December 23
New Gotham Mid Afternoon
Elisa pulled her cel phone from her pocket and groaned when she saw the number. Reese gave her an inquisitive look as she pushed the talk button with a sigh and put on her best 'normal' tone.
"Hey mom."
"Elisa Maza I have been trying to reach you for a week now and you haven't returned one of my phone calls young lady!"
Elisa winced, hearing the barely suppressed frustration in her mother's voice. "I'm sorry mom, but I haven't been home for over a week, and my cel service out here has been sketchy," she half lied.
"Out here? Where on earth are you now?"
"Can't say right now mom."
"Oh." Came the unhappy response. Her mother understood though, having been married to a police officer for over thirty years. "Well you are coming home for Christmas dinner aren't you?"
Again Elisa winced. "Um, I'm afraid I'm going to have to miss out on the party this year mom. I'm really sorry."
"But Elisa you NEVER work on Christmas Eve. What on earth can be so important that you would miss the one day we all swore we would get together on?" she demanded.
Elisa heard some shuffling around in the background and then her father came on the phone. "Elisa?"
"Yeah dad," Elisa responded tiredly. She rubbed her forehead, and then threw a dirty look towards Reese who was trying not to laugh at her predicament.
"Honey is everything ok?"
"Are you on the house phone?"
"Yes."
"Then we can't talk."
There was a pause. "I'll call you right back."
The line went dead and Elisa groaned again as she killed her own connection. "Sounds like someone's in a little hot water for canceling dinner plans," Reese snickered.
"Can it," she grumbled as her phone rang again and she answered it.
"Elisa is this about those guns?"
"Yeah dad. Look I'm really sorry I can't make it tomorrow night, but I'm not even in town right now."
"That's what your mother said. Is everything ok?"
Elisa paused for a minute, and allowed a small sliver of emotion show through to her father. "I don't know dad. I mean, we have the intelligence, we have a plan, I just hope it's enough."
"Can I do anything to help?"
"No. Just tell mom not to be too mad at me....I think Derek and Maggie are going to be a little tied up too. Tell her I promise I'll make it up to her."
"That's a promise I expect you to keep young lady," he chuckled softly. It was his way of telling her to keep her head down and stay alive. "Call us when you're back in town."
"Thanks Pops. I will."
The line clicked off once more and Elisa hung up her phone with a small breath of relief. "That's one thing I learned early on," Reese said with a smirk.
"Enlighten me?" Elisa remarked dryly.
"Never cancel last minute for a big dinner when you're momma is doing the cooking and she owns a large rolling pin."
Elisa had to release a chuckle with that, picturing a time or two she and her siblings had been mock threatened with that rolling pin after wreaking havoc in the kitchen. "Thank God my father will have calmed her down by the time I get back home. So you think our two friends have blown the whistle on us or skipped out?" she asked changing the subject, as they neared the river front.
"I think they're too honorable to rat us out, but they were pretty shook up the other night. I wouldn't blame them if they decided to skip town. With any luck though, they'll agree to help us clear this place out tomorrow night."
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
December 23
mid afternoon Arkham Asylum
"...and this is the lock down button here. If any of the prisoners escape their cells, this button will lock down the entire place. All control booths will be secured by a steel door, and cannot be opened from the outside unless you have a lot of time and a welding torch."
"Seems pretty safe to me."
"We've got the most dangerous minds in this hell-hole. And half of 'em have contacts on the outside that are just dying to break their bosses out. You can't imagine all the attempts we've had over the years."
The pretty young blonde just smiled at him. "Oh I can imagine it's probably a constant problem."
"It is...always have to be on our toes," the guard said, blushing as she seemed to pay more than the usual attention to him. Well now for the tour of our... 'guests'."
"Oh, the best part," she said, with an almost wicked grin.
"You bet. So tell me you don't seem like the type to request a position here at the Asylum. Why'd you pick this?"
"I majored in Criminal Psychology actually. But I'm just not the type to sit in an office all day, so I decided to do a job that would combine the best of both worlds."
"Well, just be careful around some of the brains in here. Take her for instance," he said pointing through a specially coated and distorted piece of heavy plexi-glass.
"Is that Dr. Quinzel?" the new recruit asked with a breathless gasp of awe. Her escort frowned a bit. "She ain't no doctor," he said in a nearly disgusted tone.
The new recruit seemed to reign in her fascination, and he continued. "Harleen Quinzel, a.k.a., Harley Quinn. She's the Joker's girlfriend and they make Bonnie and Clyde seem like amateurs. She is the epitome of a psychopathic killer. She's been known to even kill those that work for her just because she felt like it. She also has the ability to hypnotize a person just by looking into their eyes. That's why every individual that deals with her on a personal basis, must wear special contacts that prevent her from taking control of your mind. You will be issued two pair at the end of your briefing, and you are expected to have a pair with you at all times."
"Is she really that dangerous?"
"She is one of our most lethal residents here. We lost nearly a dozen guards to Quinn before we finally figured out a way to protect ourselves from her influence."
"Lost? You mean she killed them?" the new recruit asked in shock.
"In a way. They all died by their own hand, but it was her powers that made them do it," the older man told her with a grimace before he looked back over at her. He cocked his head to one side and looked her over and then harrumphed.
"What?"
"It's just....ahhh never mind."
"Oh now you've really got my interest. What?"
"Well...it's just that you look a little like her. Actually now that I think about it, you could be her younger sister. I'm sorry, I hope I haven't offended you."
The new recruit laughed and shook her head. "No Don, you haven't offended me. In fact when the cops were looking for her, they picked me up twice thinking I was her. Once I saw the pictures I didn't blame them, I guess I really do look a lot like her. Well should we continue on?"
"Yeah, there's still plenty to see. Now this next guy is kind of a heartbreak case. He was a brilliant scientist until his wife contracted this incurable disease and he was involved in some freak lab accident shortly thereafter...."
December 23
Mid Afternoon New Gotham Docks
Reese and Maza shuffled back into the homeless camp, greeting a couple of people they had met over the past two weeks as they made their way towards the fire. There disappearance for a couple of days didn't seem to be met with any suspicion since everyone here was fairly transient and being wintertime, many would seek the warmth and food of local shelters one a more frequent basis. They spotted Susan and Jerry, sitting off to one side chatting with a few of the others, and passing a freshly boiled pot of 'hobo-coffee' as Elisa had dubbed it.
Susan looked up to see Reese and Elisa approaching and nudged Jerry to get his attention. Elisa and Reese continued past the small group towards a small fire that was not occupied away from the main groups. After a few minutes, the couple excused themselves and made their way over to the two detectives.
"They don't look to happy to see us," Reese noted quietly.
"Would you be," Elisa muttered back.
The couple sat down across from Elisa and Reese, both looking worried and hurt. "Who are you?" Jerry finally asked in a quiet voice.
Reese looked over to Elisa who nodded and answered. "My name is Elisa Maza. I'm a detective with the NYPD. You've probably heard about the guns that we've had show up in Manhattan. Well two weeks ago, I received a tip that five thousand more of those guns were going to be shipped into my city by train from here. What you two witnessed last night confirmed what we had suspected."
"Are you from New York too?" Jerry asked Reese.
"No, I'm a local boy. Jesse Reese, and I work as a detective with NGPD."
"So how many more of your people have been masquerading around here lately?" Susan asked, sounding more than a little upset even though she kept her voice as quiet as possible.
"We're the only ones. What you saw is the work of Harley Quinn, and by the look on your faces, I'm guessing you know who she is."
"Who doesn't around here," Jerry muttered bitterly.
"She has too many eyes and ears, and most of the police are pretty much in the dark as to what's going on."
"If the police have no idea what's going on then how do you plan on stopping them? I served my tour in the Middle East and I know what kind of fire and manpower they have down there. It's gonna take more than just the two of you to stop them," Jerry snorted in disbelief.
"We only said that most of the police have no clue as to what's going to happen tomorrow night. But most of our help will be coming from outside the department," Elisa explained.
Jerry and Susan looked at them skeptically. "This turned into a military operation or something?"
"Hell no. My partner used to work for the federal government and even he said that would be a bad idea. There's too much at stake right now to risk blowing this operation, so we have to plan and execute this whole thing while flying below the radar."
"What do you want from us?" Jerry asked warily.
"Only to help clear out your friends when things start to go down tomorrow night," Elisa assured him. "The last thing we would expect of you or Susan is to help us fight these lunatics. We've already assembled a team for that. We only have a small window of opportunity to take these bastards out, and we can't afford any distractions."
"Jerry can you and Susan see to it that everyone clears this area when they start bringing the guns out?" Reese asked.
"Not before?" Susan asked concerned.
"It will make things look suspicious. They'll be expecting to see you guys around when they come topside to start loading. But if you all start leaving while they work, it'll just seem like you're giving them the space they've been enforcing down in the tunnels over this past year."
The older couple exchanged glances and then Jerry nodded. "Yeah, we can do that. It'll help that most people here are planning to head to the Sixth Street Shelter for the traditional dinner and celebration they hold each Christmas Eve. Most will sleep over there too since they distribute gifts and food first thing in the morning."
Elisa gave a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes briefly before re- opening them with a look of pure gratitude. "I'm sorry we had to deceive both of you," she told them with honest regret. "But we had so little time, and this was our last hope of trying to find out the information we needed. Even though you didn't realize it at the time, your help will help save more lives than you can imagine. Thank you."
Jerry nodded once and Susan managed a tiny smile, accepting Elisa's apology and gratitude. There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence and then Susan shifted. "So are you two really a couple?" she asked finally.
Reese chuckled. "No, but both our other halves were ready to kill us when we went back home the other night."
Elisa giggled remembering the scene that took place when she and Reese had first walked into the Clocktower. "Yeah Reese's girlfriend was ready to flay me on sight, and I thought my boyfriend was going to pound him into hamburger meat for a couple of minutes."
"So then.... our discussions, they were real?" Susan asked, hoping that she hadn't been totally played by Elisa and Reese.
Elisa reached over and smiled warmly at the older woman as she squeezed her hand. "Oh no Susan, they were very much the real thing. And I wanted to thank you for helping me face some issues I've left hanging for far too long."
"Sometimes, it takes someone on the outside to help you put things into perspective. Will you two be staying here tonight?"
"We have to get back to our friends tonight. We have some final preparations to make for tomorrow. Besides, none of us wanted to miss being able to spend one last evening with our loved ones," Elisa admitted.
"Just one thing that we wanted to know before you two go," Jerry asked.
"Sure."
"I mean we admire your courage and all, but you'd have to be crazier than hell to try and go up against a woman like Quinn. Especially since she has a whole friggin' army that's outfitted with enough firepower to take out an entire state. You're telling us that the police, the Feds, and the government aren't going to be involved in this. Why would you be willing to go on a suicide mission like this?"
Reese and Elisa were quiet for several long moments as they both stared into the fire, contemplating their answers. "Elisa and I come from two different cities, with two different threats, but it boils down to one reason. To protect."
"The people involved in this operation have left their scars on both of our families and friends. Quinn's counterpart in Manhattan, is just as crazy and bloodthirsty as she is. If they aren't stopped, the slaughtering will only escalate, and thousands of innocents will be sacrificed without a second thought. One way or another, Reese and I will see to it that they are stopped tomorrow night," Elisa answered in a steady tone.
Susan and Jerry were both taken aback by the detectives' deadly resolve. What was being left unsaid, hung in the air between the two couples. Finally Jerry managed a nod as he cleared his throat. "Our prayers are with you and your friends then."
Reese and Elisa nodded and then stood. "Take care you guys," Elisa said as she hugged Susan briefly while the men exchanged a firm handshake.
"Don't worry about us. Just watch yourselves out there tomorrow night."
With that, the two detectives took their leave and began their mile hike back towards their car, careful to make sure they weren't being followed. Once inside the car, they both let out a sigh of relief. "Well at least that has been taken care of," Reese said as he turned on the engine and pulled out of the ally they had been parked in.
Elisa began stripping the heavy smelly clothes off of her, as Reese tried to shrug out of his own overcoat and extra layers while they drove back towards the Clock Tower. Suddenly Elisa's phone rang and she swore as she dug into her pockets for it.
"Maza."
"Hey Sugar."
Elisa was shocked silent for several seconds. "How'd you get this number?" she finally gasped.
"You insult me Maza," he chuckled.
"Damn it Tony they'll trace your call-"she swore at him as Reese's head snapped around suddenly. "Jesus, Reese watch out!" she yelled at him, as he looked forward again and narrowly avoided slamming into a car that had stopped in front of them.
"Easy Maza," Dracon said smoothly. "I'm not calling from the joint."
Elisa groaned. "Please don't tell me you busted out. Because if you, did I swear I will hunt you down myself after this and see to it that you have the worst bunkmate in the house."
"I love you too Sugar. But really why would I want to break out when I was given a parole hearing only a few days after we had our little chat? I must say, I'm impressed. You've managed to impress some people high up the ladder if you got me a parole hearing that quick."
"Blackmail works as well as favors. Where are you?"
"There's a law firm on the corner of fifty-fourth and Downey. Tell the receptionist you have an appointment with Mr. Silver. I'm looking forward to meeting Detective Reese. I hope he's as challenging as his old man says he is." The line went dead and Elisa pulled her phone away from her ear and stared at it for several seconds.
"What?!" Reese asked impatiently.
"He was paroled...and he's here in town now."
"Dracon? He's here...in New Gotham...now?" he asked stunned.
Elisa could only nod and stare at the phone as she remembered his promise to her two weeks ago. When the time comes you'll have all the help you'll need, he had said. She never imagined it to come from him in person and that irked her a little. A frown crossed her face and she snapped her phone shut.
"Call Barbara and tell them we're gonna be a little late."
"Why?" he asked suspiciously as he pulled out his own phone.
"Tony wants to meet with us."
"Whoa wait a minute," he said angrily as he pulled the car over the side and stopped. "Elisa, he is a known felon. We can't just waltz into wherever he wants to meet us and chitchat. Who knows what they could be planning!"
"Reese I got the guy paroled, and I'm about to risk my neck to help save his turf. He gave me his word that he would leave me alone from now on, and he promised to help me when the time came. Trust me, I'm not any happier than you are that we have to rely on someone like Dracon, or your father to help us but we have...no...choice," she ground out, her eyes boring into his.
"My father? What, now he's going to be there too?" he spat out.
"Probably. Listen Reese, we both swore to each other we would see this thing through to the end- even if it meant blowing the whole damned area up. We've already crossed the line Jesse, now all we can do is take what help we can get and deal with the consequences later. So either shut up and drive or I get out and walk. Either way, I'm not turning down their help."
The two exchanged hard glances in a silent battle of wills, and then with a huff of exasperation, Reese began punching the Clock Tower's number. "Barbara is gonna flip when she finds out about this," he grumbled.
"They'll deal, just like we will."
The rest of the ride was finished in tense silence, and Reese slammed his door shut as he exited the car and looked up at the elaborate stone building they were in front of. "Figures," he muttered as Elisa moved past him and climbed up the front steps to the doors. Inside, a lobby guard looked them over carefully and wrinkled his nose at their disheveled appearance. Elisa marched up to the older woman behind the large desk who looked up at them in surprise. "We're here for an appointment with Mr. Silver."
She eyed them skeptically, and picked up the phone. "Yes, I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but there are a couple of... people here who say they have an appointment with Mr. Silver." There was a brief pause. "Yes sir...I'll send them up right away."
The lady set the phone down and punched a button on her console. Just a little ways behind her an elevator door opened up and she gestured towards it. "Mr. Silver will see you immediately. Please take the elevator to the tenth floor. A guard will escort you to his office."
"Thank you," Elisa said as pleasantly as possible before she and Reese boarded the elevator.
"For the record, I have a bad feeling about this."
"Just let me do most of the talking ok? The last thing we need is to be worrying about Quinn and the mob." The door opened and the two fell silent and a large man wearing a finely tailored suit gestured for them to follow him.
"Now that's not you're everyday guard uniform," Reese remarked sarcastically under his breath. Elisa shot him a glare, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until they reached their destination. They knew which room was 'Mr. Silver's' office when they caught sight of two more well- dressed 'guards' standing in front of a set of large double doors.
They stepped aside as the doors were opened from the inside, and all three waited outside gesturing for the two detectives to enter. Elisa eyed the large office appreciatively. It wasn't quite as expansive as Xanatos', but it was just as finely decorated. Two men stood off in one corner, more bodyguards, Elisa deduced. Sitting behind a very ornate desk was an older man dressed in an expensive business suit, his face marred by a large number of burn scars. Behind him stood Tony Dracon, back in his own business suit and hair slicked back perfectly.
"Tony," she acknowledged. She noticed the other man was gazing intensely at Reese. "And you must be Mr. Hawke."
He broke his gaze from his son, and smiled briefly at her. "Detective Maza. Always a pleasure to meet one of my colleague's friends."
Elisa snorted. "I wouldn't go that far."
"Young Tony here has been informing me of the dreadful threat we all seem to be facing. I must offer my apologies Detective Maza. I myself have been...detained over the past year and was not able to conduct my business with its usual efficiency," he said with a cold look to Reese, who stiffened slightly.
"Had I been free, I would have been aware of the problem long before it came one."
"You murdering bastard-," Reese spat out vehemently as he took a step forward. The two guards in the corner began to shift and Elisa grabbed Reese's arm before her could advance any further.
"Not now," she hissed at him as she cut off his tirade.
Hawke unfolded his hands as he stood up from his desk. "Still angry with me son? I paid the price of my crimes," he said with a gesture to his scarred features.
"Don't call me your son," Reese ground out, barely restraining himself.
Hawke's eyes narrowed as his features clouded over as he leaned threateningly over his desk. "Whether either of us likes it or not, we are family. Don't you dare disrespect that in my office," he snapped coldly.
"I hate to interrupt this little family argument here, but we have more pressing matters at hand," Elisa cut in, stalling any further retorts from Reese.
Hawke turned his attention back to her and then chuckled once more as he looked over at Tony. "She is a bold one."
"Maza likes to get to the point...and quickly. She gets grumpy if you waste too much of her time," he responded with a teasing look towards the female detective who narrowed her eyes slightly at him.
"To the point then. Unfortunately, my incarceration has left me with a fairly disorganized crew to clean up. Quinn's gang was quick to eliminate any opposition, so my people either laid low this past year, or moved out. My man power has been cut in half, but I will use what resources I still have available to aid you and your group in disposing of this threat to both of our cities."
"What about Manhattan?" Elisa asked Dracon.
"Glasses is back on his feet finally. I've already paid Xanatos and Bluestone a visit and everything there is being taken care of. I'm here to help my old friend, and make sure nothing happens to my favorite detective," he told her in a slick voice as he gave her a smooth grin.
Elisa groaned. "Chavez is going to kill me when all of this is over with. And you had better not let Goliath catch you leering at me like that either because I may just let him rip your arm off and beat you with it."
Tony feigned having a wounded heart while Hawke let out a hearty laugh and Reese grew more agitated. Elisa glanced at her watch. "We have to get back to the others before they send out the search party. We'll tell them about your offer to help, but this is our show here and you will do things by our rules is that understood?"
Hawke stared at his son's raven-haired partner in surprise as he listened to her boldly make demands of him, despite the fact that she was standing in his office, with Dracon at his side and armed guards in every corner. A look at Jesse showed that the young man was just as stunned as he was that she would dare to order him around.
Behind him, Dracon cleared his throat. "Remember that this ain't your town Maza," he advised coolly.
She snorted and raised a dark eyebrow. "Last time I checked, this town belonged to no one but Quinn," she retorted. "You sent me up here to handle this Tony, and that is what I've been doing. We have spent the last two weeks working our asses off to plan this bust. I'll be damned if I let anyone- including you and the mob squad here- get in our way. So if anyone wants this town back, they'll do it our way or no way at all."
There was more tense silence and then finally Hawke nodded. "Very well. Tony will contact you tomorrow at noon to set up a rendezvous point and time. I will send what men I can spare with instructions to follow your orders."
Then with a wave of dismissal, the older mob boss turned his chair to face out the window and the two detectives turned to leave. They were halted a couple of feet from the door when he spoke up once more.
"Detectives one last thing. Take good care of my men. I will be very.....displeased if I find out that they were sacrificed on the front lines just because they work for me."
Elisa smirked, all too familiar with the veiled threat in his words. "Don't worry," she reassured him. "If any of them get killed it's because they put their fool asses on the front lines. You just tell them to be ready, because if our team goes down tomorrow night, they'll be this city's last line of defense."
With that she grabbed Reese's arm and left.
December 23
Evening Castle Wyvern New York
David Xanatos stood in his office looking down at the myriad of lights that lay at his feet. He smiled slightly at himself, pleased with the empire he had built in such a relatively short amount of time. He was one of the wealthiest men in the world. He had a beautiful wife, a son that engendered a sense of love in him that he had never felt before, and a true and loyal companion in Owen. He once thought that wealth and power was all there was to life.
But the gargoyles had changed all of that. He had been fascinated at first by their stubborn sense of duty to protect. It had become a game of sorts for awhile. Xanatos knew they possessed a fierce loyalty to protect that which they deemed as part of their own. So time and again he would use that sense of duty to lure them into one of his schemes. He was amazed that Maza had actually managed to persuade them to finally leave their ancestral home. It was shortly after that, that Xanatos became aware of Goliath's protectiveness for the Detective.
The scheming and plotting took a sudden turn however when Fox's life had become endangered by one of his 'experiments.' Goliath's wisdom had hit home that night, and David suddenly realized that there was more to life than his power and wealth. The games with Goliath and his Clan ceased, and Xanatos turned his attentions to an area of life he had never explored before. Love and family.
It was amazing the changes those two things brought upon the billionaire. A decade ago he was a criminal, wielding his power like a child with a new toy. Now here he was, a man of time-earned wisdom, once more wielding that power. Only this time, it was to help protect - just like the gargoyles did.
"Everyone is assembled in the great hall upstairs sir," Owen said quietly as he came up to stand next to his employer.
"It's funny," Xanatos remarked wryly as he continued to stare out at the city.
"Sir?"
"Goliath and his Clan avoided us for a long time after I let them come back home. Even still, we have limited contact. And yet they have taught me so much over the years."
"Gargoyles carry a passion for things that most of mankind have turned their backs on over the centuries. When one sees the value of the things they cherish, it gives a whole new meaning to life."
"A decade ago, I could never understand why they constantly risked everything for what I thought was some misguided sense of concern and duty. After all these years...I finally understand," he admitted with a shake of his head.
"You had doubts as to why you should help with tomorrow night's plans?"
"I had no doubts," Xanatos corrected. "I knew it was the right thing to do. But it wasn't until a few minutes ago, that I finally FELT the reason why it was the right thing to do. It's what Detective Maza feels every time she does her job. It's what the Clan feels when they've had a good night on patrols. It's what I feel when I close a challenging deal that has taken us weeks to secure. I have the power to do something that will benefit my family and others- even if there is some risk to myself."
Owen was silent for a minute and then he spoke up. "I experienced that feeling once in my life," he admitted.
Xanatos looked over at him with an inquisitive eyebrow raised. Owen looked out over the city for a moment. "When I was Puck and I challenged Lord Oberon. Owen Burnett will always be loyal to you sir, but as Puck, I developed respect for you as well. I had feared that one day, Oberon and Titania would come for your son, and when that time came, I couldn't stand by. Even though I knew what the consequences could have been, I was compelled to help stop them."
"Do you regret having made that stand?"
"Every time I begin to doubt myself, I look at Alex and see all that he has become, and I realize that the sacrifice was minor compared to what I gained. Even a member of the Third Race can learn something from the gargoyles," Owen answered, his lips twitching upwards a fraction.
Xanatos chuckled. "Indeed. Let's not keep our guests waiting any longer. I'm sure Captain Chavez is ready to bolt out my door."
The assembled group sat around a huge dining table, looking each over as they waited for the arrival of their host. The Clan sat down at one end, Derek, Maggie, Claw and Delilah sat next to them, while Matt tried to keep Chavez from bristling too much when Glasses and several of his crew were shown in by Owen who retreated almost immediately.
"What are they doing here?" Chavez demanded quietly of Matt who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"I think Xanatos will answer that," he answered seeing that the rest of the Clan and the Mutates were eyeing him as well.
After that, no one spoke until Xanatos appeared with Owen and his wife several minutes later and took his seat at the head of the large table. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming," he began as if he was starting a board meeting.
"I don't think introductions are necessary, since by the looks of things you all seem to be familiar with each other. Captain Chavez, I can see you have some question as to the presence of Mr. Dracon's associates?"
Chavez fixed Glasses with a hard look before addressing Xanatos. "This whole operation is already going against everything I work and stand for Mr. Xanatos. Now we're bringing the mob into this?"
"As you are already aware Captain, the valuable information that has helped us plan this whole operation was due to the diligent efforts of Mr. Dracon and his associates. I believe he entitled to help in seeing that the grievous crimes against his friends and family don't go any further."
Chavez rubbed her temples and looked at Glasses again. "Look, I know what they did to you Glasses. And I am grateful for everything that you and your crew have done so far to help get us the critical intel we needed. Trust me, I don't blame you for wanting to pay them and Canmore back for what they've done. But I can't condone turning you and your crew loose on them."
Glasses merely nodded his understanding and then looked at Xanatos who continued. "Which is not going to happen Captain," he assured her. "Owen, Fox and I will handle the planned attack on the castle. That will free up the rest of you to head down to where the train is supposed to arrive. Glasses and his men will merely provide backup until the rest of the police arrive."
Brooklyn frowned. "There's supposed to be a not so small army trying to break into this place tomorrow night. Are you sure it's wise to have all of us go down to the depot?"
"We were able to extract the needed information from the mole to know when and where they will try to attack us," Owen explained.
"We will allow them access to the Aerie, so that we can keep the fighting off the streets and endanger as few people as possible. Their plan is flawed however in that they will be relying on the elevators for the majority of their foot soldiers. As we speak, movers are clearing out one floor for 'renovations' and that is where we will trap and subdue the trespassers. The castle defenses will handle the rest."
Brooklyn seemed satisfied with the answer and sat back in his chair. "So now all we need to do is come up with the best way to surprise the rest of these goons and make sure Canmore doesn't get away again."
"Detective Bluestone, I believe you have been researching that problem. I think we'd be interested to hear what you have come up with," Xanatos said as he gestured to the large screen that Owen turned on that displayed the vicinity in and around the train depot where the shipment was to arrive.
Matt stood, took the offered laser pointer and took a deep breath as he began to outline his plan.
December 23
10pm Arkham Asylum New Gotham
The blonde guard stepped past the unconscious man on the floor and tapped in the code that would open the door to Quinn's room. The prisoner turned when she heard the hiss of the door, and stood to examine the woman who entered.
"Dr. Quinzel?" the blonde guard asked with a grin of excitement.
Quinn's head cocked to one side, seeing no fear or loathing in the eyes of the woman that stood in front of her glass cage. Suddenly a slow grin spread across her lips. "Formerly. Sadly some people just didn't like the way I practiced my profession however."
"Well hopefully that situation can be remedied. I would love to spend some time getting to know you better, but I'm here to give you your Christmas present and we haven't much time."
"Why you must be my baby brother's girlfriend! Oh the dear- he planned a jailbreak for me?" she clapped.
"And they'll never know you were gone," she told Quinn as she pulled off the wig she had been wearing to reveal platinum hair cut exactly like Quinn's.
"I just love surprises!"
Christine unlocked Quinn's cell and began stripping off her uniform as Quinn shrugged out of her prison coveralls. They swapped clothing and Quinn put the wig on as well as the fake contacts while Christine began putting the final touches of her disguise in place.
"I pretended to trip and shoved the guard into the door while I slipped him a mild sedative. He should be coming around in a minute."
"Too bad you didn't kill him," Quinn pouted.
"Yes well your brother said to restrain yourself, and just leave at 10:30 when my shift ends. No sense in raising any alarms before tomorrow night."
"You're right," Quinn sighed as she waved Christine into the cell. "Don't worry sweetie, as soon as I'm done having my fun tomorrow night I'll be back for you. Then we can have a proper jailbreak!"
"I'll be waiting," Christine said eagerly as Quinn shut the cell and locked it and then exited the room.
The guard was on the ground, groaning as he began to rub his head. Playing the part, Quinn knelt next to him and lightly patted his cheek. "Oh I'm so sorry!" she told him as she helped him sit up. "I slipped and you tried to catch me. Are you ok?" she asked with false concern.
Half an hour later, Quinn exited Arkham and took her first breath of fresh air in a year. A maniacal grin spread across her lips as she gazed over the city her eyes lighting upon the Clocktower standing proudly in the city's center.
"Tomorrow we will have fun my little birds," she mused excitedly before she walked to the provided car and sped away from the dismal mental hospital.
New Gotham Mid Afternoon
Elisa pulled her cel phone from her pocket and groaned when she saw the number. Reese gave her an inquisitive look as she pushed the talk button with a sigh and put on her best 'normal' tone.
"Hey mom."
"Elisa Maza I have been trying to reach you for a week now and you haven't returned one of my phone calls young lady!"
Elisa winced, hearing the barely suppressed frustration in her mother's voice. "I'm sorry mom, but I haven't been home for over a week, and my cel service out here has been sketchy," she half lied.
"Out here? Where on earth are you now?"
"Can't say right now mom."
"Oh." Came the unhappy response. Her mother understood though, having been married to a police officer for over thirty years. "Well you are coming home for Christmas dinner aren't you?"
Again Elisa winced. "Um, I'm afraid I'm going to have to miss out on the party this year mom. I'm really sorry."
"But Elisa you NEVER work on Christmas Eve. What on earth can be so important that you would miss the one day we all swore we would get together on?" she demanded.
Elisa heard some shuffling around in the background and then her father came on the phone. "Elisa?"
"Yeah dad," Elisa responded tiredly. She rubbed her forehead, and then threw a dirty look towards Reese who was trying not to laugh at her predicament.
"Honey is everything ok?"
"Are you on the house phone?"
"Yes."
"Then we can't talk."
There was a pause. "I'll call you right back."
The line went dead and Elisa groaned again as she killed her own connection. "Sounds like someone's in a little hot water for canceling dinner plans," Reese snickered.
"Can it," she grumbled as her phone rang again and she answered it.
"Elisa is this about those guns?"
"Yeah dad. Look I'm really sorry I can't make it tomorrow night, but I'm not even in town right now."
"That's what your mother said. Is everything ok?"
Elisa paused for a minute, and allowed a small sliver of emotion show through to her father. "I don't know dad. I mean, we have the intelligence, we have a plan, I just hope it's enough."
"Can I do anything to help?"
"No. Just tell mom not to be too mad at me....I think Derek and Maggie are going to be a little tied up too. Tell her I promise I'll make it up to her."
"That's a promise I expect you to keep young lady," he chuckled softly. It was his way of telling her to keep her head down and stay alive. "Call us when you're back in town."
"Thanks Pops. I will."
The line clicked off once more and Elisa hung up her phone with a small breath of relief. "That's one thing I learned early on," Reese said with a smirk.
"Enlighten me?" Elisa remarked dryly.
"Never cancel last minute for a big dinner when you're momma is doing the cooking and she owns a large rolling pin."
Elisa had to release a chuckle with that, picturing a time or two she and her siblings had been mock threatened with that rolling pin after wreaking havoc in the kitchen. "Thank God my father will have calmed her down by the time I get back home. So you think our two friends have blown the whistle on us or skipped out?" she asked changing the subject, as they neared the river front.
"I think they're too honorable to rat us out, but they were pretty shook up the other night. I wouldn't blame them if they decided to skip town. With any luck though, they'll agree to help us clear this place out tomorrow night."
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
December 23
mid afternoon Arkham Asylum
"...and this is the lock down button here. If any of the prisoners escape their cells, this button will lock down the entire place. All control booths will be secured by a steel door, and cannot be opened from the outside unless you have a lot of time and a welding torch."
"Seems pretty safe to me."
"We've got the most dangerous minds in this hell-hole. And half of 'em have contacts on the outside that are just dying to break their bosses out. You can't imagine all the attempts we've had over the years."
The pretty young blonde just smiled at him. "Oh I can imagine it's probably a constant problem."
"It is...always have to be on our toes," the guard said, blushing as she seemed to pay more than the usual attention to him. Well now for the tour of our... 'guests'."
"Oh, the best part," she said, with an almost wicked grin.
"You bet. So tell me you don't seem like the type to request a position here at the Asylum. Why'd you pick this?"
"I majored in Criminal Psychology actually. But I'm just not the type to sit in an office all day, so I decided to do a job that would combine the best of both worlds."
"Well, just be careful around some of the brains in here. Take her for instance," he said pointing through a specially coated and distorted piece of heavy plexi-glass.
"Is that Dr. Quinzel?" the new recruit asked with a breathless gasp of awe. Her escort frowned a bit. "She ain't no doctor," he said in a nearly disgusted tone.
The new recruit seemed to reign in her fascination, and he continued. "Harleen Quinzel, a.k.a., Harley Quinn. She's the Joker's girlfriend and they make Bonnie and Clyde seem like amateurs. She is the epitome of a psychopathic killer. She's been known to even kill those that work for her just because she felt like it. She also has the ability to hypnotize a person just by looking into their eyes. That's why every individual that deals with her on a personal basis, must wear special contacts that prevent her from taking control of your mind. You will be issued two pair at the end of your briefing, and you are expected to have a pair with you at all times."
"Is she really that dangerous?"
"She is one of our most lethal residents here. We lost nearly a dozen guards to Quinn before we finally figured out a way to protect ourselves from her influence."
"Lost? You mean she killed them?" the new recruit asked in shock.
"In a way. They all died by their own hand, but it was her powers that made them do it," the older man told her with a grimace before he looked back over at her. He cocked his head to one side and looked her over and then harrumphed.
"What?"
"It's just....ahhh never mind."
"Oh now you've really got my interest. What?"
"Well...it's just that you look a little like her. Actually now that I think about it, you could be her younger sister. I'm sorry, I hope I haven't offended you."
The new recruit laughed and shook her head. "No Don, you haven't offended me. In fact when the cops were looking for her, they picked me up twice thinking I was her. Once I saw the pictures I didn't blame them, I guess I really do look a lot like her. Well should we continue on?"
"Yeah, there's still plenty to see. Now this next guy is kind of a heartbreak case. He was a brilliant scientist until his wife contracted this incurable disease and he was involved in some freak lab accident shortly thereafter...."
December 23
Mid Afternoon New Gotham Docks
Reese and Maza shuffled back into the homeless camp, greeting a couple of people they had met over the past two weeks as they made their way towards the fire. There disappearance for a couple of days didn't seem to be met with any suspicion since everyone here was fairly transient and being wintertime, many would seek the warmth and food of local shelters one a more frequent basis. They spotted Susan and Jerry, sitting off to one side chatting with a few of the others, and passing a freshly boiled pot of 'hobo-coffee' as Elisa had dubbed it.
Susan looked up to see Reese and Elisa approaching and nudged Jerry to get his attention. Elisa and Reese continued past the small group towards a small fire that was not occupied away from the main groups. After a few minutes, the couple excused themselves and made their way over to the two detectives.
"They don't look to happy to see us," Reese noted quietly.
"Would you be," Elisa muttered back.
The couple sat down across from Elisa and Reese, both looking worried and hurt. "Who are you?" Jerry finally asked in a quiet voice.
Reese looked over to Elisa who nodded and answered. "My name is Elisa Maza. I'm a detective with the NYPD. You've probably heard about the guns that we've had show up in Manhattan. Well two weeks ago, I received a tip that five thousand more of those guns were going to be shipped into my city by train from here. What you two witnessed last night confirmed what we had suspected."
"Are you from New York too?" Jerry asked Reese.
"No, I'm a local boy. Jesse Reese, and I work as a detective with NGPD."
"So how many more of your people have been masquerading around here lately?" Susan asked, sounding more than a little upset even though she kept her voice as quiet as possible.
"We're the only ones. What you saw is the work of Harley Quinn, and by the look on your faces, I'm guessing you know who she is."
"Who doesn't around here," Jerry muttered bitterly.
"She has too many eyes and ears, and most of the police are pretty much in the dark as to what's going on."
"If the police have no idea what's going on then how do you plan on stopping them? I served my tour in the Middle East and I know what kind of fire and manpower they have down there. It's gonna take more than just the two of you to stop them," Jerry snorted in disbelief.
"We only said that most of the police have no clue as to what's going to happen tomorrow night. But most of our help will be coming from outside the department," Elisa explained.
Jerry and Susan looked at them skeptically. "This turned into a military operation or something?"
"Hell no. My partner used to work for the federal government and even he said that would be a bad idea. There's too much at stake right now to risk blowing this operation, so we have to plan and execute this whole thing while flying below the radar."
"What do you want from us?" Jerry asked warily.
"Only to help clear out your friends when things start to go down tomorrow night," Elisa assured him. "The last thing we would expect of you or Susan is to help us fight these lunatics. We've already assembled a team for that. We only have a small window of opportunity to take these bastards out, and we can't afford any distractions."
"Jerry can you and Susan see to it that everyone clears this area when they start bringing the guns out?" Reese asked.
"Not before?" Susan asked concerned.
"It will make things look suspicious. They'll be expecting to see you guys around when they come topside to start loading. But if you all start leaving while they work, it'll just seem like you're giving them the space they've been enforcing down in the tunnels over this past year."
The older couple exchanged glances and then Jerry nodded. "Yeah, we can do that. It'll help that most people here are planning to head to the Sixth Street Shelter for the traditional dinner and celebration they hold each Christmas Eve. Most will sleep over there too since they distribute gifts and food first thing in the morning."
Elisa gave a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes briefly before re- opening them with a look of pure gratitude. "I'm sorry we had to deceive both of you," she told them with honest regret. "But we had so little time, and this was our last hope of trying to find out the information we needed. Even though you didn't realize it at the time, your help will help save more lives than you can imagine. Thank you."
Jerry nodded once and Susan managed a tiny smile, accepting Elisa's apology and gratitude. There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence and then Susan shifted. "So are you two really a couple?" she asked finally.
Reese chuckled. "No, but both our other halves were ready to kill us when we went back home the other night."
Elisa giggled remembering the scene that took place when she and Reese had first walked into the Clocktower. "Yeah Reese's girlfriend was ready to flay me on sight, and I thought my boyfriend was going to pound him into hamburger meat for a couple of minutes."
"So then.... our discussions, they were real?" Susan asked, hoping that she hadn't been totally played by Elisa and Reese.
Elisa reached over and smiled warmly at the older woman as she squeezed her hand. "Oh no Susan, they were very much the real thing. And I wanted to thank you for helping me face some issues I've left hanging for far too long."
"Sometimes, it takes someone on the outside to help you put things into perspective. Will you two be staying here tonight?"
"We have to get back to our friends tonight. We have some final preparations to make for tomorrow. Besides, none of us wanted to miss being able to spend one last evening with our loved ones," Elisa admitted.
"Just one thing that we wanted to know before you two go," Jerry asked.
"Sure."
"I mean we admire your courage and all, but you'd have to be crazier than hell to try and go up against a woman like Quinn. Especially since she has a whole friggin' army that's outfitted with enough firepower to take out an entire state. You're telling us that the police, the Feds, and the government aren't going to be involved in this. Why would you be willing to go on a suicide mission like this?"
Reese and Elisa were quiet for several long moments as they both stared into the fire, contemplating their answers. "Elisa and I come from two different cities, with two different threats, but it boils down to one reason. To protect."
"The people involved in this operation have left their scars on both of our families and friends. Quinn's counterpart in Manhattan, is just as crazy and bloodthirsty as she is. If they aren't stopped, the slaughtering will only escalate, and thousands of innocents will be sacrificed without a second thought. One way or another, Reese and I will see to it that they are stopped tomorrow night," Elisa answered in a steady tone.
Susan and Jerry were both taken aback by the detectives' deadly resolve. What was being left unsaid, hung in the air between the two couples. Finally Jerry managed a nod as he cleared his throat. "Our prayers are with you and your friends then."
Reese and Elisa nodded and then stood. "Take care you guys," Elisa said as she hugged Susan briefly while the men exchanged a firm handshake.
"Don't worry about us. Just watch yourselves out there tomorrow night."
With that, the two detectives took their leave and began their mile hike back towards their car, careful to make sure they weren't being followed. Once inside the car, they both let out a sigh of relief. "Well at least that has been taken care of," Reese said as he turned on the engine and pulled out of the ally they had been parked in.
Elisa began stripping the heavy smelly clothes off of her, as Reese tried to shrug out of his own overcoat and extra layers while they drove back towards the Clock Tower. Suddenly Elisa's phone rang and she swore as she dug into her pockets for it.
"Maza."
"Hey Sugar."
Elisa was shocked silent for several seconds. "How'd you get this number?" she finally gasped.
"You insult me Maza," he chuckled.
"Damn it Tony they'll trace your call-"she swore at him as Reese's head snapped around suddenly. "Jesus, Reese watch out!" she yelled at him, as he looked forward again and narrowly avoided slamming into a car that had stopped in front of them.
"Easy Maza," Dracon said smoothly. "I'm not calling from the joint."
Elisa groaned. "Please don't tell me you busted out. Because if you, did I swear I will hunt you down myself after this and see to it that you have the worst bunkmate in the house."
"I love you too Sugar. But really why would I want to break out when I was given a parole hearing only a few days after we had our little chat? I must say, I'm impressed. You've managed to impress some people high up the ladder if you got me a parole hearing that quick."
"Blackmail works as well as favors. Where are you?"
"There's a law firm on the corner of fifty-fourth and Downey. Tell the receptionist you have an appointment with Mr. Silver. I'm looking forward to meeting Detective Reese. I hope he's as challenging as his old man says he is." The line went dead and Elisa pulled her phone away from her ear and stared at it for several seconds.
"What?!" Reese asked impatiently.
"He was paroled...and he's here in town now."
"Dracon? He's here...in New Gotham...now?" he asked stunned.
Elisa could only nod and stare at the phone as she remembered his promise to her two weeks ago. When the time comes you'll have all the help you'll need, he had said. She never imagined it to come from him in person and that irked her a little. A frown crossed her face and she snapped her phone shut.
"Call Barbara and tell them we're gonna be a little late."
"Why?" he asked suspiciously as he pulled out his own phone.
"Tony wants to meet with us."
"Whoa wait a minute," he said angrily as he pulled the car over the side and stopped. "Elisa, he is a known felon. We can't just waltz into wherever he wants to meet us and chitchat. Who knows what they could be planning!"
"Reese I got the guy paroled, and I'm about to risk my neck to help save his turf. He gave me his word that he would leave me alone from now on, and he promised to help me when the time came. Trust me, I'm not any happier than you are that we have to rely on someone like Dracon, or your father to help us but we have...no...choice," she ground out, her eyes boring into his.
"My father? What, now he's going to be there too?" he spat out.
"Probably. Listen Reese, we both swore to each other we would see this thing through to the end- even if it meant blowing the whole damned area up. We've already crossed the line Jesse, now all we can do is take what help we can get and deal with the consequences later. So either shut up and drive or I get out and walk. Either way, I'm not turning down their help."
The two exchanged hard glances in a silent battle of wills, and then with a huff of exasperation, Reese began punching the Clock Tower's number. "Barbara is gonna flip when she finds out about this," he grumbled.
"They'll deal, just like we will."
The rest of the ride was finished in tense silence, and Reese slammed his door shut as he exited the car and looked up at the elaborate stone building they were in front of. "Figures," he muttered as Elisa moved past him and climbed up the front steps to the doors. Inside, a lobby guard looked them over carefully and wrinkled his nose at their disheveled appearance. Elisa marched up to the older woman behind the large desk who looked up at them in surprise. "We're here for an appointment with Mr. Silver."
She eyed them skeptically, and picked up the phone. "Yes, I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but there are a couple of... people here who say they have an appointment with Mr. Silver." There was a brief pause. "Yes sir...I'll send them up right away."
The lady set the phone down and punched a button on her console. Just a little ways behind her an elevator door opened up and she gestured towards it. "Mr. Silver will see you immediately. Please take the elevator to the tenth floor. A guard will escort you to his office."
"Thank you," Elisa said as pleasantly as possible before she and Reese boarded the elevator.
"For the record, I have a bad feeling about this."
"Just let me do most of the talking ok? The last thing we need is to be worrying about Quinn and the mob." The door opened and the two fell silent and a large man wearing a finely tailored suit gestured for them to follow him.
"Now that's not you're everyday guard uniform," Reese remarked sarcastically under his breath. Elisa shot him a glare, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until they reached their destination. They knew which room was 'Mr. Silver's' office when they caught sight of two more well- dressed 'guards' standing in front of a set of large double doors.
They stepped aside as the doors were opened from the inside, and all three waited outside gesturing for the two detectives to enter. Elisa eyed the large office appreciatively. It wasn't quite as expansive as Xanatos', but it was just as finely decorated. Two men stood off in one corner, more bodyguards, Elisa deduced. Sitting behind a very ornate desk was an older man dressed in an expensive business suit, his face marred by a large number of burn scars. Behind him stood Tony Dracon, back in his own business suit and hair slicked back perfectly.
"Tony," she acknowledged. She noticed the other man was gazing intensely at Reese. "And you must be Mr. Hawke."
He broke his gaze from his son, and smiled briefly at her. "Detective Maza. Always a pleasure to meet one of my colleague's friends."
Elisa snorted. "I wouldn't go that far."
"Young Tony here has been informing me of the dreadful threat we all seem to be facing. I must offer my apologies Detective Maza. I myself have been...detained over the past year and was not able to conduct my business with its usual efficiency," he said with a cold look to Reese, who stiffened slightly.
"Had I been free, I would have been aware of the problem long before it came one."
"You murdering bastard-," Reese spat out vehemently as he took a step forward. The two guards in the corner began to shift and Elisa grabbed Reese's arm before her could advance any further.
"Not now," she hissed at him as she cut off his tirade.
Hawke unfolded his hands as he stood up from his desk. "Still angry with me son? I paid the price of my crimes," he said with a gesture to his scarred features.
"Don't call me your son," Reese ground out, barely restraining himself.
Hawke's eyes narrowed as his features clouded over as he leaned threateningly over his desk. "Whether either of us likes it or not, we are family. Don't you dare disrespect that in my office," he snapped coldly.
"I hate to interrupt this little family argument here, but we have more pressing matters at hand," Elisa cut in, stalling any further retorts from Reese.
Hawke turned his attention back to her and then chuckled once more as he looked over at Tony. "She is a bold one."
"Maza likes to get to the point...and quickly. She gets grumpy if you waste too much of her time," he responded with a teasing look towards the female detective who narrowed her eyes slightly at him.
"To the point then. Unfortunately, my incarceration has left me with a fairly disorganized crew to clean up. Quinn's gang was quick to eliminate any opposition, so my people either laid low this past year, or moved out. My man power has been cut in half, but I will use what resources I still have available to aid you and your group in disposing of this threat to both of our cities."
"What about Manhattan?" Elisa asked Dracon.
"Glasses is back on his feet finally. I've already paid Xanatos and Bluestone a visit and everything there is being taken care of. I'm here to help my old friend, and make sure nothing happens to my favorite detective," he told her in a slick voice as he gave her a smooth grin.
Elisa groaned. "Chavez is going to kill me when all of this is over with. And you had better not let Goliath catch you leering at me like that either because I may just let him rip your arm off and beat you with it."
Tony feigned having a wounded heart while Hawke let out a hearty laugh and Reese grew more agitated. Elisa glanced at her watch. "We have to get back to the others before they send out the search party. We'll tell them about your offer to help, but this is our show here and you will do things by our rules is that understood?"
Hawke stared at his son's raven-haired partner in surprise as he listened to her boldly make demands of him, despite the fact that she was standing in his office, with Dracon at his side and armed guards in every corner. A look at Jesse showed that the young man was just as stunned as he was that she would dare to order him around.
Behind him, Dracon cleared his throat. "Remember that this ain't your town Maza," he advised coolly.
She snorted and raised a dark eyebrow. "Last time I checked, this town belonged to no one but Quinn," she retorted. "You sent me up here to handle this Tony, and that is what I've been doing. We have spent the last two weeks working our asses off to plan this bust. I'll be damned if I let anyone- including you and the mob squad here- get in our way. So if anyone wants this town back, they'll do it our way or no way at all."
There was more tense silence and then finally Hawke nodded. "Very well. Tony will contact you tomorrow at noon to set up a rendezvous point and time. I will send what men I can spare with instructions to follow your orders."
Then with a wave of dismissal, the older mob boss turned his chair to face out the window and the two detectives turned to leave. They were halted a couple of feet from the door when he spoke up once more.
"Detectives one last thing. Take good care of my men. I will be very.....displeased if I find out that they were sacrificed on the front lines just because they work for me."
Elisa smirked, all too familiar with the veiled threat in his words. "Don't worry," she reassured him. "If any of them get killed it's because they put their fool asses on the front lines. You just tell them to be ready, because if our team goes down tomorrow night, they'll be this city's last line of defense."
With that she grabbed Reese's arm and left.
December 23
Evening Castle Wyvern New York
David Xanatos stood in his office looking down at the myriad of lights that lay at his feet. He smiled slightly at himself, pleased with the empire he had built in such a relatively short amount of time. He was one of the wealthiest men in the world. He had a beautiful wife, a son that engendered a sense of love in him that he had never felt before, and a true and loyal companion in Owen. He once thought that wealth and power was all there was to life.
But the gargoyles had changed all of that. He had been fascinated at first by their stubborn sense of duty to protect. It had become a game of sorts for awhile. Xanatos knew they possessed a fierce loyalty to protect that which they deemed as part of their own. So time and again he would use that sense of duty to lure them into one of his schemes. He was amazed that Maza had actually managed to persuade them to finally leave their ancestral home. It was shortly after that, that Xanatos became aware of Goliath's protectiveness for the Detective.
The scheming and plotting took a sudden turn however when Fox's life had become endangered by one of his 'experiments.' Goliath's wisdom had hit home that night, and David suddenly realized that there was more to life than his power and wealth. The games with Goliath and his Clan ceased, and Xanatos turned his attentions to an area of life he had never explored before. Love and family.
It was amazing the changes those two things brought upon the billionaire. A decade ago he was a criminal, wielding his power like a child with a new toy. Now here he was, a man of time-earned wisdom, once more wielding that power. Only this time, it was to help protect - just like the gargoyles did.
"Everyone is assembled in the great hall upstairs sir," Owen said quietly as he came up to stand next to his employer.
"It's funny," Xanatos remarked wryly as he continued to stare out at the city.
"Sir?"
"Goliath and his Clan avoided us for a long time after I let them come back home. Even still, we have limited contact. And yet they have taught me so much over the years."
"Gargoyles carry a passion for things that most of mankind have turned their backs on over the centuries. When one sees the value of the things they cherish, it gives a whole new meaning to life."
"A decade ago, I could never understand why they constantly risked everything for what I thought was some misguided sense of concern and duty. After all these years...I finally understand," he admitted with a shake of his head.
"You had doubts as to why you should help with tomorrow night's plans?"
"I had no doubts," Xanatos corrected. "I knew it was the right thing to do. But it wasn't until a few minutes ago, that I finally FELT the reason why it was the right thing to do. It's what Detective Maza feels every time she does her job. It's what the Clan feels when they've had a good night on patrols. It's what I feel when I close a challenging deal that has taken us weeks to secure. I have the power to do something that will benefit my family and others- even if there is some risk to myself."
Owen was silent for a minute and then he spoke up. "I experienced that feeling once in my life," he admitted.
Xanatos looked over at him with an inquisitive eyebrow raised. Owen looked out over the city for a moment. "When I was Puck and I challenged Lord Oberon. Owen Burnett will always be loyal to you sir, but as Puck, I developed respect for you as well. I had feared that one day, Oberon and Titania would come for your son, and when that time came, I couldn't stand by. Even though I knew what the consequences could have been, I was compelled to help stop them."
"Do you regret having made that stand?"
"Every time I begin to doubt myself, I look at Alex and see all that he has become, and I realize that the sacrifice was minor compared to what I gained. Even a member of the Third Race can learn something from the gargoyles," Owen answered, his lips twitching upwards a fraction.
Xanatos chuckled. "Indeed. Let's not keep our guests waiting any longer. I'm sure Captain Chavez is ready to bolt out my door."
The assembled group sat around a huge dining table, looking each over as they waited for the arrival of their host. The Clan sat down at one end, Derek, Maggie, Claw and Delilah sat next to them, while Matt tried to keep Chavez from bristling too much when Glasses and several of his crew were shown in by Owen who retreated almost immediately.
"What are they doing here?" Chavez demanded quietly of Matt who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"I think Xanatos will answer that," he answered seeing that the rest of the Clan and the Mutates were eyeing him as well.
After that, no one spoke until Xanatos appeared with Owen and his wife several minutes later and took his seat at the head of the large table. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming," he began as if he was starting a board meeting.
"I don't think introductions are necessary, since by the looks of things you all seem to be familiar with each other. Captain Chavez, I can see you have some question as to the presence of Mr. Dracon's associates?"
Chavez fixed Glasses with a hard look before addressing Xanatos. "This whole operation is already going against everything I work and stand for Mr. Xanatos. Now we're bringing the mob into this?"
"As you are already aware Captain, the valuable information that has helped us plan this whole operation was due to the diligent efforts of Mr. Dracon and his associates. I believe he entitled to help in seeing that the grievous crimes against his friends and family don't go any further."
Chavez rubbed her temples and looked at Glasses again. "Look, I know what they did to you Glasses. And I am grateful for everything that you and your crew have done so far to help get us the critical intel we needed. Trust me, I don't blame you for wanting to pay them and Canmore back for what they've done. But I can't condone turning you and your crew loose on them."
Glasses merely nodded his understanding and then looked at Xanatos who continued. "Which is not going to happen Captain," he assured her. "Owen, Fox and I will handle the planned attack on the castle. That will free up the rest of you to head down to where the train is supposed to arrive. Glasses and his men will merely provide backup until the rest of the police arrive."
Brooklyn frowned. "There's supposed to be a not so small army trying to break into this place tomorrow night. Are you sure it's wise to have all of us go down to the depot?"
"We were able to extract the needed information from the mole to know when and where they will try to attack us," Owen explained.
"We will allow them access to the Aerie, so that we can keep the fighting off the streets and endanger as few people as possible. Their plan is flawed however in that they will be relying on the elevators for the majority of their foot soldiers. As we speak, movers are clearing out one floor for 'renovations' and that is where we will trap and subdue the trespassers. The castle defenses will handle the rest."
Brooklyn seemed satisfied with the answer and sat back in his chair. "So now all we need to do is come up with the best way to surprise the rest of these goons and make sure Canmore doesn't get away again."
"Detective Bluestone, I believe you have been researching that problem. I think we'd be interested to hear what you have come up with," Xanatos said as he gestured to the large screen that Owen turned on that displayed the vicinity in and around the train depot where the shipment was to arrive.
Matt stood, took the offered laser pointer and took a deep breath as he began to outline his plan.
December 23
10pm Arkham Asylum New Gotham
The blonde guard stepped past the unconscious man on the floor and tapped in the code that would open the door to Quinn's room. The prisoner turned when she heard the hiss of the door, and stood to examine the woman who entered.
"Dr. Quinzel?" the blonde guard asked with a grin of excitement.
Quinn's head cocked to one side, seeing no fear or loathing in the eyes of the woman that stood in front of her glass cage. Suddenly a slow grin spread across her lips. "Formerly. Sadly some people just didn't like the way I practiced my profession however."
"Well hopefully that situation can be remedied. I would love to spend some time getting to know you better, but I'm here to give you your Christmas present and we haven't much time."
"Why you must be my baby brother's girlfriend! Oh the dear- he planned a jailbreak for me?" she clapped.
"And they'll never know you were gone," she told Quinn as she pulled off the wig she had been wearing to reveal platinum hair cut exactly like Quinn's.
"I just love surprises!"
Christine unlocked Quinn's cell and began stripping off her uniform as Quinn shrugged out of her prison coveralls. They swapped clothing and Quinn put the wig on as well as the fake contacts while Christine began putting the final touches of her disguise in place.
"I pretended to trip and shoved the guard into the door while I slipped him a mild sedative. He should be coming around in a minute."
"Too bad you didn't kill him," Quinn pouted.
"Yes well your brother said to restrain yourself, and just leave at 10:30 when my shift ends. No sense in raising any alarms before tomorrow night."
"You're right," Quinn sighed as she waved Christine into the cell. "Don't worry sweetie, as soon as I'm done having my fun tomorrow night I'll be back for you. Then we can have a proper jailbreak!"
"I'll be waiting," Christine said eagerly as Quinn shut the cell and locked it and then exited the room.
The guard was on the ground, groaning as he began to rub his head. Playing the part, Quinn knelt next to him and lightly patted his cheek. "Oh I'm so sorry!" she told him as she helped him sit up. "I slipped and you tried to catch me. Are you ok?" she asked with false concern.
Half an hour later, Quinn exited Arkham and took her first breath of fresh air in a year. A maniacal grin spread across her lips as she gazed over the city her eyes lighting upon the Clocktower standing proudly in the city's center.
"Tomorrow we will have fun my little birds," she mused excitedly before she walked to the provided car and sped away from the dismal mental hospital.