GARGOYLES: Re-Awakening

Battle Lines: 3

Elisa was watching the Elder struggle with the steel Gargoyle. He was putting up a good fight, but she could see that his strength was not quite a match for the machine. She thought about firing her weapon, but she could not risk it. Even if it could do some damage, which she doubted, it was just as likely to ricochet off and kill the Elder. She looked around for something of use, but there was nothing. Then she realized she was out of time. The steel Gargoyle had managed to overpower the Elder, who was starting to bend backward.

"Hudson!" she yelled.

Elisa rushed out toward her friend and then slid into the steel Gargoyle's leg. That was all the Elder needed. He pivoted into the fall and toppled the machine. He then turned and lunged to his sword, which he had lost in the struggle. Once he had it he turned, ready to leap and drive the blade into the thing's neck.

None of that happened. The steel Gargoyle was already on its feet with its weapon deployed from its forearm. This was it, the Elder thought. He looked directly down the barrel of this weapon, waiting for it to fire and end his life. And then nothing. The Gargoyle simply stood there, weapon trained. At first the Elder thought it was waiting for him to make a move, but then he noticed that the entire rooftop had gone quiet. Using only his eyes—he did not dare turn his head—he scanned the scene. All around were steel machines, frozen in place. His clan was looking around, as bewildered as he.

Very slowly, the Elder lowered his sword. No reaction from the Gargoyle in front of him. With a cock of his head, the Elder stepped out of the line of fire and then toward the machine. When he got there, he raised an eyebrow and tapped the side of its head with his talon.

"Seems to have lost interest," he commented.

"Lost signal, actually," came a voice from his right.

He turned to see Xanatos and Goliath emerging from the castle. Goliath was carrying a book the Elder knew from his past.

"Goliath was so kind as to terminate the network that runs their A.I."

The Elder turned to face Xanatos and poised himself aggressively.

"Laddy, I've no idea what yer on about, but one thing's for sure. With them out of the way, we'll make short work of you."

"I don't think so," Xanatos said, calmly.

No one said anything in reply. In his usual way, Xanatos' coolness and deadpan had given him back control. He smirked his famous smirk.

"There are too many problems, for each of us, to face alone. No, I think in fact you'll soon realize that like it or not, we need each other."

Elisa laughed. She was incredulous.

"You've got some nerve, Xanatos. You think you're going to walk away from this. In two hours you'll be meeting with your lawyer behind bars!"

Elisa's eyes were flaring. She was outraged. Xanatos remained as calm as ever.

"Your zeal is impressive, detective, but your sense of strategy is sorely lacking," Xanatos said. "If anyone is in trouble here, it is you and your fellow officers."

Xanatos walked over to the frozen steel Gargoyle and gave it a look, as if inspecting for damage, before continuing.

"As I recall, you were caught hiding in my castle before any of this began. And judging from the fact that your back-up," here Xanatos gestured dismissively toward Bluestone, Abbot, and Rollins, "consists of three more detectives and no uniform officers, I suspect that there is in fact no warrant and no probable cause for your being here."

"Are you kidding?" Elisa fired back. "You've had a fire fight on your roof—again! You really think you are going to skate away from this?"

"Detective Maza, you seem to forget that I have the country's most talented, and expensive, legal team at my disposal. More than that, I have you on tape, snooping long before this—incident—began."

Goliath did not understand all of the details of this conversation, but Elisa's face betrayed her. He could see that whatever Xanatos had said, it had had an impact.

"If they can not hold you to account, Xanatos," Goliath said. "Then we will."

"Again," Xanatos said, meeting Goliath's stare without a flinch. "I think not. You and I have a common problem."

No one said a word.

"Demona," Xanatos said, after a beat.

Goliath let out a low growl.

"Please, Goliath, not so dramatic," Xanatos said. "The fact is, Demona still has the Phoenix Gate. We have the Grimorum Arcanorum. Goliath, you and your clan are children in this world. If you wish to prevent Demona from getting the book, using the Phoenix Gate to obliterate our history, and frankly who knows what else, you are going to need help. Aside from these fine officers of the law and of course Owen, I am the only human who even knows you exist. And, more importantly, I am the only one who can offer you any real help." He looked up at the tower, then back down at Goliath. "Also, I own your home."

Elisa was incensed. She knew he was right, about everything. She had overstepped legally when she had come to the castle. Worse, Bluestone had figured it out and followed with two other officers. Even if she were mad enough to risk her entire career to nail Xanatos, she could not in good conscience drag them down with her. And what he had said about Goliath and the others was true. What could she possibly offer them? Protection, a place to live, the resources to find their way in this new time?

Bluestone decided that he would try his own angle.

"What about Everly Levi?" he said. "You sent someone to kill her."

"You have proof of this?" Xanatos asked, knowing the answer.

He did not take his eyes from Elisa, a purposeful move meant to minimize Bluestone. One that worked.

"I think all you really have is a New York City detective conspiring with one of my employees to steal confidential materials from Xanatos Enterprises, again without probable cause, out of her own personal vendetta against me. If I were you, I wouldn't let my career go down with that ship."

Elisa remembered now why Xanatos was where he was. He proved time and again to be one step ahead of his adversaries, always with his back covered and an exit strategy at the ready. She was disgusted.

"As for you two," Xanatos looked at Abbot and Rollins. "You've joined a very exclusive club tonight. You've met the Gargoyles. That means you've also become of particular interest to me."

The threatening implications in Xanatos' declaration were expertly delivered.

"Here is what I propose. You and detective Maza will leave these premises. You are free to tell anyone you'd like about what you've seen here, if you want to be considered crazy and placed on desk duty for the rest of your careers. But I don't think you'll do that. What you will do is remember that I have evidence showing your blatant disregard for my constitutional rights. A pattern, actually, of harassment and intimidation not just from one lone detective," he looked again at Elisa, "but from the entire NYPD." He smiled and stepped directly in front of Elisa.

"I can see the headlines now," he said.

For several seconds no one spoke. Rollins and Abbot both felt like they were in some kind of dream. Elisa felt a dark wave of anger and frustration settling over her. She was out-maneuvered, and she knew it. Bluestone was about to step forward but she stopped him with a slight wave of the hand. Xanatos smiled at his victory. He held his hand out toward the door.

"Now if you don't mind," he said.