Nayeli closed her eyes and took a breath. Then another. When she opened her eyes, she found that the Chairman was watching her closely.
"My father," Nayeli pointed to the doors where Goliath and Brooklyn seemed to be in a heated debate, "Goliath," she clarified, "Is going to the outside doors and pass a description on to the SWAT team. They have some really good people on their team."
The Chairman chuckled. "I feel like I should be comforting you," he admitted. "A good portion of our delegates here are from war torn countries. Most of us have received our fair share of death threats and been in dangerous situations. We understand the risks, and what we need to do to stay safe. If it is any comfort, you did the right thing." When Nayeli looked confused, the Chairman made a decision. He motioned to the empty chair beside him that had been his where his assistant usually sat. Nayeli climbed the stairs and took the seat, marveling at the view from that position. From there, she could see the entire room, all of the people seated behind those small brightly colored flags. Once she was settled, the Chairman elaborated. "Back in 1993, after the bombing of the World Trade Center building, the United Nations building underwent a major bit of construction. The walls of this chamber were fortified with multiple layers of a special, dense concrete and added steel reinforcements. This is the safest place in the building."
"I didn't know that," Nayeli said, genuinely interested.
The Chairman looked up and nodded towards where Brooklyn stood at the closed doors, looking irritated.
"Your friend doesn't look pleased to have been left behind," he observed.
Nayeli turned to peek, then turned back to the Chairman. "He probably isn't," she admitted. "My dad is our leader, and everyone tries their best to protect him. Brooklyn," Nayeli nodded to the red male, "is his second in command. If anything should happen to my father, he would be in charge. It's hard, I think," Nayeli admitted, "to want to protect someone, but having the future of the clan on your shoulders."
The Chairman nodded. "You mention the word 'clan'. Is that what your…group is called?"
Nayeli gave him a small smile. "Clan means family. It is the same as the way it is used in Scotland, since that is where most of them came from."
"Family," the Chairman said, then tilted his head. "I hope this won't be too personal of a question, but you're not all related, correct?"
"By blood?" Nayeli asked, then shook her head, "No. Most of us are not directly blood related. Or at least, not that we know of." She shrugged. "I was born here after my clan was brought here from Scotland, so what I know of the time before is part of our oral history that is only spoken of now. In Scotland, the clan was one big family. There were a lot more than there are now," she said sadly. "The… family structure I guess you'd call it, was considered a human tradition. The gargoyles raised the young as a big family instead of individual units."
"It takes a village," the Chairman said with a smile.
"Exactly," Nayeli said, pleased that he seemed to understand. "My clan didn't even have names until they came here… No, sorry. I've been told that my father had one already."
"Goliath," The Chairman nodded.
"I'm pretty sure that it was because of his size," Nayeli said, her head cocked to the side thoughtfully, "but I can't be sure."
"That's probably it," the Chairman said.
"When the clan came here," Nayeli continued, "They met a human who helped them adjust to this place and they began incorporating human traditions."
"You mentioned that there used to be more of you," the Chairman asked. "May I ask what happened?"
Nayeli paused. "Being a gargoyle doesn't automatically make us all heroes. As with humans, we have our 'good guys' and 'bad guys'. What happened to my clan before… They had an arrangement with the humans they protected that the humans would watch over the clan during the day while they slept and the clan would protect the humans at night. One day, a bad man…with information and cooperation from a clan member, destroyed all but six members and the eggs that had been hidden for safety. Those that survived were brought here and they made a new home."
"A new home to protect," the Chairman said with a nod. "I must say that you made a convincing argument against the proposal to make you an endangered species, but from what you just said about your clan and the number lost… wouldn't it be in your best interest to allow that proposal to move forward?"
"Gargoyles protect," Nayeli said firmly. "As our clan elder is fond of saying, 'a gargoyle can no more stop protecting their home, than they can stop breathing the air'. You can make that decision, but it would undo everything my clan has struggled with for a long time."
The Chairman nodded, looking to the doors once more. "I think I am beginning to understand that. Your father is brave."
"My whole clan is," Nayeli said, pride in her voice. "It is an honor to have been born into such a clan."
"Will you follow in your clan's footsteps?" The Chairman asked, a twinkle of humor in his eyes.
"Maybe. I was thinking of becoming a liaison or an ambassador between the gargoyles and humans. Although..." Nayeli said, her head tilting a little, "I am kind of hoping that by the time I am deemed old enough, I might like to be a detective like our friends, Detective Bluestone and his partner, Detective Maza."
"An ambassador or a detective," The Chairman's brows lifted in surprise. "You know, I believe that you would be good at either one. You have a good head on your shoulders, you think things through and you share the same protective instincts as your clan." He smiled. "I am going to have to keep an eye out for you."
Nayeli smiled.