The Nine Lives of Dr. Sevarius: Part 1 By Rahsaan Footman Disclaimer: This story is based on characters from the television series Gargoyles. The characters from Gargoyles are property of Disney/Buena Vista Television. I write this not for profit, but for fun. I hope you all enjoy a good what-if story. Enjoy. Cast: For the new characters that pop up as the story progresses... Maxine Brown - Vanessa Williams Dr. Quintina Reilly - Gate McFadden Previously on Gargoyles... (Monsters) Bruno, Head Mercenary: Dr. Sevarius has more lives than an alley cat. (Metamorphosis) David Xanatos: You grew these from scratch so quickly. Dr. Sevarius: No, of course not that would have taken too long. I used short cuts. Part 1 New York City; March 3, 1997 A late winter storm blanketed the East Coast. In Manhattan, while the gargoyles spent a quiet evening indoors, Brooklyn wandered the castle halls with a bad case of castle fever. He peeked into the library. Goliath and Elisa were on the couch, enjoying a roaring fire. Neither talked, they just lounged in each other's arms. Brooklyn quietly closed the double doors and continued roaming the halls. He took the elevator down to the hangers. Lately, Lexington spent more time down here than on the computers. Brooklyn found him under the hood of their converted helicopter, banging away on something. "Lex," Brooklyn called, no reply. "Hey Lex!" he shouted, finally getting his brother's attention. Lex peered over his shoulder at Brooklyn. "Yeah! What?" "You want to do something?" Lex held up the hood, "I'm kinda in the middle of something right now. Maybe later." Lex went back to work. "Yeah," Brooklyn mumbled to himself, "Maybe later." Brooklyn took the elevator down a couple of floors to the arboretum. He found the Xanatoses, Bronx and Hudson in the open brightness. Alex was riding Bronx like a horse, while Fox and Hudson walked on either side, steadying him. David Xanatos watched with fatherly affection, and Owen set out a blanket for a late night picnic for the adults. Alex patted Bronx on the head urging him to go faster. Bronx gave a playful growl and gamboled to a trot. Alexander burbled with glee. Before any noticed he was there, Brooklyn hit the up button and watched the scene disappear behind closing doors. Brooklyn was in the Great Hall again, heading towards the TV room when he heard laughter, Angela's laughter. Brooklyn poked his rust-colored beak into the room. He saw her with Broadway. A black and white video was playing, but the couple was more interested in each other. Another round of laughter came from the room, Broadway's mixed with Angela's. That was the last straw. Brooklyn left for the open courtyard and the battlements. Brooklyn hopped off the parapets into the night. He had no clear idea where he was going, but if he stayed inside one more minute he'd go nuts. Out of habit, he flew his usual patrol route. The cold kept everyone in, even the criminal element. He finished his circuit in half an hour, but didn't want to go home, so he flew around the Big Apple. The snow began coming down in heavier drifts. It was times like these, Brooklyn was glad gargoyles don't feel cold's bite. "Though, time like these, I can get behind the idea of pants and jackets." Brooklyn muttered as rubbed his arms free of flakes. City lights bounced off the snow creating a glaring orange haze. It made things harder to see and the driving snow made staying out miserable. He thought about going home, but that was out. Loneliness waited for him there. Broadway and Angela, Goliath and Elisa, even the Xanatoses; reminders that he was lonely and alone. But where could he go? The Labyrinth. Brooklyn fought a strong gust to reach the subway tunnels. He was coming in just as a figure emerges, Talon. "Brooklyn, Thank goodness you're here." Talon sounded worried. "Why? What's wrong?" Brooklyn landed. "It's the clones. They're dying." Talon and Brooklyn hurried back to the Labyrinth. Talon explained what he could, "The clones started falling ill three nights ago, but it didn't get really bad until tonight. I was on my way to see Goliath, when I ran into you." They emerged into the subway station, the heart of the Labyrinth. "I just hope it isn't too late." Talon led Brooklyn to the infirmary. A side tunnel served as infirmary for the ailing gargoyles. Brooklyn saw three of the gargoyles laying on cots and heard the other two behind screens sectioning off the tunnel. The crimson gargoyle spotted his clone, Malibu. The pale green gargoyle looked emaciated. His ribs stuck out of his side. He was so thin, Brooklyn could see Malibu's lung labor with each breath and his heart flutter beneath the ribcage. The other clones weren't better off. Broadway's double, Hollywood lay on his side. Green foam dribbling from his mouth. Maggie placed a cool compress on Delilah. Her white wings hung limply from her back in faded gray hues. The hybrid clone thrashed her head from side to side. Maggie whispered soothing word to the semiconscious Delilah. It was so heart- wrenching, Brooklyn moved to help them. "Stop! Don't come any closer!" Maggie said imperiously. "We don't know what it is. It could be contagious to gargoyles," Talon spoke sensibly, a restraining arm on Brooklyn's shoulder.. "But whatever it is, mutates and humans aren't effected," a woman, emerged from behind the screen where Brentwood and Burbank lay on gurney beds. "How do you know?" Brooklyn asked. "Maggie and I have helped them since they got sick. Neither of us have shown signs of illness." The woman checked something off on a clipboard. "Who are you?" Brooklyn challenged. "Brooklyn, this is our doctor, Maxine Brown," Talon introduced her. "Premed, actually, but I know enough to help when I can," Maxine smiled. She was a black woman with high cheek bones and jet black eyes, really quite fetching. "Thank you, for helping them." Brooklyn couldn't help admiring her. "It's been an honor." Maxine took off her medical gloves, "It gives me a chance to study gargoyle physiology. How many can say that?" "Have you? Said so, I mean?" Brooklyn asked suddenly fearful. "No," Maxine sounded slightly downcast, "Talon reminded me that patient-client confidentiality extends to one's species." "What do you know so far?" Talon asked. "Only the apparent symptoms," Maxine pointed to Hollywood, "He been foaming at the mouth. Malibu's body is emaciated, looks like his body's eating the muscle tissue. Delilah's eyes and skin are pale, possibly anemia. Brentwood suffers from black outs. And Burbank's skin is remains stone is patches. "Since they all came down with these symptoms at the same, I suspect it's the same problem, but I all I have are guesses. Brooklyn, might I give you a physical?" Brooklyn was a little stunned, by her abrupt change in subject, "What? Why?" "No one's documented a gargoyle's health before. I'm flying blind here. With a healthy gargoyle's life signs as a baseline, I'll be able to measure what's happening with the others. I promise I won't be intrusive, just take a little blood." "If it will help the others, of course," Brooklyn agreed. "Just don't ask me to turn my head and cough." Maxine left Maggie to care for the clones. Maxine scrubbed up and changed clothes, taking all the necessary precautions. She and Brooklyn went to a utility closet. Maxine took a few blood samples, measured his heart beat and blood pressure. "You know this is sort of spooky?" Maxine idly chattered as she labeled her fifth vial of blood. "What? Working on a gargoyle?" Brooklyn asked. He had to keep the sneer out of his voice. It still bugged him that humans didn't accept them. "No, a clone. Haven't you seen the news? Scientists in Scotland cloned a sheep. My Bioethics class has been debating the issue for a week. To them, it's an ethical dilemma. It's quite a different feeling when you're in the thick of it." "So what have they been saying?" Brooklyn asked in a more congenial tone. "Most of it centered around using tissue from the clone to help the original, like you and Malibu. You, two, are identical. It might be possible to fix what's wrong with him with some of your tissue." Maxine was about to stick him with another syringe to draw blood. Brooklyn reflexively pulled away. "Sorry, but I'd like to keep my insides inside, if you don't mind." Maxine shrugged, "First, let's find out what's wrong with them. We can hold off on the Dr. Frankenstein stuff for another day. That should be it." Maxine taped some gauze where she drew blood. Brooklyn flexed is arm, feeling a little sore. He noticed she was checking him out. She must think he was trying to impress her. Brooklyn and Maxine's eyes, they quickly looked away. She immediately busied herself labeling the vials of blood. "Will this turn to stone?" she asked in a clinical manner. Brooklyn had to think a moment, "I don't know, never been around past sunrise to see. I guess it would and probably stay stone, too. Then again, Thailog was able to clone us using our blood. It had to remain real somehow." "I'll have to work fast. Can you stay? I may have some questions later." "Sure." Brooklyn didn't mention how much he wanted to stay. Finally, he had an adventure. The premed took the samples to the microscope and centrifuge in the infirmary. Claw brought Brooklyn some dinner and they waited for Maxine's results. An hour passed, before Maxine emerged from behind the curtain looking perplexed, "Brooklyn, how old are you?" "A thousand and forty, give or take a year," Brooklyn replied deadpan. He got shocked glances from Maggie, Claw and Maxine. Talon, who knew the story, wasn't surprised. "I know I don't look a day over one hundred." Brooklyn joked. "Seriously," Maxine rebuked him. "Minus a millennium in magic slumber, I'd say about forty human years." Maxine turned to Talon, "How old would you say the clones are?" "No older than a year, probably closer to six or seven months. Why?" "Odd. In comparison, Malibu's blood cells are twice as old as Brooklyn." "What?" They said in unison, "How?" "It has to do with the ratio of platelets, to red and white blood cells. But if I didn't know their ages, I'd say Malibu was the older gargoyle." "Is this why, they're sick?" Maggie asked. "I don't know. All I know is that it isn't a pathogen, neither a virus nor a bacteria. I wish I knew more, but I'm reaching the edge of my medical expertise." Brooklyn rubbed his chin in thought, "I'll talk to Goliath, see what we can do." After a quick good-bye, the red gargoyle hurried out of the Labyrinth, into the snowy night. Cloud Forest, Honduras; March 4, 1997 It was morning. Even this early, the day was oppressively hot. The sun beat down and the moisture rose up creating a muggy atmosphere that irritated the gargoyles. Sapphiro and Obsidiana scanned the forest from their mid-canopy perch. They were far from the Green, looking for danger. For weeks, they spotted bird and creature fleeing northward. Far to early for the migrations and definitely the wrong direction to avoid the clear cutting. Something to the south was more terrifying to the creatures than men with buzzsaws and bulldozers. Sapphiro decided to assess this threat before it was at their home. Obsidiana went with him. Neither felt right about leaving the Green unprotected. Old memories of their clan's slaughter haunted them. But they had to take this risk, to prevent a greater one and neither would let the other go alone. "Augghhh," a human screamed followed by an ear-piercing shriek. Sapphiro and Obsidiana looked at each other, then flew from their trees. They found a campsite in ruins. Pots, provisions, and gear lay strewn about. Sapphiro crouched to the ground, inspecting the site. "Something was dragged, a body," he reported grimly. "Jaguar?" Obsidiana stood behind him. Sapphiro shook his head, "No. The tracks are two legged, upright." "Guerillas?" Sapphiro shook his head again, "There's something strange about the tracks, something off. Anyway look around, men would take things of value, the canteen, the food, the devices. If these are humans, they aren't like any we've encountered." "So what could it be?" Obsidiana asked, picked up a laptop computer. "I wish I knew." Sapphiro said gravely. New York; March 4, 1997 The following evening, the gargoyles awoke to a surprise. Xanatos was waiting for them in the Great Hall with a guest. "Goliath, may I present Dr. Quintina Reilly." Xanatos said with charm, "I understand you have need for a geneticist." "How did you find out about that?" Brooklyn asked. Xanatos pointed to the cameras inconspicuously placed in the dark corners and above the doorways. "Same old Xanatos," Brooklyn mumbled to Broadway and Lex. Xanatos ignored the jibe, "Dr. Reilly has been working on the mutates problem for some time." "How long?" Hudson asked suspiciously. "Since your return to the castle." Xanatos answered. "I understand that this isn't about the mutates, but gargoyle clones?" Dr. Reilly spoke with a slight English lilt. She was an imperious red-head in her mid to late twenties. She wore a light blue smock over a blouse and jeans. "Shall we go?" "Wait a minute," Broadway interrupted, "Why should we trust you? What are you're credentials? There's a lot we've got to get straight before we put the clones at her mercy." "I'm sorry, I thought time was of the essence." Dr. Reilly shot back, "Which will it be? Twenty questions to prove my good intentions? Or shall we get to these patients while they are still breathing?" Her brisk manner didn't endear her to the clan, but her logic was razor sharp. They didn't have time to argue. Talon greeted his friends warmly, but the stranger, he viewed with suspicion. Goliath was about to introduce her, but she took the initiative. "Dr. Quintina V. Reilly," she presented herself, "Mr. Xanatos said you had some genetics problem. I'm here to solve them." "Genetics problems," Talon growled, "That's putting it mildly." "Don't I know you from somewhere?" Maggie eyed the young woman. "Unless you graduated magna cum laude at John Hopkins, I doubt it," Dr. Reilly answered quickly, getting down to business. "Mr. Xanatos has told me about the situation. I'd like to see the patients now." If Talon was taken aback by her take-charge manner, he didn't show it. He lead the party to the infirmary, pulling back the curtain. All were stunned at the sight of the ailing clones. For the trio, it was like looking into a gruesome mirror. Angela felt moved for all the clones, but more so for Delilah. Maxine, Maggie and Claw tended the sick. Maggie gave a slight shake of the head. Maxine helped Burbank through a fit of convulsions. When Hudson's clone subsided from the seizure, she came to the gargoyles waiting at the end of the tunnel. "It's all right. There's no sign of contagion. It isn't catching." Maxine reassured them. "Excuse me, miss. Who are you?" Quintina asked in a bossy manner. "I'm the physician tending these people," Maxine got defensive. "And what is your expertise in this matter?" Reilly persisted. "My expertise? I'm premed," Maxine looked to Talon for an explanation. "I don't have time to argue this. You can stay as my assistant provided your remain useful." Reilly pushed Maxine aside, continuing to the ailing clones. "Oh no, YOU DID NOT!" Maxine moved in front of Quintina, standing in her face. In a very calm, very low, very dnagerous voice she told Quintina how it was going to be. "These people are my patients, understand. Their care comes first. So, I'm going to be here come hell or high water. My *expertise* is four days more experience than yours. That makes me the man in charge. You may stay as my assistant," Maxine returned to her patients. She looked over her shoulder. "Provide *you* remain useful," she added. Reilly was going to argue it, but Goliath put a restraining hand on her shoulder, "Right now, the gargoyles are our main concern." Dr. Reilly nodded and followed Maxine. Talon turned to Elisa. "Charming lady, where did you find her?" " Xanatos," Elisa answered, "He promises she's the best geneticist aside from Sevarius." "When did you start believing Mr. Snidely Whiplash?" Derek asked coldly. "Since he saved Goliath and the others from being hunted down like animals." Elisa faced her brother, "That doesn't erase what's passed between us, but right now we need his help for them and for you." Almost on cue, Hollywood flew into a coughing fit, spitting up more green foam and Brentwood began shaking in his comatose state. The account between Talon and Xanatos would be settled another time. Right now, there were those in deeper need. Cloud Forest, Honduras; March 4, 1997 Dark had fallen. So did the temperature, but not the moisture. The high humidity broke in frequent shower in the highland rainforest. Obsidiana and Sapphiro waited out the small deluge on the ground, avoiding most of the precipitation. After their discovery, this morning, they searched the entire area, finding nothing. They debated about returning to the Green. "Whatever it is could miss the Green," Obsidiana argued, "One pryamid is easy to miss in a vast jungle." "And if it doesn't?" Sapphiro returned. "We thought it was something big, like a fire or more cutting. We haven't seen anything like that. It's not a threat to the Green." Sapphiro shook his head, "I want to believe that to, but if we're wrong we put everything at risk." "We put the Green at risk being this far away," Obsidiana shot back, "The hills and forest are vast, we can spend the next ten years searching and find nothing. Please Sapphiro, lets go home." The rain stopped and silence filled the forest. That caught their attention. The forest was always with sounds, especially at night. Both gargoyles stood up. They heard low, heavy breathing. It came from the brush just ahead of them. A second rumbling came from the left, then another off to the right. When the fifth rumbling came from behind them, they saw the bushes shake. Whatever it was, it had friends. Only two, the gargoyles didn't want combat. They sprang to the air, claws sinking into tree trunks. Sapphiro and Obsidiana climbed a little higher to the sturdy limbs. Suddenly the limb shook, whatever stalked them jumped the twenty feet to their limb. They heard a hiss, but saw nothing. Obsidiana and Sapphiro took wing, leaving the predators behind. As they fled, Sapphiro's question was mirrored in Obsidiana's face: What, in the world, was that? New York City; March 4, 1997 The gargoyles, mutates and Elisa waited in the subway station for the doctors' return. A couple of hours passed before Quintina and Maxine emerged from the infirmary. Reilly had a triumphant smile on her lips, while Maxine looked troubled. "The clones are dying," Reilly made her diagnosis, like it was a stunning revelation. "We know that!" Broadway growled. "From what?" Goliath asked quickly. "Progressive systemic failure," Quintina answered. Quintina got blank stares all around. Maxine explained further. "Their bodies are shutting down system by system. Like in Delilah's case, her circulatory system is breaking down. With Hollywood, it's his nervous system. And so on." "This looks like Sevarius work," Reilly commented, "He's the only one with this kind of success in cloning. The poor quality escapes me though." "What do you mean?" Brooklyn asked before the others. "This a design flaw. That's causing the trouble. There are lingering e. coli counts that shouldn't be and alterations to the p45 gene causing excess lysine production." "Mind translating that into English," Elisa and Talon demanded. Reilly snorted, muttering under her breath, "Thintelligent louts." Maxine explained, "When you clone a cell, you make a copy, but that copy still follows the life cycle. If I cloned myself, the clone would take twenty-five years to get to my point of maturity today. Going through the same cycles of growth; infancy, childhood, adolescence, that I went through. These clones are different. Barely a year old, they're biologically older than all of you." "Exactly," Dr. Reilly rejoined in the conversation, "Sevarius tinkered with genes to coax a quicker growth rate, but the most successful methods would only halve the time. He did something else to the cells, achieving adulthood in days and weeks instead of years. But there is a price, a heavy price. These alterations don't correct themselves. The clones are continuing to grow at an accelerated rate." "That's why they're suffering," Maxine concluded, "Their bodies are aging, racing towards death." Everyone was silent for a moment, letting this news sink in. This was a lot of genetics to cram into one night. "The shoddiness is a mystery to me." Dr. Reilly said to herself, "At most, these clones would live a year and that's overly optimistic. Why create something just to have it die?" "Thailog created them to get rid of us. After that he could care less about what happened to them," Broadway answered. "But can it be fixed?" Lex persisted. "This not a computer, gargoyle," Reilly spoke condescendingly, "For me to do anything, I'll need to know what method was used, everything Sevarius did to 'enhance' them. Otherwise, I might kill them. Right now, all I can guarantee is a couple of weeks for them." "What about injecting the clones with an extract of their DNA?" Maxine pointed at the originals. Reilly thought about it for a minute, "Possible, but doubtful. The extract might slow the disorder by rewriting the DNA. But it is so progressive those changes won't hold. It won't cure them. What we need is Sevarius." Silence fell over the group. "Some good news," Maxine interjected to stop the pall falling over them. "Their time in stone doesn't count. The disease doesn't progress while their statues. In fact, their stone slumber might push the disease back a little bit. There is a good chance that they'll survive whatever treatment we find for them." "If we find one," Dr. Reilly mumbled. "Way to keep a positive attitude," Maxine responded sarcastically. Sentiments shared by Brooklyn. "I'm just being realistic," Quintina argued, "Under ideal conditions, yes, we might be able put something together in a year, but we don't have the time. We can't do a year's worth of research in two weeks." Brooklyn's head lifted up, "Unless?" "Unless what Brooklyn?" Angela prompted him. "Avalon," Brooklyn answered. A look of hope and understanding lit Angela, Elisa and Goliath's faces in a sea of bewilderment from the others. "What does California have to do with anything?" Reilly asked. "If they went to Avalon, two weeks would become a year," Brooklyn explained to Goliath. "True, but how would we get word back and forth from there? Assuming Avalon sends us straight back instead of around the world." "I'll go with them," Brooklyn offered impulsively. "No one's going anywhere!" Reilly ordered. "These clones aren't fit to travel any distance." "I have to agree with her," Maxine backed her up, "The clones stay." "What about when they're stone? You said the illness doesn't count then." Brooklyn argued softly. He started to explain, but Goliath spoke first. "Right now, finding Sevarius comes first," Goliath took command of the situation, "Lexington, Angela, go back to the castle. Tell Hudson what's happened and use the computers to find Sevarius' whereabouts. Brooklyn, Broadway take patrol tonight. I know you want to help the clones, but we can't abandoned our duties. Report with Elisa every hour. You'll be on duty tonight?" "In 45 minutes," Elisa nodded. "Talon, feel like revisiting a crime scene?" Goliath asked. "The old amusement park?" Talon guessed, "Sounds interesting. Maggie, Claw, see to the doctors' needs. We'll be back as soon as possible." Everyone knew what to do, they all crowded the tunnel to street level. Elisa tugged Goliath's shoulder. "I'll see what Matt and I can dig up," she offered. "Thank you, Elisa," but Goliath looked troubled. "What's wrong?" she asked. "I was wondering. If this is happening to the clones, what about Thailog?" "What about him?" Elisa sounded rather cold-blooded, "He's a manipulative monster who nearly killed us a couple of times. Besides, you said he died in that amusement park fire." "But we saw him die before on that oil rig fire. He survived. Remember, Thailog always has a contingency." "Well if he's alive, he's probably sipping a cure even as we speak. Thailog's the least of our worries." But Elisa knew that Goliath still harbored some hope for Thailog. That he can turn him toward good. Just like he held out love for Demona. It was one of things that infuriated her about him, but also made his love so enduring. Elisa knew Goliath would love her no matter what. She felt incredibly luck for that. Impulsively, she hugged him fiercely. Goliath was a bit stunned, but he returned the embrace. All under Talon's watchful gaze. Goliath squirmed a bit, then gently untangled Elisa from him. "You'd better get to work?" Goliath whispered to her. With a fond smile, Elisa hurried to join the clan facing the cold. Talon and Goliath flew in the crisp late winter air. The snow stopped earlier in the midday. The sun melted all but the heavy drifts. Talon glided close to Goliath. "I see you and my sister have become very close," he blurted out. Goliath couldn't gauge from his voice whether he approved of the match or not. "Yes, we are," Goliath returned in his own neutral tone. "Don't worry," Talon smiled, "I haven't known you long Goliath, but I do know you're a good man, . . er . gargoyle, with a good heart. I know you'd never hurt Elisa." Goliath felt honored by the trust exhibited by Derek. He vowed to himself to be worthy of the trust. That settled, they approached the charred remains of the Oceanside amusement park. The arson report claimed that vandals came into the park and torched it. Little evidence of their battle remained. The Fun house that served as Thailog's base of operation was charcoal. "The tunnels underneath might still be intact," Goliath ventured. They began digging, soon finding an entrance. Goliath's eyes lit up in the darkness and Talon lifted his hand. The small charge dancing between his fingers added more light to the darkness. They followed the entrance to the torture chamber. Talon and Goliath took other passages, but they all lead back to torture chamber. "I think this is a dead end," Talon grumbled, returning to the torture chamber a the third time. Goliath sighed, "I think you're right." Goliath tapped on the walls. This worked in Broadway's movies. A hidden passage sounded hollow." Talon shook his head, "This was just a trap. We might as well head back." Goliath continued rapping, "No, Delilah emerged from a concealed passage. It should be close by." Finally, he found it. Not a hollow sound he expected, but one of solid metal. Not a problem for the massive gargoyle. Goliath dug his talons into the foot of the door. He lifted the door, jamming it in the ceiling slot. True to Goliath's suspicion, the passage led to a control room. A bank of monitors lay dark. Levers and buttons filled every console in the room. Many operated the lights, rides and traps. The only thing out of place was a laptop computer. Talon picked it up and began searching through the files. "Nothing intriguing yet," he said absently, tapping away at the miniature keyboard, "Thailog's also the CEO of Nightstone Industry, if that means anything to you." "How do you know?" Goliath was impressed. Derek turned the laptop around showing the Nightstone logo and the name Alexander Thailog, CEO emblazoned in gold in the lower corner. "I'm impressed," Goliath commented, "You're as good a detective as Elisa." "Runs in the family," Derek smiled, "Wait, here now. This is shows Sevarius working for Thailog. He has him on the bankroll. Hardly news, but now we have proof. I can't find anything useful about the clones. He just marked the day he caught us as the 'Reckoning'." "Does it say where he'll be today?" "No, he only planned for that week," Talon shook his head, "I'll take it back to the Labyrinth, go through it file by file, maybe I can find something else." "Do what you can. I'll send Lexington when he's finished at the castle." The two leaders departed from Oceanside, one heading to a castle in the sky, the other to his in the earth. "What do you mean, 'he's dead'?" Lex shouted in whispers, mindful of Alex playing at Xanatos feet. "I mean Dr. Sevarius is dead. I have the field report from Honduras right here. Two rangers found the remains of his camp. The doctor met an untimely end from some jungle predator," Xanatos explained calmly. Owen offered the report. Lex began leafing through it. "Why was he down there? I thought you had him working on a cure for the mutates?" Hudson asked pointedly. "Dr. Sevarius is a temperamental sort. I have to keep him in a good mood or he might whip up a batch of poison for the mutates instead of a cure," Xanatos brought up that memory to convince Lex and Hudson of the working conditions of the geneticist. "I offered him help, but this time he refused the mercenaries. Rest assure, Dr. Quintina Reilly is the best geneticists on the planet. She'll find a cure." "Yeah, right," Lexington muttered. "If you doubt my intentions, then ask Dr. Reilly to leave." Xanatos challenged. "You know we can't do that." Lex argued. "Then take the help offered," Xanatos looked to Owen, who opened the door. When Lexington and Hudson left, Xanatos turned to Owen who just entered the room. "Call Dr. Reilly, tell her to keep with this case. It's her number one priority now." "I think she'll disagree with you, sir," Owen informed his employer. "Then tell her, that the gargoyles will lead her to Sevarius. That should be all the incentive she needs." "And what are her orders concerning these gargoyle clones?" Owen asked. "Treat them as best she can, but don't use any extreme measures to save them," Xanatos dictated his orders. Owen left the office to make his call. Xanatos looked into Alex's shining face and sighed. "It's time to draw this genetics business to a close." -TO BE CONTINUED . . .