Die today, Live Tomorrow
Chp 2
In The Heat Of Battle.
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UMKAY, I don't think I got the emotion cross so I'll give you this.
THE LOOK: (you'll read about it later on) what I was going for was, They don't know each other but they are on the same level. Something like that.
ENJOY!
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"Xanatos!"
David Xanatos; New York's tall, dark, hansom, and richest man on the east coast, turned to see Detective Maza and Bluestone standing at the front desk of his building. He gave the clip board in his hand to Owen; his assistant. Owen's cat like eyes cut between the three. David flashed his sly smile, extended a hand to Bluestone.
"Detective Bluestone. Nice to see you again." David greeted and nodding Owen to leave.
Playing the game of Civil Conversation, Matt gave a slight smile. " Xanatos." He greeted as he shock his hand. David begin to greet Elisa, who walked right by him to follow Owen into the service elevator.
" Likewise, Detective Maza, I'm sure." David snorted. Elisa stepped in beside Owen and turned around to face the two.
"20 minutes." She informed Matt. She didn't even look at him. The elevator door slide closed.
David leaded Matt around a maze of construction works and ringing phones to his small first level office. Once inside, Matt took a seat in front of the dark rosewood deck. David sipped from his hot morning coffee.
"Would like some?" He offered.
" Oh, No thank you, My I.V. is waiting back at the precinct." He joked and pointed outside.
"Your clean up crews work fast."
David reclined into the soft leather chair and clasped his hands together. "That's what I pay them for." He answered. "Detective I understand completely why you are here. Last night the balcony of my building simply collapsed under the weight of the sculptured gargoyles I had installed yesterday afternoon. I take full responsibility of any damage done." He explained without a blink in his eye.
Matt let the explanation sink in. In past dealings with the billionaire he found that David was always prepared for anything. It was easy to bury any problem under all the money he had. He decided that his partner would get more out of the check up without Xanatos around to be under her skin.
"I think I'll have that cup of coffee."
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"Detecize Maza." Owen addressed her as she walked in beside him. He leaded forward pushed the floor number. The Detective gave him a nod, said something to her partner before the doors closed them in.
Owen stared straight ahead as the elevator ascended the building. Elisa pulled her hands from her pockets. "Thank you for the card you sent my parents." Elisa said evenly.
Owen's eyes cut left briefly to where she was standing. "Your welcome." He answered.
The door opened , letting them off in the top level castle, Xanatos called home. Elisa followed Owen through the hall way, up cobble stone stairs to the roof balcony. Construction crews would reminded you of ants in a colony, busy with equipment and cement.
"Watch your step there, Detective." Owen warned. Elisa looked down, the ground had a large chunk "bite" out of it. Elisa turned and looked up to the crane lowering down what looked like a smaller extension parapet.
" What happened here last night?" Elisa yelled over the machine noise. Owen signed off something on the clipboard and handed it to a worker. He then directed her to follow him around the site to more quitter spot.
" Due to rather faulty construction. The building could not support the weight of Mr. Xanatos's newest purchase."
"Which would be?" Elisa asked. Owen pointed to the six wood crates behind him. Elisa walked past him and tired to peered in between the wood.
" Open it." Elisa instructed. Owen signaled the works standing by to do just that. They pried the nails and staples way from itself. The wooden side fall to the ground, hay rolled away exposing a small cool gray stone, webbed winged gargoyle statue with large cat like eyes, a fierce expression and detailed with a loin cloth belted around his waist. Elisa bent down eye level, pulled lose straw from inside it's mouth. It's eyes, made her fight the urge to smile, a natural curiosity coming from it tickled the back of her mind.
"Where did you get it?" She asked, gently touching the arm.
"They were flown in last week from Scotland. They are written in this castles history as protectors. When Mr. Xanatos acquired the castle, the underground corridors had not yet been uncovered. The six of them had been buried." A worker walked up to Owen and relayed a message.
She went to step closer but something crunched under her boot. She pushed the hay around to uncover a watch. Black band, green face and looked as if could do everything imaginable from all the buttons around it.
"Detective, Please stand aside." Owen said, straddling her. Elisa quickly backed up and slipped the watch into her jacket pocket.
The larger of the cartes were being lowered down, two men steadied it until it hit the ground.
" This one will be placed on top once construction is finished." Owen informed
The crate was opened, hay removed. They pulled the gargoyle from inside. Elisa slowly approached the rock mammoth of a statue. It stood a good five inches taller than her, massive shoulder span, his arms of swollen muscle slightly reaching out, his wings capped. Elisa circled it. She stepped over it's curved tail, looked at how the hair lay to it's back, the details in the flex of the wing was extraordinary. The crate it came from was labeled.
"Goliath?" she read, than turned to Owen.
"It is read he is the leader of this, clan." She heard Owen explain.
Elisa now stood staring at his facial features. His regal gaze, covered what was underneath all the stone. Elisa's fingers ran down the bridge of it's nose. " Aren't you just aptly named," She said under her breathe. She backed up to let them do their jobs and walked up to Owen. " Xanatos should be glad no one was hurt."
"As we all are."
Elisa looked around and sighed. " You know as well as I do this might as well never had happened and since on one else seems to care, just tell him to watch his step." She turned an walk away.
Owen only blinked at her comment.
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New York traffic was no surprise. Elisa sat in the driver's seat of her car, one arm resting in the open window, her hand running through her hair, the other on the bottom of the steering wheel.
Matt, in a similar position, looked over his her than back out to traffic.
"Matt, you look over here like that one more time, you'll be walking back to work."
Matt set up, "You want to say something, why don't you just say it."
Elisa shock her head in a annoyed way, reached down and turned on the radio. Matt reached forward and turned it off.
Elisa turned off the car. " I don't have anything to say about him, what's your problem?" She yelled, got out the car and slammed the door.
Matt did the same, came around the car to her. Elisa sat back on the car, arms crossed.
"You haven't said anything about Xanatos in almost a year."
Elisa kept her eyes on the curb. She didn't say anything for awhile, then looked over to him.
"I'm touched by the concern, Matt really I am," she said harshly. "But I don't need a God-damned shrink." She said. Matt turned away.
"I'll walk anyway." he said leaving her out there.
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Owen walked into the office, but didn't sit. Xanatos laced his finger together under his chin.
" Well?" He asked with an amused smile.
Owen pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and his wire framed glasses from his nose and cleaned them.
"Everything will be in place by tonight." He said replacing his glasses.
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Elisa came out of her captain office with a few reports in hand. She walked to her desk tossed them down and kept going. Matt; sitting at his deck which was directlly infront of hers, simply glanced at her walking away. He figured he'd let her break the silences when she was ready.
Elisa in the computer lab waiting for the print to spit out all her information. Thrity minutes later she walked up to her desk, grabbed what she needed pulled her bomber own left.
"See you later." Matt heard her say.
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Once near her car. Elisa started to open the car door. The same beeping sound that she heard last night began. Elisa dropped everything inher arms and turned around. She was the only one as far as she could see. She looked under the car and on the other side until she realized it was coming from her. She padded herself down until she felt the bulge in her pocket, pulled it out to see the watch she took earlier was lite up. She pressed some buttons until it stopped. It read 6:30.
She tossed everything into the passenger side and shut the door. 6:30. Yesterday at 6:35 she almost gotten flatten outside Xanatos's building. Something inside told her to go back to Xan Tech, and now.
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Five cobble stoned walls. Vase opened space. Owen stood in front of six large cages.
On head of the smallest gargoyle statue a crack formed, it splintered the stone surface of the entire thing, then shattered to the ground as did the other five. Revealing yellowish golden skin, no hair and big oval cat like eyes, . The building shook from the awaking creatures base toned roaring.
The first, an elder dark copper toned beast, positioned much like the others, wings expanded and snarl, also wearing a loin cloth. There was a dagger belted around his stomach, one of his eyes were scared.
The second, was tall, red color hide with a round beak like mouth. White hair, broad but young features. He had a stare much like the one named, Goliath. The look of strength and passion.
Beside him in it's own cage, a large stocky a pale green tone, young gargoyle, his boyish face hidden under the fierce white eyes they all had. The last built much like a pit bull dog, but three times the size, dark blue tone, short knobbed tail.
Owen flipped his cell phone open. "Their awake."
"What is this?" Goliath yelled mostly growled, squeezing the cage bars together. Owen simply turned around to computer screen began pushing buttons. Goliath snarled at not being answered. He looked to his left and right checking that all his brothers were accounted for.
"Ah, man." The little one sighed "My watch is gone." He said looking around the cage floor.
David Xanatos walked through the wooden door and up to the cage holding the dog like gargoyle.
"Please forgive me Goliath, but I'm only thinking of your protection. You all will be freed shortly."
The elder of the group spoke up, " At this the moment, these bars are for your protection Lass."
He warned.
Xanatos walking passed the others to his cage. " You surely don't think I'm responsible for the attacks last night. Honestly, I would expect more from you old chap." He smirked walking over to Owen.
"Sir, the stone sleep has appeared to have healed any injuries they endured." Owen informed. Xanatos studied the picturers of before and after for a moment. "Wonderful." He side padding Owen's shoulder. "Go make sure these information is reading into the computer downstairs." He instructed. Owen walked out the room.
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Elisa walked through the garage entrance doors. She looked both ways down the empty halls. The place was empty as she new it would be, everyone worked scheduled hours. She remembered picking her brother up out front, like clockwork he would exit the building at 5. She quickly made her way to the service elevator she took these morning. Once on the top floor she took a a step out. The halls echoed with what sounded like howling. Elisa's mouth dropped open she could feel the building tremble beneath her feet. Elisa walked down the hall on her way to the balcony. She could see they finished the repairs to everything. Looking over the edge, down to the ground she could see the yellow police tape still marked. The damage from last night gone, but smaller damage about 10 feet away from the big of it was still visual. The boulders that hit there had to be ejected with force. Elisa heard a door being open and closed, she ran back to the open entrance of the corridor she came through, pressed herself against the sides. She heard voices from one of the doors she past. The door opened, she watched Owen leave down the hall and exit in the elevator. Elisa waited a second or and moved in low to the door he exited. She could her the conversation clear.
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Xanatos allowed Owen to leave before he spoke. " You should learn to trust people more." He sat a top the computer control, rested his hands on his knees. " Knowing as little as you do about this city. You can disappear in the crowed street of New York, if you know how."
The red beaked young gargoyle spoke. " We can survive on our owns just fine without your so called help." Xanatos just looked over to creature.
The phone located on the mantle next him rang. He picked it up.
"Yes."
"There is a problem with the feed." Owen said on the other end. Goliath felt like someone was there. He turned around and looked over his shoulder.
" I'll be right there." Xanatos answered. He hung up the phone.
" We all can benefit from a trustworthy relationship here." He got up, shut off the lights and started to walk out.
" I'll let you think about it." he said closing the door.
Goliath waited until her heard the click of the door. His eye's illuminated white, he grabbed a hold on the bars.
"Wait." The smallest one warned and pointed " There are wires running along the bottom. It will set off an alarm."
Goliath's eyes followed his claw up tot he wall where the wires connected to a small box with buttons. " Everyone move quickly, once out side separate."
Everyone took hold on the bars blocking there way.
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Elisa wasn't sure exactly what she heard, but Xanatos was hiding something in that room. She peeked around the corner saw Xanatos walking into the building. Then inched her way back to the door, tried to open it, but it was locked.
She looked both ways to make sure it was clear took a few steps back to give herself room to kick in the door. From inside the room loud sounds of growling and metal hitting metal, echoed through the walls. The building's security alarm went off. Elisa took another step backwards and instinctually pulled her weapon. The wooden door five feet in front of her burst open. Elisa turned away from the debris flying at her.
She lowered her arms. Her eyes widened in total shock. A large ashen blue, four legged....thing, with sharp teeth and glowing white eyes, growled and started walking towards her. She felt the blood rush from her head in surprise or terror, her arms brought the gum up in aim at it's head.
From behind the beast a large lavender colored being flew out, gouged the gun from her hand.
Elisa hissed from the pain and tried to pull her arm away from it's capture. She looked up to the white eyed creature that had her.
"Goliath?" She whispered in disbelief. It was the stone gargoyle she saw this morning, but in flesh and bone.
Goliath's eye's faded to his normal dark marbled gaze." Who are you?" He asked this human stranger and released her, she hissed and clenched her wrist, but her eye traveled from the floor back up to his face. Five more gargoyles emerged from the broken door frame. She looked down to see he smaller one she had also seen earlier. Her mouth dropped open as she started at the lot of them. The ding from the elevator door caused her to look back, the building's security stood fully armed in the corridor behind them.
" Freeze." One yelled to them. She heard a shriek of metal fitting metal and turned back to the creatures, one had pulled a sword, the others had gotten into what she assumed as a battle stance.
" We don't want another altercation like the one we had last night, Just relax." One of the guards yelled.
Last night, she thought, this is what almost killed her. What the hell is going on? Is the expression she felt on her face. The four legged one snarled viciously ans started to run for the guards. Goliath jumped past her and grabbed the beast from going forward. She heard a gun cock from the guards.
"FIRE."
The gun fire exploded. Elisa ducked and covered, in the all the up roar she saw her gun, took it from the ground and begin firing back. The guards scattered for cover from her back fire. Elisa counted off every time she pulled the trigger. She began moving backward in attempt to get cover. She felt someone grab the back of jacket and was pulled through the broken door frame. She turned around to see that Goliath and the others had run back into the room they just burst out of.
Their faces were a mix of anger and confusion. All but Goliath who was staring at her with a blank expression. The adrenaline of the gun fight had her fighting to stop her hands from shaking, or was it the look she was getting from the gargoyles eyes.
" We have to get out here," the little yellowish one asked her from behind Goliath. " Can you help us?" He asked her.
Help, She repeated in her mind. Help them, she kept telling herself. " I'll distracted them. Move quickly." She told them. Her mind screaming how nuts this was and when was she going to wake up from the freak show dream.
She stood up and ran out into the corridor. She felt the strong rush of wind from behind her as she fired the last of her clip. Elisa, now knelling behind the entrance wall, saw Goliath preparing to leap as well, he hesitated, turned and look at her with that same look. Like he wanted to take her with him.
"GO!" she yelled. He turned and jumped.
After seeing that the were all safely away from the danger. She pulled her badge out of her jacket pocket. " HOLD YOUR FIRE." She yelled. " HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
She waited until everything stopped and tossed her wallet down the corridor. "NYPD." She yelled.
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