Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Gargoyles characters portrayed in this story, except for Adam Maza. All others are owned by those geniuses over at Disney. As always, please do not sue me. Pretty Please?

Synopsis: Thailog and Demona plot to break out a mental patient, Elisa has a personal conversation with the newest members of the clan, and Times Square suddenly gets thrown into a state of panic...

SEASON 2:
6—Preparation for Things to Come

September 17, 1997

The early morning sun shone through the small window just above the patient's bed.
'Patient' actually wasn't the correct term for his particular situation. It was more like he was a resident of the facility. His records showed that he was far beyond any sort of treatment, but that it was best to keep him in this place, both for his own good and the good of the public at large.

He lay asleep on his sterile single bed under the bleached sheet. He was restless,
tossing back and forth amidst a terrible dream. He rose up suddenly, eyes opened wide. The beads of sweat dripped down from his large forehead slowly. His breathing was shallow, but quick. He ran a hand through his thinning light brown hair as he tried to regain his composure. He glanced around the room briefly before realising that he was still in this god awful place; it was the same place he had been held in for 11 years. Yes, it had been eleven years since he was sent to this place. His parents had signed him over to this place, under the care of some specific doctors. They said he was a threat to himself and others. They were right. If given the chance, Ricky Murdoch would have killed a few more people that day. Instead, the authorities were tipped off to the location of the bomb he had made, and they were able to get most of the workers out of the building before it went off. It wasn't because of a hateful nature he possessed; rather, he did what he did out of love. His grandpa Ralph appeared to him and told him exactly where to find the bomb-making book, and encouraged him to set it off while inside the building so that they would be reunited. His grandpa even added that the more people that were killed in this explosion, the more proud he would be of his grandson.

6:12 pm In her bedroom on the second floor of her massive estate, Dominique Destine changed back into her natural form painfully and afterwards watched as Thailog awoke from his stone-induced sleep. Shielding her face from the shards of stone skin that flew this way and that, she greeted Thailog.

"I have news." She said simply. He smiled sinisterly.

"Finally. Two months of stagnation and hiding was beginning to make me murderous.
This had better be good."

She patted him on the shoulder, then handed him Ricky Murdoch's file folder. He looked at it and shrugged.

"What is this?" He asked, opening the file folder slightly and flipping through the pages until he came across the small passport-sized picture of a balding,
40-something man with dark circles around his eyes and a sickly pale complexion.

"He is the key to our next step." Demona said, watching Thailog's expression carefully for any changes as he studied this picture before him. She gave him a minute before continuing. "Read page five."

He did as she instructed, and flipped back to page five and began reading. She allowed him another moment to peruse the page. It was the information she had read that morning.

"And what of him? Why is he important to our plans? This is taking far too long,
Demona!" Thailog bellowed peevishly.

"This is just another deception that I feel is necessary. Besides, I need to locate a particular book of spells in order to carry out our final plan, and it is taking some time to actually find it."

"A book? You mentioned nothing of this before, Demona. What do you need a spell book for?" Thailog was becoming increasingly more aggravated.

"The book, the 'Cryptatae Magnus', contains a certain spell that will bind anyone in their place using a type of rope that I already have in my possession. The spell is only broken 'when the silence is broken by death'."

Thailog raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "Meaning…?"

"—Meaning that only when the whore, Elisa Maza, dies will the bindings be released."

The clone seemed to like this idea, because he allowed a grisly smile to surface upon his discoloured face.

"I see. So, about this man—how is he instrumental in our plans?" Thailog asked,
steering the conversation away from the spell book, as he had sufficiently accepted her reasoning. She turned to the desk in the corner of the room and picked up a piece of paper on it. Folding it and tucking it away in her shirt, she replied, "We must go to the psychiatric ward. We need to bail out a future ally."

Castle Wyvern, 6:28pm

The newest members of the clan, Eosine and Tachia stayed behind that evening from patrols with Hudson and Bronx while Brooklyn and Lexington accompanied the others for their first patrol in six years. The females were still adjusting to all of the new wonders of the 20th century, such as television, cars, and planes. Hudson shared with them his expertise in adjusting to such a fascinating and wondrous world. A half hour into his conversation with them, Owen came up into the Great Hall to announce Elisa's presence in the castle, and then left.
She walked towards the three gargoyles and the garg-beast and greeted them warmly.

"Hello, Ms. Maza." Eosine said kindly.

"How are you?" Tachia added.

Elisa smiled, and shook her head. "You don't have to call me that. We're all family.
Please, call me Elisa."

Eosine and Tachia bowed their heads. "If you wish…Elisa." Tachia replied.

Elisa giggled. "Thanks. Anyways, I'm good. I dropped Adam off at my parent's house just now. I'll go pick him up in a few hours. My brother, Derek, and Maggie were over there, and they wanted to spend some time with him tonight, too. While they're doing that, I decided to come by and spend some time getting to know you two a bit better."

Hudson smiled, and rose from his recliner, motioning to Bronx to leave the room. "We will leave ya three to get better acquainted. Come, boy." With that, he left the room.

Eosine smiled genuinely. "We heard much about your brother, Derek, and his love,
Maggie. They were turned into gargoyles, and then were returned to their natural state by Mr. Xanatos and Demona, right?"

Elisa cringed when she heard the latter name. "Yeah, that's right. They live about forty-five minutes away from here in a beautiful house. Did Brook and Lex tell you about the clones?"

Tachia nodded. "Yes. It must be terrible knowing that hate brought you into this world."

"I imagine, but they seem to be doing better everyday. Derek and Maggie help them to read, and are in the process of teaching them how to speak proper English. So,
Eosine, tell me, how are you finding 1997?"

Eosine laughed. "It is truly a marvellous time, full of wonder. But it is overwhelming at times, to be sure."

Elisa laughed to herself. She is perfectly suited to Lexington. She seems to be fascinated by the new things she sees around her, just like Lex is.

"That's how they reacted to it when they were first awakened. But they managed to adjust fast enough. I'm sure Brook and Lex told you everything there is to know about Manhattan."

"Oh yes, that is why, when the warp hole—as Lexington calls it—appeared, we jumped at the chance to go through it, simply because that is how they came to us. We prayed that we would be brought to 1997, and the good Lord heard our prayers"
Tachia replied, smiling happily.

Elisa shared in the happiness. She knew that the clan would never be the same had Lex and Brook never returned. Now they had returned with mates, but to top it all off, they both shared the love for Manhattan that the boys did. She saw the genuine joy both females shared in their arrival to 1997 as well.

"I still can't get over Brook and Lex having mates. It really is awesome. They are all grown up."

Eosine blushed, causing her light pink skin to deepen in colour slightly all over.
"Yes, Lexington most definitely is." Tachia giggled at her sister's blushing, and retorted.

"Elisa, I must know: you and Goliath are…mated?"

Now it was Elisa's turn to blush. "No, I don't think that's even possible for a human and gargoyle to be mated in the way of a ceremony, but, um, I mean, we love each other very much. We've been through so much together. Brook never told you?"

"The boys told us, but we found it hard to believe. It just seemed very odd."

Elisa shook her head, almost annoyed that they would say such a thing. "If you knew Goliath, you'd know that it's very easy to love him. I look past all the differences and see him with my heart. He is the greatest person I've ever known."

Tachia seemed impressed by Elisa's words. She tilted her head to look at the human.
"It's funny. Brooklyn described your personality perfectly."

Elisa was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Just that he described you as a confident woman who knows her own opinion, and is firm in her beliefs. Women like that were hard to find back home—gargoyles like that as well. I always admired you. At least, I admired the person Brooklyn described to me. Now I see he was entirely accurate." She commented, with a tone in her voice that suggested that he meant every word she said. Though this was the first time Elisa actually had a conversation with her, she knew that Tachia was honest in her words.

"Thanks, Tachia. I'm flattered that the boys told you so much about me."

Eosine was still confused. "Elisa, I still do not understand somethin'. Is Goliath attracted to you? I mean, physically? Gargoyles are not meant to be attracted to anyone but their kind. That was somethin' I always wanted to ask you, if given the chance. Now that I have it…"

"Well, uh, I think so. I am to him, at least. That's a small part of what we have,
though, Eosine. Our relationship is about more than that. I love him for who he is,
not what he is." Elisa was a bit uncomfortable with this line of questioning, so was very relieved when she heard padded feet landing outside the Great Hall. Goliath,
followed by Brooklyn, Angela, Lexington and Broadway entered the large space one by one. Goliath walked directly towards Elisa. She rose and extended her hand to him.
He took it in one of his mighty hands and kissed it as he enfolded her in a hug.

"My love, I missed you."

Still somewhat flustered by the questions, Elisa stumbled a bit in her reply, then regained her composure in front of the new gargoyles. "I, uh, missed you even more,
Big Guy."

Tachia and Eosine turned to her before also rising to greet their mates.

"Elisa, please forgive us for our questions." Eosine apologised. Elisa turned back to her, and smirked. "No need to apologise. You'll see what I mean one of these days."

After a half hour with them, Elisa decided to head back to her parent's house, pick up Adam, and go home. She was already missing her son like crazy. She said her goodbyes and began her trek back to the suburb outside of Manhattan.


7:09pm

High above Manhattan, Demona and Thailog glided towards their destination: Manhattan Psychiatric Centre, located on East 125th street. Demona hadn't said a word to Thailog about why this man was important besides her brief explanation earlier at her estate. Now the clone wanted a specific answer.

"Demona, why are we breaking this crazy man out? Surely he will go even more mad once he sees us…"

Demona shook her head and pulled out the piece of paper she had grabbed right before leaving her bedroom. Grasping it firmly in her hand so as not to let it fly away in the wind, she waved it at him, then brought it back in front of her face and began reading.

"Cryptoactatum areuum, auditae aureaeum, casum cedii incretiatae. Dualii personae."

She chanted this verse only once, pointing to Thailog as she spoke. From her hands,
a black mist originated, and encircled his head and then disappeared instantly.
Thailog was stunned, and angered.

"What in the HELL was that!" His distrust shined through just then. Demona made a mental note of this and answered.

"Calm yourself, Thailog. I just cast a spell on you to ensure his madness doesn't grow when he sees you. As his file mentioned, Murdoch hears the voice of his grandfather. The spell I cast will make your voice sound to him as the voice he hears. Your appearance will also simulate that of his grandfather to him. Your appearance hasn't actually been altered, but everyone who sees you from now will see you as an old man until I cast the spell that will reverse this. Understand?" She asked, seeing the Manhattan Psychiatric Centre in the near distance. Thailog understood exactly.

"Am I to control him?"

Demona grinned. "Yes, exactly. Once you break him out, you will earn his trust and tell him to do as I command. Manhattan will be sent into a state of panic tonight."


8:01pm

Ricky Murdoch had just finished writing in his diary for the night. His entry wasn't substantial at all. He mentioned how the nurse who gave him his food looked exceptionally pretty that day, and how his grandfather had stopped visiting him in his dreams. He was starting to believe that he was never going to speak to him again. It had been four months since the last time his grandfather had said a word to him.

"Maybe I really AM crazy, like my parents said," he had written. He put the book aside and then watched as the lights went out at 8:00pm, like they did every night.
He lay down on his sterile bed, hands behind his head, and sighed quietly. He turned his head to look out the tiny window to the left of the bed. The moon shone behind some dark clouds. It looked as if it might rain. Ricky decided to close his eyes and try to sleep before it began to rain. He had a terrible fear of rain. Just another thing that made his parents think that he was insane. He heard a thudding noise. Probably thunder in the distance, he told himself. Sleep, sleep, sleep!

Another thud, but no thunder followed.

"What the hell?" He questioned aloud, rising up in bed. He decided to walk over to the window and see the thunder. His fear only extended to the rain itself and not the thunder that usually came with a storm.

He quietly walked over to the window, and stood upon his tiptoes to peer out of the barred window. He saw nothing but evening. It actually didn't even look like it was going to rain after all, much to his relief. He walked half-way to his bed again when a loud metal-on-metal sound was heard from his window. He turned towards the window to see it being ripped apart by…his grandfather!

"Grandpa? Is that you?" Ricky asked in complete shock as he saw the seemingly frail hands of his grandfather, weathered by age spots and sun damage, effortlessly pulling the window frame out and stepping into Ricky's room.

"Yes, Ricky, it's me. Come! We must get out of here!" His grandfather extended a hand towards Ricky. Still in shock, Ricky took his grandfather's hand and closed his eyes as he suddenly felt the sensation of falling and then the wind through what was left of his balding hair. Opening his eyes, he saw that he and his grandfather were soaring through the sky above the city.

"How the hell are we flying, grandpa?"

Confidently, his grandfather replied, "That isn't important, Ricky. Right now, we have to finish what you started all those years ago."

Ricky beamed, not caring how or why his grandfather was here now, flying. "You mean I'm going to be with you, grandpa, for good?"

"Yes, but only if you do exactly as I tell you," He pulled out what looked to Ricky like a crude homemade bomb with a timer on it. "Can you do that, Ricky?"

"Definitely."

Demona watched from farther off as Thailog carried Ricky Murdoch in his arms and spoke with him. Her plan was going to go off without a hitch. Not only would she destroy at least a hundred humans, but she would also make sure that her attempt to save one would coincidentally be performed right in front of Goliath, proving to him that her hatred of humanity was finished. It couldn't be farther from the truth, but this was the second to last step of the plan, as long as she found that blasted spell book.

The Cryptatae Magnus was crucial because she knew that the second the gargoyles knew Maza was in danger, they would go to any lengths to release her. This way, only Maza's death can release her. In a way, she would have a humane death; it would be quick, and probably painless, but she had to make sure she would die, and the only way to do that is to keep her exactly where she is. Demona didn't want to give her such a nice death, but it was the only way to keep Demona from being blamed for the murder. This manner, which she hadn't even shared with Thailog, was going to be fitting. A bomb, human designed and constructed, would be placed in her apartment while she slept. Thailog would finally be revealed to Goliath and the others, and would be the one implicated—not Demona. It was ingenious thinking, she thought.
Poor, distraught Goliath would be beside himself with sadness and Demona would be there to comfort him. After a few weeks, she estimated, he would be ready to love her again. Demona chuckled to herself.

Thailog glided carrying this twit, Ricky in his arms, hating this human more and more as he spoke. The human mentioned how wonderful it was to hear his grandfather's voice again after almost four months without any word from him. Thailog apologized for the absence, and explained that he had been busy planning for their reunion. He knew he sounded absolutely pathetic, but it seemed to work on this pitiful creature he held in his powerful arms. Thailog knew that Demona wanted this bomb to detonate somewhere there were many humans, but she had given him two main places to go with Ricky to do it: Two of the busiest places in Manhattan, Times Square and Broadway Avenue.

The plan was to strap the bomb onto himself and demand a million dollars in return for his promise that he wouldn't set off the bomb. Thailog knew what sort of attention Demona wanted: the type that would solicit the gargoyles and a noble attempt to protect the city.

Thailog wanted Demona's plan to work, but also wanted to make her squirm a bit. If I find Maza, and put her life in danger now, in front of Goliath, surely Demona will have to suck it up and save her while he watches. It will kill her. I love it.

Thailog knew her schedule now inside and out, as Demona had made him do. It was a Wednesday, so she was taking her son for a drive to her parents' house just outside Manhattan. The route she always took home led her directly through Times Square.
This was going to work out perfectly.

He set Ricky down in a back alley a few blocks away from Times Square.

"We will set the bomb off here, right in the middle of Times Square. But first,
demand one million dollars."

Ricky blinked. "But, grandpa, I don't WANT any money. I only want to be with you up there."

Thailog grew impatient with this charade. He exhaled noisily and shouted, "Do it,
otherwise you will NEVER see me again!"

Ricky nodded quickly. "Ok, ok. Now?"

Thailog nodded. Ricky took the bomb out of his hands and ran onto the street towards the bright lights of the NASDAQ and the billboards. Thailog followed him, gauging the reaction of the humans towards him: none. He was impressed by Demona's spell.

Perhaps this will be useful after all.

Ricky ran between the hoards of taxis driving through Times Square, and finally got to the middle of the street, despite the honks all around him of very disgruntled motorists.

He held up the bomb and shouted, "I HAVE A BOMB! I WANT MONEY! OTHERWISE, I'LL BLOW TIMES SQUARE UP!"

Shouts of terror came from the tourists around him as they ran away from him as quickly as possible, while others who didn't understand him followed the trend and took off down the street as well. Suddenly, there was a huge dispersal of people from the immediate area. The taxi drivers and motorists who previously honked now abandoned their cars and fled the scene. Within a few minutes, camera crews and WVRN anchorman Travis Marshall was on the scene, bringing just the type of attention Demona craved.

The clan was sitting around the fireplace, listening to a story that Brooklyn and Lexington were telling about 1795. Hudson listened, but his attention was suddenly drawn to the bright lights of Times Square as a 'breaking news bulletin' flashed upon the screen of the television.

"Sorry ta interrupt, but look there." He said as he grabbed the remote control and raised the volume higher. Travis Marshall suddenly appeared on the screen.

"…he claims he has a bomb and demands one million dollars from local agencies or else he will detonate it. The man has been identified as Ricky Murdoch, an escaped mental patient from Manhattan's Psychiatric Centre. He has a history of violence much like this incident, so police are cautioning all to…" Hudson turned the television off suddenly. Goliath rose as he did this, knowing exactly what must be done.

"Everyone, we must stop this from happening. If you can, try to save this man. He is not well, and is not in his right mind. Come!" He called, running towards the doors,
spreading his wings and majestically gliding towards Times Square. The others followed quickly.


"WHERE IS MY MONEY?" Ricky Murdoch bellowed as loudly as he could, though it wasn't nearly as scary as he thought he sounded. He also didn't look very scary,
either. He still wore the standard white itchy poplin shirt and pants the psychiatric facility issued to him. He looked small and insignificant, but the bomb definitely gave him power and importance he had never had before. The only thing that stopped a couple hundred on-lookers from rushing him was the fact that he had the bomb in his hand, and that it looked pretty damn real to take the chance of him pressing the little red button right beside the clock.

The camera, safely at a distance, still filmed every second of the action, while Demona stayed even farther away, on a roof-top, observing everything. By now, she surmised, the gargoyles would be on their way to rescue the city yet again, and receive no gratitude for their efforts, as usual. They need to be shown the error of their ways, and once Maza is out of the picture, and she is with Goliath once more,
she will be the one to show them.

"Grandpa, where are you?" Ricky called out, looking around him. The plastic bomb was still held over his head, to show everyone around that he meant business. Thailog emerged from the crowd.

"Ricky, you're doing great. Soon we'll be together permanently." He replied,
stepping closer to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the authorities trying to move in and tackle him. He looked up and saw a sniper rifle poking out of a nearby window, aimed directly at Ricky's head. Damnit, Thailog thought, this will be over before anything happens. I must take action now, and let this annoying human perish.

He stepped a bit closer to Ricky. "Ricky, give me the bomb. You and I shall now be together forever. You have done what I commanded."

Ricky looked scared suddenly. "What? But I didn't kill anyone. I don't get it,
Grandpa."

Thailog took another final step closer. He was now close enough to grab the bomb from Ricky's shaking hand, and so he did. He yanked it out of his hand, and took off down the street. The SWAT team members tackled Ricky mercilessly, and arrested him. A few police officers began running after the old man who had taken the bomb from Ricky on foot.

Above, Demona watched the entire event happen. "What on earth is he doing? He should have detonated the bomb!" She nearly yelled as she spread her wings and took off trying to follow Thailog, rather, that old man who had stolen the bomb.

Goliath and the rest of the clan, including the newest members, arrived at Times Square just in time to witness the old man grabbing the bomb from the mental patient's hand and take off running down the street. Goliath followed the old man in the air above him.


Elisa was stuck in traffic. But there was never traffic this bad down this way.
There must be an accident up ahead, she thought to herself. She turned back to her son, safely strapped in his baby carrier/seat and contemplated turning on her sirens to get out of that traffic and see if she could be of any use up ahead, but decided that that would be a gross misuse of power, though many of her colleagues were guilty of doing that more than once. She looked around the street a few more seconds until she saw the normal crowds of people parting like the Red Sea, and then a strange looking old man running. In his frail hands, he held something that looked to Elisa like a bomb. She had sat in on more than one bomb-squad meeting and knew what certain types of bombs looked like. Elisa looked directly at the old man, who seemed to have incredible strength and endurance for a man his age, and was about to pull out her spare gun in the glove box when she saw that he met her gaze and slowly began walking towards her, holding the bomb in his hands, and smiling sickly.
Terror-stricken, Elisa grabbed the gun out of her glove box, got out of her car and watched as the crazed-looking old man walked closer and closer towards her car from across the street. She aimed her gun at him, but stopped when he raised a hand to the little red button on the top of it.

"You shoot, and I detonate it, Miss Maza."

"How the hell do you know my name!" She shouted, feeling trapped.

The man approached her car. He looked into the car and saw the peaceful face of Elisa's two month-old son for the first time up-close. "You have a beautiful son.
Too bad." He turned around to see a car that was void of any humans and walked briskly towards it. He grabbed the bomb, pressed the button, and took off. Elisa didn't have enough time to take cover before the bomb exploded only a few cars away from the Fairlane. The car Thailog had placed the bomb in flipped over, landing on another car. Luckily, no one was in the car it landed upon. Elisa was thrown a few feet away due to the force of the blast. She landed near the squished car, and was rendered completely unconscious from the fall. Around her, a steady drip of gasoline began accumulating from both gas tanks of the cars.

Demona caught up with Thailog just as he ran away from the blast. She witnessed the blast, and was happy to see that disgusting red car at the scene. Perhaps Maza had even been injured. Just then, as she was about to glide off, she saw the entire clan approaching.

"Demona! What are you doing here?" Brooklyn asked angrily. Goliath was about to silence him when the blast happened. The clan had no idea that Elisa was even at the scene until an older male's voice bellowed, "That car is going to explode! Someone help that poor woman!" and saw the Fairlane on the street.

Demona, who was far closer than Goliath and the others, cursed silently.

I can't believe I am doing this…

She swooped down, picked up the unconscious Elisa and brought her to Goliath's waiting arms. She then glided back down into Elisa's car, and pulled the bastard child from the seat. She felt a sense of repulsion as she held the boy. He instantly began crying at her touch, and Demona shared this sentiment, but refused to let her feeling show through her expression. He glided back to the clan and handed the crying and frightened child to Brooklyn. Just as the child left Demona's arms, the said car exploded loudly.

"Thank you, Demona." Brooklyn said almost annoyed.

"It was nothing, Brooklyn. Is she alright?" She asked Goliath, nearly throwing up when the words escaped her mouth. He looked at the unconscious form in his arms.

"Yes, she will be fine. Thank you, Demona. You saved her life."

Demona hated herself so much just then. But, she thought, this might work to my advantage.

"It was nothing. I must be going now. Take them home. They both need rest." With that, she glided off into the night.


Elisa awoke with a large headache. She looked around her. She was home, but in bed.
She tried to get up when a gentle hand guided her back down to her pillow.

"Please, Elisa, do not get up. You need to relax."

"What happened? One moment, I'm face to face with this weird old man with a bomb,
and the next, I'm home."

"He set off a bomb, and you were knocked unconscious. Xanatos had a doctor check you. Luckily, you didn't break any bones. Demona saved you from—"

"Wait, Demona saved me? What the hell…"

"I owe her for saving your life, my love. If she wasn't there, you and Adam would have been killed."

"That's impossible. She can't have saved me. She hates me!"

"Perhaps she has forgotten her grudge against you."

"I'm not the only one that bumped my head, right? You can't be serious! She doesn't have a benevolent bone in her body. She has some sort of ulterior motive for saving me. I just know it. She wouldn't just do it out of the kindness of her heart. She has no heart!"

"Elisa, I do not wish to argue with you. She had no reason to save you except that perhaps she really is trying…"

"Bullshit. You can believe what you want, but—" Elisa made a face in pain. Her headache had just intensified.

"My love, please relax. The doctor said your headache would be gone when you wake up in the morning. Please, Elisa, do not worry about Demona right now.

Adam is safe, you are safe, and you will be fine. Your parents are watching him until you feel better. Promise me you'll take it easy today?" Goliath asked optimistically. Elisa frowned, but saw the absolute love in his eyes, and her expression softened.

She sighed. "Ok, Big Guy. I promise. I love you." He bent down and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, too, my angel. Now rest. I will see you tonight…"

She closed her eyes, trying to forget the events of the evening, especially Demona's part in rescuing her.


Demona took a shower upon arriving back at her estate because of how disgusted she felt after saving Maza.

She couldn't locate Thailog anywhere, and she spent nearly three hours searching for him. Perhaps he had been detained by the police. After all, they all see him as an elderly man. Thailog finally arrived back at the estate just a few moments before sunrise. He wore a self-satisfied smirk as he turned to stone, too quickly for Demona to question him as to why he ran with the bomb and exploded it near Maza's car. She concluded that he thought it was going to help their cause. The funny thing was that it actually did. Goliath thanked her again for her part in saving Maza and the bastard child, and even the clan saw this. Plus, her acting abilities had helped her pull it off by keeping a sympathetic and heroic face on the entire trying ordeal.
As she herself turned into Dominique Destine, her cellular phone began ringing. Looking for it, she reached under her desk and pulled the small phone up and answered it.

"Miss Destine, sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but your instructions were that the instant we located the Cryptatae Magnus, we would inform you."

Demona grinned evilly. "That's perfectly alright. How soon can it be shipped to my office?"

"By Halloween, you should have your book, madame."

"Perfect."