"You get down right now!" We fall to the ground like we were told.
"Now keep your heads to the ground and don't you dare look up if you know what's good for you!" I stare at the ground in fear as one of them ordered the man to give them all the money in the cash register. The other was busy smashing open the glass cases for the jewelry inside. I tried not to move, but I felt my body quiver in fear. Juniper's hand clasped mine to calm me down. I could feel that she was telling every muscle in her body to stay still, but you could feel the ripple of movement under her skin. I knew they could see us. I felt they were just itching to shoot someone. I prayed that it wouldn't happen. I heard one shot fired and screamed.
"Shut Up!" That's when the alarm started blaring.
"Shit!" One of them said. I felt a hand pull me up and into the robber's chest. His arm went across my neck making it harder to breathe, but I still could.
"Okay everyone listen up! We're taken this girl and if anyone stupid enough follows off first bullet goes in her head. The second goes into the idiot." They shoved me out of the store and into their car. As soon as the other one was in they sped off.
"Listen girl. If you act like a good girl then we'll let you live, but if you want to leave then you have to be a really good girl." He put his disgusting hand on my knee and shoved it.
"You'll warm up to the deal in time." He said with his arms placed at the back of his head. Not a care in the world for these crooks, by all account it looked like they wouldn't be caught. Inside I felt they were and I was going to be stuck with them. We were on a bridge that I believe was going to take us out of the city.
(Thump!)
"What the hell man?" The robber next to me said.
"I don't know. Maybe it was a bird or something hitting the car door."
"Just keep your eyes on the road."
(KRrreack!) The roof of the car was opened like a can of sardines. The driver got so scared that he swerved off the road and smashed into the railway. The driver was knocked out and the other one pulled me out of the car. The gun held ready to my temple as he looked around for whatever it was that took the roof off the car.
"Whoever the fuck is here you better back off! Or I'll kill her! I swear to god I'll kill her!" he meant it. The gun's barrel was making a mark on my head where it was held.
"I doubt you will." The voice shocked the robber enough to move the gun away from my head. Then the robber was thrown down by whoever came here to help. His grip loosened and I moved away from the fight. I heard him make shoot off the gun once. I turn to look at what happened. The gun was facing up and away from my savior. The savior was the gargoyle. The one I meant that night. He came to save me? The battle didn't last long one quick blow to the head and the robber was out like a light. I moved closer to the gargoyle careful to not get in his way as he moved the body into the car.
"Thank you Brooklyn." I saw his body tense at my innocent words. He turned to face me surprised at first, but then his face grew into recognition.
"Oh it's you. The one who took care of Bronx, what are you doing with these guys?" He moved closer to me.
"They had kidnapped me."
"I guess I picked the right night to patrol this area."
"You did. Thank you again for saving me."
"You're welcome." The sound of police sirens could be heard heading our way. Brooklyn's head turns toward it.
"You may want to head home." Brooklyn looked back at me and nodded. He hopped on the railing and the leapt through the air before gliding off into the night sky. The cops came and escorted me away from the robber's car. They had an ambulance brought to treat any cuts or bruises that I had sustained from the car wreck. I was asked questions that I answered as best as I could without revealing anything about Brooklyn. I owed him for saving me and I knew people would blame it on a concussion anyway. Juniper came in a police car escort with two detectives. One named Elisa Maza and Matt Bluestone.
"Are you alright?" Juniper said racing to my side. Seeing if there were any visible bruises on me.
"I'm better now."
"Did they try anything on you?"
"They didn't have a chance to. The car swerved."
"Has she been checked for a concussion?" Juniper said looking at the two detectives.
"I didn't hit my head Juniper and medics said I was fine."
"All the same I think you need to go to the hospital for a check-up."
"The medics do a job. She is alright." Said Detective Bluestone.
"Listen to the detective Juniper."
"But we need to ask her more questions."
"Ignore the detective Juniper."
"Listen detectives she has been through enough tonight and I would like to take her home. You can speak to her tomorrow when she has some rest."
"Well we do have her initial statement and your number in case we have to reach you, so I can't see the problem with letting her go home with you."
"Thank you Mr. Bluestone."
"Pleasure talking to you Ms. Corwall." Juniper and I hail a cab and go home where I take a nice long rest. The next morning Juniper stayed home with me and in the afternoon Detectives Bluestone and Maza knocked on our door.
"Hello Detectives."
"Is it possible that we could talk with Ilaria now?"
"Yes, I believe she is up to it. Please come in. Would you care for some coffee?"
"No thanks." Said Maza.
"I wouldn't mind a cup if you don't mind." Bluestone said. A light dusting of pink on his cheeks.
"Coming right up. Please have a seat." They take a seat facing me. Bluestone pulled out a notebook.
"Okay Ilaria lets start from the beginning. What happened after you were taken from the jeweler's?"
"I was forced into a car, told to be quiet and I would live and then they drove off." Bluestone wrote it down and Maza took up the questioning.
"Did you see what it was that caused them to swerve out of the way? Or what it was that took the roof off the car?"
"I didn't. I was busy staring at the seat when the car swerved and I just saw the roof open like a can of sardines. I didn't see who or what did it."
"Okay. You're sure about that?"
"Yes, Detective Maza I am sure that I didn't see who did it. I do know that I am thankful for them for coming to my aid."
"I see. Well I think we have enough for the report. What do you say Matt?" Matt was a little distracted by the coffee that he just received.
"Huh? Oh yes. We do have enough for the report." He takes a sip of the coffee and then puts his notebook away.
"We would like to know though if you are willing to be a witness for the prosecution."
"I don't know about that. What if those men threaten her or get acquitted?"
"Believe me with the evidence we have against them for the robbery and other crimes the two had committed there is little chance of that, but if we add the kidnapping charge we could put them away for life."
"I would be willing."
"What?"
"Juniper I need to do this. If I don't these guys could end up on the streets again."
"Can you provide protection for her?"
"We can have a guard posted outside your apartment building before and during the trial." Juniper sighs, but agrees in the end, they talk for a while about what needs to be done for the trial. Bluestone finishes his coffee and the two leave. Juniper went to bed early and I stayed up to do more research on the creature that saved my life yesterday. Not looking at the books. Going through the web online. I looked for any news articles on supernatural happenings in the NYC. Quite a few things actually dealing with gargoyles, many of them had pictures, but none of them really clarified anything. But it did prove there were more of them. I wondered though how many were in the city. And would I get to know any of them?
Morning came and I found that I had fallen asleep at the computer and that it was late. I was almost out the door when Juniper stopped me to say that I was staying home from school again to help get over the trauma of being kidnapped. We stayed in and played card games, watched movies and made lunch and dinner. Both of us went to bed early and I woke up to a tapping on my glass door. I rose from my bed and inched to the door. Pulled back the curtain a little bit and saw nothing outside. Then a paw tapped at the door. I moved the curtain back a little more and peered closer into the night and saw that it was Bronx!
"Hey Buddy." I whispered opening the door and letting him in. He jumped up taking me down to the floor. He licked my face and I pushed him back so I could sit up. I patted his head and rubbed behind his ears happy to see the lovable rock dog.
"Now how did you get here?"
"He missed you. So I brought him here." Brooklyn leaned against the door with his wings wrapped around his shoulders like a cloak.
"Is that true Bronx?" He rubs his head against my arm affectionately.
"Awe. I missed you two." I started scratching his back and he leaned in closer. "You're such a cutie."
"How are you doing?"
"After the issue yesterday, alright all things considered." I said still scratching Bronx. He rolled onto his back and now he was enjoying a good belly rub.
"Good."
"Do you always check up on the people you save?"
"Only the ones who bother to look at me."
"Have you always lived in Manhattan?"
"No. I use to live in a place called Scotland."
"That's a long way from here. How did you get here?"
"There's a long story attached to it. I'll tell you later."
"Okay Mr. Mysterious. I can wait."
"What about you?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you always lived in the city?"
"Nope. I was born in Maui Hawaii, lived in Honolulu for most of my life."
"Hawaii? Where is that?"
"It's an archipelago in the Pacific ocean. On the west coast of America. That enough information on Hawaii for you?"
"Yeah. Enough for now. I hate to cut the reunion short, but we do have to return home."
"I understand. See ya Bronx. Stay cute. See ya around Brooklyn." Brooklyn picks up Bronx and the two of them are gone. The sun was beginning to rise and I took that as a sign to start getting ready, already it felt like it was going to be a good day. Turns out the day was pretty good, especially when I came home from school.
"Juniper I'm home!"
"I'm in the kitchen."
"Okay."
"Listen Ilaria there's something I want you to take a look at on the terrace."
"Do I have to do it now?"
"I would rather you did."
"Alright. I'll go out to the terrace." I go out there and see nothing at first. But then I hear a distinct squeal. I look down at my leg and see Rosebud! Rosebud was here! I swooped her up in my arms and hugged the little pink darling. My mini Juliana pig, Rosebud was finally home with me. But I couldn't figure out was how? Juniper said it was illegal for us to keep her in New York City. I walk inside to the kitchen.
"Juniper, how did you get Rosebud here?"
"Believe it or not, but Mr. Xantos helped me out with having Rosebud here legally."
"I wonder why he would do that?"
"Do you want Rosebud to go back to Hawaii?"
"No. I want Rosebud here."
"Good. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Be happy that you have your pet again."
"I am. Come on Rosebud let's get your bed set up." A grunt was given as a reply. Yay the day felt good but Boy! Was I wrong when the sun went down. For trouble had found me. Three days go by and clothes cover all over my body whenever I go out at night. I sometimes sneak into the park to enjoy the quiet. Some trouble came from these visits sometimes and I would sneak back home in a different way so no one could have seen where I lived. It is now the fourth night and I again go to the park. I should never have gone that night.
Four hours later here I am in pain lying on a cold metal floor with electric bars surrounding me.
"How are you feeling?" I made no attempt at communication with the disgusting man.
"Come now. Be civil my dear." I remain silent and pulled into fetal position.
"Fine then have it your way. Your tests are about to begin. I don't want any trouble from you." The man came closer to me cage. I rose slowly this time and when he came close enough I spat on him, blind. My venom aimed at the right target. His eyes. He groaned in pain and blindly went in search of a place to wash his eyes. I smiled on the inside from my minor victory.
To explain my sudden ability to spit venom, you would have to look back in time. I am a direct descendent of Medusa on my Father's side. My mother's side is a mystery. Every night when the New Moon appears I take the form of my ancestor. My skin becomes green and scaly. My hair turns into snakes and two sharp fangs form in my mouth. I can even form my two legs into a snake tail. And worst of all my eyes can turn those unfortunate enough into stone. There is a cure for it, but it takes time. If I could I would have turned my new kidnapper into a stone statue by now. But He took care of it by placing a metal band around my eyes when he caught me. I had just gotten in the park when he caught me.
"That wasn't very smart." Said another male voice one that had a rather bored tone. So there were two of them. A bored one and a British one. The British one was back from his eye washing.
"How long do you think you can get her DNA into the system?"
"I don't know. Her DNA is not exactly absorbing into my computer's data. Strange isn't it? I have the gargoyles DNA, but not hers."
"Just be sure to get the DNA and remember he wants her alive and well."
"I will try but I can't help what the methods can lead to."
"No excuses she is to be kept well." The man left with little argument and the other one. I could feel the dislike radiating off of him.
"My dear you are going to have the worst days of your life." I was definitely not happy with the development. I waited for the painful treatment he was going to give me when I heard the distinct sounds of crumbling rock.
"Games up Anton!"
"It's Dr. Sevarius. To what games are you referring to?"
"How about that girl you have over there?" I hope they were referring to me.
"Oh, her. She is of no interest to any of you or your group."
"What about our group?" A deeper voice came on the scene. Now I was really confused on what the heck they were all talking about.
"Goliath is it really necessary for you to be here?"
"If I can stop you from ruining another life, then yes. It is necessary for me to be here. We will be taking her far away from you and your employer." Whoever this guy was he sounded like a friend.
"Too bad." I heard a click go off.
(Inhuman shriek) A burning sensation runs through the floor and into me. I thrash about in pain only to find that moving across the bars added more pain to it for the electricity was still on. I came close to passing out. I did after I fell into someone's arms.
Waking up was easy enough to do. It was still dark when I woke, but that was due to the metal band that was still around my head. I found myself mostly numb, but I was gaining back feeling fairly quickly. I could move my fingers and head around at this point.
"I think she's awake." Said a softer voice.
"I think you're right lad." This time a Scottish or Irish voice. "Help the lass up."
Arms lift me to an upright sitting position. My head lulls back and forth to the movement.
"Are you okay?" I give a slight nod. Then I feel someone's hands reach for the metal band. Fear reawakes and I move my head quickly away.
"Lexington, she may still be fearful of us." The Scottish voice said.
"We need to take that off her it could be a tracking system!" They ripped it off. It didn't hurt. It hadn't been glued or anything like that. In fear I fled. My legs turning into a tail allowed me faster movement. I moved around without seeing the way people do. I tapped into the infrared vision.
"Wait!"
"Stay away!" I felt two of them slam me to the ground. I wriggle and struggle to get out of their grip but there is no ceasing.
"We are trying to help you!"
"I have to go let me go!"
"Brooklyn, help us here!"
"Brooklyn?" Recognition allows me to stop moving.
"You know me?" It was His voice. I nod. I did not want him to know that it was me.
"I know of you. Please release me."
"I'm afraid we can't do that."
"Why? Why can't you?"
"Look that doctor has done something to you. Turned you into a mutant. I know it is hard to accept, but you need to be with those that…."
"I am not a mutant."
"Look you may not…"
"I was born like this." I can feel the grips loosen in shock. I could have slipped away, but the grip would have tightened again. I needed them to be more off guard before I could make a successful escape.
"Please open your eyes and look at me."
"I can't."
"Please?"
"I can't!" I lunge and fall into a corner behind some boxes I open my eyes in the darkness knowing it is safe to do so. "Please no one come near me."
I hear no movement made from them. I took a chance and peered out the side.
"Hey…." It was a green one and unfortunately he looked into my eyes. Screams and shock fell from the lips of others. While I kept repeating I'm sorry over and over again. Till I attempt to reverse it. I took the serum that thankfully the good doctor hadn't taken from me and was still intact. I placed it over him.
"What is it that you put on him?" Came the deep voice known as Goliath. This time he sounded a bit hesitant.
"I gave him a serum that will reverse the form he is in, but it will take some time to take effect." The feeling of a piece of cloth soon covers my eyes.
"This is why you didn't want the band taken off."
"I was afraid this would happen."
"What are you?"
"Have you ever heard of the creature known as Medusa?"
"The gorgon?"
"I am her descendent."
"I see that must be why Dr. Sevarius went after her."
"You know I am in the room and I can hear you. And he did try to get my DNA but he couldn't get it to show up in the computer. At least he said that it didn't show up."
"Please take my hand and follow us." It was one of the voices I heard coming to my rescue earlier.
"Where are you taking me? As a matter of fact where are we?"
"You are in our home for now. But it will be safer for you if you go with our friend Talon."
"That still doesn't tell me where we are, exactly."
"You are in the clock tower above the police station. I apologize for not being clear."
"I think it would be better for me to wait here till morning. I can return home at that point."
"Where is your home?" asked the voice of Brooklyn.
"I can get there on my own."
"I am afraid that it would be best for you to stay here for a short while till we can be certain that Sevearius won't come after you anytime soon."
"I need to get home. I have someone there who will be worried about me being gone for a day."
"Who is this person? Maybe I can talk to them?" It was a female voice this time.
"Who are you?"
"I am Elisa Maza."
"Maza? I know you." Oh crud. She might know who I am. Wait I'm in gorgon mode, she saw me as a human. I look totally different when I am in gorgon mode than in human mode. Okay I don't have to think of a way out of that, but now I have to think what is licking me. I place one hand on the licking bandit and he stops for a second and then continues on.
"Please forgive him. He doesn't usual do this with new comers. Bronx heel."
"Bronx? Bronx! Hey little guy!" Excitedly he barked and moved closer to me.
"Ilaria?" Oh crap. I should really move and not stay still like this.
"Um."
"It is you."
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Ilaria? As in Ilaria the girl who was kidnapped during a robbery at the Crystal and Clear Jewelry store nearly a week ago?"
"I...I.I"
"How do you know her Brooklyn?" Goliath asked him and it was his turn to go um. Till it turned into silence. I felt Bronx's fur turn to stone. I knew what that meant. It must be dawn outside and my gorgon mode was back to human. I took the blindfold off and opened my eyes to the world. Which meant that I was now in a room with stone gargoyles and a surprised cop.
"Ilaria, do you think you could explain some things to me?"
"I can detective Maza, but I need to get in touch with Juniper first."
"Okay. You can come downstairs and use the phone." We travel downstairs silently and avoid the other cops to the phone where I call Juniper.
"Hello?"
"Juniper, its Ilaria. I'm fine and at the police station."
"Ilaria what are you doing there?"
"Let's just say that my blood was a concern to them and leave it at that. Just come to the police station and I will explain everything that has gone on."
"I can't get there till after work this morning. I will be there closer to dusk. Please just stay at the police station."
"I will. Juniper don't forget your glasses."
"I won't." I hang up the phone and turn to Maza.
"When she gets here I will explain everything and she wants me to stay here till she gets off work."
"I can deal with that. Now come on let's go get Bluestone and tell him what has happened. Then you can go upstairs and rest till your guardian gets here."
"Alright." Just like that we find Bluestone and explain what had happened in the last hour and then I had the two of them promise not to tell anyone that I was here or about my secret that Bluestone was still in the dark about. Since no other information was to escape my lips until Juniper was here. I went back up to the Gargoyle room and found an area to fall asleep on. I slept for a long time I didn't even wake up until it was dusk. I could hear Juniper come up the stairway with Bluestone and Maza.
"Did you have a good sleep?" Maza asked.
"Yes, I did thank you."
"Good. Now do mind telling us what happened last night?"
"I think we should wait just a pinch longer."
"Whoa there. We had a deal."
"Yes, but I think that the gargoyles would like to hear the explanation too."
"Ilaria, those are statutes. They can't hear anything."
"Oh Juniper just wait till sundown. Oh and do you have those glasses of yours?"
"You mean besides the ones that I'm wearing? Yes, I do have them." She takes the glasses out of her purse and then hands them over to me. I put them on just in time to hear the sounds of crumbling stones and growling yawns.
"OH MY GOD!" Bluestone puts his hand on Juniper's shoulder to calm her down.
"It's alright Ms. Corwall. These beings pose no harm to you or Ilaria. They are good friends of ours and they are the cities hidden protectors."
"Excuse me?" She said quicker than usual. Goliath took a step towards her and gave a small bow before speaking to her.
"I am Goliath, leader of this clan. I welcome you to our home."
"Ub…Uh…Pleasure to mmake your acquaintance…Goliath."
"These are my other clan members. Hudson." An older gargoyle with an eye missing and a sword at his side stepped forward.
"Broadway, Brooklyn and Lexington." To my relief the little one that I had turned to stone the night before had become flesh and blood again and was the one called Lexington. Brooklyn I already knew and the one called Broadway looked like a nice guy and someone who could eat you out of house and home. Each made a gesture of greeting.
"And finally we have Bronx."
"That's the statue that Ilaria brought home. It was a living gargoyle?"
"Yeah, about that…"
"Young lady we have got to talk about this." She said through gritted teeth.
"I know and we will right now. Since I have a lot to explain on both sides of the conversation."
"Yes, you do. As a starter how do you know Brooklyn and why was Bronx in your home? Or better yet why is it that night has fallen and you are no longer gorgon?"
"They know about that?"
"Everyone please give me some space so that I can explain everything to you in simple easy to understand and follow sentences." I took a breath and then launched into my explanation that sounded like a fantasy series.
"Okay it started some time ago when you, Juniper, were working late at night. I went out of the building to get some Chinese food."
"You left the apartment at night?"
"Yes, I did and we will get back to that later. Anyway I was heading back from the restaurant when I heard something in the alley. It turned out to be Bronx and he was wounded. I gave him some food, snuck him into the apartment, dressed his wound as best as I could then let him outside. Morning came I found out he was a gargoyle and then the night came and he came to life so I took care of him. Next thing I know I punched another gargoyle and…"
"You hit one of my clan members?" Goliath asked shocked in a silent way.
"It was an accident. I thought he was a burglar and I apologized at one point. Any who it was Brooklyn and he came to take Bronx home to you guys and that was that."
"Is there more to this story?"
"Okay you caught me there is more. The night of the robbery when I was kidnapped. It was Brooklyn who took down those robbers."
"That explains a good deal of your statement. Now go on." Bluestone added.
"So time passed and it became the week of the new moon. Meaning that the week when the new moon appears I go into the form of my ancestor Medusa. It lasts a whole week. Every night since the week began I have been trying to stay away from being outside, but it is extremely difficult. I needed to be outside in the park. So in disguise I traveled to the park and spent some time there. Till those goons knocked me out and took me to the place you guys (I was gesturing to the gargoyles) rescued me."
"I see."
"Stop the train for one minute you mean to tell me you were kidnapped again?"
"Juniper I don't try to make these things happen." I said holding an innocent child pose.
"You are really something."
"Okay so you explained all of the other stuff. But why is it that you aren't a gorgon now that the sun is down?" Brooklyn asked folding his arms.
"I am not a gorgon yet, because the moon has not decided it yet. Translation, I can't always control when I transform. I just do."
"So you have no control over the form you take?"
"Nope, it's a family curse."
"And it is about to take effect soon."
"How do you know that Ms. Corwall?" Maza asked.
"Because already her eyes have changed." Juniper said pointing at me. The tingles and weird skin crawling motions were already taking hold my body. I was turning. The scales on my skin, the snakes as my hair and all the other things that go with it have come to be. Oh what a joy that is.
"How is it we aren't stone statues?" Bluestone asked gazing in the other direction.
"The glasses she is wearing are strong enough to keep the gaze of Medusa from taking anyone. The only problem with them is there is only one pair of them in existence."
"How come?" Lexington asked.
"Because the materials are rare and they take far too long to make."
"And I normally wear a cloth or something like that to cover my eyes. It's only when I feel like wearing them do I wear them."
"Okay. Now that everything has been settled I believe that Ilaria and I need to go home."
"Actually Ms. Corwall. We feel that she should stay here for a few days."
"Why?"