ACT XII
I, Elisa Maza, was beaten to a pulp by RoboBitch and then rejected by a gargoyle. Where was Avalon to fix my problems when I needed it? I expected future-Me to materialize with the Phoenix Gate to rescue me. Jalapeña, I was pathetic.
I wished Goliath and I would revisit Paris where he first expressed affection for me. If I weren't so oblivious to that, the Canmores would be in less danger. He was so transfixed on vengeance that he wouldn't even openly requite my love.
I wasn't thrilled how Goliath vamoosed. It would've been interesting had he held back my hair while I puked. My ribs weren't exactly partying hearty, but now I was against the clock and I cursed for loaning my car to Matt.
Without the benefit of a claw wipe in time, I took the subway home. With no time to shower, I freshened up to semblance of cleanliness and then messaged Goliath, "Sorry I took so long. Send everyone".
They were stealthy as a group for two years, but exposed, they had to be extra stealthy. Goliath's strategy was lofty but smart. Seemingly forever I waited.
"Father said you got hurt by the same filthy cunt who hurt me with an explosive gas boomerang." Angela entered from my balcony.
"Robyn Canmore broke my lower rib," I clarified.
"I'm gonna yank her intestines through her fucking throat," Angela hissed. Her eyes luminously reddened.
"You know damn well killing her worsens your lives." I wouldn't let her get corrupted.
"Then what the fuck are we supposed to do?" Angela paced my rug until Cagney pattered up to her. She picked him up and then looked to me for answers.
"Nothing, but Goliath is thinking just the opposite of that right now."
"We just have to stop him," she surmised.
"I already tried to with the truth, Angela. I'm deeply in love with him and I thought that fact would alter his mindset. He didn't believe me. And now, he's…" I sat on the couch, unable to complete the sentence.
"Holy shit; do you want me to talk to him about this?" Angela set the cat down, joined me and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"No, not even a little bit. Let's just keep him grounded." I suggested while I placed my hand atop hers.
"Goliath does love you," Angela nodded.
"I know," was my admission.
"That's good to hear, lass," Hudson suddenly appeared within the skylight door. We stood up.
"Hudson, I'm so relieved you're better." I wanted to hug him but my ribs were hurting. I was still delighted because I barely conversed with either of them lately.
"They're prattling on about us on the TV and interwebs ain't they? It's far from idle gossip in the castle from a thousand years ago," Hudson said.
"Not the fifteen minutes of fame I wanted. The world's gonna hate us and I'm beginning to hate the news." Angela flopped back on the couch with crossed arms.
"There's little we can do about it. Matt and I tried." I answered.
By comparison: during Atlanta's Olympics news outlets skewered Richard Jewell while he was accused, wrongfully of course, for bombing Centennial Park. The gargoyles were under worse scrutiny and would likely never climb out of the mess, especially with a disagreeable Goliath.
"Elisa, you're one of the clan, but you don't have t'share our burden. It may cost you your job, or worse, your life," Hudson explained.
"We're in this together, Hudson." I recounted lynch mob-dodging stories from Grandpa, Mom's father. As I said, I saw a little bit of him in Hudson.
"Aye, but we're in agreement that Goliath has to dial back his vengeance angle." Hudson gave a knowing nod.
"I hear there's a room for rent?" Brooklyn appeared after ten minutes.
"You're welcome indefinitely, Brooklyn," I assured
"I'm joking. We'll find another home, that is, if we live long enough." Brooklyn concluded.
"Hi guys!" Broadway showed up after ten more minutes.
"Broadway!" Angela jumped into his arms. He reciprocated her hug.
Brooklyn seemed downtrodden at their behavior. I could relate but their second in command needed no distraction.
"Brooklyn, Goliath's leadership skills are questionable. He'll get himself or all of you captured or killed. So you have to step up to the plate and help him understand."
"There's no guarantee he'll listen. He was like a bull in a china shop on that ship. But I'll do the best I possibly can." Brooklyn bluntly answered.
Ten minutes later Lexington appeared.
"Lex, you're okay!" I observed.
"I got rocked but I wasn't relinquishing this deactivated tracker. Don't worry, Elisa, they won't blow up your apartment." Lex had a peppermint candy-sized device in his palm.
"I care about you, not the apartment. We barely bought cover all those floors down. How did you guys survive?" I was naturally curious.
"One of the Hunters must've slapped this on Goliath. Once I saw it at the sanctuary, we took cover immediately before the blast."
"And we're pretty resilient," Broadway added.
I'd offered refreshments to my guests but only Angela partook, and she was a beer drinker. They all despondently watched their nonstop news coverage.
One hour since Angela arrived, the Big Guy carrying Bronx landed on the balcony. The huge blue dog ran up to and licked Hudson but Goliath was silent and stolid upon entry. The clan and I weren't even sure what to say while he trudged into the living room. We gathered around him.
"Have you been discussing strategy against the Hunters, Elisa?" He asked
"No, we intended to talk you out of perpetuating this war," I wasn't sorry to say. "Goliath, please let the law handle this!"
"The law? What about justice?" He angrily asked.
"Look, I'm sorry, but you don't want justice. You want vengeance." I took his hand in mine.
"She's right, Goliath," Brooklyn stepped up to the plate.
"What?" was Goliath's elongated response as he slipped from my hold.
"Look at what this feud has cost us already!" Angela chimed in.
"That's exactly why we must have vengeance!" Goliath was jaggedly loud and really far gone if his own daughter couldn't talk him down.
"Or maybe that's why we should let it go." Hudson placed a caring hand on his shoulder.
Goliath pushed through toward the communicator, put it on and addressed brainy Lex.
"Lexington, can you guide me to them?" Goliath rhetorically asked, knowing full well he was smarter than everyone.
"I think so. They use this tracer to find us. I should be able to trail their signal back to its source." Lexington reluctantly confirmed, then handed over the tracker.
Brooklyn apologetically shrugged to me before conceding to his leader. "Listen, Goliath, you know we're with you,"
"Stay here. That's an order!" Goliath exited thru the skylight and took off to God knew where.
At least he wasn't risking clan lives. We got thru to him in some manner. But whether or not I was in this clan, I only obeyed orders by Captain Maria Chavez.
"Lex, you can tie in that source signal to my phone's G.P.S?" I grabbed my fully charged phone.
"Yes. Yes, I can!" Lexington happily replied.
"Broadway, I need a lift. Can you stay out of Goliath's sight?" I asked.
"I was the largest rookery hatchling during hide and seek. He still never found me!" Broadway answered.
"Brooklyn, have everyone else follow Goliath's order," I continued.
"Elisa, what're you planning?" Brooklyn asked.
"To end a war."
END ACT XII