By the end of Brooklyn's long story Bianca was listening with rapt attention, her face pressed against the bars of her prison.
"It's like a thousand year long soap opera…incredible."
"Yeah," Lex agreed, "Never a dull moment…apart from a thousand or so years encased in solid rock."
Bianca wrapped her claws around the bars, "When you were under Magus's spell, did you dream at all?"
Broadway frowned, "Yeah…about food." The others smiled at him. "That story always makes me hungry. I'm gonna grab a bite. Any requests?" Angela stood up with him, clearly intending to join Broadway on his outing.
Lexington nodded, "I wouldn't mind a gyro."
"Yeah, pick me up a hot dog." Brooklyn said. He turned to Bianca, "Want one?"
She nodded, "Actually yes…I'd love one. If you don't mind."
Broadway smiled jovially, "Course not! Back soon." They both exited, leaving Bianca with Lexington and Brooklyn.
"What are your names?" She asked. Their story appeared to have gotten the better of Bianca's curiosity. After all, technically Bianca wasn't breaking her promise…she hadn't sought them out and she wasn't telling them anything. What could it hurt to ask questions?
Lexington explained, "Well, back in Scotland our clan didn't go by names…except Goliath."
"What did you do, point at each other?"
"Sometimes." Lex agreed, her sarcasm lost on him. She and Brooklyn shared a secret little smirk. "At any rate, when we got here we named ourselves. I'm Lexington." He stuck his hand through the bars and shook hers, "Glad to meet you, Bianca. The fat one who just left with Angela is Broadway."
"And then there's Goliath, and the cop is Elisa, and the businessman was David Xanatos…what about the elder?" Bianca thoughtfully listed them all, recalling one or two names from the story.
"He's called Hudson."
She smiled, "My, but you're a creative bunch, aren't you?"
With a shrug Lex said, "Yeah, it's not our strong suit, I guess. And of course there's Bronx, oh, but you haven't met him yet…we should bring him down to see you."
"And I'm Brooklyn."
With a smile, Bianca reached her hand out, "Nice to meet you, Brooklyn." He gently shook her hand.
"Nice to finally meet you too, Bianca."
"Brooklyn…" She said slowly, "I like that. It suits you somehow."
"Yeah, well all the really hip people live in Brooklyn nowadays so that makes sense." He said, feigning arrogance. They both exchanged another amused glance. Lexington shot an insinuating look at his brother, prompting Brooklyn to quickly withdraw his hand with a slight blush. "Uh, you know, you're right Lex. I'll bring Bronx down to meet her. Excuse me." He got up and left quickly, suddenly anxious to be out of the room. Bianca's eyes followed him out of the room, suddenly called back when Lexington asked, "So how do you like New York so far?"
"I love it." She smiled.
"Good." Lexington said with a toothy grin. "I mean, it sure is a change, but you get used to it…Still, sometimes I miss Scotland…my brothers and sisters…you know."
Bianca frowned, "No…but I can imagine."
"I do love it here though…the food, the buildings, the technology…" He explained, "I'm really into computers and robotics and stuff…I'm sort of the resident expert."
"And so modest too."
With a blush Lex stammered, "Well, I didn't mean…it's the only thing I'm really good for around here." He softly explained, "Apart from that…sometimes I feel a little useless."
Bianca smiled, "It was a joke, Lexington…and I'm sure you're very useful…in a lot of ways."
He rubbed the back of his neck with a laugh, "Sorry, I guess I'm still a little new to sarcasm." She jumped slightly startled as she heard a loud barking.
"What's that?" She asked.
"That's Bronx." Bianca looked slightly puzzled. Bronx bounded into the room and trotted right over to her cage with a loud bark, eager to meet someone new. Delighted, Bianca reached her arms out to pet him.
She gasped, "A puppy! Oh he's so cute! I've never seen a gargoyle dog before…I didn't even know there was such a thing." Bianca scratched him behind the ears, "How adorable." With a happy little growl Bronx took a seat beside her, extremely pleased to have such a fuss made over him. "Hello Bronx." She held a hand out for him to sniff, which Bronx promptly began to lick.
"I think he likes you." Brooklyn said, leaning against the doorframe.
"I just love dogs," Bianca enthused, "I've always wanted one…or any kind of a pet, really, but Father-" She halted and looked up at the two gargoyles. Guiltily she sank back into silence, focusing all of her attention on petting Bronx. The two boys looked at one another and sighed.
"So…" Brooklyn asked slowly, "Anyone read any good books lately?" They all looked up as Elisa walked in.
"Hey guys." She said, "how are we all getting along?"
Lexington smiled, "Just fine."
Elisa walked over and gave Bronx's head a pat, "Feeling anymore talkative?" She asked, not looking up.
"Not especially."
She looked up at the gargoyle, "You're only making this all more difficult."
Withdrawing her hands from Bronx Bianca asked, "For you or for me?"
Elisa sighed, "Come on Bianca, we're not the bad guys here." She urged her. Bianca stubbornly folded her arms. "Well…you just think about that for a while. Lex, I need your help upstairs, do you mind?" Lexington stood up and followed Elisa out waving a quick goodbye to Bianca. Brooklyn and Bianca watched them exit, timidly turning back to one another.
Macbeth ran his hands through his hair with a ragged sigh. He'd spent half of the morning hunting in the sewers, hoping to both find the by then stone gargoyles and outrun the police. He'd managed to avoid arrest, but unfortunately the clan had managed to make it out before sunrise…with Bianca. The rest of the day was wasted wracking his brain, trying to think of anywhere the gargoyles might have taken her. With an angry snarl he slammed a fist against his desk. Goliath was a self-righteous creature; he'd probably seen Bianca and taken it upon himself to decide she belonged with her own kind…whatever his justification may have been, he simply had no right to kidnap and hold a young girl against her will. Macbeth was so worried about her…He'd seen Bianca faint, suppose they had harmed her? It seemed out of character for the clan to behave in such a way. Their motivation was no concern of his. Macbeth just wanted his child back…and so far he hadn't come up with any good ideas. Manhattan was a big city. The gargoyles could be hiding anywhere.
With a sudden thought Macbeth turned to his computer and punched in a few numbers. He gazed at the screen stifling a yawn: there wasn't time to sleep now while Bianca was still unaccounted for. Leaning back in his seat Macbeth took a look at the map before him: it was a long shot, but at least it was somewhere to start. Now all he had to do was arrange some transportation…
"Are…you comfortable?" Brooklyn ventured gallantly, "Anything I can get you?"
"How about a skeleton key?"
Brooklyn reiterated dryly, "Anything realistic I can get you?"
Trying to suppress a smile Bianca said, "Your brothers are curiously lacking in sarcasm…I find that a little odd having met you."
"I'm trying to introduce them to it in easy stages." He answered with a smile. "But I always appreciate help from an expert."
She raised an eyebrow, "So I'm an expert? Why Brooklyn, I'm honored."
"Well your conversational skills are certainly better than your burgling skills, let's put it that way." Bianca was at a loss for words for a moment, both amused and stunned at his impertinence.
"Do you always talk to people you've just met like this?"
Faltering, Brooklyn admitted, "Well no, I've never met anyone quite like you before." Bianca turned her eyes back to the floor, her face growing warm. Was he actually flirting with her? It was hard to tell in real life, harder than she thought it would be. People were so much clearer in movies. No he probably wasn't, Bianca decided slightly disappointed. Brooklyn looked like he regretted saying it at all. He was blushing furiously…and here Bianca had thought his complexion couldn't get any redder. It was awfully cute on him.
"So Goliath's the leader, Lex is the computer genius…what are you supposed to be?" she asked gently, hoping he'd forget his embarrassment.
"Uhm…comic relief?" Her laughter relaxed Brooklyn a little. "I'm Goliath's second in command."
"Really?"
Brooklyn rubbed the back of his neck, "Don't look too impressed now, I'm not very good at it."
She smiled, "You don't think so?"
"Well hey, you're a terrible thief and you still managed to get away, so what does that say about me?" They both laughed a little.
Bianca countered, "I didn't get away the second time, now did I? So you can't be all that bad. How did you find me in the park anyway?"
He explained, "We heard the Illuminati were after you so we split up and searched the city for you. It was just a coincidence that Goliath and I were the ones closest to the park when the shooting started."
Playfully Bianca sighed, "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, I just had to walk into yours."
"Casablanca." Brooklyn knowingly smiled. Amazed, Bianca stared at him.
"You…you know Casablanca?" She asked softly.
"Sure I do, it's a classic."
Bianca pressed her face close to the bars, "Movies are my life, I'm obsessed with them," She explained, "They're basically the closest thing I had to human contact…gave me a lot of silly ideas about what life is really like." Bashfully she lowered her eyes, "It's a wonder I'm not completely socially inept, I think."
Encouragingly, Brooklyn smiled, "I think you do better than some people who've had human contact all their lives."
"And I think you'd make a fine leader." Bianca answered. When he shook his head Bianca looked at him sympathetically, "But why not, Brooklyn?"
"I'm too impetuous. I rush into things without thinking." He looked down at his feet with a sad smile, "Not exactly a good quality for a leader, is it?"
Shyly Bianca leaned a little closer, "I think it's kind of charming, actually."
"You do?"
"Well sure…" Bianca withdrew a little, suddenly conscious that she was becoming a bit too friendly with her captor, "in an awkward, clumsy kind of a way."
"Oh, well everyone knows that's the best kind of charming there is." They exchanged another dopey set of smiles.
"Sorry it took so long!" Broadway announced loudly stomping back into the room. "We uh, we got lost." Angela glared at him. "Well, maybe not lost exactly." Seeing that Angela was still glaring at him Broadway reluctantly confessed, "I ate your hot dogs by accident, we had to go back and get more." He turned to Angela, "Happy!"
Angela gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Honesty is always the best policy, Broadway."
"Or at least the one with the best reward." He grinned, winking to Brooklyn. Vaguely annoyed, Angela smacked his belly. Bianca laughed lightly, thanking Broadway as he handed her a hot dog. "So what were you guys talking about?" Brooklyn stared down at his hot dog. Seeing Broadway and Angela together had reminded him of the danger he was in. Brooklyn would not keep repeating this same mistake over and over again; he would not have feelings for Bianca. It was all in his mind, it always was, even if it did feel different this time …he looked over at Bianca…very different…
Brooklyn steeled himself, he was being ridiculous. She was only going to cause him trouble and pain; pain that could be avoided. Protectively folding his wings Brooklyn turned his back on Bianca and coldly replied, "Nothing interesting. You guard the prisoner, I'm…I'm sick of being cooped up in here." He handed his hot dog to Broadway and turned to leave.
"Hey, don't you want it?" Broadway asked, holding the hot dog out to him. Brooklyn halted at the door and shot a furtive glance back to Bianca: She looked hurt, confused.
Feeling a sudden surge of guilt he mumbled, "No, I've lost my appetite." With that he hurried out, suddenly anxious to be as far away from Bianca as possible.
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"We have movement. The contact left not two minutes ago."
The hooded figure smiled, "Excellent. Instruct your men to proceed with caution, they should follow far enough behind so as not to arouse his suspicion...and Captain?"
"Yes Sir?"
"If he leads you to more than one gargoyle you're not to advance right away, but call in for backup. I want no less than four squadrons in position before you make a move. We cannot afford to lose them again."
The Captain looked troubled, "With all due respect Sir, are so many necessary? Waiting for backup will take time and-"
"Your predecessor chose not to follow my instructions, Captain. I don't think I need to tell you where he ended up after last night's...unfortunate fiasco, do I?"
Paling, the Captain nodded, "No Sir."
"I thought not. No slip ups, Captain, no more unwanted attention. I want those gargoyles and I want them with a minimum of fuss. If you cannot deliver then I assure you I could find someone among your company more suited for the position. Is that what you want, Captain?"
"The-the gargoyles will be in your custody by the end of the night, Sir." He stammered.
"Thank you Captain, that will be all for now."