The Mirror Cracked A Gargoyles Fan Fiction By Russell R. Grannis russellg@primenet.com Gargoyles and all related characters, except for Argent, are owned by Buena Vista & Disney.**Warning...there is some adult language, situations, and violence.** This takes place a few months after "The Human Element" story that I wrote earlier, and is set in The Goliath Chronicles Universe. Chapter 1 Two figures wing their way across the nighttime sky unseen by those who live and work below. "Quiet night tonight," said Angela to Broadway, who was gliding close to her. "Yea, we'll get a brake and get some time to spend by ourselves tonight." He reached out and took her hand. Angela smiled at the thought, and was about to voice similar feelings when... "Help! Someone please help me!" Both of them turned sharply at the sound of someone in need. "I guess we'll have to pick up that thought later," Broadway said, and with Angela by his side he dove for the street below where the cry for help came from. They both landed cautiously on the side street. "I don't like the feel of this," Broadway whispered. Angela looked around for the source of the cry, but could see no one. "This is very odd." She turned to Broadway. "Perhaps whoever was causing trouble saw us descend and ran off." Broadway looked unconvinced. "This feels too much like a set up to me." Angela looked puzzled. "A set-up?" "What your boyfriend means is a trap..and he's right!" a voice called out from the dark. "Get them!" Men in dark uniforms with hoods on came out from their hiding places, and surrounded the pair of gargoyles. "Quarrymen!" growled Broadway. He and Angela stood back to back, ready to face any coming assault. He reached for his tiny cell-phone, but all he got was a wave of static. "You won't be calling anyone for help monster!" the nearest Quarryman said. "We're jamming all signals in a one block radius just to be sure we aren't interrupted." A sudden noise, followed by a buzzing sound made them look up for a moment. Above them, stretched between two buildings, was a glowing net. "Just so you don't get any ideas about trying to glide away," said another Quarryman. "I'll hold them off while you try and get away," urged Broadway. "No!" Angela's eyes flared bright red. "If they want a fight, we'll both give them one!" "Fire!" A sharp command was given, and twin cables shot out from weapons. They wrapped around Broadway and Angela, rendering them immobile. They both tried to struggle but the cables would not give. "Those were made to hold your leader Goliath, so I'm sure they'll hold even you!" The Quarrymen began to move in. One of then reached out and stroked Angela's cheek. She hissed and made him step back for only a moment. "This one might be fun to keep alive a bit longer than the other one," he said. His hand trailed down her front and over the swell of her breasts. "She's somewhat attractive, for a monster." "Don't you dare touch her!" Broadway raged, his eyes glowing with white hot fury. The Quarrymen just laughed at his outburst. "I think it might be fun to make him watch while we get to know his girlfriend better," said the one still touching Angela. She tried to resist, but was knocked to the ground where she was quickly surrounded by a small group of Quarrymen. "After all she's not human, so what's the harm." High on a nearby building, Demona had been watching as the pair had fallen into the trap set by the Quarrymen. She had taken great care to set this situation up in advance knowing their general patrol route. All it took was a visit to the Quarrymen's headquarters in, in her day-time form as Dominique Destine, where she then gave them the information on where they would be able to bag two Gargoyles. Of course she had no intention of letting her daughter come to any lasting harm. What happened to Broadway was incidental, but just at the right moment she would swoop down and save her daughter from the humans. Thereby gaining her trust and if they killed her chosen one, Broadway, so much the better. She would then be able to use Angela's rage over his loss against Goliath, and take her away from him and the other human-loving members of his clan. As she watched the scene play out below, her grip on the stone beneath her fingers tightened as she witnessed one of the humans touch her own daughter in a way that no human would ever dare touch her! She marked that one to die first and picked up her laser rifle, priming it for action. She was about to launch herself at the humans below when the net above the street suddenly ripped away, carrying with it the humans who had secured it. The netting fell, as if directed to, into an alley. The Quarrymen that held on for dear life were dumped into a very large pile of trash, and became entagled in the netting. Demona then watched in rapt fascination as one by one, the Quarymen that were gathered around her daughter were felled by some unseen force. She wondered for a moment if Angela had somehow learned the art of magic, as she once did under the Archmage, and had cast some spell at her attackers..but she realized that with her hands bound Angela could never have done any such casting and that Goliath would never allow her to study magic. She brought the scope on her laser cannon up to watch more closely, just as a bule flash appeared between the two bound gargoyles and the fallen Quarrymen. Demona's breath was taken away, and the Quarrymen were shocked as a very tall, and very angry looking, figure appeared before them. Grey in color, with long silver hair and wolf-like appearence, he roared at the Quarrymen and spread his huge bat-like wings out wide. With a quick turn he reached out and snapped the cables holding Broadway and Angela..then turned back towards the shaken Quarrymen. "So. You're the famous Quarrymen? The saviors who are going to rid the world of Gargoyles eh?" said the wolf-creature. "Well, I'm not a Gargoyle..but you've just attacked part of my clan..so lets see how brave all of you are now!" Demona thought as she watched. She watched as he advanced on the nearest Qarryman, who pulled out one of their energy hammers. "Argent, watch out!" Broadway yelled. "Those hammers are dangerous!" Argent watched as the hooded man activated the hammer, sparks flying from the surface. "Ooo..I'm so scared!" he barred his teeth. "Come on little man, let's see what you've got!" The hammer wielding Quarryman swung over and over again, but each time Argent moved too quickly. "All right..now it's my turn!" Argent's hands glowed, and before the startled man could run, the winged wolf let loose with a blast that sent him sprawling! Angela, Broadway, and Argent turned as one to face their opponents. "OK," Argent said, his hands still glowing with energy yet to be released. "Who's next?" The Quarrymen moved in, hammers charged. Demona watched the battle from her vantage point with great interest. She smiled with no small amount of pride as Angela slammed two of the attackers together head first, and tossed them aside. Broadway whipped his tail, knocking the weapons from one and then tossing it in the middle of three charging Quarrymen. The charge from the hammer made them jump for a few second before collapsing to the pavement. She then turned her attention towards the wolf-headed stranger that Broadway had called Argent. He was pinned down behind an abandoned car that was up on blocks. The Quarrymen were moving in, but he stepped forward and grasped the car's frame from underneath and lifted it off it's blocks! Demona was stunned, and the approaching Quarrymen halted in their tracks from this display of raw power. The hooded men turned to run just as Argent tossed the car in their direction. The force of the car hitting the street so close to then felled the group, which allowed Argent the chance to leap in the air and deliver an electrical burst that rendered then unconscious. The rest of the remaining Quarrymen turned tail and ran, dragging their injured comrades behind them. "This isn't over yet monster!" one of them yelled before getting into a waiting van. "I'll be waiting!" yelled Argent, as the van sped away. "And next time I won't go so easy on you!" He turned to Angela and Broadway. "Are both of you OK?" "I think so," Broadway said. "Just a few bumps and bruises here." He turned to Angela and put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?" Angela shivered for a moment. "That's the first time anyone's touched me..like that." She looked Broadway in the eye. "Would they really have tried to..." Broadway growled. "If they *ever* try that again, I'll make sure they have to wear those hoods all the time!" He looked back at Argent. "It's a good thing you came when you did. I thought you and Delilah were going to be at the castle tonight?" "Dee is still there. She brought Tammy with her tonight and they're camped out in the library," explained Argent. "Tammy's studying for her G.E.D. and Dee's making sure she does a good job. I got shooed out, so I thought I'd take a quick flight and maybe stop off and get some doughnuts for later." "I think we should all get back to the castle," Broadway said. "Goliath is going to want to know about the trap tonight." "All right you two head back, and I'll clean up here a little," Argent gestured at abandoned car he threw. "I can't leave that in the middle of the street. Besides, I don't want to be *anywhere* near Goliath when you tell him how those hooded morons tried to assault Angela." Broadway's face indicated that he too shared Argent's feeling. On seeing that, Angela told him that they would tell her father together. Argent watched as they climbed a nearby wall for height, and glided off towards the castle. He then turned back to the matter at hand. He walked over, and after braceing himself he Lifted the auto body once more. He placed it back in it's original spot but didn't quite make it back on to the blocks. "Well, that should be good enough, at least it's out of the street." He surveyed the damage to the street from the battle. "I wonder if the city bills those idiots for the damage?" he thought out loud. After checking to make sure the area was clear he leaped into the air, his wings spread out and flapped carrying him higher into the night sky. He then veared off slightly in order to complete his original mission. Demona watched as Argent flew away, her eyes were bright. She should have been angry that her plan to win her Daughter over had been foiled..but she wasn't. A feeling that she had long forgotten had come over her. A sense of wonder and awe at the warrior's prowess she had just witnessed. She hadn't felt this way since the first time she had seen Goliath in action. She glided back to her headquarters at Nightstone Ltd. and made plans. She would have to learn more about this Argent, much more! Chapter 2 Castle Wyvern. Inside the enormous castle library, Tammy had several books open while writing notes on a large legal pad. Her blonde head came up from being bent over while reading, and she rubbed her eyes. "That's it, I think my brain is beginning to overheat from all this studying." Seated not for away, Delilah looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at the young girl. She looked at the clock on the wall. "I suppose you can take a break for a while. You've been at it for two hours." The teenage girl got up from her seat and stretched. "Thank you O queen of the castle, for allowing me to rest my brain." She then performed a very deep bow towards Delilah, then broke out in a fit of giggles. Delilah couldn't help but join in with her. Tammy had changed greatly over the past few months from when she and Argent had first encountered her being assaulted in an alley by her pimp. They had rescued her, and Tammy had gone to live down in the Labyrinth to get off the streets. She had become very attached to Delilah, and although she complained sometimes when she had to study or do chores, they formed a very special bond..almost like family. "And here I thought there was some serious studying going on in here," Argent said as he walked thru the doorway. "Maybe I should take my bag of doughnuts, courtesy of the Perez's Doughnut King franchise, and find someone else to share them with?" The Perez family's Doughnut shop was one of his late night stops and they always welcomed him with open arms, bright smiles, as well as a bag of doughnuts to take with him. He had once saved Rosa Perez from being attacked in the park, and in return they had helped him realize that it wasn't the outer person that counted, but the inner one..after he learned just how Sevarius had created his unique body from spliced genetic materials, then put in a human brain. They had helped bring him from the depths of despair, and given him new hope for the future. Ever since then he had watched out after them, and their little shop. The local gangs had once bothered them, after their leader declared Rosa was his new *girlfriend*, but a late night visit from him at their hang-out convinced them, and anyone else to leave the Perez family and their employees alone. The word was now on the street, and everyone knew that the Perez's were watched after by someone called *El Lobo Blanco*..The Silver Wolf. Tammy stuck out her tongue at him. "Try it fur face, and I'll break your knee caps." Argent gave a look of mock-terror. "Oh no, please save me from the tiny terror of the tunnels!" Tammy giggled again, and Delilah watched as she ran over and hugged him. Tammy had also bonded well with Argent, and treated him more like and older brother or a favorite Uncle. He was always there making her laugh, and trading jibes with her when she needed cheering up. He held the a chocolate swirl doughnut just out of her reach. "Have you finished History yet?" he asked while dangling it in front of her. "Yes, and I'm halfway finished with Geography too!" she said proudly. "Well I guess that deserves..extra chocolate!" He produced another of her favorite doughnuts from the bag he carried. "All right!" Tammy pounced, and grabbed the offered treats from him. "Thank you," she said in-between mouthfulls of chocolate. "You're welcome," he replied. "And don't talk with your mouth full, it's rude." He grinned at her, then turned to Delilah. "I didn't forget this time." He produced two large jelly filled doughnuts, and placed them on the table near her. Delilah got up from her chair and hugged Argent, drawing him close to her. She rested her head on his shoulder. Argent stroked her hair while returning the warm embrace. "If I had know that jelly-filled doughnuts were going to get me this kind of attention, I would have brought back dozens of them." Delilah laughed softly while holding him, but gave him a worried expression when she looked into his eyes. "I heard about what happened tonight with the Quarrymen." She sat back down in her chair, and Argent kneeled beside her. "Goliath was here in the library when Angela and Broadway told him what happened." "All of it?" he asked. She nodded. "The whole story." "How did he take it?" Delilah inclined her head over to an adjoining wall, which now had a very large gargoyle-fist-sized hole punched in it. Argent let out a low whistle. "That well eh? Where is he now?" "Everyone's in The Great Hall," she said. "They are talking about what to do about tonight's attack. "Come on." He reached out and took hold of her hand. "We had best join th others." He looked over at Tammy, who was finishing her second chocolate swirl. "A few more minutes, them you hit the books again short stuff." Tammy wiped her face and snapped him a salute. "Yes sir!" "Very funny, but just remember once you get your diploma you can start a better life. Find a job, and get earn a living." "Even if it means flipping burgers for a while?" He smiled. "Even if it means flipping burgers, but that'll be just a start. You'll find that a lot more doors will open to you if you have the know how. Besides, you might even want to go on to college someday." "Yea right," she said sitting back down at the pile of books. "Stranger things have happened," Argent said as he and Delilah walked out to join the others in The Great hall. Tammy thought about it for a moment. If someone had told her six months ago that she would be living underground with a gargoyle, have a flying wolf-man for a friend, and get to visit a castle perched high in the air on top of the worlds tallest building, she would have thought they were on crack. "I guess he's right," she said to herself. "Stranger things *have* happened." As Argent and Delilah neared the door to the Great Hall, they could hear Goliath's bass voice as he spoke to those that were gathered there. "We must be even more cautious when we venture out each night to patrol the city," Goliath instructed. "Tonight's assault on Broadway and Angela has shown that Castaway and his Quarrymen are not above deception to try and destroy us. They may try it in the future as well." "Aye lad, but according to what the lass has told us, this time it was a wee bit different," Hudson said. Goliath's eyes lit up, and he put forth a deep growl. "Yes. Castaway's Quarryman do not consider us human, and therefore beneath them. What happened tonight was different in that some of them tried to assault Angela while she was bound." "What it shows is that Castaway's scraping the bottom of the barrel for member in his little club," Elisa voiced. "I heard on my car-radio that a few of the ones that attacked Angela and Broadway were picked up at a local hospital when they came in for treatment. The doctor on duty called it in because of the type of injuries they had. When I.D's were run on them quite a few had previous criminal records, some for violent crimes like assualt and even rape." "Sounds like a wonderful bunch to me," Argent said as he and Delilah entered the room. "Just the kind of folks that you'd want in your club, if you were very desperate." The rest of the Gargoyles greeted Argent and Delilah, while Goliath nodded at Argent's statement. "What Argent said rings true. Many of Castaway's men are in jail, and while some humans may be afraid of us there are groups like P.I.T. that are working towards turning the public view towards the good we do each night. This may be lessening Castaway's member base, and now he's recruiting know criminals into his group to increase it's numbers." "We're going to need to keep in touch with each other while out on patrol more closely," Brooklyn said. "But it's going to be tough while our cell-phones are being jammed." "I've been thinking about that," Lex said while scratching his chin. "Xanatos has a private communications network that includes a satellite used for coded communications. I could make some transmitters and receivers like the one Elisa wears for all of us, but with much greater range. They would be able to work just about anywhere in the city, and the Quarrymen couldn't jam us because of the secure channel technology." "How long would it take you to create the devices?" asked Goliath. "I could start on them now and be almost ready by dawn," he said. "Most of what I need is already in Xanatos's workshops. It's just a matter of putting the parts together. I could have them ready and working after breakfast tomorrow night." "Do it," Goliath ordered. Lex nodded, visions of circuits already forming in his mind. "We should also increase the numbers of those on patrol," Brooklyn suggested. "Two gargoyles might look like an inviting target..but three or four give us better odds in case of another ambush." "The lad's right," Hudson said. "It would do well to lessen the chance of it happening again." Goliath nodded. "Brooklyn is right, from now on we patrol in groups of three and four for safety. But all of you, remember to be on your guard from now on." After Goliath dismissed the others Lex went off to start on the new transceivers in the workshop, while Hudson, Brookyln and Bronx went to go watch the nightly newscast on WVERN. Angela and Broadway went off to find some quiet time together after their incident with the Quarrymen. Goliath, Elisa, Argent, and Delilah were the only ones left in the hall. Elisa knew that Goliath was still angry over what happened and went over to try and comfort him. "It's all right, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later you know," She told him. "I had not even considered the possibility of a human trying to assault Angela in such a manner." He turned and looked out a nearby window. "Humans have always found us..to different looking for such a thing to happen." Elisa put a hand on his shoulder. "Well like it or not, you do have a very attractive daughter." She smiled up at him. "I just thank god she takes more after you than her mother." Goliath's mood lightened a bit. "I had not thought that a human would ever find her..attractive." "Oh?" Elisa raised an eyebrow at him. "And I suppose that makes me the only human to be *attracted * to Gargoyles eh?" She faced him and put her arms around him tightly. "Especially one *certain* Gargoyle." Goliath returned the embrace willingly. "I can always count on you, even times like this." He looked down at her. "You are a very important part of the clan, and very important to me." After a few moments he turned his attention to Argent. "I want to thank you for saving Angela and Broadway. If anything had happened to them..." "Say no more," Argent told him. "We're family now, I'd do the same for any of you, after the way you've taken me in. Without you, Elisa, the others, and Delilah, I'd either be dead or still under Sevarius's control. You're the only family I've got..that I know of, and I'd do anything to keep you safe from any harm." Goliath nodded in understanding, and quickly changed the subject to something more pleasant. "How is Tammy coming with her studies?" "She's doing just fine," Delilah said happily. "She'll be ready soon to take her High School diploma test. I've been helping her for the last few weeks, and she's a very smart girl." Elisa noticed the small hint of pride in Delilah's voice when she praised Tammy, and was happy that she and the young girl had bonded. She had heard the others talking about how she and Tammy acted like sisters, but from what Elisa saw sometimes she thought that Delilah was relying on more maternal instincts lately. She sighed inwardly, and pushed back the same feelings she too had felt of late thinking that someday she might want to raise a family..but with her current relationship she'd have to think long and hard about just how that was going to be possible. Goliath looked down at Elisa. "What's wrong? For a moment you had a far-away look in your eyes." "Just thinking about the future, and other things," she said. "Well while you two stand there and think about the future, I guess we're going to go back and check on the budding scholar before she devours the rest of the doughnuts I brought home, then take her back to the Labyrinth before sun-up," said Argent. "I'll be home a little bit after, I promised to help Derek and Maggie move some stuff." "Just be sure that no one sees you fly back in the daytime," Goliath reminded him. "Who me? Never happen, not in a million years," Argent said. "Just call me *The Invisible Wolf*, now you see me..." A faint blue corona surrounded him for a moment, then he vanished! "Now you don't!" Two invisible arms playfully scooped Delilah up, and made it look as if she were floating in mid air. Delilah began to giggle. "Will you put me down, it feels like someone's tickling me all over at once!" "Must be the stealth field effecting you," he said but didn't put her down. Instead the still invisible Argent began walking out the door while carrying Delilah. "Next stop on the Argent express is the castle library!" Goliath and Elisa watched with smiles as Delilah carried down the hall out of sight by Argent. "So what do you think about the two of them?" Elisa asked him. "Do you mean to ask if they are romantically involved?" "Yes," she said while sitting in a near by chair. "They seem to be very close, and care about each other." "That's true," Goliath said. "Delilah has been one of the major factors in Argent's adjustment to his new life. They are together when they can be, and seem well suited for one another. We will have to wait and see if their closeness and friendship develops into something more..in time." "Well I think they make a cute couple, even if he's not a Gargoyle," she said. Goliath walked over to her chair and ran his hand through her long, dark, hair. "Love has never know any boundaries. And I hope that it never will." She smiled up at him. "I couldn't have put it better myself big guy." Chapter 3 A few weeks later, at the headquarters for Nightstone LTD. The private office of Dominique Destine (AKA Demona) "Ms. Destine?" the voice of her secretary called from the doorway. Demona, in her human form, looked up from her desk. "Yes, what is it?" "The package you've been expecting from one of the outside contractors has arrived." She entered the office and placed a sealed box on the desk. "That will be all, and hold my calls for the next hour. I don't wish to be disturbed by anyone..understood?" "Yes Ms. Destine." The secretary beat a hasty retreat back to her station. Demona opened the package and took from it a folder of papers, and a laser disc. She went over to a wall console with a large monitor screen, and placed the laser disk in a slot on it's front. She then went back to her desk and pressed the *play* button on a remote unit, then started to look at what was in the folder. Images of a night-time city-scape filled the screen, and as the disc played the images of Goliath's clan appeared. A few moments later she hit the *pause* button on the remote, as the being called Argent came into view. She had hired an outside contractor to covertly film the Gargoyles on their nightly patrols, and as she suspected, he was there right along side them. The covert film unit had staked out known trouble spots throughout the city in order to get these shots, and it had been worth every penny! She hit *play* once more, and watched as the Gargoyles along with Argent broke up a gang fight. She slowed the action down as Argent tossed two humans backwards, then turned to meet the rush of a third from behind with a short blast from his hand followed by a leg sweep. She noticed the fighting style was similar to Goliath's, and knew he must be training him. The scenes on the screen changed a few times but each one showed Argent and Goliath's clan fighting side by side. She looked down at the file folder for a moment, but when she looked back up she almost shredded the paper that she was holding with her nails in anger. There, on the screen standing next to Argent was the play-toy that Thailog tried to replace her with, the clone..Delilah! The disc played on and she saw her a few more times, sometimes with Argent, and sometimes with the rest of the clan..but when she with Argent, they seemed to be *very* friendly towards each other. When the disc ended, she studied the papers in front of her more carefully. Her research team had taken all known data she had of her encounters with Goliath, Xanatos, and a multitude of other factors and had come up with one conclussion. That Argent not being a Gargoyle had to be either 1-a robot, 2-a cyborg, or 3- an artificially enhanced or mutated human. The first two were doubtful but the second sounded more promising. She knew that Xanatos, at one time, was capable of creating such a being but he was no longer interested in genetic engineering. That left only one explanation left..Sevarius! She smiled, and thought that a visit to the good doctor, later on tonight, would prove most interesting..and informative. Dr. Anton Sevarius had been working hard all day at the Bio-Med research labs, and was looking forward to a quiet evening at home while drinking a nice warm cup of tea. He had just exited the building and was about to open his car door when something grabbed him from behind and lifted him high into the night-time sky! he thought as he closed his eyes. He fully recalled the last time this had happend to him at the Gen-U-Tech labs, and expected that this time..he would be dropped to his death by either a very angry Gargoyle, Mutate, or even Argent but to his surprise he found that he was placed (a little roughly) on solid ground once more. Opening his eyes he found himself on the roof of the Bio-Med building. "I want to talk to you Sevarius," a voice called from behind him. He turned at the sound, and familiarity of the voice. "Why Demona..always a pleasure to see you again my dear," he said. "And what do I owe the honor of your..inviation to talk?" "I want to talk to you about this," she handed him a photo. Sevarius held it up to the moonlight to get a clearer look. He smiled at what he saw, for there in the color photo was Argent. "I see someone's interested in my wayward wolf." Demona studied Sevarius for a moment. "So, he's one of your mutations?" "Oh dear me no." "But you just said he was your's." Demona's eyes flared red. "That he is," said Sevarius. "Or rather he was mine, but he is not a mutation." "Explain yourself..human," she said coldly. "I can do much better than that," he said while gesturing to the roof access door. "I can show you." Demona thought about it for a moment, and reached behind her pulling her laser weapon to point on the doctor. "You go first, and if there are any alarms or guards..you die." Sevarius lead her through the roof access and down to his lab without incident. He then brought up the data file on Argent and played it for Demona. She stood in silence as she watched the bizarre images on the screen as she learned of Argent's origin. "So, you've gone beyond mutations," she said as the screen finally went blank. "You've created a new species, and given it the mind of a human." "Yes," he said while turning the computer off. "I have, as yet, been able to create a mind capable of complex thought processes from *scratch*. I've had some minor successes, but so far nothing to match the mind of a clone or a human brain." He turned and faced her. "And just why are you interested in Argent?" "You have created a very powerful weapon," Demona told him. "A new breed of warrior with great power and strength. The kind of warrior I need!" "I see," Sevarius said while sitting down. "But I'm afraid that will be quite impossible." Demona reached out and lifted him from his chair by the collar. "Don't toy with me human! You *will* create another one for me!" She then flung him back into the chair. "I will pay you well for your services." "It's not a matter of me not *wanting* to make another one," Sevarius told her while straightening his shirt front. "After he was no longer under my control I tried to duplicate the process and it failed. I've tried nine times..but each time the same result. The brain rejects the body, and the bodies system that deals with severe injuries attacks the brain and spinal cord..resulting in death." "So..Argent's existence was an accident then?" she asked. "I don't think so," Sevarius said. "I summize that there must be something special about the brain of the individual used in Argent's creation. Something that I must have overlooked that allowed it to adapt to the new body." He motioned to a large cryo-unit on the far wall. "I still have the original human body, but I've had no luck in finding anything out of the ordinary in it's make-up, nor have I found out who he is..or was." Demona considered this for a while. "What if he were to return to you willingly. Could your tests reveal what makes him unique?" "Of course!" he said. "I could do a complete workup once I remove the brain from his body." Demona's eye's glowed red-hot once more. "I meant non-invasive tests!" This statement shocked Sevarius..but he recovered quickly. "I suppose a brain scan would work just as well." "Good!" Demona then turned and walked back towards the doorway. "I will bring him back here, and then you will do your tests in order to create more of them." "And just how do you propose to do that?" Sevarius asked. Demona turned. "That's none of your concern Human! Just be ready when I return." And with that she walked out, up to the roof once more, and glided off into the night leaving a very puzzled Dr. Sevarius behind. Chapter 4 "Ah there's nothing like a night time glide over the city," Brooklyn said while banking right..riding the breeze. "Yup," Broadway voiced from where he was gliding along side of Angela. "One more sweep of the area and we can head back to the castle." "Oops! That reminds me, I have to make a quick stop at the Doughnut King, and pick up some goodies for Delilah and Tammy," said Argent. "You want someone to go with you?" Angela asked. "Thanks, but I can handle a doughnut run on my own," Argent answered. "Besides, if there's any trouble I can just..." A faint blue glow surrounded him for a second, then he vanished. "Show-off," Brookyln said with a grin. "Make sure and bring back some cream filled ones too!" Broadway called out. "I don't think he can carry *that* many bags of doughnuts back with him," Brooklyn shot back at his rookery brother. "Besides I don't think Mrs. Perez bakes enough in a day for what you call a snack!" "Oh yea!" Broadway made a playful dive towards Brooklyn, who dodged away. Angela watched for a few moments as the two of them burned off some steam. "When you two hatchlings are finished playing, we *do* have a last sweep to make." Brooklyn and Broadway looked at each other and grinned sheepishly, as two males who have just been scolded by a female usually do, and continued on their patrol. Outside the Doughnut King. Argent landed near the back door of the Perez family's Doughnut King franchise, letting his heightened senses reach out to make sure there wasn't anyone unfamiliar in the back part of the store. When he was sure that everything was clear he reached for the doorway and called through it. "Knock Knock!! Anyone home?" "Tio Argent..Tio Argent!" Little Espiranza came rushing towards *Uncle Argent*, and leaped..knowing, like only a trusting child would know, that she would be caught. After catching the little bundle of energy, he hugged Espiranza close. "Hello little one, have you been a good girl?" "Oh yes," she said. "I even got a gold star in school yesterday for my drawing!" "That's great!" he said. "Si, we are all proud of our little artist," said Espiranza's grandmother Luisa as she came through the door, and hugged Argent. "And just where have you been hiding? It's been at least a week since you last visited." Argent put Espiranza back on the floor. "Well the patrols around the city have been keeping me busy, and there's Tammy's studies to help with." "And Delilah too," Luisa said with a smile. Argent was glad for the first time he had a covering of fur, so Luisa couldn't see him blush. "Yes, well we try to spend time together when we can, We're..friends." Luisa turned on a dough mixer. "Is that all she is, is she just a friend?" Argent sat down, and thought for a moment. "We get along together really well. She makes me feel..well she makes me feel special." "And you are," Luisa told him. "You are a very special person. Each night you go out and try to help people, you make a difference in their lives..as you did in Rosa's and ours as well." Argent grinned. "And just where is Rosa tonight?" "She is out on a date," Luisa informed him. "Oh? And who is the lucky young man?" "One who hasn't been taken in by all the neighborhood gossip about the *Lobo Blanco* that watches over her," Luisa said with a hint of a smile on her lips. "He's a nice young man that lives just down the block, and is in her algebra class at school." "Just so long as he *stays* nice," Argent said. He then looked up at the clock on the wall. "Oops. I had better get going. I promised the others I'd be gone only a short while before we head back home." Luisa handed him a bag full of doughnuts. "Well, just make sure it's not so long till the next time you come and visit." "I promise," said Argent. "I'd better get going before Broadway thinks I'm eating these all by myself." "Bye bye Tio Argent!" little Espiranza said as he made his way back outside to the ally. He looked around to make sure He couldn't be seen and leaped into the air. His wings beat, carrying him up past the rooftops on either side of him but he turned as the night breeze shifted and carried what he thought was a familiar scent to his nostrils. He banked and landed on a nearby rooftop where the scent was strongest. "Delilah?" He called out. "Dee, is that you?" Demona had staked out a roof near where her mercenaries had reported that Argent had gone on more than one occasion. She had reviewed the material, and had determined that this place would be her best chance of catching him alone..and had seen him enter and after a few minutes he exited with a bag. She was prepared to try and follow him, but was caught by surprise when he turned in mid flight and came towards her hiding place. What shocked her even more than being discoverd was that he called out the name of Thailog's cloned play-toy..Delilah. Her eyes flared red for a brief moment, but then she calmed down and decided to make a move. She stood up and moved towards him. "I'm not Delilah," she said as she stepped out to meet him. Argent watched as the figure of a female gargoyle stood up, and began to approach him. The scent of Delilah was there, but it was different, older somehow. His eyes pierced the gloom and saw her coloring, her red hair, and manner of dress. He saw something of Angela in her features..and then it all fell into place. "I take it that you are Demona?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Yes, I am. I'm not going to attack you, if that's what you're thinking." Argent considered for a moment. "Well from everything I've been told about you, that was what I thought when I saw who you were." Demona gave him a wide, non-threatening, smile. "I hope you're not the type that believes everything your hear?" "All right then, you say your not going to attack me..then why are we talking?" Argent asked cautiously. "I wanted to thank you for saving Angela when she and Broadway were being attacked by that group of humans," Demona told him. "She is my only daughter, and I wouldn't want to see her come to harm..especially from any humans!" "You saw that?" "Yes, I was coming to her aide..when you showed up and defeated her attackers." She slowly began to circle him. "I was *very* impressed with your fighting skills, and your other talents as well." Argent began to feel a little nervous. "Is that all?" "No," she said. "I would like the opportunity to tell you *my* side of what ever Goliath has told you about me. He hasn't been living with humans as long as I have. He doesn't know what they're really like." "And you do?" "Of course! I've been living and fighting the humans for hundreds of years," she explained. "I've seen their cruelty and treachery. They fight each other over trivial matters, and go to war so often they threaten to obliterate this world." "That may be true," Argent said. "But Goliath and the others are working toward understanding between Gargoyles, humans..." He looked down at his hands for a moment. "And those of us who are different." "Don't you see? That is why the humans will never accept Goliath and his clan, the mutates, or you. Humans fear what ever they think is different. They fear the color of another man's skin, or his place of birth, or even the way they worship..and try to destroy one another over these differences. Do you honestly think they will accept you? No, they will call you monster, freak, and then hunt you down and try to destroy you." "Not all humans are like that," Argent said while turning to face the roof's edge. He looked down on the street below. "I have some human friends who care about me, and Elisa isn't afraid of me. Xanatos lets me live in the castle, and the humans that are under Talon's protection never would try and harm me." "Ah but they do this out of self interest." Demona approached, and stood by his side for a moment. "Your human friends need you to keep them safe, Detective Maza needs Goliath and his clan to make her look good while keeping the city safe, Xanatos always has some hidden agenda and will be watching for the chance to take what he wants from you, and the humans in the Labyrinth tolerate you and the mutates because you keep them safe from harm." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you see..they get what they want, and never give in return." "I don't believe that. I am..I was, human once. And part of me still is." He turned away from her and walked back from the roof's edge. "Yes, I know all about that," Demona called after him. "Your creator told me everything about you." He froze, then turned slowly. "You've seen Sevarius?" "Yes, he and I had a very nice talk about you," she said matter- of-factly. "You are a labratory creation with the mind of a human." She stepped close to him once more. "Don't you see? Sevarius did you a great favor! He has made you *more* than human now, better than any of them could ever dream of being. Stop clinging to your old self, and embrace the new!" She reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Join me in my struggle against the humans. With your help we can work towards the day when Gargoyles and Mutates will be the masters of this planet, and it will be the humans who will cower in fear before us!" She slowly ran her claws down his arms, stroking his fur. "You could be the one to rule at my side. Together no one would be able to stop us!" Argent reached up, slowly, and took her hands in his own..then let them fall as he stepped back away from her. "Sorry, no sale. I'm not about to turn into what I fought against and almost killed myself to stop from becoming." Demona's eyes flared in anger. "You would dare refuse me?" "I'm afraid I am, and even if I didn't have someone right now, who really cares about me and how I make her feel, I would never take you up on that offer. The price is way too high." Demona screeched at him, and made as if to lunge but backed off when she saw Argent's hands begin to glow. "Just try it lady", Argent said, his eyes alight. "And I'll turn you into a charcoal briquette." "You will regret refusing my offer, and my affections!" Demona yelled, then leaped off the building and glided out of sight. High over the city, Argent finally met up with Broadway, Angela, and Brookyln. "What took so long?" Broadway asked. "We were starting to worry that you ran into trouble," said Brooklyn. "I went and got the doughnuts, and then I don't know what to make of what happened next?" he told them. "Did something strange happen?" asked Angela. "You could say that", Argent said. "I ran into your mother." Angela gasped. "You saw Demona?" Brooklyn's eyes glowed from the memory of Demona's tricks. "Did she try and attack you?" Broadway asked while reaching a hand out to Angela. "No, she said all she wanted to do talk", he said. "And tell *her* side of the story." "What did she say?" Angela asked nervously. "I think that had better wait until we get back to the castle," Argent said. "Oh oh, *this* sounds like it's *not* going to be good news," voiced Brooklyn, as he lead the group on the way back home. Back at the Bio-Med lab building. A loud screech, and a very heavy piece of lab equipment being thrown across the room let Anton Sevarius know that Demona had come back..and that she had failed in her task to bring Argent back. "I can't believe he refused me!" she screamed. "*He* refused *me*!" Another piece of equipment fell victim to her rage. Sevarius had been confused, when she left, at how she was going to convince Argent to return..but seeing her rage he could now readily guess at the method she had tried and so painfully failed at. He smiled inwardly, knowing that if he dared show any outward signs of bemusement, she would kill him instantly. "I told you it would me very difficult to try and persuade the lad to return here." Demona turned back towards Sevarius, and advanced on him. "I want you to make me another one! I don't care how many humans you have to use until you get it right, or how much it will cost..but I want another Argent!" "I've already told you, it's not possible," Sevarius explained. "The brains reject the new body, and they die. Something unique about the first subject made it possible for his brain to adapt to the body I designed. Any other brain won't work, and I doubt that Argent will give you his as a gift." Demona's eyes flared red, and was about to reach out and grab Sevarius when her eyes fell on the Cryo-unit once more, that held the human body that once belonged to Argent. She stopped, and then smiled. "You said that no other brain has worked, or is likely to in the future?" Sevarius looked at her for a moment. "Yes. But why?" "It's very simple my dear doctor," Demona said while reaching out to run her hands down the front of the Cryo-unit. "All you have to do to create what I need is use the body in this chamber, clone a duplicate body and use the cloned body for the brain you need." Sevarius was stunned! He had never even considered what she had just proposed. It was so obvious that he had totally overlooked it! He rubbed his hands together. "Will that be cash, check, or charge for your new purchase madam?" Chapter 5 Castle Wyvern, The Library: "She made a pass at you?" Tammy asked while seated in the library where the rest of the Gargoyles had gathered to hear Argent tell about his encounter with Demona earlier. "Well," Argent looked over at Delilah, "I guess you could call it that." "Well I sure would," Tammy said while putting her book away. "I've had *some* experience in that area, and that's what it sounds like to me." Goliath stood and paced the floor. "Demona's motivations have never been easy to see on face value, she manipulates events and people at will for her own needs." "Do ya think that she had anything ta do with the Quarrymen attacking Angela and Broadway?" asked Hudson. "It seems a little too convenient that she was there watching, as she told Argent she was." Angela looked towards her father. "Do you think that she would really do such a thing?" "Demona is capable of just about anything," he told her. "It would not be unlike her to plan such an attack to try and force you to hate humans as she does." He then turned and lay a hand on Angela's shoulder. "While I don't think she would have let then kill you, she might have let them kill Broadway and then seem to come to your rescue." "But she didn't plan on Argent showing up," Broadway said. "That ruined her plans." "Yes, but it also made her aware of his existence." Goliath turned towards Argent and Delilah. "Up until now she hasn't know about Argent, but since you've told us that Demona has gone to Sevarius and spoken to him we now know she is fully aware of what you are, and what you were created to do." Delilah reached out and took hold of Argent's hand. "She might try and harm you now that you've rejected her." Her eyes glowed red for a moment. "When I catch her I'll..." "*You* are going to do anything," Argent told her softly. "She's very dangerous, and I don't want anything to happen to you." He put his finger under her chin, and lifted it slightly. "Understand?" She smiled at him. "Argent is right Delilah," Goliath said. "Demona is very dangerous. She has battled our clan many times..and has come close to defeating us. It is only our strength of unity that has won out over her in the past, and only by working together can we hope to defeat her in the future." He faced the assembled group. "What concerns me is that she *knew* where Argent might show up, and was there to meet him." Argent gasped. "That's right, I didn't think of that!" "Demona must have had you watched for some time, so we must all be aware of our surroundings when we go on patrol from now on." Goliath instructed. "Great!" Brooklyn said from his seat. "First the Quarrymen, now Demona..what's next?" Bio-Med labs...1 month later: A lab attendant showed the wealthy business-woman Dominique Destine, into his employer's laboratory. "If you wait just a few minutes, the doctor will be with you shortly." "You may go now," she told him while making a dismissing gesture. No sooner did the attendant leave than Sevarius walked thru the door. "Why Ms. Destine..what a surprise! If I had know you were coming I would have ordered lunch brought in. Would you care for some tea?" "Don't toy with me human!" Demona said while in her daytime form. "Is everything on schedule?" "Why yes, it's going very well," Sevarius told her while moving to a large clear tank. He flipped a switch and the tank lit from within, showing a human floating inside. "The clone is at full maturation, no signs of decomposition have shown and all readings from the brain are positive." Demona looked at the clone floating before her inside the tank. "So you will be able to use this brain and not have any mishaps?" "I've compared the data so far to the original data from the Argent Project," he told her. "So far it is a perfect match in every way. Now all I need to do is begin the construction of the new body." "I have some changes that I would like you to make in the new body." She handed him a computer disc, which Sevarius placed in the computer and scanned. "I want this one to be different from Argent, so that he'll know who sent it." Sevarius looked over the data on the screen. "I don't see any problem with this, have you considered the initial programming? I can make him behave any way you want." Demona considered for a moment. "I don't want a mindless zombie, but I don't want him to have too much free will of his own..considering what happened with the last one you made." "I'm sure this one will be much better," Sevarius said. "I want you to make him obedient to me, and no one else." She turned and faced Sevarius. "Not even you, is that understood?" "Perfectly. I will make up the initial program and send it to you. You can review it and make any changes or additions you like." He sat down at his work station, and began to type out primary function commands. "How long will it be until he is finally ready?" Sevarius thought for a moment. "I'd say perhaps, a month more at the very most. I have to build the new body, but using the old data it will speed things up a bit. Then of course I have to remove the brain from the clone, and place it inside it's new home..and then program him for you." "Do what ever you have to in order to speed things up," she told him. "I want him done as soon as possible." "By the way..have you thought of a name for your new purchase yet?" Demona smiled. "Of course I have." She leaned over and typed out a name on Sevarius's computer. "Very appropriate, all things considered," commented Sevarius. "Just be sure it's done, and soon!" She then turned and walked out of the lab. "My, my..someone's in a big hurry," he said to himself as he watched her leave the building on his security monitors. "It will be interesting to see what she adds to this ones programming. Just to be on the safe side I think I'll just include an extra in this one." Sevarius went to one of his cabinets and pulled out a small metal disc. "This should do just nicely, right behind the thalmic nerve..after all one can never be too careful." A few weeks later:In the Labyrinth. Argent sat beside Delilah, as the sun was about to come up. "Sleep well, I'll see you tonight." "You had better get some sleep too," she said as he yawned. "I will. I'll go back as soon as I check in on Tammy." He then watched in fascination as she smiled, then turned to stone for the day. He went to the adjoining room, and found Tammy asleep amidst a pile of books at the desk he had brought down for her. He went over and picked her up, and carried her to the bed nearby. He tucked her in and gently stroked her hair affectionately before going back out to the main chamber. He waved at Claw, who silently waved in return, and then went back up towards the surface. He encountered fewer people as he neared it, as very few ventured out during the day..but he simply became invisible as he neared the tunnel opening, then took off for the castle. "Hey Owen," he called down to the ever-present majordomo of the Xanatos home. "Greetings Argent," Owen said while writing in his day-runner. "In from visiting the Labyrinth, and the mutates?" "Is there anything going on you *don't* know about?" Argent asked kiddingly. "At the moment I'm trying to ascertain who has obscondered with Mrs. Xanatos's cherry-cheese cake that was saving for this afternoon." He looked over at the stone figure of Broadway. Argent tried not to laugh as he wished Owen good luck in his search as turned to go off to his room but as he did, he looked back towards Owen and saw something very strange. In addition to Owen he also saw a sort of *after-image* in the same place. After a moment it faded. "Owen, could you do me favor?" "Certainly." "Could you have on of Mr. Xanatos's doctors take a look at me later on this evening?" he asked. Owen adjusted his glasses. "Is there anything wrong, do you feel ill?" Argent shook his head. "No, it's just that just a moment ago I thought I saw a kind of double-image of you standing there. It might have been nothing..but I'd like a doctor to take a look at my eyes just in case." "I'll schedule an appointment for you later this evening," he said as he pulled out his ever-present cell phone. "Thanks," Argent said then turned and went in to get some much needed sleep. Xanatos's Private office: "And tell the head of marketing that I want the ad campain for our new line of personal computers to break within the next week, I want to get a jump on IBM's new model." Xanatos turned in his seat. "You look troubled Owen, is there something wrong?" "It may be nothing, but I encountered Argent as he came in a while ago, and he said something most interesting." Xanatos looked at his assistant with interest. "And what might that be?" "Argent claimed that he saw a double image or some sort of distortion when he saw me," Owen explained. "He acted as if it might be a problem with his normal vision, and asked to have his eyes tested later this evening by one of our doctors." "But you think it's something else?" Xanatos asked. "When I encountered Argent I had just come from the nursery where I was giving young Alex one of his *special* lessons," Owen said. "Now that *is* interesting!" Xanatos sat back in his chair to consider what this might mean. "Has anyone told him about Puck?" "Not to my knowledge Sir." "Should it be possible for him to detect any sort of magic at all." Owen thought for a moment. "I really wouldn't be able to answer that. We still don't *really* know just who Argent was before Sevarius finished with him." "Keep me informed if any more such incidents happen in the future." "Very good Mr. Xanatos." Owen then turned and left his employer to ponder the growing mystery that was Argent. Chapter 6 Castle Wyvern: Sunset With the sound of cracking stone, and a roar, the Gargoyles awoke from their stone slumber. The clan spread out to prepare for the nightly patrol of the city, but Goliath looked puzzled. He knew that Elisa was working this particular evening with Matt, but Argent was always here to greet them when they awoke. Brooklyn must have picked up what was wrong, as he too looked around. "Is it just me, or is someone missing?" he asked. "Aye," Hudson said. "Argent has slept in late it seems." "Maybe he left early tonight, to go visit Delilah," Angela said as she moved towards Broadway. Goliath looked concerned. "Perhaps, but he would have left word if he were leaving for the Labyrinth. I'll check with Owen." While Goliath went to search for Owen, the rest went about their task of preparing breakfast. Before the meal was finished, two familiar figures of Delilah and Tammy entered the kitchen. "Good evening all," said Delilah cheerfully. She and Tammy were greeted warmly by the others, and sat down to eat with them. "I don't see Goliath or Argent, are they in the library?" "No lass," Hudson said. "Argent wasn't there when we woke as he usually is, and we thought he had gone to the Labyrinth to see you and the young lassy here. So Goliath went to see if he left word with Owen as to his whereabouts." Delilah was about to voice her concern, when Argent and Goliath entered the kitchen. "We were getting worried about you," she told Argent with a smile. "Where were you?" Argent sat down next to Delilah and Tammy. "I was coming out of the infirmary, when Goliath found me." "The infirmary! What were you doing there, are you all right?" Delilah asked. "I'm fine," Argent said while taking her hand. "I just wanted to have the doctor look at my eyes." "You're eyes?" Tammy said. "I thought that you had great vision, better than anyone?" Argent smiled. "That's what the doctor said when I read the patent notice at the bottom of the chart, with no lights on." He stood up and walked around the table. "Once in a while I've noticed I see a kind of after image. I saw it again today and thought Xanatos's doctor could tell me what it is." "Was he able to provide you with any answers?" Goliath asked. Argent shook his head. "He couldn't find anything wrong, but did suggest that it might be my mind adjusting to these new eyes. The human mind might be trying to interpret what the eyes are seeing in a different way that it isn't used to. I'll just have to wait and see what happens..but it isn't serious." "That's good ta hear lad," Hudson said while downing a glass full of milk. "Ye had us worried there for a moment." The evenings breakfast was soon finished, and the table cleared. Goliath then assigned the evenings duties. "Brooklyn, you Lexington and Angela will fly North this evening while Hudson, myself and Broadway will go South. Argent, Delilah and Bronx will stay to guard the castle." He gave Tammy a slight grin. "And also make sure that someone does their evenings lessons." Tammy stuck her tongue out in mock-anger, while the others laughed and filed out of the kitchen to begin their nightly patrols. On the way to the castle library Argent passed a hanging wall mirror and stopped for a moment. A momentary chill ran over him while looking at his reflection. "Any thing wrong?" Delilah asked. "No," he said. "Just felt a chill for a moment." He looked at his own image once more before continuing on to the library. He had an uneasy feeling for some reason tonight. The Bio-Med labs building: "You had better have some good news for me..human," said Demona as she strode in to Sevarius's lab. "Oh I do indeed!" Sevarius went over to his work station and brought up the subliminal program tape, which Demona had made, that was now downloading into the shadowy figure floating in and upright tank. "Come and take a look for yourself." Demona stalked over to the computer and gazed at the readouts. Her eyes grew wide when she saw that her programming was 98% completed! "Is this true?" she asked while pointing at the screen. "Yes, it is!" answered Sevarius with a wide grin. "The maturation process went much faster this time because we had a computer model for Argent to work with. Programming took even less time because the cloned brain was a blank slate..and it soaked up your programming like a sponge." "How long until final completion?" she asked anxiously. Sevarius made a big show of consulting his watch while Demona frowned. "By my calculations just about..." An alarm went off, and the light above the tank started flashing. "Now!" Demona went over to the tank as Sevarius pressed a button that began to slowly void the tank of it's liquid. As soon as it was empty the tank was raised and the figure inside slumped to the platform. She went over to examine her latest warrior up close. He was very much like Argent, except that his body fur was red in color with a long mane of reddish-black hair. His wings were black with crimson highlights, and as his eyes slowly opened she saw that they were deep green in color. She ran her talons down his arm. "Do you know where you are?" "No," he answered in a basso rumble that sent chills thru her. "Do you know who I am?" she asked. "Yes," he said while he moved and sat up straight. "You are Demona, also called Dominique while in another form. You are the mistress, and I am your warrior." Demona smiled. "And what is your name?" The figure moved from a sitting position to a kneeling one. "I am Bloodwulf. Warrior to the mistress in her struggles..and bane to her enemies." "I can see that obedience in this one isn't going to be a problem," Seavrius said. Bloodwulf looked at Sevarius as he spoke. His eyes glowed, and a deep growl issued from his throat that made the doctor take a few steps back, Demona chuckled. "Now now, no need to scare the good doctor. Without him you wouldn't be here now..besides, he may still be of use to me." As Bloodwulf calmed down, Sevarius slowly removed his hand from his lab-coat pocket. Demona noticed the movement. "What have we here?" she asked as she strode over to him and tore open the pocket with her talons. A small object that looked like a beeper dropped out. "If you must know it's what's called a *Panic Button*," Sevarius said. "It comes in handy in case of emergencies like being attacked. It notifies my security forces that I have a problem that they need to take care of." Demona looked at him with an expression of disgust. "Not that they would have done any good against my new warrior, but it would have been interesting to see him in action as a test." "Sorry..but I can't spare any of then for any *tests* at the moment..they are *very* expensive, and it's not in my budget this month to have any replaced due to lab mishaps." Sevarius went back to his work station and began reviewing the data. "Everything looks normal..at least for him. I suggest that you not send him out on any vengeful sprees for a few days just to be sure." Demona shot him a withering glance. "Come Bloodwulf, we have other things to do." "Yes mistress." Bloodwulf gave Sevarius one last growl before following Demona outside, and up to the roof. Once the two were gone, Sevarius tried to get his heart to stop beating so quickly. He had nearly had it when the transmitter box fell out of his ruined pocket. He went over and picked it up from the floor where it had fallen. , he thought to himself. He placed it back in his pocket and sat back down at his workstation. He grinned broadly because he knew from examining the programming disc that Demona had given him exactly what kind of *services* that Bloodwulf would be up to, besides being her warrior. "Well she got her money's worth," he said while shutting off his computer. "I only hope she doesn't wear the poor boy out on his first night." The home of the wealthy recluse Domineque Destine: Demona and Bloodwulf landed in the gardens behind her home. She took a moment to deactivate the alarms and sensors before opening the doors that lead to the parlor. "I want you to familiarize yourself with the grounds surrounding the house. Patrol them once and come inside when you are done." "Yes mistress," Bloodwulf said..and was off to explore the surrounding grounds. Demona smiled, and went inside the parlor. She hadn't long to wait, only a few minutes passed and Bloodwulf stalked into the room to stand before her. She walked over to him and ran her talons down his russet-furred chest. He growled softly as she went lower to his well muscled stomach. She grinned wickedly at his reaction..because coming right from Sevarius's lab he wore no clothing. His hand came up and ran thru her red hair, she shivered at his touch. A deep rumble came from Bloodwulf's chest as his nostrils flared, taking in her scent. He reached own and scooped her up as if she weighed nothing at all! She growled playfully, and leaned in just a bit to run her tongue over the tip of his muzzle. "Take me upstairs..now!" she ordered him. His powerful legs carried both of them up the stairs in only a few bounds. He went into the indicated room and closed the door behind him. If anyone were passing by the estate that night, they would have heard growls that sounded like wild animals, as well as cries of passion. Then just before dawn broke two cries could be heard. The sound of a jungle cat, and the howl of a wolf melded into one..then all was silent. Chapter 7 Quarrymen Headquarters: Most of the heads in the room turned when the red-haired woman stepped into the Quarrymen's offices. She was well dressed, and had an air of superiority about her. One of the members recognized her from a previous visit, and rushed off to inform his supervisor. A few moments later a Quarrymen team leader came in and greeted the visitor. "Ah Ms. Destine, Good to see you again!" The now human looking Demona, gave him a thin smile. "Can we talk?" "Of course," he said. "Step right this way to my office." Once inside he seated her in a chair facing his desk, then took his own seat. "We used the information you gave us on the two Gargoyles that you sighted and almost had a capture..but we ran into difficulties, and they escaped." "That is why I'm here," Demona told him. "My sources tell me that the reason the Gargoyles evaded capture was..shall we say, unexpected interference?" The Quarrymen team leader leaned back in his chair. "Your sources are very good, and quite correct." "I'm here to offer you another chance at getting rid of the Gargoyles for good, and I will even offer you additional help in doing it." The team leader considered this for a moment. "What kind of help would you be willing to provide? Weapons, explosives? We have plenty of those." "What I'm offering you is far better that anything you have for weapons," she said while leaning forward slightly. "And far deadlier!" "I'm intrigued," he said. "What is the nature of this weapon?" "It's biological," Demona answered. "Some sort of toxin?" "No, but I can offer you a demonstration of it's capabilities. I understand that your organization maintains a warehouse near here?" "Yes," he said. "We use it as a training facility." "Excellent! I demonstrate my weapon to you there in one hour." She got up and went to the door. "And please be on time, this offer won't be given again." The team leader watched her leave, and after a few moments he pressed the intercom on his desk. "Wilson?" "Yes sir?" "Arrange for a small gathering at the warehouse in one hour, we're going to be testing a new weapon." "Very good sir." Looking at his watch he wondered if he had enough time to contact Mr. Castaway about Ms. Destine's offer. He decided against it, because if it turned out to be nothing special then he would be blamed..but if it turned out to be something useful, and succeeded in killing a Gargoyle then he would get the credit! Outside the Quarrymen's Headquarters: Her driver opened the door to her limo, and Demona got in. Once settled in she instructed the driver where to go, and at a certain spot she had him stop and wait. The door opposite her opened for a moment as if by magic, then closed again. Demon tapped on the partition and signaled the driver to continue on. The flash of blue light was hidden by the partition, and the darkened windows of the limo. Where one moment ago there was an empty space..Bloodwulf was now seated next to Demona. "Did all go well?" she asked. "Yes mistress, all went as you said it would. I followed your instructions but no humans were present in the building. I waited as long as a could..and then left to meet you here." "Pity..I had hoped that you would have had a chance to crush some humans, but no matter. Your chance will come soon enough." She leaned back. "We will be going to a gathering of humans shortly. None of them are to be harmed unless I order it, is that understood?" "Yes mistress," Bloodwulf replied in a slightly disappointed tone. Demona smiled, and stroked his muzzle. "You'll get your chance my warrior, and very soon!" Castle Wyvern: The ringing of the phone by his bedside, brought Argent fully awake. He reached over and lifted the receiver from its cradle. "Hello?" "I have a message relay from detective Maza for you," answered the voice of Owen Burnette. "She said it's quite urgent." Argent sat up in bed. "All right, put her thru." He waited until he heard the faint click. "Elisa?" "Sorry to wake you, but it's important," Elisa said on the other end of the line. "I'm out at the Perez's Doughnut King franchise, there's been some trouble." Images of Luisa, Rosa, and little Espiranza lying hurt or worse sprang to mind. "What happened?" "It looks like heavy vandalism to me, but none of the signs of gangs doing it." , he thought. . "Was anyone hurt?" "No, the place was empty," Elisa said. "Rosa closed down for a few hours because she had to take Espiranza and Rosa to the dentist, and none of the employees were due in for the next shift until later on." "That's a relief, still I think I'd like to come down and check it out." "I thought you might, give me about ten minutes to finish making the report and clear some of the other officers out before you come down." "All right, see you in ten!" He quickly showered and pulled on his shorts and tunic. Keeping mental countdown in his head, he went down to the kitchen, and grabbed a light snack before heading off, but before leaving he wrote a note and left it so if he were not back before Goliath and his clan awoke, they would know where he went..and why. He leaped off the wall, and became invisible in a blue flash at the same moment and flew off to try and help his friends. Doughnut King: "I don't see why we're hanging around here after everyone else has left," said Matt to his partner. What are you waiting for?" "A friend is coming down to see if he can help out with the investigation," she said while looking at her watch. "Oh and who is this friend?" he asked. Elisa turned to face him. "That's right..you two haven't met yet have you!" A noise off to the side of them stopped all conversation. "What was that?" Matt asked. "I think my friend just arrived," she told him. "Argent is that you? You can come out, this is my partner and he knows all about Goliath and the others." "All right Elisa," a voice said from directly in front of Matt. "I just wanted to be sure he was a friend." "Am I going crazy, or is the invisible man in the room with us?" Matt asked. A blue corona of light formed in the air in front of the two detectives, and the figure of Argent came into view. Elisa smiled. "Argent, I'd like you to meet my partner Matt Bluestone." Argent stepped forward and gave his best *fiendly* grin. "Hi!" Elisa almost laughed at the expression on Matt's face. "Matt, this is Argent. He's a friend that's living with Goliath and the rest up at the castle." Matt stared in wonder at the winged humanoid wolf that stood in front of him. "Ah... Pleased to meet you," he said while holding out his hand. Argent shook the offered hand. "I was wondering when I was going to meet Elisa's partner, she talks about you all the time." Matt shot Elisa a questioning look. "Really? Well she never mentioned *anything* about you." He turned to Elisa. "How come?" "Well Argent is a special case, you remember the brake out at the evidence warehouse a while back?" she asked. "You mean that was him?" Matt looked over towards Argent, who was looking around at the destruction. "Yes. While he looks around I'll bring you up to date on what's been going on." While Elsia filled Matt in, Argent began to look around the remnants of the Perez's small business. A somewhat familiar scent was present in the front, and when he came to the damaged counter-top he saw the many deep scratches in it he got down very close to examine the surface. "That's some story!" said Matt while looking over in Argent's direction. "Sevarius is some piece of work..imagine what he must have gone thru knowing that his brain isn't in his real body!" "I don't have to imagine too hard," Elisa said. "I had a first hand look at what the news *almost* did to him. If it weren't for Delilah and the Perez family, I think that he wouldn't have survived." She looked over and saw Argent looking very closely at the counter-top. "Find anything?" "I think so..but I don't understand it." Argent looked at the two detectives. "I've been picking a scent that is very strong, and I've also found a handprint on the counter." "Where?" asked Matt. "We went over every inch and didn't find any prints at all." Elisa and Matt went over and stood next to Argent. "It's right there." He pointed to the counter's corner. "But there's nothing there?" Matt said with a puzzled look. "Argent's eye's can see things we can't pick up on," Elisa explained. "What does it look like?" "Can a barrow your pen?" he asked. Eilsa handed him her pen, and he traced an outline of the handprint for her and Matt to see. "Wow!" said Elisa. "Whoever it was has a pretty big hand!" Argent bent down and took a sniff of the counter-top, and gave Elisa a worried look. "It has the same scent I'm picking up out here.. and now I recognize it." He then placed his own hand inside the outline, it was a perfect match! "It's my scent!" "Well, Elisa said you've been here lots of times," said Matt. "Your prints are probably all over the place, your scent too." "But you don't understand, I've never been up here in the front," he told them with a worried look. "I've always stayed in the back so no one can see me. There shouldn't be *any* of my prints up here, let alone my scent." "I think we'd better get back to the castle and warn them about this," said Elisa while looking around the room nervously. "Warn them about what?" Matt asked. "And what are you looking around for, we're the only ones here." "We might not be," he told him. "This print could mean that Sevarius decided to duplicate his experiment using someone else's brain..that means there could be another me flying around even as we speak." Matt began to look around the room too. "Or even in the room with us right now as well eh?" "Could be," Elisa said wearily. "Let's not take any chances though and get to the castle right away." The two detectives got in Elisa's car, and drove off, while Argent took to the skies while invisible once more. The Quarrymen's training warehouse: "All right everyone..gather around," the team leader said. "This is Ms. Dominique Destine, a supporter of our cause. She's here to demonstrate a new weapon that she's graciously allowing us to use in our struggle to rid this city of the plague of Gargoyles." A small amount of applause was given as Demona, in her human form, addressed the group before her. "For some time now, you have not been able to score a major victory over Goliath and his clan. This is mostly due to the fact that the gargoyles, even with your weapons, more powerful physically and more mobile. Some time ago I approached a researcher and asked him to come up with the solution to the Gargoyle problem, and he went to work on it from a genetic and a bio-engineering standpoint. After some minor success, he made a major breakthru!" A small murmur of excitement ran thru the group. "What I am about to show you is the result of the time, effort, and millions of dollars spent to come up with a final solution." She stepped back from the group. "Gentlemen..I give you Project Bloodwulf." At the her signal at blue flash appeared at her side, and there in front of the assembled Quarrymen stood Bloodwulf! Cries of alarm, of hammers and weapons begin charged filled the room. The Quarrymen team leader rushed forward and pointed his weapon at Bloodwulf who, despite his instincts, followed Demon's orders and stood still. "What do you think your doing bringing that monster hear? That thing nearly wiped out one of my capture teams last month!" Demona smiled. "You're wrong, this one wasn't even created yet. What you and your men ran into was the prototype. It escaped in a lab accident, and somehow found refuge among the Gargoyles before his conditioning was completed." "She's right sir," one of the others said. "I was there, and the one that attacked us was a different color. The team leader slowly lowered his weapon. "You said conditioning? What type of conditioning?" "The one that attacked you was not fully programmed," she explained. "These creatures are very difficult to produce in the lab, but once they are fully grown they are programmed to obey and protect humans," she lied. "The rogue one is named Argent, and is not under proper human control, this one is named Bloodwulf, he is conditioned to obey my orders and to be my bodyguard." "Just how complete is his conditioning?" the team leader asked while walking around Bloodwulf to examine him from all angles. "If I were to order him to, he would go out and grab the first person he were to see, take them up two hundred feet, and drop them without breaking a sweat, all without pity or remorse," she told him. "Impressive, an artifical being that's totally subservient to mankind." He walked around and stood in front of Bloodwulf. "Does it talk like the other one does?" "Why don't you ask him?" The team leader cleared his throat, and addressed Bloodwulf. "What is your name, and what are your orders?" Bloodwulf growled slightly, but stuck with what his mistress had ordered him to say if asked. "My name is Bloodwulf, and my primary orders are to protect Ms. Dominique Destine, and all others humans against any attacks from Gargoyles, and any other forms of agression." "And if in protecting Ms. Destine, you had to sacrifice yourself, would you?" Bloodwulf answered without hesitation. "Of course, I am to carry out my orders until I can no longer function." The Quarrymen team leader seemed pleased with the answer, he turned to face *Ms. Destine* once more. "I assume that he is just as strong and fast as the other one we encountered?" "Yes, he is. In fact he is what you would call *The Improved Model*," she said. "He has been fully trained, his programming includes everything from hand to hand combat to the usage of weapons, although he doesn't really need them." She motioned to a standing stone figure near the far wall that represented a Gargoyle. "Bloodwulf, strike!" At her command the lupine figure raised both his hands, and let loose an electrical blast that shattered the statue to pieces!" "Very impressive!" the team leader said while waiting for the dust to settle. "Now all we have to do is send him out to find the Gargoyles and have him destroy them!" "*We* won't be sending him anywhere," Demona explained. "I already have enough information to choose the best possible location to set a trap. Once they have been lured there you and the Quarrymen will be waiting for them, with Bloodwulf, to destroy them!" The team leader was taken aback by her anger, he didn't think anyone but Mr. Castaway could hate the beasts as much..but she had just proven him wrong. "The it's settled then, tonight we shall strike a blow against the foul monsters that have invaded our city!" The other Quarrymen cheered. "Sadly though, I shall not be able to be with you," Demona said. "Pressing business forces me to be elsewhere this evening..but I will leave Bloodwulf in your charge. He will follow your orders and I will reclaim him on my return." She turned towards her warrior, and gave him a conspiratorial wink. "Now Bloodwulf, you will stay here and follow this man's orders..I will be back tomorrow to retrieve you is that clear?" Bloodwulf continued to play the *dumb servant* role. "Yes Ms. Destine. I understand." "He really is a good boy," she told the team leader in low tones. "He's just not very B-R-I-G-H-T about some things." She patted him on the head, handed the team leader the folder containing the information on the best place to spring the trap, and strolled off to her waiting limo. The team leader understood what she meant. After all, it was only a genetically altered animal, and although it was very useful it was still just a dumb beast that was conditioned to follow orders. Looking at it, he wondered just how much it cost to create the thing. Something like this could be of great use in other circles, and Mr. Castaway might even want one as a bodyguard. He'd have to remember to inquire when Ms. Destine returned for her *pet* later. Bloodwulf hated to be in a room full of these humans, but he had to follow his mistress's instructions. He smiled and thought of what would happen later on tonight. he thought. Chapter 8 Castle Wyvern: The Great hall. Elisa, Matt, and Argent broke the news of their findings at the Perez's family business to Goliath as soon as he awakened. Upon hearing the news, Goliath called for a special meeting in the great hall. Delilah and Argent were sent back to the Labyrinth to fetch Talon, Maggie, and Claw. As soon as they arrived, Owen escorted Xanatos, along with his wife and son to their seats at the table. Xanatos shot a questioning look at Goliath because this was the first such meeting that he had ever been invited to. "All right Goliath, your invitation intrigued me." Xanatos looked around the room at those assembled. "I understand why Derek and his clan are here, as they work more closely with you than I do..but was I included? You've never invited me to one of your strategy sessions before, why now? Goliath rose from his seat and faced the diverse group. "What I am about to say effects us all. Earlier today an attack was made on the business of the Perez family." A murmur of surprise went through the room. Goliath continued. "No one was hurt, but in the investigation something was found that could effect us all. Elisa, called Argent down to see if he could help to try and identify those that were responsible." "That makes sense," Brooklyn said. "He'd be able to track them down just by their scent." Goliath nodded. "Yes, but this time something else was discovered along with a scent." Goliath held up a copy of the handprint found on the counter top. "This handprint was found at the scene, it matches Argent's own, as did the scent that he found. These were in places that he had never been, and were fresh..only hours old." Matt's cell phone rang, and after conversing with the person on the other end he folded it and addressed the group. "That was the police lab. I had a couple of them go back again to do a more thorough sweep. They found hairs on the floor in front of the counter. Red hair." "Demona?" asked Lex. Goliath shook his head. "No not in broad daylight, she would be in her human form and would be noticed. This attacker was not seen." "The lab had a hard time identifying the hair..but they think it belongs to some kind of animal." He looked over towards Argent for a moment. "They think it might belong to a wolf." Xanatos was the first of the group to put two and two together. "So..you think that Sevarius has created another Argent, and that he was the one responsible?" "There can be no other answer," Goliath said. "It was always a possiblity that upon losing Argent that he might create another to serve him." Xanatos considered the implications. "If Anton did create another Argent, this one would be under his control and therefore very dangerous." He turned to Owen. "Could another Argent penetrate the security measures?" Owen adjusted his glasses. "Current measures could be circumvented by a being of Argent's abilities, counter measures could be in place with Argent's co-operation in their testing within a few days." "I'll help out however I can," Argent said while standing. Xanatos nodded his thanks. "Tell R&D that they have hours, not days. I want the building secure from attack as soon as possible." "If Sevarius did create another Argent, why would he order him to attack the Perez's?" Angela asked the group. "Sevarius couldn't know of their connection to him." "Good point," Brooklyn voiced from his seat near Goliath. "Could Sevarius be tracking his movements?" "Could be a might simpler than that," said Hudson. "It could be the doctor's new creation was drawn there by Argent's scent." Goliath looked thoughtful for a moment. "That might be one explanation, but somehow the co-incidence seems too remote not to have a connection to Sevarius." "Or someone else," Delilah said while looking into Argent's eyes. "Remember someone else hates both you *and* the Gargoyles just as much as Sevarius does. Someone who *you* met near the Perez's." Argent's eyes went wide. "Demona?" Delilah nodded. "What Delilah says might have merit," Xanatos rose from his seat and paced the floor. "Creating a being like Argent would be very costly. Anton might have had the funds once, but would need a new cash influx in order to duplicate the process." He turned and faced Goliath. "She has been alive for a long time, and has amassed quite a fortune that has grown since she and Thialog created Nightstone Ltd. With Thialog missing, and most likely dead, she would be the sole owner..and she would have the funds to have Anton duplicate his project. It wouldn't be the first time she's employed his twisted genius." "Aye," said Hudson. "She could have had Sevarius make him as a first step to building a new clan, one that would be loyal to her." "A clan of Argent's is something that I would not like to see Demona heading," Goliath said. "But for now we won't jump to any conclusions, but we shall take no chances either." He rose from his seat. "We shall split into three groups tonight. Argent, you Delilah and Bronx will stay here to guard the castle and to help Xanatos's technician's secure it from attack. Lexington, Broadway and Angela will be the first patrol unit while Hudson, myself, and Brooklyn will comprise the second. Make sure to keep communications open at all times and be sure to stay on guard for anything unexpected." Talon rose up and stood next to Goliath. "Maggie, Claw, and I will help patrol the city if you need us." "No. If Sevarius has created another hunter he may be programmed to attack you, as Argent once was. You will be needed by those in the Labyrinth for protection." Goliath placed his hands on Talon's shoulders. "But your offer is a welcome one, and was not unexpected." He motioned to Lexington, who brought each of the Mutates a communications unit. "I had Lexington make each of you one of these to keep in touch, even underground. If we need you we call for assistance, and if you have need of our help then you can call for our aide as well." Talon and Maggie placed the tiny units on their belts, and the ear pieces in their ears. Claw gave Lex a questioning look. "I know you can't use the Mic to talk," Lex said. "That's why I made yours a little different." He held the unit up for Claw to look at. "Your unit has a built-in keypad, and a send button. What ever you type in is translated into speech by the communication system's computer, then transmitted for the rest of us to hear." Claw looked skeptical. "Go ahead and try it," urged Lex. Claw tapped out a brief message on the keypad, and hit the send button for all to hear. A slightly familiar voice came through the ear pieces. "Is this really going to work?" it asked. Claw was stunned, while Maggie and Derek laughed out loud. "You gave it Mel Gibson's voice to use?" Maggie asked while still laughing. The rest of the Gargoyles looked at Lex, who mearly shrugged. "Well I thought it was a good voice, if Claw wants me to change it..." Claw shook his head and a very firm, but pleasent "No" came to the ears of those that could hear it. "All he needs now is a kilt, and a big sword", joked Brooklyn. Everyone else grinned, but the biggest smile of all was worn by Claw, who now had a voice, albeit an electronic one. After everyone had left to go about their assigned patrols, Argent accompanied Owen down to the lab. The technicians attached electrodes and EEG leads to him and studied the readouts as he used his biological stealth field to become invisible. They had him do this several times, as well as trying different types of sensor equipment to register his presence. An hour later Argent asked Owen how much longer it would take for the testing to be completed. "Not much longer," Owen assured him. "They will be taking the data gathered here, and use it to devise better sensors that will detect the energy output of your invisibility field." As soon as the technicians had finished with their tasks, Argent went to find Delilah. He soon discovered that she, along with Bronx and Tammy had had staked out a place in the Great Hall near the large fire- place. Bronx was laying near the hearth, and Tammy was asleep on the couch with her head in Delilah's lap. "Shhhhh..she just fell off to sleep," Delilah whispered while holding a finger to her lips. "She's been studying so hard, and I was so worried about her I had Maggie bring her from the Labyrinth." Argent watched as Delilah stroked Tammy's hair, and was glad that both of the most important people in his life were here with him. He only hoped that the others out on patrol were doing all right. High over the city: "Hey Lex, how come you brought your lap-top with you tonight on patrol?" Broadway asked while catching an updraft. "I thought it might come in handy later on," Lex told him as he adjusted the harness on the pack holding his computer. "Since we're going to be in the neighborhood, I thought we'd make a stop on our patrol route." "A stop?" Angela looked puzzled. "Where are we going to stop at?" "I thought since we might be dealing with another creation of Sevarius's, it might be interesting to stop by Bio-Tech labs and see if we can find anything." "But Bio-Tech labs is on the other side of the city," Broadway said. "We can't fly all the way over there tonight." "We won't have to," Lex told him with a grin. "Bio-Tech has a separate accounting office near here." "How is searching there going to help us?" Angela asked. "Because all of their computers are linked," Lex explained while patting his computer. "With this I'll be able to plug into their network, and look around. If Sevarius kept any records of this other Argent, I might be able to hack past his safeguards and find them." "All right, but if we get into any trouble..it was *your* idea," Broadway said firmly. High over the city: Midtown "Do you think we'll find any trace of this *other* Argent tonight?" Brooklyn asked as he continued to scan the streets below for any activity. "I wouldn't count on it lad," Hudson said sagely. "If Sevarius's new hunter is half as clever as Argent, he'll hide. And if he's being controlled by Demona, she'll be sav'n him for when she thinks the time is right." "And if he's not being controlled by either one..what if he's like Argent and escaped?" Brooklyn looked to Both Goliath and Hudson for an answer. Goliath spoke first. "Then we can only hope to find him first before anyone else does..and something tragic occurs," Goliath told him. Brooklyn was about to ask another question when his attention was drawn by small arms fire from below. "Gunfire..coming from that direction." The three of them went lower, and glided towards a construction site. The bare skeletal structure of a building halfway finished rose from the ground below them, and the sound of gunshots and shouts grew louder. "Stay close together," Goliath instructed. "We're going in." Bio-Tech Labs Accounting Office: "You'd think that an office like this would have a better security system", mused Lex as he continued to hack into the Bio-tech mainframe. Angela said nothing, she stood guard near the door. A movement to her right drew her attention to Broadway, who was about to open a mini-fridge. She frowned at him. "We're here for information..*not* for snacks." Broadway grinned sheepishly, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and moved over to where Lex was typing away. "Any luck yet?" "Just about..got it..there!" Lex announced proudly. "I'm in the main system now. I was right about the codes I got from the machine Argent was in, the security subroutines haven't been changed, and the access node is still active." "That's good..right?" Angela asked. She knew very little about computers, but what little she did know paled in comparison with what Lex knew. "It's very good..for us," Lex told her and Broadway. "Right now I'm accessing and doing a system search for anything that relates to the old Argent project file." "How long is that going to take?" Broadway asked while pulling up a chair to get comfortable. The computer terminal beeped, drawing Lex's attention to what was now on the screen. "I think this might be it." Angela leaned over and read the word on the screen out loud. "Bloodwulf. What does that mean?" "I don't know," Broadway said while frowning. "But it doesn't sound good." Lex tapped out a few more commends and the screen came alive with charts, diagrams, and the outline of a familiar figure. "That's Argent!" Angela tapped the screen. "No it's not," Lex said as the outline became a 3D color image. "Look." The image on the screen took on a sinister, almost feral look about it. Reddish colored fur, jet-black wings with blood red membranes running thru them, bright green eyes that even from the tiny picture looked cold and calculating. "What's that?" Angela asked while pointing to a line coming from Bloodwulf's neck. "Let's take a closer look." Lex moved the mouse pointer and clicked on the command line. Another window opened and a silver object appeared as well as a diagram of the brain and spinal column. Lex quickly read thru the data provided. "Looks like Sevarius put something in this one too, but it's not a computer. Looks more like a monitor with a tracking device built in..but it's connected to something called the *Thalmic Nerve*." "So..what good does that do us?" Broadway asked. "Quite a bit," Lex answered. "It says that the thalmic nerve is what feeds the sensation of pain in humans. Sevarius must have put it in as a safety in case his knew creation tried to attack him." "So..Sevarius *is* controlling him," Broadway hissed. His eyes glowed in the dim light of the computer screen. "I don't think so..look at that." Angela tapped the bottom of the screen where billing information was displayed for materials used. It read "Nightstone Ltd." "Demona!" Lex griped his keyboard tighter. "She and Sevarius are working together!" "We'd better get this information to Goliath," Angela said. "He'll want all the details." She was about to activate her com-unit, but the sound of gunfire and the roar of Gargoyles in battle suddenly filled her ears through her ear piece. "Father..father, can you hear me? Father!" Broadway and Lex activated their com-units, the voice of Goliath came thru. "We're under fire at a construction site near mid-town. It looks like..," the signal stopped. "Father!" Angela cried, and raced back up the stairs to the roof. Broadway and Lex followed close behind. "I thought you said these com-units couldn't be jammed?" Broadway asked as the trio took flight. "They can't, but his unit could have been damaged in the battle." "Let's just hope we can get there in time" Broadway looked over towards Angela. She didn't speak, but they look in her face and eyes reminded him so much of her mother, that he had to turn away for a moment. He hoped that when they got there that Goliath was all right, if not Angela would reek havoc on those responsible. 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!"