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Brood of a New Age

20.

Elisa climbed the highest tower of the castle only a minute after the clan woke up. On the second level, she met all the Gargoyles except Lexington, who had started right after waking up to indulge in his fourth pastime besides babysitting, techie hijinks, and chat sessions with his friends. Everyone was concerned about Elisa's report about the apparently very ruthless new gargoyle in town. The photo with the footprint left no doubt in their eyes, and even Elisa had admitted to herself over the day that her arguments to Matt to deflect or appease the accusations of a gargoyle were more in line with her own wishful thinking about what gargoyles should be like than from the obvious facts. It was too easy, knowing the clan, to put gargoyles on a pedestal. But Demona was the best example that there could be villains among them. Just like among humans. That's why Goliath took the issue very seriously.

"No matter how much we wish to meet conspecifics, we must always expect that they will not be as peaceful towards humans as we are. This gray scarred one seems to be such a type. If you meet him and he appears aggressive or hostile, pin him down. But ONLY if you don't put yourself in danger. His fighting skills seem exceptional and uninhibited."

"What about Lexington?", asked Coldstone.

"He'll be back before midnight so he can chat with England before the second patrol," Broadway assured them as if that were as evident as the next sunrise.

Goliath weighed his head as he thought for a moment.

"Right. Let's leave him unmolested. He's not far away, the Quarrymen have been keeping quiet in the area where he is for weeks, and it's unlikely he'll run into this Gray one. And if he does, he will contact me through his two-way. Brooklyn will assign you to teams for the patrol. In addition to usual duties, pay special attention to anything that looks like involvement of an alien congener."

"And if we can find and restrain him?" inquired Coldfire. Broadway and Angela looked up unhappily from the picture Elisa had given them. Both were pale around the noses. The Quarrymen were their most terrible enemies, their greatest threat. But they knew that many Quarrymen beneath the hoods were deluded fearful humans. As this boy must have been to whom the presumably Italian gargoyle had put his imprint on. That such brutality and ruthlessness had been exercised by a Gargoyle discredited, outraged and offended them all in a most personal way.

"If a team can find him and capture him, bring him to the castle for questioning. He needs to be permanently detained if he is a danger to anyone."

"Well, ICE can't deport him, can they?" muttered Elisa, preventing Nash from also seeing the gruesome image of the near-rammed human ribcage. The boy crossed his arms in a pout, but didn't begin to discuss with anyone whether he could join the search. In fact, he kept remarkably in the background, which Elisa registered only marginally.

"I'm going to the precinct and see if I can unobtrusively look at the GTF files with the interviews of the two generals. The rest of you watch your backs. We don't know if this new gargoyle came alone. I imagine a trip from Europe without help would be difficult. We must assume that his ... traveling companions, whether human or gargoyle, are equally deadly."

Five minutes later Elisa was gone and the groups took off. Only Brooklyn turned back to the youngest clan member. Nashville was already about to go inside.

"What are you going to do tonight?" he asked - still with the thought in the back of his mind that his son was far too quiet and nondescript.

The boy didn't turn around. "I'm studying - like you told me to. And guard the castle. As I am required to do."

Brooklyn noticed the toneless tenseness in the words. But he didn't feel like arguing.

"Good," he said. "See you later, Gnash." With that he took off and sailed after his own little team. This time Angela and Goliath. It didn't take two leaders in one team. But Goliath would separate from them later in case Elisa found new clues in the files and wanted to discuss them.

Brooklyn did not see the wide grin on his son's face.

This scene is so short -it doesn't even deserve its own chapter. But it fits even less to the next one.

Thanks for reading Q.T.