Chapter 5

Memories

"There you are!" Lexington called out as Brooklyn and Christine glided back into the castle. "It's almost dawn, we thought you'd have to find another roof to perch on for the day." He sauntered over to them, eager to know what they had been up to.

"If I did that, Christy would have to walk back, I wasn't going to leave her stranded." Brooklyn briefly frowned at Lexington, as Christine hopped off his back. He turned to her with a questioning look, "You don't mind if I call you "Christy" do you?"

"Not at all," she gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I kinda like it, and thank you for your help tonight." She gave him a warm, grateful smile that would make anyone melt.

"Not a problem." He smiled back, genuinely pleased to have been of assistance to her.

"But where did you two go?" Lexington asked. The other gargoyles and Elisa approached, also interested to learn where Brooklyn and Christine had gone. Only Broadway and his mate Angela were not accounted for.

"Down to the ghetto I woke up in three nights ago," Christine replied. "I wanted to see if I left any clues behind that night. We had to-." She paused, debating whether or not to mention Crazy Cathy just yet. "We found this." She hurriedly replied as she placed the medallion on the coffee table in the middle of the den. The others gathered around.

"What is it?" Elisa asked as she picked up the medallion to examine it closer.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I knew at an instant that it belonged to me. The compass rose engraved on one side, with the stamp of a tornado in the middle... the other side is completely blank, just a few small bulbs on the diameter... and on the edge... 'Property of Christine Fairwind. AKA Stormbreaker. AKA Wind Siren. Second Lieutenant to Captain Amelia of the ETS Centurion*.'"

"That's a lot of names for just one person!" Lexington marveled. "How did you get so many? We didn't even get our names until we moved to Manhattan!"

"That's pretty impressive Lieutenant." Elisa smiled. "A naval officer. Is anything coming back to your memory from your time on the Centurion?" Christine put the medallion back on the table and started to massage her temples. Lexington immediately picked it up to get a closer look.

"I thought I'd remember at least something!" Christine grumbled. "I know this medallion belongs to me, but even as I looked at it and read the inscription...it just feels so foreign! I think Puck was right when he said someone took my memories." She shivered at the thought of an invisible hand reaching into her head and taking away all that she could ever need to remember. She heard a low rumble and looked up to see Goliath with a pensive look on his face.

"We have confronted magical forces before; this is unlike anything we have dealt with before. A mind heist is most unusual, and since you are not from this world, we have no idea what we are up against. " Christine frowned, and the leader of the clan placed a heavy but gentle hand upon her shoulder. "Not to worry, we may not be able to solve your problem now, for the night is almost up, but we will face it together and help in any way we can." He removed his hand from her shoulder and headed toward the stairs to the balcony where the other gargoyles were heading too.

"Thank you," Christine whispered, her voice caught in her throat. She turned and watched Goliath and the others ascend to the outside, where the sky was starting to light with the first rays of dawn. Elisa stood beside her and watched as well.

"We'll come back tonight," Elisa promised her, "but for now, we should all get some sleep."

"Do they sleep outside?" Christine asked. "Doesn't the light bother them?" Elisa suppressed a laugh and just smiled.

"Here, come see for yourself." She led the way up the stairs. Out on the balcony, the first rays of dawn were already emerging on the horizon. Christine was blinded the instant she stepped from the stairs to the porch. She shielded her eyes then turned to look for the gargoyles. She turned to the left and saw Goliath and Brooklyn, poised for attack, their faces snarled. They were devoid of all color and movement. They had turned to stone in the light of day. She turned to her right and saw that the same was true of Hudson, Bronx, and Lexington.

"What!?" Christine was amazed and terrified.

"They turn to stone every day at sunrise," Elisa explained. "Then they turn back to flesh when the sun goes down."

"They have no control over it?" Christine couldn't believe what happened to her new friends every morning. Were they still conscious in the stone? Did they dream?

"No, they turn to stone every morning, ready or not." Elisa made a small frown. "But they always wake up every night without fail." She turned to Christine and gave her a small smile. "In a way, it's both a blessing and a curse." She started on the stairs.

"In what way?" Christine asked, following Elisa

"I'll explain it to ya, but first, let's say we get a bit to eat before heading back to my place to get some shut-eye?" She picked up the medallion laying on the coffee table and handed back to Christine. "I know a place with the best cinnamon rolls." Christine only nodded. There was so much to process about the mysteries surrounding the story of her new friends, as well as her own.

"Faster ladies! My grandmother can move faster than that! God rest her soul." A feline naval captain shouted orders at her new recruits who were pumping push-ups as swiftly as they could "Don't think I'm going to take it easy on you, Hawkins!" The captain shouted at a young man of about 19 years. "Whether you've sailed with me before or not, I won't tolerate sailors who try to cut corners!" The young man just smirked. Christine glared at him with envy. Despite the captain's threats, she knew that young Hawkins was a bit of a favorite, even if he did get into trouble more than once or twice. Not only that, but he could pump like no one's business, unlike Christine, who was struggling to keep up physically. Her arms, back, and shoulders ached with fire, and sweat was causing her to lose her hold on the deck. With a little concentration, she waited until the captain's back was turned, then used a gust of wind to boost her push-ups. She did her best to make sure the gale blew past everyone, so avoid suspicion. Her plan was working until she felt a high-heeled boot pressed between her shoulder blades. "I thought I said that I don't tolerate sailors who try to cut corners." Captain Amelia gave a victorious I caught you smile.

"What about playing to one's strengths Capt'n?" Christine moaned. "I do the same number and the same quality of push-ups as everyone else, I'm just using my natural resources to get it done."

"Hah! Your resources are hardly natural." Another private with huge biceps mocked as he pumped with one arm.

"You don't consider the powers of nature to be natural?" Christine made a sarcastic smile at her shipmate.

"Enough!" Captain Amelia commanded. "Everyone, on your feet! Attention!" Every hand stopped pumping and was on their feet instantly, sweating, and breathing heavily. Amelia walked down the line of privates with a scrutinous gaze. "I am mildly impressed. Those of you who met my satisfaction, keep it up. Those of you who did not, I will expect you all to press harder and faster until you can keep up with the rest of them. Hawkins! Take our newest recruits down the galley and show them the ropes. Report to me after. The rest of you head to your duties. Fairwind, a moment." Her gaze poured into Christine, completely unreadable. She waited until the troops had dispersed then without a word, led the way to her stateroom. Christine followed, unsure of what kind of tongue lashing awaited her. Once Christine stepped inside, Captain Amelia closed the door behind them. "Fairwind, I'll be honest with you. You have talent, rigor, and intelligence I have seen in few others. I want to see you use your elemental gifts and may one day use them for the benefit of others, but in the meantime, keep your use of them to a minimum. Until I instruct you to do otherwise, it would be best if you fall in line. I don't want to shut out your gifts, Private Fairwind, but until you and your fellow recruits have all been trained and given your stations, it would be best if you do not draw attention to yourself."

Though she knew Captain Amelia was being more than fair, Christine couldn't help adding her own opinion of the matter. "With all due respect Captain, I was trying to be discreet about it just now, probably would have-"

"Gotten away with it if I hadn't interjected?" Captain Amelia raised a brow at the young private. "As I said Private Fairwind, you have talent, but still much to learn. As 'natural' as your gifts are, you glow when you use them, even in broad daylight. For now, train hard, follow orders and don't talk back. Do we understand each other?" Captain Amelia held her gaze.

"Yes, Ma'am" She stood a little straighter, trying not to show her disappointment.

"Very good, on your way then." As Christine exited the Captain's stateroom and made her way up to the crow's nest, she heard a whisper. The voice she heard made her feel cold throughout her entire body. The cold was so intense it felt like it was stabbing her from all sides.

"They can't help but be envious my dear. I envy you too, which will not do. One day soon, I will catch up with you. I am never denied what I want. Even from beyond death itself, I am the King of Thieves! Captain Amelia is wise to ask you to suppress your powers, But it will only slow my pursuit. Be assured my dear, I will find you! It's only a matter of time...Christine! Christine! CHRISTINE!"

Christine woke up in a cold sweat, her heart pounding. The light of the afternoon sun was still streaming in strong behind the blinds in Elisa's guest room. It would be hours until sunset. She took a few deep breaths, walked over to the guest bath where she splashed some water on her face, dried off, then lay back down in bed. She remembered Captain Amelia. At least she had that much. She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her medallion. She had stayed up late into the morning turning it over and over again, trying to strike a memory. She had quickly found a small switch that turned on a holograph, illuminated by four miniature bulbs on the smooth side of the medallion. However, the transmission was lost and nothing came through but static. She found another button that made a holographic arrow appear on the side of the compass, and it swerved this way and that as Christine rotated the circle, always pointing north. At least that works. She sighed. If only it could point me in the direction I need to go.

*(ETS stands for Ethereal Training Ship)