Alexei P.O.V.
Sitting on the side of the balcony with his back against the wall Alexei inhaled deeply from a habit he occasionally still indulged in. Smoking while watching the world pas down on the street. Mary never liked it when he smoked. It remembered her of different times. He understood her reasons but at the moment he needed to stay awake for a while.
While his relative had been obvious there were other ways to find a person. Humans are social animals at hearth. He doubted that his relatives had more as a phone number. But he was also listed in the phone book and A. de Boer was easy to find even if you did not had a number.
And the faces of the guard with him had been easy to recognise and the Quarryman while acting like a mob must have people in charge with more intelligence than that Yate woman.
Margot Yate had been a fool to show that she was at least an supporter of them if not an outright member. Spying had never been his thing but like most former soldiers he understood the need for intelligence and good moral.
"Alexei. I am home." he heard his wife call out from inside.
"Out here." He called back.
A moment later a woman of Asian and Caucasian heritage appeared and frowned when she saw the cigarette was holding leaning over she took it from his hand and put it out in the tray he kept for occasions like this.
She sat in front of him on the wall.
"You are worried?" she asked in concern. Alexei did not reply.
Mary looked deep in his eyes. Like she had done the first time they had met in Korea her being the daughter of a missionary and a local woman helping the local mission to be evacuated. For both of them it had been love on first sight. When they realised both of them were mutants it had become even better. They took each other with all their baggage and when his tour was over he had followed her to America where she had started to study medicine. Where ever she practiced he had found work. It had not been easy prejudice was and is still everywhere .
"You are afraid those hammer wielding idiots will come for us aren't you?"
"The one I traded words with was a grandkid from my cousin seems he has the same sort of tendency as his grandfather. Gave him a warning after that he ran like he had a pack of wolves on his heels."
Mary nodded.
"How was your day?" he asked changing the subject usually she worked the nightshift . That she came home after him told that she had worked another one too.
"Filled with a lot of people that died." She replied shivering from the memories of the last two shifts. "and I am missing an intern."
"Which one?"
"Annie the one I suspected to be a mutant."
Alexei nodded. "the girl from Suriname."
Mary nodded. "Do you know if she has a cell phone." Alexei asked.
"I called her a few times she did not pick up her phone."
"I see."
A moment later their phone rang.
Destine Manor
After they finished eating Delilah ran towards the room with the balcony intending to fly to the building that held her brothers.
Before she reached the balcony Demona had scooped her up in her arms.
"Where do you think you are going youngling?"
"To my brothers." Delilah said as if it was the answer to all questions.
"Not at the moment youngling bad people are around the building they are staying at. Do you want to have your brother worry about you when they capture you?"
Delilah shook her head.
"Annie will watch over him. You know that you can trust Annie." Angela said.
At that moment the phone rang and Demona while carrying Delilah walked to it and picked it up.
"Dominique Destine speaking. Why hello David .a playdate between our youngest?" Demona chuckled. "I think Delilah would love that if they were a bit older. but she has a big day planned with Angela tomorrow. who goes back to college tomorrow evening. And while I think Fox would love to have some girl time with them I have to decline. They are a bit worried about my ex his cousin from Malibu he has been found but isn't allowed visitors at the moment according to Angela's girlfriend, no problem David. children need friends."
When Demona hang up she felt the tears of Delilah. Realising that she had not told her youngest daughter about the dead of her brothers. Feeling the sobs of Delilah she just held her,.
"Only Malibu remains?" The young girl asked looking at her.
Demona nodded before whispering "Yes."
The tears in Delilah her eyes made the other two woman get teared up to.
"Angela you can fly home please explain to Goliath that patrols should be kept to a minimum for now." Demona said. The you know my address. Was left unsaid.
Angela nodded and kissed her sister her head and her mother on her cheek before she walked to the balcony to take off.
Wyvern castle.
Goliath was frustrated. Angela was missing and Bluestone had asked to not interfere at the Baxter building.When he had seen what Demona had done he had to smile for all her faults Demona had still a protective streak a mile wide.
When he saw Xanatos walk towards he waited for a moment to let the man catch up to him.
"Angela is coming here and Delilah is staying with Demona,. Malibu might be healed but in trouble. According to her Annie is with Malibu.'
Goliath nodded. "Can we do anything."
"Talon sneaked out but now that is impossible. It seems The Quarryman have friends among the sewer workers"
Goliath nodded while repressing the urge to roar out aloud and charge for the Baxter building.
After a moment of small talk Xanatos walked away.
"They are right and you know it." Said Hudson from behind him.
"I am still not happy about it."
"Me neither lad but those heroes seem to have it well in hand." Hudson said. "We cannot call them. But they have honour."
"they might. But public pressure can do a lot" replied Goliath
Baxter building
Annie was tired she had forgone stone sleep for helping people and it showed.
At the moment she only wanted to curl up and wait for the sun to rise.
She did not needed much stone sleep but today and last night had been hard.
Doctor Swan had seen her and raised an eyebrow when he saw her wings. Good bye to the education she had worked hard for. Her cursing loudly had raised some heads.
"Cursing never helps Annie," Said a familiar voice from behind her.
"Mary its´s you." Said doctor Jones with a grin. Looking at the smiling face of his co-worker.
"Just popped in Charlie. Any emergencies?" Doctor Mary de Boer asked with a smile on her face.
Doctor Charlie Jones smiled back and replied. "only the intern and the gargoyle. Annie go with Mary and if I don't see you tomorrow evening I won't blame you for skipping town. But Mary and I would hate to lose you."
Annie nodded and grabbed Malibu his arm before grabbing doctor de Boer her arm. With a flash of light they disappeared along with doctor de Boer.
"Well maybe I don't have to clobber up tomorrow." Remarked Ben Grimm otherwise known as the Thing.
"Well the thrash is already outside mister Grimm." Replied doctor Jones.
"they aren't in the bin or in lock up yet." Replied the rocky giant.
"That they are." replied the doctor.
Appearing in an alleyway both Annie and Malibu where met with a man holding an pistol .
"Mary are this all of them?" asked the man.
Doctor de Boer nodded
"you two can find you own way home?" the man asked turning to the gargoyles.
Both Malibu and Annie nodded.
"Well then get out of here." the man ordered.
Both Annie and Malibu started to scale one of the buildings of the alleyway under the watchful eyes of the two humans. When they took flight Annie and Malibu looked down and saw them disappear in a flash of light.
"Let's go to the castle." Said Annie.
Malibu nodded and followed her.
Wyvern Castle P.O.V.
When Annie and Malibu arrived Annie was met by the enthusiastic welcome of Angela. Annie really was happy with the welcome or rather the kiss she got.
"How you got out?" Asked Xanatos.
"My mentor appears to be a mutant she and another person. A man facilitated our escape." Explained Annie.
"I see." Said Xanatos before going inside while being followed by Owen.
Margot Yate P.O.V.
Margot her meeting with Castaway had not gone great as was her current meeting with that man that had translated the guards words. The young man looked freaked out and was as twitchy as a man going cold turkey.
"I told you to follow those guards." Margot yelled at the man.
"I did. One of them spotted me." The young man stammered. "Problem was he knew who I was. And warned me off."
"I see." Margot Yate said "And why did he scare you making you jump at shadows."
The young man looked at her and replied. "He confirmed a rumour only whispered about in my family. He told me I would go home in a casket when I kept walking on my grandfather's path."
"And that scares you?" Said a disbelieving Yate.
"My grandfather was ripped to pieces Mrs. Yate. And he admitted to doing it. He will not take prisoners if we go after him. He gave me a warning because I am family."
"That so?" Asked a new voice male this time. From a walkway above them the voice of their leader sounded. "Well Ben it seems you have a very interesting reunion to go to."
Benjamin de Boer felt a shiver going down his back.
The next morning outside Destine manor.
Alexei sat beside the driver of the car that would pick up miss Destine.
When they reached the manor They saw miss Destine standing by the gate.
"Morning ma'am. Had a pleasant night?" Alexei asked.
"I had mister de Boer. Having my daughters at home is always pleasant." replied. Dominique Destine before seating herself on the backseat of the car.
"Good morning Tony." Said Dominique Destine.
"Good morning ma'am. I am sorry but security insisted on a guard to come with me." The driver replied.
"I noticed. Tony coffee first and then we go to work."
"Yes ma'am." The driver said.
Arriving at Nightstone was surely a new experience. The awe of the day before surely hadn't past and while Dominque Destine was sipping her coffee she was been followed by the guard from the car in to the building trying to keep up while sipping his own coffee.
In the elevator both of them were silent. Both man and woman where sipping their drinks. After leaving the elevator and walking to her office she was met with her secretary who told her the scheduled appointments of the day. Meanwhile she was been followed by the guard her chief of security had assigned to guard her.
Entering her office she saw a woman she rather would not meet at the moment.
Behind her Alexei closed the door and took a position that he had a clear field to the woman standing before the desk.
"Detective."
"Miss Destine."
"Let yourself in? Waiting outside for me was below your status?" asked miss Destine
Elisa Maza smiled and replied.
"Your secretary had not arrived yet so I let myself in."
Dominique nodded and asked.
"Why are you here?" beside her Alexei frowned at the tone his boss used.
"Delilah, Angela arrived at home at time but Delilah did not call last night."
I know that my ex holds custody detective. But I like Angela found it too late to let her travel. Her school was informed she would be not attending some day's because of a family emergency and they agreed.
Elisa nodded and her face softened. "How is she Dominique?"
"What do you think yourself she was close with her cousins detective. I had to stop her from running of and going to look for her cousin."
Elisa nodded. and walked to the door. "Keep me informed and keep her safe." She said while passing Dominique.
"Will do." Replied the other woman.
Behind her a certain guard reached for his transceiver and started to talk softly in it.
A moment later he spoke up.
"Ma'am shouldn't you be home?"
"Delilah is asleep and being watched." She said with a hint of anger in her voice.
"You are her mother ma'am." Replied Alexei.
Dominique nodded in agreement. "Her father won't complain. He is not as invested in our daughters as his new woman."
"I noticed." Was the reply from Alexei. "Ma'am please go home your daughter will love a familiar face when she wakes up."
"She is fast asleep for the moment. Now get out."
When de Boer left he muttered "Trut."(bitch)
"That's right." Replied Dominique before the man left her office.
Stepping into the elevator de Boer knew his boss would not approve of his actions.
But he was pragmatic and knew some fellows like him in security. After leaving the elevator he made his way to the head of security. After knocking on the man his door he waited for his manager to acknowledge his entrance.
"Enter."
`I am going to the boss her estate. Checking on her daughter. The boss thinks because she is asleep she is save.` he told the man.
`you think your guess is right?"
Alexei nodded.
"don't go. Go with the team that will go to the Baxter building. Like it or not you are on the hammerheads their radar. I will send Amelia to check on the boss her girl."
"sounds like a plan."
"That's why I am in charge old relic."
"Of course junior." His boss laughed at the man his words.
Destine manor.
Appearing in a bank of fog Amelia Voght the boss her manor. Looking around she whistled when she found the bathroom and the bathtub.
"either she loves orgies or has large friends". Making her way further she found the person she was looking for not sleeping in a bed but as solid as a statue.
"Well kid I don't know if your kind dreams but sweet dreams." she said before seating herself on a chair and pulling out a book.