The city of Manhattan was never known for being quiet, and tonight was no exception. In fact, tonight was livelier than most due to the latest revelation from Cyberbiotics. Standing in front of the Cyberbiotics private air field, reporter Travis Marshall stared up in marvel at the large air ship that was the star of his news broadcast.
"Cyberbiotics has christened it The Fortress II." He told his viewers. "Though as this magnificent vessels prepares to depart on its maiden voyage, this reporter wonders if it will suffer the same fate as the Fortress I."
What Travis didn't know is that he wasn't the only one who was wondering that. Up in the clock tower, both Willow and Goliath watched the news report, thinking back to the events of the previous year. Despite all the time that had passed, Goliath still felt guilty for the part he had played in the destruction of Fortress I.
Willow also felt guilty for what had happened. Whether she liked it or not, she was a Xanatos, and that alone made her feel responsible, even if there was nothing she could do at the time to stop it.
"Do you think Xanatos will try something with this Fortress?" Willow asked, looking up at Goliath.
"It is possible." Goliath replied, his eyes never leaving the screen. "He may no longer be able to trick us, but with his Steel Clan robots and the Pack, he may not need to."
Willow reached over, turning off the TV and standing up.
"Then why don't we go make sure he doesn't." She suggested.
Goliath gave a small nod as Willow transformed into her gargoyle form. Together, they took off into the night.
…
The gargoyles weren't the only ones watching the broadcast on Cyberbiotics. In one of the Eyrie building's many entertainment centers, Fox reclined in a comfortable easy chair, eying the Fortress II like her namesake eying prey as Travis continued his news report.
"Although Halcyon Reynard, the reclusive CEO of Cyberbiotics, was unable to make a statement, his right hand man Preston Vogel as consented for an interview."
On screen, a man with an almost uncanny resemblance to Owen, save for his hair color and choice of personal attire, smiled at Travis.
"Mr. Marshal, I can assure you that the destruction of the Fortress II last year was the result of corporate espionage that was made possible by the human error of the crew." Preston explained. "Now, thanks to Cyberbiotics newly patented cybots, this human error has been eliminated."
"So there is no human crew aboard the Fortress?" Travis asked.
"That is correct." Preston answered. "After tonight's test flight, the only humans aboard will be the scientists, Mr. Reynard, and myself of course."
"Just one more question." Travis insisted. "Is it true that Mr. Reynard has invested his entire personal fortune into this project? And if it fails, both he and Cyberbiotics will go bankrupt?"
Fox perked up at this, smiling to herself as she reached for the remote.
"That's two questions, Mr. Marshall." Preston replied, turning away from the camera to board the ship. "And this interview is over."
Fox turned off the TV, standing up in time to see Xanatos leaning against the doorframe. He had a knowing smile on his face as he locked eyes with his wife.
"Don't stop it on my account." He quipped playfully.
"It doesn't matter." She replied, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I know how it ends."
…
On board Fortress II, Vogel watched diligently as the cybots got into position, beginning the Fortress II's starting procedure. Turning towards a large video phone, he contacted Reynard.
"Sir, the cybots are in position." He explained. "We're ready."
"Stay out of their way." Reynard ordered. "We don't want anything compromising this test."
With that, the engines began to hum with life as the fortress slowly lifted off the ground, making its way into the night.
…
On a nearby crag overlooking the air strip, Goliath and Willow watch the large flying ship begin its circuit around the city.
"There it goes." Willow said. "It's a lot bigger than the old one."
"And hopefully better defended." Goliath added. "Even still, I owe it to them to try and stop Xanatos should he try anything."
"Then why are we just sitting here?" Willow asked, spreading her wings. "Let's go."
The two gargoyles jump off the crag, catching an updraft that takes them right onto the trail of the Fortress II.
…
Onboard, Preston watched the cybots work, silently noting any possible errors that would need correcting once they touched down. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a warning signal going off on the rear proximity censors. Curious, and slightly worried, he switched on the rear security cameras. He gasped when he saw the two gargoyles come on screen.
"Sir?" he said, fumbling for the buttons needed to send the footage to Reynard. "It's the creatures from last year. They've returned."
In his cabin, Halcyon Reynard's eyes narrowed at the two gargoyles.
"It's a different female this time, but you're right." He replied. "Release the cybot security drones."
…
Goliath and Willow easily kept pace with the Fortress II, believing themselves to be safely out of sight. However, this was proven wrong when a rear hatch on the fortress opened, releasing a swarm of robotic defense drones.
"Uh-oh." Willow muttered. "I think we've been spotted."
The tiny yellow drones began to surround Goliath and Willow, attempting to blast them with what looked like stun blasts. A few of their shots managed to graze the two, causing them both to nearly convulse in pain.
"You need not attack us!" Goliath howled. "We are not your enemy!"
"Don't bother!" Willow shouted, banking left to avoid a few shots. "They're machines! They can't be reasoned with!"
One of the bots managed to hit Goliath in the back, causing him to lash out in rage and smash the diminutive robot.
"More the pity." He muttered.
Willow did a quick loop, getting behind one of the bots and grabbing it. She was able to use it to destroy about four of its companions before it was blasted out of her hands. When Goliath attempted to do the same, the bots blasted his before he could let off a single shot.
Unbeknownst to the two gargoyles, as they destroyed a good number of the tiny robots, even more continued to swarm out of the open hatch. It finally dawned on them as they realized they were completely surrounded.
"Jalapeña…" Willow swore.
The bots all fired at the same time, the combined power of the blasts enough to make the two of them howl in pain before blackness overtook them. The two of them began to plummet out of the sky, but before they could go very far, the bots sent out grappling hooks. These hooks wrapped around the two of them, stopping their descent and pulling them back up towards the Fortress II.
…
Willow came to first, slowly picking herself up and rubbing her head, trying to stave off the massive headache she had. As her vision cleared, she was horrified to find herself in what looked like a cage. When she grabbed the cage, hoping to pry the bars apart to escape, the two large robots guarding her cell delivered a nasty shock.
"Gah!" she howled, falling backwards.
"Willow?" Goliath called out, coming to himself.
Willow's eyes widened as she crawled over to the bars. In a cell across from hers, she could see Goliath sitting up, surveying his surroundings carefully.
"Goliath!" Willow called, careful not to touch the bars. "Are you okay?"
"For now." Goliath replied. "What about you?"
"Don't touch the bars." She muttered. "The robots don't like that."
As she said that, a large automatic door in between their cells opened up. In entered Preston Vogel, followed closely by a frail old man. This second man came riding in an incredibly high-tech wheel chair that seemed to be propelled by some unseen force. It was obvious that this man was Halcyon Reynard.
"At last I get to see Gen-U-Tech's abominable creations in the flesh." Reynard said with a note of contempt in his voice. "Xanatos and his lab rats must be proud indeed."
"We aren't creations!" Willow called out indignantly. "We're gargoyles!"
"My name is Goliath." Goliath introduced in a calm manner that surprised Willow. "And my companion's name is Willow. We are not products of Xanatos, nor do we belong to him."
Reynard seemed to chuckle at that comment.
"Of course you're not." He replied sarcastically.
Willow grabbed the bars of her cell, letting go seconds before her robotic guards could attack her.
"Why are you keeping us here?" Willow demanded.
Reynard turned to Willow with an angry look.
"As long as you two are my prisoners, I know you two can't destroy Fortress II for your master." He replied coldly.
Willow banged her fist against the wall of her cell.
"Didn't you hear a single word Goliath said?!" She shouted. "We don't belong to Xanatos! We're not his pets, or his property!"
"Is that so?" Reynard replied skeptically. "Then why is it that your friend Goliath here attacked Fortress I with that other female? Was that just a wild night on the town, or do you have some other excuse to explain that particular event?"
"He was tricked!" Willow snarled.
"Willow stop-" Goliath attempted.
"No!" Willow shouted. "That wasn't your fault! None of that was your fault!"
Reynard glared at Willow with an air of absolute fury.
"Not his fault, not her fault, not my fault, you sound like every single human employee I've ever fired!" He snapped. "Crush them all together and you couldn't squeeze an iota of personal integrity from the lot of them."
"So you're saying that even though Xanatos made us believe that you stole secrets from his company, we are still to blame for what happened to Fortress I?!" Willow demanded.
"Yes." Goliath replied before Reynard could. "Duped or not, it was I who destroyed Fortress I. My actions led it to crash in the river."
Reynard seemed genuinely surprised at Goliath's admittance to guilt. He turned to the purple gargoyle with a nod of respect.
"It seems at least one of you has the guts to own up to their mistakes." He noted before turning back to Willow. "You could learn a lot from your friend, especially about not making excuses and whining about things not being your fault."
"Gargoyles don't whine." Willow snarled, "They roar!"
In a fit of blind fury, Willow grabbed the bars of her cell for a third time, yanking the door off its hinges and using it to smash the robots guarding her. Before she could do much else, the robots guarding Goliath opened fire on her, stunning her into submission.
"Stop this!" Goliath screamed.
The robots continue to stun Willow until she sagged to the ground, unconscious once more. In anger, Goliath freed himself as well, destroying the final two robots before he bent down to grab Willow. Reynard let out a sigh, then pressed a button on the arm of his chair. A small gun came out of one of many hidden compartment on his chair, shooting Goliath in the chest with a similar blast the robots had. Within seconds, Goliath fell to the ground, out once more as Willow rolled from his grip.
"This is my fault, sir." Preston admitted as he looked down at the two unconscious gargoyles. "I should have instructed the cybots to place them in the maximum security wing."
"It's refreshing to hear someone own up to their mistake." Reynard replied with a sigh. "Just see that the situation is corrected."
At that moment, Preston's phone began ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket, looking at the caller ID.
"Sorry sir." He said. "I've got to take this."
"Go ahead." Reynard replied, turning and leaving the room. "I'll be in my cabin."
Once Reynard was gone, Preston answered the call, activating the video chat feature. The screen displayed a smiling Fox, who greeted Preston with a small nod.
"Evening Mr. Vogel." She told him.
"Fox." Preston greeted.
"You sure it's safe to talk?" Fox questioned.
"Mr. Reynard has always given me my privacy, one of the many traits I admire about the man."
"Well, I'm sure by now you've verified that the payment has been wired to your Swiss account." Fox went on.
"Affirmative." Preston replied. "However, there has been a small hitch in the plan."
"Is that so?" Fox asked, her tone becoming less friendly. "You know I don't like surprises."
Preston turned the phone towards the two unconscious gargoyles sprawled out on the floor. Fox's face fell when she saw them.
"Goliath and Willow." She muttered. "Damn."
"Mr. Reynard has them as his guests for the time being, insurance to make sure they don't destroy the fortress." Preston explained.
Fox stroked her chin, then took a deep breath.
"It doesn't matter." She decided. "Willow has proven to be a girl who can find her way out of any situation. The operation shouldn't be effected."
"And Goliath?" Preston asked.
Fox's smile returned.
"He'll make a perfect scapegoat." She decided. "After all, with his track record, I imagine that won't be a difficult pill for Halcyon to swallow."
…
When Goliath and Willow came to a second time, they were locked up once again. This time, they were in smaller cells, large shackles chaining their wrists and ankles. More robots guarded them, easily twice the size of the ones before. Willow let out a groan at the sight.
"What is this guy's problem?" she muttered.
"Perhaps the more appropriate question is this." Goliath suggested. "What is your problem?"
"My problem?!" Willow snapped, turning to Goliath angrily. "He's the one with the problem! Why can't he see that Xanatos is the one to blame for the attack on Fortress I, not you?!"
The large door leading to the cell block opened, allowing Mr. Reynard entry.
"You are an incredibly loud creature." He told her. "I could hear you all the way from my cabin."
"Then hear this!" Willow declared. "Goliath was used by Xanatos! He was an innocent pawn, and yet you'd have him suffer for Xanatos' crime?!"
Reynard stuck his pinky in his ear, as if trying to stop it from ringing from the sheer volume of Willow's protests.
"Do you honestly think that your friend is the first poor soul Xanatos has corrupted?" Reynard asked.
Willow felt herself deflate a bit as Reynard continued.
"Both Owen Burnett and Dr. Anton Servarius were both former employees of mine, until that viper stole them from me." He told her. "And they weren't the first, nor were they the last. I have no doubt that he was behind the attack and it is not hard to believe that he tricked Goliath into it."
"Then why do you insist on him taking the blame?" Willow asked, though the venom in her words was no longer there, replaced with an honest curiosity.
"Because, tricked or not, my actions led to grievous damage to be dealt, not only to Fortress I, but to Cyberbiotics as well." Goliath answered, "Damage that I must atone for."
"Exactly." Reynard agreed, pointing a bony finger at Goliath.
Willow let those words sink in for a moment, then Reynard turned to her.
"Now, while your friend is willing to own up to what he's done, what are you going to do about the damage you caused me with your little outburst earlier?" He asked her.
Willow met Reynard's eyes.
"A better question might be what you're going to do." she replied.
…
In the Eyrie building, Fox and Xanatos were in the middle of a judo session in the large gym the building had. The two circled each other in a practiced motion before Fox attempted a kick at Xanatos. The latter managed to duck, narrowly avoiding the punch that followed before delivering a kick of his own. Fox managed to dodge, bringing her arms up to block a few punches from Xanatos. However, she let her guard down for a second, giving Xanatos an opening. He swept his leg out, knocking Fox to the ground, a feat that had both of them surprised.
"You seem distracted." Xanatos commented, coming out of his offensive stance. "Having second thoughts?"
Fox got up, brushing herself off.
"About what?" she asked.
Before Xanatos could reply, Fox grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back.
"About Renard." He finally replied, his voice cracking slightly from pain. "He's not exactly a young man, and if your hostile take-over succeeds, then he'll be wiped out."
"Oh, he'll manage." Fox dismissed, pushing Xanatos forward. "He always does."
Xanatos recovered from the shove, but wasn't fast enough to avoid Fox pouncing on him, pinning him to the mat.
"Besides," she told him as she let him up, ending their bout, "if all goes well, Cyberbiotics will be mine by morning. We can celebrate over breakfast."
Over where they had left their stuff, the building's landline began to ring. Xanatos picked it up, figuring it was a business call of some kind.
"Xanatos here." He greeted.
His face became confused for a second, then he held the phone out to Fox.
"It's your doctor." He explained. "Something about your test results coming in."
"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention it," Fox replied, picking up the phone. "Silly me."
…
Up in the main deck of the Fortress II, Preston summoned one of the bots towards him.
"Voice Override V7R9." He announced. "Deactivate for matrix upgrade."
The bot powered down, allowing Preston to approach it and open a hatch in its back. This gave him access to its main processing unit. Preston removed one of the many chips implanted in the robot, replacing it with a similar chips before closing the hatch again.
"Reactivate and resume your designated duties." Preston ordered.
The robot reactivated, a strange electricity dancing across its metallic body. As it returned it its post, that electricity passed to the other robots at its station. Preston couldn't help but smile at the sight
…
Down in the holding cells, Reynard regarded Willow and Goliath, honestly considering Willow's question.
"You pose quite the conundrum, young lady." He allowed, stroking his chin. "What would be the honorable thing to do? I suppose I could turn you two over to the authorities."
Goliath, who had been relatively quiet throughout this entire ordeal, finally spoke out in his defense
"Look at us, human!" he objected. "We'd spend the rest of our lives as laboratory specimens."
"Yeah!" Willow agreed, "Was our crime against you so heinous to make that an equitable punishment?"
Reynard let out an amused chuckle at Willow's words.
"It would seem that we are making progress with you." He remarked. "You said 'our crimes'. Seems you're finally starting to understand what I have been trying to teach you."
…
The strange electricity that had begun to make its way across the main deck was spreading rapidly, hitting every single cybot it came into contact with. With most of the cybots now influenced by this strange virus, they began working on infecting the ship's main piloting system. Within minutes the entire ship would be besieged by this virus. From his private quarters, Preston watched the progress of his virus, ready to begin phase two.
…
"I think I understand now." Willow explained.
Reynard leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands.
"Oh?" he asked.
"I used to believe that if you had been duped into doing something, you were immediately exempt from the consequences, that it wasn't your fault." She continued, looking over at Goliath, "But… whether someone tricked you into doing something or not, you still need to own up to the consequences of you actions, good or ill."
"Exactly." Reynard agreed. "I'm glad that you were… 'Gargoyle' enough to admit that. Not many have the strength to do so, or the courage."
Goliath also gave Willow a smile.
"Integrity is never easy." He admitted. "It is a constant, daily struggle, and sometimes, it can cost you dearly."
"Your friend is right." Reynard added. "Even I've lost those closest to be because of it. My Anastasia… My Janine…"
He seemed a bit saddened as he remembered those he lost, and even Goliath added his own name to the list.
"My Angel of the Night." He sighed.
Willow thought back to what she had lost because of standing up for what she saw was right. She had lost her home, that much was true, but she had gained so much in return.
"Even with everything you've lost, surely you've gained something from never faltering, right?" she asked.
Reynard looked up, genuinely surprised by Willow's comment. As he mulled that over, he had to give a small nod.
"That is one of the good things about sticking to your morals." Reynard agreed. "Though you may lose some battles, the ones you win far outweigh them."
As they spoke, a cybot walked into the containment area, that infectious electricity dancing across its head. However, none of the three seemed to notice it at first. At least, not until the electricity began to pass to the four guard bots watching over Goliath and Willow.
"Um, Mr. Reynard, are they supposed to do that?" Willow asked.
"No they are not." Reynard replied, a note of annoyance and worry in his voice.
He tapped a few buttons on his wheelchair, summoning a small video communication device. Another tap of a button connected him to Preston's office. The second his assistant's face came onto the screen, Reynard began speaking.
"Mr. Vogel, something peculiar is going on with the cybots." He informed him.
"Whatever it is, it's happening all over the ship." Preston replied, his voice laced with fear. "The cybots have completely taken over! They've changed our heading! I'm trying to override them, but-"
"Changed our heading!" Reynard exclaimed. "To where?!"
"Unfortunately sir, we are now on a direct collision course with Cyberbiotics Tower." He explained before letting out an exasperated sigh. "More than that, they've just locked down the system. I can't override them."
"What?!" Reynard practically screamed.
"There's only one possible explanation, sir." Vogel offered up. "Goliath and Willow must have brought this virus along with them when they were captured! It would explain why we were able to capture them so easily."
Goliath fumed at the accusation while Willow clenched her fists. Reynard glanced at Goliath and Willow for a second before returning his gaze to Preston.
"What can we do?" he asked.
"The only thing we can do." Vogel replied. "We must abandoned ship and activate the emergency self-destruct sequence. If we don't, both installations will be destroyed and Cyberbiotics will be history!"
"If the Fortress II is destroyed, Cyberbiotics is ruined anyways!" Reynard cried, banging his fist on the arm of his chair.
"I'm sorry." Vogel replied regretfully. "If you want to place the blame on me, I will accept it. However, there are no other options left. Collision is in seven minutes, not leaving us with enough time to evacuate the building."
Reynard closed his eyes, placing his head in his hand.
"You have six minutes to get to the escape pod." Vogel continued. "If you're not there, I will jettison, then use my access code to destroy Fortress II."
The transmission ended, and both Goliath and Willow stepped forward.
"What Vogel said about us, you have to know it's not true." Willow insisted.
"We came to try and protect this ship, not destroy it." Goliath added.
Reynard held up his free hand, not even bothering to look up.
"All I know…" Reynard retorted, "is that I'm about to be wiped out!"
That was when both Willow and Goliath pulled themselves free of their shackles, tearing them off their arms and legs like they were made from paper.
"It doesn't have to end that way." Goliath insisted.
"We can help you." Willow added. "It's the entire reason we came here in the first place."
"All you have to do is release us from these cages." Goliath explained.
Reynard seemed to honestly consider it, then Goliath's next words sealed the deal.
"I helped destroy Fortress I." he admitted. "Let me help you save Fortress II."
Reynard let out a sigh, typing in a small code.
"Heaven help us all." He muttered.
The cage doors slid open, but the guard bots immediately turned on Goliath and Willow, blasting them the second they attempted to leave their cells. Reynard attempted to try to override them, but none of his codes were responding.
"I can't stop them!" He exclaimed.
"We can." Willow growled.
Both Goliath and Willow pounced on the guard bots, their claws rendering the machines useless in a matter of seconds. Before they could catch their breath however, reinforcements arrived, letting off a barrage of shots in an attempt to subdue the gargoyles. Thankfully, they were not alone. Reynard activated his chair's small gun, taking aim at the reinforcements.
"Thank you." Goliath told him.
"You can thank me later." He replied. "Time's running out. We have to get to the command center."
…
Down in the escape pod's hanger bay, Preston activated one of the pods, sitting down in the main seat. Turning towards an array of monitors in the pod, he brought of the countdown until collision, which read 4:17 minutes left. As he brought up the ship's security footage to see if Mr. Reynard was coming, he was shocked to find him in the company of the two gargoyles.
"Foolish old man." He swore. "He honestly thinks he can save the ship."
He grabbed a headset, setting the frequency to the cybot's intercommunication line.
"Override code B7R9!" he declared. "Isolate Mr. Reynard from the gargoyles and gently force him towards the escape pods. Deal with the creatures if they resists!"
…
Making their way through the hallways, an army of cybots began coming from all sides, practically swarming Goliath and Willow. Back to back, the two gargoyles tossed, tore, and generally obliterated any bot that attempted to stop them from reaching their goal. However, with every bot they fought, it was pulling precious time away from their rescue efforts of the ship.
"We don't have time for this!" Willow exclaimed. "If we keep fighting these bots one by one, we'll never make it to the control center in time!"
"Agreed." Goliath nodded. "Reynard, is there a way to shut down all of the bots at the same time?"
"They all draw power from a single power source." Reynard explained, pulling up a small map on his's chair minicomputer. "It's located here. You two go and destroy it. I'll continue my way towards the control center."
"You sure you don't want one of us for back up?" Willow questioned.
Reynard scoffed.
"I think you've seen that I can handle myself, young lady." He told her.
He rolled off, leaving Goliath and Willow to deal with the cybots.
…
It didn't take the two gargoyles long to reach the power supply for the cybots, which was a small miracle in and of itself. However, as the two had predicted, it was heavily guarded by the same flying bots that had captured them in the first place.
"Not these things again." Willow groaned.
An entire swarm of the bots banked towards the two, forcing them to scatter. Goliath managed to catch one, forcing it to shoot a few others out of the air. Willow just kept grabbing and smashing, trying to get as close to the main power node as she could. Unfortunately, the bot's fire power kept her from getting close enough.
"A little help?" she called.
Goliath tossed his captive bot against the wall, tearing a section of safety railing off of a nearby walkway to use as a bat.
"On its way." He replied, swinging his makeshift weapon.
The bat collided with a good number of the flying bots, clearing a path for Willow.
…
Reynard made his way closer to the control center, practically growling when a pair of cybots attempted to block his path. Without even slowing down, he lowered a shield around his body, then destroyed the bots with his chair gun.
"Mr. Reynard!" Preston's voice called from the small video communicator. "I do not want your death on my conscience, but I cannot allow the ship to collide with Cyberbiotics Tower."
Reynard didn't even slow down for a second, and Preston's voice became more desperate.
"You'll never reach the bridge!" he cried. "But there's still time for you to escape. My escape pod is primed and-"
"Mr. Vogel, like you I can't stand idly by while this ship kills hundreds of innocent people." Reynard interrupted. "If I can't change the ship's course in time, you have my permission to blow it from the sky. However, we built this ship together. If it goes down, it's taking me with it."
…
Goliath drew the cybots away from the main node, providing and opening for Willow. She approached the node, attempting to touch it, but was nearly tased for her efforts. She shook her hand in pain, then had an idea.
"I hope this works." She muttered.
She shoved her hands onto the power node, focusing on her human form. The green energy that always appeared when she transformed began to course through her, but it did more than that. It went through her arms, overloading the power matrix. It began sparking and flashing before shorting out altogether.
The cybots began dropping like flies as a now human Willow stumbled backwards a bit dazed, her blue hair wild from the energy she'd channeled and minor burns on her hands.
"Did it work?" she asked, somewhat loopy after her ordeal.
Goliath caught her as she stumbled, smiling.
"Yes." He told her. "It did."
…
All over the ship, the cybots began to fall over, their entire system shut down for good. Reynard noted this with a relieved smile.
"Those two actually managed to do it." He said surprised. "Outstanding."
He finally reached the main bridge, lifting the shield from around his body as he approached the emergency course override. When he noted that he had exceeded Preston's prescribed deadline, he felt himself relax even more.
"Bless you, Vogel for giving me more time." He said in relief.
However, the relief he felt at reaching his destination was suddenly squashed when he remembered one crucial detail about the override. It required two people to activate.
"Oh no." he gasped.
He put his head in his hand for the second time that night, knowing there was nothing he could do. That is, until a familiar voice called out to him.
"So near, and yet so far." Preston commented, approaching the second terminal. "I guess even you are prone to forgetfulness in when the situation is stressful enough."
"Mr. Vogel." Reynard replied, hope returning to his voice. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."
"Yes well, you have that effect on people." Preston said with a dismissive air. "Now, we have 8.5 seconds to perform a 60 degree turn. Let's proceed."
And that's exactly what they did. On Preston's signal, Reynard initiated full throttle, narrowly avoiding the Cyberbiotics tower by scant centimeters. Once they were safely in open air again, Reynard shook his fist in the air.
"Yes!" he exulted.
That's when the doors to the bridge opened, allowing for Goliath and a still human Willow to walk in. The purple gargoyle locked eyes with Preston, his eyes glowing brightly as he approached the man.
"You…" he snarled.
Preston gulped nervously as Goliath grabbed him by his bow tie, lifting him off the ground. Reynard immediately wheeled over to them, hoping to get between them before Goliath hurt Preston.
"There is no need for that!" he insisted. "We managed to stop the collision. Crisis averted."
"That's not why he's doing that." Willow explained.
Reynard looked at Willow, and yet he didn't seem even mildly shocked by the fact that she was now human. Instead, he merely addressed the matter at hand.
"Then why is he accosting my assistant?" Reynard demanded.
"Because he owes us an apology for saying the sabotage was our doing." She replied, glaring at Preston.
"Y-yes." Preston agreed. "It's quite clear you had nothing to do with that."
Goliath let out a growl as Willow crossed her arms.
"And?" she asked, waving her hand for him to continue.
Preston hesitated for a moment, then let out a sigh.
"And… I have a bit of a confession to make, Mr. Reynard." He reluctantly admitted.
Goliath dropped Preston back on his feet, leaving him to give his confession to Reynard.
…
A short time later, Goliath, Willow, and Reynard gathered near the rear exit. The man looked a bit older, and quite disappointed in what his assistant had confessed to.
"Well, it would seem that Mr. Vogel's betrayal had only provided further proof that the human species is devoid of integrity." He bemoaned.
"That's not entirely true." Willow disagreed. "He may have sabotaged the ship, but in the end, he chose to do the right thing and fix his mistake, and own up to what he had down."
"If anything, Vogel's actions showed the folly of placing one's trust in single-minded automatons that only know what they are programmed to know." Goliath added. "Only living beings possess the ability to change and make new choices."
Reynard mulled these words, then smiled.
"I suppose you're right." He admitted, then remembered something. "Oh, and by the way. Consider yourselves even with me for what happened. A ship for a ship. We're square."
"No." Goliath replied. "We're friends."
Reynard didn't even hesitate.
"Yes." He agreed. "Friends."
Willow opened the rear exit door, transforming into her gargoyle form as she did. Goliath took off first, then Willow prepared to follow suit. However, she paused before she did.
"Hey, Mr. Reynard-?" she began.
He held up a hand, interrupting her.
"You can just call me Grandfather." He told her.
Willow blinked.
"How did you-?" she tried.
"Just because my daughter and I don't talk that much anymore doesn't mean I don't know what she's up to, and about her… unique adoptive step daughter." He replied with a smirk. "And I must say, I'm proud to call you my granddaughter."
Willow smiled, then glided out the door to join Goliath. Once the two gargoyles vanished into the night, another figure stealthily hang-glided over to the ship. Firing a suction anchor, the glider successfully landed on the surface of the ship. With the deft toss of a corrosive grenade, this strange intruder burned a hole in the roof, creating a makeshift entrance. The intruder tossed a rope down the hole, then jumped down themselves, sneaking across the bridge towards where Reynard had parked his chair. They made it within a few inches before the man spoke.
"Hello, Jeanine," he sighed before turning around.
Pulling off their mask, Fox let her hair loose and leaned down, pecking the old man on the cheek
"Hello Daddy." She greeted. "Almost got you that time, didn't I."
"Yes." he admitted, rolling down the bridge with Fox by his side. "But why? I built this company for you. I'd have given it to you already if you hadn't married that Xanatos. I probably still would if you would just stand up and ask for it honestly."
"Oh, Daddy!" she chided him. "Asking you for it wouldn't be any fun at all!"
"And fun," he sighed as they move toward her entry point, "is still more important to you than honor. I can't understand that."
"Well," she began, catching up one of his hands and pressing it to her belly, "maybe you'll have better luck relating to the next generation. It seems you already have with Willow."
Reynard was thrown for a loop as Fox placed another kiss on his cheek.
"That's right, Daddy." She told him, taking hold of the rope he'd tossed down. "I'm pregnant."
She pulled her mask back on as he gazed up at her dumfounded. Still staring up at the hole Fox had created, he didn't even notice as she glided away into the rising sun.
