Season Two, Part Thirteen of the SteelClaw Chronicles

Break-In

A SteelClaw Story

By Vashkoda and Cesar 
artwork by Silver and Vashkoda
editing by Ed

Previously in the Clan SteelClaw Chronicles…

"What did you do to Thaylog!" Vashkoda shouted.  'My son'?   Could this really be Thaylog's father?

"You can't do this!" Ed cried, desperately searching for another way out.  "You'll never get away with it!"

The voice chuckled.  "And who would dispute my claim?  His protégée?   His clan?  I'll be rid of the rest of them soon enough, but at least I know I won't have to worry about you two."

Vash heard the human cry out, and turned to see a thick yellow gas ooze out from under the door.

A misty figure passed through the wall and appeared before them.  "I have a proposition that I believe will benefit us all.  Allow me to show you a sample."

Ed felt dizzy for a moment, then realized that all three of them had become transparent.  He flinched as a wisp of yellow vapor reached out...and passed right through them!  The chair where he had been sitting only moments before began to sizzle, then in seconds, it collapsed and turned into dust.

"Who...what did you...what just happened?!" Ed cried.

"We have been merged.  In this state, I can alter our substance so that it can pass through other matter.  I ask very little in return.  I am but a poor spirit, lacking the strength to leave this place on my own.  I need someone to help me reach the outside--acting as a host, if you will.  In return, I will share my abilities with you, so that we may pass through these barriers safely."

The reporter glanced miserably at the thick clouds of yellow gas swirling around the room.  "You aren't exactly giving us much of a choice, here."

-- "FRAGILE ALLIANCES"

There, at the edge of the woods, he caught a fleeting glance of three figures disappearing into the trees. "Ah see 'em!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs and then, spreading his wings wide, took off in pursuit.  He now had a chance to show his employers how good he could be. He'd bring the gargoyles back.

And then he saw her. A female gargoyle crouched behind a bush and cradling something... her egg?...close to her body. She looked exhausted, worried and scared, a far cry from the image of gargoyles he had been taught to become familiar with.

As much as Cesar prided himself in the work he had done for his employers, there was something sour about this mission. The heroes he saw on TV and in his comic books didn't hunt down mothers and their children.  They didn't evict families from their homes with threats of a bloody death. Tonight he was a far cry from those characters he tried to emulate.  Tonight he was one of the bad guys, and that was a thing Cesar wasn't too proud of.

"It does give you second thoughts, doesn't it?" a voice, low and barely audible, said from behind him. Cesar turned, relaxing only when he saw the uniform of one of his own people.  

"A brave bunch of men, aren't we? Forcing mothers and their children to hide in the snow. Want to know what will happen to that mother and her egg if our bosses or people like Aynton get their hands on them?"  

Cesar tore his eyes away from Harding's stare and looked down at the female curled protectively around her egg. "Ah know."

"I guess I'll be seeing you back at the base..."  He trailed off, leaving the silence to ask a question of Cesar that needn't be spoken. "Won't I?"

Cesar sighed and turned his attention back to the hollow.  The female, the beast and the egg were gone. "Maybe," he said, listening to the soft crunches of snow that Harding's feet made as he walked away from the mutate. "Maybe."

***

Aynton snorted.  "You have no idea what you're facing.  Just make sure you listen to me when we finally find them."

"No, joo listen-"

Varges stopped as he realized that Aynton's eyes had turned completely white.  He moved away from him in surprise.

"Are...joo possessed?"

The man smiled.  "Something like that."  Then he turned his back on Varges and walked away.

Varges stared after him, a thousand questions clamoring in his mind.

...

He looked around at the scattered soldiers who remained, and said to him, "Dey are yours now,"--realizing too late that by putting them in the hands of a vampire, he was dooming them all to a certain fate.  Aynton would probably be spared, however.   The board considered him useful, and besides, whatever entity he was possessed with had given him uncanny abilities.

Varges continued his musings over the strange individual, then climbed into a truck and took off down the road.

-- "INVASION"

The two gargoyles waited in silence, their gaze drifting over the field of smoking debris, wondering whether they had done the right thing in coming here.  It wasn't long before Vashkoda returned.

"Did you learn anything?" Cairo asked.

Vash shook her head.  "Any clues or survivors would have been found by the humans who put out the fire."

"Den perhaps we should be asking who would do such a t'ing to yourr clan," said Malachi.  "Dat would at least give us a place to start."

Her eyes widened in realization.  "He did say that he would go after the others, but I never thought he...."  Her words trailed off into silence. 

Cairo reached out give her a quick embrace.  "Your clan is my family too, ancestor.  I will help you find them, or help you avenge their death." 

Malachi drew his sword.  "Dees cowardly act will not go unpunished.  Tell me hees name, so that I may curse hees soul and damn heem to oblivion."

Vashkoda drew a breath of frosty air and turned her gaze toward the city.

"Thailog....  His name is Thailog." 

-- "CONVERGENCE"

******

Every few seconds, a flash of lightning streaked across the midnight sky, briefly illuminating the strange group gathered in the streets below.  Had the blasts of thunder not assuredly driven everyone to their beds, the four might have taken greater care not to be seen.  But on nights like this--they knew--only the foolish or desperate dared wander outside.

"Curse this Light-forsaken rain!  How many more days can it continue pouring down?"

Vashkoda and Dog, neither of whom particularly enjoyed getting wet, had their bodies pressed against the storefront wall, watching the drops fall from the safety of the shop's small awning.

"April showers..." quoted Mal in reply, wrapping his trenchcoat more tightly around him.  He glanced over at his mate and smiled in amusement.   Unlike the others, she stood in the middle of the street, spinning in circles with her arms outstretched as she gleefully soaked in the rain.

"Come celebrate!" Cairo called out to them.  "Storms are a blessing from the sky spirits!" 

Malachi found himself tempted to join her.  Although he considered many of her old clan's beliefs and traditions primitive, they also possessed an alluring child-like innocence.  

"Celebrate when the goal has been achieved.  We go out this night with a purpose," Vashkoda sternly reminded them.

A change came over Cairo.  As she spun one last time, gathering momentum, she leapt up and rolled in midair, landing in a crouch with her spear in hand.   Mal was suddenly reminded that her innocence did not extend to all things.   Certainly not to the art of dealing death.

"Apologies, ancestor.  I will not be distracted again.  The murderer will face our justice!"

Malachi sighed.  He was never one to shy away from a battle--after all, he enjoyed the challenge of pitting his weapons and skill against worthy opponents.   But still...this wasn't his fight!  He knew that Vashkoda was taking advantage of Cairo and himself to exact revenge on her enemy.  She had mentioned none of this when she'd offered to take them to Pennsylvania to join her clan.  Even then, Mal had been hesitant; he had been hoping to finish the journey he'd started with Cairo to meet his own family back in Spain.  That trip had been cut short when Cairo's nightmares about her old clan had prompted them to take a detour to Egypt.  Once that had been solved, Mal had expected the two groups to go their own separate ways.  But then there was the revelation that Cairo was Vashkoda's descendant, and of course, Cairo insisted on meeting the rest of her extended family.

Except that when they journeyed to Pennsylvania to meet them, they were gone.

Malachi couldn't help but wonder whether Vashkoda had known they were missing even before she came to Egypt.  Maybe she went there with the sole purpose of recruiting other gargoyles in her quest for vengeance.  Maybe the story about her being related to Cairo was all a lie.

No... he couldn't make himself believe that Vashkoda was deceiving them.   Still, he couldn't help feeling used.  

He noticed her watching him.  Rather than voice his suspicions, he shrugged and added, "If we can find him."

Mal could hear a low growl escape her throat.  "He'll be there.   The papers say Thaylog's old company hasn't recovered their losses, so Mr. Thailog will be flying down from New York to personally deal with the matter."

Vashkoda had felt some consolation in reading that shortly after Thay's disappearance, all of his company's funds had mysteriously disappeared.  This discovery had only taken place after Thailog had taken over IDE, forcing him assume responsibility of the company's new debts as well.  Rather than becoming an asset, IDE turned out to be a huge drain on Legacy Enterprises' funds and resources.   Vashkoda saw it as Thaylog's final act of revenge against his father.  And after Ed disclosed his new source of income, she now knew what Thay had done with that money.

But Thailog had retaliated and destroyed Steelclaw.  With no one else left, the burden fell on Vashkoda to make him pay the ultimate price.

"The rain is letting up," remarked Cairo in disappointment.   "The storm will be over soon."

"Then we must hurry before the cloud cover recedes."  The golden-furred gargoyle grabbed hold of the awning and lifted herself up, then dug her talons into the brick wall and began to climb.  The others followed, with Malachi carrying Dog.  

When the next flash of lightning came, a lone figure was illuminated in the recently abandoned street.  Crouching low to the ground, it appeared to have picked up a scent where the gargoyles had been standing.  With a howl that was made all the more chilling by the echoing booms of thunder, the creature took off in pursuit.

*     *     *

They were right below him, perched on a balcony opposite the large company building.

Cesar wondered briefly whether he had made the right choice in following this group.  It was true that he needed help to pull off his own mission ...but gargoyles?  He had been surprised to find these three wandering the city, thinking that those he'd hunted back at the mansion had been the only gargoyles in the area.   It seemed that Newbridge was infested with the creatures.

He shook his furry head from side to side.  No, that was something his former employers would say.  Cesar now knew that gargoyles weren't just mindless monsters like the kind Zentech hired as its goons.  He used to boast of their species' power and speed--which had become part of his own modified genetic makeup, but now after learning more about them, it was their integrity and spirit that he was proud of and respected most.

He decided to make his move.

"Getting in is the easy part; I've done that before," spoke one of the females to the others.  "Once there, we should split up to cover more ground.  Signal on your com devices if you find him or run into trouble.  I doubt Thailog has reactivated the full scale security system; he wouldn't want more guards getting killed by mistake, leading to another investigation." 

The male gargoyle sighed and made a sound of exasperation.  "Cell phones.  Stop calling dem com devices!  Dees eesn't Star Trek, you know."

The one who had been speaking earlier seemed to ignore his remark.   The other female took out a cellular phone and was looking at it uncertainly.

"Howdy," Cesar called out in greeting, landing with a loud thump onto the balcony beside them.

Before he knew it, he had a spear at his throat, a small dog growling at his feet, and a gun aimed at his head.  The third gargoyle had vanished completely, but it was her voice that he heard next.

"Don't move or you will die.  Who are you?"

"Hey hey hey, hold on there.  Ahm on your side--a fellow gargoyle, your amigo, your bro!  Now how about you lower them weapons so we can talk all peaceful-like?  I promise I won't hurt you--gargoyle's honor!"   He wasn't sure it was the right sign, but he lifted up a few of his claws the way he'd seen boy scouts do.

The spear and gun were lowered cautiously, but not put away.  The dark bearded male called the dog back.  

"What do you want?" asked the voice, this time from a different location.

Cesar wondered if he was supposed to act scared.  He wasn't, really--he figured he could probably take out the spear-lady and the dog with one kick.   He'd most likely get shot at least once by the gun, but he'd taken many hits before and survived, provided dawn wasn't too far off.  He wasn't sure what kind of heat the invisible gargoyle was packing, but she'd probably have to turn visible again to use it.   At least he assumed so--that was the way it always worked in the movies and video games.  Otherwise it would be way too unfair.  

He reminded himself, however, that he wasn't here to attack these people, but to recruit their help.

"Ah noticed you scoping out that building over there."   Cesar grinned, showing off his muzzle full of teeth.  "A company that size probably has lots of stuff worth stealing.  Er-," Cesar caught the others staring at him, and inwardly chastised himself for still thinking like a Zentech employee.  "I mean, that is what we do, right?  Steal from the rich and give to the poor?  Protect the innocent, fight with honor, that sort of thing?"   If gargoyles could sweat, Cesar knew he'd be dripping buckets.  "Ah just want to help out ...and maybe you guys could do me a favor in return."

"Arre you for real?" asked the Spaniard-sounding male.

"You know nothing about honor," spat the invisible gargoyle, finally materializing as she lowered her cloak.  "And we don't need your help."

"Well, aren't we all high and mighty?" Cesar remarked.  He thought he caught the other male smile, but the female he'd addressed was definitely not smiling.  Cesar hastily explained, "What I mean is, you don't know what you're turning down.  Ah've got stuff that'll help you get inside."

"I've made it in before-"

"Which probably gave them reason to upgrade their security," Cesar countered.

The gargoyle shook her head.  "Thailog won't be expecting us.   He thinks he killed all of the clan when he destroyed our mansion."

Mansion?  Cesar felt a momentary surge of panic.  These guys must be part of the clan Zentech was after--the clan he helped drive from their home!   Would the gargoyles know he had been involved?  Probably not, or they would have killed him by now.  It sounded to him like they were blaming the incident on someone named Thailog.  Cesar decided that it was best not to correct them.

"Well, this Thailog who busted up your home sounds like a clever fellow, and I wouldn't put it past him to have taken some extra precautions just in case.   And seeing as he's rich, he was probably able to get his hands on some NEDs."

The gun-wielding gargoyle rolled his eyes at him.  "He's trying to trick us.  I keep up with all the latest technology, and I've never heard of anything called an NED."

Cesar smirked in reply.  "I'm guessing you get all your information from magazines and websites.  Those are months behind what you'll see coming out on the black market.  I have connections--or used to, anyways--and I know all about these things.  They're neuro-electric-disruptors.  They have a wide range, and unless you've got one of these gadgets to counter it, your brain shuts down and you drop to the ground: instant coma."  Cesar produced a small remote device from somewhere on his body.  

Before he realized what had happened, the red female gargoyle had managed to snatch it from his paw and handed it over to the Spaniard.

"Hey!  You'll still need my help to make it work," Cesar insisted, though he worried that they might manage to figure it out on their own.  As the gargoyles looked over the device, he added, "Besides, ahm sure you could use some extra muscle on this mission, in case things get ugly."  He pumped his arms and puffed out his chest, showing himself off.

If the others had noticed, they gave no sign.  Feeling both defeated and insulted, he let his shoulders droop and his body fall into a slump.

"Look guys, I'm not asking for much in return.  I scratch your back, you scratch mine--it's only fair.  The catch is, though, er...we have to get my problem taken care of first."  They were all frowning at him now, but he continued, "It's really important that we stop some guys I know from going through with their plans.  They mean to do a whole lotta damage, and people are surely gonna get hurt if something isn't done."

"We cannot afford to wait-"

"Can't we, Vash?  Didn't the papers say that Thailog would be in town this entire week?  Maybe it's best that we wait a few days for him to feel safe and lower his defenses."

Cesar couldn't believe his ears.  The other male was actually defending him!  The one he called Vash didn't seem very pleased with the idea, but it was clear that the others felt differently.

"All right.  We hurry and take care of your problem, then you return here and help us with ours.  Agreed?" she asked, extending her hand.

"Sure thing," he replied, grasping it with his own massive paw.  

What he hadn't told them was that his 'mission' involved taking them clear across the state to Philadelphia--the city of brotherhood.  Cesar grimaced at the thought of Zentech having any "brotherly" intentions when they had set up a base there.  

To distract the group and forestall any questions about the actual details of his mission, Cesar tried to keep them occupied in conversation as they glided over the woods and fields.  Thankfully the rain had stopped, and enough cloud cover remained to block out the moon and let them pass unseen. 

Before long he had gotten all their names--Vashkoda, Malachi, Cairo and Dog.  He figured out that Mal and Cairo were mates and that Dog belonged to them.   Cesar wasn't too sure what their connection was with Vash; she never spoke much, at least not to him.  Cairo had mentioned something about Vash being her "ancestor", but that couldn't be right.  Whatever her story was, it was clear that Vashkoda considered herself the leader of their small group.   That suited Cesar just fine; as long as they accomplished what he'd set out there to do.   In fact, if he could get them to do all his work for him, and maybe even take the blame--

"The sun is about to rise," noted Vashkoda in surprise.   "We have been flying all night!" She angrily turned towards Cesar and demanded, "Where have you been leading us?"

Cesar cringed.  "I was hoping we'd make it there before dawn.   It isn't much farther, I promise.  In fact, maybe it's better this way--we've got plenty of cover out here in the woods, and there's no way enemy goons would think to look for us here while we sleep."

"I'd feel better protected in a city, to be honest," grumbled Mal as they landed in a copse of pine trees.  "If someone should find us here, we'd stick out like a sore t'umb."

"Believe me, you won't be safe anywhere near that city," Cesar told them. "Once Zentech settles down in a place, the whole area is infested with their agents and spies."

"So 'trust no one' I take it?" quoted Mal with a grim smile.

"Bet your life on it," Cesar replied, just as they all turned to stone.

*     *     *

Cesar's dream centered around a not-so-distant memory, and he began to relive events that had happened one week ago in Long Island, New York.

A woman screamed.  People stared and went about their business when they realized that she was only screaming about her stolen purse; nothing that affected them personally. The thief ran like the wind, the cries of his latest victim growing softer with the gaining distance.

He ran into an alley--one he'd passed through a million times before.   So it had to be safe...right?  He leaned against a far wall and chuckled as he opened the purple faux leather purse. 

"Mayhap it's just my opinion, but I reckon purple ain't your color," said a calm, deep voice from the shadows. The thief looked up and only saw two glowing eyes shrouded by darkness. He dropped the purse and went for the five-inch blade he kept in his coat. 

The knife never made it out of it's sheath.

The woman by now was just accepting her loss.  She pulled out her cell phone from its hip case and was about to report the stolen credit cards when something fell out of the sky, landing at her feet with a dull thud.  Was it...could it be? she wondered as she picked it up, only to realize that it was in fact her purse.  Nothing looked out of place, except for a few wet specks of blood and a missing plastic key card.   But she wouldn't notice either of these things until the next morning.

Up in the sky, a wolf-like creature was flying through the air.

"City's full of animals!" Cesar grumbled as he palmed the key card.  He flew towards an office building, one that had been made to appear unimportant.  It was by no means such. Cesar had chosen it as his target, seeing as it was a low security office but still hooked up to the Zentech mainframe.  He landed on the roof and used the key card to open the door.  Cesar made his way down and entered the first office he saw.  He then knelt in front of the computer and began typing. After looking through it for what seemed far too long, he found a file that looked promising. It was heavily encrypted, and Cesar, knowing nothing about hacking, tried something stupid.  He typed in his own company password. 

He was surprised to see it working, but the file demanded a level three security clearance and Cesar only had a level nine.  The screen showed him fragments of the file, the bits a level nine would buy him.  He was able to piece together that Zentech had a very important ceremony planed.  Important enough that the whole Board of Directors had been invited.  When Cesar clicked on the ritual details, all he was able to find was a list of the items needed, and even then all but one was blacked out.   The description read: 'two-foot tall demon statue'.  

"Reckon if I were to get my mits on your ugly mug, it'll keep Zentech from unleashing God knows what," Cesar thought to himself as he read the item's whereabouts. 

"Damn, it had to be Philly," he muttered, realizing that his mission wouldn't be a one 'man' job.  "Reckon I'm going need some help on this one."

*     *     *

As they approached Philadelphia, Malachi's skin began to tingle.   Having already been warned of the danger ahead, Malachi tightened his grip on the katana at his side and dangled the other hand near his holster.

They passed into the city as stealthily as they could, keeping their bodies low and in shadow.  As he paused to study the buildings around him, Malachi found nothing remarkable about the place--no signs that it had been taken over by some ominous organization.  Yet he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was unwelcome here.

"I don't like this place, and it doesn't like us," whispered Cairo.  So he hadn't been imagining it.

"Stay behind me, beloved.  I will protect you," Malachi promised her.  

Cairo looked momentarily affronted, and the ochre colored gargoyle worried that they were going to have another fight.  But her gaze finally softened as she brushed a hand against his cheek.  "Thank you for watching over me, but I am not a fragile flower that needs looking after.  I am a warrior; I can take care of myself."

Malachi decided it was best not to argue, but he couldn't help being worried for her safety.  Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to convince the others to follow Cesar and postpone the attack on Thailog.  At least they had been somewhat prepared against the ruthless gargoyle executive, and knew what could be expected.   But Cesar had spoken very little of this "Zentech" company and their vague nefarious purpose.  All he would say was that they needed to break into a warehouse and steal something vital to their plans.  It sounded simple, which to Malachi meant that it was anything but.

"There it is," growled Cesar.  Malachi examined the building across the street.

They faced the rear side of the warehouse, where a lone street lamp illuminated the loading garage and a stairway leading up to the back door.  A security guard patrolled the area, smoking a cigarette as he made his rounds.

The moment the man walked around the corner, Cesar made a run for it.   Malachi stared at him in shock, then heard Vashkoda curse and take off in pursuit.   Cairo, of course, followed Vash, which gave Mal little choice but to dash after them.

Cesar rammed the back door with his shoulder and the whole warehouse shuddered.  The large gargoyle disappeared through the now gaping hole in the building wall.  Malachi was able to catch up with them inside, where his gargoyle vision saved him from tripping over the group in the pitch black darkness.

"So much for the element of surprise," Mal hissed.

Cesar snorted.  "Are you kidding?  Those guys have known we were here since we entered the city.  I told you, they have eyes and ears everywhere."

As if to prove his point, several rounds of laser fire began sweeping across the room, briefly lighting it up.  The gargoyles bolted behind a set of large crates before they could be targeted.

"We have to charge them.  It's the only way to get outta here!" shouted Cesar over the sound of the weapons.

"Arre you crazy?  That's suicide!" cried Malachi in anger.   "You've landed us into a trap, you fool!"  

The creature growled.  "If ahd known you were such cowards, ah wouldn't have taken you along in the first place."

"Hold your fire!" shouted a new voice.  The lasers stopped.  

Cesar's eyes widened.  "I know that voice...."

Suddenly the whole room was flooded with light as ceiling lamps were activated.  Footsteps approached their hiding spot.  The gargoyles tensed, preparing to attack.  Cesar motioned for them to wait.

"Varges, is that you?" he called out.

Armed guards appeared from around the corner, surrounding them on all sides.  One man came forward and addressed the mutate.

"How nice to see joo, Cesar.  You had our bosses worried, teking off witout warning like dat."

Cesar eyed the guards around him worriedly, then whispered so that only Varges could hear.  "Buddy, you think you can help us out, here?  We need to get to the storeroom on the upper level.  I know the company's done some pretty nasty stuff in the past, but what they're planning now is beyond bad.  You have to help us stop them!"

Varges smiled and backed up until he was once again among the safety of his men.  "Joo have finally crossed de line, Cesar.  I don't know why dee directors won't let me kill joo, but at least I'll have de pleasure of seeing joo chained up like de animal joo are."    

Several emotions played over Cesar's features as it finally became clear to him that his best friend had betrayed them.

"Lock dem up!" ordered Varges as he turned his back on them and walked away.

The gargoyles saw that there was no point in resisting.  The guards prodded them forward with their rifles, and they followed them down into darkness.

*     *     *

Cairo looked around her at those who shared her cell.

Vashkoda was frowning as she stared silently at the electrified metal bars.  Before they had been captured, she had offered Cairo her magical hood so that she might have a chance to escape.  Cairo had refused, not wanting to leave her friends behind.  But perhaps she had offended her ancestor in doing so.  Cairo hoped that she wasn't the reason Vash looked so upset.

She turned to look at Malachi.  Her mate had been unhappy ever since the plans were made to break into Thailog's building.  Cairo found that surprising, since she remembered his enthusiasm when he first swore vengeance against those who had attacked clan Steelclaw.  But perhaps he had only done as a show of bravery, in the hopes it would impress her.  Cairo blushed.  Malachi was so wise, and knew so many things, that she often felt like a child compared to him.  Yet at other times, his strange notions and behavior made him seem like the childish one.

And although she had been brought up in the desert, and her mate had often teased her about her 'superstitious traditions', Cairo wasn't as primitive as others made her out to be.  She had spent several years with a flame-haired gargoyle named Demona, who had introduced her to the industrialized human world.  Cairo might still have a lot to learn, but she was certainly no longer as naive as she had once been.

With Malachi and Vashkoda both moping, there was only Cesar left to keep her company.  She approached him warily, thinking back to what she had heard during his conversation with the human named Varges.

"That man said you shared the same boss," she said softly.   "Does that mean you worked for these people?" 

The wolf-like gargoyle turned away, shamefaced.  "Ah did...once.   Ahm not proud of it, but what's done is done."

Cairo gave him a smile of encouragement.  "I do not blame you.   I know how easy it is to be misled," she said, remembering her experiences with Demona.

Cesar shook his head.  "No, they didn't trick me.  Ah knew what they were up to.  Ah could tell these guys were evil, just by the things they did...the creatures they hired.  But ah tried to convince mahself that it didn't matter.  These guys were always there for me--they were my family.   Ah wanted to make them proud of me."

"Well joo botched dat up pretty bad, didn't joo?" laughed Varges, appearing before their cage with two armed guards.  The men motioned the gargoyles to the back of the cell, then turned off the electric field and opened the cage door long enough for Varges to kick something inside.

It was a pet dish filled with food.

"I tought you might get hungry, Cesar.  Oh, I'm sorry--I forgot about your friends.  I must say, I am surprised you could convince gargoyles to help you, considering what joo did to their mansion."

Three pairs of eyes slid over to rest on Cesar.  Varges grinned.

"I will leave joo now to enjoy your meal.  Come," he said, calling the guards to him as he left the corridor.

Vashkoda approached.  "Explain," she said in a cold voice.

"Ah didn't know you were part of that clan when I saw you," Cesar said, eyes downcast.  "Otherwise, do you think ah would have been stupid enough to ask for your help?"

He cried out as Malachi landed a punch right in his stomach.   "Wrong answer," the gargoyle said.  "You arre lucky they took away my weapons, or I wouldn't have been so gentle," he growled.

Cesar swore.  "Ah didn't do anything!  Zentech wanted your clan out of Newbridge so they wouldn't cause no trouble.  We were only ordered to flush them out of the mansion.  Ah followed a few of them out into the woods, then let them go.  That's why ah left.  Ah don't want nothing to do with hurting innocent kids!"

Vashkoda's eyes widened.  "Describe the ones who escaped."

Cesar's eyes closed as he thought back to that night.  "A brown female and her egg.  This big dog-like thing.  A human-looking lady.  And a trigger happy gargoyle."

Mal and Cairo looked at Vashkoda, who was shaking her head in confusion.   "I'm not sure....  There were no eggs when I left.  And the last two...maybe Flynt and Kahreen returned.  But what about the others?"  She turned to Cesar and repeated, "What about the others?  Did they escape before you blew up our home?!"

The wolf-gargoyle hybrid shrugged.  "Ah don't know.  Those were the only ones I saw.  And I don't know nothing about your mansion being destroyed.  Like I said, I left right after I let the others go."

"You see, he did no wrong!" cried Cairo, jumping to his defense.   She didn't like the way Vashkoda and Malachi were bullying Cesar, a fellow gargoyle!  "Thanks to him, we now know who attacked the clan," she reminded them.

"A lot of good it does us now, stuck in this cage," grumbled Malachi.  "He should have told us the truth from the beginning."

"Well for what it's worth, ahm sorry," muttered Cesar.   "And ah'll do my best to make things right again."  He stumbled towards the cell door.  Before the others could cry out in protest, Cesar braced himself and grabbed hold of the bars and pulled with all his might.

The frame squealed in protest and broke free.  Cesar looked at the door in his hands, amazed it had worked and that he was still standing.

"They forgot to turn the electric field back on!" cried Cairo gleefully.  "Now we can escape!"

Malachi frowned and turned to Vash.  "Does this seem right to you?"  The cowled gargoyle shook her head.  

"They wouldn't have been that careless.  We are meant to escape."

"Ah knew Varges would help us!  C'mon, we gotta steal that statue!"

They followed Cesar out into the hall, finding their weapons thrown carelessly in a corner.  Vash and Mal exchanged another look, then took off after him.

"What is so important about this statue that we're risking our lives to get it?" asked Malachi as he buckled on his holster.

"Most of the file was encrypted, so I don't know the details," Cesar huffed.  "But I could tell it's gonna be an important part of a ceremony these guys are cooking up.  Something big and bad."

Cairo offered him a smile.  "It is a noble thing you are doing, stopping these evil men."

Cesar looked flustered.  Before he could reply, Vashkoda announced that she was going to scout the area up ahead for signs of an ambush, and asked the rest of them to wait.  Moments after she disappeared, Malachi decided to follow anyway, but insisted that Cairo and Cesar stay behind and wait for his signal.

"Look, ah gotta be straight with you," said Cesar after they were both gone.  "You guys might be here because it's the right thing to do, but ahm doing this mainly for revenge against those who screwed me over.  Ah see the way you're looking at me now--you gargoyles, you might be above that sort of thing.  But me, ahm just a human in wolf's clothing, so to speak.  Ah was turned into one of you creatures--ah wasn't born this way.  Ah admire you guys, ah really do, and ahm willing to change.  But it's gonna happen one step at a time."

Cairo could do nothing but stare at him in shock.  A human turned into a gargoyle?  It went completely against nature.  It was a concept so horrifying that it sickened her.  She wasn't sure whether to feel sorry for Cesar or despise him.

But what was worse was that he had deceived her.  Normally she had nothing against mankind.  Desert tribes had been friendly to her clan in the old days.  And the reporter, Ed, had helped her find her ancestor.  At least Ed didn't hide what he was.  But this Cesar, pretending to be a gargoyle--!

"The passageways arre clear!" called out Malachi, beckoning them to hurry and follow him.  As they ran down the corridors, they spotted several guards twitching on the ground.  Cairo knelt down to examine one, recognizing the signs of neurotoxin poisoning.

She looked up as Cesar walked by, and hesitated only a moment before hurling her spear.  The mutate's eyes went wide when he saw her throw, and he dropped to the ground.  

Cairo casually stepped over him and looked at the guard who had fallen behind him, a spear sticking out of his chest.  Cesar rolled around and noticed the man.

"Sheesh, warn a guy before you do that!"

Malachi stared at the guard and grimaced.  "Looks like Vash missed one."

At the mention of her name, the gargoyle rematerialized, pulling off her hood.  "I thought it was your job to check the passageways after I passed through.  That was the reason you followed me, right?"  Before he could muster a reply, she reported, "This corridor leads to the main hall where we were captured.  The lights are still on--I won't be able to use my hood to hide."

"Well..." grunted Cesar as he climbed to his feet, "We definitely need to go through there to reach the upper levels where they're keeping the statue.  Maybe if we charge 'em...?"

Malachi shook his head.  "I have a better idea."  He took out a small whistle and blew it three times.  Although Cairo could hear no sound, Cesar winced and almost cried out in pain.

"Owwww!  What's the big idea?" he growled.  "Why I oughta-" he stopped and suddenly pricked up his ears.  Cario could hear it too--a soft yipping sound that was gradually growing louder.  

"Good ol' Dog," Mal smiled.  "If there are any guards out there, they'll go out and investigate."  Indeed, they could hear footsteps crossing the hall and the squeal of the back door being opened.

"Now, to send him away before he leads them to us."  This time Cesar plugged his ears as Malachi blew another series of notes through his whistle.   The barking gradually disappeared.

"Go!" Vashkoda urged them.  The group slipped into the hall and up the stairs without being seen.  Cesar hurriedly poked his head through several doors before motioning for them to follow him inside.

Cairo shivered as she stepped into the room.  Scrolls, weapons, arcane devices, talismans, idols, and numerous other objects lay piled on shelves or scattered across the floor.  Many were carved out of obsidian, bone and ebony into horrible shapes and faces.  Others seemed almost organic, made of gurgling fluids or quivering pieces of flesh.  Cairo could have sworn some were inching towards them when they weren't being directly looked at.  

"Found it," called out Cesar.  The others approached him and looked down at the small statue at his feet.  

It was only two feet tall, carved out of a black wood into the shape of a small demon.  It wore a sly grin, revealing scarlet fangs and tusks protruding over its upper lip.  Yellow rings had been painted around each of its eyes, as well as around a small black stone in the center of its forehead.  Its arms were crossed over its body, wielding a spiked wooden club in one hand and an iron mace in the other.

"So do we destroy that disgusting thing?" asked Mal, slipping his sword out of its scabbard.

Cesar shook his head.  "Demon idols like this don't break easy.   Best thing to do is take it with us and figure out what to do later."  He stooped down and grabbed the statue by its stubby legs.  A look of surprise crossed his face as he straightened his back to lift it, gasping from the effort.

"Damn thing is heavier than it looks," he grunted, adjusting his grip.  He stumbled as he took a few steps forward, but managed to hold on to it.

Vashkoda eyed the statue warily.  "Be careful when you handle it.  I wouldn't be surprised if its weapons have been coated with poison."

"As a matter of fact, dey are," spoke a familiar voice as a shadow crossed over the doorway.  The group tensed as they saw Varges enter, gripping a shortsword in his hand that radiated the same dark energy as the rest of the objects in the room.  "Tenk you for escaping.  If I had killed joo before, in front of dee guards, I would have been punished for disobeying orders.  But now dat you're on de loose, wreaking havoc and threatening our priceless collection of artifacts, killing joo was my only option.  I'm sure dee directors will understand."

Cesar looked at him in disbelief.  "Ah thought we were friends, Varges?  Partners...."

In reply, Varges lunged forward and slashed at Cesar with his blade.   Cesar lifted up the statue, using it to block the attack.  The sword bounced right off its hard surface without leaving a mark.

Varges snarled.  "Why are joo just standing dere?  Fight me!" 

Cesar put the statue down and backed away hesitantly.  He noticed the clan getting ready to attack, and motioned for them to hold their positions.  

He turned his attention back to Varges just in time to see him take a swing at his head.  Having no weapons of his own, and preferring not to use any of the cursed items lying around the room, Cesar was forced to stop the blade with his own claws.  He tried to ignore the burning pain as blood began trickling down his arms.   Varges suddenly moved forward and kicked the mutate in the knees, making him stumble and lose his grip.  The sword continued to arc downwards, but Cesar managed to dodge aside and avoid the blow.  He rubbed his knees and watched his opponent warily, but didn't make a move to fight back.

"If you do not fight me, I will kill joo," the human seethed.  

"I don't t'ink hees kidding!" cried Malachi anxiously, as his mate began to heft her spear.

Cesar called out to them, "No, he isn't himself!  He must be under a spell!"  

"Quite dee contrary," chuckled Varges darkly. "After all dese years of hiding how I feel and pretending to be your friend, I am finally showing joo my true self!"  Varges stabbed forward wildly, causing Cesar to step back each time.

"Before joo came, I was dee directors' favorite!  I was their best agent; I had more experience, training, and skill dan anyone!  And den joo--a no talent, no brained no-body--suddenly show up and dey treat joo like you're someting special!  But joo aren't special, Cesar!  Even with dat new body dey gave joo.   And I'll prove it when I kill joo!"

Cesar now found himself with his back up against the wall and nowhere left to run.

"We have to do something!" cried Cairo, rushing forward.   Vashkoda grabbed her arm and held her back.

"No, this is his fight.  Unless he asks for our help, honor demands that we stay," Vash stated firmly.

Cairo pulled out of her grasp.  "You may be bound by these foolish laws, but I am not!"  Before Vash or Malachi could stop her, she threw her spear directly at Varges.

The weapon passed right through the human's back and buried itself in Cesar's thigh.  The mutate howled in pain, while Varges looked back at the clan and smiled.  His clothing was unpierced and showed no traces of blood.

"Spirits preserve us!" whispered Cairo in fear.  The others looked similarly shocked.

"Joo were right Cesar--I am under a spell.  Just as Zentech gave joo an upgrade, I found a way to make myself invincible.  Now nothing can harm me!"

Cesar tore out the spear, fighting back another cry of pain, and threw it at the human's chest.  Once again, it passed though him without a trace.  He then tried to land a punch at the human's face, but it had no effect.  

Varges grinned.  "My turn," he said, and took his own swing.  It connected with Cesar's jaw, feeling very solid.  The mutate gargoyle slumped against the wall, beginning to feel the toll the battle had taken on his body.

"I've seen something like this before," said Vashkoda in surprise, recalling events from several months ago.  "A demon merged itself with Ed and I to make us insubstantial.  This human must have done the same."   She turned to Varges and cried, "Human, you are being tricked!  The demon is only using you to feed!"

Varges looked over his shoulder and glared at them.  "Joo should worry about yourselves, not me.  I will take care of joo once I am finished with-"  He paused when he noticed that Cesar was no longer against the wall.   Looking around, he quickly noticed him dragging his body over to where the statue was.

"And how did you defeat it?" Malachi asked Vash urgently, watching as Varges approached the mutate with an amused smile.

"We didn't," she replied grimly.  "It escaped after we completed our bargain."

"You want this thing so bad, you can have it!" cried Cesar, lifting the statue and throwing it at Varges with all his might.  A panicked expression flickered across the man's face as he jumped into the air and let the statue pass through his legs and land where he had once stood.  He took a few seconds to float down, landing atop the statue before carefully stepping back onto solid ground.  

Vash noticed that he was paying very close attention to his feet.   "Wait a minute...I think I'm remembering something," she said slowly.

"Too bad de statue cannot be so easily destroyed," laughed Varges.  "And as joo can see, I too remain unharmed." 

"The feet!" cried Vash in sudden realization.  "Cesar, attack his feet!  He has to keep them solid or he falls through the floor!"

Varges's eyes widened.  Cesar's mouth twisted into a grin.

The mutate rushed forward, and Varges lifted his sword in defense.   But in fact it was the sword Cesar was after, and before Varges could think to dematerialize it, Cesar wrested it from his grasp.

Now it was Varges's turn to howl as Cesar plunged the blade into his left foot--through the bone and several inches into the floorboard.

"I'll deal wit' you later," said Cesar coldly to his once-best friend.  He then limped over to the statue and hefted it onto his shoulder.

"Let's hope the guards don't come to investigate the noise," said Cairo worriedly as she bent to retrieve her spear.

Malachi pressed a hand against the far wall.  "Dees feels cold.   De wall must be t'in, and lead to de outside.  We just need to break t'roo here and we're free."

"Alrighty then," said Cesar, letting himself be propelled by the statue's weight as he dashed towards the wall and threw himself against it.  The boards splintered and Cesar crashed through the opening.  Cairo and Malachi quickly dove after him, helping him support the heavy burden and making sure he didn't put too much strain on his injuries.

Vashkoda paused a moment to look back at Varges.

"I was not lying about the demon.  We may have been enemies this night, but even on you, I would not wish the fate it has in store."

Varges snarled at her.  The gargoyle turned her back to him and dove out of the opening to rejoin her clan.

 ***

"So what are you going to do with it?" asked Cairo after they had landed a safe distance from the city.  They had stopped only briefly to pick up Dog, who was waiting faithfully for his master outside the warehouse.

"If I can't destroy it, I'll just find a safe place to stash it.   It's enough that Zentech's goons can't get their hands on it and use it for their ceremony."

"It's unfortunate that we didn't learn what it was they were hoping to do," said Vashkoda, sounding disappointed.

Malachi shrugged.  "Why worry about it now that we've stopped it?"

Cesar nodded.  "Well, thanks again for yer help.  I know I offered to help out with your own problem, but uh...as you know, that Thailog guy isn't really the one responsible for your troubles."

The others turned to look at Vash, wondering if she really was giving up her grudge against Thaylog's father.

The golden-furred gargoyle sighed.  "He may not be the one who destroyed our home, but I believe he is behind the disappearance of our old leader.   However, it is more important now that we learn what happened to those who escaped the attack."  She offered her hand to Cesar, who looked confused as he accepted it.

"We reacted poorly before, jumping to conclusions when you told us about the mansion.  It is now clear that you are not to be held responsible.  I apologize on behalf of the clan for the way we treated you.  I also offer you a place with us, if you want."

Cesar grinned in embarrassment.  "Uh, thanks.  Maybe some day I'll take you up on that offer.  But right now I still have things to figure out on my own.  Like I said, I'm kinda new to the whole 'good guy' thing."

She nodded.  "Even so, we now fight a common enemy.  If we can help, let us know."

"Sure thing."  He lifted up the statue and began walking to the edge of a cliff, preparing to dive.

"Wait, what about this!" shouted Cairo, waving the NED deactivation device.

"Keep it," he called back over his shoulder.  "If you do ever go after that Thailog guy, it might come in handy!"  He took a running leap and sprung upwards into the sky, and was gone.

 ***

  She shielded her eyes against the light of the flaming gateway.  Vash had wondered whether one would still appear at the place that had been agreed upon last time she was in Avalon.  

She hesitated before approaching it.  What would happen if she didn't pass through the opening?  Would someone then come looking for her?  It might only make matters worse.

I am no coward.  I will face whatever punishment I must, Vashkoda reminded herself, clenching her fists in resolve.  She passed through the flames.

A warm breeze greeted her as she stepped onto the sands of Oberon's island.  A shadowed figure stood by the trees, watching the gateway expectantly.   When Vashkoda had emerged, it began moving forward to greet her.  Vash noted in relief that it was not Phoenix, but Lady Titania.

"Welcome to Avalon, child," said the Queen.  Her smile turned to consternation as she examined her guest more closely.  "No more than a month should have passed in your world, yet you appear much older than you were when we last met.  Explain."

Vashkoda blushed, wondering if it was just Titania's perceptive eye, or if her age was indeed beginning to show.  "I was able to travel back in time," she explained.  "I spent almost a full score there before I could be brought back."

"Interesting.  I will hear more of this story, but right now we should proceed with your night's lesson.  The mists have settled upon the waters, and the moon is at its zenith."

The gargoyle lowered her gaze to the sand.  "My lady, I do not think I deserve you aid this night, or ever again.  I have failed in upholding my end of the agreement."

Titania raised an eyebrow as she waited for clarification.  Vashkoda cleared her throat.

"Phoenix's daughter... may be dead.  I was not there to save her, as I was asked to do."  Vashkoda continued to bow her head, overcome with shame.  Suddenly her knees began to buckle.  Before she knew what was happening, before she could stem the tide erupting within her, she had collapsed to the ground, clawing at the sand and screaming cries of pain.  Powerful emotions overwhelmed her-- grief...anger...resentment...disgust...despair... feelings she had buried deep inside so as not to appear weak in front of Cairo and Malachi.  She had lost so many already...her brothers, her mate, her daughter, and now her clan.  What more was expected from her?  Why was she made to experience such pain?  How could she make it stop?!

"Stop!" cried out a commanding voice.  "Open your eyes and look at me."

Vashkoda could not resist--she did as she was told.  The queen's eyes were no longer blue, but a turbid, unearthly shade of green.  Her words surged through the gargoyle's mind and body, filling them until the only thing she was aware of were those glowing eyes.

"No, I will not allow you to go down that destructive path.   Listen to me.  You have released your pain; now the healing can begin.   Remember, these words.  Nothing can be gained without loss.  There is no loss without purpose.  And sometimes what one thinks is lost...is only waiting to be found again."

 Vashkoda found herself at the edge of a clearing, once again in the mortal world.  Her mind and limbs felt numb, and it took a while before she could begin to remember what had happened on Avalon.

Sometimes what one thinks is lost is only waiting to be found again.

Before she had lost consciousness, there had been one last message.   A different voice, one that Vash recognized from long ago.

They are still alive, Vashkoda.  Find them.  Find my daughter.

***

Varges waited until the gargoyles were gone, then focused his magic on dematerializing the sword.  It now slid out easily from his foot, and he tossed it aside in disgust.  Blood was welling out of the wound, but instead of staunching it right away, he stopped to watch it pool; fascinated.  Then he realized that it was the demon who wanted to watch, and Varges forced himself to climb to his feet and stare at something else.

He felt something grow warm against his palm, and opened his fingers to look down at the object he had plucked from the statue without anyone noticing.  It was the small gem that had once rested between the demon idol's eyes.

Varges smiled wickedly.  The fools thought it was the statue itself that was needed.  

They were in for a big surprise.

THE END

< Yesterdays Heroes Part 2 | index | Story 14 >