Love Lost and Found
Part Two
Written by Donald E. Fleming II
Story concept by Donald E. Fleming II
Disclaimer: All Gargoyles characters are the property of Disney and Buena Vista Studios and are being used without their consent or permission. Other Gargoyle characters are the property of The Gargoyle Saga (TGS) writing staff and also are being used without their permission. The character of Don Michael Taylor is my creation. I am receiving no reward for this story other than the satisfaction of being able to share it with others as it is intended solely for my own entertainment and the entertainment of Gargoyle fandom everywhere.
Previously…
Why? she had asked herself. After all this time, why does it still hurt so much?
Don knelt down in front of her, took her hand, and placed a diamond engagement ring on her finger.
"Elisa Maza," he said tenderly. "Will you be my wife?"
"Are you sure he was killed?" Broadway asked. "If he flew a helicopter, maybe he was just shot down and hasn't been released yet."
"Elisa had hoped that too, Broadway," Diane said. "Especially after the first 10 POW's were released. But after hearing the reports from the one crew that came back from that patrol, we all knew that he was never coming back."
Elisa watched as the 'star' continued to grow in size, then stood up as she realized it wasn't a star at all.
It was a fireball.
A very familiar fireball.
She gasped as she realized what it was.
"The Phoenix Gate," she said.
"Can we see him?" Elisa said.
"Not today," he said. "He's in the recovery room right now. If you come back later tonight, I'll see what I can do." He turned and left.
Today? Elisa thought. She looked out the window and saw the sky begin to brighten. She couldn't believe that it was almost dawn. How long had she been here? She quickly looked around and found a pay phone. She had to tell him, she thought as she picked up the handpiece. Had to tell Goliath...
What? she thought. What could she tell him? That her long dead lover was suddenly alive and well? That after all this time, she still had feelings for him. She couldn't tell Goliath. Not now, not yet. She didn't even realize that she had actually dialed the number until she heard Goliath's voice on the other end.
"Hello?" she heard him say. "Hello?"
She slowly hung up the phone as she felt tears well up in her eyes.
Love Lost and Found Part One
Love Lost and Found Part Two
July 3, 1999
The Eyrie Building
Goliath and the clan awoke with a roar. He turned, hoping to find Elisa there waiting for them to awaken as had been her routine for the past few years, but once again, she had not come. He sighed as he stepped down and caped his wings before heading for the library. Angela watched him depart.
It had only been three days since the clan found out about Elisa's past love, but already Goliath was blaming himself for her sudden distance from them. He had to give her time, Angela thought. Time to work through emotions long thought buried but suddenly dredged up again. She'll come back to him, Angela hoped, and maybe their love would be stronger because of it.
But for now…
After waiting for the rest of the clan to leave, Angela spread her wings and headed towards Elisa's apartment.
Several minutes later, she landed on the patio outside the apartment. She crept quietly to the door and gently rapped on the glass.
There was movement inside the apartment. It was Cagney. The cat strolled up to the door and looked up at Angela, meowing.
"Hi Cagney," she said to the cat. "Where's Elisa?"
The cat cocked its head and then proceeded to clean its paws.
"Right," Angela said. "Like you'd tell me if you knew." She retrieved the key that Elisa usually left for the clan in one of the potted plants and let herself into the apartment.
"Elisa," she called out. "Elisa, are you home?" When she got no answer, she went upstairs to the bedroom.
She found a suitcase on the bed. When she lifted it, Angela could tell that it was packed with clothes. Was Elisa planning on going somewhere? she wondered. Curious, she opened it.
It was packed with men's clothes, Angela noted, and some of the clothes looked brand new. How odd, she thought. She closed the suitcase when she heard the front door to the apartment open. She hurried downstairs.
"Angela, what are you doing here?" Elisa asked when she saw her come down the stairs.
"Goliath was worried," Angela said.
"And he sent you to check up on me?" It almost sounded like she was insulted.
"No, I came on my own," Angela said. "I was worried too." She looked back towards the bedroom. "Elisa, what's going on? There's a suitcase upstairs..."
The look on Elisa's face stopped her. "Angela, please leave," she said quietly.
"Elisa?"
"Please!"
Angela turned slowly and walked towards the patio doors. Just before she walked out, she turned back briefly and Elisa could see that there were tears in her eyes. "Elisa, I don't know what's going on, but I wish you'd tell us." When Elisa didn't respond, she turned and left.
When Angela was gone, Elisa went upstairs and got the suitcase, plus a garment bag that was hanging on a hook in the bathroom, and then left the apartment.
The Eyrie Building
"Are you okay, Angela," Broadway asked as she entered the entertainment room. From the tears in her eyes, he guessed not.
"What is wrong, Angela?" Goliath asked.
"I was just over at Elisa's," she said. "I think there's something terribly wrong with her."
"Perhaps ye should tell us about it, lass," Hudson said.
Angela sat down next to Broadway and told them about what happened.
"And she did not give you any explanation for her actions?" Sata asked.
"None," Angela said. "I wish I knew what was going on," she said.
"As do we all," Goliath said.
"I wonder what the clothes are for," Lex said.
"Perhaps the lass is planning to give them away," Hudson said. "It could be Elisa never properly grieved for the lad and Goliath's taking her to where he proposed to her just brought all those feelings to the surface."
"But she's hurting herself over this," Angela said. "I can see it. She needs us..."
"We shouldn't push her, lass," Hudson said. "Elisa needs to grieve in her own way. If we push her, we may end up drivin' her off and we'll not be there when she be needin' us most."
"I still think it might be something else," Angela said. "The clothes in the suitcase looked brand new."
"I have to agree with Angela," Fox said as she entered the entertainment room. She had the current copy of New York Daily News in her hand. "It could be something else." She handed the paper to Goliath. "You might want to read this."
Goliath took the paper and read the article before him. 'Military Helicopter Crashes at Jones Beach,' he said. "At approximately 2:00 am on Thursday, July 1st, an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crash-landed at Jones Beach State Park. A New York City police detective, whose name has not been revealed, witnessed the crash. Officials from the FAA and the Pentagon refuse to comment on the crash, and the names of the pilots have not been released, pending notification of the families. Witnesses have stated that the aircraft appeared to have come out of nowhere and sources at the Pentagon have stated that no training flights were scheduled for that night." He finished reading the rest of the article in silence.
"What does it mean?" Angela asked, while off to one side, Brooklyn and Sata looked at each other in concern. He had a feeling he knew.
Mid 1980's
Niagara Falls, New York
Brooklyn awoke with a roar and then looked over at Sata, his mate. He thought she looked just as beautiful as the day he had first met her. He walked over to her and took her in his arms before giving her a very long kiss.
"What was that for, Brooklyn-san?" she asked as she ran the back of her fingers along his brow ridge.
"Do I really need a reason," he replied with a smile.
Sata smiled at her mate. "I think we should..."
"Uh, oh, looks like the honeymoon's over," Brooklyn said as he felt the tugging of the Phoenix Gate. Sata quickly broke away to retrieve the knapsack Jun had tossed to her when the Phoenix Gate pulled them out of 16th Century Ishimura and deposited them here. Turning, she leapt into Brooklyn's arms as the Gate whisked them away again.
February 26, 1991Kuwait
They reappeared in the air, and Brooklyn's ears were immediately assaulted by the loud whoop-whoop-whoop of helicopter blades. By the time they registered the presence of the Apache, it was almost on them.
"Sata, look...!" he started as the Phoenix Gate opened up again.
July 1, 1999
Jones Beach State Park
"...out!"
Brooklyn dived and knocked Sata out of the way as the flames dispersed and left them in the air, with the Apache still bearing down on them. The helicopter passed over them and Brooklyn watched as it headed towards the shore, seeing the smoke trailing from the damaged tail section. He had just enough time to catch a brief glimpse of someone on the beach in a black leather jacket who bore a striking resemblance to Elisa and her red and white Ford Fairlane parked nearby when the Phoenix Gate snatched them away again.
Present Day
Eyrie Building
"I think you know what it means," Xanatos said as he walked in, looking at Brooklyn and Sata.
Goliath looked at the TimeDancers as well. "Is this possible?"
Brooklyn knew that they were waiting for him to say something. "It could be," he said. "I remember seeing a helicopter at one point, but I don't know where it came from or what happened to it."
"But it does fit," Lexington said. "Elisa goes back to Jones Beach, sees the helicopter come out of the Phoenix Gate and believes that the pilot is her ex-boyfriend."
"It could be more than that, lad," Hudson said. "It could be that the pilot is her ex."
Goliath was silent. If indeed it were Don Taylor, returned from beyond, what would the future hold for his relationship with Elisa?
New York Community Hospital
Brooklyn, New York
Elisa parked her car and retrieved the suitcase and garment bag from the trunk before walking into the hospital. She wasn't too sure what she would tell Don. How do you tell someone he's lost eight years? she thought. And how was she going to explain her relationship with Goliath? When she got to his room, she found him sleeping. She closed the door quietly and set down the suitcase and garment bag, then walked slowly over to his bed.
He was awake the moment she touched him. She jumped back, startled.
"Happy to see you too, sweetheart," he said, smiling.
Elisa moved back to the bed and took his hand. "How are you doing?" she asked.
"Aside from the fact that I feel like Hell," he said. "I guess I'm okay."
"Do you know what happened?"
He looked towards the window. "I crashed," he said. "That's about the only thing I'm sure of right now. I'm still having trouble dealing with the where and how."
"What have they told you?" Elisa asked.
"That I'm in New York," Don said. "Which was kind of hard to believe at first."
"What changed your mind?"
"You," he said, reaching up and placing his hand on her cheek. "Yours was the first face I remember seeing after the crash."
He could see the tears welling up in her eyes. "Elisa, what's wrong?" he asked.
"I…" she hesitated. "I can't tell you. Not yet."
"Is it Jim?" he asked. "Has something happened to him?"
Elisa was confused for a moment before she remembered the co-pilot. "No, he's fine," she said. "His wife and kids flew in this morning."
Don looked at her. "But there is something," he said. "Something you're not telling me."
Elisa couldn't meet his gaze. She looked down at her watch. "Don, I can't stay. I go on duty in a little while." Her eyes shifted over to the suitcase. "I brought some things for you. The doctors said that you could leave any time you like. I'll be back later to pick you up." She brought her hand up to touch him, but hesitated. "I promise I'll explain everything then." Then she turned and practically ran out of the room. She didn't stop until she was outside and in her car, heading for the precinct.
23rd Precinct
"Hey partner," Matt Bluestone said as Elisa came in. "Nice of you to show up."
"What?" Elisa asked. Then she saw her partner standing by her desk. "Oh, hi Matt."
Matt's forehead furrowed with concern. In the years since they first become partners, Matt had gotten pretty good at reading Elisa's moods, and he could tell that something was up.
"What's wrong, Elisa?" he asked.
Elisa sat down without answering. "Nothing," she said finally. "We've got work to do, don't we?"
"Come on, Elisa," he said. "I've known you for…what, almost five years now? I can tell when something's bothering you."
"It's nothing, Matt," she repeated. "Really."
"Trouble with Goliath?" he asked quietly.
"I said it's nothing," she said, losing her temper and yelling at him. "Okay?"
"No, it's not," someone else said. Elisa turned and found Captain Chavez standing behind her. "My office, Maza. Now."
As Captain Chavez turned and headed for her office, Elisa got up to follow, giving Matt a very dark look as she did. "Thanks a lot, partner," she said icily.
As soon as Elisa stepped into her office, Maria closed the door and looked at her. "Okay, detective. Spill it. What's going on?"
"It's nothing, Captain," she said defensively. "Honest."
"You don't blow up at your partner over nothing, Elisa," she said. "I want answers."
"You…" Elisa started, but then paused. How am I going to explain this to her? she wondered. I can't tell her the truth, she'd never believe me. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me," Maria said, crossing her arms. When Elisa hesitated, she pressed the issue. "Does this have anything to do with what happened at Jones Beach Thursday morning?"
Elisa looked at her, surprised. "How did you know?" she started.
"Captain Maxwell gave me a call last night, wanting to make sure you were all right," Maria said. "He told me you were there when that helicopter crashed. Mind telling me what you were doing out there?"
"It was my night off, Captain," Elisa said defensively. "I went out there to…" She stopped when she couldn't come up with a convincing lie. "I just needed some time alone, that's all."
"Elisa, you haven't gone out there since Don died," she said. "I would think…"
"He's not dead!" Elisa shot back without thinking.
"I know you want to believe that, Elisa," she said. "But you have to accept the fact..."
"I'm telling you Don's not dead," Elisa said. "He's…" This time she realized what she was saying and quickly stopped herself. "He's not, that's all."
Maria Chavez raised her eyebrow. She's not rational, she thought. Something's set her off, but she won't tell me what it is. "Detective," she said finally.
"Yes," Elisa said.
"I'm putting you on administrative leave," she said. "As of this moment."
"But Captain…" Elisa protested.
"No buts, detective," she said. "I can't have you out on the streets if you're not thinking clearly. You'd be a danger not only to yourself, but to your partner as well." She sat down at her desk and pulled out the necessary paperwork. "Go home, detective. That's an order."
"Whatever you say, Captain," Elisa said as she turned to leave.
"One last thing, detective," she said.
"What?" Elisa asked.
"I'll need your weapon," she said.
"What?" Elisa said, surprised. "Why?"
"I've seen too many cops in your state of mind go home and eat a bullet," Maria said. "I don't want you doing the same thing. Your weapon, Elisa."
Elisa took out her automatic and placed it carefully on the Captain's desk. "Do you want my badge too?" she asked.
"No," she said. "That'll be all." She waited until Elisa left before picking up the phone and dialing a number.
Elisa walked down the street, not paying any particular attention to where she was going. That proved to be a mistake.
"Hey sweetheart," came a lascivious taunt from a doorway. She looked up and saw a guy wearing a blue jean jacket and dark glasses leaning against the doorframe and looking at her. She recognized him as someone she had busted on more than one occasion in the past. "Where're you going?"
"None of your business," she said.
"Well, I'm makin' it my business," he said. "See, everyone who passes this spot's got to contribute to my college fund." He paused as he looked her over. "Of course, for you I'll settle for a first date."
"I don't think so," she said. She started to walk past him.
He stuck out his hand and grabbed her by the arm. "It wasn't a request, sweetheart."
Elisa pulled her arm free. "I said no!"
He made another grab for her and that's when she lost her temper. Elisa hauled back and hit him. Hard. He staggered back against the wall, holding his bloodied nose. He looked at her in surprise. "You little…" he snarled as he rushed her.
This time Elisa spun, bringing her leg up and kicking him in the gut. I am in no mood for this, she thought bitterly. When he doubled over, she brought her hands together and brought them down onto his back, sending him to the pavement. She reached down and grabbed him by the collar, hauling him back to his feet.
"When I said no," she snapped, punching him in the stomach. "I meant No!" She punched him again and then shoved him against the wall. She drew back to hit him again when she felt a large hand close on her wrist.
"Elisa!" Goliath said, pulling her away from her 'attacker'. He threw the man a quick look. "If you value your safety, you will leave now," he said.
He took one look at Goliath and ran.
Goliath turned his attention back to Elisa. "What were you doing?" he asked. He hadn't seen her this upset since Dracon kidnapped her several years earlier. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"
Elisa looked up at him and tried half-heartedly to pull her wrist free. He kept a firm grip on her, unsure of what she would do if she got away from him.
"Please, Elisa," he said. "Talk to me. Tell me what is wrong."
"I…I can't," she said. She looked down at the sidewalk.
"Is it Don?" he asked.
Her head shot up and she had a surprised look in her eyes. "How did you…"
"Your parents told me about him," Goliath said. "After I took you home, I went to ask them what could have upset you so."
"I know," she said. "They told me."
"They are very concerned about you," Goliath said. "As is your Captain Chavez."
"Captain Chavez?" she said. "What does she have to do with this?"
"After you left the station, she called your parents."
"And they called you," Elisa stated.
"Yes," he said. "As I said, they are concerned about you." He finally let go of her wrist and put his hands on her shoulders. "Elisa, I am sorry for what has happened. If I had known that place would stir up these old feelings, I never would have taken you there."
"It's not that, Goliath," she said. "It's…" She hesitated, still afraid to tell him.
"He has returned," Goliath said. When she looked at him in shock, he continued. "Hasn't he?"
"How did you know?" she asked.
"There was a story in today's paper about the helicopter crash," he said. "It was not difficult for Xanatos to find out who the pilot was."
Elisa stepped back, clearly angry now. "He had no business prying…"
"Elisa, I asked him to," Goliath said. "I was concerned, as was the rest of the clan." He stepped up to her and put his hands on her shoulders again. "I know what it is to lose someone you love, only to find them alive again. I felt the same way when I discovered that Demona was still alive after I believed her destroyed by Hakon."
"But Goliath," Elisa said, looking up at him. "This is different. You and I…we…" She stopped, still struggling with her emotions. "We weren't in love when all that happened. We are now, but…"
Goliath could tell what was wrong. She's still in love with him, he realized. And it's tearing her apart. "Elisa," he said, pulling her close. "Whatever is wrong, we can get through this. Let me take you home. Perhaps tomorrow, you will feel up to talking about it."
"Okay," Elisa sighed, letting her shoulders sag. "But there's something I need to do first." She started to head back for the station.
"Later," he said, grabbing her by the wrist. When she looked back at him, he gave a slight tug and pulled her back. "Whatever it is you feel you need to do, it can wait a little while longer."
Elisa wanted to tell him she promised Don she would pick him up, but she couldn't. She was too emotionally drained. I hope he understands, she thought.
Goliath gathered her up in his arms and started scaling the wall so he could take her home. As he climbed, she pulled out her cell phone and called Matt, asking him to drive her car home. She was going to need it later.
July 4, 1999
The Eyrie Building
"And that's what happened," Elisa said. After a good night's sleep, and a visit from her parents, Elisa felt up to explaining what had happened. Goliath had gathered the clan in the entertainment room and listened while Elisa recounted the events following Don's return through the Phoenix Gate. "I still don't know what I'm going to do," she said, looking hesitantly at Goliath. "I lost him once. I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose him a second time."
"But, Elisa," Angela said. "You and Goliath are…"
"I know, Angela," Elisa said. "And that's what's tearing me apart. I love Goliath, but…" She stopped, looking at the lavender gargoyle. "I love Don, too. I don't know if I ever stopped loving him."
"Perhaps there is a reason for his return," Goliath said, turning to look at Brooklyn and Sata. "Perhaps this is something that is meant to be."
"What do you mean?" Elisa asked. "Goliath, please don't tell me you're starting to have doubts about us."
"I am not," he said. "But whatever the future holds for us, it is clear that Don has a part in it. Correct, Brooklyn?"
"I…I don't know what you're talking about," he protested.
"Brooklyn, you spent several years in the future," Goliath said. "Our future. Whatever it holds for us, you must tell us."
"I…I can't," Brooklyn said. "Goliath, I told you before that I can't remember what happened. I've got a few vague impressions, but nothing I can…"
"But you told us yesterday that you remember seeing a helicopter at one point during your travels," Goliath said. "And in the three years since you returned, you have hinted that you know more than you are telling. What are you hiding?"
"Tell us," Elisa said. Now she was looking at Brooklyn also. "Please, Brooklyn. If it concerns Don, I have a right to know." She'd just said she didn't know what she would do if she lost him again. Was that it? she wondered. Was something going to happen to him? "He's not going to disappear again, is he?"
"I…I can't," Brooklyn said. "I'm sorry." Before anyone could stop them, he and Sata dashed out the door and disappeared.
Brooklyn and Sata glided through the night sky, heading as far away from the castle as possible while avoiding the fireworks that were lighting up the night sky. After a while, they turned east, heading out across the water until they reached the Statue of Liberty. They landed on Lady Liberty's head, and Brooklyn stepped away from Sata, sitting down on the edge of her crown and letting his feet dangle over the side.
"What are we to do, beloved?" Sata asked, sitting down next to him.
"I don't know," Brooklyn said. "You know we can't tell them. Not after what Tom told us." He got up and started pacing around the statue's head. He paused to look at a blackened spot on the copper surface. Almost five years and they still haven't fixed that. "Damn it!" he swore. "Why couldn't he have warned us about this? At least we could have prepared her for this."
"Brooklyn-san," Sata said. "You know that Thomas could not warn us of events that took place before his birth."
"I know, I know," he said. "It's just…it's so frustrating to know all this stuff and not be able to warn anybody about what's going to happen."
"But you know you cannot," Sata said. "Even if you wanted to, you mustn't. Remember what Thomas told us."
Brooklyn remembered, thinking back to his last conversation with Thomas Maza, Elisa's son, just days before he, Sata and the twins disappeared through the Phoenix Gate.
"Don't tell anyone about my father," he had said. "It could mean the difference between life and death for everyone. Including Goliath and my mom."
"You know," he said. "There are still times I wish I hadn't picked that damned thing up."
"I know," Sata said, getting up and walking over to him. She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I am still glad that you did."
Brooklyn captured her hand as she started to draw it away and kissed it before taking her in his arms. "I know," he said. "But it still gets to me that even after all this time, the Weird Sisters are still yanking my chain…" He stopped and a gleam came to his eyes. "That's it!"
"What is it?" Sata asked.
"The Weird Sisters," he said. "Something they told me the Archmage said to them a long time ago."
"The Archmage?"
"Yeah," he said. "He told them 'The rule that cannot be broken can certainly be bent'. And if he can do it, so can we. Come on. We've got a lot to do."
"What are you planning, beloved?" Sata said as she followed him off the top of Lady Liberty.
"We're going to do a little 'bending of the rules' of our own," he said.
The Eyrie Building
"There they are," Broadway said.
Elisa ran to the side, looking out across the sky until she could see Brooklyn and Sata heading back towards the castle.It had been over six hours since Brooklyn and Sata took off. Goliath had felt that it was best to give the pair some time alone, knowing that they would eventually return to the castle, but Elisa was upset, knowing that they held the answers she desperately needed. Maybe now I can get some, she thought.
The clan waited for them to land before gathering around the two, ready to cut off their escape if they tried to leave again.
"Okay, Brooklyn," Elisa said. "I want some answers."
Here goes nothing, he thought. "You asked me if Don was going to disappear again," he said, recalling the last thing Elisa had said before he and Sata took off. "He's not. The Phoenix Gate is finished with him."
"And his fate?" Goliath asked.
Brooklyn looked at Sata. "Let's just say that when we heard about him, he was real good friends with the clan. And had been for a very long time." He looked over at Angela and Broadway. "Even you two had some great things to say about him."
"Had?" Elisa asked. "You mean he…"
"Not while we were there, Elisa-chan," Sata said. "As far as we knew, Don was on Avalon, working on a project for the clan."
"Don't ask us what it was," Brooklyn quickly put in. "It was kind of top secret." He looked at Angela. "You wouldn't even tell us what it was." He was seriously stretching the truth, but they wouldn't know that.
"What?" Angela started. "I would never…"
Elisa looked at Brooklyn, realizing that there might be something else he wasn't saying. "What about us?" she asked. This earned her a confused look from Goliath, but he quickly realized what she wanted to know. She wonders who she is destined to be with, he thought. Myself, or her former love.
"You said that Don was on Avalon," she said. "Did I…did I go with him?"
"Not as far as we knew," Brooklyn said, which was true. No one had really told them about what happened to Goliath and Elisa, not even Tom, and neither of them had bothered to make any inquiries. The truth was, they really didn't want to know.
"But what about…" Elisa started, but Goliath set his hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps it is best not to pry too deeply," he said. "Whatever will happen will happen in the course of time."
She looked up at him, realizing why he had said that. He didn't want to risk losing her, she thought. Not after what they'd been through.
Goliath looked towards the east as he saw the sky start to brighten. "Dawn approaches," he said.
Elisa turned to see the night begin to turn to day. Had they been there all night? She asked herself. It certainly hadn't felt like it.
She turned to see Goliath looking at her as the others headed for their respective perches.
"Will you be here when we awaken?" he asked.
"I…I don't know," she admitted. "I've still got a lot to think about."
"I hope you will," he said as he ran his fingers through her hair. The fact that she didn't flinch or pull away was encouraging. "Good night, my Elisa," he said.
She captured his hand and held on to it as he changed to stone. "Good night, Goliath."
July 5, 1999
New York Community Hospital
Brooklyn, New York
Elisa was in better spirits when she returned to the hospital. At least I don't have to worry about what to tell Goliath anymore, she thought. I just have to worry about what to tell Don. As she pulled into the hospital parking lot, she saw a black car with 'Dept. of the Army' stenciled on the side parked in a spot marked for official use only, but she gave it no more than a cursory glance. She had more important things to worry about.
The first indication there was trouble was when she saw the MP standing outside Don's room. When she tried to go past him, he blocked her path.
"You can't go in there," he said.
"Says who?" she protested. She tried to push past him. He resisted her efforts to move him. "Move it, pal!"
"No one is allowed inside," he said. "I have my orders."
"Fine," she said. She turned like she was getting ready to leave, then quickly spun around again and landed a hard shot to his jaw. He almost managed to block it, but she was just a hair quicker than he was. He sagged against the wall and slid down to the floor.
"Rookie," she said as she pushed open the door.
An Army captain turned as she entered the room. "Who are you?" he snapped.
"Detective Elisa Maza," she said, pulling out her badge, thankful that Captain Chavez hadn't taken it when she put Elisa on administrative leave. "NYPD. Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Captain James Morgan, Military Police," he said. "I'm here to take Mr. Taylor into custody."
"On what charge?" Elisa demanded.
"That information is on a need-to-know basis, detective," he said. "And you do not need-to-know."
"I tried to tell him what happened, Elisa," Don said. "But he wouldn't listen to me."
"Captain," Elisa said, turning her attention back to the MP. "Whatever it is you think he did, you're wrong. I know him, and he wouldn't do anything illegal."
"That's for a military tribunal to decide," he said. "Now if you'll excuse me…"
"I will not!" Elisa said. "You're not taking my fiancé anywhere!" She blocked his path to the door.
"Sergeant!" he called out.
A pair of hands grabbed Elisa by the arms and pulled her aside, holding her until Captain Morgan was out of the room with Don. When he was gone, the MP holding her let go and quickly left the room. Elisa quickly followed after him, trying to beat them to the car she saw parked outside, but by the time she got outside, it was already pulling away. She quickly jumped into her car and followed it.
She tailed the car for over an hour until it pulled up to the main gate of Steward Army Base. It passed through the gate without incident, but when she tried to drive through, the guard at the gate stopped her.
"I'm sorry, miss," he said. "No civilians beyond this point."
Elisa pulled out her badge. "I'm hardly a civilian, pal," she said.
The guard looked at the badge. "I'm sorry, detective," he said. "But I still can't allow you inside. I have my orders." His hand started to drift down to his sidearm.
Elisa noted the movement. "Fine," she snapped. Throwing the car in reverse, she backed away from the main gate, then turned around and headed back for Manhattan, her mind already formulating a plan. There's more than one way to get onto that post, she thought. All I need are a few things from Xanatos.
The Eyrie Building
Elisa stormed into Xanatos's office. Clearly, she was upset. "Xanatos!" she said.
"Is there something I can do for you, detective?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said. "You can loan me that exo-frame of yours and a couple of Steel Clan Robots."
"For what purpose?" Owen asked. "I'm assuming it is not for a police raid."
"No," Elisa said, giving the majordomo a sideways look. "And trust me. The less you know about this, the better."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with your ex-fiancé, would it?" Xanatos asked, smiling.
Elisa gave him a hard look. If he had been anyone else, he would have withered under her glare. As it was, he just kept smiling.
"That's not your concern," she said.
"I'm afraid it is, detective," Xanatos replied.
"Are you going to give me the damned thing or not?" she snapped.
"No," Xanatos said. "For several reasons. One, you don't know how to use it."
"I'm a fast learner," she fired back.
"I'm sure you are," he said. "But I can't risk losing that exo-frame. It's very expensive and it takes days to get replacement parts. Besides, I'd hate to think what Goliath would do if he found out you killed yourself after I let you use it."
"He doesn't have to know," she said. "Xanatos…"
"And reason number two," he continued. "The Army has already seen the Steel Clan Robots in action. They can be traced back to me. Personally, detective, I don't enjoy the idea of going back to prison. Once was enough, thank you. And I hear that Leavenworth is not all that pleasant."
"You can tell them that I stole them," she said.
"Uh huh," Xanatos said. "Detective, are you actually listening to yourself? You are not being rational."
"Of course not," she snapped. "My fiancé…"
"Is being held for something he didn't do," Xanatos said. "I know. And I know you want desperately to be able to go in there and blast him out. Of course, the idea of going in guns blazing does have its appeal, but that's more Demona's way of handling a situation, right?"
"Yeah?" she said.
"I have a more…subtle approach, detective," he continued. He reached over and picked up the phone. "Which base did you say he was being held at?"
July 6, 1999
Steward Army Base
Elisa sat back as she watched the perimeter fence of Steward Army Base go by. Xanatos had made arrangements to see General Nelson McDermitt Harcourt, the senior officer at Steward, in order to secure Don's release. He said it would be a piece of cake, that nothing could possibly go wrong, but still…
Just in case, there was an exo-frame sitting in the trunk of the limo, sized to fit her. She didn't bother asking him how he got her measurements. She didn't want to know.
Owen pulled the limousine up to the front gate.
"Mr. David Xanatos and a guest to see General Harcourt," he said crisply to the guard on duty. The guard turned back to the sentry post and made a quick phone call.
The delay was only a few seconds, but already Elisa's fingers were digging into the upholstery. Xanatos smiled as he watched her. She must really love this guy, he thought, remembering that Elisa still referred to Don as her fiancé, not her ex-fiancé. I wonder what Goliath is going to do when he finds out. He sat back and let his mind wander over the numerous opportunities he saw forming ahead.
The guard came back. "You can go ahead, sir," he said to Owen. "The General's office is straight ahead and…"
"I am well aware of the location of General Harcourt's office, sergeant," he said. "This isn't the first time Mr. Xanatos has been here."
The guard stepped back as the limousine pulled into the base.
"See, detective," Xanatos said, turning to face Elisa. "Like I said. Easy as pie."
"It's not over with yet, Xanatos," she said. "We still have to get Don out of here."
"You worry too much, detective," Xanatos returned. "Once we've explained the situation to General Harcourt, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to release him."
General Nelson McDermitt Harcourt's Office
"I'm sorry, Mr. Xanatos," General Harcourt said. "I can't release him."
"What?" Xanatos said. "Why not?"
Off to one side, Elisa crossed her arms across her chest. It's a good thing we brought that exo-frame, she thought.
"You have to understand," General Harcourt said. "Mr. Taylor and Mr. Rueben made off with a very expensive piece of military hardware during wartime. That's treason, Mr. Xanatos, on top of desertion. I'm just glad we managed to catch up with them after eight years."
"General," Elisa said, clearly livid but trying to keep her temper. "That's not what happened. Don wouldn't desert. And he didn't steal that helicopter. I know him too well."
"Really?" the general said. "Then, detective, explain to me how he ended up crashing that helicopter eight years and several thousand miles west of where he disappeared."
"I…" she started, but hesitated. I can't tell him the truth, she thought. He'd never believe me, and it certainly wouldn't help Don's case any.
"I take it then you haven't viewed the footage from the Apache's video recorder," Xanatos said.
"Not yet," he said. "But I don't see how that would be of any use."
"It might," Xanatos said. "Why don't you take a look, general. You might find something interesting."
"Like what?" he said. "A mysterious ball of flame popping out of nowhere?"
Elisa's arms dropped to her side and there was a surprised look on her face and Xanatos'. They traded a quick glance and General Harcourt realized he may have said something he shouldn't have.
"I thought you said you haven't looked at the visual record yet," Xanatos said. "Care to explain?"
"Not particularly," he said. He saw the gleam in Xanatos' eyes. What did he know?
"No?" Xanatos said. "Then how about I run a possible scenario by you. Some time in the past, say about twenty or thirty years, give or take a few years, you witnessed an unusual event. You saw a mysterious fireball appear from out of nowhere, and when it dissipated it left behind a gargoyle or two, one of them was brick-red with white hair and had a beak about this long." Xanatos held his hand out in front of his face to the approximate length of Brooklyn's beak. He smiled like the proverbial cat as he noted the general shift nervously in his chair.
"I...I don't know what your talking about," General Harcourt said, even as he tried desperately to maintain control of his bladder. How did he find out? he wondered. I never told anyone about that night.
"I think you do, general," he said. "Why else would you be sweating?" He crossed his arms across his chest and smiled even wider. "Shall I continue?"
Elisa stood to the side, keeping her arms crossed and her mouth closed. She didn't care for Xanatos' methods, but she could see that the general was hiding something.
The general looked at Xanatos for a moment before looking over at Elisa, wondering just what her stake in this was.
"That won't be necessary," the general said. "I'll see what I can do about getting Mr. Taylor released. If you'll excuse me, I need to make a few calls."
"Thank you, general," Xanatos said.
"Just one question," the general said.
"Yes?"
"How did you know?" he asked. "I never told anyone..."
"Let's just say I've had my own experience with this particular…phenomenon," Xanatos said, remembering the night he, Fox, his father Petros and Goliath took a trip to the Tenth Century, courtesy of Demona. He turned to Elisa as he headed for the door. "Detective?"
Elisa gave the general one last look before following Xanatos out.
The general waited until the door closed before picking up the phone and placing a call. "This is General Harcourt," he said when someone answered. "I need to speak to the Judge Advocate General." He paused as he listened to the response. "Yes, I'll hold." He sat back in his chair and remembered. It had been so long ago...
Da Nang, Viet Nam
1971
Brooklyn looked around and took in his surrounding as the flames of the Phoenix Gate dissipated. He was in a jungle again. "Great!" he said.
He hated the jungle. Not only were there predators and insects and other assorted nasties to deal with, there was also the heat. Normally, gargoyles didn't feel the heat, but for some reason, he seemed to be the one exception. He took the Phoenix Gate out of his pouch and looked down at it. "At least this time you didn't drop me in the..."
He was cut of by the sound of weapons fire. Automatic weapons fire, and he heard the distinctive thump, thump of mortar fire. He dived to the ground and covered his head as he realized where he was.
He was in Viet Nam again. The Phoenix Gate had dropped him back in the middle of a war zone. He got up to make a run for it.
A hand clamped onto his ankle and pulled him off balance. Brooklyn fell to the ground.
"Are you nuts or something?" he heard someone say. He turned and caught sight of a human staring at him. A human wearing a US Army uniform. "You trying to get yourself killed?"
"Not really," he said. "What's going on?"
"Charlie overran our firebase about an hour ago," the soldier said. "I've been trying to get back to HQ to warn them."
Brooklyn looked out into the night. He could see figures moving in the darkness carrying rifles. VC, he realized. Viet Cong. This was not a good place to turn to stone. He looked back to the human. "You don't seemed surprised to see me," he said.
"You pulled a couple of my men out of a bad firefight last year," he said. "When they told me about it, I thought they'd been smoking some of the local Hanoi Gold, but then..." The human looked him over. "Here you are."
Brooklyn remembered. The Phoenix Gate had dumped him in a rice paddy and smack into the middle of an ambush. He was lucky to get out of there with his skin intact, but at least he had also managed to save the lives of the soldiers he met.
"Where's your HQ at?" he asked.
"About twenty klicks east of here," the soldier said.
Twenty kilometers, Brooklyn thought. If they could keep from being captured, they could make it before morning, assuming dawn wasn't just around the corner. "What time is it?" he asked.
The soldier looked at his watch. "Almost 2100 hours," he said.
Nine PM. That meant he had about nine hours until dawn. More than enough time to get to the soldier's HQ. Assuming the VC doesn't see us. He saw several North Vietnamese soldiers walk by and he slid deeper into the shadows.
Present Day
It had taken them over six hours to cross enemy territory, but the mysterious red gargoyle had disappeared almost immediately after they spotted a Marine unit headed for their HQ. The last he saw of the gargoyle was his disappearance into the mysterious ball of fire he had originated from. He vowed never to tell anyone about his experience.
General Harcourt sat with the Judge Advocate General as they viewed the video feed taken from the Apache. The image was exceptionally clear and showed exactly what General Harcourt thought it would.
"So what are we going to do?" the JAG asked after they rewound and viewed the video a third time, just to assure themselves that they had seen what they seen.
They had seen the first fireball. And also something come flying out of it. General Harcourt started as he saw what appeared to be two sets of wings in the image. Then there was the second fireball, which appeared directly in front of the Apache and appeared to engulf the aircraft for an instant before the image flickered and cleared. Only this time it wasn't over Kuwait. It was over Jones Beach. The breakers on the beach were all too clear.
"It's obvious they didn't intentionally steal the aircraft," the JAG continued. "Nor did they disappear of their own free will." He stroked his chin. "And if we decide to go ahead with the charges, this is bound to come out. I think we should let them go."
"How do we explain them reappearing after eight years?" General Harcourt asked. "I don't think we can tell the public the truth about what happened."
"Don't worry," the JAG said. "We'll think of something." He touched the Illuminati pin on the inside of his lapel. "We always do."
The MP's escorted Don and Jim into General Harcourt's office. They stood at attention while he finished reading the files.
"The two of you can go now, sergeant," he said.
"Yes, sir," he said, then both did an about face and left the room.
"At ease, gentlemen," the general said. "I just want to ask you a few questions."
"Yes sir," Don replied.
"Taylor, Donald Michael," he said. "United States Army Reservist. Rueben, James Madison. United States Army Reservist. On 26 February, 1991, you went out on a seek-and-destroy mission during operation Desert Storm and vanished without a trace. You were presumed killed in action." He closed the files. "And yet, here you stand, eight years later. Care to tell me what happened to you?"
"I am unsure, sir," Don said. "We went out on the mission as instructed. At approximately 2100, my wingman indicated that he picked up what appeared to be a lock-on signal from an unknown source. Since I did not want to risk the group, I decided to return to base in case it was a faulty indicator. It was at that moment that my wingman's helicopter exploded and my own ship sustained damage from flying debris. I ordered my second wingman to return to base immediately when I heard my own lock-on sound. When he was away, I saw…" He stopped, still unable to believe what had happened next.
"Go on," the general said.
"I saw…a pair of fireballs," Don said. "About thirty seconds apart. I managed to avoid the first one, but I was unable to avoid the second one. After I flew through it, I was over Jones Beach State Park, where I crashed…"
"Wrong," the general said.
"Sir?" Don asked. He looked over at Jim. "I don't understand."
"You did not crash at Jones Beach," he said. "You were forced down over Iraqi territory. You were both captured by an Iraqi patrol and held as POW's until a few days ago when you were rescued by a SEAL team while you were being transferred to another facility."
"But sir," Don started to protest. "That's not what…"
"Officially," the general said. "That is what happened. Don't contradict me on this, gentlemen. I'm doing both of you a favor. You went down in Iraqi territory; you were captured, imprisoned and then freed by a Navy SEAL team. Is that understood?"
"But, sir…" Jim started.
"Is that understood?" General Harcourt repeated.
"Yes, sir," they both said.
"Good," he said. "Mr. Rueben, you are dismissed. I believe your family is waiting to see you. Mr. Taylor, I need to speak with you a moment."
Don watched as Jim did an about-face and left the general's office. He had a questioning look on his face when he turned his attention back to the general.
"Mr. Taylor," he said. "A real heavy-hitter went to bat for you over this. Don't ask me why. All I know is this person just did you a big favor. Don't blow it by leaking what really happened to the press."
"Understood, sir," Don said. "May I ask the general a question?"
"Go ahead."
"What exactly is our status now?" Don asked. "Jim and I were both Reservists when this all started. I know Jim was on the last leg of his tour when all this happened and I had three years left in the Reserves. Are we still part of the Army, or..."
"Your tour officially ended in 1994," General Harcourt said. "As far as I'm concerned, you and Mr. Rueben are no longer in the military."
"And our back pay?"
The general raised his eyebrow. "Don't push your luck, Mr. Taylor," he said. "You're lucky we don't make you pay for the Apache you crashed." He looked at the report. After a few minutes, he closed it. "You'll get your combat pay, Mr. Taylor, as well as one years back pay. That's the best I can do. And just to let you know, your flight status has been revoked until we complete our investigation."
"For how long?" he asked. "With my status revoked, I won't be able to use my civilian license." Don had gotten a civilian pilot's license two months after entering the Reserves, intending to take Maria Chavez up on her offer of becoming a pilot with the NYPD. Elisa would have loved that. But with his flight status revoked, he could forget about ever becoming a pilot again.
"Just until we finished our investigation," General Harcourt said.
In other words, Don thought bitterly. Never. "Is there anything else, sir?" he asked.
"No," General Harcourt said. "You're dismissed for now. Head over to the Administrations building so they can process your discharge."
"Yes, sir," Don said. He turned and left. I wonder how Elisa's going to react to all this, he wondered.
July 7, 1999
23rd Precinct, Manhattan
Elisa stood back and watched the TV as Travis Marshall reported on the 'miraculous' return of Jim Rueben and Don.
"The Pentagon released a statement earlier this morning about the daring rescue mission that liberated the two pilots from Iraqi custody on July 1st," Marshall continued. "According to Pentagon officials, members of SEAL Team Five intercepted a convoy that was transporting the two Army Reserve pilots who have been missing and presumed killed in action since February 26, 1991. No word has been released concerning their condition, but Pentagon officials have said that the two pilots, Jim Rueben and Don Taylor, are in high spirits and are eager to rejoin their families. After eight years, I can understand."
Maria Chavez turned off the TV and turned to the squad room. "Okay, people," she said. "You've all heard the good news." She gave a brief smile to Elisa. "Now let's get back to work. We've got bad guys to arrest." She headed for her office. "Detective Maza, I'd like a word with you."
Elisa followed the captain into her office. She waited until Maria closed the door before letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
"I guess it's a bit of a shock," Maria said. "Finding out he's still alive after all these years."
"You have no idea," Elisa said.
"I guess that's why you've been so tense the past couple of days," Maria said. "How long have you known?"
"Not long," Elisa said. "I only found out he was still alive a couple of days ago." Which was essentially true, she thought, but she couldn't tell her what really happened.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Maria asked.
Time for a convincing lie, she thought. "I…I couldn't," she said. "I was ordered not to."
"I see," she said. She could tell that Elisa was hiding something, but she decided not to pry. She'll tell me when she's ready, she thought. "Well, I'm real happy for you, Elisa," she continued. "It's not often you get a second shot at someone like him. I hope you can keep a grip on him this time."
"I…I hope so, too," Elisa said, even as her mind swirled in torment. What am I going to tell him?
"I guess you'll be wanting this back," Maria said. She took Elisa's automatic out of her desk and handed it back to her. "You feel up to returning to work?"
"Not yet," Elisa said as she holstered the weapon. "I'm still trying to process everything that's happened."
"Perfectly understandable," Maria said. "I'll give you until Friday. I expect you to be ready to go by then."
"Of course, captain," Elisa said. She took a look at her watch. "I've got a few things to take care of. You need me for anything else?"
"No," Maria said. "Go on and enjoy yourself. You'll let me know when the two of you set a date?"
Elisa was taken aback by her question until she realized the meaning behind it. We were going to get married after he got back, she remembered. "Sure," she said before Maria could ask her what was wrong. "We'll let you know as soon as possible." She quickly left the Captain's office before Maria could see how unsettled she was by her question.
The Eyrie Building
Hudson turned off the TV as soon as Elisa came into the entertainment room. Hearing her enter, he turned and looked at her expectantly.
"Good evening, lass," he said. "How are ye feeling tonight? I was just watchin' the news and heard about yer fiancé…"
"I'm fine, Hudson," Elisa said. "Have you seen Goliath? I need to talk to him."
"Last I saw of him, he was heading down to the library," Hudson said. "Have ye checked there?"
"Not yet," Elisa said. "But I will. Thanks, Hudson."
The old gargoyle watched her leave in search of his clan's leader and let out a heavy sigh. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted to tell him. "I only hope he doesn't tear the castle apart when she breaks the news to him," he said to no one in particular.
"Goliath?" Elisa called out hesitantly as she entered the library. "Goliath, are you in here?" She noted that the lights were turned off. She reached around for the light switch.
"I am here, Elisa," his voice rumbled in the darkness.
"Where?" she asked. "I can't see…" She paused as her hand found the switch. "Wait a minute. Let me get the lights…"
"I prefer it dark," Goliath rumbled.
"Okay," she said in understanding. She hadn't been there when they had awakened the night after they found out about Don's return, and she hadn't been there tonight either. Which worried Goliath. He's afraid I'm going to leave him for Don, she thought. I don't blame him. "Goliath," she said, screwing up her courage. "I need to talk to you."
"About?"
"I think you know," she said, stepping into the library. She had a pretty good idea of where Goliath was; she just had to listen to the sound of his voice. She did note a slight tremor in his voice; she wondered if it was repressed grief or suppressed rage.
"I do," he admitted. "I wondered why you didn't greet us tonight."
"I had to talk to Captain Chavez," she said. "She took me off administrative leave when she heard about Don and figured that's what had me so upset."
She heard him rumble and guessed that mentioning Don's name was probably not a good idea. "Goliath, I really need to talk to you about this."
"I am here, Elisa," he said, his voice coming from behind her. She jumped in surprise as she spun around. For someone as big as he was, he sure could move quietly when he wanted to, she thought.
After she settled down, she looked up at him. "Goliath, you know how I feel about you," she said.
"I…thought I did," he said. "But with the reappearance of your former mate…"
"Don and I were never…" she started, but she paused, realizing how false the words were. "Well, we were in that sense," she said. "But we didn't get the chance to make the commitment to each other the way Broadway and Angela or my brother and Maggie did."
"But you still carry the symbol," Goliath said. "You still carry the ring he gave you as a sign of your love for each other."
Elisa looked down and pulled out the dog tags she had worn ever since the night Don reappeared. The engagement ring still dangled from the chain.
Goliath captured one of the tags in his hand and read the name stamped into the metal. "Is this the name you wish to take as your own?" he asked.
"I…I don't know," Elisa said. "Part of me says yes, but another part of me, the part that loves you." She paused as she looked up at him. "Isn't so sure." She reached up and captured Goliath's hand. "Goliath, I need time to figure this out. I don't want to lose you, but I don't want to let go of Don either. You have to give me a chance to work this out on my own."
"But what if you decide…" he started, but Elisa quickly silenced him by placing her fingers on his lips, just like that one time after Puck turned her into a gargoyle and Goliath began having feelings for her other than mere friendship.
"I don't know what I'm going to decide," she said. "So let's not worry about that until it actually happens." She pulled her hand away and reached up to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "I just need some time to work this out, Goliath," she said, encouraged by the fact that he didn't pull away from her. "Will you wait for me?"
He smiled hesitantly in the darkness, but she could still see it. "I shall wait for you until the end of time if need be," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.
Elisa smiled and rested her head against his chest. It wasn't long before he realized she had gone to sleep in his embrace. He looked down and saw the hint of a tear running down her cheek.
To be concluded…