"You look tired," said Jason as he and his daughter stood side by side in the kitchen, washing and drying dishes. Anne ate dinner with them that night, as she often did, and afterwards Elisa headed off for an early shower and bed, and Rick retreated to continue filling out college applications in his room, which left Jason and Anne in charge of the cleanup.

Her father's remark was an innocent one, but Anne realized all too well in which direction the wind was blowing. "I've had a lot of work lately," she replied indifferently.

"I know you've been seeing him," said Jason, and by his daughter's expression he knew she understood him perfectly, "do you remember he has a ... clan? A family? Your mother has been in touch with them lately.."

"Has she?" Anne's expression was curious. "How come, after losing contact with them all those years ago?"

"This isn't the point," persisted Jason, "they are worried. They want to know what is going on with him."

"This is none of their business, Daddy," Anne said firmly, "if Steelclaw doesn't want them to find out what he is up to, they had better not meddle."

"I'm afraid your new... friend is dragging you into something you had better stay out of." The expression of defiance made his daughter's eyes look so like his own it was almost unnerving to glance into them.

"Steelclaw would never hurt me," Anne said solemnly, "he is kind and brave."

Jason said nothing, but his disquiet grew. He wanted justice to be done too, and the Stonehammers caught and put to trial. He wanted this story to be over, so that the gargoyles would be out of his life, this time forever.

"Whatever you do," he finally ventured to say, "remember that Steelclaw isn't human. His mind doesn't work the same way ours do. These differences can be crucial."

"You don't like them, do you?" observed Anne through narrowed eyes.

Jason groped for words. Was it finally time for the confession he withheld for so long? "Anne," he said, "I belong to a family that has pledged to eliminate all the gargoyles, many generations ago. My ancestors killed nearly all who remained in Britain and Scotland, and I have come to Manhattan to finish the job."

Anne looked at him, frozen in shock and horror. "It makes you no better than the Stonehammers, then," she said quietly.

"No, listen. I have seen the wrong of my ways, I repented, I asked for Goliath's forgiveness and changed the whole course of my life. Largely it was thanks to your mother, she was the one who lifted the veil of mindless hatred that was blinding me and made me see reason. I grew to appreciate the gargoyles, admire them even, and I was sorry for what happened to Goliath. But I never liked them, no. I preferred that Elisa and I should stay well away from them. I implore you to do the same."

"Don't worry, Dad," Anne said confidently, "I know what I'm doing."

Jason shook his head, and prayed it was so.

... "Well, this is good news, isn't it?" said Steelclaw. "If your mother is working in the department again, and the Stonehammers are under her responsibility, this makes it easier for you to find things out."

"This also makes it easier for my mother to notice if I'm up to something fishy," replied Anne, and for the time being, he was rendered silent.

They were sitting at the kitchen table in her apartment, staring at the screen of a laptop which showed a certain map Anne had procured from the web. The table was littered with other maps, diagrams, notes and empty cups and glasses.

Her father was right. She did spend a lot of time with Steelclaw - nearly half of each night. Sometimes he came together with Korian, but mostly alone. During the day, the gargoyles used as a hideout an old apartment which used to belong to Steelclaw's mother.

Anne admired his courage and was frightened by his recklessness. When he spoke, anything he said made sense, including taking on a hundred Stonehammers single-handed. When he was silent, common sense returned to her for a while and she thought with horror that she is helping him forward a plan that was most definitely illegal and potentially lethal.

But never, not for a fleeting moment, did it occur to her to use the quick escape route from this situation and put a stop to Steelclaw by alerting his leaders of the young gargoyle's whereabouts. This option was not practical, since she has been introduced to the clan.

"My mother took me to see them two nights ago," she told him, "I met your sister Angela, and saw photographs of both your father and your mother. You have your mother's coloring, but you look just like Goliath. They say you have his spirit too."

"If I can be but half of what my father was," said Steelclaw, "I will think my life well lived."

... "Anne told me they will be transferred to another prison three nights hence," Steelclaw told his uncle, "the moment they are led out to the car must be seized. There will be no other chance for us."

"Good!" said the older warrior, squeezing Steelclaw's shoulder so tight it almost hurt. "We will be ready. And now, nephew, I have a pleasant surprise for you."

He strode to the door of the back room and opened it, and out of it came Olrun. For a second, Steelclaw couldn't exhale, astonished as he was. He saw how her eyes shone when they were cast upon him, and his heart leapt; yet he could not conceive of a less opportune moment for such a meeting.

"Olrun!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here? How did you find out..."

"Well, I fancy some fresh air, as it happens," said Korian with a twinkle in his eye, and slouched out of to the terrace.

They were left alone, and his heart beat faster, yet he said nothing. Just looked at her and waited. "Korian sent me a message and told me where I could find you. He knew I would never betray you. It's a good thing he told me where you are, too, because I was going out of my mind with worry," she added fiercely. The warmth of her voice made his heart pump faster.

"I'm fine," was all he managed to squeeze out.

"I don't know exactly what you and Korian are planning to do," Olrun went on, "but whatever it is, let me stay with you and help."

"No," he said, more sharply than he had intended, "it's too dangerous, Olrun. I must do this alone."

"You aren't doing it alone," she countered, and there was a steely edge to her voice he had seldom heard before, "Korian is with you, and so is Anne. She came to see us, you know. She's a pretty good actor, too, because my father talked of you half the time and she hardly even blinked."

"Anne is a detective," said Steelclaw, "she must be an expert in that sort of thing."

"Oh, I see," said Olrun, quite icily, her arms folded across her chest, "she is a detective, so that's why she's fitter to stand by your side than your own rookery sister!"

"It isn't like this," Steelclaw shook his head, feeling defensive, "I asked her for help because I knew otherwise I have no way to reach those bastards."

"And she agreed to help you?" Olrun's eyes were narrowed with suspicion. "Does she know what you intend to do to them if you get your hands on them?"

"Yes," said Steelclaw. "Anne is just. She knows the human law does not have adequate punishment for evils committed against our kind. She believes I deserve a chance to take matters into my own hands and do what is right. You know that for me, seeing them stopped isn't enough," he lowered his voice, "I want blood."

"So what shall I do?" tears sparkled in Olrun's eyes now, sudden as dew on midnight grass. "Stand aside and watch you get yourself killed?"

His expression softened and he reached for her hand. "Go home, Olrun," he said, "I will return soon, and the murderers of my parents will be dead."

She wrenched her hand free. "I don't care if they are dead," she said hotly, "it's more important that you are alive."

Having said this, she strode past him to the terrace and took off without so much as a glance in the direction of Korian, who then entered the room once more, his expression puzzled.

"The lass seemed to be in quite a temper as she left," he remarked.

Steelclaw was spared the necessity of answering, for at that very moment the phone rang. It was a call they both had long awaited. Anne's voice was on the other side of the line, and she only said six or seven words before hanging up. Steelclaw raised his eyes to meet Korian's, and a smile of grim satisfaction spread upon his face.