It was a week after the Gargoyles and Elizabeth helped Talon take back the Labynith. Elizabeth had a dufflebag packed at the door to go to Australia. Hudson was gonna lead the clan while Brooklyn and Elizabeth were gone but at the moment Elizabeth and Brooklyn were having a heated arguement.
"I'm not going. I'm needed here." Brooklyn growled.
"Its only going to be a week and we will be back. Come on Brooklyn. You been working every night since you became leader. You need a break." Elizabeth said. Broadway and Lexington were watching the arguement from the kitchen.
"I think this is the first time they have fought." Lexington said.
"Aye it is. Both are stubborn." Hudson said as he watched the two young ones fighting.
"I'm not leaving and that's final." Brooklyn said heading to the door.
"If I leave without you, I'm gone till this project is over." Elizabeth said.
"Fine. We don't need you here. Go for all I care." Brooklyn said. He slams the door and Elizabeth put her face in her hands as she felt the tears. Hudson came up to Elizabeth.
"Let him calm down lass. He is just under pressure from being leader." Hudson said.
"I got my brothers private jet waiting. I need to leave." Elizabeth said.
"Your leaving without Brooklyn." Broadway said, coming over.
"He made his choice. He's not coming and I don't know how long I will be gone." Elizabeth said. Hudson, Broadway, and Lexington share looks.
"Go, lass. We'll be fine and we'll keep an eye on Brooklyn." Hudson said. Elizabeth whipped the tears as she went to grab her gun. Broadway was up by the door waiting for her.
"I'll take you to airport, Liz." Broadway said.
"Thank you Broadway." Elizabeth said.
"Take as long as you want Lass. We'll be here when you get back. Maybe the lad will find some sense." Hudson said. Elizabeth came up to the old Gargoyle and kissed his check.
"Thank you Hudson." Elizabeth said.
"I'll tag along and me and Broadway will go on partrol." Lexington said. Broadway picked up Elizabeth as they head towards the airport.
"Pilot knows I'm coming with Gargoyles. You can land near the plane." Elizabeth said. They arrived at the airport and Elizabeth found the jet that would take her. The Pilot looked surprised to see the Gargoyles. He turned to Elizabeth as Broadway set her down.
"Miss Xanatos. It will be you and these two?" The Pilot asked. Elizabeth looked around, hoping Brooklyn will show up but there was no sight of him.
"No. It will be just me." Elizabeth said. She hugged Broadway and Lexington and got on the plane. The Pilot shuts the door as Elizabeth goes to sit on the couch, setting her dufflebag on the chair. She looked out the window to see Broadway and Lexington waving. She smiles and waves back as the plane starts to turn to head down the run way. Elizabeth sat down as she pulled out her book to read.
Broadway and Lexington watched the plane pull away.
"Hope she'll be ok. Never seen her this upset." broadway said. Wings flap came and Broadway and Lexington turn to see Brooklyn land.
"Please say that is not her plane." Brooklyn said as the plane took off.
"You really screwed up this time Brooklyn and hurt her feelings." Lexington said. Brooklyn let out a angry yell.
"I shouldn't have fought with her. I should of went." Brooklyn said, grabbing his head.
"Its to late now, Brook. She is on her way to Australia." Broadway said. Brooklyn bowed his head.
A week later. Elizabeth, Fox, and Fox's mother, Anastasia stood around a tube that held what Fox's mom called the Matrix moved around. Elizabeth stood with her arms crossed. She was in a red vest with a white long sleeved shirt with Black leggings and boots. Fox had a hand to her chin.
"I don't like it. The Matrix is not responding properly. It's to smart, Fox." Anastasia said. Elizabeth walked over to her desk chair to check the scans. Her phone buzzed. She picked it up to see Brooklyn's number from the phone she gave him. It was the 100th time he tried calling. She hit end and put down the phone. "We don't know enough about hive mind artificial intelligence to understand what's going on in there. It's dangerous. If the Matrix gets out of control..."
"You worry to much, mom. The magnetic field will contain it." Fox said.
"What about the locals?" Anastasia asked.
"I got an operative making sure they stay clear of the site." Fox said, heading towards Elizabeth.
"You sure you can trust Dingo?" Elizabeth asked.
"I trust him. Start the next test stage." Fox said. She gasped and Anastasia and Elizabeth turned to look at her as Fox held her buldging stomach.
"Anything wrong?" Anastia asked.
"Your grandson just kicked me." Fox said. Fox came over to Elizabeth as she looked over the scans.
"It looks like its staying in the magnetic field. Less its tricking us." Elizabeth said, pointing at the screen.
"Mom just worries to much." Fox said. Elizabeth's phone buzed again. "Brooklyn is calling again?" Elizabeth nodded.
"Its the 100th time he called. I just can't talk to him right now." Elizabeth said.
"I'm sure he's kicking himself for that fight. Though it might be a good thing he isn't here. Him and Dingo would be at each others throats." Fox said. Elizabeth smiled at her best friend. Fox sat down in the other chair to look over other things. Anastia came over and leaned against the computers.
"I'd just feel better if we restarted with a clean operating system." Anastia said. Fox turned to face her mom.
"Mother, it's just a test. If we're successfull. David and I can use Matrix to reshape the entire planet to suit us." Fox said. Elizabeth shook her head. Everything had to do with her brother.
"Fox, humor your mother." Anastia said. Fox sighed.
"Doesn't hurt to try." Elizabeth said. Fox nodded.
"It's a lot of work, but if you really think it's necessary. We'll erase the program and start over." Fox said, turning to the computer and typing some stuff in. Unknown to them. The Matrix was starting to escape from inside the container in the tube.
Fox, Anastasia, and Elizabeth get up and head out.
"Let's check with my man in the field." Fox said. Elizabeth's phone rang and she saw it was Broadway.
"Go ahead. I'll catch up." Elizabeth said. Fox nodded as they went. Elizabeth answered the phone.
"What is it, Broadway?" Elizabeth asked.
"Brooklyn is still trying to get ahold of you." Broadway said.
"I know. We been busy doing this project for my brother." Elizabeth said.
"I'll let him know. You doing ok? Brooklyn is kicking himself." Broadway said.
"Hanging in there. Just keeping busy." Elizabeth said. She saw Fox and Anastsia heading her way. "I got to go." Elizabeth hangs up.
"Liz. You won't believe this but I've got an automatic video transmision showing that he Gargoyles are in the testing area. I think we found Goliath and Bronx." Fox said.
"That's great." Elizabeth said. Anastsia pressed a button to open the door.
"We've got to shut down immediately before." The women gasped.
"Avalon." Elizabeth said. The Matrix had opened the tube and was moving out over the floor. The claw was coming towards them and Anastsia pulled the girls away, shutting the door. Fox and Elizabeth started running with Anastsia's mother right behind.
"The Matrix has learned how to shut down a magnetic containment field!" Anastsia said. The three ran till they reached a hanger.
"Stop. I can't breathe." Elizabeth said, pulling them to a stop and they caught their breath. Alarms start blaring and Elizabeth gasps as a light appears on the wall and pool of liquid comes out of the light and falls to the ground. Spears shoot from the liquid and goes through the roof. Fox grabs Elizabeth as they run away. Fox goes to a panal and pushes a button and grabs a disk from them. They continue running and reach the helicopter. Fox gets in the pilot seat and Elizabeth jumps in the copilot. Anastsia stands behind them as they took off. Elizabeth gasped as spears came up towards the helicopter. Fox flew the helicopter through them until one hits them from behind. Elizabeth grabs the handle as Anastsia grabs the seats in front of her.
"Hang on." Fox said as she stirs the helicopter til it lands on the ground. "Get out, quick." Elizabeth unbuckles as they run to the door and Elizabeth opens the door as her and Anastsia gets out. Elizabeth helps Fox down. The Matrix started moving.
"We got to move." Elizabeth said. The girls start running. They slow when they came near a fire. Bronx let out a bark as Elizabeth ran towards the Gargoyles and Elisa. He jumps on Elizabeth. "Bronx. Its so good to see you." She hugs Bronx. Elisa ran to her and hugged her.
"What are you doing here?" Elisa asked.
"Helping Fox and her mom out. Where have you been we been worried." Elizabeth said. Elisa pulled her towards the fire as Fox introduced her mom to Goliath and the rest. Elisa explained Avalon and finding the eggs. "So Avalon sends you where you got to be. You know how much I envy you now." Elisa laughed. Elisa introduced her to Angela, Goliath's daughter and she wasn't surprised how much she looked like Demona.
"Where's Brooklyn?" Elizabeth said.
"We got into a fight. He's been taking leadership hard since you guys left and wanted to get him away, but it didn't end well." Elizabeth said, rubbing her arm.
"We got more things to discuss then your fight with your boyfriend." Anastsia said.
"I forgot you were close with Fox and her mom." Elisa said.
"She's like a second mom to me." Elizabeth shrugged when she got a look from Goliath. They look to see the Matrix not able to move. "The Matrix has reached the limits of its range." Anastsia said.
"For now." Elizabeth said, rubbing her temple.
"I thought you were in control of the bloody thing." Dingo said.
"Its smarter then it looks." Elizabeth said. The Gargoyles and Elisa turn on Dingo.
"So. You were working with them." Elisa said. Elizabeth sighed.
"Hang about, it's true I hired on to give 'em a hand, but I didn't expect this. Elizabeth was the only one that didn't trust me of the three." Dingo said.
"I had my reasons." Elizabeth said, crossing her arms. Dingo goes to put on his helmet.
"It's too dangerous. We have to stop it." Dingo said. Fox crosses her arms.
"I don't know that we can." Fox said.
"Once the Matrix taps into the atomic power plant that runs the labs, nothing can stop it." Elizabeth explained to her friends.
"It's called the "Gray goo" Scenario. With enought power the Matrix could cover the entire Earth with microscopic machines, coverting everything to suit its programing." Anastsia said. Elizabeth had a hand on Bronx as he stood next to her and she looked at Fox.
"Its why you didn't tell me everything about it. You knew I would disapprove what you and my brother were doing." Elizabeth said. Fox nodded, guilty.
"This Matrix of which speak, what is it? Why is it doing this?" Goliath asked.
"It's a shared computer program that controls the machines. Sort of a group mind. The test was supposed to create order out of random terrain, but it's gone beyond the experiment's parameters." Fox said.
"Is there an way to stop it?" Elisa asked.
"Perhaps. We managed to save this optical drive cartridge." Anastsia said. Fox holds up the cartridge. "Theoretically, it could wipe the program clean, leaving the Matrix dorment. But to implement it, we have to input it directly into the Matrix." Dingo took the cartridge and looked at it.
"My armor's computer modem might be able to transmit the program." Dingo said. Elizabeth felt her phone vibrarte as Dingo put it in his arm. She looked and saw it was Brooklyn. Elisa noticed as she hung up on Brookln, but didn't say anything.
"Risky. With all the magnetic interference, you'd have to get inside the test site boundary." Anastia said.
"Angela and I will go with you to guard your back." Goliath said.
"Right neiborly of you." Dingo said as Goliath and Angela went running. Dingo put on his helmet and flew after them.
"Are you and Brooklyn fighting that bad." Elisa asked.
"Broadway says he's regretting it and wanted to come with. I just don't want to talk to him." Elizabeth said.
"You guys have light arguements but not to the point you don't want to talk to him." Elisa said. Elizabeth nodded.
"The others will be happy to hear you three are alright. We were worried and Angela will be welcomed." Elizabeth said.
"You'll like her." Elisa said. Elizabeth smiled.
"Their back." Fox said. Elisa and Elizabeth turned to see Goliath, Angela, and Dingo flying back and they land.
"No luck." Angela said. Elizabeth ran her hands through her long head hair. Goliath explained what they saw. Elizabeth sat on one of the rocks as she listened.
"It sounds like the Matrix has evolved beyond its original programming. We can't stop it. When it absorbs the power plant, it will overrun everything." Anastsia said.
"Shouldn't we be leaving." Elisa asked.
"There's no place to run. In a few days the whole world will be transformed." Fox said.
"We've got to do something." Elizabeth said.
"You must talk to it." The man that had been silent sitting by the fire said. They all turned to him. Elizabeth realized he was a Shaman. Convince it of its error."
"What?" Dingo asked. He walked over to the Shaman. "Talk to a machine."
"It's more than a machine now. It's an artificial intelligence." Anastsia said.
"But it thinks a billion times fasten then we do. We can't communicate with it in real time." Elizabeth said. Fox nodded.
"Then you must seek it in the Dreamtime." The Shaman said. Goliath and Dingo put hands on each others as they stood over the fire.
"Well this is interesting." Elizabeth said.
"I must be off my nut, goin' for this." Dingo grumbled. The Shaman was blowing through a wooden flute and handed it to Elizabeth and Elisa who grabbed it. He opens a pouch and pours some powder in his hand.
"Remember. In the Dreamtime, things are not what they sem, but as you make them seem." The Shaman said. He pours it into the fire and the fire goes out and smoke surrounds them. Their eyes were wide and frozen.
"What happened to them?" Elisa asked.
"They have crossed over into the Dreamtime." The Shaman said.
"Let's hope it works." Elizabeth said. They all sat to wait. Angela came up to Elizabeth.
"When I get to this Manhattan will you show me around." Angela said. Elizabeth smiled.
"I will. And there is a trio of brothers that will be happy to see a new gargoyle." Elizabeth said, earning a smile from Angela. Elisa smiled happy to see the two connecting.
"I heard your dating one of the Gargoyles?" Angela said.
"He's back home. You'll meet him eventually when you get to our city." Elizabeth said. Angela smiled and nodded.
"Its moving." Fox said. They watched as the Matrix moved. It started to slow down.
"It's slowing." Elizabeth said.
"Our champions have confronted it." Shaman said, Looking at Goliath and Dingo. Goliath and Dingo blink, both of them gasping.
"You'r back." Elisa said. Elizabeth looked to see the Matrix surround them.
"Whatever you did it worked." Elizabeth said, pointing. Dingo and Goliath turned to see the Matrix.
"It seems your words were well chosen." Shaman said. He runs back to the fire.
"Look." Angela said as the liquid started moving. It transformed into a silver Human like creature.
"Woah." Elizabeth said.
"your words have a ring of truth." The Matrix walks up to Dingo. "Speak to us of this new order. This law and order." Elizabeth and Elisa share looks.
"Uh, well, um." Dingo said. He clears his throad. "Me and Fox here used to be heroes to a lot of folks when The Pack was on TV. I've been missing that lately." Fox came up to him and hit him upside the head.
"What are you getting at, Dingo?" Fox asked.
"I wanna be a hero again, for real, this time. You and I, we could be a team, fighting to create law and order." Dingo said, holding out his hand. The Matrix looked at him and Elizabeth wondered if he was thinking.
"Yes. We will help you." The Matrix takes Dingo's hand. The Matrix combines with Dingo's armor making it silver instead of yellow.
"Woah." Elizabeth said.
"Slewth!" Dingo said as he examined himself. "Ripper!" He punches his hand.
"We are now joined." The Matrix said, light surrounds Dingo. "Teach us of law and order."
"Quite a responsibity Dingo." Goliath said.
"Yeah, heh. I don't quite know if I'm up to it, but I guess I'll give it a go." Dingo said. He sighs as Elizabeth smiles. "Looks like Austrailia's got a new kind of hero, mates!"
Later. Elizabeth stood with Goliath, Bronx, Elisa, and Angela.
"I will let the others know that your alright. So you don't know when you'll be back?" Elizabeth asked.
"Not til Avalon is done with us." Elisa said. Bronx jumped on Elizabeth.
"I'll miss you to, boy." Elizabeth said, rubbing him. Goliath came up to her.
"Tell Brooklyn to take a week off to spend time with you." Goliath said.
"Goliath." Elizabeth said.
"I never seen you this upset. When I get back you both will get a longer time away." Goliath said. Elizabeth nodded. Goliath walked away. Elizabeth and Elisa hug. Elizabeth
Back in Manhattan two days later.. Fox and Elizabeth got off the plane.
"Owen said he'll be picking us up shortly." Fox said. Elizabeth looked up and saw Brooklyn standing there.
"I think my ride is here." Elizabeth said. She had called Broadway to let him know that she was coming back. Fox saw Brooklyn and put a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.
"I'll let Owen know the Gargoyles got you." Fox said. She gave Brooklyn a smile and walked to where Owen was waiting. Elizabeth and Brooklyn stood in silence.
"Say something." Elizabeth said.
"I'm sorry Liz. I tried to come with but you were already gone." Brooklyn said.
"I forgave you awhile ago. But I bring news." Elizabeth said. Brooklyn smiled.
"What's the news." Brooklyn said.
"I ran into Goliath, Elisa, and Bronx. They apparently made a trip to Avalon and Avalon is sending them to where they are needed." Elizabeth said.
"Now I wished I went with. Least we know they are ok." Brooklyn said. Elizabeth came up to him and hugged him.
"I missed you." Elizabeth said. Brooklyn wrapped his arms around her.
"I missed you too." Brooklyn said. He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Let's head home and let the others know." Brooklyn picked her up and jumped on the wing of the jet and jumped off to take off as they head to the clocktower.
AN: Hope you enjoyed. Till next time.