*AN* well, here it is. I think this is going to rather long so forgive me. The disclaimer: I don't own anything of Disney's or the Gargoyles. Meh. Well I just hope you like it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chap.11
Well, I could most definitely trust them. Besides, my brothers liked them. That counted for a lot of it. Besides I kind of liked Brooklyn. He had a bad boy persona going, and frankly I liked it. He had given me comfort I needed too. Not many were brave enough to do that. Lexington was smart, and he had good ideas for business. He liked technology, and that was fine by me. Hudson was a season warrior, he reminded me of my grandfather. I liked him. He seemed very canny, and he had lots of advice to give. Broadway was funny. He liked food and he was good with kids. He was also a happy character. No moodiness for him. Okay, maybe the normal things, but not severe stuff. Goliath was kinda intimidating. He was scholarly, and intelligent, and he had my approval. Talon's clan seemed just as nice as the gargoyle clan, and I liked them for who there were, and the fact that the boys liked them counted for a lot. I liked them all, and they seemed genuinely worried about me and my brothers. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I had been solo for quite some time, and now there were people willing to help me, and make sure I was safe. I liked it. It made me feel special. Unfortunately the time of bliss was not to last. The phone rang, and I picked it up. "Tam here. Talk to me." It was Matt. "Um…you might want to turn the TV on; I think you should see this. And I flicked it on, to see my Aunt looking sad for the cameras. "Please bring them home to me! I couldn't bear it if something happened to them!" she was fake sobbing into a hanky, and I felt the rage boil up in the pit of my stomach. How dare she? She had no right, the murder! "When did this happen?" I snarled to Matt. "I don't know. Somehow she's gotten a lead on you!" he sounded worried. I pinched the bridge of my nose. "How are the boys?" he sighed. "They ran and hid as soon as she came on. What is it that you're not telling?" he wanted information, but it was information that might just put him in danger. I could not allow that. The boys didn't know what she did, but they were scared of her, and they always ran away when they saw her or heard her. She would pay for this. It had to wait for a few more weeks, and then I could legally take my company back, and when I did, she would have to world to pay for. I was just happy she didn't have our abilities to shape change like I and my brothers did. But even then she had recourses at her disposal, when I had to rely on wit and stealth to get me through. "Do me a favor Matt, do you know any reporters?" he was surprised but on guard. "Yeah I know plenty. Why?" "In a few weeks I shall be nineteen and able to take control of the company, but I can't do so till them. I need them to throw out a few false leads and distract her, so I can get ready for the…fight to take control." He was silent for a few seconds. "How about I tell them that you hopped a plane to somewhere in Europe?" "Yes, that would work, but how would they have known that I hopped a plan?" "Simple. You forgot to lay low, and some clerk remembered you, and let it slip to the wrong person that it was where you were headed." I smirked. "Good. I like it. Hire some clerk to throw that out there will you? We need it to be as convincing as possible." I was almost laughing now. He caught the drift. "Certainly. Just pay me back later, and for now, we'll make sure that she has a goose to chase shall we?" I laughed now. "Oh yes, just make sure my brothers remember to do their exercises." "What exercises?" he was confused. I put up all guards now. "Matt, when I said I wasn't human, I meant it. The same goes for my brothers. They need to practice their…gifts, because if they don't I will see to it that they are grounded for life." "Sure, I'll tell them…" he was edgy now. I sighed. "Matt, it runs in the family okay? Our Aunt is most fortunate that she did not inherit the gift, because that would make it so much harder than it is now to hide." "Alright. I trust you. Are you going to tell me what you are?" he sounded hopeful. I laughed slightly. "Not even in your dreams detective. Later." "Bye." And we ended the conversation. Aunt Mary Beth was still on screen looking pathetic, and sad. I knew better, and so did some of the reporters it seemed. They had that look on their faces that said it all. I would bide my time, and when the waiting was over, I would make sure she could not escape her fate. And it seemed that the media would side with me on this, and that was very good thing, considering that they were extremely powerful. But for now, I had to make sure she followed the trails. And I wasn't disappointed. The next morning on the news there was a huge story about how I and my brothers hopped a plane for Europe and we seemed to be in a hurry. But it obviously was not a kidnapping, because we were smiling and laughing the whole way through. Way to go Matt. I had made myself some tea now, and I smirked into my cup. Elisa saw this and asked. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the favors Matt pulled does it?" I smirked again. "No, of course not! Why should it?" she laughed at me. "Devious little mink. I should have known you would have some sort of card up your sleeve." We both laughed now. It was good to know that I could get things done. Still, I had Elisa leave a message for talon at the labyrinth to tell him and the other I might need to go underground sometime soon. Better to be safer than more sorry. I got dressed for the day and headed to the shop. Tim was already there opening it, and getting ready for the people. The others were just starting to trickle in. we still had work to do, but it would have to be done a little at a time. Not that I was worried about that. My biggest worry was walking up the street right now. Dracon. I went and leaned against my door casually and watched him approach me. Tim was looking mad, and everyone just looked scared. "Word on the street is that this place is open now." He said with a half smug grin on his face. "Yeah, I got a good deal on it too." I put in still looking like I didn't expect anything to happen. In reality I was coiled like a spring, ready to pounce. "I see. Whaddya say me an' you cut a deal?" I pretended to look interested. "Yeah? What kind of deal?" he laughed lazily. "You pay me good, and I'll make sure that you don't get any trouble from anyone." I felt my features harden and I let a slip of my canniness shine through. "Oh I don't think so Tony. How about this: you come here and do good business with me, you make sure that, the Mary Beth Mysteria lady doesn't get wind of me, and I'll make sure that if I get any parts I don't need or want to give them to you, along with a prototype of my latest project, deal?" he looked very thoughtful. "What's your project?" I smiled craftily. "It's a street engine that is really two engines that runs a motorcycle, or it could be the high tech safe I've been working on." He looked interested, and then he looked dangerous. "What happens if I don't like what you have to offer?" I stood away from the doorframe, and walked over to him. My features were as hard as stone and my eyes were icy. "Then you can go back to the pits that spawned you, and if you ever come near this shop again with a business deal or shady dealings, you can kiss your vitality goodbye! This is a neutral ground here, and I will keep it that way! Understood?" I was in his face now, and his goons were starting to appear. He was angry. "You don't know what you've done do you?" I shrugged and shifted to the balls of my feet. "Don't even try it Tony. I'll be ready for you, so go somewhere else and leave this place alone, and I'll be nice to you. Got it?" I was mad now, but he did it to himself. He snorted and turned to leave, I tapped his shoulder and he turned, "oh and Tony?" I punched him full in the face and he went to the ground, knocked out. "Don't ever try and do that again!" I turned and looked at his goons. "Y'all want him back, you need to play nice. This is neutral ground, and it will stay that way, got it?" I was ready if they wanted to start a fight, but they looked at me, and back to Tony and made the hands up/white flag gesture. I nodded stiffly and stalked backed to my shop. We had attracted some attention by now, and I made the 'shoo' movement and they scattered. The crew was looking at me with a mixture of awe and fright. I shrugged and gave them a tired look, and they got it. I hadn't wanted to do that, but it had to be done. I think that when word spreads on the street it spreads fast here in the big easy…I'd have to more carful now, more than ever. I couldn't afford to slip up now. But it was just a few weeks away, so I think I could wait. The shop was open and we had business to work with so we got started. I kept an eye out for Dracon and his goon squad all day, and I posted a few cops to keep an eye on the place. I hinted that I had gotten some threats about it, and I just wanted to make sure that it would be fine for the night. I closed up shop right before sundown, and locked it up, and then went to find Elisa and the others. I sighed. It had been quite the day so far. And it was going to get better…fun…