The word safe had never truly been associated with the city of Manhattan. There were always thugs running around, idiots with guns who think they're ten feet talk and bullet proof, and gangs of criminals to exploit the innocent people. In a city this dangerous, it wasn't uncommon for innocent people to try and seek out protection. Unfortunately, sometimes "protection" is thrust upon them unbidden, and at a very heavy cost.
One night, a small local restaurant called Art and Lois', run by an older couple of the same name, closed up for the night. Lois was a bit worried, adjusting the sleeve of her dress over and over again.
"Arty, don't you think that was a bit reckless of you?" She asked her husband.
"Lois, we've been at this location for 34 years." He argued, grabbing his coat and sliding it on. "We didn't need anyone's protection then, and we don't need it now."
"But what if he makes good on his threats?" Lois insisted.
"Dracon's old news." Arty insisted. "He's been locked up twice already."
"And he's gotten out both times." Lois reminded him. "Maybe we should pay him, just to be safe."
"I will not give up some of our hard-earned money to some two-bit thugs!" Arty snapped. "End of discussion!"
As the two of them walked out of the restaurant, neither of them noticed a slender briefcase that had been tucked up against the wall, nor the barely audible beeping noise coming from inside. However, once they had gotten a few yards away from the restaurant, the entire front of the building exploded, knocking both of them off their feet. They turned, looking up at the burning wreckage of their store, holding each other in shock. That shock turned to anger in Arty's face.
"Dracon…" he swore quietly.
…
Tony Dracon sat in the back of his limousine, running his fingers through his long black hair, which was now sporting premature white around the roots after the scare he took when he first met the gargoyles. From the smile on his face, that fateful night was far from his mind, his thoughts focused on the example he'd made of Art and Lois. The limo pulled alongside the road, stopping so a lone man, Dracon's second in command Glasses, could get in.
"Excellent job with the bomb." Dracon complimented. "By now, everyone under our… protection… will know that we mean business."
"Too true, boss." Glasses agreed, "But I'm afraid to say we ain't the only ones offering protection."
Dracon's face fell a bit, his eyebrows furrowing.
"What?" he asked evenly.
"Word on the street is that some rogue cop has been setting up their own racket around town." Glasses explained. "Seems they've already got a few businesses under their belt."
"So, some rusted badge is trying to muscle in on my turf?" Dracon questioned. "Seems everyone's losing respect for me. Maybe a bomb isn't a big enough message."
"You want me to find this badge?" Glasses asked.
"Yeah, and send them a message that this whole city will understand." Dracon replied. "Tell them that Dracon own this city."
…
At the demolished restaurant, fire fighters had managed to finally subdue the blaze. Unfortunately, the restaurant was beyond saving. New crews were crowded around the police line, attempting to get a statement from the restaurant's former owners.
"Sir, do you have any idea who might have done this to your restaurant?" A reporter asked.
Arty turned to the camera angrily, ready to spill the beans. However, Lois grabbed him in a panic, shaking her head.
"No he doesn't." she answered hastily. "Neither of us do."
She looked at her husband pleadingly, then he sighed in defeat.
"She's right…" he lied reluctantly, "It was probably a… accident."
The two walked off as the reporter began to voice his opinions.
"Unsurprisingly, witnesses seem too scared to come forward." He noted solemnly. "But this latest bombing has led police to speculate that mob boss Anthony Dracon, recently released from prison, is tightening his grip on the protection racket in this area."
…
In the Clock tower, Broadway and Willow were watching TV, the two of them growling at the grim news.
"What a shame…" Broadway lamented.
"Agreed." Willow told her friend. "But, unfortunately, in a city like this, that kind of stuff is all too common."
"What kind of stuff?" Goliath questioned, walking towards the duo.
"Dracon's up to his old tricks again." Broadway explained.
"And this time, it seems to involve his protection racket." Willow added.
Goliath's eyes narrowed at that, not liking how the prospect sounded.
"What is this 'protection racket'?" he questioned.
Broadway flipped off the TV, setting aside his snack, which he'd left untouched.
"Criminals and scum like Dracon extort protection money from innocent people." He defined.
"And if they don't pay, then whatever it is that the criminals are 'offering' to protect gets mysterious damaged." Willow continued. "Or in this case, destroyed."
Goliath's fists clenched, his eyes glowing brightly.
"And the police just let this happen?!" He exclaimed in a blind fury.
"The police do what they can, but without proof or witnesses willing to come forward, there's not much they CAN do." Willow told him.
Broadway just smirked, crossing his arms.
"On the contrary, there is one thing they can do." He commented. "And frankly, it's one of my favorite police tricks ever!"
He snagged a fedora off of a coat rack, part of his old Halloween costume, and slid it on so the brim covered his eyes.
"Undercover operations."
…
Down in the police station, Matt Bluestone pushed one of Dracon's flunkies, a punk named Joey, down the hallway. As he led the thug past a few of his fellow officers, Captain Chavez approached him.
"Bluestone, glad I caught you." She told him.
"Sorry Captain, but I don't have time to chat." Bluestone replied, tightening his grip on Joey's arm. "But Joey and I have a date with an interrogation room."
Joey smirked.
"Sorry ginger, but you ain't my type." The gangster quipped.
Matt glared at the gangster, giving his arm a hard yank as he continued walking. Chavez followed his pace.
"It'll be quick." Chavez promised. "I was just wondering if you'd seen Elisa tonight."
"My partner? No." Matt answered, shaking his head. "I haven't seen her for a while now."
Chavez stopped walking for a moment, looking more than a bit worried at that statement. Matt continued walking, leading Joey to interrogation. He opened the door and led him in as Chavez got one last word in.
"If you see her, let her know I want a word." She requested.
"Will do Chief." Matt promised before closing the door behind him.
…
Joey sat at the interrogation table, leaning back in the chair and smirking like he owned the joint, even going so far as to prop his feet up. Matt was pacing around the room, his jacket draped over his chair and his sleeves rolled up. He'd long since lost track of time, and the thug was slowly starting to get on his last nerve.
"Alright Joey, let's go over this one more time." Matt insisted. "Word on the street says that Dracon's the brains behind this protection racket. He's the one who ordered the bombing of Art and Lois', and you can prove it."
"Oh really, cause that ain't what I'm hearing." Joey replied. "Ya see, I heard that some cop on the take is moving in. If you wanna know about the bombing, you should talk to them."
Matt's blood began to boil at the thought of a dirty cop. Unable to control himself, he slammed his hands on the table, getting up in Joey's face.
"I don't have to take that from a lowlife punk like you!" he exclaimed.
About that time, the door to the interrogation room opened. Matt turned to tell whomever it was to leave, but the words died on his tongue when he saw who it was. It was Elisa, his AWOL partner.
"Easy there Matt." She told him. "You look about ready to blow."
Matt's eyes went wide as she waltzed into the interrogation room like nothing had happened, like she hadn't been missing for several days. Forgetting Joey all together, Matt focused on his partner.
"Elisa, where have you been?" he questioned. "The Captain's looking for you, and frankly, I've been worried about you."
"Well, as you can see, I'm fine." She assured him, walking in and glancing over at Joey. "Though I'll be a lot better after I have a chat with Joey."
Red flags were going off in Matt's mind, ones he couldn't ignore. He took Elisa's arm, stopping her.
"Elisa, you're already in enough trouble with the Chief for ditching your duties the way you have, and now you expect me to just stand here and let you talk with my suspect?"
"No, I expect you to let me talk to him alone." Elisa clarified, yanking her arm free of Matt's grip as her face became unreadable. "Now walk out of here before I do something you'll regret."
Matt went to say something else, but everything about Elisa's demeanor and posture was practically screaming for him to try something. He knew what she was capable of, and of how good she was at keeping secrets. Knowing he wasn't gonna get anywhere, Matt turned and walked out of the interrogation room. The second the door closed, Elisa turned to Joey.
"Alright, I'll make this short and sweet." Elisa declared. "You tell Dracon that his territory is my territory."
Joey let out a snort.
"Wait, you're the rusted badge that's been trying to take over the racket?" he chuckled. "What a riot!"
Elisa grabbed Joey by the collar, lifting him clear out of his chair. The man barely had time to register what was going on before he was slammed into the wall.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" she snapped at him. "Do I?"
Before the situation could escalate further, the door to the interrogation room opened, revealing both Bluestone and Chief Chavez.
"Maza!" Chavez shouted. "That's enough!"
Elisa glared back at the Chief, then unceremoniously dropped Joey. He stumbled back a bit, steading himself as Elisa walked towards her superior.
"I think we need to talk." Chavez declared. "Now."
Elisa walked out of the interrogation room, Chavez closing the door behind her. However, she didn't close it all the way, allowing Joey to overhear the entire conversation.
"Is there a problem, Chief?" Elisa asked with a note of snark in her voice.
"There is, Detective." Chavez replied. "I've just received an anonymous tip that you've been demanding protection money from Sal's grocery store."
Elisa snorted.
"It's a load of garbage." She said dismissively. "You know me, Chief. I'm as clean as a whistle."
"She's got a point, Chief." Bluestone interjected, trying to defend his partner. "Elisa's always been good about keeping her nose clean."
"That may be true, but I.A. wants a full investigation." Chavez argued. "More than that, you've been acting strange for weeks now. You disappear for hours without a trace, and your excuses keep getting flimsier and flimsier."
Eliza threw her hands in the air, growling in frustration.
"I can't believe this!" She exclaimed. "I've been a cop in this city for years, never had a single black mark on my record. Now some joker decides to make an anonymous tip to cause a scurry, and I'm a criminal."
She then turned and began stalking out of the precinct.
"I need a drink." She announced.
"Detective!" Chavez shouted before she could get too far.
"Oh jalapeña, what now?" Eliza demanded, turning around haughtily.
"Until this matter is resolved, you're suspended without pay." Chavez answered, holding out her hand. "Turn in your gun and badge."
Eliza went to say something, but instead, she reached into her coat, pulling out her badge. Pulling her gun holster off her belt, she shoved it and the badge into Chavez's grip.
"I expected more from you, Chief." Elisa muttered.
"I could say the same, Detective." Chavez replied.
Eliza then walked out, leaving a disturbed Chavez, a hurt Bluestone, and a very intrigued Joey.
…
Elisa made her way down the steps of the precinct, still fuming about what had happened inside. In her anger, she failed to notice Broadway and Willow sitting on the edge of the Clock tower balcony. They watched her leave, feeling as though something was amiss.
"Wasn't that Elisa?" Willow questioned.
"I think it was." Broadway replied. "Why didn't she come see us?"
"She's been avoiding us for weeks, and when we finally see her in the precinct, she completely blows us off." Willow noted. "Something's not right."
"Should we tell Goliath?" Broadway suggested.
Willow shook her head, her form shimmering as she took on her gargoyle features.
"You know how he gets about Elisa." Willow reminded him. "We'll check this out for now, but if it proves to be bad, I swear we'll come back for him."
Broadway looked back at Goliath, who was sitting in the living room reading a book. From the look on his face, it was clear he was still a bit shaken by the news report earlier. Knowing Goliath, he may have been better to leave him alone for now.
"Alright, let's go." Broadway announced.
The two gargoyles leapt off the balcony, spreading their wings and gliding into the night.
…
Up in the Park Manor penthouse suite, Dracon was on the phone with Joey, who was informing him of the conversation he'd overheard.
"Maza?" Dracon asked in surprise. "You got to be kidding me."
"This is for real, Tony." Joey whispered, walking down the street while talking on a disposable cellphone. "And she was acting plenty weird."
Before Dracon could ask any more questions, his cellphone beeped, signaling he had another call. Glancing at the caller I.D, he saw that it was Dave's Ball and Stick, a local pool joint, one currently under his 'protection'.
"Hang on Joey, I need to take this." Dracon declared.
Placing Joey on hold, Dracon answered the new call.
"Dracon here."
…
On the other end of the line, a nervous, mousey man, the pool joint's proprietor Dave, stuttered into the phone, his eyes locked on his latest patron. It was Elisa, though she was dressed quite differently than she usually was. Her bulky red coat was gone, as well as her black t-shirt, replaced with a blue halter top and a fetching leather jacket.
"D-Dracon?" Dave stammered. "There's a lady cop here, a-and she's demanding money."
"Let me guess, Detective Maza?" Dracon asked.
"Y-yeah." Dave replied. "What should I do?"
"Stall you idiot." Dracon snapped. "Keep her there long enough, then the boys and I will handle the rest."
The line cut out after that, signaling that Dracon had hung up on Dave. He gulped, tucking his phone into his pocket. In an attempt to steel his nerves, he poured himself a shot of whisky, downing it in one gulp. As the burn of the alcohol passed, the man took a deep breath and approached Elisa. She had a pool cue in her hand, chalking it carefully as she watched Dave from the corner of her eye.
"You have my money?" Elisa asked, leaning forward to line up her shot.
"That depends." Dave replied, attempting to sound brave. "You claim to be a cop, so where's your badge?"
Elisa took the shot, the sound of her cue hitting the ball making the man jump. As the balls rolled about the table, Elisa gave the man a dismissive sniff.
"I left it at the cleaners." She replied, preparing her next shot. "Now, why don't we skip the chit-chat and cut to the chase."
She let off another shot, then turned to the man, leaning against her pool cue with a dangerously seductive look.
"You want protection?" she asked dangerously. "I want money."
Dave gave a nervous chuckled nervously, pulling at the collar of his shirt.
"Who ever said I wanted protection?" He asked her, sweating like a pig.
Elisa glanced up at the light hanging over the pool table, smirking when she noticed the wiring was frayed and exposed.
"You see what I see, Dave?" she asked, gesturing to the light with her cue. "Because I see a health code violation."
Dave glanced up, a shiver passing through him.
"Exposed wires could cause a fire." She informed him. "Not to mention-"
She jammed her cue into the wire, severing it completely and bringing the light crashing down on the table. The glass shattered on impact, eliciting a yelp from Dave.
"-how easily they snap." Elisa completed, setting her cue aside. "The building inspectors will have a field day with this place. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they closed you down."
Elisa stalked forward, backing Dave into a corner.
"Of course, that's only if something worse doesn't happen first." She threatened.
Dave stammered hard, unable to tear his gaze from Elisa's menacing stare.
"Oh c'mon, give me a break here." Dave begged. "C-can't we come to some… Understanding?"
Elisa smirked, giving Dave a demeaning pat on the head.
"Smart man." She told him before getting right down to business. "You pay me every week. Otherwise, I get very unhappy. And when I'm unhappy, I just make everyone's lives miserable."
As she turned to leave the joint, the door opened to reveal both Glasses and Joey. Elisa gave them both a once over as Glasses approached her.
"I think it's time we had a talk." He informed her.
Before Elisa could respond, he took hold of her arm, escorting her out of the pool joint. Joey held the door open for them both, then all three of them approached a running car. Glasses released Elisa's arm so he could hold the back door open for her.
"After you." He insisted.
Elisa snorted, then climbed into the back seat, Glasses sliding in next to her. Joey took up the other seat, forcing Elisa into the middle as the driver took off down the street. Despite being caught in a situation that would have most people wetting their pants, Elisa was surprisingly calm.
"Jeez fellas, what's the problem?" she asked sarcastically.
"You're the problem, Maza." Glasses informed her.
"Is that so?" She replied, smiling. "Then how about I give you a solution."
Before the conversation could continue, a streak of blue came out of nowhere, landing on the windshield of the car with a heavy thud. The driver let out a surprisingly shrill scream, wrenching the wheel to the side in an attempt to dislodge his new hitchhiker, Broadway. While he succeeded in throwing off the gargoyle, he also succeeded in sending the car skidding right into a lamp post.
"What the hell-?" The driver asked, stepping out the check on the fallen Broadway.
Before he could make it another step, Willow came out of the sky, tackling the man to the ground and crushing his weapon. Upon seeing the two gargoyles approaching the car, Elisa let out a curse.
"Jalapeña…"
When Joey and Glasses caught sight of the two gargoyles, the former immediately made a break for it, but ended up running head first into Broadway.
"Going somewhere?" He asked, picking up the man by his coat.
Glasses went to aid his comrade, but that was when the door of the car was opened by Willow, her eyes glowing brightly as she grabbed the man and pulled him out of the car.
"Elisa, are you alright?" she asked. "We saw you get into the car with these low-lives and-"
"And I was fine until you two came along." Elisa snapped, interrupting Willow. "I thought I told you to stop following me everywhere. What are you, some love-struck stalker?"
The glow from Willow's eyes faded as recognition dawned.
"Sorry, boss." She replied, giving a small bow. "We didn't mean to interfere."
Broadway walked over while still holding Joey, looking at Willow in confusion. Thankfully, he kept quiet and let the two women talk.
"I'll consider your apology, but first, put my associate down." Elisa demanded.
Willow gave Glasses a snarl, then released him. As he scrambled to his feet and back towards the car, Elisa turned her attention to Broadway.
"The other one too." She insisted.
Broadway gave Willow a glance, which was answered by a single, barely perceivable nod. Without any further delay, Broadway released Joey. Once he hit the asphalt, the man also scrambled for the car, leaving Elisa and the two gargoyles alone.
"Now, I have some business I need to attend to with these two, so why don't you to make like good little monsters and go find a bed to hide under." She informed them. "You got me?"
"Of course, boss." Willow replied, once more bowing. "I do apologize again for the actions of me and my friend."
Elisa waved her off, then climbed into the back seat of the car once more. The second the door shut, the driver peeled off into the night. As it disappeared down the street, Broadway gave Willow a confused look.
"What was that all about?" he asked.
"Elisa's not in trouble." Willow informed him. "In fact, she's right where she wants to be."
"That still doesn't explain why you called her boss." Broadway told her.
"I'll explain on the way." She promised, turning towards the nearby building. "C'mon."
…
Back at Park Manor, Elisa sat on Dracon's couch being guarded by the driver from earlier. Across the room, Dracon sat at his desk as both Glasses and Joey told him about the earlier encounter with Willow and Broadway. Once they finished their tale, Dracon stood up, slamming his hands on his desk.
"You're kidding!" he exclaimed. "Those monsters are under her control?"
"I saw it with my own eyes." Glasses replied. "Maza had the blue one bowing and calling her boss. More than that, she treated them like they were little kids and they took with without as much as a complaint."
Dracon let this sink in, running his fingers through his premature white roots.
"Well this certainly changes things." Dracon muttered. "If we try to bump her off now, we'll have those flying freaks chasing us for the rest of our lives."
He glanced back at Elisa, who let out a yawn as she stretched out on the couch like she owned the place.
"Then again, if I have her on my side…" he mused.
Glasses and Joey looked at Dracon, but didn't say a word.
"You two get back to work, and take the driver with you." Dracon ordered. "I think it's time Maza and I had a heart to heart."
The two men took their leave, the driver following after them. Once the door closed, it left just Elisa and Dracon alone. The man sat down on the couch beside her, stretching his arms so his left one wrapped around her.
"I do apologize if my boys roughed you up at all, honey." He told her. "Is there anything I can do to make up for it?"
"How about we cut to the chase." Elisa replied, moving Dracon's offending arm. "I'm moving in on your turf, and I know don't like that."
"Well, if we're being honest, I hate it, sugar." Dracon admitted.
"And I hate it when you call me sugar." Elisa quipped, poking Dracon hard in the chest twice.
Dracon rubbed his chest and scooted aside, giving Elisa some personal space.
"Alright, alright." He said. "I'll admit, I was pissed when I heard about you moving in, but I have to say, I admire your straight forwardness. However, forgive me if I'm still a bit skeptical that the cleanest cop in Manhattan has suddenly come to the dark side."
"Cleanest cop doesn't exactly pay the bills." Elisa replied. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with bending a few rules here and there, and the rewards are just too good to pass up."
Dracon grinned, leaning forward with a predatory glance.
"Now, you're speaking my language." He chuckled.
…
At the Wilkin's Grocery, Mr. Wilkins emerged from the back room with a spare uniform for the store. He approached Bluestone, who was in the process of putting on a disguise.
"Matthew, you've been coming into my store since you were a little boy." Wilkins noted as he handed off the uniform. "You were always tilting at windmills then, what makes you think you're not in over your head now?"
"This is my job, Mr. Wilkins." Matt replied, taking the uniform and quickly putting it on. "Dracon's been making his way towards your store, and I'll be damned if what happened to Art and Lois' happens to you."
He finished putting on his disguise, complete with a wig and glasses. He then picked up a broom and began sweeping the floor, acting like just another employee. About that time, Glasses came walking in, approaching Mr. Wilkins.
"Anything I can help you with?" Mr. Wilkins asked.
"Other way around, gramps." Glasses replied. "I can help you. You see, this is a dangerous neighborhood. There're armed robbers, arsonists, vandals…"
As he said this, he gave a large stack of canned goods a kick, sending the large pyramid of cans falling to the ground. Bluestone quickly ran forward, starting to stack the cans back where they belonged.
"And uh-" he began, putting on a deeper voice. "You can protect us, right?"
"For a price." Glasses replied.
"From what I've heard, there's a lady cop giving the same pitch." Bluestone continued. "So uh- how do we know who's in charge?"
"We're in charge." Glasses replied. "That lady cop isn't in the picture any longer."
"So you say now." Bluestone replied. "Next thing we know, she'll be waltzing in her and knocking over cans just like you. We're willing to pay, but only once. So if your boss is willing to come down and say this to my face, we'll fork it over."
Glasses looked down at Bluestone, his fists clenched tightly. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do at the moment, so he opted to walk out and inform Dracon of what had happened.
…
At a local dry cleaners, Joey was attempting to collect some protection money from the couple that owned the place. However, he was quickly growing frustrated with them both.
"I don't think you two understand." Joey remarked. "If you don't pay, you don't get no protection. And without protection, you run out of business… or worse."
"I didn't come to this country to be bullied by a petty thug like you." The woman told Joey in a slight Chinese accent. "Get out."
Her partner stood beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder in a protective manner.
"We're not afraid of you." The man snapped. "We're not paying you, or anybody."
Joey gave a dismissive shrug.
"It's your funeral." He told them, heading for the door. "Just don't say I didn't warn ya."
Once he left, the couple removed parts of their disguises, revealing Chief Chavez and Officer Morgan.
"Think he bought it, Captain?" Morgan questioned.
"I don't know." Chaves replied honestly. "But we've hung out a lot of lines. One of them's got to hook Dracon."
…
Elisa and Dracon had been enjoying a nice meal, continuing the small talk from earlier. Dracon even had a large setting of hors d'oeuvre spread out in front of them. Elisa munched on a jalapeña she plucked from a large jar in front of her.
"I love jalapeñas." She said as she set the stem aside.
With a chuckle, Dracon nudged the jar towards her.
"Keep the jar." He offered.
"Thanks." She replied, picking it up without hesitation and taking another pepper. "I think I could get used to this."
"Well then, I think you'll like what I have to offer." Dracon told her. "Glasses told be about your… connection to those flying monsters. How they do what you want, how you're their boss."
Elisa had been about to bite into her pepper, but paused when Dracon mentioned the gargoyles. Dropping her pepper back into the jar, she let out a chuckle.
"What exactly are you getting at?" she asked.
"I'm suggesting that if you get those things to work with me, with us, all of Manhattan will be ours for the taking."
"Whoa there, Tony." Elisa said, standing up so she could face Dracon head on. "I thought you of all people would know what those things are like. They're not like us. They can't be bought, they're wild and unpredictable, and they certainly aren't interested in some protection racket."
As she said this, both Willow and Broadway landed on the balcony, pushing the doors open so they could enter. Dracon wasted no time jumping behind the couch, pulling a gun and aiming it at the two.
"Oh come on, boss." Broadway called out, "Don't sell us short."
"Yeah, we're always eager for a fight, and this racket sounds like a good way to get what we want." Willow added.
Elisa turned to both gargoyles, more than a bit shocked, but she decided to play along.
"Dracon, meet Willow and Broadway." She introduced.
"We've met." Broadway remarked, giving Dracon a glare before noticing the jar on the table. "What are those?"
"Jalapeñas." Willow answered. "Careful, there's a reason I use that word as an expletive."
Broadway snagged the jar, popping one in his mouth. He grinned, enjoying the bite behind them.
"These are good." He complimented.
"Keep the jar." Elisa offered.
Broadway plopped on the couch, eating away as Dracon watched them both.
"I've seen what the big one can do first hand, but I'm not so sure about the skinny one." He commented as he gave Willow a once over.
"Don't let my size fool you." Willow replied, her eyes glowing, her wings spread, and her fangs bared. "I'm not something you want to mess with."
Dracon stepped back a bit, though from the smile on his face, he was happy with what he'd seen.
"Alright, color me impressed." He told them. "But I don't understand. Twice the big fella has tried to kill me, and yet now he's just sitting on my couch like none of that ever happened."
Broadway swallowed another pepper, giving Dracon a hard glare.
"Oh believe me, it happened, and I haven't forgotten about what you did to Elisa last time." He replied. "But she's willing to give you a shot, so we will too."
"But let's get one thing straight." Willow interjected. "We obey Elisa, and Elisa alone."
Dracon gulped, but adjusted his tie.
"I can work with that." Dracon decided, wrapping his arm around Elisa. "However, you do realize that when Elisa and I take over this city, a few people will get hurt."
"Do we look like we care about humans?" Willow asked him. "Aside from Elisa, we have no use for humanity."
"You could say she means a lot to our leader, Goliath." Broadway added. "So hands off."
Dracon took his arm off Elisa, nodding slightly.
"So you're a taken woman." He remarked. "I can respect that. This 'Goliath' has good taste. Maybe I can work with him one of these days."
About that time, the door to the room opened, allowing Glasses to come in. He was followed by Joey, both of whom immediately flipped when they saw Willow and Broadway.
"It's the freaks!" Joey exclaimed in shock.
Both men reached for their guns, Willow and Broadway instinctively moving in between them and Elisa. Luckily, Dracon quickly diffused the situation.
"Easy boys." He told them. "These two are working with us now."
"You serious Dracon?" Joey questioned.
"Dead serious." Dracon replied, pushing his and Glasses' guns down. "Now put those away before you upset our new friends."
Willow gave a grin.
"You heard him, boys." She growled.
Both Glasses and Joey reluctantly stowed their weapons, their eyes never leaving the gargoyles.
"Now, what is it you need, boys?" Dracon wondered.
"Well uh- We ran into a bit of trouble collecting." Joey explained. "The couple at the dry cleaners made it clear that they ain't willing to pay."
"And the old grocery man, his upstart assistant said they'd only pay if you proved you were the one in charge." Glasses added. "They heard about Maza and aren't too keen on paying twice."
"Is that so?" Dracon mused, bringing his hands together as he came up with an idea. "Alright then. Maza and I will go and deal with the grocery. Joey, hows about you take our new friends to the dry cleaners. Show them what happens to heroes in this city."
"Sounds like a good idea." Elisa agreed, glancing at the two gargoyles. "You two do what needs to be done."
"You got it boss." Willow declared.
Broadway tucked the jar under his arm, then the two gargoyles made their way back onto the balcony, taking off into the night. Joey watched them go, chuckling nervously.
"I- I guess they'll meet me there." He declared.
Dracon took Elisa's arm, escorting her to the door.
"Let's go su-" he paused, then quickly corrected himself. "I mean, Elisa. Let's go show the grocer we're one, big, happy family."
…
Dracon and Elisa got into one car with Glasses, making their way towards Wilkin's Grocery. The other contained Joey, headed towards the dry cleaners. From a perch on a nearby building, the two gargoyles watched them drive off.
"I'll cover Elisa, you handle the dry cleaners." Willow announced.
"Right." Broadway agreed.
The two gargoyles took off in opposite directions, making their way towards their assigned posts.
…
At the dry cleaners where Chavez and Morgan had set up their sting operation, Joey approached the rear exit, a plain black suitcase in his hands. A set of lock picks made short work of the lock, allowing Joey easy access inside. Seeing the two 'owners' of the cleaners distracted by their work, Joey took the opportunity to toss in a canister of sleeping gas. It bounced along the floor for a moment before releasing a thick plume of green vapors. The two undercover cops coughed and choked before easily succumbing to the fumes.
Once the two of them were down, Joey walked in with a rag covering his mouth. He took his black briefcase, setting it on the counter so he could set the timer on the pipe bomb inside. After making sure he'd have enough time to get clear, he closed the case and set it down in the center of the cleaners, walking out as he tucked the rag in his pocket.
"Don't need no stinkin' monsters to do my job." He remarked as he made his way out into the back alley. "Didn't even bother to get here in time."
That's when Broadway landed right in front of Joey, grinning maliciously.
"Actually, I think I'm right on time." He replied.
Without further do, Broadway decked Joey across the face, which quickly alerted the man he'd brought along for insurance. The man leveled a laser rifle at Broadway.
"Get away from him!" the thug demanded.
"Kill the freak!" Joey shouted, recovering from the punch.
Joey's back-up let off a shot, forcing Broadway to dive for cover behind a dumpster. Joey took the opportunity to make a break for it as the thug kept trying to get at Broadway. Thankfully, the thick metal of the dumpster kept the gargoyle from getting hurt, and it gave him an idea.
With a hearty shove, Broadway sent the dumpster flying down the alley towards the two thugs. They both dove for cover, but Broadway quickly grabbed the thug and tossed him into Joey, subduing the both of them easily. For an added safety measure, he grabbed a pair of steel beams from a nearby bucket, binding the two thugs easily.
"That'll hold you." He declared, pushing them both against the wall. "Now a better go check on the people inside."
Realizing that there was no way to get out of the blast radius of the bomb, Joey let out a shrill shriek.
"Wait!" he cried. "The bomb!"
At the word bomb, Broadway leapt into motion, throwing the door to the dry cleaners open. His eyes immediately locked on the black suitcase, which he quickly opened to reveal the bomb. With less than a minute left on the timer, Broadway made his way back outside, scaling the wall of the building so he could take off into the sky.
"Gotta get this somewhere safe." He muttered, then he snapped his fingers. "The river!"
Banking hard, Broadway reached the river with seconds to spare. He chucked the bomb as hard as he could, then watched as it exploded in mid-air. The gargoyle let out a sigh of relief, wiping his forehead as he did.
"Jalapeña." he swore as he made his way back to shore.
…
At Wilkin's Grocery, Dracon and Elisa arrived, walking in like they owned the place. Mr. Wilkins and a still disguised Bluestone turned to greet them, the former immediately turning pale.
"Mr. Dracon." He stammered. "Listen, about what my associate said before-"
"Hey, I'm a reasonable guy." Dracon remarked. "You wanted to see the man in charge, and here I am."
"R-right." Bluestone remarked. "So, what's the deal?"
"The deal is you pay me regular, you got no problems." Dracon explained, approaching the large stack of cans that Glasses had toppled earlier. "You don't pay, big problems.
With a deft kick, Dracon knocked down the stack of cans, all of them clattering to the ground loudly. Both Mr. Wilkins and Bluestone gulped, then the latter spoke up again.
"What kind of problems?" Bluestone asked.
Dracon let out a sigh, stalking towards the cop. As he did, he remained blissfully unaware of the security camera focusing on the exchange.
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" He asked in an annoyed tone. "I shut you down, burn you out, or blow you up. That clear enough?"
"Crystal clear, Dracon." Bluestone replied, dropping his fake voice and pulling out his gun and badge.
Elisa smirked, then reaching into Dracon's jacket, pulling out his gun and aiming it at the mobster.
"Though in case it's not clear to you Tony, you're under arrest." She informed him.
Dracon looked at Elisa in surprise, his arms raised in surrender.
"It's a shame." He told her. "We could have worked well together."
"Sorry 'sugar'." Elisa replied. "But I've already got a partner."
As Bluestone ditched his wig and glasses, Dracon grabbed Elisa's wrist, twisting it and forcing it behind her back. He quickly reclaimed his weapon, pulling Elisa in front of him and aiming the weapon at Bluestone. Mr. Wilkins ran for cover as Bluestone's eyes narrowed.
"Don't do anything stupid, Dracon." Bluestone warned him.
"You mean like come here alone?" Dracon asked, pulling Elisa towards the exit. "Don't worry. I had to be sure about Maza. So, now I'm sure."
The door opened, allowing Glasses and a second thug into the store. Both were armed with large laser rifles, which they immediately began aiming at Bluestone. The cop dove behind a produce shelf for cover as the two thugs began to open fire. They all began backing towards the door, hoping to make an escape, but the timely arrival of Willow changed that. She grabbed the extra thug from behind, dispatching him quickly. She crushed the gun in her hand as she snarled loudly.
"Guess playtime's over, huh Elisa?" she said as her eyes began to glow.
Glasses turned to aim at Willow, but the gargoyle simply jumped out of the way of the blast. Elisa took the opportunity to elbow Dracon hard in the gut. The force of the blow knocked the gun from the mobster's hand, and a quick punch prevented him from trying to recover it. While Elisa dealt with Dracon, Bluestone tackled Glasses to the ground. Slapping a pair of handcuffs on the thug, he turned to Elisa.
"You got him, partner?" he asked.
Elisa turned on her heel, delivering a beautiful roundhouse kick to Dracon's chest that send him flying into a pile of potatoes.
"That I do." She replied, cracking her knuckles.
Dracon got to his feet, lifting one of the sacks of potatoes and using it as an impromptu bludgeon. He struck Elisa hard, sending her flying into a shelf as he made a break for it. He got two steps out the door before Willow swooped down, picking him up and lifting him far off the ground.
"Going somewhere, Dracon?" she asked him, gliding higher and higher into the sky.
"What the hell?!" he screamed, grabbing at Willow's arm to keep himself from falling. "Put me down now!"
"I told you before, I take orders from Elisa, not you." She told him. "And she told me to do what had to be done. Between you and me, I think I should just drop you from here."
Without so much as a hint of hesitation, she released him, watching as he began to fall several hundred feet towards the ground. He screamed the entire way, only for Willow to catch him before he could reach his sudden stop.
"Then again, I'm not a low-life like yourself." She remarked. "I actually care about humanity."
Dracon's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out, allowing Willow to peacefully drop him back in front of the grocery store. She shimmered into her human form as Elisa took Dracon from her.
"Please tell me you got what you need to lock this leech away for the rest of his life." Willow begged.
"Air-tight evidence." Elisa answered, slapping the cuffs on Dracon. "Thanks for the help."
"Don't mention it." Willow replied, sticking her hands in her pockets as she walked down the street. "I better go find Broadway and make sure he's okay. See you back at the tower?"
Elisa smiled.
"Count on it." She promised.
As Willow disappeared down the street, a pair of cop cars pulled up, one of them carrying Chief Chavez. The woman made a bee-line for Elisa, reaching into her jacket.
"Nice work, detective." She announced, returning Elisa's badge to her.
"Any luck on your end?" Elisa asked, tucking her badge in her pocket.
"Unfortunately, Morgan and I were hit with sleeping gas." Chavez lamented. "However, someone managed to catch the two thugs responsible and leave them all wrapped up for us."
Elisa smirked at that, already having a pretty good idea of who the Good Samaritan was.
…
Elisa sat with Willow and Broadway on the balcony of the clock tower, relaying the night's events to Goliath.
"I'll admit, I was a bit confused by Elisa's behavior at first, but after she dropped that love-struck stalker line, I caught on." Willow explained.
"Apparently, back when Willow was under witness protection, Elisa went undercover as a hotel receptionist in order to protect her." Broadway clarified, eating a jalapeña from the jar he'd taken from Dracon.
"It was the only thing I could think of to tip you guys off." Elisa admitted.
"Well, I'm just glad we caught on when we did." Willow remarked. "But we figured you'd be forced to work that 'boss of the gargoyles' angle we gave you, so we figured making an appearance wouldn't be a bad idea."
"I still don't understand how Dracon would be so foolish as to believe Elisa would join the ranks of the lawless." Goliath mused.
"No one knows really." Elisa speculated. "Though I suppose that the corrupt are the first to believe that others can be corrupted. Not that it's impossible. Nobody's perfect, but that's why we need protection, even from ourselves sometimes."
Goliath placed a hand on Elisa's shoulder, gently turning her towards him.
"You have my word that I will protect you." He promised her. "Just as you will protect me, and together, we will protect this city."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Broadway commented, popping another pepper in his mouth.
Willow shook her head with a small smile.
"I still don't understand how you can eat an entire jar of those and not feel the effects." She remarked.
"Effects?" Goliath questioned.
"There's a reason I use the word jalapeña as an expletive." She warned him. "But feel free to try one if you dare."
Broadway fished into his jar, pulling out a pepper and offering it to Goliath. He tossed it in his mouth, chewed it and swallowed quickly. Willow held up three fingers, then two, then one, then finally pointed right at Goliath. The gargoyle let out a sniff as his eyes went wide.
"Jalapeña!" he roared in shock as the sun began to rise.
