Die Today, Live Tomorrow
Chap 4
Respect's Gamut
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They had awaken an hour and 10......no,11 minutes ago and Elisa and Goliath had been on the parapet arguing for 1 hour and........*wait for it*........12 minutes. Hudson sat, flipping the channels on the television, He had already settled on not watching the skinny little lawyer woman who growled at people, or the starving idiots stuck on the island with a tv crew but couldn't get off, so there really was nothing to watch. Their voices outside are low but not low enough.......... He turned the volume up anyway. The commercial with people singing to happily about clothes with gaps in them, was a better sound then the nosie outside.
Since awakening in this city, Goliath's trust has recoiled into treating the world ominously. It was terribly unfair to the only human so far who hasn't cynically befriended the lot of them. Of, course it has only been three days and Rome wasn't built in a day.
Goliath stood looking over the stone ledge at the city. His brow set low, Wings capped around him, hands gripping the stone. Elisa stood behind him, her crimson bomber jacket buttoned half way, arms crossed. The wind blew her hair around a bit as she watched Goliath's reaction to their words in this calm discussion gone wrong.
She faced his back now, that regal gaze of his thankfully put on the buildings and not her. He had a way of making her feel like she was good enough sometime when we looked at her. She would catch the daggers he throw out the corner of his eye and a feeling of shame or a twinge of weakness would rush down her back. Her mind would race back to the mental picture of his shattered clansmen and the villains ( Human like her) that did it. She would mentally skull herself for feeling this way about something that was in no way remotely connected to her.
She saw the muscles of his back tense a bit. She leaned over to see his talons trying to squeeze water from the stones of the ledge. She quickly straightened when he spoke, his voice set at a even tone.
"This castle is ours."
Elisa signed, He wasn't getting the point. She realized he was now aggravated, by the subject or by her, she didn't care. He needed to understand this.
" This castle is Xanatos's. By our laws, he bought it....."
Goliath turned, his wings flaring out,.his eyes flashed a luminescent white. "THIS IS OUR HOME!" He growled loudly
Elisa flew back, overwhelmed at his uproar. His eyes faded to normal, he calmed himself.
Before she could stop herself, Elisa was in Goliath's face. " You can tour your 6 foot something over me. You can erupt every growl from that cave you call a chest but, Don't you EVER yell at me like that again."
He looked down. She had her finger planted in his chest and a glare that could melt gold.
Lexington appeared in the door way. Seeing their current position and feeling the tension he didn't speak until they both looked his way. " We have a problem." He said quietly, pointing behind him.
Elisa pushed past Goliath and followed Lex back inside. Goliath stood a moment longer. He didn't mean that, but she didn't back down from him. Leaving his thoughts for a second he followed them in.
The clan stood around the tv screen. A man with a blue cap rambled on about something before the camera zoomed around to the store front.
"Not good." Elisa whispered. Bronx was surrounded by a mob of people, he was backing away onto the sidewalk barking warnings, his glowing eyes trying to focus on every person at once.
Goliath turned to the door way. "I should........" Elisa ran in front of him blocking his way.
"STAY here, It can only get worse. I'll take care of them." She said harshly.
The others hesitated in following, if Goliath wanted to go he would pushed her out the way already, Goliath pushed forward only to be stopped by his human barrier. " He is my responsibly...."
"Yeah, well it's time you shared a little." She forcefully insisted. Giving him one final shove back. She took an experimental step back, Goliath did advance. Her eyes pleaded for him to trust her. When Elisa saw that he was giving her exactly that she turned and ran out of the room.
Outside, Owen stood, pressed suit, combed hair as always. He held out a white folder,
" I'd thought you would find these to be useful, Detective."
She stopped momentarily and took the folder, her back to him and spoke.
" Please, keep them here." She said evenly.
Owen stared ahead and nodded.
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A mob of people. pointing and screaming, some throwing rocks from the broken curb, others standing in front of the news cameras, behind the bleach blonde reporter as she pushed her way to the front line. After fixing her hair and grabbing a mic she orders the camera man to roll and cleared her throat.
" I'm here live in the streets of New York. a creature has been cornered in the alley way behind me." She pushes people out of her way as she tries to talk. " The crowd.....well, mob of a sort is being lead by a group who call themselves The Quarrymen. A terrorist group claiming the animal is a threat to humanity and should be....."
A young man, no more than 21, square face brown eyes, in dark denim jacket, black short cut hair under a royal blue baseball cap, turns from the crowd to listen to the info as it come out of her mouth. He gets a foul expression at the word terrorist. He snatches the mic from her red polished fingers.
"My brothers and I are not terrorist. We are patriots of the human race, here to defended our families and way of life from the demons like this."
The camera moved a hard left and zoomed in on the brute of a beast sprawled out in a defensive position in front of the entrance of the dark damp building alley, deep base bone shaking barks shot out to the crowd as he paced from one side to the other.
The crowd had doubled, people peering out of building windows and pointing. The cops set up police barricades and human walls, blocking an area off between the creature and the people. Elisa slowed to a stop at the barrier of vans marked with tv logos and the crews of media. She past the cameras and started pushing through the densely pack on- lookers. In the sea of Press she saw the self proclaimed Quarryman guy standing on the curb, yelling more ridiculous things to a small crowd of people. His aggressive tone was recognized as a problem to her ears, it sound like riot talk to her.
" There are other abominations like this one here in this very city. Attacking in the night..." Elisa grabbed the mic out of his hands, reached up and pulled the camera lens down, " Turn it off." She demanded.
" Freedom of speech lady!" the operator said and propped it back on his shoulder.
" NYPD, don't make me say it again." She warned. He took it down and turned the light off. Elisa, annoyingly shoved the mic in his chest and turned to the self proclaimed Quarryman who sneered his disapproval. She ignored the look.
"You got something to say you talk to a shrink, I don't pay tax money to hear about it on the news, now get back." She ordered pushing him back into the others.
" No problem Detective Maza." He said in a mock bow. Elisa looked back at him at the mention of her name. She had never seen him until 20 minutes ago How the hell...? At the sound of Bronx admonitory barking, She stretched her neck to look over all the heads into the heart of crowd. It was to far away and it was to dense to push through. Elisa turned around, made her way back to the car and backed out.
This part of Manhattan is studio building and apartments. She drove a block over, slowly coasting her way down the street, the yellow street lights put small spotlights on the curb and the space around it. She reached the back of the building the people crowded around in front, got out and stripped herself of her jacket. Stepped up onto the curb, slowly back tracked until the echoing of Bronx's barks were clear from her end. Stopping in front of what she hoped was the right place, a tall wire gate blocked off the exit from this end. Elisa looked around, making sure there were no one was around, Reached, her finger gripped into the wire holes, her foot gripping at the bottom she pulled her self up, tossed her leg over the top and carefully climbed over , hoped onto the large dumpster as quietly as possible. The only light that she had came from the windows on the buildings in front of the their fire escapes. Looking forward the alley made a left turn about 30 feet in and out to where Bronx was. From the headlights shining in, Bronx's shadow bounced back and forth. Other dumpsters lined the brick wall around her, with extra bags tossed around.
" Brooklyn?" She called a little louder than a whisper. " Where are you?"
He had to be near if Bronx was hell bent of not letting anyone back here.
" Elisa?" Came an exhausted sigh from her right. She twirled around to see him stepping from the shadows that hide him. His left wing hung lifeless to his side, one arm pressing against his chest the other gripping the bars of the fire escape over his head steading himself and walked towards her. She met him half way, he kneeled to the ground catching his breath, his injured wing looked as if he had been stoned.
" What happened to you two?" She asked helping him to stand.
" We were coming back to the castle, I heard someone scream. I thought someone was in trouble, but when we got down here I was attacked. Bronx surprised them, I got back here before they all showed up." He explained testing the strength by stretching the beaten wing all it's 7 feet out. Through the light the bruises contrast a crimson to his red pigment. The distant sounds of sirens could be heard.
"Can you fly?" She asked him. He nodded.
Elisa turned, walked the corner of the alley. Peaked around to see the SWAT team jumping out of the black van. " Bronx." She whispered over his barking. " Come on."
Still growling, he backed his way back into the shadows and ran to her. She walked over, hoped up onto a dumpster, pulled the latter from the adjacent buildings fire escape down. She got down walked back over to Brooklyn.
He looked down to Bronx by his side. "I don't think I can carry him."
" No." She protested. Helping him up on to the dumpster "I got him. Just get back to the castle." She instructed, watching him climb slowly up. He hesitated, looked down at them both.
Elisa gave a reassuring smile, " Hurry up." She shooed.
They waited until he was at the top, she saw him spread his wings and dive off the edge, then disappeared in the night's sky.
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" Stay down and be quiet." She instructed, reaching over in the back seat rubbing Bronx's head before getting out of the car. She flashed her badge to get through the barricade and stepped out, walked over to the officer in charge.
Brock watched the detective talk her way into finding out what he knew, she already knew. Playing stupid to the situation just as he was told she would do.
"Brock." A younger man in Quarrymen attire stated walking over to his brother." Is that her?" His fellow brother asked.
" Yeah, call Castaway.." He answered. "Give it to me." He instructed.
"SEND IT BACK TO HELL FROM WHERE IT CAME!" A voice yelled. Elisa turned to the crowd, the same guy she had confronted earlier was standing on the hood of a cop car, holding a silver clad sledge hammer in the air. In a blink of an eye, others in the crowd, sporting the royal blue caps and jackets seem to appear laced through out the crowd. They cheered at his declaration, rising their own hammers.
"DEATH TO THE THREAT OF HUMANITY." He yelled. "AND THE TRAITORS WHO HELP THEM." He said looking directly at Elisa. The little hairs on the back of her neck stood up at the glare she now saw coming from the others.
"Look out!" Someone screamed.
When she looked up the leader throw a gasoline cocktail in the nights sky, it swung over her head, crashed into the store front window behind her and exploded. Elisa ran backwards away from the flames. The crowd went into panic, disbursing wildly.
She turned away from the flames to see the Quarrymen leader jump from the hood and run. She pursued.
"Freeze." She yelled behind him. Brock cut through the disorder of panic Elisa right behind him. A squad car cut Brock off, he slammed into the hood. Elisa came up behind him, grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm behind him and pushed him down on the car.
"Maza." Kam greeted getting out of the car, pulling his cuffs out and offered them to her.
"Glad to see you out of station." She said taking and using them.
Brock struggled as she snapped them on. " You two seem close." Brock mocked as she pulled him up.
"We cops stick together." She said.
" I meant you and the beast." Brock said smiling. Elisa jerked him to face her.
" What you say?"
Brock burst into laughter at the surprised tone of hers. " Hurry this along Detective I have a date later on tonight. She glowered and tripped him up as she put him in the back of Kam's car.
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Chavez stood in the secret room, looking through the double mirror in the white lights on light interrogation. Center the room a large white table. Elisa quickly stepped inside.
"Brock Polinci." Elisa repeated, letting his file drop to the table between them and sitting down. Matt walked followed her in rolled up his shirt sleeves, shut the door, and begun to pace behind her.
" Fire is your weapon of choice." She stated opening his file. " Started burning things when you were 13."
Brock set back in his seat and crossed his arms. " What can I say, I like it hot." he answered
"Tell me about the Quarrymen." Matt quickly changed the subject of the conversation.
Brock's eyes never left Elisa. A few moments of silence past before Brock smile faded. " I can only come up with one explanation."
Elisa crossed her legs and arms and matched his stare. " For what?"
" For your little sick infatuation with them." Elisa's brow slowly sunk in, at the sour them he spat out and kept talking. " You people and your affection for strays."
"Their not animals." She calmly defended
" Their not human." Polinic answered a bit irritated.
Elisa could feel Matt's eye's on the back of her neck. He wasn't in the loop on this subject and it was her fault, but for his own good, not that that would stop him from grilling her once they were alone. Apparently Brock knew, along with everything else new in her life, that Matt wouldn't know.
" Neither are you, but no ones dyed an old white hood blue and sent a lynch mob after you."
There was a knock on the door, Chavez walked in, blue pants suit tailored straight, a few paper in hand. She slide them across the table to Polinci. " Your boss is here, you posted bail." Elisa pushed away from the table and walked out of the room.
" Elisa." Matt called. She stopped long enough for him to fall n step with her, before continuing . " You want to translate the semantics for me?"
" What are you talking about?" She asked nonchalant, approaching the front desk. " Did my fax come in yet?" She asked the officer behind, who shock his head no.
" All that code you and Polinic had going on." He reminded her.
" Sign it off for me, when it does." She instructed and walked away. Matt took two big steps, now stand in her way, with determined look on his face.
"It's nothing important," She sighed. "I was just playing his game."
Matt looked away thoughtfully then back at his partner. " Yeah." He agreed solemnly and walked away. Elisa moaned regretfully, and watched him walk away.
"Maza! Phone." She heard, and went over to her desk to answer it.
:Detective.::
"Owen?" Elisa questioned and took a seat.
:: Yes. Would you please hold.:: He said. The phone went silent a moment.
::Elisa?:: Goliath's grave voice came from the other side. Elisa looked around suspiciously over her shoulder, then lend into the des, her hand on her forehead and whispered.
" Yeah?" She said a bit more happier then she thought she was.
:: Brooklyn returned many hours ago without you or Bronx. I ....:: He trailed. Elisa unconscious bit her lip in anticipation. " You what?" she coaxed
:: The television cut of after the blast. I was worried.::
A small smile touched her lips, he was worried. " We're both alright." She answered, keeping her zealous tone unnoticed.
::Will you come back to the castle tonight?" He asked evenly.
A pile of paper were placed in front of her, she nodded her thanks , pushed the phone to her ear with her shoulder and begin flipping through. " I don't think it's safe. Apparently I'm not the only person that knows about you and the clan. Someone could use me to get to you." She explained
Goliath could respect the strength in her if it didn't seem to feel like stubbornness.
:: All the more reason for you to be within protective surroundings. These Quarrymen are obviously a danger to you as well.::
" Goliath with the weapons these guys had, it's going to take a lot more than four walls to shield a blow." She said looking over the police reports of the confiscated machinery.
::I was referring to the protection of your clan.:: He told her.
Elisa set the paper down on her desk. "my clan..." she repeated quietly, out loud. " Um, Thank you, Goliath, but I can take care of myself."
There was another pause. She heard him talking to someone there. :: If you will not return here tonight, keep Bronx with you.::
" Agreed" She said. " Give the phone to Owen."
:: Yes Detective.::
Elisa's flattered emotions subsided, but only a bit. " Tell Xanatos to increase security, we got the smart group of renegade idiots that know about them."
:: Of course.::
******Thanks for reading. Review plz.*****