Chapter 7

Quarrymen Headquarters:

Most of the heads in the room turned when the red-haired woman stepped into the Quarrymen's offices. She was well dressed, and had an air of superiority about her. One of the members recognized her from a previous visit, and rushed off to inform his supervisor. A few moments later a Quarrymen team leader came in and greeted the visitor.

"Ah Ms. Destine, Good to see you again!"

The now human looking Demona, gave him a thin smile. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," he said. "Step right this way to my office." Once inside he seated her in a chair facing his desk, then took his own seat. "We used the information you gave us on the two Gargoyles that you sighted and almost had a capture... but we ran into difficulties, and they escaped."

"That is why I'm here," Demona told him. "My sources tell me that the reason the Gargoyles evaded capture was... shall we say, unexpected interference?"

The Quarrymen team leader leaned back in his chair. "Your sources are very good, and quite correct."

"I'm here to offer you another chance at getting rid of the Gargoyles for good, and I will even offer you additional help in doing it."

The team leader considered this for a moment. "What kind of help would you be willing to provide? Weapons, explosives? We have plenty of those."

"What I'm offering you is far better that anything you have for weapons," she said while leaning forward slightly. "And far deadlier!"

"I'm intrigued," he said. "What is the nature of this weapon?"

"It's biological," Demona answered.

"Some sort of toxin?"

"No, but I can offer you a demonstration of it's capabilities. I understand that your organization maintains a warehouse near here?"

"Yes," he said. "We use it as a training facility."

"Excellent! I demonstrate my weapon to you there in one hour." She got up and went to the door. "And please be on time, this offer won't be given again."

The team leader watched her leave, and after a few moments he pressed the intercom on his desk. "Wilson?"

"Yes sir?"

"Arrange for a small gathering at the warehouse in one hour, we're going to be testing a new weapon."

"Very good sir."

Looking at his watch he wondered if he had enough time to contact Mr. Castaway about Ms. Destine's offer. He decided against it, because if it turned out to be nothing special then he would be blamed... but if it turned out to be something useful, and succeeded in killing a Gargoyle then he would get the credit!

Outside the Quarrymen's Headquarters:

Her driver opened the door to her limo, and Demona got in. Once settled in she instructed the driver where to go, and at a certain spot she had him stop and wait. The door opposite her opened for a moment as if by magic, then closed again. Demon tapped on the partition and signaled the driver to continue on.

The flash of blue light was hidden by the partition, and the darkened windows of the limo. Where one moment ago there was an empty space... Bloodwulf was now seated next to Demona.

"Did all go well?" she asked.

"Yes mistress, all went as you said it would. I followed your instructions but no humans were present in the building. I waited as long as a could... and then left to meet you here."

"Pity... I had hoped that you would have had a chance to crush some humans, but no matter. Your chance will come soon enough." She leaned back. "We will be going to a gathering of humans shortly. None of them are to be harmed unless I order it, is that understood?"

"Yes mistress," Bloodwulf replied in a slightly disappointed tone.

Demona smiled, and stroked his muzzle. "You'll get your chance my warrior, and very soon!"

Castle Wyvern:

The ringing of the phone by his bedside, brought Argent fully awake. He reached over and lifted the receiver from its cradle. "Hello?"

"I have a message relay from detective Maza for you," answered the voice of Owen Burnette. "She said it's quite urgent."

Argent sat up in bed. "All right, put her thru." He waited until he heard the faint click. "Elisa?"

"Sorry to wake you, but it's important," Elisa said on the other end of the line. "I'm out at the Perez's Doughnut King franchise, there's been some trouble."

Images of Luisa, Rosa, and little Espiranza lying hurt or worse sprang to mind. "What happened?"

"It looks like heavy vandalism to me, but none of the signs of gangs doing it."

<That makes sense>, he thought. <None of the local gangs would dare to try anything... knowing that the Perez's business was looked after by him>. "Was anyone hurt?"

"No, the place was empty," Elisa said. "Rosa closed down for a few hours because she had to take Espiranza and Rosa to the dentist, and none of the employees were due in for the next shift until later on."

"That's a relief, still I think I'd like to come down and check it out."

"I thought you might, give me about ten minutes to finish making the report and clear some of the other officers out before you come down."

"All right, see you in ten!" He quickly showered and pulled on his shorts and tunic. Keeping mental countdown in his head, he went down to the kitchen, and grabbed a light snack before heading off, but before leaving he wrote a note and left it so if he were not back before Goliath and his clan awoke, they would know where he went... and why. He leaped off the wall, and became invisible in a blue flash at the same moment and flew off to try and help his friends.

Doughnut King:

"I don't see why we're hanging around here after everyone else has left," said Matt to his partner. What are you waiting for?"

"A friend is coming down to see if he can help out with the investigation," she said while looking at her watch.

"Oh and who is this friend?" he asked.

Elisa turned to face him. "That's right... you two haven't met yet have you!"

A noise off to the side of them stopped all conversation.

"What was that?" Matt asked.

"I think my friend just arrived," she told him. "Argent is that you? You can come out, this is my partner and he knows all about Goliath and the others."

"All right Elisa," a voice said from directly in front of Matt. "I just wanted to be sure he was a friend."

"Am I going crazy, or is the invisible man in the room with us?" Matt asked.

A blue corona of light formed in the air in front of the two detectives, and the figure of Argent came into view.

Elisa smiled. "Argent, I'd like you to meet my partner Matt Bluestone."

Argent stepped forward and gave his best fiendly grin. "Hi!"

Elisa almost laughed at the expression on Matt's face. "Matt, this is Argent. He's a friend that's living with Goliath and the rest up at the castle."

Matt stared in wonder at the winged humanoid wolf that stood in front of him. "Ah... Pleased to meet you," he said while holding out his hand.

Argent shook the offered hand. "I was wondering when I was going to meet Elisa's partner, she talks about you all the time."

Matt shot Elisa a questioning look. "Really? Well she never mentioned anything about you." He turned to Elisa. "How come?"

"Well Argent is a special case, you remember the brake out at the evidence warehouse a while back?" she asked.

"You mean that was him?" Matt looked over towards Argent, who was looking around at the destruction.

"Yes. While he looks around I'll bring you up to date on what's been going on."

While Elsia filled Matt in, Argent began to look around the remnants of the Perez's small business. A somewhat familiar scent was present in the front, and when he came to the damaged counter-top he saw the many deep scratches in it he got down very close to examine the surface.

"That's some story!" said Matt while looking over in Argent's direction. "Sevarius is some piece of work... imagine what he must have gone thru knowing that his brain isn't in his real body!"

"I don't have to imagine too hard," Elisa said. "I had a first hand look at what the news almost did to him. If it weren't for Delilah and the Perez family, I think that he wouldn't have survived." She looked over and saw Argent looking very closely at the counter-top. "Find anything?"

"I think so... but I don't understand it." Argent looked at the two detectives. "I've been picking a scent that is very strong, and I've also found a handprint on the counter."