Part 7 KISS the Gargoyles for me…
"Hey, move that piece of tin right now!" the taxidriver shouted as a Lincoln town car slipped into place just as he was all set to pull up to the curb. There were two people riding in it, a young man and a young lady.
The owner turned his head, flipping up the sunglasses to glimpse the source of the voice. "Hey, can I help it if I live here?" he shouted back. "That's my space..."
"I've got a fare to pick up! Move it punk!" he yelled back. Keith wedged the front bumper, swerving out to cut off the taxi as it struggled to pull into the vacant space. He was forced to move out of the way as she backed the rest of the way in.
"Kiss my ass," the blonde girl next to him said quite distinctly, slamming the door with a flourish as Keith opened the door for her.
"Don't make me try it!" he shouted back. Till a whole chorus of honking horns resounded around him, and he moved disgruntled back into the flow of traffic to double park. Keith and Sharon leaned against the nearby awning; a big smile on their faces as the fare climbed in and drove off in a slew of curses.
Sharon shook her head, and shrugged to the small crow of onlookers who had gathered. The thin teenage body and the blonde, slender girl headed towards the studio apartment, stepping up the stairs to the front door buzzer. Her attention was diverted as she saw a shape gliding overhead, breaking her view of the crescent moon. Dusk had given way to evening, and she'd just come back from her latest temp assignment.
"Huh," she muttered, glancing at some people who were running up the street. "Who the hell is that?"
"Crap, it looks like… it looks like Carlos and Lu," he said as he narrowed his eyes.
"Wait, why are they running away… you don't think… " said Sharon, panicking.
As they dodged around people, Sharon noticed two other figures in close pursuit. What clued her in that something was wrong was when they were wildly shoving their way through the pedestrians, trying to evade someone. They dashed across the street and blundered into the sidewalk that was thick with pedestrians.
"Crap, we'd better help them," Keith said. Sharon nodded. They ran along the street, trying to keep tabs on their friends who were ducking into a shop. Minutes later they emerged, and ducked into the alley the next block over. Trying not to look obvious, Keith and Sharon ran, their shoes pounding pavement as they wove and dodged around the dazed onlookers.
"Something is definitely rotten with this picture..." Sharon whispered to Keith, who also nodded.
"You said it, and look at that…" Keith pointed as he pointed to a black van was pulling up, a silver hammer painted on its side.
Both youths cut through the back way, rushing past garbage cans in the little alley. Sure enough she saw the sudden movement of two shapes as they climbed out of a garbage bin. "Psst! Hey... psst!" Keith hissed to them.
Sharon barely managed to keep from tripping over her new platforms as they snagged a flat piece of cardboard. She recovered, her Chinese food sloshing in its carton in the bag. Keith caught their attention, "Hey... Carlos! Lu... over here!"
Lucia was helping her cousin Carlos as he limped along beside her. His ankle looked sprained arm looked broken, hanging at one side. "Boy, did you show up in the nick of time..." Lu sighed.
"There's a gang of Q-men headed your way... better haul your rears outta here," Keith said, helping to take some of Carlos' weight.
"Boy Carlos, did you pick a bad night to piss them off!" Sharon scolded. "And you didn't tell US about it!"
"You guys had to go check and see if we could play at that party," said Carlos. "You know that the band's a perfect front…"
"Look man, I don't know WHAT you're trying, but this is nuts…" said Keith. "Where the hell is Bill?"
"Dude, he's dealing with his mom… the bitch queen of the north?" Sharon spat. "He'll be meeting Keith and me back at the apartment… in ten minutes…. We sent him out for pizza…"
"Great… I just hope to hell the Q men don't get him…" said Lucia with a shiver.
"Lemmie call him," Keith whispered as he whipped out his cell phone.
"So what WERE you doing that you left us out of?" Sharon asked them.
"We were helping a peace rally by PITT that was under attack from a Quarrymen counter demonstration," Lucia whispered, a pained look in her face as they pulled Carlos along. The sounds of a van screeching to a halt alerted them, and they ducked behind a pile of trashcans for cover. Sharon dragged Keith who was still on the phone along with her.
"Oh jeez... oh jeez..." Lucia muttered.
"Keith, get your ass off the phone…" Sharon hissed.
"Shhh, Bill's on the line. He says he sees the guys, and he's working on a diversion…"
"Great, maybe those dummies will pass this place by," said Carlos. "Not… what is that dumb butt doing?"
"Bill heard that. He said to tell you to trust they don't know what part of town you guys landed in," Keith hissed. He said this with her fingers crossed.
Between the two of them they struggled to tie her arm to her side to brace it. The break was perhaps a simple one, courtesy of a concussion weapon. The sounds of sizzling air and the scent of ozone drifted into Lucia's nostrils. Someone had just cocked the handle of a quarryman hammer. There was only one way out of the alley, and it wasn't straight ahead.
"You guys stick here," Keith said. "Sharon, you stay with them…"
"But what are you…"
"I'm going to help Bill distract them. Do you think you can help Lu get Carlos outta here... the next building over's the apartment..."
"I'll try," Lucia said.
"Keith, are you nuts? What if they get you, and Bill?" Carlos mumbled.
"Hey, we go back a long ways. Besides, what's the worst they can do to me? I know this neighborhood. And if one thing I know the local gangs aren't too friendly with the quarrymen..." Keith whispered. Indeed, the locals had little love for the Q-Men, as many demonstrations had caused a lot of damage to the local stores.
Putting Carlos between them, the two girls helped him to limp with them to the back entrance to the apartment building. "Good luck," Sharon mouthed to him.
Keith moved out, casually as possible. He hoped Bill knew what he was doing.
"What's that over there?" asked a husky voice to a high pitched one. A male and a female.
"You fools, this isn't the way!" shouted what sounded like Jon Castaway.
"The boss! Here!" shouted the high pitched.
"Oh crap!" returned the husky voice. As they whirled about, they saw no one. Then suddenly they noticed somebody move out of nowhere. Someone who was very tall and had long black hair tied in a ponytail, and he wore jeans and an Ampeg T-shirt. He was joined by a second, suddenly leaping out from behind the cans. She high tailed it past them, slamming her Chinese take out into one as her fist punched into the other.
"What the hell?" the woman grunted, as her partner doubled over.
"Dude what KEPT you?" Bill hissed to Keith.
"You're freakin welcome," Keith muttered. Both reached the mouth of the alley, ducking to the side. The Quarryman van was just up the street, half a block. Half a block in the other direction was her apartment building. She threw herself into the crowd easily. Two black hooded figures shot after them. Bill and Keith streaked past several teens in ripped jeans and new sports leather, their bright red bandannas tied so tightly around their heads it seemed that they could be either pirates or bald.
Both quarrymen ran smack into the teens without looking. There came a flurry of chains and sizzling hammers ten paces behind. Keith felt his toe hit something and fell headlong onto her hands.
"Dammit," Bill cursed, feeling the bite of concrete on her skinned palms. So much for dinner, and for piece of mind. Glancing behind her she saw a whole clot of people moving away from what seemed a large-scale brawl. She scrambled to her feet, dashing away through others who had stopped to watch.
Straight into the arms of Margot, who was just climbing out of a cab. Both backed away from each other in mutual surprise. "What's your hurry, young man?" Margot put her hands on her hips. "In trouble again."
"Can't stop to talk, Mom," Bill huffed. "Got things to see, people to do..."
"In a hurry?" Margot asked, pointedly. Bill glared at her.
"Look, I'd love to share a warm family moment, but don't you have some kind of restraining thing on me that'll get me arrested?"
"Don't be wise with me, young man," Margot said sharply, backing away fifty paces. "I only was making conversation. You've worried us all sick lately with your goings on..."
"Excuse me but I've had a hard day. Work and all. Don't you have some pr stuff to do? Like spreading your little messages of peace and love and tolerance with your boyfriend?"
"I'll excuse you, if you hear me out. I only want to stop you from making an utter wreck out of your self and your life! There is still a chance for you to make something of yourself..."
"This another line from your Dr. Ruth?" asked Bill, stopping just inside her door.
"His names Bleuth. And yes... I did see him today. But that's not what I'm talking about..."
"This conversation's bogus," Bill snapped. "I've got nothing more to say to you, after the crap you and that jackass of a Castaway pulled last new years. So go hug a hammer or something!"
"Young man how DARE you talk to me like that…don't walk away from me!" Margot snapped.
"You walked way from me the day you sold out to those quarrymen, mom," he said angrily.
"You will not speak to me like that, I'm your MOTHER…"
"Maybe mom, but you always did care more about your bank account than me, your own son. I was NEVER good enough for you… I didn't want to go to law school, and you give me the riot act, and then you cored me out for not being an accountant… Dammit, Mom what DO you want from me?"
"I want you to clean up your act and get a job, finish school… not waste your life in some rock band… after ALL I've done for you, you throw it all away on this… this… and the worst part is that you're hanging around with those awful gargoyle PITT…"
"Mom, you are way outta line!" he cried. "The gargoyles are NOT our enemies… you've been brainwashed into a BIGOT!"
"All I wanted was the best for you, but you're like you're father… he just wanted to run away. And now YOU'RE doing the same… but I know it's not your fault, you've been corrupted by them…"
"Whatever Mom, just leave me alone!" Bill said bitterly.
Keith had seen the whole thing as Bill shoved past him, and yanked his friend by the arm. They slammed the door hard, almost in Margot's face. Not only had dinner gone the way of the dodo, and two of their friends were in trouble, but also his own mother was playing Jehovah's witness again. Keith looked to see Margot hammering on the door, her white knuckles red with the force of her pounding. Bill brushed angrily at his eyes as he trotted up the dim hallways to her apartment. Keith shook his head and ran up after him, praying Lu and Carlos would be there with Sharon when they reached the top.
"They were headed in this direction," Goliath spoke into the small mike around his neck. He still couldn't believe the magic in this little device that allowed him to speak to his beloved as if she were sitting right next to him.
"All right, love, I'm on my way..." came Elisa's sweet voice. "Got the dirt over the radio that there are Q men in that neighborhood..."
"We're almost there," Goliath said. Beside him glided Hudson; his good eye fixed firmly on the city far below.
"We have to find them… they're only children," Raychell fretted.
"Trust the pair of them to go playing peacemaker," Hudson sighed.
"Hudson you cannot fault them for wanting to make a stand. But I agree they should have not moved without the Clan's backing..." Goliath responded.
"Please Hudson, they were my students…"
"Raychell, nobody wants t' help find them more than ye, but ye shuild ha warned the bairns to stop playin wi' fire… they're outnumbered… and reckless and foolish!"
"Hudson please," she sniffled.
"Ach, I'm sorry lass," he sighed. "Look, fer yer sake I'm here lookin fer them. I hate t' see ye in such a state m' lass. The only guid thing oota this mess is that people are listening. An' fightin back against those sasanaches..." Hudson grunted. "Not every door has a hammer behind it nau... it's jest foolishness of them t' take on so many alone…"
"Thank you so much Hudson, I knew I could count on you," she said as she wiped away tears.
"I agree with you, old friend. Look, there... on the fire escape! Isn't that your students now?"
"Yes, that's Lucia and Carlos… but why are they on the fire escape… he's got a broken leg…"
"I'll go in... And look... there be Quarrymen up the street! That van..." Hudson gritted.
"We must lead them off, till Elisa gets there..." Goliath said.
Broadway flew up next to them, his face twisted into a mask of concern. "At least those jerks left the PIT rally," he announced as Brooklyn and Angela fell into formation behind him.
"Yer idol has dazzled millions again?" asked Hudson.
"She's wonderful," Broadway sighed, a dreamy look on his face. "I only wish I could bust some heads for what those Q men tried to do to her..."
"Chill bro," Brooklyn sighed. "She's a celeb! She'll bounce back!"
"It is good that the famous are defending us now... in what did you call it?" Angela asked.
"A rally in Central Park," Brooklyn supplied.
"I bet there were more PIT people then Quarrymen there," Broadway said.
"I wish those kids… Lucia and Carlos didn't decide to jump on stage like that when Castaway tried to get up close and personal," Brooklyn criticized. "Ray, can't you put a leash on 'em? They were both alone…"
"They have others… MacDuff was supposed to be with them… but he wasn't able to…"
"One cannot mute the enthusiasm of youth," said Goliath with a tiny smile. "And did you say…"
"MacBeth is helping them," Raychell said as everyone looked at her in surprise. "What, you didn't know… he's on your side…"
"You had mentioned that lassie, as I recall," Hudson said. "But tis true? If so, where was he?"
"He had something else come up," said Raychell slowly. "And the other members of the PITT crew… they were supposed to back them up… but then…"
Bill Yale didn't bother switching on the light when he unlatched the door. Keith did it for him, and both men wandered into the loft apartment. Sure enough they heard a scraping sound and a thumping on the window. Quickly Bill rushed to the window, shoving the food into Keith's hands as he pulled up the curtain. Sharon was banging on the window. Quickly she pushed up the window, helping to pull Lucia inside. Keith rushed up; kicking the door shut and helped them to maneuver Carlos through the space.
"Man, this is not a good night," Carlos grumbled.
"Here Carlos, let me help you onto the sofa man," Bill said. Sharon landed next to them, and both Bill and Keith managed to maneuver their friend onto the sofa.
"Oh god, are you all right…" Lucia whispered to her cousin.
"Lu, it's okay, chica," he said softly. "Don't fuss girl. Yer worse than my sister!"
"Of all the alleys in the city, ya had to land into this one," Bill joked, grabbing a first aid kit that he had stashed somewhere in the bathroom. Lucia stood at her cousin's side, glancing back and forth as if she expected something to crash though the window at any minute.
Sharon rushed into the kitchen to get some water, and Keith locked the front door. Lucia prodded at her cousin's ankle, asking him where it hurt. Bill moved over with the kit, and handed it to her.
"His leg is sprained," Lucia whispered. "We need to brace it with something…"
Sharon returned with water, and Keith grabbed some newspapers to use as a makeshift brace. Lucia slid it under as Bill lifted Carlos' leg, and set it carefully down. Then Lucia wrapped the bandage around his foot, and then tied the newspaper around it to brace it. Sharon threw a blanket over Carlos, who lay exhausted on the couch, dropping his head onto the pillow gratefully.
"Man you HAD to get a sprain just before our next gig," Bill ribbed him. "What the hell WERE you thinking? You're the star… we can't have Paul Stanley limping in platforms man…"
"Fuck the concert," Keith hissed. "IS that all you care about?"
"What I CARE about man is that this dillweed was stupid enough to get his ankle busted when he SHOULD have called us to back him up!" Bill snapped at Keith.
"Guys shut up!" Sharon shouted. "Like, come on, this is NOT helping!"
"Damn I'm sorry guys," Carlos said softly.
"Lu, Carlos, I think you'll be safe if you stay here, ok?" Bill sighed. "We've got some extra room here…"
"Yeah, I guess," Sharon nodded.
"Who would think to look for 'em here in a ratty old building in a loft?" joked Bill
"I don't like this at all..." Lucia muttered.
"Well it's no fun and games to me either," Bill muttered. "The thing to figure out is how the hell to get you two out of here without a bunch of people noticing..."
"Can't we just stay here tonight?" Lucia said. "Then maybe we can call Prof. MacDuff…"
"Speaking of which, where IS your sugar daddy boyfriend?" asked Sharon.
"Shut up," Carlos snapped at her.
"No, I'm serious… where's he at when we need him?" Sharon demanded.
"Leave her alone, you KNOW that he's got a lot of shit going on," Keith broke in. "He's doing protests overseas when this all went down… don'cha think he'd be here if he knew she was in trouble?"
"I called him, and he said he was on his way back!" Lucia cried.
"Great," Sharon sighed.
"Shut up Shar," Keith snapped. "That's not helping."
"He's right. Everyone shut up. We have to work together. Lu, you said you called Prof. Mac, and he's coming right?"
She nodded. Sharon sighed and Keith stepped on her foot. "So, what's the plan, Bill?" Carlos asked.
"I think it's better if Carlos stayed her. And you too Lu…" Bill said. "And have Mac come get you here. The police are after both of you, but Sharon and Keith can go meet him, and let him know were you are…"
"Huh, dunno. Maybe it's best..." Lu sighed.
"That way next night you'll be healed and able to go back..." said Bill. "And you'll be out of the way of the cops, Lu…"
Sharon sighed and flipped on the TV. The game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, was just about to turn off. A woman sat in the wire chair, as Regis Phillbin asked her the question for what seemed the fourth time.
"Wait, leave it there..." Keith urged. "It's her third day in a row! She's about to win a million dollars."
Just then there was a buzz at Bill's door. "Wait a sec guys..."
"Who would that be?"
"My loving mom, I hope not," Bill pulled a face at the thought.
"Wait, your aunt came by here?" Sharon gasped.
"Yeah... really strange... she never pays me a visit..."
"That's not good," Lucia muttered.
"Why?"
"Because she might know we're here, and look for us, DUH!" Keith snapped. "And she's like Mrs. Gargoyle hater… use your fucking brain!"
"Calm down, calm down guys… wait a sec… Lu go get my makeup kit. Keith, you get your ass and get Carlos to the bedroom in the back. Shar, you help him… on the double cat woman…"
"Fine, fine," she mumbled as she helped Keith haul Carlos up, and Lucia rushed to help as well. Together they moved him into the bedroom.
"I'll distract her," Bill said, as he moved to the door panel. Pressing the white button he said, "Yeah? Make my day!"
"Pappa John's pizza! Delivery for a... Bill Yale?"
"Be right down!" he called. Leaving the others to ponder what their next move was.
"Rachel Carter, you've just won one million dollars!" Regis shouted at the top of his lungs from the television. Lucia glanced back and gave a small smile at the glowing expression of the young woman on television.
Minutes later Bill ran upstairs with the pizza and put it down. "False alarm guys," he said.
"You are a lucky son of a bitch," Sharon sighed. "Damn…You fuckin let her find out where you jam and she's a gargoyle hater, what is like up with that?"
"Shar, give it a rest," Keith snapped. "It's old. Look, Bill knows what' he's doing. His mom doesn't know that he's a PITT crewmember…"
"And it'll stay that way," he said.
Lucia sighed and opened the box of pizza. "I guess we'd better eat this…"
"Yeah, I ordered it earlier today… cause we were supposed to have a band rehearsal," Bill said. "Which reminds me, why don't we paint you all up so we can confuse the living hell out of whoever comes up here…"
"But doesn't your mom know who we are?"
"She can presume, but I'm in the process of putting a restraining order on her," said Bill with a clever smile.
"Your own mom, dude!" Keith laughed. "That's harsh, but she deserves it!"
"Lu, since Carlos is down, you'll fill in for him."
"You have GOT to be kiddin," she laughed as Bill moved her into a chair, and dragged his makeup kit.
"Oh please, you're expecting us to fucking REHEARSE when…" Sharon spat.
"That's the perfect cover. We can say we've been dress rehearsing here…" said Bill as he snapped his fingers. Keith picked up the remote and turned on the DVD player to play loud rock music to screen their conversations. Lucia nibbled some pizza, and let Bill paint her face as the others went to do the same.
It seemed stupid, Sharon mumbled to herself as she drew her facepaint on as she did so a thousand times before. But it was an alibi. Besides, in makeup they couldn't tell exactly who the members of bill's trib were. Granted Margo said she knew who was in it, but they used stage names, and Keith was by the computer, fabricating some fake I.D.'s as Bill then started to draw the outlines of his makeup on his face.
Lucia wandered over with the curtain around her and started to smirch white makeup on Bill's face. She often helped him with his makeup to speed up the process. He did the same to her. Then Sharon helped Keith draw on his Ace makeup, while he fussed with the computer. Rather hard, but interesting.
"Who took my brush for the silver?" she shouted. "Shit, Bill, you stupid fucker… it's black…"
"So sue me, get a new one… use Keith's…" Bill shouted back, half in the Demon mode.
"Guys, remember Carlos…" Lucia sighed as she subjected herself to act as a decoy.
"Shar, chill, it's ok," said Keith as he handed his silver brush over, and Sharon sighed as she began to use it on the steins. This was the real deal. The real clown white those professionals used the expensive stuff that wasn't runny, quaky or flaky.
Powder fluffed around them as they continued their ritual, and every ten seconds Lucia was scared that they Quarrymen would find them in this studio apartment. Bill and Keith lived there together, with Sharon. Lucia had given up her own room to spend most of her time over at MacBeth's home, while Carlos lived in a dorm room during the week, and with his grandma the weekends. Keith had been a confirmed KISS army member since he was seven, and Brendan had taken him to his first concert, along with Bill. Margot was extremely embarrassed at the whole thing, and pretended NOT to see them.
Sharon had joined their group when they advertised for a drummer. At first Bill bitched about a girl drummer, but Keith set him straight. She was the best, and one of the few who didn't have major ego trips, most of the time. But lately Bill was getting on her nerves.
"What friggin trib has a female drummer I ask you," Bill bitched.
"Shut up, you know she's better than the others, and besides, the audience thinks a Cat Woman is sexy," said Keith.
"I'm just joking, ok?" Bill mumbled as he finished Lucia's face paint, and she sighed with relief as he dusted it with makeup powder. Then she did his, and he maneuvered her long black curly hair around her face.
"There ya go, a Star Girl," he smiled.
"You only wanted me to play the part cause of my hair," she teased.
"So, we did this, let's eat this pizza already, I'm starved," Sharon said as she pushed Bill out of the way and began to chow down.
"You could have eaten BEFORE you painted that on," said Bill with a smirk.
"Shut up or I'll cut that tongue of yours out," said Sharon.
"You oughta get her neutered, Keith," said Bill.
"Shut up guys, please?" Lucia begged.
"He's only pulling my chain, its ok Hon," said Sharon as she looked at Lucia, who was scared to death.
"I don't even WANT to think about this… what if they find us… what if…"
"They won't," Bill said as he patted her shoulder. "They'll just see some trib doing dress rehearsal. That's all. Now, let's see if you remember any of the power cords Lu that your cousin taught you, and see if you can carry the banter…"
"You should be him," Lucia said. "You've got the voice…"
"This is a dress rehearsal, don't' sweat it… by tomorrow the Q men will give up and then we're free and clear," said Keith.
That next day the sun set in glorious shades of red and gold. The bands of solid color melted and ran like ice cream as the phone began to ring in Bill Yale's apartment. An empty pizza box lay on the coffee table, next to a few coke cans and paper cups. A few slices remained, the cheese on top congealed. On the sofa bed that was pulled out, both Sharon and Lucia slept. Keith was in his own room, while Bill had taken an aerobed on the floor. They had rehearsed all night and into the next day, in the auspices of keeping a vigil in case the Quarrymen came during the day.
A jangling noise stung Lucia and Sharon's ears. "What..."
"The phone," Bill said. "I'll get it…"
"Wait, don't answer it..." Lucia cautioned.
"What's going on?" came Carlos' voice from the back room.
"Go back to sleep, it's just the phone," Bill said as he wiped at his makeup with a towel.
"Let the friggin machine take it," Sharon said as she put a pillow over her head.
At the sound of the fourth ring, the beep clicked on, and Bill's message sounded. Lucia tensed with her hand at the ready, to pick or not pick up the phone. When they heard the soothing tones of MacBeth Lucia drew a sigh of relief. She scooped up the receiver, saying,
"Thank god, I was worried sick..."
Surprise came in the voice. Lucia listened, and then said, "I'm all right, amore, don't fuss please…there were some quarrymen that... oh no I'm fine now..."
"Ask him when he's getting his ass here?" said Sharon with a laugh.
"Shar," Bill rolled his eyes.
"Please love, can you pick us up… Sharon and Keith will meet you… yes I'll stay RIGHT here till you come… oh I'm so scared… yes I know… I'm so glad… don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault… you will… yes…"
"What's the plan?" bill asked.
"Where should me and Keith meet him?" asked Sharon.
"The coffee house where I worked," said Lucia. "Then he'll come by and get Carlos to his place… he said he can treat the sprain…"
"Good deal," Sharon nodded. "Tell him to hurry."
Lucia did that as Bill yawned and wandered into the restroom. Sharon chuckled despite herself as Lucia continued to speak to MacBeth on the other line. When she was done, Sharon looked at her with a grin.
"What's that look for?" Lucia wondered, as her face grew hot and she clicked down the receiver a bit more sharply then she had wanted to. "What?"
"I still can't believe, that he and she are..." Sharon teased.
Lucia blushed as she tried to complete her sentence, "Now come on…"
"It's a strange world we live in," Bill laughed. "Just thinking about you and an immortal king being an item is farther out then anything they had on that SF channel!"
"An item?" Lucia chuckled nervously.
Sharon grinned, "I dunno if you'd would call it that. More like lovers? "
"Hope you know what you're getting into," Keith muttered as he wandered out in his boxers and a T-shirt.
"Hello yourself, you look toasted," said Bill. "What's going down?"
"Keith, what are you babbling about, get ready cause we gotta meet Mac…"
"That's just it," he said as he looked at Lucia. "He takes things pretty seriously."
"So?" asked Lucia. "I care about him, and he cares about me…"
"He might ask you to marry him," said Keith. "You up to it?"
"Come on, she doesn't have to…"
"If he did I'd say yes," Lucia whispered.
"Guys, don't you have to meet the professor?" Bill asked, seeing Lucia's awkward look.
"C'mon Keith, get the lead outta yer ass," said Sharon. The phone rang, and everyone looked at each other.
"It's my cell guys," said Keith as he opened it. "Hello? Shock me?"
Everyone waited, and he handed it to Lucia, "It's for you. It's the Prof.…"
She grabbed it and said, "Hello…yes… they're about to leave… you what? You don't want them to come… why?"
"Something wrong?" asked Bill, seeing the look of confusion on her face.
"What's the deal?" Sharon asked impatiently.
"Hold on, I'll tell them…" she said. "Bill, he wants to talk to you…"
"Oh?" Bill said as she handed him the phone. Sharon and Keith moved over and started to ask her questions.
"What's up?" Keith yawned.
"He says he thinks it might be better if Bill and Sharon took Carlos directly to the hospital… he already called his grandma, and he convinced the ER there to make it look like Carlos was there all night… yes, they are PIT people…" Lucia said.
"But what about you?" asked Sharon.
"He's asking you and Bill to keep me safely here till he comes to get me himself," said Lucia with an embarrassed smile.
"He likes you, likes you girl," said Keith with a grin.
"Wow," said Sharon. "I still can't believe he'd do that... man he IS serious…"
"Dude, he loves her," Keith laughed as Lucia got an odd look in her eyes. She sighed and went over to pick up the remains of the Chinese food. Bill was still talking to MacBeth.
As Sharon and Keith removed the remains of their takeout pizza dinner from the previous night, they watched Bill and Lucia talking softly. They overheard her saying to him, "He seems so... noble... and kind and good..."
"We'd better get going," Bill said to her. "Before the others start to worry... Keith, Sharon can you get ready and Lu, wake up your cousin. We have to get moving…"
Everyone nodded and moved off to do their things. As Bill waited for them, he turned the TV on. The evening news was playing and he suddenness turned up the volume. "In the news today, recent winner of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire sweepstakes Rachel Carter was admitted to the Crystal Springs Sanitarium. She was found nude in her bathtub, incoherent and shivering after four days, by concerned neighbors. Police have no leads on possible suspects, but all areas are being investigated. Representatives claim that she exhibited severe bouts of anxiety bordering on self mutilation and depression..."
"Shit," said Bill, confused. Keith wandered out in jeans, sneakers and his jacket. He motioned to Bill, and he moved over to help with Carlos. Lucia wandered out, absently scratching at her hand as she wandered over to the news, and shook her head. Something was making her feel queasy in her stomach, and she had a pounding headache. With relief she saw them helping Carlos limp out, and she got up to say goodbye, clicking off the news.
"Take care chica…" her cousin said as he kissed her.
"I'll be staying here with you, don't worry," Keith said as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"Good," said Bill. "Cause Mac said he'd have my ass on a plate if something happened to her."
"He shouldn't worry," Lucia mumbled.
"Are you for real? He's your knight in shining armor," Keith teased. "And I'm his padawan. Go get Carlos to the hospital you two…"
"Don't worry, we'll make sure he's ok," Sharon said as she and Bill helped Carlos, who glanced back.
"Sit tight, it'll be ok…" Carlos called. Lucia sighed and Keith put his hand on her shoulder.
In a few minutes they were left alone in the apartment, to wait for them to return. Keith got on the Internet while Lucia began to flip channels again. Sighing she prayed that her love would come and rescue her soon. Something was making her more nervous than usual. Hell, who wouldn't be?
Hudson growled and pressed the up channel button. "News gets worse and worse all the time, Bronx," he grumbled to the dog garoyle at his feet. Bronx chewed on a section of Sears-N-Roebuck catalog, happily ripping the underwear section to shreds. Small bits of glossy paper dropped from his mouth as he glanced up at Hudson.
Raychell yawned as she wandered into the television room. "Hullo lass," Hudson turned his head at the sound of her entrance. "Long night ahead o' ye?"
"I was looking for signs of my students. Any word?"
"There's been little word," Hudson said as he motioned for her to come sit on the arm of the chair near him. "That's what Owen Burnett said right enau…"
Sighing she did so, and he put a reassuring hand at the small of her back. He knew how much she worried about her former students. "But dinna worry. But trust him… he'd able t find help I'd be thinking," Hudson assured her.
Broadway wrestled with a large bowl of popcorn and several diet cokes as he almost stumbled into Bronx. The dog gargoyle snorted and he said, "Sorry boy, didn't see ya there..."
"He'll get over it, big guy," Raychell laughed. "Don't let me stop you from catching Late Night with David Letterman..."
"You'll never believe who's tonight's guest..." Hudson rumbled. "MacBeth..."
"Him on TV? Since when did Letterman rap with historical stuff?" asked Broadway. "No way!"
"MacBeth?" asked Raychell. "That's right. That's where he was… he must have gotten to Lucia after all…"
"Aye, and that new model Carissa Desiree," Hudson said. "Not to mention our own Fox Xanatos..."
"Carissa? The spokeswoman for PIT?" Broadway drooled. "She's... beautiful..."
"Thought ye might want t' hear about her..."
"You figure it out..." Raychell laughed. "But I have to talk to Goliath... I have to ask him if Elisa's heard anything."
"I'll come with ye, if ye like, lass," Hudson offered, noticing that she was hiding her sadness, but failing.
"No that's ok Hudson, I know you like to watch your shows…"
"As ye wish lass," he said as he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "But ye can always join us later… I hate t' see ye worry yerself so."
She wandered out into the main chamber, hanging high with tapestries. Alex toddled there, only inches before his impressed mother Fox. "Come on honey, one more step..."
Alex giggled as he fell into his mother's proud arms. Raychell smiled slightly as she passed them. "How'd your interview with the letterman go?" she asked.
"He behaved himself," Fox laughed, as she scooped her son up into her arms. "It's not the first time I've been on that show..."
Elisa Maza walked in, yawing. Raychell rushed over to her, almost tripping on her ankles when she greeted her, "Elisa, I was going to ask Goliath if you've…"
"I hoped to find you here, Raychell. I haven't heard anything, about your two students, but I did arrest some people who were rioting outside the building. Seems the Q men got into a fight with the local gang near that apartment you saw them at…"
"God, were they…"
"Nobody was hurt too badly. Nice to see that the gangs are doing something productive like beating on Q men instead of each other," Elisa said.
"Bill lives there with Keith," said Raychell with relief. "I'd forgotten they turned a loft into a studio…"
"Somehow I'm not surprised..." Elisa chuckled, then let loose with a head splitting yawn. "Oh sorry..."
"Stopping those quarrymen again?" Fox shrugged. "What are they up to this time?"
"I've been reassigned to another set of cases," Elisa muttered. "So I wouldn't know..."
"But Keith…"
Just then a familiar voice could be heard animatedly talking to a dry one. Fox saw Owen Burnette walking in with a young lady whom Raychell rushed over to. "Sharon!" she cried. "I'm so glad…"
"It's okay Raychell… Carlos got to the hospital safely…"
"Great to see you're okay, but you gotta watch it!" Elisa nodded, but then grew stern. "But no more stupid stunts like that one, or I'll arrest Lu and Carlos…"
"Elisa, you can't do that," said Raychell.
"Well, then find some less dangerous ways to protest," Elisa scolded Sharon. "Your friends could have gotten killed.
"Well they didn't. They all crashed at Bill's," Sharon announced.
"Who is that?" Elisa asked. Sharon glanced at Raychell in worry. Should they tell Elisa that Bill was really Margot's son? They were thankfully interrupted as Goliath strode into the room, and Elisa's attention was diverted.
"Elisa, how are you this night?" Goliath asked.
"Goliath, I need a favor from you guys..." she said, forgetting about Sharon and Raychell temporarily.
"Anything," Goliath rumbled, moving close to her. His hands enclosed around hers. Fox got the distinct impression as long as they were locked in each other's gaze the rest of the world ceased to exist. Shrugging she picked up Alex, and moved into the next room. Raychell hugged Sharon, who quickly whispered something.
"I have to go, Professor. But I'll call you to let you know everything's ok," said Sharon.
"Okay, you just be safe, and stop worrying us so much!" Raychell scolded. Sharon walked out with Owen, who had been patiently waiting the whole time.
"There's been some really strange cases going down," Elisa said. "Famous celebrities suddenly going insane..."
"I had heard about the case of that woman on television," Raychell said. "The one who just won a million dollars. "
"How did you know about that?" Elisa asked.
"Television. Heard it from Hudson," Raychell said.
"Figures," Elisa muttered, and then chuckled. Then turned her head to look back into the depths of Goliath's eyes. "But something seems really fishy about the whole thing to me. Why would a woman who just won a million dollars suddenly be found crazy in her bathtub?"
"I do not know..." Goliath muttered. "Is it a case you are working on?"
"Well let's just say I want your help tonight. There's going to be another public appearance of that new model, Carissa. Chavez has ordered protection. We gotta make sure no Quarrymen get to her when she goes on Late Night tonight..."
"And you wish us to, back you up?" Goliath asked.
"Right. We don't know what they're planning next..."
"Where the heck is Bill anyway," asked the landlady. "He failed to pay the rent on time..."
"I dunno..." muttered the gangly youth from behind the pull chain. "She... well comes and goes as she wants to I guess..."
"I couldn't care less if you two were having wild orgies... the rent is due by the end of this week, or you two are out of here!" muttered the landlady.
"All right, I'll have it... today or whatever..." he scratched his head, a bit puzzled. "Like don't be so... so... crazed about it..."
"I don't want whatever. Make sure it gets paid. I don't care which of you it is..."
Keith wandered back into the apartment, absently kicking at an empty Chinese takeout container with one toe of his boot. Spying the pizza carton, he sniffed at it. The cheese had congealed by now, and he turned up his nose at a very odd smell coming from it. Bill had gone out to get some more food, and he was waiting.
Just then came a frantic banging at the door. Keith nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden staccato, dropping the box. The slice he'd been holding ended up right on the floor, face down. "Oh great," he muttered, trying to scoop it up and stuff it back into the box.
A frantic muffled shout came with increased knocking. It sounded like whoever it was was trying to break the door down. "I'm coming! Christ, can't you wait?"
"Let me in, for the love of God let me in!" shouted a familiar voice. He fumblingly pulled aside the door catches, and Lucia nearly shoved him into the wall as she leaned into the door.
"What the hell?" he cried. "Why the HELL did you go out? Someone will have my ASS for this…Didn't you have your key?"
"I lost it! Didn't you get my phone call? Why didn't you open the door when I knocked?"
"Are you kidding me? This is New York..." he responded. "Where the hell have you been? The Land lady was just here... and where the hell is Bill?"
Lucia looked back and forth, before slamming the door and latching all the locks. There was a wild look in her brown eyes that Keith didn't like at all. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck pricking up at Lucia' frantic rushing about. She raced to the window, pulling down the blinds. Then orbited the room, looking under boxes and light fixtures.
"Those damn Quarrymen... I could swear I saw one on my butt on the way back here..." Lucia said with a very hushed voice.
"You missed the big party last night? You were here with me!" he asked, eyebrows raising.
"No, down the street! But it's as good as if they came knocking right on the front door," Lucia snapped. Her hand curled round a baseball bat that for some reason had made its way into the front closet. She hefted its weight, lifting over her shoulder.
"What's all this?" he asked.
"All what?" she asked him back.
"You're rushing around like some freaking nutcase," he countered. "Look, I don't get into your business... but like... you're majorly freakin me out. Is something wrong? I was supposed to keep you safe!"
"Only every Q-Man in this city after me," she said, and rushed back to the door, flattening herself against the doorframe. "I saw one, out of the corner of my eye, when I was at the theater. Then when I was on the subway I could swear there was some blonde guy staring at me..."
"Wasn't he admiring the view," Keith quipped. "I mean... don't get me wrong but don't ya don't complain when a man's staring at you..."
"It was the way he was staring at me," she hissed, grabbing the front of Keith's T-shirt and glaring right into his eyes.
"Chill ok! I believe you," Keith held up his hands. Lucia let go of his shirt, and backed away.
"Caramba! what the hell just happened... what was I doing?" she asked, shaking her head. A glazed look came over her as if she had awakened from a dream. "For a moment there I felt like I was going psycho!"
"I'll say you were. Christ Lucia, is this some joke? Cause if it is, it ain't funny!" Keith complained, backing away from his friend.
"Sorry Keith... I... just... can't shake this feeling like someone's out to get me," she muttered. That vulnerable look scared him. Normally Lucia was a bit nervous, but not aggressive like this! This wasn't her style at all, because she wouldn't be so eager to clobber whomever it was after her. Rather she would run away, or call for help. Keith felt the nervousness growing. Lucia picked up the pizza box, and fished out a piece. "Want one?" she asked him.
"I dunno. I've gotta ask Bill how long ago he ordered that pie," he said. "It's smelling kinda funky to me..."
"Just yesterday. Should be still okay. Besides, why are you complaining? I mean I've seen you eat stuff that's been sitting around longer then this..." she began to chow down on the pizza.
Nervously Keith began to nibble on a piece himself. That odd smell settled in again, and he grimaced. Bitter odd taste, as if it was biting it back. "God, it tastes horrible!" he gagged. "You didn't get anchovies on it did you?"
"Of course not!" she laughed, and he was again surprised. She didn't curse much, and it was usually in Spanish. What was going on here?
An odd tingling set over him, as if his skin were bathed in nettles. Lucia looked at him oddly, still munching on her slice. There were only two left, that she held in her hand, and the one he'd dropped and slipped back into the box, not counting his half eaten piece discarded.
"Are you sure it's safe to eat that?" he asked her.
She put the piece down. "You've got a point. Probably should have trashed this a long time ago..." she muttered, gathering up the remains of the box and walking into the kitchen. Keith followed her, pulling open the fridge to extract a can of mountain dew. Anything to wash away that horrible taste! Absently he wandered over to switch on the television set as Lucia messed with folding the cardboard takeout box into the already full trash bag.
He started flipping channels; not noticing over the noise of the television as Lucia Dominguez suddenly blinked, wrestling with the bag of trash. Nor did he notice as she grabbed up her handbag and the baseball bat. She hefted it over her head, thoughtfully. Then she slipped away, not even letting him know where she was going.
Lucia could swear she had seen that car parked there when she had pulled up. And it was still there when she had glanced out of the apartment window. Time to take care of this once and for all, she found herself thinking as she held the baseball bat aloft. Just as she was peering, bat in hand with her purse, she slammed into someone yet again.
"Um… s orry…" Lucia groaned.
For Margot Yale stood there, her hair tied up in that ridiculous hair scarf, all frizzy. That asinine pantsuit which was a sick shade of green and her dinky handbag. Wearing a look of what appeared to be concern. "Have you seen my son? I want to bury the hatchet..." she began.
"Don't give me that," Lucia gritted. "I heard about that PIT woman. She's loco thanks to what your Q buddies have done! And I'm sick of people being bullied by pigs like you! So you tell Castaway we're not gonna take this lying down. I know you've been following me..."
"Clearly you're very disturbed, are you sure you haven't seen my son?" Margot said, eyeing the baseball bat that Lucia was holding.
"That man in the train was one of your friends, right? And that hombre over there in the van? Don't deny it!"
"You're clearly every bit as dangerous as the others said you were. You were such a sweet nice girl when I heard Bill talk about you. But it's the PIT people that did this to you, and I pity you for that..." Margot backed away, reaching into her purse for something as Lucia advanced upon her. "I'm just surprised my son isn't here…"
"You'll not find him!" Lucia hissed. "He hates you… just like I do!"
Just then someone climbed out of the van, and Lucia turned her head to one side, bat held up.
"Help!" Margot shouted into the cell phone she'd extracted from her purse. "I'm being assaulted!"
"You lying bitch…" Lucia got out before suddenly a very strong gentleman grabbed her from behind. Hands plucked the bat from her hand. However, she slipped down, and he let go. Then she turned and punched him in the gut, and kicked him in the shins. Before the second could move, she grabbed the bat in his hands, and then slammed her fist right in his face with a right cross. How on earth had she learned to f ight like that, Margot wondered in fear.
Several people turned to the commotion as Lucia was dragged, kicking and screaming away by what looked to be two persons in suits. Just then a police car pulled up, Officer Morgan peering out the window.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"We've got this under control," one of the men flashed what looked like a badge while the other wrestled Lucia into the van before Morgan could get a better look. Margot rushed over to the officer, blocking his view of the scene.
"Mrs. Yale," Morgan said, trying to crane his neck to look around her. "What's going on I got the call and I was in the neighborhood."
"Just a very disturbed person with a baseball bat... trying to assault me, while their partner grabbed my purse." she said. "But luckily Detective Carson was in the area... it's being taken care of..."
Morgan scratched his head, as he drove on. Very weird indeed. But if the plainclothes had whoever it was, it wasn't his department. "Somebody want to let me in on this?"
The detective flashed his badge quickly. "Bust going down on a pickpocket ring. No problem..."
"All right... but if you need a hand..."
"We got who we wanted," said the fellow. Morgan drove away, still puzzled.