Chapter 9


Construction site: Mid-Town


	Things had gone from bad to worse since Goliath, Hudson, and 
Brooklyn had tried to stop what appeared at first to be a raid on
the demolition tools and explosives stored at a building site under
construction. They arrived to see a pair of security guards shooting
it out with a trio of robbers, but when the Gargoyles swooped down to
lend a helping hand to the outnumbered guards..the five men turned 
as one and opened fire on them. They tried to make their way to higher
ground to take flight, but were stopped by laser fire from quarrymen,
once hidden but who now seemed to spring from all directions! Now
crouched down between a protective barrier of stacked steel beams, 
Goliath tried to use his communicator only to have it damaged by a
stray shot.

	"I think we walked right into a trap lads," Hudson said as he
ducked from another volley of fire.
	"Gee, ya really think so?" Brooklyn commented as more laser
fire raked their position. "What makes you say that?"
	"Hudson, come help me with these beams," said Goliath as he 
hefted on of the steel girders like a javelin. "Brooklyn, use your
communicator to send for the others."
	Brooklyn watched as Goliath and Hudson threw the girders, 
scattering the Quarryman then looked at the limited supply of them.
"I only hope help arrives before our ammo runs out," he said and
sent out a general call for help.


Castle Wyvern: Great Hall

	Owen, who usually looked the model of calm, came into the hall
with a worried look on him. Bronx sensed something was wrong at once
and began to whine.
	"What's up Owen?" Argent asked.
	"I'm afraid we've picked up a rather disturbing transmission 
from Brooklyn. It seems the he; Goliath and Hudson have been ambushed
by a large contingent of Quarryman, and are pinned down by laser fire.
They require immediate aid."
	Both Argent and Delilah were up and moving at once, with Bronx
right behind them..but Argent stopped short and turned. "Are you going
to be alright here by yourself Owen? It's just you, Alex and the staff
here tonight."
	"No need to worry, the new security measures are being put in
place as we speak, and I can look after young master Alex, but thank
you for asking."
	Argent nodded, and the three of them resumed speed to the 
outside. Once at the wall, Argent bent down and picked up Bronx and
took flight towards Mid-Town with Delilah at his side. He reached down
with his free hand and activated his communicator. "Hang on guys..the
calvary is on it's way!"


High over the City:

	"You guys hear that?" asked Lex as he glided closer to Angela
and Broadway. "Brooklyn came thru all right, so that means that they're
O.K. for the moment..Goliath's communicator was damaged."
	"Let's hurry!" Angela said.
	"Yeah!" Broadway voiced. "The sooner we get there, the sooner
we'll kick some Quarrymen butts!"
	"I just hope there aren't any more surprises tonight," Lex said
as he cinched the straps holding his lap-top to his body, and hurried 
to catch up with Angela and Broadway.


In the Labyrinth:

	Brooklyn's call for help had been picked up by the Mutates.
Maggie and Derek looked at each other.
	"We have to go and help them, but we can't leave the Labyrinth
unguarded," Derek said. "What if Sevarius's new Hunter comes down here
while we're away?" Derek gestured to the men, women, and children that
called the labyrinth home. "There's no way they could tackle anything
like that by themselves!"
	"You two go and help, I'll stay here and watch things," Claw
told them with his new communicator voice that Lex had given him.
	Maggie looked surprised, as did Derek. Usually Claw was not 
one for volunteering..or for being confrontational but with the voice
that Lex had given him also came a new confidence as well.
	"Are you sure?" Maggie asked him.
	Claw nodded, and typed out a message on his keypad once more.
"Absolutely, you two go..and if I need help I'll give a shout."
	Maggie and Derek grinned for a moment as they turned and ran
down a side tunnel to the nearest surface access, and took wing.


Near the Construction Site: Mid-Town.

	Elisa and Matt pulled up to the police barricade a block from
the battle. They had both heard the call for help that Brooklyn had
made. She sprinted over to the nearest uniformed officer and flashed
her badge. "Maza, Detective. You're going to have to move that barricade.
My partner and I need to get thru."
	The officer looked at her as though she were insane. "The Quarrymen
are using heavy weapons, and slugging it out with a bunch of Gargoyles
and you *Want* to go in? We have orders to hang back and wait for the
special weapons unit."
	"They're tied up with a robbery turned hostage situation across 
town," Matt said from Elisa's car. "They won't be here for a while..now
do what she said and move the barricade!"
	"Whatever you say," the officer said while moving the obstruction
to one side. "But I still think you're both crazy."
	"It's all part of the job," Elisa told him. ""To protect and serve..
no matter what." She got back in her car, and speed toward the sound of 
laser-fire.


Construction Site:

	
	The supply of steel girders that Hudson, Goliath, and Brooklyn
were using to hold the Quarrymen at bay was slowly dwindling.
	"I hope that help gets here soon lads," Hudson said as he heaved
another steel missile towards the attackers. "We'll be running out of
cover..and ammunition soon."
	Brooklyn ducked from another volley of laser fire, and threw
his girder towards the firing Quarrymen. "At least it can't get any
worse," he muttered..but before he could say anything more he seemed to
be lifted off of his feet and thrown out into the open by something
unseen.
	Hudson tired to leap to aid the young Gargoyle, but was downed
in mid-jump and tossed next to the still dazed Brooklyn. Goliath reacted
quickly and took a defensive position, but blows seemed to rain down on
him from every direction until he too was tossed out into the open
with his comrades. The Quarryman quickly surrounded the trio.
	The Quarrymen team leader stepped forward, and lowered the muzzle
of his laser rifle to where it pointed directly at Goliath's chest.
"Looks like our secret weapon worked out better than we hoped..all right
Bloodwulf you can come out now."
	A blue corona of light flared near the rear of the group, and as
it faded a tall figure walked towards them. The gathered Quarrymen parted
to let the figure thru, and the surrounded trio star were shocked to
see an almost familiar figure step forward. The reddish furred head
bent down towards Brooklyn and snarled at him. "I guess you were wrong
about it not getting any worse..eh?"
	Goliath looked at the creature that the Quarrymen had called
Bloodwulf. Except for his coloring and eyes, he was and exact double
of Argent. He couldn't fathom how, or why Bloodwulf came to be working
for the Quarrymen, but he knew he had to stall for time until help
arrived. He tried to get up into a crouching position to spring, only
to have his feet kicked out from under him by Bloodwulf.
	"I really wouldn't try that again if I were you," the lead
Quarryman said smugly. "Bloodwulf is much stronger, and faster 
than you are Goliath." He smiled at the trio and walked over to stand
near Bloodwulf. "He really is an amazing creature isn't he, and unlike
the one that seems to attached itself to you and the rest of your
freaks..he's finished, and completely loyal to humans as he was
meant to be."
	"What do you mean by..finished?" Goliath asked.
	"I suppose it won't do any harm to tell you, since you will be
dead in a moment," the team leader said with all the arrogance and
confidence he could muster. "Our new benefactress, Ms. Dominique Destine,
has given us the loan of this finished creation of hers to destroy you
Gargoyles..but to also track down her missing prototype as well." He
reached up and patted Bloodwulf's shoulder. "And after he finishes you
and your friends off, I'm thinking of negotiating with Ms. Destine for
either the further use of her furry bodyguard..or the creation of
another one specifically for our use to hunt down the rest of you and
your kind."
	Goliath and the others looked shocked, because they knew that
Dominique Destine was the name that Demona used while in her human form.
They wondered could Demona hate Goliath and the rest of the clan *that* 
much to ally herself with the Quarrymen?
	"All right, enough talking," the Quarrymen team leader turned
to Bloodwulf. "Carry out your orders..kill them!"
	Bloodwulf's eyes glowed with a killing lust the likes of which
none of the Gargoyles had seen before. He raised his hand, which
now glowed with energy that would destroy it's intended target. "Oh,
don't worry little man I intend to carry out my orders..in full!"
The blast from his hand lit up the night around them, but instead of
destroying the Gargoyles..it struck the Quarrymen's weapons melting
circuits and rendering them useless. He then reached out and grabbed the
Quarrymen leader by the throat, and lifted him off his feet!
	"What are you doing?" gurgled the Team leader while beating
hopelessly at the inhumanly strong grip that held him.
	Bloodwulf smiled grimly. "Just following my mistress's orders..
filthy human!" Bloodwulf's jaws opened wide, and in an instant he
tore the Quarrymen's throat wide open..and then vanished in a flash!
The other Quarrymen tried to run, but the invisible killing machine
among them struck each one down one by one. None of them escaped!
	Goliath, Hudson, and Brooklyn were astonished at the carnage
Bloodwulf wrought, but before they could try and move a single laser
blast from above stopped them. As they looked up they saw the familiar
figure of Demona..stepping out from the shadows in the interior of
the building under construction while cradling her weapon.
	Goliath could hardly contain his rage as he looked up at his
former love. "You caused this to happen? You planned to capture us..
but slaughtered the Quarrymen instead, in God's name why?"
	"In God's name?" Demona mocked back. "Oh Goliath you sound
more like a human every day! This wasn't about capturing you, there's
no need for that because by sundown tomorrow every human in the city
will be hunting you and your clan down. When the police get here
they will find the bodies of all these Quarrymen, and assume that
you killed them all while fighting. Even your precious P.I.T. group
won't come to your aide because you and your clan, who have vowed to
protect life, will be labeled killers!" Her eyes blazed red. "All the
people that you've helped, all the lives you've saved will be quickly
forgotten once they see the brutal way that these humans died tonight
and you will take the blame!" A sound from above drew her eyes
skywards. "Ah..it looks like more company has arrived."
	Delilah and Argent landed next to the trio. As Argent put
Bronx down his eyes roamed the blood strewn ground. Delilah looked
horrified! "What happened?" she asked.
	"Demona had the Quarrymen killed here tonight so that we
would be blamed," Goliath told her. "Her new warrior killed them
all before we could stop him."
	Argent looked around, his nostrils flared as he picked up
a scent. "It's him isn't it? The other one that Sevarius made..he's
her warrior isn't he?"
	Goliath nodded.
	Argent sighed. "You and the others go..I'll stay here and
let the police take me. I'll confess to killing the Quarrymen, and
tell them you tried to stop me."
	"No!" Delilah said. She reached out and took his hand. "The
police will take you away from us..from me!"
	"How touching!" Demona spat. "Thailog's little play-toy 
cares for you Argent. But she's right..I can't allow the police
to take you I have other plans. Bloodwulf Now!"
	Delilah cried out as she was lifted off her feet and carried
into the building superstructure by Bloodwulf. Argent and the Gargoyles
went after her but were stopped when a laser grid sprang to life around
the building, closing it off to outside access.
	"If you want to get the little play-toy back Argent, only you
may enter," Demona commanded. "I'll open a way in only for you, if
anyone else tries to enter I'll order him to kill her."
	"You can't trust her!" Brooklyn said as his eyes glowed in
anger. "She'll have him kill both of you!"
	Argent looked at his friends. "I have no choice. Promise 
that if anything happens to me that you'll try to save Delilah..and
to look after Tammy?"
	"We will look after her..always my friend," vowed Goliath.
	Argent took a deep breath, then walked towards the laser
grid, and as a space opened for him to enter he wondered if he would
ever leave.


High above the Construction Site:

	"Look, there they are!" cried Angela while diving towards
Goliath and the group.
	"Angela, wait!" Broadway called after her but ended up
following her down.
	Lexington looked at the half-finished building while gliding
in. He noticed the laser grid that sealed off the building, and saw
the grim expressions on the faces of Goliath, Hudson, and Brooklyn.
"I have a bad feeling about this."


On the Construction Site ground:

	"Father!" Angela rushed into Goliath's arms. "When the communicator
stopped we thought you..." It was then that Angela saw the corpses of
the fallen Quarrymen, she gasped and look up at her father. "What
happened!"
	"The Quarrymen had sought to trap us here, and would have
succeeded but Demona somehow deceived them into thinking that they had
control over Sevarius's new creation," he explained.
	"You mean Bloodwulf is here?" Broadway asked while looking
around.
	"Aye, that is what Demona called him. A nasty beast to be sure,
but how did ye know his name lad?" asked Hudson.
	Broadway shot Lex a "help me out" look.
	"Well..we kinda thought..I mean we tried to..." Lex looked to
Angela for help.
	"We went to one of the Bio-Med Labs offices, and Lex used his 
computer to connect to something called the *main-frame* to search for
any information that might be useful," Angela said. "He came across
the name Bloodwulf, and when he opened the file we saw that it was
another Argent..so he copied the information he thought might help us
find him."
	Goliath gave the trio a stern look. "We'll talk about your
actions later," he looked back at the building.
	"That's if there is a later," Brooklyn said.
	"Why?" Lex asked.
	"Bloodwulf carried Delilah in there," Brooklyn told him.
"Demona let Argent inside to try and if any of us try to help him
she's going to kill her."
	Lex looked up at the building. "I knew I had a bad feeling
about this!"