends," Sha'lain said.
"I think we will be," Angela smiled just as the sun fully crested the horizon and she turned to stone.
Elisa swallowed a yawn as she and Nick Logan left the Eyrie Building. It had taken three hours of discussion on all the possible ways the vampires could backstab Xanatos, and how they'd counteract their attacks. Not helped by Xanatos, and Fox's reticence to reveal the full extent of their armory or hidden resources, assuring them that he was capable of thinking of plans D and E without their input.
"Is Xanatos going to stab us in the back before this is over?" Nick blurted out once they were several feet away from Eeyrie's surveillance range.
Research into public records showed that Xanatos had been convicted of insider trading and other misdemeanors involving his hostile takeovers of other companies and stealing their technology. If it weren't for his second sight confirming that he was human, he would have predicted that the man was hiding vampiric tendencies himself. But the man's shady dealings and the reveal that his wife was part fey, made his intuition tingle. Nominally, they were on the same side, but he felt there was angle he was missing.
"Probably not. It wouldn't be an advantage to him, and Xanatos may be a bastard, but he's a pragmatic one. He doesn't backstab for petty reasons," Elisa replied. Her calmness eased Nick's suspicions somewhat. It was clear that she didn't trust Xanatos an inch, but if she wasn't concerned that he was going to screw them over, he supposed he should relax.
"Want to get some coffee," Elisa gestured ahead, past the precinct to a small cafe, and he nodded. He was used to late nights, but he'd been up for over 24 hours, and he could feel the sluggishness creep into his body. His shoulders felt heavy. His eyes hurt from being open so long. It would probably be more responsible to have a tea instead so he can catch a couple of zzzs before the meeting, set at 10 pm.
The plan was doable in its simplicity. Xanatos and Fox would play interested partners. They had agreed it was unlikely for Dorn or any of his accomplices to try to eliminate Xanatos at their first meeting, so they didn't set up a code word for the ambush. rather they'd go through all the minutiae detail. Nema would don her yet another costume and posed as the Xanatos' typist, a laser blaster hidden, armed with 600 watt light under her uniform. The assistant, Owen Burnett would have the same. Positioned behind Intracom's board, they'd be able to execute a perfect ambush when they stood up after the contract was signed.
Dorn and his followers would likely transform and try to beat them back, but they'd have the advantage of surprise as well as Xanatos rigging the conference room with enough light to be mistaken for the Bahamas. The vampires would retreat rather than engage more and that's where the gargoyles would swoop in to subdue the vampires at all the exits. Then he, Sha'lain, Ti-Yet and Elisa could take them under Alliance custody for breaking their contract to not interfere or harm humans.
And if all that went well, and no one got injured or accidentally bitten, then he could try broaching the subject of the Alliance fixing the gargoyles' reputation again. Nick figured he should have appealed to their altruism, emphasizing that their existence was not just a threat to their own safety in the face of Quarrymen attacks, but that of other alien species as well.
Elisa came to the table he snagged with her order of black coffee and his of chai tea.
"So, how did you learn that "the truth is out there," Elisa asked with a mischievous smile, playing at the tagline of the new X-Files show. It fit his life more than he cared to admit.
"Uh, it's a family business. Not that my father told me when I was kid. Actually he disappeared. He was abducted, long story. But I found out the existance of "everything-" he gestured around them to encompass their reality that this cozy New York spot was the normalcy everyone was used to when they knew there was more.
"-When I was chasing a fugitive and it turned out it was a werewolf. Then my next case was Sha'lain and I got in too deep for them to let me go. The Alliance made me an agent, and now I work on behalf of all creatures, alien and human. You?"
"I was investigating Xanatos. Initially, reports said the gargoyles were one of his robots gone rogue. Turned out they were gargoyles and I've been working with the clan ever since, helping them to adjust to the modern world and foil crime. Human, and otherwise," Elisa said, "New York has gotten more magical since they've arrived."
"It probably always was. Aliens. ." Nick began
"Gargoyles," Elisa interrupted
"Gargoyles?"
"Gargoyles are just gargoyles. They are not an alien species," Elisa insisted.
"I know legends have made it seem like all the supernatural creatures just came into being. But the reason they are fantastical is because they are alien. They came to Earth a millennium ago. They are an alien species," Nick said.
"Well the gargoyles know they are not an alien species. They did not land here on a spaceship. They didn't beam down. They were just born here. Just like the Children of Oberon were descended from fairies. Which your girlfriend is one of them," Elisa said.
"Banshees are aliens. She told me about the tablets depicting their arrival herself," Nick said.
"Maybe they misinterpreted it," Elisa shrugged.
"So Sha'lain's wrong about how her race came to be, but Goliath and his clan are right?" Nick pointed at the discrepancy.
Elisa thought, took another sip, and nodded, "Let's agree to disagree."
"Deal. What was I saying?" Nick asked.
"Eh, I forgot. It's been a long night, and day. And week." Elisa sighed.
"I'd give anything for vacation days," Nick stretched his arms. There was an audible crack when his neck twisted.
"I just want a nap. I start getting restless if my vacation is longer than three days," Elisa said.
Nick smiled. For all his bellyaching he felt the same. The constant rush of new missions and new crises was exhausting, but he needed the constant movement. Needed to feel useful.
This time Nick leaned closer. Even though the other patrons at the cafe were ignoring them, lost in their own computers or blinking away mid-morning weariness, he didn't want to expose Elisa's secret.
"So you and Goliath? How does that work?"
Elisa's eyes widened in surprise. Though they barely went through introductions when Elisa arrived, the closeness between her and the gargoyle leader was evident by the way he turned to her input for most decisions. She kept her gaze on him too when he spoke. It spoke of assurance, and history. Trust that they had each other's backs. Then there were the small moments of him touching her shoulder. Her keeping eye contact a second longer than necessary. Although he used second sight to uncover whether he was fighting a human or alien, his years as a bounty hunter had made him very observant of human interaction. Theirs was of a connected partnership.
"It's still new," Elisa mumbled.
Now Nick turned sheepish. He had brought it up because he wanted to confirm his observations. He hadn't thought of the reality that it would be a delicate topic. After all, gargoyle and human. He could see an attraction, especially with how Elisa hinted at their long history working together. Long hours on stakeout, and having someone's back in dangerous situations tended to fuel trust, and affection, he would know. But interspecies-wise. . .,
"What about you and Sha'lain?" she quickly turned it back to him. There was a defensiveness in her voice, and a kind of hope. He, of all people, would understand.
"Banshees have been seducing human men for centuries. Apparently all those Yeats poems of men lost in fairyland are true for banshee fathers. So, it's a little different. Luckily, they don't have those fairy portals in the US or I'd be in trouble," Nick said, hoping a joke would erase the disappointment from Elisa's eyes. She managed to smile, but it didn't quite reach.
"Look, society is always changing and with what we're trying to do, there'll be more change. Things we wouldn't have thought possible," Nick said awkwardly.
Words were not his strong suit, but he hoped she understood what he was trying to get out. They were in a unique position, having more knowledge and experience of a vastly more complicated world than what they'd known. That meant what was possible, and what they were capable of was beyond their imaginations. Maybe things could work out for a gargoyle and human. It's just hard to envision it when you are the first.
Elisa sighed, and a change came over her. She stood straighter, determination clear in her mind. No more self-pity, "All we can do is change it one day at a time. Now, are you a familiar with an alien named Nokkar?"
It was a clear night, the moon illuminating the street as brightly as its sister the sun. So bright that Goliath could see the soul-patch beard of the CEO of Intracom, Dorn, as he exited his limo and entered the lobby of the Eyrie Building.
Tonight he wouldn't have to push down the frustration and restlessness that had been occupying his being. He wouldn't be forced to stay in the confines of the castle or fly above the clouds to avoid detection. He was finally doing his duty, and helping the people of Manhattan.
Well, he was helping Xanatos which was a different moral quandary as he suspected Xanatos was a crafty victim, with schemes to defraud Intracom in their negotiations. But the vampire threat was real, and he would subdue them for the safety of all.
Brooklyn, Lexington, Angela, Bronx and Hudson all had split into pairs to patrol the exits around the building. Elisa, Sha'lain, and Nick were guarding the interior exits. Goliath had taken control of the roof exit to divert any helicopters Intracom might have in reserve for a quick getaway although he didn't see any in the sky at the moment.
Goliath's partner for the night was Ti-Yet who stood as a silent sentinel by the door. After walking around the perimeter, Goliath came to a stop next to the white, mountainous creature. It was rare for Goliath to feel dwarfed by another, but Ti-Yet was one of the few.
The coloring reminded Goliath of Odin when the god paraded as a polar bear during their Norse adventure. Though Ti-Yet was not nearly as bombastic as the old god. Rather he was constantly watching, slow as lumbered from place to place yet Goliath didn't feel threatened though his size and stature would make him a formidable enemy.
While his clan had talked with Sha'lain, Goliath was interested in Ti-Yet especially since Sha'lain mentioned that Ti-Yet was one of the last of his kind, and the leader of his own family clan back in Tibet.
From experience, stake outs were a waiting game, and as Intracom had just entered the building, they had time to kill.
"How did you come to join the Alliance?"
"I was forced," Ti-Yet replied, his voice a deep rumble like snow shifting before an avalanche. "I was collateral. For our former enemy, the werewolf leader, Ruck, he threatened to blow up my home unless I was jailed by the Alliance with him. He had been hoping he might kill me in prison hich the Alliance prevented. Still, no one trusted me. They wanted to ensure my family would stay in line, and I did not want them to hurt my family."
"I'm sorry," Goliath said, recalling the moments where he helplessly stood down because a loved one was in danger. With the hunters, Demona, among others. It was the worst sort of impotent rage for all his strength and skill in battle, he could not do anything.
"Why do you still work with them?"
'This is a new Alliance. They no longer hold my family under threat. I get to visit them every month. As Nick said, we've negotiated with the werewolves to stop trying to enslave us like they did on our home planet. But I must admit, I had come to enjoy my role even before the Alliance came under new leadership. I liked being able to do something to protect not just my family, but the world my family lives in. Fly a jet, make crop circles is a skill I never knew I possessed but I am quite good at it. Create a better future for my children, and give them a chance to do more than I did, staying in a cave for centuries."
Goliath nodded in silent understanding. While he would always hold gargoyle tradition in high regard, he was glad of the opportunities here in Manhattan for his younger clan members, and his daughter to experience. They got to experience the wonders of pre-prepared food, online gadgets Lexington loved playing with, travel to new cultures and find other gargoyle clans. Their world was more dangerous outside of Castle Wyvern in Scotland, but it was blessed with more adventure too.
With people like Elisa as well. . .
"I've found my life in Manhattan to be the same. I've come to experience such wonders, and new foods. Have you've heard of-"
Nema resisted the urge to stab herself with her pen as she listened to Xanatos, Fox, and Dorn humbly-brag about their extensive holdings, patents and inventions. Was there anything as boring and infruriating as the rich discussing their obscene amount of capital?
Not that she let her face betray an ounce of her boredom. It was part of the job even though her head itched from her blonde wig, her butt was numb, and her fingers were cramping as she wrote shorthand for everything they said. It was not too dissimilar to Alliance inventory days where agents sat to listen to their scientists share their latest inventions. Which started interesting yet always devolved to the scientists reverting to jargon that only they understood. But at least she knew what they were talking about, the world of finance was out of her depth.
Dorn looked as immaculately put-together as usually in his three piece suit. She could only see the back of him and his associates, and she noted that his hair was a shiny black as if he rubbed on shoe polish while his two thugs sat mutely beside him like bookending squat human rocks. Their muscles were larger than their heads, and from her experience usually were a replacement for any brains they could have had.
Fox and Xanatos didn't betray any nervousness or sense that they knew of Dorn's true species. Then from what Nema gathered at their brainstorming meaning, the couple were rarely flustered by the unnatural. Their ease was disconcerting, possibly sociopathic but Nema kept that thought to herself. Corporate types usually had sociopathic tendencies, it's how they got success.
"I think our interests align," Dorn's smooth drawl snapped Nema out of her musings. He leaned over to add his signature to yet another contract before snapping his fingers at his right-hand to produce another agreement that Intracom had drafted, "But you haven't mentioned your latest acquisition. Will they not be included in our merger?"
"I do not understand what you mean. We've recently acquired some holdings from France-" Fox said.
"No. I meant your gargoyles. The ones that are on the news. They are under your roof," Dorn said.
"Ah, the gargoyles," Xanatos steepled his fingers, "Would you like them to be included in the merger?"
From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Owen leaning forward.
"Like you, I have interest in antiquities, but unlike you, I have some experience with otherworldly creatures," Dorn said.
"You have experience with unnatural creatures, you say," Fox repeated with faint amusement which Dorn didn't react to.
"I cannot disclose the extent until our paperwork has been filed, but they are an abundant resource when it comes to biological experimentation. Far more abilities, and variables to contend with than puny human skeletons. Imagine combining gargoyle DNA with that of a lion."
"Or an eel to create a mutant or your own gargoyle clones?" Xanatos finished.
"Exactly!" Dorn said excitedly. He shuddered as if he couldn't hold back the appeal of having a new outlet of energy to drain.
"While I'm sure your Doctor Sevarius is competent, we at Intracom frankly have more manpower and skill in the field. They;d be better off in our hands than scaring the public of New York."
And there it was. This wasn't just another hostile takeover for Intracom to execute. They were targeting these particular humans for the gargoyles.
Nema internally cursed Intracom. Damn vampires and their ability to find loopholes in agreements! They probably thought the Alliance wouldn't or shouldn't interfere because Intracom's goal wasn't to hurt humans or banshees, but a different species.
"While that may be true. We are in the starting phases of what we plan to do with the gargoyles, and have no interest in expanding," Fox said smoothly.
"Are you sure? From what I understand, you've had quite a reputational blow since harboring them," Dorn said. While the words held the implied reprimand, his cold tone truly conveyed it. The only hint at the reptilian form underneath.
"Unlike your company, we are secure enough to withstand any public blowback," Xanatos replied.
"Hmmph. I'm sorry that we wasted each other's time," Dorn stood up, crushing the contract he had just signed in his hand.
She slipped her hand under her blazer, feeling the cool metal of her laser blaster. Nema's upper legs clenched in anticipation to pounce.
That's when the lights went out!
Nema's mind was simultaneously full of rushing thoughts and silence as she leaped into action. She and Owen shot their blasters at the table as Xantos pressed the remote that switched the regular wattage to illuminate the room in blinding light. So blinding, Nema had to use the sounds of the men crying in pain to pinpoint their location than her sight.
She heard the crash of Sha'lain, Nick and Elisa entering the room with sun-goggles, guns drawn as planned, and the shuffling of feet and bodies as the vamps were subdued.
Feeling her way to the hallway door, she pressed her hands to her eyes so she'd have time to adjust. Even as she blinked, she still saw sunspots. Dorn and his mates were writhing in their handcuffs as they were roughly frog-marched through the building to the waiting cell that Xanatos apparently had in his home.
"For situations like these," he winked.
"Looks like our objectives were met," Fox said, smoothing out the piece of paper Dorn had dropped in their ambush. Owen gathered the rest of the contracts Dorn had initialed behind her, the room back to its normal light.
"With Dorn detained, transfer of their holdings, inventions, etc. go to us," Xanatos said with the matter of factness of a deal gone as expected.
Nema twisted her face into a neutral expression. After all, their business practices were none of her business.
"I'm glad we were able to take care of them. Thank you," she shook hands with each and made her way to the roof to see if the jet would be secure enough to transfer the prisoners. Ti-Yet would fly them home while they stayed to resolve the gargoyle problem.
"Ring ring" her phone buzzed.
"Hello?"
"Nema, what the hell happened at your meeting? Are you okay?" Fitz concerned voice echoed over the wire.
"It went perfectly. We just got Dorn and his men into the dungeon," Nema replied confusedly.
"But-but if-then. . . you need to find a tv."
Nema slapped her phone shut and pivoted back towards Owen, and informed him what was happening.
Fox, and Xanatos cautiously followed behind them when Owen switched the screen to the local news.
"Local entrepreneur Xanatos kidnaps Intracom's lead scientist in a shocking hostile takeover," a news reporter read his cue cards with the eager excitment of a celebrity scandal. On the screen, a photo of a red-headed woman's ID card flashed. The time stamp said this had been airing for an hour. Since the start of their meeting.
Author's Note: A bit more exposition in this one since I know people won't be familiar with the Roswell Conspiracies characters. I tried to make it flow as naturally as possible though. Enjoy!
Nick Logan peered down at the familiar skyline of New York. He had visited the city once during one tiring bounty. He had gotten a good payout since the fugitive crossed two time-zones and several state lines before he collared him in Brooklyn. He had gotten to experience the side of New York not advertised on sitcoms with its maze of back alleys and seedy warehouses.
He doubted he'd have a chance to play tourist this time either. Most of his days were devoted to the Alliance. It was an international agency founded in 1947, devoted to keeping the existence aliens from the public and to minimize the damage of these creatures when their exploits endangered human lives.
It still did that, but in its mission to keep up the facade, it had become a fascist entity meting out its own form of justice without supervision. It persecuted some aliens, or jailed and exploited them to fund the Alliance's own uses. They separated alien families from each other, and deepened the preexisting animosity between races.
That had been the plan by their former director, General Rinaker, who had actually been an infiltrator from an alien race known as Shadoens. He had pulled off a five-decade sting, amassing knowledge and power and continued to play aliens off each other, so they'd be too prejudiced to unite and share information that would derail the Shadoan invasion.
Rinaker's plan had failed, but it had been a close call. Despite the homacidal hate the aliens had toward each other, he and his team had managed to convince them to unite against a greater threat and defeat the invasion. He had reunited with his father, a man put on ice by Rinaker for knowing too much.
They had also lost many great men like his stepfather, Nathan, who had subtly gave him the combat skills, and second sight he'd need to one day join the Alliance.
They lost Jefferson Trueblood in a final stand against Rinaker. They lost Director Smith. The alien hero, Jericho. Werewolf alpha, Ruck. So many.
That's why the new Alliance had a new mission. They'd continue to protect humans, and aliens, who were not ready to fully coexist. But they'd work peacefully with the aliens, so they'd be able to live with enough resources and space without impediments. Not treat them all as monsters to be destroyed and distrusted as the New Yorkers had been doing to the gargoyles.
Before he had been let into the secrets known by the Alliance, he had thought monsters like zombies and vampires were a myth. They did not only exist, but they were not supernatural beings, but aliens who had landed on Earth ages ago. Their sporadic appearances witnessed by humans evolving to their own legends.
Some were accurate. Most were not.
His girlfriend, Sha'lain had schooled him on banshee culture, being a banshee herself.
Catching her eye, he slipped his hand across the aisle to grasp her palm in his own. She squeezed in response, but it didn't lessen the speed of which her other hand popped ginger roots into her mouth. She hated flying. Technology of all kinds tend to make banshees sick and while she had built up an endurance to its presence, some things were harder to shake.
Her pale skin practically glowed in the dark confines of the jet. With her glowing white hair, pale green eyes, and ear-bleeding scream, he'd never thought that two years later he'd be dating her. She had been so different, a bit idealistic having never left her loch in Ireland in centuries. Unnerving with how she predicted death approaching.
Then again, he'd been a close-minded fool when they first met. She had helped. She pushed back against his stubborness when he needed it. Reminded him of the bigger picture when he let his obsession with finding his father threaten to derail the greater good. Showed him that the world was more than black and white, people. . . aliens were more than what his initial prejudices blinded him to.
And yes, predicting potential death was very helpful in their line of work. He'd come to find it comforting.
It certainly helped that she was funny, kind, and a damn sexy dancer.
"Shall we review the plan?" Sha'lain reminded him, rubbing distracting circles on his palm.
"Yes, yes. The plan," Nick rubbed his neck sheepishly, sliding into leader mode.
A new responsibility that made him feel like he was a teenager playing at soldier. Sha'lain and his father kept telling him he'd grow into the role, but he found it constricting. He was so used to working on his own as a bounty hunter, and going rogue when he had been an Alliance operative. The serious gazes directed at him by his friends, some of who had worked at the Alliance far longer than him, felt undeserved. He was just making up as he went along.
"It's fine. It's just like talking with Cracker," he reminded himself. Cracker had been his informant during his bounty hunter days. A voice on the phone who gave him someone to bounce off his plans. This was the same. He'd tell them how they'd might approach the gargoyles and they'd tell him if it was foolproof. Or if he was being an idiot.
Funny thing about the new leadership job was that it had not intimidated his friends one bit. That's why he trusted them to have his back.
"From the clips we've studied, the gargoyles do not appear to be as hostile as the news pundits are making them out to be. They're often helping people out of the way of danger rather than into it."
"It fits with what we have on file. Gargoyles are protectors. Citizens put them on buildings because they believe they will grant them spiritual protection, and in older writings from 407 B.C. when gargoyles were accepted as real, there are writings detailing how they were loyal and fierce warriors for the castles they protect," Nema Perrera added.
Recruited from Egyptian National Security, Nema worked on Detail Team concocting conspiracies for the public to grab onto, and could always be counted for thorough research.
"Makes all the craic against them unfair," Sha'lain said disapprovingly.
"Human nature. We tend to attack first, ask questions later when it comes to beings that look different than us. Even when they're being helpful," Simon, "Fitz" Fitzpatrick said. Nema's partner on Detail, and in their personal life, his silver-tongue made him an asset to selling their conspiracies. One would never have guessed from his jovial personality that he was former CIA.
"Right big guy," he slapped the furry shoulder of the last member of their team, Ti-Yet. The name was a bit on the nose, being the species humans coined a yeti, but none of them were able to pronounce his real name to his satisfaction.
Ti-yet rolled his eyes playfully. He was going to be key to the mission. With the public raising arms against the gargoyle threat, their primarily human team would be viewed with caution if not outright suspicion. Ti-Yet's presence might ease any fears the gargoyles might have that the Alliance was an entrapment.
"Since they're primary protectors, I think it's best we stage a threat compelling enough for them to come to us," Nick said, "I'm thinking robbery gone wrong. I'll put a gun to Sha'lain's head and threaten to shoot unless someone gives me money. Make a big scene."
"Stage it near the Eyrie Building. Gargoyles tend to stay close to their territory, and WVRN reports that they're nesting on the home of a . . David Xanatos," Sha'lain said, rechecking the file that Nema had compiled for their perusal.
"It's good that the gargoyles have one ally. Since Xanatos won't let anyone on his property, he's the sole reason they haven't been smashed during the day," Nema said.
"A very protective ally. Agent Keung ranted for days when Xanatos refused to grant him or any of the other agents access in their reporter aliases," Nick said.
"Reporter is the most predictable cover story. Figures Xanatos wouldn't believe them. They should have gone as support staff. Rookie mistake," Fitz said.
Even when the Alliance approached the billionaire with their full credentials, they had been denied access. To add insult, they never got refused directly. They communicated through his assistant. Total brush-off.
That's why they had to go with the robbery plan.
"When the gargoyles come in, I'll release Sha'lain and Ti-Yet, and she'll explain who we really are."
"Do-do I hide in an alley while this is going on?" Ti-Yet questioned.
The group studied their six-foot tall, five-feet wide friend who could be generously described as a mountain of fur with horns. Their whole mission was to dissuade New Yorkers of the existence of gargoyles. It would be best not to bring a new hysteria about abominable snowmen.
"Maybe you should stay in the jet. When the gargoyles accept our offer, then we can land the jet on top of the castle," Sha'lain suggested.
"Hmm. That would be better for Ti-Yet, but we had been really counting on him to get the gargoyles on our side. Do you think you'll be persuasive enough to convince them?"
Sha'lain shot him a raised eyebrow that said he put his foot in his mouth.
"Which you have done before and will do again," Nick quickly corrected.
"While Nick and Sha'lain play peacemaker, the police will have been alerted and that's when Nema and I will offer our expertise to the NYPD. The gargoyle task force will be taught by the experts," Fitz crowed.
"I think we should go with the classic. There are no gargoyles, it's a really a government experiment on prisoners to repopulate endangered species. The fact they don't look like endangered species is because our technology is still in infancy," Nema said.
Nick smiled. That's the excuse Fitz and Nema had given him when he accidentally stumbled onto the exploits of the Alliance.
A fugitive he had been chasing turned out to be a werewolf, a fact he found out because his latent second sight kicked in.
Because he hadn't bought their implausible conspiracy explanation, he'd been recruited. And whatever hell Rinaker was in, he must be cursing himself for suggesting the idea.
"I was thinking Russian Cold War experimentation accidentally released to the public," Fitz said.
"No. Don't do General Kuroshov again. You speak in that stupid accent for months, and it's not even good," Nema groaned.
"I'll leave that for you to discuss with the police," Nick cut off the dispute.
"Anything else?"
They all looked to each other. Resolve lined their features, and a slight twinkle of anticipation.
Nick felt adrenaline begin to build in his gut. While their plan and objectives were clear-cut, you could not count on them. there was always an element of surprise.
A witness who tried to jump in. A safety feature on the gun might jam. maybe the gargoyles would attack them first, and not ask questions.
It would be ideal for there to be no obstacles to make their mission more difficult, he couldn't deny that he loved the unexpected. The chance to flex his witness and improvise a new method to succeed in his case.
He had a feeling that's why they all stuck with their stressful, limb-risking job. It was a chance to work for something bigger themselves. Push their minds, and bodies in ways they'd never do in a 9 to 5. Save the world in their own way.
"Let's head out," Nick commanded said.
Ti-Yet took hold of the controls.
Hovering as close as he could to a warehouse roof four blocks from Eyrie, the four jumped out of the fighter jet. Sha'lain exhaled a big whoosh of relief at being on the ground again, and made their way down the five blocks to Xanatos and the gargoyles' residence.
They could tell they were getting close by the chants of of "Kill the freaks" from two blocks away, and when thy got one block closer, they were blocked by a wave of New Yorkers, some in black hoods, others in casual clothes waving signs, cameras and jostling each other for space.
Camera crews were parked at the edge with wires tripping up those who had the misfortune to be pushed. A man was hit by a rogue sign and he punched the person next to him, leading to a tussle on the crowd that no one paid attention to in favor of looking up at the small dots on top of the tallest skyscraper Nick had ever seen.
"We should have factored this in," he grinded his teeth. No way could they pull out a fake robbery among so many people nor would the gargoyles dare approach.
"That's fine. We can set up several blocks down. Maybe to the north of Eyrie instead of east. THey can fly after all and Sha'lain's screams have reach," Fitz said.
"Yes, of course. That's what we'll do," Nick agreed.
"I'll page Ti-Yet the coordinates," Sha'lain said.
They trekked the northern six blocks in silence, all silently reviewing the plan in their heads. Well, Nick was. Not thinking of the crowds had been a rookie mistake. Then again, most of their cover-ups never had to deal with so many witnessed who had a month to digest and fully believed what they saw. They usually dealt with small crowds, minutes after an incident, still in shock that they were willing to buy the story the Detail Team came up with.
The presence of gargoyles have had a month to disseminate and sink in for the public. While he trusted Fitz and Nema to know what they were doing, he felt that their usual conspiracies weren't going to cut it.
They approached an area with a small mom and pop groceries and ethnic food stories. Luck seemed to be on their side as lights were shining from apartment windows, but there was no one on the street.
"Let's go," Nema said.
She, Fitz and Sha'lain pulled ahead. Dressed in casual clothes with heavy coats, Fitz' I Heart NY cap made them look like tourists lost in the streets.
Nick had chosen a beat-up leather jacket from his collection to play into the figure of an opportunistic thug, covering his Alliance bullet-proof vest and agency-issued blaster.
Even though no one seemed to be around, Nick acted the part, running up and grabbing Sha'lain. He wrapped an arm around her throat, and growled at Nema and Fitz.
"Give me your money or I'll blow her brains out!"
"No, don't! We don't have any money!"
He waved his empty gun by her head, and he saw a face appear at the window of an apartment above them. Good the police would be coming soon.
He scanned the sky, but it remained cloudy. No flying shadows dipping through the gloom.
"I mean it. She's going to get it," he threatened, one eye at the sky.
Sha'lain gathered her breath, and Nick jostled her, suddenly remembering how close she was to his ears.
"Wait, don't scream. Nema will do it," he hissed in her ear.
"Ah what? Oh don't be such a baby. I can scream like a human," Sha'lain retorted indignantly, elbowing him in the side.
"I'd rather not test it out when I still need my hearing," Nick said.
"Shut up, you two, I'll do it!" Nema interrupted with a horror movie scream that brought more curious onlookers from the windows, and the sounds of sirens.
Nick's heart began to speed up, not from anticipation but dread. The gargoyles did not appear to be taking their bait.
Then he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Before he could react, he was lifted up into the air.
He let out a scream of his own at seeing his feet dangling seven feet from the cement, twisting to view the glowing yellow orbs of a gargoyle.
The news clips hadn't come close enough for him to see the red coloring of this gargoyle nor its white mane and a protruding beak that looked sharp enough to take a bite out of him if the creature so choosed. His body was not as large as the ones he'd seen, rather lanky but made up for it in its wing-span.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the gargoyle rasped. Nick thought the gargoyles would sound gravelly, being part-stone, but this one sounded like a regular guy.
"I won't! I mean, I wasn't," Nick babbled, instinctive fear at being in the hands of a gargoyle glaring at him short-circuiting his rehearsed explanation. Best to appease him first.
"I wasn't going to shoot her. It's all fake. We've been looking for you," Nick said quickly.
That made the gargoyle squint menacingly at him. Although the claws had a steady grip of his shirt, Nick swore that the gargoyle was ready to drop him.
"Right, Sha'lain? She's my girlfriend. She's with the agency. We help aliens like you," Nick said.
"I'm not an alien," The gargoyle corrected.
"Course not. I meant gargoyle," Nick said.
"It's true," Sha'lain cupped her hands around her mouth to project, "The Alliance seeks to protect al-gargoyles and other creatures, so we can coexist on Earth. We'll get the-the Quarrymen away from you.
"Sure," The gargoyle drawled sarcastically, "A benevolent government agency only wants to help. How stupid do you think I am?"
"We do not work with the government. We are our own entity made of agents like yourself. Put him down and I'll tell you," Sha'lain said.
The gargoyle only flew higher and Nick grabbed at his arm for extra support.
Sha'lain let loose a scream, and buildings began to shake from their structures. The gargoyles' flight veered to the right and Nick's molars rattled as he scrunched his head into shoulders. Unable to avoid the screech of his girlfriend's cry. Even at a distance, there was already a ringing. She was going to deafen him one day.
Sha'lain's demonstration must have convinced the gargoyle because he glided down. Nick wobbily fell to his knees and Fitz helped him up. Nema ran to overtake the police cars that were pulling the brakes.
"You're one of the fey," the gargoyle said cautiously.
"I'm a banshee," Sha'lain corrected and he took a step back.
"Hmm, Goliath said the banshee was a manipulative menace," he said.
"Must have met one of your clan," Nick snarked. On his count, Sha'lain's clan had tried to kill at least six times. It was their approach to anyone who wasn't a banshee.
"Yes, but I'm not. You can't form your opinions on a whole race based on the actions of one. You know how that feels, don't you?" Sha'lain said gently. The gargoyle looked away as if he didn't want to admit she was correct.
"My name is Sha'lain, and I'm a banshee that works for the Alliance. The only banshee. My clan exiled me because I believed we shouldn't isolate ourselves from the world. That we should work with others instead of continuing our endless cycles of prejudice."
"We have other agents who feel the same. Humans from around the world. Yetis. Werewolves. A vodun too."
"Hey, officer. There's a gargoyle right there! Aren't you going to get it!" A woman poked her head out of the window to yell at the three police cars huddled at the end of the street.
"Yeah. Get em!"
"Be useful! Why do we pay taxes for you jerks?"
The gargoyle started to shift, and Sha'lain grabbed his arm.
"Take us with you. I know what it's like to be judged based only on my race and my looks. But the Alliance is different. We want to make the world a better place. If we can't make the humans accept you, we'll be able to hide you so they won't hunt you down anymore. Just give us a chance."
The gargoyle's eyes lost their yellow glare. He looked at Sha'lain to Nick to the growing jeers from the citizens and the police that were pushing past Nema and Fitz.
"Fine," he scooped Sha'lain up in one arm and Nick with the other and glided upwards.
The insults faded in the distance, and now that he was safely holding onto the gargoyles' arms, the feeling of being so high in the air without a parachute was almost calming. The breeze, less biting. The sky was quiet.
"Do you have a name?" Sha'lain asked once the sight of the Eyrie Building and the castle plunked on top of it, came to view.
"Brooklyn," he said.
"Nice name after your home. I'm Nick, Nick Logan."
Brooklyn acknowledged with a nod, and brought them to a stop above the old ivy-lined bricks.
What had looked from the distance to be a shadowy decoration was another gargoyle. The big one from television with black hair and purple skin. He didn't have a beak like Brooklyn did, more human features, but his chest was like a mountain range. Nick worked out, but felt like a puny boy scout in comparison.
"Goliath, I met some. . . they say they can be allies," Brooklyn said.
Fitting name, Nick thought to himself.
"Speaking of which, I hope you don't mind if our jet lands here. Ti-yet, that's the yeti I mentioned, he'd have a lot to share about our ethos," Nick said.
Goliath looked dubiously at Brooklyn, "I suppose you may."
"We do it all the time. We'll help you develop a plausible story that will make the gargoyles seem as real as the loch ness monster. After all, people think the Elvis truthers are kooks," Fitz said to skeptical Elisa after finishing his spiel about the benefits of letting the Alliance take over the gargoyle taskforce.
"Elvis is alive!" Elisa's partner, Matt Bluestone exclaimed with glee.
"Course not," Nema said curtly, "He was cloned, and we had to round them up. Really a foolish idea in the first place, but someone thought they'd make a great pro-military, anti-drug propaganda figurehead."
"I was almost right," Matt said to himself.
Elisa had arrived late to the scene after her partner had called her. Once the gargoyle had flown off, the irate crowd had dispersed muttering about police incompetence.
The officers themselves looked haggard and irritated except for one called Matt Bluestone. He was the head of the gargoyles task force and had listened to Fitz' explanation instead of walking away in disgust from the false robbery farce. He had invited them to come down to the station after Elisa arrived.
He was enthused Nema could see that Elisa was cautious about committing. as she had bluntly stated after Fitz' spiel-
"Sounds too good to be true."
"Hey, remember that eclipse that happened three months ago?" Fitz said
"Um. . I think I stayed inside when that happened," Elisa said evasively.
"Yes. . . " Matt answered
"Not an eclipse, it was an alien invasion which we helped stop. You're welcome. We know how to handle things," Fitz said boastfully.
Nema suppressed a groan. Her partner's showboating was not getting Elisa on their side.
"Was it the Centurions?" Matt asked.
"Shadoens," Fitz said
"Shadoens? I've never heard of those," Matt said
"That's by design. You see. . ."
As the men raced off in their discussion of which alien species were real, Nema leaned closer to Elisa who was concentrating on the road ahead.
"I've noticed that you seem. ." Nema paused, trying to find the right words, "You are more in favor of the gargoyles than the public would like."
"I'm not in favor or out of favor of the gargoyles. My job is to protect the citizens of this city. If a gargoyle tries to harm someone, I will detain him. It."
What a diplomatic non-answer.
"But it's most likely they won't. Gargoyles are protectors, not monsters. You know that and you're going to stand by them even though everyone else is saying otherwise."
Elisa didn't answer, which was an answer in itself.
"I understand how that is. You're very brave to stick by what you know is true than let pressure from authority dictate your actions."
More courageous than she. She had ignored her conscience so many times under General Rinaker. Detaining and betraying good aliens because the upper command insisted that creatures who weren't human could only be a threat.
Not anymore, she reminded herself.
"We do not want to hurt your friends or experiment or detain them," Nema said. The use of "friends" finally got Elisa to look at her for a moment. Better yet, she didn't deny it.
"During the Shadoen Invasion we learned that free communication and cooperation between species is more important than the prejudices we hold. We can offer your gargoyles a support network with other species to aid them in hiding. Access to our technology to create better defenses for their building. Our expertise."
"Fitz is right, we've fooled the public lots of times into chasing a false conspiracy so they never realize what's in front of them. We know the public may not be ready for peaceful co-existence with the gargoyles, but we can help you return the city to normalcy by making them believe the gargoyles are gone."
"I'm sure you're good at what you do, but this feels like a trying to put the genie back in the bottle.Too many people have seen them up close," Elisa said.
"That's where we hope you will help us in creating the best plan that will work for your city and your gargoyles," Nema assured her.
"But the map said that Atlantis was near the Homunez Strait. It was verified by an expert, and everything," Matt exclaimed from the backseat.
"Yeah, that map was one of ours and that expert cartographer was one of ours too," Fitz said.
"This whole time. The guys at the Illuminati are going to be psyched to hear this," Matt said.
"Wait, you're part of the Brotherhood too!" Fitz cried
"Whatever happens with the gargoyles, we're witnessing the start of a beautiful friendship," Elisa smiled.
"And we've gotten the werewolves to stop enslaving yetis and whatever humans they find," Nick finished their speech in the library of the castle. He was highlighting their successful Alliance negotiations and partnerships with alien species and individuals. He was surprised by how nervous.
He blamed their stony faces. Not literal stone, but the two eldest gargoyles, Goliath and Hudson, were good at the stoic, solemn poker face. He couldn't tell whether they were softening or heading into a hard no.
While it would just make things difficult for the gargoyles if they didn't accept the Alliance's help, it had some far-reaching consequences. If the people accepted that gargoyles were real, who knows if they'd decide to investigate whether other creatures are real? Then decades of carefully crafted deceptions and conspiracies could collapse, and all the populations would be in danger.
"Werewolves enslaved yetis?" The hefty blue gargoyle named Broadway repeated incredulously.
"Not anymore." Ti-Yet said in his low timbre. As predicted the presence of their friend had awed and comforted the gargoyles that they were unlikely to be a government ambush
"We have the man-power, the resources, and the know-how to help you if you'd let us," Sha'lain summed up, finishing the presentation they had been giving to wendigos, omnis, kachinas and other aliens in presenting the new and improved Alliance.
"You have been doing worthwhile work," the grey-bearded Hudson broke the pregnant pause after Sha'lain's words, "But I do not know if you are the right ones to help our clan."
"Why not?" Nick questioned because as far as he could see, the gargoyles didn't have many options before them.
"Your solution is to deceive the public and render us back into myth. Which could work, but what happens when we stop a crime or foil a criminal? The hysteria will start again," Goliath said, his deep tenor befitting the gravelly gargoyle voice that Nick had imagined.
"Yes, that's why you can't. After we convince the public it was all a publicity stunt, you get to stay here and be safe. You don't need to interact with any of the humans," Sha'lain said.
"That we cannot do. We are defenders of the island of Manhattan. We protect the innocent, it is our purpose. We will not stay idly by when criminals are at large," Goliath insisted.
Nick looked to Sha'lain and Ti-Yet who were as bewildered as he by the new wrench in their plan. Banshees and yetis stayed in their territories and rarely interacted with humans. Werewolves and vampires walked among the general population, but had their glamours that shielded their real forms. Even then, they primarily fought and associated with their own kind. That's the peaceful coexistence they had envisioned for the world of aliens. Aliens who could not fit in, stayed with their own kind to avoid persecution yet were able to associate with other aliens.
But the gargoyles wanted to help the humans. Damn noble of them.
Nick stammered, hoping for a Quarryman to barge in or a gunshot to ring out so he could stall for time. Maybe impress them with physical prowess. But his mind was numbingly blank. What other options were there besides seclusion? Humans weren't ready for co-existence.
Goliath seemed to understand that they were at a loss, and stepped forward with a claw for handshake.
"Thank you for your concern and your offer," and Nick's stomach curdled with failure.
"Maybe they can stay the night," the sole female gargoyle, Angela, suggested.
"They can tell us more about the Alliance. And what a yeti clan is like?" The smallest gargoyle, a green one called Lexington hopped over to gaze admiringly at Ti-Yet's stature where the yeti was hunched over because of the low ceiling.
"Yeah, not all of us got to go on a world tour and see other creatures and places," Broadway added.
Nick felt some of the tension in his shoulders release at that. If they were willing to extend the invitation for the night, it wasn't a hard no. Maybe they could finesse their approach and his friends could think of another solution for the gargoyles living in Manhattan.
"We'd love to," Sha'lain accepted profusely.
"I'd love to know what you're offering too," a bearded man stepped into the room in an immaculate dark suit and a calculating smile.
"Oh- uh, you must be David Xanatos," Shalain quickly pivoted to shake hands with the billionaire who pressed a kiss to her knuckle before bringing his firm grip to Nick's handshake.
If there was a word to describe the man, Nick would say it was control.
He entered the room like he owned, which Nick suppose he did, but it was the air of confidence about him that surrounded him that made him more intimidating than the accumulated wealth Nick knew he had. He was a man who wasn't caught by surprise. He always had a plan. Always in control.
He didn't even look perturbed by their surprise presence, including Ti-Yet.
"When I invited you to stay here, I suppose we didn't thoroughly discuss protocol regarding guests. Who are your friends?' He asked, after a pause when no one said anything.
"We are the Alliance," Nick found his voice, "We've been trying to contact you."
"So, you've made contact," Xanatos said with an unruffled air that made Nick suppress the urge to snarl. This guy was too poised. It felt like he had manipulated this somehow which made no sense.
"They would like to help us," Goliath spoke for the group guardedly. Interesting since Xanatos was helping the gargoyles. Good to know that Nick's instinct that something was up with Xanatos was right. The gargoyles didn't trust him either.
"Lovely. We should make a date so we can discuss how the Alliance may benefit us in depth," Xanatos said.
"We're helping the gargoyles," Sha'lain clarified.
Xanatos continued as if she hadn't spoken.
"Sorry to interrupt your liason. I wanted to inform you that I'll be having a meeting tomorrow night with some out of town investors from Intracom therefore it would be best to make yourselves scarce. The library and kitchen will be off limits."
"You are having a meeting with Intracom?" Ti-Yet interrupted.
"Yes, it's a prominent company based in California seeking to make its presence on the East Coast," Xanatos said.
"Mr. Xanatos, I would cancel that meeting. Intracom isn't run by ruthless financiers. It's run by vampires," Nick said gravely.
You wouldn’t be reading this if it wasn’t for Nick Logan, who launched our attractively collectable first issue back in May 1980. Nearly hal
En mayo de 1980, hace 45 años, Nick Logan lanzó en Londres la revista The Face, quizás la revista británica más influyente lanzada en esa década. Ahora, el nuevo editor en jefe de The Face, Matthew Whitehouse, entrevista a Logan sobre los origenes de la publicación y su impacto en Reino Unido.
Reaching for the Stars: 11/22 Down in the Dirt, v201 [Down in the Dirt, Montesinos, Begona, Cloutier, Denise, Anantharaman, Diya, Abbott, Harrison Linklater, Kuypers, Janet, Keane, Mark, Stansbury, Paul, Gerber, Peggy, Gharib, Susie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Reaching for the Stars: 11/22 Down in the Dirt, v201
I have a story called ‘Garlic and Honey’ in this journal which has just come out.
It’s for my old friend Nick Logan, who died earlier this year at the age of 28. RIP, Logan old mate.
