All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company.
No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder.
All original characters are the property of Storyseeker.
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Previously on Gargoyles: -
"Come on," she finally said. "Xanatos is waiting for us in his office. He has information about Brent."
Goliath hopped down from his perch, and followed her.
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"I am Draco the 7764th." The Dragon announced. Its voice was loud and clear, but like its eyes, it too had a strained sound to it.
"I require one of your Dragons for my service." She said simply.
Draco growled, though it was more like thunder when he did it. "There is absolutely nothing you could have that could interest me, devil woman!" he turned to leave from whence he had come.
"Not even release?" she called out to him.
Draco stopped.
"I know of your kind," Cecile saw she had spiked his interest. "My family schools its young well. There were once many of your kind here, so many that they filled the skies of this reality, but only one leader. That leader was the firstborn Dragon of every new generation of Dragons, like you."
Cecile turned serious then, as it was clear Draco was interested, and was tired on the games and history lesson. "As you can plainly see," she explained, "I have the power to bring myself and others to your world. Join with me, and I'll bring you your chosen ones."
Draco nodded. "When will you bring the chosen ones?"
Cecile shrugged. "I still have to choose who I'm going to bring. I already have at least one person in mind, but I have yet to decide on the other two. I will inform you when I have made my decision."
At Draco's unsure look, she added. "Don't worry, I'll make sure they're strong capably spirits. Just the way you Dragons like them, right?"
Draco nodded, but still looked unsure of what he had just done. "I need to go prepare things then," he said, and turned to leave.
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And Now, The Continuation: -
Eyrie Building:
Goliath entered Xanatos's office, where Xanatos was even now communicating with someone of the telephone. He was on the phone for no more than a few seconds, before placing the receiver down, and greeting the huge Gargoyle.
"Sleep well, Goliath?" he smiled charmingly.
"What have you find out about…" he hesitated, not quite sure of who to refer the thief to as. Whether it should be as 'Lightning' the hired thief, the Vene's ally, or Brent, Elisa's brother.
Fortunately, Elisa stepped in and asked the question anyway. "What have you found out about Lightning?" she simply asked.
Xanatos shrugged. "At first, nothing that we didn't really know already. Guy was living on the streets, Sevarius needed test subjects so that he could improve the Metamorphosis formula, Brent volunteered, got changed, should have died, but some how, he didn't."
"And what else?" Elisa frowned impatiently.
Xanatos leaned forward a little. "Well, as I said, he should have died, since the experiments down on him caused severe damage to his cell structure. Obviously, he must have had help from someone, but the big question is who and how? Sevarius reports that even he would have had no chance to undoing the damage that was done to Brent, so he's at a loss as to whoever cured him, were able to do so."
"So what does that mean?" Elisa asked, already impatient.
Xanatos held up a hand. "Patience, detective. There's something else too. While we were going over the reports from the security officers who faced Brent, we discovered something. Apparently, Brent was able to conduct lightning energy through the floor, enough to electrocute my men. Now, it is true that there are steel rods, that are used to reinforce the concrete in my building, but… that wouldn't have been nearly enough to electrify my guards."
"So?" Goliath frowned.
"So…" Xanatos tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It means that whatever energy Brent was using to knock out my guards with, whatever it was, it wasn't electricity, like the Mutates use. That leaves me with only one other possibly explanation, and that's sorcery."
"Magic?" Elisa gasped. "That's impossible! How could Brent have ever learned magic, and from who?"
"Well," Xanatos began, "Who's to say how many sorcerers and magicians there are in the world? I used to think Demona was the only one, but now I hear there are Australian shamans, Fairies, Magus's, and a dozen others. And since you haven't heard from your brother in a few years, who knows what he's been doing, and who he's met on the streets in that time?"
Goliath nodded, accepting this logic, while Elisa simply looked haunted by visions of what her brother had been through, and what he was doing right now.
"Have you been able to find any trace of where he could be now?" Goliath asked Xanatos.
Xanatos nodded. "It took some doing, but I finally managed to convince one of the Illumaniti to help. Brent, or Lightning as he's better known as, has a contact number. It was untraceable to begin with. He made sure that no one would be able to find him, but… Well, nobody outside the Illumaniti truly knows of our technology, or what we can do." He grinned at the last statement.
"Have you found him?" Elisa repeated Goliath's question.
Xanatos nodded. "We know of a few places where he could be."
"Could be?"
Xanatos shrugged. "Seems that Brent has made a comfortable living for himself. He's known to be quite the young thief. Most of the Illumaniti has hired him at one time or another, as he's never failed at a mission… at least not before he came to my building of course. Anyway, with all the wealth he has made, he has quite a few properties lying about. The society has discovered a couple of addresses where he lives, here in New York."
Goliath took a step forward. "Give us the places." He simply said. Part of him wanted to get going, and find out all that this thief knew, but at the same time he dreaded going, as he knew that this couldn't be easy for his wife, them going after her own brother and all. All of this reminded Goliath of when Coldstone had left, how he had feared for his brother's safety, never knowing how he was doing, and what personality was currently possessing him.
Xanatos reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to him.
"Goliath?" Elisa touched Goliath's shoulder with her bandaged hand, still recovering from the demon snakebite. "May I come with you?"
"Elisa, I… " Goliath began, but stopped when he saw the near pleading look in his wife's eyes.
After a silent moment, Goliath sighed and nodded.
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Destine Manor:
Demona sat with her granddaughter, Gem, in her lap, reading her stories that she herself had written down, centuries ago. They were tales from her clan, stories that the clan elders had past down throughout the ages. When her clan had been destroyed, the first thing she had done, was gather all the paper and ink she could find, and write down every story she had ever heard from her elders.
"Dragie!" Gem giggled, and pointed at the small, crudely drawn, picture on the paper her grandmother was holding.
Demona smiled. "Yes, Gem," she said softly. "That is a dragon. Legend has it that once, long ago; a dragon came to Wyvern in need of help. It had been summoned to our world by a wicked sorcerer who…"
Just then, her ears pricked up, as she heard someone landing on her balcony. She hesitated only for a moment, her warrior skills ready in the event of an enemy, before she relaxed, hearing the voices of her daughter, Darlene, and her 'date', Griff.
"Thank you for the night out, Griff," she heard Darlene thanking the WW2 Gargoyle, followed by what could only be a kiss.
Demona frowned, as she heard Griff respond to the kiss with one of his own. She still didn't like the fact her daughter was seeing someone else, even if he was a fellow Gargoyle. If he just wasn't obsessed with serving that human, Arthur, and protecting the rest of the Human species, then she might consider getting to know him.
Demons sighed, knowing deep down that what she felt didn't really matter. Darlene was capable of making her own decisions, and she was strong enough to act on them. She had proven that already by running off with that Human, Paul Anderson.
Suddenly, Gem started wailing, and Demona realised that she had been holding her too tightly.
"Hush, child," Demona tried to soothe her. The mere thought of the man, who had stolen her daughter away from her, still drove her mad from time to time. She had better sense than to admit it out-loud, as she knew her daughter would never forgive her, and she was sure her grandchildren wouldn't appreciate it either. So she kept her mouth shut, and decided to bear her rage alone, a very unusual trait for Demona.
As Demona thought that, she realised just how much she had changed since her daughter's family had come to stay with her. When Darlene had first reappeared and revealed to her how she had come to be still alive, and now with children, Demona had at first wanted to slay her own child. The thought that she had tricked her into believing she was dead, making her suffer all these years, when all along she had been shacked up with a Human of all things, after she had spent years teaching Darlene of all the evil their kind had done to theirs.
'Just goes to show how little children pay attention to their parents,' she grumbled silently.
The balcony door opened, and Darlene walked in with Griff close behind her.
Demona forced a smile on, as she welcomed them in. "How was your night out, daughter?"
Darlene smiled brightly. "Wonderful!" she answered. "I showed him all the sights in New York, and he never once showed any signs of boredom."
Griff smiled. "No one in their right mind could ever find you boring, Miss Darlene."
Demona resisted an urge to roll her eyes at the obvious come-on, but Darlene seemed to enjoy his compliment, and smiled at him.
"How were the kids tonight?" Darlene asked, taking Gem in her arms.
Demona shrugged. "Lana is off again with Gabriel, for a glide. Jarred is in his room, studying, and Gem has just spent the last hour listening to me, tell stories."
"Oh, the same ones you told me once?" Darlene asked with interest. She had tried telling those same stories to her children, but had never been able to remember the exact words to them, as she didn't have the papers on which they were written.
Demona nodded. "The same."
Gem gurgled happily at her mother, cuddling up to her, under her neck.
"Has she had her bottle yet?" Darlene asked her mother.
Demons shook her head. "I was just about to go get it."
"No need," Darlene made her way to the kitchen. "I'll do it."
"I'll help," Griff offered.
"No," Darlene held her hand out to him. "Stay here and talk with mother. I'm sure she'll be glad of the company."
Demona looked up rather sharply. "I assure you that won't be…"
"I insist!" Darlene replied, just as sharply. "I'm sure the two of you will get along fine." It was obvious that she wasn't intending to let this one go. She knew Demona didn't get along with anyone, but she was damn well going to try and get her to like this one.
As she left for the kitchen, Griff sat down on the chair opposite Demona and smiled at her joyfully. "So, I hear you've been around a long time?"
Demona sighed, not really looking him in the eye. "You could say that."
"Were you anywhere near London during World War 2, just out of interest?" Griff asked honestly.
Demona groaned.
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Brent's Penthouse Apartment:
"Damn it!" Sash's angry voice yelled out.
"What now?" Brent asked, not really interested.
"Ran out of English Sherry again!" she fumed. "I told you we should have got 3 bottles worth."
"Not all of us are alcoholics, Sash," Brent said, as he looked over the newspaper he was reading. He smiled briefly at the small headline, stating that no leads had been found yet for the burglary of the mayor's house. That had been Brent's job last week, one that he had been most happy to do, as the mayor was nothing more than a ponz who cared more for money, parties and pleasure then the welfare of the city and its people.
'What is it with politicians?' he thought. 'They're all as bad as each other.'
Just then, the phone rang. He picked up the receiver, wondering what job he was wanted for now, and who wanted him for it? Not that he ever learned the identities of his employers, with the exception of the Venes. Worst thing about being a professional thief for hire is that none of your bosses ever take the time to get to know you.
"Hello… Yes… What's your business?" He listened to the disguised voice at the other end. "Yeah, I've heard of it. When do you want it…? When?… No, no problem. I'll do it tonight, but you do realise that at such short notice, my fee is double?… Well, if you feel that way, you can always hire someone else, but I guarantee you won't find anyone with my service record… Thought you might feel that way… Try calling me in a few hours from now and I'll let you know when and where you can pick up the merchandise. Just be sure to have my money all ready, either in unmarked cash, or paid straight into my bank account, no exceptions. I'll give you all the details later."
After replacing the receiver, Brent stretched out his arms and then got up. "Sash? Looks like I'm out again for the night. Told you it wouldn't be long before I was working again. On the plus side, I can stop by the nearest liquor store on the way back and get you your Sherry."
Sash walked in, munching on a bag of chips. "Pick up some beer too while you're at it."
"Anything for you, my love," Brent sneered sarcastically at her.
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One Hour Later:
Goliath soared the skies with his wife in his arms. Behind him, Brooklyn and Lexington were close behind. The rest had stayed behind to protect the castle.
Elisa looked down at the paper that Xanatos had given them with the addresses of Brent's homes. So far they had checked out two apartments, and one house, but all had been empty. They were on their way now to another apartment, in the upper class region of New York City.
"Seems Brent has done well for himself," Elisa mused, looking down at the flash neighbourhoods and the high-class apartment building they were approaching. She would have been impressed, if she didn't know that Brent had acquired all his wealth through thievery.
"What number is the apartment?" Goliath asked, as he prepared to make a landing.
Elisa checked. "Number 616. It says here it's on the top floor, on the east side, so we should… " She paused. "Goliath!" she hissed. "Look." She pointed ahead of them, to the top windows of their headed building. "The lights are on in there."
Goliath thinned his eyes. "Are you sure they're coming from the right apartment?"
"Positive."
Goliath nodded his head, and then signalled for the others to follow him. "Get ready, but be prepared. Elisa's brother has proven that he is capable of taking care of himself."
Brooklyn and Lexington nodded, and prepared to land.
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Sash scoffed down the last of the chips, and was about to get up to get a drink, when…
CRASH!
Sash dropped the empty bag and spun around, only to scream when she saw what had caused the crashing noise.
It was something, which she could only describe as the devil himself. It was just like the pictures she had seen as a kid, all red with horns, tail, wings and claws. The only surprising feature she saw was that it had a beak instead of a mouth, and it had white hair curled up all over its back.
The beast turned its beak in the air, sniffing around, then stopped, as it must have caught her scent. The monster turned its head to her, and growled warningly.
"Oh crap," was all Sash could say. Suddenly, another lower sounding crash thundered through the apartment, and she saw a small green goblin-like monster roll into the room. It rolled over the floor, came to a stop and leapt onto its four legs, snarling ferociously.
After a few seconds, Sash blinked a few times before she finally asked, "You're not from the IRS are you?"
Brooklyn and Lexington stared at her, then at each other. Sash was about to try and make a run for the door, when another even more terrifying monster came in. This one was even larger than the other two put together. It looked like a giant statue of granite, its muscles gigantic, and its face, although without a beak and no pointy horns, it was more frightening than either of them, as it growled at her with a terrible scowl on its face.
As she looked further, she noticed that it had a woman in its arms. At first, she thought that maybe this was the monster's victim, but then she noticed it releasing the woman, and treating her with… consideration? Even more confusing was that the woman treated the monster with equal respect and almost affection.
Finally, it hit her, and she realised whom these things and the woman must be.
"I take it you're these Gargoyles that everyone's talking about, and… Let me guess, you're Elisa, right?"
Elisa's head sprang up, and she glanced at the young woman, no more than Brent's age. "You know Brent?" she deduced.
Sash shrugged. "Hey, this is his place after all. How can I not know him?"
"Where is he?" Goliath demanded, interrupting.
Sash shrugged again. "Out on a job, and before you even think about asking, don't bother. I don't know the details of his job, and I know better than to ask."
Lex stared at her curiously. "Don't you know what kind of work he does?"
Sash gave him a stupid look. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out, small-fry. How many teenagers do you know turn into millionaires overnight?"
"And you don't do anything to stop him?" Brooklyn accused her.
Sash inspected her black nails. "Hey, we're here, living the sweet life. Compared to how we used to live, we're in The White House here!"
Goliath growled. "In other words, so long as you get to live in comfort, and help yourself to some of the wealth, you couldn't care less where it comes from!"
Sash once more shrugged. "Hey, it's a tough world. You take what you can get."
Goliath was about to say something more, but before he could speak…
Elisa, with her cop trained reflexes and streetwise instincts, she picked up at the way that the young girl was standing, with her hand by her hip, slightly tensing up. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was reaching for…
"Guys, get down!" Elisa yelled, and grabbed her own gun from her holster.
Sash snatched a small gun from her trouser pocket, and quickly started firing. She didn't appear to have any specific gun skills, as she seemed to mostly be firing at everything that was moving. But she was fortunate, and managed to hit a lamp that was right next to Elisa. The shards from it threw her off balance.
Lex leapt behind a drinks bar, dodging the bullets, while Brooklyn easily missed each of them, thanks to his quick reflexes.
Goliath roared, and charged forward. The mere sight of Goliath charging would be enough to send a whole army platoon quivering in their boots. It apparently worked also with Sash, but she was bright, and quickly headed towards one of the doors, slamming it behind her.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Brooklyn found it rather funny that the girl would end up running into her bedroom. Did she really think a mere door would keep guys like them out?
Goliath reached the door, and slammed his fist into it… and yelped.
Brooklyn, Lex, and Elisa all looked in astonishment at him. The door appeared to be nothing more than mere polished wood, painted white. Yet, underneath was an entirely different story. Lex scampered up to Goliath's side, and tapped the door.
"It's metal," he confirmed. "I'd say reinforced steel, since Goliath has only made a dent in it. The doors been painted and camouflaged to resemble an ordinary door."
Brooklyn snorted. "Seems like Brent was ready for us."
"Or whoever else has reason to want him dead?" Elisa thought out loud. As a professional thief, she had no doubt that Brent must have made a lot of enemies in the criminal underworld.
Goliath growled, and continued to strike out on the door. It may be metal, but it wouldn't be able to stand up for long. Sure enough, as he rammed his fists against the door, again and again, the metal bending out of shape, the door broke off of its hinges.
Goliath went through the door, but stopped. Elisa and the others followed, but when they looked in, they saw no sign of Sash. However, that wasn't what surprised them, as they figured that Brent might possibly have built in a secret escape exit or such. The thing that surprised them more, was the room itself.
The room was a bedroom, as they had at first figured, but it definitely was not the girl, Sash's. Not unless Sash was into pink fluffy carpets, white frilly bedspreads, and children's toys. A very un-Goth-like room it was indeed.
This was a child's bedroom. A very young one too, by the look of it, but they saw no one inside the room.
Elisa looked around. "Does the girl have children?" she wondered aloud. The girl didn't seem old enough, but then again, a lot of teenagers nowadays had children of their own, but still… that girl just didn't seem like the type to be a caring mother.
'Cute room," Brooklyn remarked snidely, stepping cautiously about. He stopped when he reached the bed, and noticed the small picture frame on the bedside stand.
"Err, guys?" he said cautiously. "Elisa, I think this business with your baby brother, is a lot more complicated than how we first thought."
He showed them the photo he had found. On it was a picture of the girl Sash, Elisa's brother Brent… and a small child, no more than two or three years old. The girl had dimples along her forehead, with a small button-like nose, dark brown eyes, and pure black shoulder-length hair.
Elisa had seen photos of herself and Beth when they were about this girl's age, and aside from a few minor differences, the girl looked almost exactly like they had done.
"Brent?" Elisa breathed out silently. "What the hell did you do all those years?"
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On the other side of the wall, where Sash had run through, after grabbing her charge and escaping through the special exit that Brent had had installed, in case of an emergency. Sash quickly made her way to the front door of the next apartment, which Brent also owned.
"It's okay, hon," she whispered to the snoozing child in her arms. "Sorry to wake you like that, but something's come up, and we gotta move house for a bit."
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Goliath growled, and sniffed the air, as he attempted to locate the door through which Sash must have escaped. But, as he continued to search, he suddenly felt Elisa's hand on his arm.
"Goliath, wait." Elisa said. There was a change in her demeanour. For someone who had wanted to arrest her own brother a few moments ago, she suddenly seemed so hesitate.
"Elisa?"
Elisa still had the photo in her hands, to which she kept sneaking glances at, mostly at the young girl in the picture.
"Goliath, perhaps it's best if we… Wait to do this another night?"
Goliath glared at her. "What?"
Elisa sighed. "Goliath, I still want to find Brent, now more than ever, but… As Brooklyn said, things are a bit more complicated than what we first thought. I need to call my parents and tell them about tonight, and I… "
"Elisa," Goliath breathed. "I understand completely that tonight has been a night of surprises, for all of us. However, that does not change what must be done. I wish I could give you time to digest all that has occurred, but… The Venes employed Brent, so he could hold invaluable information about them. If we loose him tonight, there's no telling when we might get another chance to seize him."
Elisa looked as though she was about to argue, but then she stopped, heaved a long sigh, and then slowly nodded.
"Hold it!" Lex suddenly hissed, his ears pricked up.
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Brent swiped his card-key into the lock, and entered his apartment. The job had been simple, steal a few documents from some lawyer's safe in his office. The office building had all the usual security measures, CCTV cameras, alarms, and overweight security guards, nothing that he couldn't handle.
Brent sighed, as he took off his coat. It seemed like he had been wearing the thing for almost a week now, as he usually wore it to work. It was a long black coat, ideal for concealment. It was only when he was sure he wouldn't be doing any climbing or any such athletic activities, when he left it behind.
"Sash?" he called to his roommate. "Job took less time than even I thought. How did… "
Before he could finish, something slammed into him from the right side, ramming him into the wall, knocking him senseless.
"OOF!" he yelled. "Get off me!" He grabbed whatever it was that was holding him, but something else grabbed his hand before he could even make a fist.
Brent snarled, as he struggled against his captors, but found that he was powerless to escape. Their grip was just too great for him to break free of.
He had a pretty good idea who they were before they turned on the light, as it had only been a short time since he invaded their home.
Someone switched on the light, and Brent quit struggling. "Hello, Elisa," he said simply.
"Hello, Brent," she replied.
"I guess I needn't ask how you found me," he continued. "I'm guessing your buddy, Xanatos, found out from his… less trusting friends, and told you? I guess I should've been more careful with who I give out my contact details to."
"Or maybe you should never have gotten into this kind of business in the first place?" Elisa replied coldly.
Brent gave her a dark look. "Everyone's got to make a living somehow."
Goliath strode forward, and grabbed Brent by the front of his shirt. "Where are the Venes?" he demanded.
Brent choked. "Beats the hell out of me. I just work for them occasionally. They don't tell me where they're staying."
"What did they employ you for?" Goliath growled, his eyes glowing white-silver. "We know you're a thief, but you didn't steal anything from us!"
Brent choked a little more, his face turning slightly blue. "Sorry," he managed to breathe out. "Trade secret."
"Goliath!" Elisa squeezed her husband's shoulder, and got him to release her brother. But she didn't look too sympathetic with him nonetheless. She didn't however go all vicious like Goliath, and just looked him straight in the eye, giving him the same fearless and ruthless look that had scared criminals into confessing. She had never dreamed though that one day she would be giving this look to one of her own family.
"Brent?" she began. She knew she had to get the information they needed about the Venes, but she knew from experience that many crooks never gave their information out freely. There was no reason that her brother wouldn't be any different. The best way was to talk about something else first, get them off guard. Plus, there was something else that she wanted to know too.
"Who is the little girl?"
Brent's head snapped up. "What little girl?"
Elisa smiled. "The little girl who was in this apartment with your girlfriend, the Goth. The one who sleeps in that kids bedroom over there, and the one who's in a photo with you and your girlfriend."
Brent thinned his eyes. "First of all, the 'Goth' as you put her, is not my girlfriend. She's just a friend who helps out around the place."
"Files all your stolen items, does she?" Lex asked snidely.
Brent gave him a sideways glance. "Amongst other things," he replied.
"What about the child?" Elisa asked again.
Brent didn't say anything, and just went quiet.
"You might as well tell us, Brent," Elisa continued. "I think I can pretty much guess who she is. She's not here, so you have no reason to protect her."
Brent glared at his sister. "Then why do you need me to tell you?"
Elisa stood up to her little brother. "Because I would like to see some courage form you for once, and maybe just a hint of honesty. Or is that too much to ask from you?"
Brent grounded his teeth, but finally he sighed in defeat. "If you must know… The Goth-girl you've already met, is Sasha, or Sash as she likes to be called. She's someone I met when I was living on the streets. When I got this place, she moved in with me, but only as a friend. The little girl you mentioned… She's my daughter."
Elisa had guessed that at the start, but even so, it was still a little surprising. "How old is she?"
"Just gone two and a half now," Brent wriggled out of the Gargoyles grip, who only released him when Elisa gave them the okay, and there didn't seem to be any way for him to escape now. "Her name's Hannah."
"Hannah?"
"Anything wrong with that?" Brent said accusingly.
"No, not at all," Elisa held up her hands. "Just that… I recall you once saying that if you ever had kids, you'd only ever give them Native American names?"
Brent shrugged. "I did intend to, but… " he paused.
"But… what?" Elisa cocked her head at him.
Brent seemed vulnerable at that point, but he quickly shook it off. "Hannah was also the name of Hannah's mother. She wasn't exactly my girlfriend, just someone who I shared the streets with. It got cold on some nights, and every now and then, we'd get close and snuggle up. I think you get the picture?"
Elisa blushed a little, but knew better than to judge someone on that level, considering that she was now married to a eight foot tell Gargoyle.
"She died in childbirth," Brent carried on, but didn't halter this time. "It was in winter, none of us had been eating right, and she was weak. It was a miracle she lasted all the way to full term, the doctors said."
Elisa lowered her head in respect. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Brent said emotionlessly. "Like I said, she and I were never really close. Just friends who wanted to stay warm one night. Besides, in anything her death only served to tell me what I already know, something I learnt a long time ago… In this world only the strong, the ones with the money and power, survive. Anyone else, is just something for them to tread on, so that their feet don't get dirty."
Elisa looked at him sadly. "It isn't that way, Brent… "
"Don't go giving me your 'everyone is equal' speech, Elisa!" Brent said angrily. "You think what you like, but I've spent a lifetime on the streets. I've seen the worst of humanity up close. I've seen rich people walk past starving children, who barely had enough clothing on their backs, and turn up their noses at them! People with more than enough money to spare a few dollars for food, just turned their backs on their fellow men, so that they could go to a movie!"
"I know there are people like that in the world, Brent!" Elisa insisted. "Believe me, I've had to bring in more than a few of them off the street, and from rich expensive mansions too. There are all kinds of people in this world, Brent, both those on the street and in houses and mansions. There are those on the streets who mug innocent old ladies for their purses, and those who would rather starve than steal. And those with the money, there are those who give all they can to help the needy, and those who just couldn't give a damn."
"I know all about that, sis!" Brent snapped. "But I also know, that even with the number of good people in this world… The bad ones outnumber the good twice hold." He looked almost sad. "The sad fact, my big sister, is that no matter how many people try to do good… with every single good deed in this world, there are over a million evil ones being committed simultaneously elsewhere."
"Brent, I… "
"Save it! Now, what else do you want to know? I told you I don't know where the Venes are. They only hired me for that one job at your place, and I didn't get what I came there for, and they're not interested in hiring me again, at least as far as I know."
Elisa sighed, as she shut her eyes tightly. "I think you've told us all there is to know for now," she said quietly. "Now, there's only one thing left to do."
Brent eyed her suspiciously. "And what's that?"
Elisa gave her brother a sad look, and reached into her pocket, withdrawing a pair of handcuffs.
Brent raised an eyebrow. "Oh," he deduced. "I see."
Elisa stared sadly at her brother. "I'm sorry, Brent," she nearly pleaded with him. "But I can't just let you go. You have too much to answer for. You're a thief, you've stolen from people, honest citizens."
"If you're going to arrest me, get it over with," Brent hissed at her. "Don't stand there talking about it. Or… "
Before anyone could blink, there was a bright flash, which blinded everyone in the room.
"… Or you risk loosing your prisoner!" Brent's voice taunted them.
Elisa blinked the spots out of her eyes, and she heard Goliath, Brooklyn and Lexington's high roars fill the room. She didn't have to see to guess what had happened.
"He's gone," she said simply, as the last of the spots dwindled from her sight.
Goliath wasted no time, as he raced into the child's bedroom and began pounding on the walls in the room, trying to find the secret passage through which Brent must have escaped.
Brooklyn and Lex were quick to help him, and soon they found the passageway, ironically behind a small bookcase. It had never occurred to them to search in the most likely of hiding places for it.
The passageway was not big so Lex, being the smallest, went through first. Brooklyn went through next, but they didn't stay long. A short while later, Lex's voice called out, "They're not here!"
Goliath snarled in anger, while Elisa just sighed again. She didn't know whether she was sighing in exasperation, or in relief.
"Are you sure?" Goliath asked to confirm.
Brooklyn and Lex soon walked back through the passage.
"Yup," Brooklyn confirmed. "Brent must be faster than even we suspected. He must have moved at lightning speed to escape us, get through here, and out of there."
"What is in there?" Elisa asked.
Lex shrugged. "Just another apartment. It's completely empty, no furniture or anything. I guess Brent just keeps it for an escape route."
An uncomfortable silence followed then, and Goliath motioned his second-in-command to leave the room.
Brooklyn and Lex gave each other a short look, but quickly left the child's bedroom, hoping to find some clue as to where the younger Maza had departed.
"Are you all right?" Goliath asked his wife in concern.
Elisa shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not sure." She gratefully accepted Goliath's huge arms around her, and melted into his embrace. "When I first learnt of Brent's new career, I was so ashamed that I wanted to cry, but now… Now I'm wondering if maybe I wouldn't have done the same thing in the same position?"
"Never!" Goliath said assuredly.
"Don't say that, Goliath!" Elisa warned him. "I don't like thinking like Brent, but remember what I told you once… Nothing is impossible. Demona was once your mate, your second-in-command, and most trusted clan-member, yet she betrayed your trust in the worst possible way."
Elisa felt sick, as she reminded her husband of the worst moment in his life, but felt as if she had to, if only to make him understand.
Goliath hissed, as he remembered the terrible night when he first learnt the horrible truth of Demona's betrayal. "I know no one is perfect, my Elisa," he admitted. "But you, you I could never imagine being corrupt."
Elisa pressed her face into his exceedingly masculine chest. "I'd like to think that as well, but… The trials and tribulations we suffer in life are what shapes us into the people we are. Some of us learn from them, and learn to be better people because of them, while others… Others let themselves be consumed by them." She looked at her brother's apartment. "I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for my brother, loosing his friend in the way he did, then living on the streets, having a daughter on them, and seeing the worst of humanity."
Goliath held his wife closely. "It is hard to tell how any of us would act if we were put in the same position." He finished for her, but smiled shortly. "But you keep an open mind about such things. Most people would be quick to judge, and yet you try to see everything from other people's perspectives, to understand them better. That is why I can never believe you would ever fall from grace, my Elisa. Because you try to see the good in everyone, even those who've done you wrong."
Elisa smiled at her husband's praise, and hugged him back. "Thanks, big guy."
They stayed like that for a few more minutes, until Brooklyn and Lex finally called to them, asking if they were ever going to move it.
"Can't understand how he got out though?" Lex said, as he thought about Brent's disappearance. "I knew he was fast, but I still don't see how he escaped the apartment without us getting in his way?"
Brooklyn shrugged. "Maybe he had another secret passage somewhere? Who knows? We'll just have to keep a sharp eye for him if he ever shows up again. If he's as big a thief, as Xanatos said, then we're bound to cross paths with him again someday."
The four of them launched themselves into the night, jumping from the balcony of Brent's apartment, souring towards home to report to the others the events of the night. As they glided away, they didn't notice the two pairs of keen eyes watching them, the first from beneath the balcony, as he held onto the bottom of the balcony and then leapt straight up and back onto the window ledge, from which he jumped off a few minutes ago.
"Catch ya later, sis," Brent said quietly, and moved to leave, as he had to rendezvous with Sash and Hannah, and make that call to his employers tonight.
The second pair of eyes watching them, no one would have been able to see, even if they knew where to look.
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Elisa smiled at her husband's praise, and hugged him back. "Thanks, big guy."
Cecile Vene smiled, as she gazed into her crystal ball, observing the cute couple.
"How sweet," she sneered. "It's enough to make you vomit, but…" she smiled again. "But I think I may have found our first contestant for our big Dragon blind date."
To Be Continued…