It was a week before any talk about a cure was brought up again. And it certainly was brought up. Xanatos had sent Elisa down to the Labyrinth to speak with her brother about a cure. Xanatos would have come himself in person if he didn't have an important meeting, which was a thinly veiled "I don't want to be attacked by Talon without my Exo-Suit." Not that that would have happened with Keahi around.

The Labyrinth Clan minus Fang was gathered in Talon's office with Elisa.

"Are you sure Xanatos isn't lying?" Talon asked when Elisa told them.

"I'm positive," said Elisa. "He's pulled some things in the past, but after what everyone in the clan has gone through the last few months, he doesn't lie about stuff like this. Lexington went over some of the notes that Xanatos let us see. He believes they are legit."

Talon looked at Keahi. "Maybe you should look over the notes. You did stay with him longer than we did."

"I don't know how much good it'll do," said Keahi. "I only saw the notes in passing."

Maggie didn't want to see that it could be a trick or that Xanatos may not have found anything that could help them. "At least take a look, Keahi, please."

"Okay," Keahi agreed.

Elisa said she would go back to the Eyrie Building and meet them there. Keahi asked if she could get a ride with Elisa, saying that she really didn't feel like flying. Elisa agreed and the two drove to the Eyrie Building.

"Is there something on your mind?" Elisa asked.

Keahi nodded and stared out the window. "It's something Fang brought to my attention."

Elisa sighed. "You know Fang likes to talk big and that he's full of hot air."

"I think I know that better than anyone," said Keahi. "But it was a legitimate concern."

"So what did he say?"

"He asked what would happen to the Labyrinth after Talon leaves," Keahi replied.

Elisa said nothing at first. "With Derrick leaving, it would leave the clan leaderless. Don't you have a second-in-command?"

Keahi shook her head. "We never discussed it. Depending on what is going on, Maggie makes the decision if Talon's not there. But if Maggie leaves, too . . ."

"There's no one to take over," Elisa finished. "Have you talked about appointing a second-in-command? Goliath has Brooklyn. You might want to talk to them about it."

"I told Talon what Fang asked," said Keahi. "He didn't say much after that, just that he would think about it. I think he was under the impression of cross that bridge when we come to it. I don't think he's put much thought into what he would do once he was Derrick again."

Now it was Elisa's turn to be quiet. "Does he want to be Derrick again? Or does he want to be Talon?"

"What do you mean?" asked Keahi.

"Do you think Derrick feels like he's under obligation to be Derrick Maza again?" Elisa clarified. "He'll always be Derrick, my little brother to me. But what about the rest of the world?"

"I have no answer for you, Elisa. You would have to ask your brother."

The rest of the ride to the Eyrie Building was a quiet one.

At the Eyrie Building, they joined the mutates, the gargoyles, and Xanatos. With them was a young man with thick glasses.

"May I present to you Dr. Leonard Caulfield," Xanatos introduced. "He is a geneticist who has studied Anton Sevarius's work. I called him in to work on the cure."

Dr. Caulfield adjusted his glasses. "I've been going over Dr. Sevarius's notes. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I can use his research to reverse the mutagen."

Maggie's face lit up. "You can cure us?" she asked hopefully.

"It's possible," said Dr. Caulfield. "While I was going over his notes, Dr. Sevarius seemed to use a virus as the delivery system to the cells. The virus, which the mutagen was infused with, infected all the cells, changing the DNA."

"Which is one of the reasons why I maintained most of my human features," said Keahi. "Sevarius lowered the dosage of the mutagen for me because of my missing arm. I was supposed to turn out like the others, but the dosage was too low for me to develop the physical attributes. Sevarius decided not to change anything because I could pass for human."

"So you just need to destroy the virus?" asked Talon.

"The virus was just how the mutagen was delivered," said Dr. Caulfield. "I can use a virus to deliver the cure as well. There is just one problem with creating the cure."

"And what's that?" asked Talon.

"Dr. Sevarius combined the DNA of several animals and delivered it into your bodies," said Dr. Caulfield. "I need to do the same, but with human DNA. I need your DNA from when you were fully human."

"But that's impossible!" cried Maggie. "It's been so long! I have nothing from when I was human in New York!"

"No clothes, nothing?" asked Keahi.

Maggie shook her head.

"DNA for Derrick won't be a problem," said Elisa. "Dad insisted we have a DNA sample on hand in case something should happen. There's a vial of blood still in the basement freezer."

Dr. Caulfield turned to Elisa. "If you can bring that here, I can start on the cure for him. As for Maggie, there may be another way, but it'll be difficult. I can try to discern what your human DNA was by taking out the animal portions. It's a long shot, but it could work."

"Basically you're saying that you can recreate the old Maggie Reed like a jigsaw puzzle," said Lexington. "Separate the human and animal DNA and reconstruct the human."

"Like I said, it's a long shot," Dr. Caulfield reiterated. "I need a full DNA strand to use. If I only use a partial one, the cure will kill her."

The gargoyles looked confused.

"Think of it like this," said Lexington. "Sevarius broke apart the mutates DNA strands like breaking a vase. He use the broken pieces and combined them with the pieces from the animal DNA to create a mosaic. Dr. Caulfield is going to break apart the mosaic and recreate the original vase."

"That makes much more sense," said Brooklyn.

"Right, but a vase can't hold water without all the pieces," Lexington continued. "If the DNA is wrong, Maggie won't return to her original human form. The transformation could kill her if it isn't right. Her organs could shut down because her cells don't know how to reproduce properly."

"Ray of sunshine, Lex," Brooklyn muttered, giving Lexington a nudge.

"Well, DNA controls everything: hair color, eye color, how fast the body heals," Lexington defended, listing off different things.

"I'm sure Dr. Caulfield will be able to find a cure for the mutates," Goliath's deep voice assured the room.

Dr. Caulfield adjusted his glasses and had a little blush to his cheeks. "Thank you, Goliath. Tonight, I need to draw blood. If Detective Maza would kindly send of Derrick's untainted blood sample that will help me come up with a fix for Maggie."

"I'll get it to you as quick as I can," said Elisa.

Dr. Caulfield drew blood from Talon and Maggie. While he was doing that, Keahi went to speak to Goliath. She told Goliath of the lack of a second-in-command in the Labyrinth and asked his opinion on what should be done.

"Perhaps I should talk to Talon about it," said Goliath. "He is the one who has to make the decision. He is clan leader."

Keahi nodded. "I understand. I brought it up with him, but he's hardly said anything to me about it."

Goliath nodded.

Talon and Maggie finished with Dr. Caulfield and the mutates prepared to leave.

"Talon," Goliath called. "May I speak to you a moment?"

Talon motioned for the others to wait for him.

"What's going on?" Maggie asked Keahi and Claw.

I don't know, Claw signed.

Keahi didn't reply, only watched the two clan leaders walk away.

Goliath and Talon walked around the courtyard of the castle. "Keahi came to me with a concern. I thought it best to speak with you."

"Keahi is usually open with me with her concerns," said Talon. "She doesn't complain much, but if there's a problem, she comes to me."

"I believe she came to you with her concern," Goliath placated. "Her concern was not put the rest."

"So what did she come to you about?" asked Talon.

"It's the issue of having a second-in-command," Goliath replied. "It seems you do not have one."

Talon sighed. "I know what you mean. Keahi said something about a week ago. Fang mentioned something to her. To be honest, I've been thinking about what she said. I've been making a list of who could possibly take over for me when I leave."

"So you have thought of it," said Goliath. "You may want to tell Keahi that you are taking her concern seriously."

"I didn't say anything to Keahi because her name is at the top of the list," said Talon. "I want to go over it with Maggie. We can do that tonight."

The mutates returned to the Labyrinth. Keahi went down to where Fang was being held in his cell since it was her turn for guard duty. Talon, Maggie, and Claw went to Talon's office.

"There's something I need your help with," he told them.

"What is it?" Maggie asked.

"I'm in the process of choosing who will take over the Labyrinth once I leave," said Talon.

You're taking this seriously, Claw signed. You really believe you'll be Derrick again. There was a smile on the mutate's face as he signed.

Talon nodded.

"Who were you thinking about?" Maggie inquired.

Talon went to the desk and took the list out of the drawer. "I have several names, but I think we may agree on our first choice."

Claw and Maggie looked at the list.

"Keahi? Would she do it?" Maggie asked.

Claw shrugged in response.

"I'm hoping she does," said Talon. "Keahi has a good head on her shoulders and is not afraid to get her hands dirty if she needs to. I know she can do it if she puts her mind to it."

Maggie frowned a little. "I'm sensing a 'but'."

Talon sighed and nodded.

Claw answered for Talon. But she's unsure of herself in a leadership position. She's used to doing things by herself.

"Not with the children," said Maggie. "She's good with them when they play."

"Babysitting children isn't the same as leading a clan," said Talon.

"No," said Maggie. "It's like being the matriarch of the family. Or in your case, patriarch."

Talon gave her a mock glare. "Are you saying I'm old?"

Maggie shrugged. "Well, older than some of us here."

Claw snorted, the most he could do with an audible laugh. So, who gets to tell Keahi?

Talon and Maggie turned to him with identical smirks.

Claw went to Keahi's room. She was perched on her sleeping platform, braiding her hair. He knocked twice on the doorframe.

"Yes, Claw?"

Claw stepped in and looked up at Keahi. Talon wanted to speak to us. He has made a decision of who will take over the Labyrinth once he and Maggie are cured.

"And who is the lucky winner?"

You.

Keahi stopped braiding her hair. "What?"

Claw pointed at Keahi again.

"Me? He can't be serious!" Keahi jumped down from her platform.

Claw shrugged. Ask Talon why he chose you.

Keahi brushed passed Claw. "Oh, you know I am."

Keahi stalked down to Talon's office. She didn't bother knocking and just opened the door.

"Have you lost your mind?" she snapped.

Talon looked up from hi paperwork. He knew she would be coming here as soon as Claw told her and was prepared. "Close the door."

Keahi kicked the door shut. "Out of all the people you could have chosen, you chose me? I know there's more people who are more qualified to take over."

"But not that I can trust," said Talon.

Keahi blinked.

"Maggie told me to look at it like I was leading a family," said Talon. "And if I had to leave a family member in charge while I went away, it would be you. You're good with kids."

"Yes. Kids! Not full grown adults," Keahi argued. "I don't know where to start."

"I don't either some of the time," Talon admitted. "You just go with it. You'll make mistakes, but you'll learn from them."

Keahi shook her head.

"Keahi, you're the only one that has the capability that I trust to lead the Labyrinth," Talon went on. "You think about them, not just yourself and how you'll benefit from them. You have a mind for strategy. You can help get people back on their feet and leave here. The Labyrinth is not just the tunnels beneath the city, it is a metaphor for life. When people find their way, they can leave the Labyrinth. I know you'll keep them safe."

Keahi sighed. "Okay, Talon. I'll do it."

Talon smiled. "You can do it, Keahi. I believe in you."

Sadly, Keahi didn't believe in herself.

So Keahi is going to be the new leader of the Labyrinth Clan once Talon and Maggie are gone, even if she's not sure she wants the job.