Disclaimers

All characters appearing in Gargoyles, Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles and Marvel Comics 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 Celgress.

Gargoyles Time's Changeling - Episode Nine: Sleepless in Chicago

By Celgress

Courtyard of Castle Wyvern Exhibit Chicago early November 2014, evening

"Vampires," Nate said incredulously. "Vampires are real!? I thought they were based on old folk tales."

"Aye lad and they be very dangerous to human and gargoyle alike." Hudson said.

"I've heard there is a meta-human named Blade in New York City who specializes in hunting vampires and other mythical monsters of the malignant type, or so the rumors claim." Veronica said.

"Roni that is utter nonsense," Nate said scolding his colleague and girlfriemd.

"This coming from a man who converses nightly with gargoyles," Veronica said crossing her arms over her chest and shooting Nate a withering stare.

"Point taken," Nate said begrudgingly.

"Under normal circumstances most vampire fledglings pose little risk to adult gargoyles." Goliath rumbled. "Usually only in great numbers can they overwhelm one of us who is healthy. However vampires with ages in excess of one hundred years can easily match a typical gargoyle's strength and surpass us in speed."

"While rare older vampires, those several centuries or more of age, can prove much more powerful than any two or in certain cases three gargoyles." Elisa continued her mate's explanation. "Judging by the sheer number of lesser vampires we've encountered these past two weeks we highly suspect there is at least one or more vampire of advanced age present here in Chicago. Vampires tend to live in nests which are organized like a wolves packs, in which the strongest most experienced vampire serves as leader and often sire."

"'Sire', what does that mean?" Veronica asked scrounging up her face at the unfamiliar use of the term.

"Lass vampires reproduce by converting humans into new vampires they use their blood to achieve this end." Hudson stated. "The elder vampire who successfully infects a human is that resulting vampire's sire."

"I hate vampires." Broadway grumbled.

"So do I." Brooklyn said. "They are always causing trouble."

"You've dealt with vampires before?" Nate asked intrigued.

"Aye lad they along with werewolves were amongst our sworn enemies in our ancestral home of Scotland." Hudson said. "Once in my elder clan members' lifetimes Europe was overrun with vampires and werewolves."

"You say most of these vampires operate in or around entrances to the Chicago Underground?" Veronica said.

"Yes," Goliath confirmed with a gentle rumble.

"I've got an idea." Lexington said. "Can I see your pad Nate?"

"Sure Lex just be careful with it okay. I'd rather not have to purchase another one so soon." Nate said handing Lexington his pad and remembering how the excited long gargoyle had inadvertently destroyed his previous pad. The touch screen had proven no match for Lexington's overly eager claws.

"I will Nate, uh sorry about last time." Lexington said. After doing a quick search of local news sites Lexington showed his findings to the others. "According to these articles mysterious disappearances of humans have been occurring ever since work begun on the subway system in 1892. In fact cross referencing mysterious deaths and blood loss with Chicago shows the first reported string of such deaths happened in the summer of 1871."

"1871," Nate said. "That rings a bell."

"It should," Veronica said. "It was the date of the Great Chicago Fire."

"What was this 'Great Chicago Fire'?" Goliath asked.

"A massive city wide blaze that nearly destroyed Chicago," Nate explained. "It was believed to have been started by accident at a farm."

"Hey I found more." Lexington announced proudly. "It seems the very first such deaths in 1871 involved a ghost ship that docked in Chicago that spring."

"A 'ghost ship'," Elisa said puzzled by the term although she felt it was oddly familiar.

"Everyone on the vessel was dead when she put into port." Lexington stated reading from an electronic copy of the original article. The ship came from St. Augustine Florida."

"That must have been where the master vampire originated." Elisa speculated.

"Makes sense," Nate said. "St. Augustine is one of the oldest colonial settlements in North America north of Mexico."

"It doesn't matter we must continue protecting the citizens of this city." Goliath rumbled. "We cannot concern ourselves with locating the master vampire until we've destroyed most of his or her underlings."

"Aye lad, sound strategy," Hudson said.

"If you are going to patrol remember be careful. Not all humans are tolerant of creatures outside of their usual experience." Veronica advised.

"Veronica is right stay out of sight." Nate said.

"We'll do our best." Goliath said before he and Elisa followed by Broadway, Brooklyn and Lexington, who handed Nate back his tablet, flew off into the night. As had become his custom Hudson remained behind with Bronx to guard "the castle".

"Hudson I have a question." Veronica said.

"Please ask it lass." Hudson said.

"How did your clan members gain their unusually modern sounding names?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah I've been wondering that myself." Nate said. "Why are you guys mainly named after New York City landmarks?"

"I do not know this 'New York City' of which ye speak." Hudson said. "Goliath and Elisa were named by humans back home in Scotland more than a thousand years ago. Elisa named the rest of us later."

"She picked rather odd names coming from a Medieval Northern European frame of reference." Veronica mused.

"I wonder why she chose those particular names." Nate said.

"Ye will have to ask her that, I must be going my shows are starting." Hudson said trotting off to the makeshift TV room so he could watch his favorite programs Bronx by his side.

"Keep an eye out for Franco and his security guards." Nate shouted after Hudson. "He's in an especially bad mood tonight. His favorite hockey team lost again I hear."

"I shall watch for him." Hudson called back.

"Gargoyles and now vampires, and mention of werewolves what's next sea monsters?" Veronica joked.

"I don't know." Nate said. "But I think we'll find out, if we want to or not."

South Side of Chicago several hours later

"No sightings of any vampires. They must be laying low tonight." Brooklyn reported as the five gargoyles flew in loose formation.

"Wait what's down there." Lexington said spying a group of six men who were shuffling along erratically. They fell upon a seventh young man who was standing by a street corner literally tearing the unfortunate young man to pieces in front of the gargoyles' shocked eyes.

"By the Dragon," Elisa gasped.

"What are they Goliath?" Broadway asked from his position to Goliath's left.

"I'm not sure come my clan members whatever they are we must stop this bleed shed." Goliath commanded.

The gargoyles landed in formation around the six young men surrounding them. The humans turned their glazed eyes upon the newcomers. Sensing more warm bodies they lunged outward attempting to bite and claw at the gargoyles. These obviously impaired humans proved not only surprisingly strong but extremely resilient shrugging off blow after blow.

"They aren't human, at least not normal humans." Brooklyn said barely keeping two of the creatures at bay.

"How do we stop them? They keep coming no matter how hard we hit them." Lexington said pushing one back.

After accidentally ripping off one of the creature's arms and noting the foul smelling greenish-black ooze which sluggishly spilled forth Elisa yelled. "Whatever they are they don't have blood rather some sort of smelly green slime. They also aren't bothered by losing limbs." Elisa finished the now one armed thing resuming his attempts to grab her.

"Fall back," Goliath ordered.

The gargoyles scrambled away. Luckily the creatures were slow moving and ill coordinated. Escape proved easy as the gargoyles scaled several buildings and were soon once more airborne.

"As if vampires weren't bad enough, now we also have these things to deal with." Brooklyn complained. "Our new home is turning into a nightmare. One from which we can't awake."

"It could be worse." Lexington joked trying to lighten his clan brother's spirit.

"How," Broadway grumbled agreeing with Brooklyn.

"At least our actually home the castle is safe." Lexington offered.

Ankou floated not far from his small zombie horde. He watched the winged warriors depart from beneath his dusty, black, broad brimmed hat his empty eye sockets burned with sickly yellow light. "Goody new creatures I can play with." Ankou clasped his slender, gloved fingers together. "What great fun we'll have. I am most pleased by this unexpected delveopment."

Courtyard of Castle Wyvern Exhibit Chicago

Franco Acosta hated covering for lazy punk kids yet here he was doing just that. One of his millennial aged security guards had called in sick at literally the last possible minute. Sick a likely story. Franco hadn't taken a single day off during his time with the Chicago PD, until he got shot that is. Thankfully President Kelly would soon change things. Once elected president Senator Robert Kelly would clean up the streets make them safe again, get rid of all meta-humans, so called human mutants and assorted nonhuman freaks that were currently running roughshod over the proper authorities by playing superhero. All good, God fearing, tax payers like Franco had to do was make sure bleeding hearts such as Nate Foxx and Veronica Summerfield didn't derail Senator Kelly's campaign before it gained enough traction.

Franco snorted. Veronica Summerfield was a nice, intelligent girl. He had no idea what she saw in Nate Foxx. Unlike Veronica who tended to keep her nose clean Nate was involved in all manner of subversive, Un-American activities. In fact Nate's poor attitude towards patriotism along with his general distain of traditional authority figures remained Franco of the hippies he hated while growing up in Southern California during the sixties and seventies. Both they and Nate were lazy, idealistic, preachy, good for nothings who constantly got in the way of real progress.

"President Nixon should have locked the lot of 'em up and thrown away the key." Franco grumbled sweeping the beam from his high powered flashlight across Castle Wyvern. "All's quiet on the western front." Franco chuckled.

Wait was that? Had he heard something? Straining his ears Franco thought he could detect faint noises. Yes there was something defiantly there. Tiptoeing over to the tower door from behind which the noises were emitting Franco readied his revolver. Doubling check that it was loaded and it's safety was off Franco forced his way inside with a pair of hard kicks.

"Freeze," Franco shouted surveying his surroundings.

"Aye there is no need fer violence human." Hudson said getting out of his reclining chair. Placing his hands palms out in front of his body Hudson cautiously moved towards Franco. "We mean ye no harm."

"I-I'll b-be the judge of that, whatever you are." Franco stammered before quickly regaining his composure. "Don't come one step closer, or I'll shoot." Franco cocked the hammer of his revolver.

"If ye insist," Hudson said halting his forward motion. "May I offer ye a tiny bit of friendly advice human, one old warrior to another?"

"Go ahead," Franco said never taking his eyes or the barrel of his gun off Hudson.

"Bronx dun not like it when people threaten me." Hudson said.

"Well that is too bad I don't take orders from you or this Bronx person." Franco said bristling at Hudson's comment. "Wait who or what exactly is Bronx?" Franco jumped in spite of his best efforts to the contrary when a deep growling was heard off to his left. Turning his attention in that direction he was confronted by an extremely irritated large, blue gargoyle beast.

"He be Bronx my loyal companion." Hudson said.

"God lord," Franco said backing away from Bronx without fully realizing what he was doing.

"I'll take that thank ye very much." Hudson said plucking Franco's gun from Franco's shaking hands with remarkable speed and ease for something of his bulk. Franco heard metal squealing as Hudson crumbled the gun with his bare hands.

Franco briefly considered pulling his pepper spray dispenser on the two creatures before discarding the idea as useless. "What are you going to do to me?" Franco asked fearfully a lump forming in his throat. He was backed against a cold stone wall the snarling beast & it's equally imposing keeper between him and the only available exit.

"Hmmm," Hudson said stroking his white beard thoughtfully. "Let me see. What should I do with ye? I know." Hudson's expression brightened at whatever he'd come up with.

Franco stared at his suddenly good natured captor apprehensively. What did this strange winged thing have in mind? Would it let him live? Would he want to live after it and it's fearsome pet finished with him? What had he stumbled into this time?

Rundown apartment building East Side

Kaine Parker felt dirty. Pulling off his navy blue, Blue Recluse mask with it's red eyes accented by white outlines he flopped down on the unmade bed. He'd been calling himself Kaine again ever since he'd beaten his first suspect senseless while working for SHIELD three months ago. He hated what Nick Fury had done to him what he wanted him to once more become.

Tossing and turning that night in a fitful, dreamless sleep Kaine wished he was back in Cider Falls where he truly belonged with his beloved family; dear Aunt May, his all too perfect "brother" Peter, his often annoying younger cousin Reilly, Peter's sweet fiancé Mary Jane Watson and their best friends the brave Avenger Eddie Brock and his spunky fiancé Gwen Stacy. It all seemed far away now and long ago. Had he really only been gone little more than seven months? It seemed closer to seven years from his perspective.

Shutting off the blaring alarm clock what seemed like mere minutes later Kaine rolled out of bed. Suck it up he thought. Be a man. You willing sacrificed your own happiness to insure the happiness of those you love. Now it is time to face the consequences, unpleasant as they may prove. Another day another job for his illustrations Federal/International employers making backyards everywhere safe for democracy Kaine almost smiled at his own joke, before catching himself, duty calls.

Courtyard of Castle Wyvern Exhibit Chicago three hours later, near dawn

Goliath, Elisa, Broadway, Brooklyn and Lexington wearily returned home after a long, frustrating night of patrolling Chicago. While they hadn't spotted any more hostile creatures, including vampires, the remainder of the night had proven hectic. They broke up three armed robberies, two liquor store heists, four drug deals gone bad and a violent gang assault outside a seedy nightclub all without receiving anything more than terrified screams from those they'd helped.

"At times such as these I truly hate humans." Brooklyn said.

"Don't ever say that Brooklyn." Elisa chastised him. "We are duty bond to protect all innocent beings within our domain including humans."

"Elisa is right Brooklyn we must protect all in our domain, especially humans," Goliath rumbled. "Many humans lack both the basic skills and common sense to watch out for themselves and those around them."

"I know." Brooklyn grudgingly conceded. "Dealing with them sometimes can be frustrating."

"Indeed it can be, but also rewarding." Goliath said.

"Ah we've got company guys." Broadway said pointing towards Hudson who was standing beside Franco their arms draped over each other's shoulders.

"Who is your new friend Hudson?" Lexington said spotting the unfamiliar human immediately.

"My clan this be Franco Acosta head of security at this fine establishment we call home." Hudson slurred between hiccups. Both Franco and Hudson were swaying slightly on their feet. Franco held a large dark brown colored mostly empty liquor bottle in his free right hand.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintances," Franco slurred then hiccupped. "Hudson has told me so much about you all. I feel we know each other already." Hudson keeled over followed in rapid succession by Franco. Together they lay in a heap Franco snoring noisily.

"Should we leave them here?" Elisa said.

"Why not they seem comfortable enough," Broadway chuckled.

"What a night," Lexington said.

To Be Continue