Wheels & Wings IV:
Unguarded
Evil Overlady

Summary: Elisa has been afflicted by the Guardian's curse and Joe and the Viper Team have to race against the clock to save her...

Author's Notes: Gargoyles is owned by Disney and Buena Vista. This story and any others in the "Wheels and Wings" universe come before and in place of "Hunter's Moon" and the entire Goliath Chronicles. Viper is owned by Pet Fly (the car by Dodge) and this story in that universe occurs in the 1994 season. Michael "Archangel" Coldsmith-Briggs, III belongs to Bellisario and Universal Studios. Any other characters in the aforementioned universes belong to their creators. Dr. Haile O'Connor belongs to Marvel Comics. All other characters and this story idea, specifically the Gárgola mythology (although Weissman did mention a "Lost Race"), including Leviticus and his kind belong to me. Vipra also belongs to me (You can find a picture of her on my site.). Please, do not use them without permission.

Please, be sure to check out other stories in this series... "Wheels and Wings," "A Guardian Born," "The Egg," and a missing scene for the original Gargoyles series: "Tears."

For those who came in late...

Detective Elisa Maza's partner, Matt Bluestone, is currently on crutches thanks to a gunshot wound in the leg inflicted by a petty thug secretly working for a "Watcher Society." The Watcher Society is an organization devoted to monitoring Guardians ( more-than-human protectors of gargoyles and human kind, the reincarnated souls of Gárgola, Mother of the Gargoyles). Established long ago when people first began to suspect guardians were living among them, the Watcher Society has over the centuries become corrupt and criminal, and is now in competition with the greatest criminal organization of all, The Outfit. Vipra, a gargoyle ex-thief, has joined the Manhattan gargoyle clan; and Elisa and Matt have teamed up with the Viper Team, who have come all the way from Metro City to build the 23rd Precinct a new Viper for Elisa and Matt to drive. Unknown to Elisa, the original Viper's driver, Joe Astor, is an ex-thief as well. He used to be Michael Payton but his memory was erased; and now a mysterious man in a white fedora and with a cane has recognized Joe as the man he doesn't remember...

The day after tomorrow...
A time when criminals rule the streets...
The only weapon that can stop them needs a driver...
A thousand years ago, superstition and sword ruled,
And flesh-and-blood gargoyles ruled the skies...
Now, in Manhattan, they've been befriended by a human cop.
Together, against a corrupt system,
They are taking back the streets...

Wheels and Wings IV
Unguarded
Evil Overlady

The dark realm was just that - dark; save for the occasional blood-red fire of a torch along the passageways of a castle wall. Beyond the castles was total black, save for an illuminated talisman, if you were lucky enough to have one, luckier still to keep it.

In this awful place - even by vampire standards - the Dark Race cannibalized itself in the struggle to grab just a little light.

Leviticus's brethren envied his freedom to see the starlight and the full moon granted to him by a web of complex, delicate spells he and his love Demona had found and put together.

Returning once again to this shadowy realm quieted his normally arrogant she-demon employee, Medora Cysgodol. Her talk of betraying him to his superiors now seemed to be undergoing silent reconsideration.

Perhaps, she fears I would leave her here, he mused. The demoness's goal was to become all-powerful... but not too quickly. She was more inclined to earn her power rather than seize it blindly, unlike her brothers and sisters, a trait he sought - subservient but not a slave. But power was in the eye of the beholder. Did she wish rank, like the counts and kings of these castles, or the freedom to see the stars and feast on untainted mortal flesh?

Her silence seemed to indicate she was thinking over this decision long and hard.

Let her think, he thought. She was most valuable to him when she thought...

Leviticus stepped into the crimson-lit council chamber encircled by high status lords and ladies.

Medora stood firmly at his side. She was his Second in her mind; though Leviticus cared more for Demona, Demona was still a gargoyle, barely an echelon above a slave. Nimroy had more respect. Leviticus had left him in New York guarding the gateway, ready to summon Leviticus and Medora back when the time was right.

At the head of the chamber, Count Drakul oversaw the proceedings. Upon seeing Leviticus enter, he slammed a heavy mallet once on his podium. "I call to order," he said in a booming baritone voice.

The others quieted.

Leviticus bowed.

"Lord Leviticus, son of Nere, do you understand the nature of this summoning?"

"I do, great one. It is due to my failure in the Ceremony of Cythraul. The failure is mine alone."

Medora gasped with surprise but lowered her head again.

He was not doing this for her sake, he thought angrily, but because it made him look good. Now, she made him look like a heart-of-gold, self-sacrificing-!

"And because of that failure we must wait another thousand years!"

"I understand-"

"Do not interrupt!"

Leviticus bowed his head even lower, his chin burrowing into his chest.

"I am counting on you to find a way, Leviticus. It is for only that reason that this council does not crush you where you stand."

Murmurs of agreement echoed through the court.

"Silence!"

The room grew deathly still.

Leviticus could hear Medora's ragged breaths. Somehow, she knew what would happen next.

"And what of the great isle city of the Western World, Son of Nere? What are your plans to be rid of the gargoyle infestation there and reclaim our ancient kingdom?"

"I have no grand schemes in mind, great one. As yet I have only begun to acquire allies and followers."

"And its guardian? What has befallen her?"

"She lives, great one."

There were gasps of surprise followed by disgruntled growls and whispers.

Count Drakul slammed the mallet once.

The sounds quieted.

"This court has made its decision, Lord Leviticus. Before the sun sets in the mortal world on this very day, all guardians shall perish."

"My lord, the Night of Cythraul-"

"Many generations will pass before that night is upon us once more, Leviticus. We have no longer any need of this generation." He clapped his hands and a servant approached Leviticus. "Take these components to the mortal world. Cast the spell. If you fail..."

Leviticus bowed. "Your wish is my command, great one." He indicated for Medora to take the items.

Together, they departed into the darkness.