Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.
The second attacker had been hiding underneath the podium on which one of Leda's colleague's had been dancing. Just as the music changed from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to Justin Bieber (someone must have spiked the DJ's drink again), it shot upward, knocked down Chance with one of its wings and jumped on top of Leda's cage, clawing at her.
Wise decision to wire the metal construction – one simple switch from the remote control in Chance's pocket and the steel bars were current-carrying.
Completely according to plan Leda disappeared through the trap door they had installed in her podium. Likewise according to plan the attacker, judging from its glowing red eyes and hairy black tail the winged version of a gargoyle, crashed to the ground, severely singed.
Also in accordance to plan was that Chance jumped at the gargoyle, taser at the ready, trying to get a clear shot at its neck. Following Leda's advice they had upped the device's electric charge. They couldn't have known for sure that they would be attacked by supernatural creatures, but given who their client was, it hadn't been too much of a stretch of imagination either.
What they hadn't taken into account, though, was that the sudden power surge that electrified the cage bars would not only sent the gargoyle collapsing to the floor, it would also overload the club's electrical system.
Everything went pitch black.
Uh-oh.
Huge, inebriated crowd in a confined space suddenly deprived of eyesight.
Can you say "mass panic"?
"Damnit, Guerrero said that wouldn't happen!", Winston yelled via earpiece. With his booming voice he tried to drown out the scared shrieks from the crowd. "Okay, everybody CALM DOWN!"
The club's security personnel swarmed out, their flashlights helping the customers to find the emergency exits. Chance, meanwhile, struggled to get a clear shot with the taser. Given the beast's enormous fangs and talons, he couldn't afford to miss, especially not in the darkness.
Suddenly he felt something hairy wrap around his neck and tightening its grip.
Fast.
Only then he realized that the ugly tail that prevented Leda from ever going anywhere without immediately drawing attention, actually served a purpose: It seemed to consist of sheer muscles alone, an iron piece of rope quickly depriving him of oxygen.
Sharp claws tore the taser out of his hand, digging deep into his flesh.
When fighting a shark or crocodile, go for the eyes – did the same thing apply for gargoyles?
At least the glowing red eyes were hard to miss, despite the darkness.
But the lack of oxygen was already diminishing his strength, paralyzing him.
All around them people were stumbling over each other, trying to get out of this hellhole. Some even tripped over them. A woman in pencil-thin high heels punched Chance's kidney area. The pain was so intense, for a split second it called Chance back from the blackout he was drifting into.
His assassin instincts kicked in. He lashed out at the woman, grabbed her leg, yanked off her shoe and brought its pointed heel right home into the center of one of the gargoyle's ruby red eyes.
Now that hurts, even if you're a mythological creature. The gargoyle let out an earsplitting scream, loosened its tail's grasp around Chance's neck and tilted its head backwards.
…thus presenting Winston the perfect spot to finally fire the taser.
At least the darkness made it possible for them to tie the attacker into a nice tight bundle and get him out of the club without being seen.
"Make sure the wings are tied up sufficiently", Leda told the men.
"Turning against your own kind again?", the creature growled at her.
They couldn't see Leda's expression in the darkness, but judging from the hair-raising hiss she let out in reply, she had her fangs bared full force in the other gargoyle's face.
In the back alley behind the facility they found Melinda and Guerrero, loading the first attacker into the van. Tying up that one wasn't necessary: It was dead.
"There's not much a round of .45 ammo can't kill", Guerrero stated casually, studying the second attacker Chance and Guerrero were dragging with them.
Melinda didn't look happy at the sight. "Why did you capture him?"
"We're gonna ask him a couple of questions", Chance stated as casually as Guerrero. He was still somewhat in Junior mode. Almost getting strangled by a hairy tail does that to you. "The envelopes were delivered in broad daylight, gargoyles are nocturnal, so there must be others involved."
"He won't tell you anything. And torture is useless. Gargoyles are extremely strong-willed and pain-resistant."
A broad grin spread across Guerrero's face.
For a brief moment it was easy imagining him to have fangs, too.