Die Today, Live Tomorrow
Chp 6
Giving In
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OK! Sorry it took so long for me to get this out. Like my other fics I have ( I'll be putting out soon) I have like four chapters that I already have written I just have to plug the rest around them. Hope you like it!
OH That little "Donk Donk" thing are the sound effects on Law and Order. I had to put it in there for my sister because she loves it.
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New York TIMES QM Underground
Over the past several weeks a number of corporation have been targeted by the underground activist calling themselves Quarrymen. Each corporation is linked only to Manhattan's resident rich man David Xanatos, who owns a percentage in each. The arson charges in the case are pending in investigation..............
Central Park. One of New York's most famous spots. Family sat on soft cotton blankets enjoying the cool fall weather at picnics. Dogs and their masters running after balls and birds. Lovers seated under the century old trees baring leafs fading in their colors. Elisa 's pace sped up past the pretzel stand. She did her best to ignore the fresh baked and salted pastry hanging on their cooling racks. She still had 8 minutes to run.
From behind, Elisa recognized the sound of a car engine, close.......to close. She turned around just as a black polished limo slowly crept by a group of skateboarders peering into the tinted window. Elisa stood one of her eyebrows lifted above her glasses as the limo slowed to a stop in front of her. Elisa's white on black striped pants and shirt stared back at her in the tinted window reflection before it smoothly slide down.
"Detective Maza." David Xanatos greeted her with a smile.
Elisa snatched her glasses of her face. "You CAN'T drive through Central Park." She half growled with a scowl.
David's smile spread wider at her expression. If looks could kill.... " Forgive me but with only four hours until sunset, I thought it a good idea to deliver a message from Goliath, well out."
She looked up and waved away a few kids to get back to their soccer game and stop gawking. Her eyes whipped back to Xanatos.
"Message?"
David disappeared into the dark of the limo and came back to the window providing a blue and silver laminated card. "Goliath and the clan have asked for present upon wakening." Elisa took what she knew to be one of the castles key card.
" Why?"
David shock his head and sat back in his seat."I'm just the pigeon, Detective." the car window slide up. " See you this evening." He added before in closed.
Elisa watched as the limo exited the grounds. She flipped the card in her fingers a moment before her watch chimed in on her 15 minute window to get back to work.
She made her way back to the job. Now walking the hall, honey mustered and fresh pretzel in hand. Matt came around the corner quickly halting so not to hit her.
" Make good time?' he asked, tore a piece from her snack, dipped and stuffed it in his mouth.
" Not really, I almost got run over." She remarked. He pointed to Chavez's office, so she would follow.
" In central park?" He mumbled.
Captain sat behind her desk, which seemed to be perpetually stacked with paperwork. Matt shut the door behind them both and took the seat next to Elisa.
Chavez tossed a video tape over to Matt. " A quadruple murder at the harbor, a family celebrating the youngest birthday on a yacht. Security make his rounds and find the bodies."
" What we are about to watch?" Matt asked pushing play and returning to his seat.
"Dad was recording the whole thing." She answered
The tape clicked on, the yesterdays date in the left had corner. The bottom of the tape labeled Mataio's 7th birthday. In view, a small table a little boy standing behind it holding a over sized birthday hat on his head smiling, Looking down on a large race car shaped birthday cake with seven candles lite. Blonde haired mother in her bathing suit next to him, holding his baby sister.
Red, yellow, and black NASCAR decor all around, small party lights strung about, the lite candles give light to the little boy's face. Before he could blow them out a woman, the mother screamed her hand came into view pointing to the sky. The camera flipped down, A loud feline shriek cracked into the tv speakers, the camera echoed more screams of the family, turned over and fell to the floor. Pounding footsteps, more screams and then blank.
"That was dropped off about an hour ago." Chavez stated. " It's your case, here's the address, no one talks to the press." She ran off and tossed them the written down location.
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DONK DONK! (Lol)
Port Imperial Marina
8956LinkinBay
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The two of them made there way down the dock as the two tiny body bags were being rolled up.
Elisa walked quickly past them, not looking and stepping onto the floating crime scene. Stepping only in designated trail, so not to mess the evidence. A tall man in wire glasses hunched over the steering gears, swobbing with a q-tips.
"Steadter." Elisa addressed with a sadden smile.
" We have got to stop meeting like this, darlin" His thick southern accent floated in the air, he reached and gave her a warm hug. "You taking care of my woman, Bluestone?" He joked.
Matt reached off into the near by kit and produced two pairs of latex gloves. " Only when she lets me." He said handing her a pair.
Alvin Steadter with the CSI, smiled and pulled a set of records from beside him. " Four victims, two drowning, two attack victims. Looks like an animal. The 9 month old was found near the boy, I think he was trying to save her."
Matt flipped the pages of the crime reports slowly. Elisa gave a small frown and begin looking around. The blood splatter contrast on the polish wooden, and chrome detailing.
" Boat's not registered to them." Matt said
"Who?" Elisa asked.
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DONK DONK! ( last one)
Personal Collection House
4587 Presetage st
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Elisa stood surrounded by the priceless unique's in the large mahogany wood floors and aristocratic decor of the storage house. Small stained glass, and jewelry items lined in their glass cases. Further down, stacks of old faded covered books lay near a door, Heads sculptured of royalty, the pale clay detailing their upward glances. Podiums block off by velvet ropes with paper scrolls in-cases in glass. Every little thing labeled with a brass nameplate.
Resorted swords and shields baring old castle crest, in the corner on a low pedestal a beautiful golden detailed thorn, but Elisa attention was held on the painting set on the floor at her feet. A gray cobble stone castle near a cliff, a battle surrounding the gates, archers perched on the outer walls aiming to kill. Crimson flames and Black smoke floating up to light the painted nights sky and full moon. On the tallest of towers on a set perch.....and she was sure of this........the silhouette of a gargoyle, the wings flexed out, it's head back, a pained expression, a pile of rubble at his feet, and his hands fisted.
"Detective Maza" a husky feminine voice greeted.
Elisa looked away to the owner and extended a hand shake. " Miss. Destine." She greeted the sleek, red headed woman before her. "Sorry to bother you, but I need to ask you some questions."
Miss. Destine turned and leader her through the showroom. "Yes. I am saddened by the news of the Milan family." She said dryly. Elisa noted the absents of emotion behind the words.
"I'm sure." Elisa said evenly. " Could you tell me why they were there in the first place?"
"Yes." Miss. Destine answered and continued walking. " Carlos works for me. He authenticates as well as archives all you see here. I loan the yacht to trusted personal. The Milian family have enjoyed the waters many times."
" You buy and sell?" Elisa made small talk.
They entered into a hallway the walls dressed in more enchanted theme paintings. Each telling a different story but all showing a human bad, gargoyle good message. Set in the walls, about five feet apart. Large gargoyle statutes were mounted. Each so detailed and special, Elisa had to wonder if they stretch their legs at night like her clan.
"Buy only. I bit morbid but the history is in my blood so to speak." Miss. Destine answered opening a large oak door that leads into her office.
" Gargoyles have that effect." Elisa remarked looking around.
Miss Destine took a seat behind her desk and begin looking for something. " You are a collector?" She asked.
Yet another painting sat on a easel to the right of the room. Elisa walked over to it.
" No." She answered deep in concentration viewing it. " Just obsessed."
In a cave, the entrance in the back ground showing stormy skies and lightening dancing on ocean. A stone sleeping gargoyle, female, muscular but old. The wrinkles lining her snarling face and talons withered. A man dressed in black robes and a black cowl covering his face with a red strike across the face. Holding a mace in the air over the gargoyle, preparing to smash it. Over his shoulder in the shadows of the cave, three faces, young woman one with black hair, one with red and one with white, slicked back with long side bangs hanging to their sides. Identical in looks, eye's glowing white, with a mischievous grin, looking on at the tragedy about to unfold.
If one was totally ignorant to the gargoyles and their history, one may get the idea, looking at these paintings, that gargoyles are evil beast who need to be destroyed or that mankind can not be trusted so....Yes, Elisa felt insulted.
Miss Destine appeared beside her. " Majority of these are my own." She said proudly. Elisa rolled her eyes and put on a fake smile.
" These are a bit one sided don't you think." She pointed a dumb to the painting.
Miss Destine eye's narrowed slightly at the highly offended woman before her. " Detective, when a gargoyle sleeps it's vulnerably is endless. Humans have taken advantage of that fact so much so that over a thousand years ago the gargoyles have almost been killed off."
" I know that stories, Miss Destine, and as tragic as they are it's only one side." Elisa spoke up.
" That's because there are no other sides. There is only the truth that mankind is brutal to the core. It's bad enough you kill your own kind everyday without regret." Miss Destine said disgusted.
" You? Your kind?" Elisa snorted. " You obviously need to get out more, You know hang around the other 3 billion of US in this world." Elisa said sarcastical. " I have to be going now. Thank you for your time." She said turning and leaving.
" Detective!" Miss Destine called out. Elisa stopped near the door and turn around. Miss Destine walk to her had handed her a piece of paper. Elisa took it and proceeded to leave.
Miss Destine watched her leave, turned and walked over behind her desk and took a seat. Picked up the phone, dialed a number.
" I 've taken care of the first road block, be ready tonight when I call and get in touch with Xanatos, tell him I will not hesitate to attack again if he gets in my way."
She listened to the person on the other end as she got up and heatedly strutted out the office through her the halls of her business house to the front door and locked it.
" Don't give me excuses, your so called men were over powered and out done by the second in command and the clan pet. "
She then made her way past her beloved collection to the throne in the corner of the first showroom, sat down, which the phone to her other ear.
"I've heard enough! You let them get away and now I have to fix it."
Her left hand gripped the air rest of the chair, pressing a button under neath. A panel in the floor in front of the pedestal at her feet slide forward exposing a stairway descending down. She stood up and walked down them.
" One thing I still have not learned in over 900 years is PATIENCE. Keep Xanatos busy. Be ready tonight. And one more thing...."
Now at the end of the stair in vase underground safe room. A large book case on the back wall over populated with thick large books of scrolls, the right wall, a massive computer. To her left a small step up to a almost empty space. She walked past a chair with a "Me Jane!" wardrobe of a belted loin cloth and a one strap shirt, lay out, to a tall white cover sheet that she pulled off.
A large sliver laid mirror, that is as tall as she is sits before here.
" I want to know everything about Detective Elisa Maza before sun set." She turned the phone off and let it drop to the floor, then walked over and seated herself in front of the computer.
Typing in her code, she brought up employee file "C. Milian." and hit the deleted button.
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Matt walked into the record room of his percent. His eyes adjusted to the dim light of computer screens all set in a row dividing the room into sections. His hand reached left and switched the lights on.
" Maza?" He called. At the end of the table in the back he saw the jet black of her hair laying down. Walked down, past the gray file cabinets and stood on the other side of the tables face her.
She had fallen asleep on her folded arms. He smiled, lend over the adjacent monitor close to her ear.
"WAKE UP!"
Elisa jerked up, fell back in the roll chair she sat in with both hands over her heart. After a second or so the shock and sleep faded away. Matt stop laughing long enough to see her frown turn into a finger( we all know which one) held high in his face. Matt snickered more, reached over and playfully rustled the hair on the top of her head.
"This is a no sleep zone. Go home."
Elisa gave a sarcastic nod. " Wait!" She gasped. " What time is it?"
Matt looked at his watch. "Almost eight."
Elisa grabbed her bomber from the back of the chair and ran out.
She should have been there an hour ago she thought pulling over two blocks from castle. She shut the door of the car and walked over to the news stand next to the curb. The cashier behind the booth nodded a hello and ask if she what he could do.
"Can I get a, Maxime PC, um.... 4 snickers, and a Pepsi." She said grabbing a news paper setting it up on the counter as well.
The guy set everything on top the paper and punched a few keys into his cash register.
" $14.56."
" Keep the change, Thanks."
Setting the things in the passengers seat she pulled into the stopped traffic and watched the red light.
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The door leading to the top level rooms where they lived clicked and was pushed open. The clan paused to see Elisa walk in with a few bags in hand.
"Hey guys." She greeted. Climbing the few steps up and walked over to the small table in the far corner. She dumped the plastic bag out on the table.
Lexington sat surrounded by a few books and Elisa's Laptop on the ground in front of him typing away with wide eyes. Next to him, Brooklyn lay on his side reading a book, occasionally glancing at the computer screen. Elisa swept the things into her arms, she walked over to the others, paused long enough to passes out a few gifts."Lexington." she announced
He looked up as she handed him a chocolate bar and the PC magazine. He took them from her, and resume his work while opening the wrapper of the candy. "Hey, Thanks."
She smiled and tossed Brooklyn one as well. He caught it and gave her a smile. Broadway walked over to take the other bag from her hand. He sat it down for her and grabbed a Snickers. Elisa pulled a DVD from her bag on the floor and put it in his hands.
"What's this?" he asked
" One of my favorite movies." she answered walking away to the back. Broadway held the case up for Lexington to read. With a mouth full of Snickers he read out " Heat."
Walking around into the small guest room a ways into the back. She rounded the corner into the room. She waited a second for the gargoyle elder to notice her presence before speaking
"Hudson." she softly greeted leaning on the back of his plush arm chair and rest a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
"Good evening, Lass." He said.
"Hey, where's the fearless leader?"She asked returning his smile.
"Still up stairs I suppose." He answered watching her peal the rapper from the candy and dangle it in front of Bronx's nose until he snatched it way. She popped open the Pepsi, and left the room.
She laughed and turned and walked out onto the balcony, stone stairs to the top balcony. Goliath, stood looking out over the city, she cleared her troat to get his attention and joined him next the parapet.
"Sleep well?" She asked lightly sipping her drink.
"Very." he answered turning towards her. She did the same. Goliath study her exhausted features a moment. " I see yo haven't." He regarded warmly.
" Yeah, but my apartment is finished." She snorted, tucking her hair behind her ear.
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Lexington looked up over the screen to Broadway.
" Humans are all the same species they have more colors now." He explained.
Brooklyn chimed in now. " Like we do but different colors mean different kinds." He got up and walked over to Broadway. " Elisa's mom comes from a dark skinned clan, but her dad's skin is light like hers."
Broadway looked back over to Lexington. " If different humans can be mates then why can't Elisa like Goliath, Like I said?"
"I didn't say she couldn't." Lexington corrected. " It's just that it's never been."
Broadway crossed his arms. " You guys we've been asleep for a thousand years, A lot of things have changed."
The other went back to what they were doing. He took a half step forward to peak outside at the two on the balcony.
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Goliath listened to Elisa explain the event of days to come. She was surprised that he laughed so hard at the mixed up ways that his family operated in.
"So now my sister is going to be at my place for a few days." She ended.
" When will she arrive?" He asked light heartedly
" Tomorrow after noon." Her cell phone chimed. She silently cursed whom ever needed to talk to her at this very moment.
"Maza." She answered, her eyes widened in shock for a moment. "I'll be there in a minute." She said evenly and hung up.
Goliath watched her, looked like she was thinking. She turned to him." Xanatos's jet was bombed."
He grow sunk low. She slipped her phone back in her pocket and said. " They are getting closer."
There was no reaction on his part by this so she spoke again. "If they hit here during the day." She hinted her anxiety.
"If it is a war they want, we will be ready." He husky voice stated confidently.
Not being able to let the air sit on her tongue she blurted " I think you should leave here a few days." He sighed heavily, she came beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder and explained herself further. "Not forever, you guys just don't need to be here if anything happens." It looked as if he were thinking about it. He was turned to the city looking ahead. " Look, I know how you feel about this place..." She begin lightly, but he showed no sign that he could hear her anymore.
" ignoring me only makes me talk louder." she half shouted and put her hand n her hips at his long forgotten rude ways of dealing with her. Old habits she thought they had worked through.
Still, he stood, silent.
" Did you miss something here?" She shouted angrily." Why are you fighting me on this I'm not the enemy here. Those human's that stabbed you in the back are dead and long gone. Stop throwing a thousand year ago in my face." Something in her voice change and made him turn and look at her, she was still half shouting but her face had fallen. " This is the twentieth century, there isn't going to be a war, the Quarrymen have the man power to erase you off the face of the earth. I'm all you got now, I'm your only friend here." She pointed her finger in her to her chest, throw her hands up. "Whatever!" She sighed and walked out.
She rushed out passing the others. They quietly looked around at each other nervously. Hudson emerged from the back room, with his good eye he looked at Goliath, who was now standing the door way, then walked outside. Goliath followed.
" She is a kindred spirt if ever one." Hudson commented
Goliath sighed reluctantly. "The last time I deserted Wyvern, everything was lost."
"You know lass," Hudson begin. "Our past, although grave, should make us stronger." He walked over to Goliath, put both hands on his shoulders and turned him around. " You haven't lost everything. He said turning him to look into the corridor at the two gargoyles crowded around Lexington being taught something or other on the computer. Bronx trotted out on the balcony to where they stood.
"These old walls do not make us a clan. There are only memories here to protect, we do not need these stones to remember the old days." He advised walking away. " Her head is as hard as your's."
Goliath watched him walk away, contemplating the last several minutes. His gaze rest on the others inside, his hand settling on Bronx's back. With a soft sigh he mounted the edge of the balcony. Bronx whimpered a protest.
"Stay here." Goliath said sympathetically. " Apologizes need no witnesses."
Now over the city lights in the clouds he navigated his way to where she may have gone, which by the phone call seems to be at work. A moment further and he slowed coming up to the precinct. On the side of the building, he saw a figure. four months and two days and his mind decides to play cruel tricks.
Red long hair, tall lean pale blue body, and the flutter of....wings? He blinked hard focused, it took no time to his mind to register her. Any detail left out was replaced from his memory. He flew forward and down. As low to the ground she was, she should have landed. The almost empty parking lot was spotted with the street lights soft yellow glow. He touched down slowly, looked forward and back..
She was gone, dead to world so long ago. He mourned, even set in stone, he felt the lost, saddens, regret. He felt someone's hand on his shoulder and sharp pain ran through his body from the back of his neck. He turned around, as his vison begin to blur, his legs buckled and he hit the ground. Before his world faded to darkness he saw her.
" Bring the van."A hardened tone said, contradicting her sweet voice he remembered, that of his angel of the night.
*******Hope you like! Review plz******