Day and Night
Chapter 30
"Well, hello Tony," Matt Bluestone smiled pleasantly at the other man.
Tony Dacon just scowled, "Bluestone. What do YOU want?"
They were both at one of the nightclubs that Tony owned, that he used to help launder his illegal gains. There were several businesses that were 'legit' that Tony either owned outright, or at least controlled a majority stake in.
"May I?" Matt gestured to an empty seat at Tony's table.
"Sit down, then tell me what you want," Tony said flatly.
Matt sat, nodding to a waitress, who brought him a soda. "I see the service is as good as I heard," Matt noted.
Tony sipped his own drink, "So?"
"This is off the record," Matt continued.
Tony looked very skeptical at that, knowing that Bluestone might be wearing a recording device. "Yeah?" he grunted.
"We know about Mace Malone going after your businesses," Matt told him, "and I have information for you."
Tony grunted, "Really."
"Apparently someone in Cyberbiotics was supplying them with both weapons and tech," Matt told him, "Good news, that source is being cut off. Bad news, they still have the arms that were delivered before it was shut down."
Tony didn't react, but he felt a twinge of relief. Other than the Pack working for him, he didn't have much unusual resources. Unlike Mace and his damn laser blasters.
"I suppose we couldn't put you in protective custody until we have Mace in custody?" Matt offered mildly.
Tony barked out a laugh.
"Didn't think so," Matt nodded, smiling faintly. "Thanks for listening," he added and with that he got up and left.
Tony quickly got up and headed to the back room. The manager hurried over and asked him, "Is everything okay, sir?"
"It's fine," Tony said, "Has Bluestone been around before?"
"No sir!" he blurted.
Tony nodded thoughtfully, "Have one of our security guys sweep the place, especially around my table. He might have tried bugging us."
"Right," he agreed, "should we bar him, next time?"
"Never ban the cops," Tony noted, "it just makes them more interested..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Night fell, and the Gargoyles awoke.
Angela enjoyed soaring over the city, riding updrafts and exploring. She knew there were dangers, of course. Guns could hurt them, easier than swords, and her clan mates had warned her of lasers and such. But still, she loved this new life.
"Wait up!" Brooklyn yelled, the slightly heavier Gargoyle falling a bit behind.
"No reason to rush," the smaller, thin Lexington added.
Angela shook her head wryly. They were SUCH worry warts! She stopped on a nearby rooftop, and waited for them to catch up with her.
"Yeah, Goliath wants us out looking for the Pack," Brooklyn noted.
"I hope we find them," Lexington said darkly.
Angela remembered being told that Lexington had idolized the Pack when they had been TV stars, then had been betrayed by them. She nodded, "It would be interesting to fight them, I think."
"They are really dangerous, even though they're mostly human," Brooklyn cautioned.
They heard gunfire in the distance and Angela sprinted off, "Let's go!"
"Ack!" both boys hurried after her.
They took off into the air, then caught updrafts before coming upon the battle. "Who..?" Lexington wondered, seeing no uniforms involved.
"Gangsters!" Brooklyn growled. "They're trying to kill each other."
Angela made a quick decision, "Disarm them both. You two take one side, I'll take the other," she ordered.
"Wait..."
With a growl Angela dropped into the middle of one gang and started disarming them.
"Let's go," Lexington sighed as they dropped on the other.
"WHAT THE HELL?" a guy yelped as Brooklyn ripped his rifle out of his hand then bent the barrel.
Lexington similarly took weapons away then knocked men out, even as they were surrounded by yelling and chaos.
Angela casually punched out men, and wrecked their gun, in some cases just pulling them apart. A few tried to shoot at them, but all three Gargoyles were nearly supernaturally quick.
"All right, that pretty much does it," Lexington noted as he casually tossed aside a rifle.
"Should we wait for the police?" Angela asked as she looked around at the mob of groaning or unconscious goons.
"Probably not a good idea," Brooklyn noted as they heard sirens coming.
"Let's check in with Goliath," Lexington agreed as the three hurriedly left.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Demona emerged from the shadows as she watched the three fly off. While Goliath had (mostly) forgiven her, she knew the younger Gargoyles were generally less forgiving. And frankly she wasn't sure how Angela might react.
She felt a surge of pride over how capable her daughter was, She had tossed the men around like dolls, wrecking weapons and subduing them easily.
Demona shook herself, deciding there was no point in lingering. Stretching her wings, she caught an updraft and took off.
Patrolling also took her mind off other things...
"Miss Destine, I want to be reassigned," Alicia said briskly.
Dominique had blinked, "WHAT."
Alicia stood stiffly in front of her desk, "I wish to be reassigned, ma'am. I no longer feel I can carry on as your executive assistant."
"But.. but.." Dominique's mind was racing. "Ios the pay no longer sufficient? I could bump us the annual raise for you."
"It's not money, ma'am," Alicia said. "It's... personal. Please?"
Dominique felt like she had been hit in the head by a board. And a weird, deeply wounded feeling too. "Very well," she said, "I can ask Human Resources to move you to a executive level position."
"Thank you ma'am. I'll pack up my desk and ready things for my replacement," Alicia said.
A few hours later, Alicia was no longer directly working under Demona, instead she was working in Human Resources itself. Ironically, she was under Jessica Nicholes, whom she didn't get along well with...
Back at her patrolling Demona found herself wondering WHY. Had she insulted her somehow? Was Alicia feeling undervalued? What?
Demona VERY MUCH tried not to think of the time Alicia kissed her. Was that why?
"Argh. I just don't understand humans," Demona growled aloud, crouching on a rooftop.
Demona realized the sky was getting lighter, and that dawn was coming soon. With a sigh she took off, gliding back across the city to her home. She entered through an upstairs window, then knelt as she felt the change come over her.
"Gahhh." Demona groaned as her body changed, and twisted, going from the strange material of gargoyle flesh to human flesh and blood. She lay panting a moment, then pushed herself up.
Not long after Dominique was in one of her expensive suits, and in a hired car on the way to work. 'I'm going to need to find a new assistant,' she thought mournfully. THAT was going to be a huge pain in the ass.
As they reached Nightstone Ent. Dominique blinked, seeing Alicia waiting... apparently for her? Why, though?
"Ma'am?" the driver asked as she lingered.
"Ah," Dominique started, then got out, "thank you. Have a good day."
"Morning," Alicia smiled nervously.
"I...," Dominique started, but wasn't sure what to say.
"I asked to be reassigned because if I stayed your direct subordinate, I couldn't do something like this," Alicia blurted.
"This?" Dominique blinked.
Alicia stepped up, cupped Dominique's face in her hands, then kissed her lingeringly.
"Hmm," Dominique found herself leaning into the kiss, then they broke apart.
"I... shouldn't have just jumped you like that," Alicia said a bit breathlessly.
"I don't mind," Dominique find herself saying.
Alicia smiled up at her shyly. "I've wanted to do that awhile." She added quietly, "Would you... like to go out with me?"
Dominique nodded, "I'd like that..."
To be continued...
Notes: It occurred to me a few chapters ago that Demona/Alicia pretty much couldn't happen, ethically, with Alicia directly working under Dominique. So, this. I also need to figure out how to reveal to Alicia that Dominique is actually Demona, too.
The Pack comes in again next chapter. Probably.