T'U'GS 3:16/17/18 Revelations and Repercussions

by The Big Lazy Dragon

A series of abductions leads the clan to believe that Thailog has returned.

3. Revelations and Repercussions Part Three

Revelations and Repercussions

Part Three

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…

"Hello, my ex-love," Thailog said. "You're looking well."

Demona snarled at the charcoal-colored clone on the other side of the bars. "I should have realized that you were behind this, Thailog. When I'm through with you…"

Thailog laughed at her. "You'll do what?" he sneered. "You've grown soft, my dear. Keeping company with humans, forming attachments to them, possibly even…" He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "Well, I must say this is so unlike you."

"Dominique, what's he talking about?" Andrea asked. "Who is he?"

"Very well, Thailog," he said. "Make your demands."

"Succinct and to the point," Thailog said. "First off, I want fifty million dollars in cash. I know that you don't have that kind of capital on hand, Goliath, but I'm certain Xanatos does."

"Done," Xanatos said without even waiting for Goliath to ask. "I'll have the money here within the hour."

"Very good," Thailog said. "Second, my 'disagreement' with Demona three years ago left me somewhat less than whole. She has a certain bauble in her possession that has, shall we say, 'restorative' properties."

"The Bloodstone," Goliath said.

"Precisely," Thailog said. "And finally, I want what is rightfully mine. I want Delilah."

Thailog smiled as he removed the Bloodstone from the pouch and held it up, looking at the white jewel dangling from the thin chain. "I still don't know why you kept this thing all these years, my dear," he said to Demona. "With your immortality, I'm certain it would have been of little use to you."

"It has come in handy from time to time," Demona said, casting a piercing glare at Hyena before returning her attention back to Thailog. "And I still refuse to show you how to use it."

"Oh, I think you will," he said, dropping the Bloodstone back into the pouch. He turned and crossed the cell, approaching Andrea, who was sitting on the floor with Danny. The young artist started to back away from him, but he caught her by the arm and lifted her to her feet. "You have such a rare gift, my dear," he said. "It would be a shame if you were to lose it." He smiled as he looked back at Demona.

"What…" Andrea started as she looked at Demona and saw the fear in the azure gargoyle's eyes as she realized what Thailog was about to do.

"No!" Demona cried out as she stepped forward to stop him, but Jackal and Hyena tackled her, holding her down as Thailog brought Andrea's left arm down across his knee, breaking the limb.

"What are ye doing here, Goliath?" Macbeth asked, coming up from behind Joanna.

"We need your help, Macbeth," Goliath said. "Thailog has abducted Demona."

"You're not cutting me out of this, Goliath," Elisa protested.

"Elisa…" he started, but then Don cut in.

"Elisa, you can't get involved in this," he said. "This isn't a matter for the cops. This is probably going to be a full-blown assault on wherever Thailog's holed up. And how effective do you think Goliath's going to be if he's worrying about you. Not to mention me."

"You're not going," she said flatly.

"I have to, and you know it," he said. He looked at Goliath. "I have a stake in this," he added. "I have to do whatever I can to get her out of there."

"Just be careful," Elisa said, then looked at Goliath. "Both of you."

"We shall, Elisa," Goliath said. He shared a concerned look with Don as she left.

"You have ceased to be of use, human!" Thailog snarled at Danny. He took a step towards Danny and Delilah, intending to end the child's life.

Revelations and Repercussions Part Two

Revelations and Repercussions Part Three

October 28, 1999

Manhattan

Thailog's lair

His eyes blazing red in anger, Thailog advanced on Delilah and Danny.

"Thailog, wait," Sevarius quickly said. He raced to the clone's side and whispered into his ear. Thailog listened with deadly intent.

"Yes," Thailog said, smiling. "An excellent idea." He looked down at his bleeding hand. "I will forgive you this little outburst of yours, my dear," he said. "You may find yourself regretting it later." He turned and left the cell, Sevarius and the twins following close behind.

"What he mean?" Danny asked.

Delilah looked at the child she held in her arms. "I think I may have just made a terrible mistake," she said, realizing what Thailog intended to do.

"I guess we won't be needing this anymore," Sevarius said, taking a vial of medication out of his pocket. "It will be interesting to watch the child as he goes through the symptoms of his disorder."

"Not so fast, doctor," Thailog said. "I think we need only withhold the medication for a few days. After Delilah witnesses the consequences of her actions, I'm certain she will become more...submissive."

"Too bad," Sevarius said. "I haven't seen the symptoms of this particular illness in quite some time. It would have been interesting…"

"Wait a minute, doc," Hyena said. "You mean that kid's got some kind of bug in his system? And we've been exposed to it?"

"Don't worry, my dear," Sevarius said. "It's only a simple genetic disorder. And it's completely non-contagious. Even if it were, you no longer have sufficient organic mass to be affected. We're completely safe."

"Yeah?" she said. "That's what they said about DDT, and look where that got us. I'd just as soon get out of here as fast as I can."

"I'm with you, sis," he said. "Let's collect our money and get out of here."

Macbeth's manor

Master bedroom

Joanna watched as Macbeth adjusted his armor. This was the first time she had seen him wearing it and she had to admit that he looked good in it.

"How come you never wear that around me?" she quipped.

"I never intended for ye to ever see it at all, luv," he said. "It's not something I'd choose to wear on a date." He paused as she picked up his overcoat and helped him into it. "Ye do not have to do this," he said. "In fact, I'd prefer it if ye'd stay here."

"I want to help out, Len," Joanna said. "Besides, Andrea's a friend. I want to make sure she gets out of this alive."

"I'm certain that Demona is more than capable of looking out for her," Macbeth said. "That is, if Angela is telling the truth about her and Andrea."

"I don't think Angela would lie about something like that," Joanna said. "I don't think she's even capable of lying."

"She's not," Macbeth said. "I've known the lass for three years. She is as capable of telling a falsehood as her mother is of falling in love with a human." He closed the overcoat and left the bedroom, Joanna following close behind. Together, they headed for the hanger.

Goliath looked up as he heard Macbeth and Joanna approach. The assault force was gathered around Macbeth's hovercraft; himself, Don, Brooklyn, Sata, Broadway, Angela, Lexington and Xanatos, wearing his Steel Clan battlearmor. The industrialist had insisted on coming; given the fact that Thailog was wearing a modified version of the armor, Xanatos had a better chance of facing him on equal terms. And if the Pack were involved as they suspected…

"Professor Walker," Xanatos said. "Are you joining us in this little 'endeavor'?"

Joanna looked at the suit of armor Xanatos wore for a moment before answering. "Yes," she said. "If I'm going to be a part of Len's life, I might as well share in the risks."

Xanatos looked at Macbeth and smiled.

"Shall we get going?" Macbeth said. "There's only a few hours before dawn, and I for one would like to put an end to this as quickly as possible."

"Agreed," Goliath said. He motioned the other gargoyles into the hovercraft, pausing as he placed his hand on Angela's shoulder. "You do not have to do this, Angela."

"I have to, Father," she said. "Demona is my mother and Delilah and Andrea are my friends. I have to help rescue them."

"I am proud of you, my daughter," he said as he embraced her, then followed her into the hovercraft.

"I'm still wondering why you became involved in all this," Macbeth said to Don as he paused to consider him. Don was readjusting the fit on the armor Xanatos had loaned him, the one Xanatos himself had worn during the confrontation with Thailog at Black Rock Point four years earlier. "Detective Maza apparently knows you, and ye seem to be friends with the gargoyles, but why would you risk yuir neck…"

"Macbeth," Don said, still slightly amazed at meeting the genuine article. "There's something you should know about me. I happen to be in love with Demona."

"What?" Macbeth's eyes went wide at the admission. "Are ye daft, lad? Surely ye know that Demona would never…"

"She has," he said. "Demona and I are lovers. I thought you would have realized that she had someone new in her life by now. Haven't you been experiencing any odd sensations in the past month?"

Macbeth blanched as he realized the magnitude of the situation. He had been experiencing something odd, and now he knew why. Was it possible that…Nay, it couldn't be!

"Len, what's wrong?" Joanna asked as she saw him pale.

"It's…nothing, luv," he said. "I'll tell ye about it later." He motioned her into the hovercraft and gave Don a pitying look as he followed him up the ramp. In a few minutes, they were in the air, heading back for the city.

Thailog's lair

Demona felt Andrea shift and looked down at her friend as the young artist began to regain consciousness. The glow of the Bloodstone was beginning to fade and Demona realized that Andrea's broken arm was for the most part healed. She touched the arm lightly, and Andrea moaned in pain.

"I'm sorry, Andrea," Demona said.

"It's okay, Dominique," Andrea said as she finally opened her eyes. "It doesn't hurt as much as it did."

"I'm not talking about the arm," she said as she helped Andrea up into a seated position. "I'm talking about this whole stupid mess. I should have told you from the beginning who and what I was." She stood up and walked over to where Delilah was sitting, Danny's head resting on her knee as he rested. She bent down and ran her fingers through his hair. "I never meant for any of this to happen. If I had told you…"

"Would it have mattered?" Andrea asked. She looked towards the cell door. "I've seen what kind of person Thailog is. Even if you had told me, he probably still would have come after me. And I don't think it would have kept him from kidnapping that boy."

Demona looked down at Danny. At least his color's good, she thought. At least that's a good sign. She heard Delilah sob and looked up at her.

"I messed up, didn't I," she said. "Danny's going to suffer because I couldn't control my temper."

Demona reached out and rested her hand on the clone's shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Delilah. Actually, I'm proud of you for standing up to him like that."

"But now they're going to make him suffer for it," she said. She reached down and stroked the child's head. "He's going to get worse because of me."

"Why?" Andrea asked. "What's wrong with him?"

"He has a congenital blood disorder," Demona said. "It's rare, and requires regular treatments." She looked back at Andrea. "Have they given him any injections since they brought the two of you here?"

"Just one," she said. "The one you called Sevarius gave him an injection a few hours before they brought you here."

"Well, that gives us some time then," she said. "As long as we can get out of here before sunrise, we should…"

The sound of a door closing drew her attention back to the cell door. Already, she could hear Thailog approaching. She stood up and walked to the front of the cell. "What do you want?" she said coldly as he came into view.

"I have come for what is mine, Demona," he said. He looked into the cell and saw that the Bloodstone had finally finished its work. "I want the Bloodstone, and my mate."

"I will never be yours," Delilah snapped.

"Oh, but you will, my dear," Thailog said coldly. "That is, if you want this."

Delilah gasped as she saw Thailog produce a small vial. She knew instantly what it was. Danny's medication.

"You bastard," Demona snarled venomously and her eyes began blazing red in rage. She took a step towards the cell door.

"My, my," Thailog said. "Such a display of emotion over someone I was going to replace you with. Could it be that you've actually started to form a bond with her? I thought you despised Delilah."

"I did," Demona said. "Once. Not any more."

Thailog smiled at her. "You never cease to amaze me, my one-time love."

"You never loved me, Thailog," Demona snapped. "You only pretended to love me because you were only after my money."

"And you would know the difference, hmm?" Thailog said disdainfully. "You, who has known nothing but hate and loathing for the past thousand years?" He looked into the cell and focused on Andrea. "Ah, well. As much as I would love to continue this conversation, it is not what I came here for." He looked at Demona. "If you would be so kind, my dear?"

Demona turned and headed back across the cell, heading for Andrea.

The Eyrie Building

Fox smiled as Elisa stormed into Xanatos' office. Man, is she pissed! she thought. "I take it they left you out of their little rescue party," she said.

"You're damned right they did," Elisa fumed.

"Which one?" Fox asked. When Elisa looked at her in confusion, she added, "Which one said it was too dangerous? Don or Goliath?"

"They both did," she said. "But not in so many terms. Don said it wasn't a matter for the cops, and that I'd end up distracting them." More than anything, she wanted to throw something. "The nerve of him!"

Fox waited until Elisa stopped pacing across the office and openly glared at her, wondering about the smile on the redhead's face. "What?" she snapped.

"Men are all alike, aren't they," Fox said. "They think it's their job to keep us safe, but they forget that in the wild, it's the female that's the most dangerous."

"Damn right!" Elisa said.

"Maybe it's time we reminded them of that," Fox said. She leaned across the desk and pressed the intercom button. "Owen?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am," the majordomo's voice replied.

"You wouldn't happen to know where David stashed that spare exo-frame, would you?"

"Of course," Owen replied. "It's in section J, where the exo-frames are normally stored. May I ask why you wish to know?"

"Oh, no reason," she said as she looked at Elisa for a moment, giving her a smile. "You never know when a spare suit might come in handy."

"Understood."

Fox stood up and turned to looked at Elisa. "Wanna go crash a party?"

Thailog's lair

Hyena entered one of the facility's storage areas and crossed over to a tarp-covered form. She pulled the tarp away, revealing the large metal frame of Coyote.

"Wakey, wakey," she chimed, rapping her knuckles on the exterior surface. "Time to rise and shine, Coyote."

The robot shifted, then stood up as its systems began to re-initialize. "Good morning, Hyena. Are we making preparations for departure?"

"Yeah," she said. "As soon as we get our cut, we're out of here."

"And the hostages?"

"They're Thailog's problems," she said. "Not ours. We got paid to grab them, not dispose of whatever's left over after he gets through with 'em." She paused as she smiled for a minute. "Although, the thought of taking Demona apart a couple of times does have a certain appeal." She turned to the robot. "What do you say, handsome?" she said. "Wanna go have a little fun?"

Coyote wasn't paying attention to her. He had tapped into the external surveillance system and was tracking something that closing very fast.

"What is it?" Hyena asked, realizing it at almost the last moment.

"We have incoming," Coyote said.

Macbeth's hovercraft

"Why am I not surprised?" Don said as he saw their destination coming into view.

"Ye know this place?" Macbeth asked.

"I almost died here," he said.

Angela muttered in agreement as she remembered that night. Two months ago, she had visited Don at the Newtech Building to ask him some questions about a personal matter. They had talked while Don did rounds, but then something unexpected happened. Someone had planted a series of explosives throughout the building, and they started to go off after Don turned on a circuit breaker that had been deliberately shut off. Don had gotten Angela out of the building, but then he went back for Demona, who had stopped at the site to pick up some important papers for a meeting in Paris later that week. Both of them nearly lost their lives…

"Are you certain this is the right place, Macbeth?" Goliath asked.

"Aye," he said. "Demona is here. I can feel her clear as day."

"Then I suggest…" Xanatos started, but then the hovercraft was rocked by an explosion. Joanna screamed as she was thrown into Macbeth's arms and she saw something fly past the cockpit window. "What was that?"

"Coyote," Goliath said, recognizing the robot. Then he saw another figure closing on the hovercraft. It was Hyena. He saw her smile as she popped her wrist blaster and opened fire on the hovercraft.

Thailog's lair

Thailog crossed his arms, watching from the other side of the cell door as Demona carefully lifted the Bloodstone from around Andrea's neck and walked back to the front of the cell, reluctantly handing it to him. The Bloodstone had finished its work; Andrea's arm was not completely healed, but enough that she was no longer in pain. She would need to have a cast put on it later though, whatever damage the mystical stone didn't heal, Nature would have to finish.

"You have what you want, Thailog," Demona said venomously. "Let Andrea and the boy go."

"Now, now, my dear," Thailog said, smiling. "Such impatience. Don't you want to stay and reminisce for a while? I'm certain your friend would like to hear all about how we met. Or perhaps she would be more interested to know…"

Demona looked at the clone, wanting desperately to rip out his throat, but he was standing outside the cell, while she was trapped inside, unable to do anything to him as long as he was out of reach. "Thailog," she warned. "If you do not shut up, I will…"

"You will what, my dear," he said coldly. "Smash me? As you did those poor helpless humans you had turned to stone...what was it? Four years ago?"

"Thailog..." Demona growled, even as Andrea gasped slightly. Turned to stone? She remembered Travis Marshall interviewing several people the morning after her sister's disappearance. A woman had come up, saying she knew what had happened. "Everyone was turned to stone," she had said. "Like a bunch of statues." She had been dismissed of course, especially after she admitted she never watch television, but now it got Andrea thinking. Was it possible that woman had been right all along?

"I wonder if she lost anyone that night," he taunted. "A close friend perhaps? Or a sister?"

Demona shrieked as she rushed the bars, no longer caring that they were electrified. She hit the cell door and reached through, trying to fasten her talons around Thailog's throat. He stepped just out of reach, smiling as the electricity arced across her body while she continued to try to reach him.

"Demona!" Delilah cried out. She rushed to the front of the cell and quickly yanked Demona away, taking a bit of the charge herself, and the two collapsed onto the floor of the cell, Demona's body twitching violently from the prolonged exposure.

"Well, that was entertaining," Thailog said as he approached the bars. He tapped one lightly to make sure the current was still running, then smiled as he felt a slight jolt. "Now, as I was saying..."

His attention was drawn away as he heard Sevarius run up. "Thailog," he said. "I think we may have a problem."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Unexpected guests have arrived."

The rear of the hovercraft opened, and Goliath dived out, followed by Xanatos and the rest of the clan. They immediately headed for Hyena and Coyote. Macbeth turned to Lexington, who had seated himself at the controls of the hovercraft.

"Get Joanna out of here!" he commanded.

"Right," the small gargoyle said.

"What?" she cried out. "Len, you can't..."

"I canna allow ye to come to harm, Joanna," he said, then turned his attention back to Lexington. "I'm entrusting you with her safety, lad."

"Got it," Lex called back as Macbeth headed for the cargo bay.

"Damn it, Len," Joanna swore as the door closed.

"She's not happy," Don said.

"Your point being..."

"No point," Don said. "Just saying she's not happy. Course, I don't blame you for wanting her out of the line of fire."

"Aye," he said. "Though I'll probably be doing some serious explaining later on. Again."

"Well, the sooner we get this over with, the better," Don said. As Macbeth turned and hopped onto his flitter, activating it and turning towards the open cargo bay door, Don quipped, "Lead on, MacDuff."

Macbeth grumbled. "I swear. The next person who makes that comment to me, I shall personally strangle them myself."

Don smiled as he activated the jetpack of the battle armor and followed him out of the hovercraft.

Thailog watched via a security monitor as the rescue party poured out of the back of the hovercraft and engaged Hyena and Coyote, then spotted Macbeth and Don as they zipped out seconds later.

"Macbeth!" he snarled. "How in the world did he find us?" He looked into the cell at Delilah. "I thought you two checked her for tracking devices," he barked at Jackal.

"We did," the cyborg said. "And we took care of it."

"Then you were followed!"

"We were not followed," Jackal said. "They must have found some other way..."

Their attention was drawn to the cell as they heard Demona begin to laugh. "Thailog, you are a fool!" she said. "You might as well have put a neon sign on the roof, saying, 'The hostages are here! Come save them!"

"What are you..." Thailog started, but the answer was already dawning on him.

"That's right," Demona said, seeing the realization in his eyes. "How do you think Macbeth was able to track me to Manhattan? The link, Thailog. The same link that binds our lives together also enables Macbeth to track me no matter where I go on the planet. And you had those two mental defectives bring me right to you!"

Thailog shoved Jackal towards the door as he saw Macbeth land his flitter on the roof and head for the elevator maintenance hatch. Don joined him at the hatch and ripped it open. "Go out there and stop them."

"Right," Jackal said. "But we might need some back-up."

"I'll provide you with some suitable assistance," Thailog said. "Now go." As Jackal took off, Thailog turned to Sevarius. "It seems we may have overstayed our welcome here," he said. "Prepare my mate for travel. We are leaving."

"Of course," Sevarius said. He headed back towards the lab while Thailog glared at the prisoners. "You may think you have won, Demona. But this game is far from over." He looked at the Bloodstone in his hand before turning down the tunnel and joining Sevarius.

"Now what did he mean by that?" she wondered openly.

"Stay alert," Goliath called out as they closed on Hyena and Coyote. "Watch for the other members of the Pack. They may be in hiding, waiting to catch us off guard."

"Sorry to disappoint, Goliath," Hyena called out. "But you only have to worry about little old me and Coyote..."

A laser blast cut through the sky, almost nailing him from behind. Goliath turned and saw Jackal closing in on them.

"And my brother," Hyena finished.

"And I brought some friends," Jackal said.

The gargoyles eyes went wide as they saw ten Steel Clan Robots following the cyborg.

"Take 'em boys," Jackal said.

"Scatter!" Goliath commanded.

Don looked up as he saw the clan being ambushed by the two cyborgs and the robots. "We've got to help them," he said.

"Dinna worry about Goliath, lad," Macbeth said. "He can handle himself. We have other things to worry about."

Don shot another worried look at the aerial battle being fought above them before turning his attention to the elevator shaft. "Are you sure Demona's somewhere below us?"

"Aye," Macbeth said. "Quite a ways, too. Although it's hard to tell exactly where she is."

"I think I might know," Don said.

"You do?" he asked. "How?"

"When I was working here, I heard a few rumors about a third sublevel below the first two," Don said. "If the hostages are being held anywhere..."

"They'd be down there," Macbeth said.

"Right," Don said.

"I just hope yuir right, lad," he said.

"I just hope there aren't any surprises on the way down."

The two of them started down the shaft.

Xanatos turned and fired as two of the Steel Clan robots closed on him and Goliath.

"How could Thailog have gotten his hands on your robots, Xanatos?" Goliath asked.

"Probably the same way he got the plans for the exo-frame," Xanatos said. "He stole them." He risked a quick look at the robots. "And from the look of things, he modified the designs for these as well."

Goliath looked back at the robot. He could see that the robots were different. There seemed to be a permanent sneer molded into the face of the robot. And the armor had been painted charcoal-black, to match Thailog's own coloring.

"Well, I've had just about enough of this," Xanatos said as he altered direction, leaving Goliath to try to outrun the two robots. He came around and extended his wrist blaster, then opened fire. One of the robots chasing Goliath erupted into a ball of flame. He adjusted his aim to take out the other one when he was almost hit by laser fire from above. He turned and saw Coyote heading towards him.

"Hello, Xanatos," Coyote said as the robot closed on Xanatos. "I've been looking forward to this."

"So have I," Xanatos said. He smiled under his helmet as he touched his forearm. A panel slid open and Xanatos punched in a sequence. Instantly, Coyote's jetpack began to sputter.

"What are you up to, Xanatos?" Coyote asked frantically as he tried to reactivate the failing thrusters.

"You honestly think I'd let you walk around this long without having a fail-safe in place," Xanatos said. He punched in another sequence and the thrusters finally gave out. The Coyote robot plummeted to the ground.

"Coyote!" Hyena called out as she saw the robot falling from the sky. She abandoned her pursuit of Angela and Broadway and tried to beat the stricken robot to the ground.

Coyote got himself righted before he hit the ground, landing hard and felt his knee joints groan in protest.

"Coyote, are you okay?" Hyena called out. "What happened?"

"Apparently, Xanatos embedded a fail-safe code into my primary programming when it was first created," Coyote informed her. "He is attempting to override my systems."

Hyena turned at the sound of Xanatos closing on them. She turned to face him. "I'll take care of Xanatos," she said. "You take care of Goliath and the rest of his killjoys."

"Of course," Coyote said and turned to put some distance between himself and Xanatos.

Xanatos watched as Hyena closed the distance between them. This shouldn't take too long, he thought. I can deal with Coyote later. He turned his attention back to Hyena. "Hello, my dear. Let's dance."

"I said turn around," Joanna commanded.

"And I said Macbeth will skin me alive if I do," Lex countered. "Besides, what are you going to do, yell at them? Don't worry, Professor Walker. Macbeth can handle himself."

"But what about the rest?" she asked. "Those two...whatever they are...and those robots don't look very easy to beat."

"We've beaten them before," Lex said. "Besides, Xanatos can handle Jackal and Hyena."

"And the robots?"

Lex's response was cut off as the hovercraft lurched. Two of the robots had zeroed in on the craft and were firing at it.

"We've got to put some distance between us and them," Lex said. "I'm..."

This time he was cut off by the sound of a laser charging up. He turned his head and saw Joanna Walker shouldering a pulse rifle. Behind her, the weapons locker stood open. "As I was saying..." she said.

"Do you know how to use that thing?" he asked her.

"Seems simple enough," she said as she examined the weapon. "This is the trigger, right?" She moved to the side hatch and opened it, then sighted in on one of the robots. She squeezed the trigger, and the robot's head blew apart. "Yep, that's the trigger."

"Where did you learn to shoot like that?" Lex asked as he saw the headless robot spiraling down towards the ground.

"After what happened earlier this year," she called back as she braced her foot against the open hatch. "I figured that if I'm going to be involved in Len's life, I might as well get as much out of it as I can. I took up target shooting a few months ago." She aimed and fired, and the second robot began falling towards the ground, trailing smoke. "And you have no idea how much fun this is."

"Just don't tell Broadway you enjoy it," Lex said. "He doesn't like guns."

"Why?" she asked.

"It's a long story," he said as he turned the hovercraft around and headed back towards the Newtech site.

"I think this is it," Don said, hovering in the shaft. Macbeth slowed his descent down the maintenance ladder and looked at the doors.

"Aye, lad," he said. "Demona is somewhere beyond that door."

Don reached out and forced the doors open, the added strength granted him by the battlesuit proving more than enough to overcome the mechanism that held the doors closed. He jetted into the corridor and set down, then waited until Macbeth stepped in himself.

"Which way?" Don asked.

"There," Macbeth said, pointing down the corridor.

The two broke into a run.

Demona frowned as she saw Sevarius return, an odd three-nozzled gun held in his hand.

"Well, my dear," he said, looking at Delilah. "It's time we were going. Thailog does hate to be kept waiting."

"I'm not going anywhere with him or you, Sevarius," Delilah snapped.

"And if you think I'm going to stand by and let you take her..." Demona added.

"Now that is what I call togetherness," Sevarius laughed. "A mother, as it were, defending her child. That is touching."

"I give you 'touching', Anton," Demona snarled. "I'll rip out your spleen and other vital organs and place them in a Cuisinart!"

"Oh, very graphic, my dear," he said. "I am impressed." He glanced down at the gun he held in his hand. "But somehow, I don't think you'll have the chance."

"What are you going to do, march her out of here while you hold the rest of us at gunpoint?" Demona said.

"Not quite," he said. He squeezed the trigger.

A gas sprayed out of the nozzles, catching Demona in the face, and she staggered back, choking. She collapsed to her hands and knees as Andrea rushed to her side.

"I do so hate using CS gas," he said, watching Demona gagging, trying to breathe. "But I must admit that it is quite effective." He looked at Delilah. "Now my dear, unless you wish for me to fill the cell with this, you will come along peacefully. This stuff has quite a nasty effect on a child's respiratory system, and I'm fairly certain..."

He never got a chance to finish, because at that moment, a steel clawed hand clamped onto his shoulder and spun him around. The gas gun was quickly ripped from his grasp and tossed aside.

"What's up, doc?" Don said as he shoved Sevarius against the wall. He turned to look at Macbeth. "I've always wanted to say that."

"Don," Delilah called out as she rushed to the front of the cell. "You're here!"

"You think I'd let a creep like Thailog hold two of my favorite gargs like this?" he quipped. Handing Sevarius off to Macbeth, he reached for the cell door. "Though I'm kind of surprised that between you and Demona..."

"Don't!" Demona gasped, finally beginning to overcome the effects of the CS gas. "Electrified."

"Ah, ha!" Don said, snatching his hand back. "Gotcha! What do you say, doc?" he said, turning his attention to Sevarius. "You wanna open that cell?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked.

"Not unless you want to experience first-hand what being electrocuted feels like," Don said.

"You wouldn't let him..." he gasped, turning to Macbeth.

"Try me, sirrah," Macbeth said flatly.

Sevarius gulped and stepped forward, punching in the access code that turned off the electrical grid and opened the cell door. As soon as it was open, Demona rushed through and threw herself at Don.

"I knew you'd come to our rescue," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

"Glad to be of service," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her tightly. Demona gasped as he did and Don remembered that he was wearing the battle armor. "Sorry," he said.

"It's all right," she said, pausing to look at Macbeth. "I must say I'm surprised to see you, Macbeth."

"Not as surprised as I am to see this," Macbeth said, taking in the sight of Don and Demona with their arms wrapped around each other. He looked at Delilah, Andrea and Danny as they came out of the cell. His eyes fixed on Andrea's arm. "What happened?"

"Thailog broke her arm in order to force me to show him how to use the Bloodstone," Demona said.

"That son-of-a-bitch!" Don swore, and for an instant, Demona could have sworn that his eyes flashed a bright green. He started to pull away from Demona.

"No, Don!" she said. "I'll deal with Thailog. You and Macbeth need to get the others out of here."

"You're not going to face him alone," he said.

"I have to, Don," she said. "This is my fight. Thailog and I have 'unfinished' business with each other." She kissed him again and turned to head down the corridor. She paused as she looked at Andrea. She could see the look of uncertainty in her friend's eyes. Will we be friends after this? she wondered. "Andrea..."

"Promise me," she said, cradling her arm. "After this is all over, we'll talk?"

"I promise," Demona said. She touched Andrea's cheek lightly before racing down the corridor.

"Get them out of here, Macbeth," Don said as he turned to follow her.

"Where do ye think..."

"I'm going after her," Don said. "I'm not going to let her face that maniac on her own." Without waiting for a reply, Don took off after Demona.

"Crazy, lovestruck fool," Macbeth cursed. He turned to Delilah. "There's a side passage back that way, lass," he said, pointing back the way he and Don had come. "It leads to an elevator shaft. We'll join you there."

"Where are you going?" Andrea asked.

"After them," he said. "Neither one of them is thinking straight, and it's liable to get them both killed." He shoved Sevarius into the cell and closed the door. "This will keep you out of trouble until we come back for you, doctor," he said. "Go," he said, turning to Delilah. Then he bolted down the corridor.

"Come on," Delilah said, picking up Danny and extending her hand to Andrea. "We are getting out of here." She started down the corridor.

"Wait a minute," Andrea said. "He said the elevator shaft is back in the other direction."

"But Thailog went this way," Delilah said. "And I'm guessing there's another way out in the same direction." Pulling Andrea after her, Delilah headed down the corridor.

Sevarius shook his head in disappointment. "And here I was beginning to think you were the smart one, my dear," he said. Reaching through the bars of the cell, he placed his hand over the access pad and activated the door. It opened and Sevarius took off in the other direction.

The fight was not going well for the gargoyles. Despite their best efforts, and the crack shooting courtesy of Joanna, Thailog's Steel Clan robots and the twins continued to keep the gargoyles and Xanatos on the defensive.

"We need to come up with a new plan," Brooklyn called out to Goliath as another pair of robots closed on them.

"We need to regroup," Goliath replied. Together, they altered course and headed for a nearby rooftop. "Angela, Broadway, Sata," he called out, drawing the attention of the others. The rest of the rescue party converged on Goliath and Brooklyn's position, save for Xanatos, who was having problems of his own.

Hyena extended her arms and legs and wrapped them around Xanatos, trying to immobilize him long enough for Jackal to use the cutter in his arm to open up the chest of Xanatos' exo-frame. Fortunately, Xanatos wasn't about to give Jackal the chance and jetted away from him.

Unfortunately, he was unable to dislodge Hyena.

"I love a man who plays hard to get," she quipped.

"While you just play hard to get rid of," Xanatos countered. He put himself into a tight spin that threatened to overload his suit's electronic guidance system, but he was finally able to shake off Hyena. She fell away, but managed to right herself and dived at Xanatos again.

Goliath watched the aerial cat and mouse game between Xanatos and the twins while searching the sky for the remainder of Thailog's robots. He found them harrying the hovercraft, keeping it from approaching while moving too fast for Professor Walker to shoot down.

"We have to help Lex and Professor Walker," Angela said.

"I agree," Goliath said. "But we cannot abandon Xanatos to the mercy of Jackal and Hyena."

"And don't forget," Brooklyn said. "We came to rescue the hostages, not fight a prolonged battle. Sunrise is a little over an hour away."

"Oh, I don't think you should worry too much about sunrise, Brooklyn," came the sound of Xanatos' voice. They turned just in time to see Coyote land on the roof behind them. "After all, you'll all be dead long before then."

"Move!" Goliath called out.

"I don't think so," Coyote said. A panel opened on his shoulder and a very familiar weapon popped into view. Coyote's distortion generator. The gargoyles fell as he swept it over them.

"It's just you and us now, rich man," Jackal said as he watched the gargoyles collapse.

"And very soon, it'll be only us," Hyena said.

Xanatos looked at the twins flanking him, then his attention was drawn skyward. "Oh," he said, smiling behind his helmet. "What about them?"

The twins looked and caught sight of two more exo-frames speeding towards them.

"Well, well," Hyena said. "Look who's decided to join the party."

"And she brought a friend, too," Jackal said.

"Friend, schmend," Hyena said. "That's probably just a hologram. Look, it's the same color as Fox's."

It was true. The exo-frames were identical, right down to the paint job, which was blue.

"But which do we figure out which one is the real one?" Jackal asked.

"Here's how," Hyena said. She popped a mini-missile launcher and fired at the incoming exo-frames. The one on the right opened up with its suit's laser blaster and vaporized the missiles.

"That one's got to be Fox," Hyena quipped. "Keep Xanatos busy, brother. She's mine."

Jackal watched as his sister streaked upwards, heading for Fox, before turning his attention back to Xanatos. "Now it's just down to you and me."

"And her," Xanatos said, indicating the exo-frame the Hyena ignored.

"That's just a hologram," he said. "I'm not going to be taken in by an illusion."

"Are you sure it's not real?" Xanatos said.

"It didn't try to shoot down the missile," Jackal said. "So it's got to be a fake."

"Try telling her that," Xanatos quipped.

Jackal turned as the sound of the exo-frame's jetpack filled his ears. Wait a minute, he thought. Holograms don't make any noise. "What..." he started, just as the exo-frame barreled into him, knocking him from the sky. Out of control, Jackal fell to the roof of the Newtech Building and didn't get up again.

"I told you she was real," Xanatos said as he watched Jackal hit the roof. "Excellent timing, my dear," he said to the hovering Steel Clan battlesuit. "As always."

"Guess again, Xanatos," Elisa's voice came over the suit's concealed speakers.

Xanatos' eyes went wide in surprise behind the helmet. "Detective Maza? Well, I must say that this is a surprise."

"It sure was for him," Elisa said, nodding towards Jackal.

"Although, I'm surprised that you managed to get here in one piece, detective," Xanatos said.

"Give your wife some credit," Elisa said. "Fox had me remotely tied into her suit's navigation system while she gave me a quick course on how to work this tin can."

"She is just full of surprises, isn't she," he said.

Elisa looked skyward, focusing on Fox. "Although, it looks like she could use a little help right about now," she said.

"And Goliath is in serious need of help dealing with Coyote," Xanatos said. "I'll deal with him. You go help Fox." He started towards where Coyote had the clan pinned down.

"Xanatos, wait," Elisa called out. "Where's Don and Macbeth?"

"I haven't seen them since they headed into the Newtech Building," Xanatos said. "I hope they haven't run into any trouble."

Me too, Elisa thought as she took off across the sky towards Fox and Hyena.

Thailog reached the lab at the end of the corridor and recovered the briefcase, tossing the Bloodstone inside and headed for the far end of the lab. As he reached the wall, a hidden door opened, revealing a passageway.

"I always knew this day would come," he said. Setting down the briefcase for a minute, he opened a hidden panel in the wall and pressed a series of buttons.

"Goodbye, Demona," he said.

"Goodbye yourself!" she snarled.

Thailog turned, and Demona leapt at him, talons extended, intending to do more damage to the clone. Quickly, he brought up his arm and knocked her aside.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you escaped that cell, my ex-love," he said. "I guess that also means that your friends are already on their way out."

"Leaving just you and me, Thailog," she snarled as she got up. Reaching over, she ripped the chain that Sevarius had used to restrain Delilah out of the wall and began swinging it. "And this time, I won't leave until I'm certain that I've destroyed you."

"Are you certain you'll have the chance?" Thailog sneered.

"What do you mean?"

"I've rigged this facility to explode, Demona," he said. "Just like before."

"What?" she gasped.

"Haven't you been wondering who set those explosives that decimated Newtech all those months ago?" he said.

"It was you!" Demona snarled.

"Of course, now I'm ready to finish the job," he said.

"What do you..." she started, but then she realized what he meant. They were in one of Newtech's underground lab complexes! "You miserable...!" She jumped at him.

Thailog grabbed her by the throat as she hit him, intending to snap her neck, but then Demona squirmed out of his grasp and got behind him, then threw the chain around his neck. Thailog barely managed to get his fingers under the chain before she tightened her grip and began to try to strangle him.

"You...won't have time...to warn...your...friends," Thailog said, trying to pull the chain loose. Demona quickly brought her knee up and set it against his back, using it as a focal point to help her tighten the chain around his neck even more.

"I'm certain they'll have ample time to get clear once they hear the explosions begin," Demona said. "And if I have to die in the blast, I'm taking you with me!"

"And what...of your friends...down here," Thailog managed to say.

"If I'm right, they're already..."

"Demona!" Don called out as he raced into the lab.

No! Demona thought in dismay. "I told you to take the others and leave!"

"I wasn't about to..."

"Get out of here!" she cried out. "Thailog has set this place to blow up!"

"Not without you!" he said. He pulled the other length of chain from the wall and raced across the lab towards them.

Thailog struck out, catching Don across the face as he ran up, and knocked him back.

"Don!" Demona cried out as he hit the floor.

Thailog used her moment of anguish against her and fell backwards against the wall, driving her into the concrete and causing her to loosen her grip. It wasn't enough, though, and Demona managed to hold on, tightening her grip on the chain around his neck even more.

"Demona!"

Demona looked up as Macbeth came running into the lab. "What is it with you men, dammit?" she cried out. "Is there something about the words 'Get out!' that you have trouble with? Get out of here, Macbeth! And take Don with you!"

"I don't think so," Thailog said. He extended his wrist blaster and fired at Macbeth as he ran to Don's side.

Don saw the bolt heading for Macbeth and pushed him out of the way. The blast hit him instead.

"No!" Demona cried out, and this time, Thailog managed to shake her loose. He grabbed a section of rebar that had been left behind during the recent construction and stabbed Demona with it, driving it between her ribs and through her chest until it exited through her back. Demona screamed in pain and Macbeth groaned as he felt Demona's pain before collapsing onto the floor in agony.

Thailog lifted Demona with the rebar and viciously rammed the bloody end into the wall. She screamed again as she felt herself hit the wall, and she heard Macbeth cry out a second time.

"I do so wish I had the time to prolong your suffering, my dear," Thailog said calmly as he pulled the chain from around his throat. "But I do have places to go, things to do, people to kill. Speaking of which..." He paused as he turned his attention towards Don.

Don moaned as he tried to get up. He was in a lot of pain; the blast from Thailog had caved in the front of the armor, and he was certain it had cracked a few ribs. He managed to look up and saw Thailog, holding Demona against the wall with a bloody piece of rebar that had pierced her chest.

"I must admit that I was surprised to find that you had taken a human as a lover, my dear," Thailog said. "It is so unlike you."

"He's...more of a male...than you'll ever be," Demona gasped.

"Really," Thailog sneered. "Or perhaps it's just that you've lowered your standards, Demona. Well, there's no accounting for taste, I guess." He gave the rebar a twist, causing Demona to cry out in pain, before focusing on Don. "At any rate," he said. "It's time I concluded this little drama. I really must thank you for showing up, Mr. Taylor. It saves me the trouble of tracking you down myself. Say goodbye to your lover, my dear."

"No!" Demona cried out as Thailog aimed his wrist blaster at Don.

Thailog never got off the shot. As soon as he heard Demona cry out, Don's head shot up, focusing on Thailog, and a green eldritch glow washed over him.

"Get away from her!" he shouted.

And Thailog was flung across the lab.

The clone hit the far wall with a solid thud, and then the same unseen force flung him across the lab a second time, this time he hit the wall so hard that it cracked the exterior of his armor. Sparks began flying from damaged joints and severed connections as Thailog tried to stand up again.

"How..." he started before starting to collapse. He fell to the floor, barely able to move. "This is not happening," he groaned in protest. He looked over and saw Don sag to the floor, insensate. Willing himself into motion, he dragged himself towards the open door, pausing for a moment to grab the briefcase and drag it after him. As soon as he was through the door, it closed behind him.

Jackal groaned as he regained consciousness. Looking up, he caught sight of his sister tangling with Fox, and the second exo-frame was closing on them. He pushed himself up, then grimaced as he realized that several of his key systems had sustained damage.

"Oh, that's just perfect," he said. He got to his feet and took off across the sky, heading for his sister, who didn't know she was about to be blindsided.

"Well, Fox," Hyena said. "Ready to call it quits and give up?"

"Not in the least," she said as she saw Elisa closing towards them. "Although, you might want to."

"I don't think..." she started, but then she was hit from behind by a blast from Elisa's wrist blaster.

"That's right, Hyena," Elisa said. "You don't think. With all that hardware, it's a wonder you have any real brains left."

"Who..." Hyena started as she halted her fall.

"Three guesses," Fox said. "And I'll give you a hint. It's not Owen."

Hyena grumbled. "Blasted detective," she yelled. "What is Xanatos doing, selling those damned things through Radio Shack?"

"Just leveling the playing field," Elisa quipped as she took position next to Fox. The two of them hovered, side by side, as they looked down at Hyena and Jackal, who finally reached his sister.

"I get the feeling this has become a no-win situation, sis," he said. "Let's get out of here while we can." She reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"This isn't over, Fox," she called back over her shoulder as they started across the sky. "Coyote, let's get out of here!"

Coyote looked up to see Jackal and Hyena heading out across the sky. As he turned, Goliath got up and charged the robot.

"Uh, uh, Goliath," Coyote said, quickly turning around. "You wouldn't attack me with my back turned, would you?" He aimed the generator at Goliath.

"Maybe not," another voice said. "But I would." Xanatos came zipping in and blasted the generator, giving Goliath and the others the chance to recover and retreat.

"And I thought you were trying to cultivate a 'good-guy' image, Xanatos," Coyote said. "Oh, well. Nothing lasts forever."

"You got that right," Xanatos said. He opened the panel on his arm and tapped in a command sequence.

"I don't think so," Coyote said. "I've already identified and bypassed those command codes. So long, Xanatos." The robot turned and fired his jets, taking off after Jackal and Hyena.

"But you probably didn't find all of them," Xanatos said. He smiled as he tapped in one more sequence.

"Uh, oh," Coyote said, just before his entire program deleted itself. The robot shut down completely and fell from the sky. Goliath and the others rushed to the edge of the roof just in time to see the robot explode as it hit the ground.

Hyena watched helplessly as the robot burned out of control. "Coyote!" she cried out.

"There's nothing you can do for him," Jackal said. "Come on. I'll buy you a Giga-pet. Let's just get out of here."

"This isn't over with," Hyena called out as they disappeared from sight.

"You want to know something, Goliath," Xanatos said as he joined them, taking off his helmet so he could see Coyote's destruction with his own eyes. "That felt oddly satisfying."

Goliath turned to face him. "How did you..." he asked.

"When I first had Coyote built," Xanatos said. "I had an override sequence inserted into his primary programming. Something to make sure I didn't lose control of him."

"Then why didn't you use it when we learned that Madoc had recreated him," Goliath asked.

"Because I didn't have the override codes installed into the suit's computer then," Xanatos said. "And up until that point, I never really needed them. You were kind of hard on them, Goliath." He looked up as the two blue exo-frames descended towards them.

"At least Fox and Owen were able to turn the tide in our favor," Goliath said. He looked at the two new arrivals. "Your timing could not have been better."

"I got news for you, Goliath," Fox said as she removed her own helmet. "This isn't Owen."

"Then who..." he started, then gasped as the wearer of the other exo-frame removed her helmet. "Elisa?"

"Surprised to see me?" she asked.

"I...I...that is..." he stammered.

"Wow!" Angela said. "I never would have guessed that it was you."

"Maybe next time, you guys won't be so quick to cut me out of any rescue missions," she said.

"After all," Xanatos said. "She does wear that exo-frame quite well."

Elisa cast a dark look at him. "Watch it, Xanatos," she warned before returning her attention back to Goliath. "Now all that's left is to find Demona and the others and get out of here."

"I think we have a more immediate concern at hand," Goliath said.

"What?" she asked.

"Them."

They all turned and saw three of Thailog's Steel Clan robots heading straight for them.

Macbeth moaned as he moved, trying to stand up. The rebar that Thailog had plunged into Demona's body was causing her pain, and that was causing him pain. He looked at the fallen gargoyle and took a step towards her. "Ye'll probably hate me for doing this, Demona," he said. He finally reached the unconscious female and touched the bar. "But it's the only way..."

"Macbeth, no!" he heard a voice call out. He paused as he saw Delilah racing towards him.

"I thought I told ye to..."

"It's a good thing I didn't," she said. "Otherwise..."

"Oh, my God," Andrea gasped as she saw her friend lying unconscious on the floor, with a section of rebar sticking out of her. "Dominique!"

"She'll be all right," Macbeth said. "Ye have my word."

"But, that...bar," she gasped.

"Don't worry," Delilah said. "I need you to check on Don. See if he's all right."

"You wouldn't know it by looking at me," she heard Don groan. She turned to see Don rise slowly to his feet and stagger over. "Oh, God," he said as he saw the injury to Demona. He bent down and touched her cheek lightly. "Sweetheart..." he gasped.

Demona moaned as she slowly regained consciousness. She tried to get up, but winced and fell back as she realized the rebar was still in her. "Thailog..." she gasped.

"He's gone," Don said. "I don't know where."

"We have to..." she started.

"We'll find him later," Delilah said. "Right now, we need to..."

"No," Demona said. "Have to...get out of here. Thailog...did something. Set to explode..."

"Oh, hell," Don said as he stood up, grimacing in pain as he did. "We need to move."

"I won't be able to move very fast with that rod sticking out of her," Macbeth said. "And I doubt that ye'd be able to carry her..."

"We need to remove it," Delilah said. She touched the rod hesitantly, afraid to cause Demona any more pain, but she didn't have a choice.

"But you're not supposed to," Andrea said. "When I learned first aid, they always said..."

"Demona's a special case," Macbeth said. "She'll be better off if we take it out now than if we leave it in." He looked at Delilah. "I probably shouldn't try to help," he said. "If anything goes wrong..."

"I understand," Delilah said. She looked up at Don. "I need you to hold her down."

"Right," Don said. He placed his hands on Demona's shoulders and looked down at her. "Hold still, Demona," he said. "This is going to hurt like you wouldn't believe."

"You'd be surprised," she gasped. "What I'd believe..."

Delilah carefully wrapped her fingers around the rebar, and gave it a hard yank. It came out, spraying blood and Demona screamed before blacking out.

Macbeth groaned as he felt the rebar leave Demona's body and dropped to his knees, trying hard to remain conscious.

"Are you okay?" Andrea asked.

"Aye," Macbeth groaned. "There's a link that binds our lives together. Whatever Demona feels, I feel,"

"I heard Demona mention it to Thailog," she said. "But I never imagined..."

"It's not important now," Don said. "What's important is that we get out of here." He bent down to lift Demona, but groaned loudly as he did.

"I'll take her," Macbeth said. "Ye've probably got a cracked rib or two from that blast."

"I'm not going to argue with you," Don said as he stepped back.

Macbeth bent down and carefully lifted Demona's unconscious form in his arms. "Delilah, you help Don. Ms. Calhoun, can ye handle the lad?"

"I think so," she said. She lifted Danny as carefully as she could with one arm and held him close.

"Then let's get ourselves out of here."

They made their way back to the elevator shaft, stopping briefly at the cell to grab Sevarius, only to find him already gone, and they found Goliath and the other gargoyles waiting for them.

"Demona," Goliath gasped as he saw the injury to his former mate. "What happened?"

"Thailog stabbed her," Macbeth said. "She tried to strangle him, and he paid her back for it."

Goliath rumbled deep in his chest in outrage. Even though Demona had tried to kill him and the rest of clan numerous times over the past few years, she was starting to show some real change in her ways, and he was beginning to view her as a friend once more. "Where..."

"Don't know," Don said, his arm slung over Delilah's shoulder as she supported him. "But we don't have time to look for him. Thailog's got this place rigged to blow, and we don't know how much time we have left."

"Up the shaft, quickly!" Goliath commanded. He took Don from Delilah and had Don wrap his arms around his broad neck before leaping into the shaft and heading for the roof. Together with Broadway, Angela managed her mother and Brooklyn and Sata carried Andrea, while Delilah took Danny. Macbeth brought up the rear.

"Lex," he called over the microphone pinned to his jacket collar. "Meet us on the roof."

"Gotcha!"

As soon as the hovercraft touched down, everyone scrambled to get on board, the gargoyles helping those who had been injured, while Elisa and the Xanatoses polished off the remainder of Thailog's Steel Clan. As soon as they were on board, the hovercraft left the roof and turned towards the castle.

"Now, my dear," Thailog said. He had managed to get himself to a secure location several miles from Newtech after he dragged himself to a waiting underground transport. "We end this." He pressed a button on the panel.

The hovercraft was buffeted by a shock wave as the building below them exploded. It lurched violently, throwing everyone off their feet, but Lex managed to regain control of the craft and headed it out across the sky.

"Nice flying, Lex," Xanatos said. "Good job."

"Is everyone okay?" Goliath asked.

"Yeah," came the response. "We're all fine back here, Goliath," Elisa added. "Considering what just happened."

Goliath stepped over to her, watching as she and Delilah began to strip the damaged armor from Don. "How is he?"

"Lousy," Don moaned. "But you should see the other guy."

"The 'other guy' got away, Don," Elisa said.

"Don't remind me," he groaned.

Andrea stepped cautiously over to Macbeth, who was supporting Demona against his chest while Joanna did her best to dress the wound. Angela was kneeling next to her, holding her hand. "Dominique?" she said hesitantly.

Demona's eyes opened slowly at the sound of her voice. "An...drea?" she gasped tiredly. She managed to focus on the young artist and saw the questioning look in her eyes. What...do I say to her? she thought, knowing already what was going through her mind.

"Dom," Andrea said. "What he...Thailog said. About my sister. Is it..."

Tears began to spill from Demona's bloodshot eyes. "I'm...sorry, Andrea," she said.

Tears were threatening to spread across Andrea's face as well. "Why?" she asked.

"I was angry, bitter, resentful," Demona said. "I hated humanity with every breath I took, and I wanted to make them pay for what had been done to my kind. I used magic to cast a spell..." She paused as she looked at Andrea's tear-filled eyes. "I wanted to tell you, Andrea. But I was afraid of what you'd think of me. I didn't want to lose you. I've lost so many of the people I care about already, I didn't want to add you to the list..."

"But...I'm human," Andrea said, kneeling down until she was level with Demona's face. "If you hate us so much..."

"I lost that hate," Demona said. "When I learned I had a daughter," she paused as she looked at Angela. "I wanted nothing more than to have her accept me, despite all that I've done. And when I learned that a human had saved her life..." She paused again, looking over at Elisa. "All the old hatreds started to fall away. And when I met you...and Don..." She grimaced in pain as she felt Macbeth shift under her.

"You couldn't hate us any more," Andrea said.

"No," she said. "Andrea, I never wanted to hurt you. If I could, I'd go back and try to change everything I'd ever done. But I can't. I can't erase the past. I told you I made mistakes in the past, and your sister..." She saw the pain in the young artist's eyes. "Andrea..." she said, reaching out to her.

Andrea carefully reached out and threaded her fingers through Demona's, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I forgive you, Dom. I know that you want hard to make up for everything you've ever done, and telling me what happened to Helen is a start."

"But..." Demona started, sensing there was something more.

"But," Andrea said. "I am going to need some time to deal with this. You've kept this secret from me, and I need to step back and see where this takes us."

"I didn't want you to hate me," Demona sobbed.

"Dom," Andrea said quickly, seeing fresh tears fall down her face. "I could never hate you. You're my friend and...I love you." She let go of Demona's hand and wrapped her good arm around Demona's neck, hugging her as tightly as she could without causing the wounded gargoyle any further discomfort. After a moment, she broke the embrace and stood up, tears still flowing down her face, but there was a trace of a smile on her face. Angela stood up and helped her into seat for the trip back to the castle.

October 31, 1999

The Eyrie Building

Owen stepped into Xanatos' office, carrying a folder. He paused as he saw that Xanatos was watching the feed from one of the external cameras. Andrea Calhoun had arrived at the castle and was standing at a small bronze marker that had been placed in the flagstones in the courtyard. He cut the feed as he turned to Owen. "Yes," he said. "These are the damage estimates you wanted, Mr. Xanatos," Owen said.

"And..."

"It will be at least another three days to repair the damage to all three exo-frames, sir," he said. "Fortunately, the damage to the suit Detective Maza commandeered..."

"Don't think of it as 'commandeered', Owen," Xanatos said. "Think of it as 'requisitioned'. After all, I did have that suit designed for her."

"Of course, sir," Owen said.

"You were saying?"

"The damage to that suit was minimal, as was Fox's. The damage to yours, of course, was more substantial. And the damage to the battle armor you loaned to Mr. Taylor..."

"How is he, anyway?"

"Dr. Howard said Mr. Taylor made a full recovery and has already been discharged," Owen said. "The impact from Thailog's wrist blaster did not penetrate the armor, and Mr. Taylor only sustained three bruised ribs. None broken."

"I always wondered how much punishment that chest plate could handle," Xanatos said. "Now I know. Any word on Ms. Roswell's condition?"

"Dr. Sato at Manhattan General reports that her condition is stable and she is expected to make a full recovery."

"Good," Xanatos said. "Make arrangements to have her medical bill paid..."

"That's already being seen to, sir," Owen said.

"Good work, Owen," he said, smiling.

"I cannot take the credit for that, sir," the majordomo said.

"Oh?"

"Demona has already seen to Ms. Roswell's medical needs," Owen said. "She is on Nightstone's payroll, after all."

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Xanatos said. He paused as he turned his chair to look out at the early night sky. "Is there anything else, Owen?"

"Yes, sir," he said. "What is to be done with the remains of Coyote?"

"Make sure that his program has been completely wiped, Owen," he said. "Then I want a complete systems check before reconstruction begins."

"Are you certain that is wise, sir?" Owen asked. "Goliath may object..."

"I invested substantial resources into the original Coyote project, Owen," Xanatos said. "And I intend to see some returns. Goliath may object, but I think he'll come around when he sees what I have in mind."

"Very good, sir."

"That'll be all, Owen," Xanatos said. After he left, Xanatos turned the security monitor on and watched as Goliath and the clan joined Andrea at the marker.

"I want to thank you for this," Andrea said as she looked at the gargoyles.

"It was Mother's idea," Angela said. "She thought...she wanted to do something. So your sister wouldn't be forgotten."

Andrea knelt down and lightly touched the simple brass marker imbedded in the ancient stones.

'In Memory of Helen. You Shall Not Be Forgotten.'

"It's beautiful," Andrea said. "And it's just the kind of memorial Helen would want."

"It seemed only fitting," Goliath said softly. "To place it here so it would stand over the very scroll Demona used that night."

"It is," Andrea said. "I want to thank you for this." She looked at Angela. "All of you."

"There is a tradition among our kind to hold a Remembrance ceremony," Goliath said. "To honor the memory of fallen members of the clan. If you wish, we could hold one for your sister, so that we may share in your memories of her."

Andrea smiled at the big gargoyle. "I think she would have liked that."

Together, they stepped away from the marker and headed into the castle, leaving one unseen gargoyle behind.

Demona watched from the top of the tower as the gargoyles led Andrea inside. She wanted to join them, but she knew it was too soon. Andrea needed time to grieve the loss of her sister, and she would only serve as a painful reminder of the one who took Helen from her. Later, perhaps, she thought. When she would be able to forgive herself. For what she had done, and what she was about to force herself to do.

I have to let him go.

November 3, 1999

From the journal of Mme. Dominique Destine,

I've come to a decision, and it's tearing me apart.

I don't want to do this, but after what happened this week with Thailog, I really don't have a choice. I have to give him up.

Like I said, I don't want to do this, but I have to. I care about Don too much to risk losing him if Thailog ever found out that he and I are lovers. I almost lost him once this year, even though I didn't know it at the time, when Thailog sabotaged the Newtech site and Don almost sacrificed himself rescuing me. If it hadn't been for the Bloodstone, I would have lost him, and I never would have experienced his tender touch.

I can't risk that, now that Thailog has made off with the Bloodstone, and I don't have the resources to create another one. If he were to find out just how truly dear to my heart Don is, I shudder to think what that animal would do to him. Thailog has already hurt someone very close to me, my dear friend Andrea, and he has threatened to hurt my daughter Angela more than once. I have to give up Don in order to protect him.

It probably won't be easy. I don't think I ever truly fell in love with Don the way his former fiancée, Elisa Maza did so many years ago, but I have a feeling he fell in love with me. Probably the romantic in him, I suppose. I hope he understands why I'm doing this. I can't afford to lose him. He has so much potential…

I still remember the first time, that wondrous first time we made love. Not sex. Love. Pure and passionate and all-consuming. I don't think anyone has ever touched me the way Don did on that night. Not Thailog, nor Macbeth and not even Goliath, who loved me more than any other gargoyle did.

For someone as strong as he is, Don had a surprisingly soft touch. I was truly amazed by the fact that, unlike most humans, he didn't grab or poke, he stroked and caressed gently, his fingers tracing the contours of my body as he explored my being that first night, until he was satisfied that he had found my centers of pleasure. His hands seemed to take on a life of their own when we were together, and I guess that was why it was so pleasurable. He seemed to take great satisfaction in the giving of pleasure, rather than the receiving of it, and I guess that was why his former mate Elisa had such a hard time giving him up. He most certainly knows how to treat a lady.

Which is one of the reasons why giving him up is going to be so hard. I can't afford to allow my own carnal desires to become the instrument that Thailog would only be too happy to use to get at me. He's struck at me through Andrea, my friend. I can't allow him to use a lover against me in the same fashion, even though Don has assured me that he can handle himself if Thailog should try again. Since he's beaten him once already, Don told me that he just might be able to defeat him next time. But I worry, not because Don is overly confident in the belief that he can take on Thailog and win. It's because something happened to him at Newtech the night of the rescue, something he doesn't want to talk about, but I can guess what it is. His powers have...changed...somehow.

I should be thinking about what I'm going to tell Don, not wondering what's happened to his powers, but I can't help it. If he had better mastery of his abilities, I probably wouldn't need to worry. Thailog would never stand a chance against a full-blown Mage, but Don's abilities have eluded him of late, ever since that night. Spells that were simple now seem to be just beyond his grasp, and it's frustrating, both for him and myself. I wish I knew what happened, but I had blacked out and I didn't see what took place. And Don has been reluctant to talk about it. I wish he would open up to me, tell me what happened. Maybe if I talked to him, convinced him to...

Demona looked up from her journal as she heard a knock on the front door. He's here, she thought sadly. She sighed as she set the pen down on the page and got up from her desk to answer the door and break the sad news to her lover.

I have to let him go.

Don looked up as he heard the door open. He smiled as he saw Demona standing in the doorway and took a step towards her, opening his arms to embrace her. He frowned slightly as she stepped back.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, worried.

"We...need to talk, Don," she said hesitantly.

"Sure," he said, taking a step inside. As soon as Demona closed the door, Don put his hands on her arms, but she flinched and pulled away. "Demona, what's wrong?"

"I want..." she started, turning away from him. "I want you to leave me."

"What?" Don gasped. "You can't be serious."

"I am," she said, already feeling tears flowing down her cheeks. "I can't...I don't want you anymore. You've ceased to be of use to me."

"You don't mean that," he said, taking a step towards her.

No, I don't, she thought bitterly. More than anything, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and lose herself in his embrace. But she couldn't. She couldn't risk losing Don if Thailog were to return.

"Yes, I do," she said, trying desperately to keep her voice steady. "Your powers have left you, Don. You're of no use to me without them."

"I know why you're doing this, Demona," he said. "And it won't work. You can't tell me..."

"Yes, I can!" she snapped, turning to face him. "Do you think that I would allow a human to touch me in the way you did if I didn't expect something in return? I only allowed you into my bed because it was the only way I could get you to begin harnessing your abilities."

"I don't believe that," he said, looking at her. He could see the pain in her eyes. She's ripping herself apart, trying to convince me she doesn't love me.

"Believe it," she said, quickly turning as she felt tears running down her face. "You're no longer of any use to me. Now I want you gone. Leave me alone."

"Demona..." he started as he stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're not..."

"I said leave me alone!" she screamed. Spinning, she struck Don across the face and knocked him across the foyer. He fell, landing on his back, then sat up slowly as he saw the look of horror on her face. She'd never struck me before, he thought in surprise.

Demona stood there, seeing the look of surprise on his face, and the look of her own horror reflected in his eyes. It took all of her self-control just to keep from running to his side and begging his forgiveness. "Get out!" she said, unable to keep from sobbing. "Get out now!"

Don got to his feet and took a step towards the door. "If that's what you want."

No, she thought in agony. "Yes," she said. "Just go."

Don turned and opened the door, then stepped outside. Demona quickly closed the door after him and, unable to hold back the torrent that threatened to overwhelm her, put her hand over her eyes and began to weep bitterly.

Don paused as he heard the door close. He could hear Demona sobbing inside but, much as he wanted to, he couldn't go back inside and comfort her. She wanted him gone, out of her life, and it was killing her, and there was nothing he could do. He rubbed the side of his face, and looked down at the faint traces of blood on his fingertips, from where she had struck him.

"You know I'll always love you, Demona," he said, knowing that she couldn't hear him through the closed door, or over the sound of her own sobbing. "And I forgive you. I just hope that someday you'll be able to forgive yourself."

He turned and walked down the steps, heading for his motorcycle. In a few minutes, he was gone.

Castle Moray, Scotland

May 20, 2255 AD

"Auntie, what's wrong?" he heard someone ask as he rushed down the hallway. God, I hope I'm not too late!

Don burst into the dining hall and watched as a ball of flame collapsed in on itself. Even as the flames of the Phoenix Gate disappeared, he was rushing to Jerusha's side.

He looked down at the small gargoyle as she took another step towards Demona.

"Auntie," he heard her say again.

Don quickly ran over to Demona and caught her as she started to collapse. He snatched up the goblet and looked at it.

"Demona, what's going on?" he asked needlessly. He already knew what she had done.

Demona looked up at him with tired eyes. They opened wide when she realized who was holding her. "Don?" She tried to lift her arm to his face, but found that she couldn't.

Don looked over at Macbeth, who was sitting down in a chair, waiting for the inevitable. "The two of you really did it, didn't you?" he snapped. He threw the goblet against the wall. "What was it, Macbeth? Hemlock?"

"Aye," the former king said tiredly.

"Typical," he said. He set Demona down and ran to the door. "Delilah, in here!"

Demona looked up as the hybrid clone raced into the room. She quickly handed a pouch to Don before pulling Jerusha aside.

"Auntie Delilah," Jerusha said, looking up at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain later," she said. She began leading the child through the doorway.

"Is Auntie Demona gonna be okay?" she asked.

Delilah looked over at her mate. "She'll be fine," she said, but with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

After Delilah left with Jerusha, Don turned his attention back to Demona.

"How did...how did you know?" she asked weakly.

"You honestly think those three tramps can keep secrets from me?" he said as he opened the pouch Delilah had given him. "Who do you think brought Jerusha here?"

"The Weird Sisters," Macbeth groaned.

"Yeah," Don said bitterly. "They said that they didn't need you anymore." He quickly reached into the pouch and pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. He went over the spell twice to set it firmly in his mind and then recited it. "Show the health and true nature of all whom I behold."

Demona realized what he was doing. He was reading her aura. She knew what he would be seeing. Her and Macbeth would be surrounded by a rapidly fading greenish glow. She saw his eyes flash as the spell took hold.

The sickly greenish glow was there, just as Demona suspected, but there was something odd about it. It shifted in color and intensity, going from pale green to light blue. His hand reached into the pouch and retrieved a familiar pendant.

"The Bloodstone," Demona said. "Don, that won't..."

"I'm hoping it will," he said, cutting her off. He looked at Macbeth. "Which of you took the poison?"

"I did," Demona admitted. "But Macbeth gave it to me."

"But you took it freely," Don said. "He didn't actually pour it down your throat."

"No," Demona said.

That's what Don was hoping to hear. If Macbeth had actually administered the hemlock himself, or if he had tricked her into taking it, there would be no hope of saving either of them. He took out the rest of the components he needed and pulled a short knife from his boot, setting it by the bowl that he placed on the floor. He then set the Bloodstone in the bowl and draped the chain over the side.

Don looked at Demona again, satisfied that the spell that allowed him to see her and Macbeth's auras was still in place. Demona's aura continued to shift between sickly green to pale blue, but its time in blue was dwindling. He picked up the knife and slashed it across the palm of his hand. He noted the look of disapproval on Demona's face. Okay, so it's not the proper ritual, he thought ruefully. You can yell at me later. He clenched his fist and blood began to drip into the bowl and onto the Bloodstone. The stone flared brightly and the blood vanished. He quickly picked it up by the chain and began to settle it around Demona's neck.

"No," she protested, finally mustering enough strength to bring her hand up to try to push it away. "Please, just let us be."

"No way, sweetheart," he said. "I didn't spend all this time in Avalon, waiting for this day, just to let you kill yourself." He straddled her and pinned her arms with his legs, then set the chain around her neck. The Bloodstone glowed brightly as it touched her skin and he could tell by her aura that its magic was working.

"What is the meaning of this?" he heard a voice call out. He got off Demona and spun around to face the Weird Sisters.

"I just saved their lives," he snapped back.

"This was not part of the bargain," Luna said.

"You were not to interfere," Phoebe added.

"There will be a price to pay," Selene said.

"You know what," Don said. "I don't care. Do your worst."

"You cannot know what will be exacted, sorcerer," Selene said.

"But you will in time," Phoebe added.

He looked to the white haired Luna, expecting her to pick up where her sisters left off. "Nothing to add," he said, noting that she was unusually quiet.

"I have said my peace to you long ago, human," she said. "What you have done here was not what was to be." She turned away from Don as her sisters disappeared. She locked eyes with Delilah as she came back in with Jerusha. The gargoyle gave her a venomous look before the Fae disappeared in a burst of light.

Don quickly went back to Demona's side and helped her to her feet. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Why?" she asked.

Don caressed her cheek. "I couldn't let this happen. Not after what Brooklyn told me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a centuries old letter. "He hoped that this day could be avoided." He looked to the spot where he had seen the flames of the Phoenix Gate collapse. "Before he died, he entrusted me with this letter. He couldn't tell me outright what was going to happen, but I had a feeling it wasn't good."

Demona took the letter and read it.

Don,

I know this letter comes at a bad time, but I need your help.

Demona looked up at him. Glancing at the date on the letter, she realized that it had been written less than a month after Elisa's passing. She continued to read.

I guess you know by now that everything you heard about what happened to me is true. Yes, I traveled through time and I saw more than anyone, human or gargoyle, should have to. I thought long and hard about what I can tell you and what I can't, even though I learned a long time ago that no matter what I do, nothing can change the course of history, past, present or future.

I need you to keep an eye on Demona for me. I know the two of you didn't part on the best of terms, but you're the only hope she has to keep her from doing something extremely stupid. She'll probably hate you for it, but she and Macbeth are headed down a path of self-destruction, and I need you to stop them. If not for their sakes, do it for Jerusha's. She needs Demona, and I'm pretty sure that right now Demona needs her too.

Brooklyn.

Demona crumpled up the letter and tossed it aside angrily. "You should have just let us die!" she said, crying. She turned and looked at Delilah. "The two of you could have watched over her."

"Nothing would make me happier," Don said. "But it wasn't my call. You know that your board of directors would never turn over control of Nightstone to her, not until she comes of age, and they would never accept either one of us as her legal guardians."

"So that's what this is all about?" Macbeth said. "Corporate politics?"

"No, dammit!" Don said. "I still care about you, Demona. And right now, we're all each other has in this world."

"For how long?" Demona asked. She looked back to Delilah and Jerusha before returning her gaze to Don again. "If I know the Weird Sisters, they've probably already told Oberon what you did, and I'm pretty sure he won't let you back into Avalon, not after this."

"I don't care," Don said. "Let Oberon have his hissy fit over this. It wouldn't be the first time I thumbed my nose at him."

"But you'll grow old and die," Demona said. "Just like everyone else in my life."

"Demona, I was growing old on Avalon," he said. "Nothing can stop the passage of time for us mortals, you know that. And you think I don't regret outliving Elisa and our son?" He looked to Delilah before turning his attention to Macbeth. "We both understood the risks of leaving Avalon to come here. Why do you think we sent the kids to stay with Serena last month?"

Demona thought about little Peter and Diane, and their older brother Samuel, Don and Delilah's children. She had wondered why they had been sent to Manhattan. Apparently, they had been planning to leave Avalon for quite some time. She felt her shoulders sag. Now there were three more loved ones she was going to be forced to watch grow old and die.

"That still dinna give ye the right to interfere," Macbeth snapped. "Do ye honestly think we enjoy watching our loved ones die around us?"

"No, I don't think you do," Don said. "Because I know I don't. But I can't let two people who I care about take their own lives, either."

Macbeth picked up a rotted timber. "That isn't yuir decision to make, laddie."

"I'm making it my decision," he returned dangerously.

Macbeth raised the timber and Don lanced out with a bolt of energy from his hand. It caught Macbeth in the chest and threw him back across the table. Macbeth got up, somewhat surprised by how quickly he recovered from the blow, and dived off the table at Don. Don met him with a blow to the jaw that rocked his head, but didn't knock him down.

Macbeth realized that Don was pulling his punches. That bolt should have killed him outright, but Don had lessened the intensity for some reason. Like he could honestly do any permanent damage, Macbeth thought ruefully. Angered, he charged him, and Don decked him again, this time landing a blow that would leave Macbeth with a black eye.

Demona watched as Don pounded on Macbeth, realizing that Don didn't want to hurt either one of them, but Macbeth wasn't giving him much of a choice. She flinched when she saw Don land another blow, this one to Macbeth's eye, and her hand shot to her own eye in reflex. It took her a full five seconds to realize she hadn't felt it. That was odd, she wondered as Don landed another punch. Why wasn't she feeling anything? Was she so inured by the years that she no longer felt the pain anymore, or was it something else? Her hand drifted to the Bloodstone.

Delilah quickly got between Don and Macbeth and tried to keep them at arms length. "This is pointless!" she shouted. She glared at Macbeth, then Don, and opened her mouth to berate them both when Demona spoke.

"No, it's not," she said. She walked over and stood in front of Macbeth, then reached up and gingerly touched the growing bruise around his eye. Macbeth hissed in pain, but Demona didn't. He looked at her in surprise.

"You didn't…" he started.

"Nothing," she said. "I didn't feel any of it."

Macbeth reached up with his hand and caressed her cheek. His fingers registered the touch, but he couldn't feel the sensation on his own cheek. He then touched at his injured eye. The swelling should have started subsiding by now, but it wasn't. He realized what had happened.

"It's gone," he said. "I don't know how, but our connection is gone."

"I think I know," Demona said, turning to look at Don. "This is the price the Weird Sisters were talking about, isn't it?"

"I had a feeling this would happen," he said. "The only way to save both of you was to sever your link to each other." He walked over to Demona and removed the Bloodstone from around her neck. "I wasn't sure the Bloodstone had that kind of power, but it did help that you had tried to fulfill the conditions of the curse."

"One of us had to destroy the other," Macbeth said. "I'd say we more than tried. We would have succeeded if not for you."

"I don't think you would have the way you were going," Don said. "You gave Demona the hemlock, but she took it freely, knowing full well what it was." He put the Bloodstone into the pouch and began retrieving the rest of his things. "That's what gave me the mystical loophole to save both your lives."

Demona felt a tug on her arm. She looked down and saw Jerusha looking up at her. "Are you and Unca Macbeth gonna be all right now?" she asked.

She looked over at Macbeth and couldn't stop the tears of joy she felt welling up in her eyes. "Yes, Jerusha," she said. "I think we'll all be all right now." She bent down and scooped up the small gargoyle hatchling into her arms. "Come on," Demona said. "I thinks it's time we went home and started living our lives again."

Macbeth placed his hand on her shoulder. "I think this time, we all can," he said. He removed his hand and followed her out.

Delilah looked over at Don and smiled. "You did a good thing, my love," she said.

"God, I hope so," he muttered.

"What?"

He looked up at her. "Nothing," he said. "You go on ahead and make sure they get out of here okay. It'd really suck to save their lives only to have one of them killed by accident."

Delilah wrinkled her brow. "Sure," she said. She headed for the door, turning back once to give him a worried look.

After she was gone, he turned to address the darkness.

"Okay, we're alone," he said.

Titania, Queen of Avalon, stepped out of the shadows. "You saved their lives, I see," she said. "Despite Oberon's decree."

"I couldn't just stand by and let them do it," he said. "I've lost too many people I care about already. Elisa, Tom, my own parents." He paused as their images flashed across his mind. "I was not going to let Demona and Macbeth end their lives, too."

"But it was their decision," Titania said. "You were not to interfere. You agreed to this when…"

"I know," Don said. "I wasn't supposed to interfere in human affairs. But I'm human too, cuz. Or had you forgotten?"

"I have not forgotten," Titania said. "But it appears that there is something you may have. Despite the familial connection, I am still queen of Avalon, and I am due a certain level of respect." She paused. "Even from you, Archangel."

Don paused for a moment, fuming. The nerve of her, he thought. After what she and Oberon tried to pull… "And you think that also gives you the right to interfere in my life?"

"You are of our blood," Titania said. "Even though it has been severely thinned by a millennia." She hesitated as she saw his expression turn dark. "I will admit that what Oberon and I did may have been…ill-advised…"

"Ill-advised?" he snapped. "You tried to have Luna seduce me? Even though you knew I was still mourning Elisa's death."

"It was ill timed, Archangel," Titania said. "But…"

"And will you stop calling me that," Don said. "My name is Don Michael Taylor, not Archangel. I gave up that name when I gave up piloting."

"To us, you will always be Archangel," Titania said. "It is your calling, no matter how much you try and deny it."

"I don't think so," Don said, turning to leave.

"Arch…" Titania started, but paused when she saw the green eldritch glow in his eyes as he turned to face her again. "Don," she quickly amended. "You have great power, a gift, that should not be squandered. Return to Avalon with me. I am certain that we can convince Oberon to overlook this small 'infraction'."

"Do what you want, cuz," he said. "I'm not playing your games anymore."

Titania watched as Don left. After several minutes, she turned back towards the shadows.

"He certainly is impertinent," Oberon said as he stepped forward.

"That he is," she said. "You know where he gets it from."

"Yes," Oberon said. "We shall have to have a long discussion with her about that when we return to Avalon. In the meantime…"

"What do you plan to do?" Titania asked. "Do to him what you did to Puck?"

"No," he said. "Puck was mine to command, and I was well within my rights to punish him. Archangel, on the other hand, is a different matter altogether. Despite his lineage, he is still mostly mortal, and therefore beyond my control. And I suspect he would not appreciate further interference from us. Need I remind you what happened the last time we tried to impose our will on him?"

Titania remembered. They had tried to pair Don off with Luna, despite his objections, and those of his half-breed mate. Things got ugly very quickly after that.

"So what do we do?" Titania asked.

"We leave him be for now," Oberon said. "Eventually he will come around to our way of thinking."

"Perhaps," Titania said. "But somehow I doubt it."

Oberon raised his eyebrow as his wife disappeared. Moments later, he vanished as well.

Neither of them saw Garlon step out of the shadows as they departed. Soon, he thought. Soon, I'll get even with the one who killed Madoc. Demona's days were finally numbered.

The End