“This is the gryphon in question. If anyone has any information on this gryphon, please call the number at the bottom of the screen. He is considered very dangerous. If you see him, do not approach at any cost,” the newscaster said.
Thyra felt her legs tremble, and tears fell from her eyes. Her talons flexed at the ground as she sat back on her haunches, staring wide-eyed at the screen, shaking her head.
Johnathen got to his knees and grabbed her head with his hands. “Thyra? Thyra honey, what’s wrong?”
Thyra choked down her tears and shook her head again. “No! no…”
She fought to find her breath again. Everyone was looking at her, wondering why such a display had got her so emotional, but only her closest friends knew. They all hung their head low, unable to speak as Johnathen rubbed his hand across Thyra’s cheek.
“Please tell me, what’s wrong?” he asked.
Thyra trembled and shook, shaking her head to deny what she had just seen, but she was sure of it. After all the dreams she has had of him recently, there could not be anyone else. It was like seeing a ghost coming back to haunt you, but seeing it in a video recording. She knew the gryphon they described fit his description, and now not only was he still alive, but he was out murdering innocent people.
“It’s… It’s Anfang… He’s still alive!”
***
Daniel’s eyes slowly opened and a groan escaped his mouth. His vision blurred as he tried to look around the small room. He found himself on his back, lying on a bed with covers over him. The gentle beeps of a heart monitor rang out in the room, and the television on the wall played recaps of the latest gryphball game.
He lifted his hand to see his arm wrapped in a cast. When he tried to bend his fingers, they would not respond. His mind raced as he tried to remember what had happened, but the drugs had taken a strong effect on his mind. He slowly lifted the covers to see stiches covering his chest along with purple swelling around them.
The heart monitor beeped quicker as bits and pieces of memories came back to him. The beastly gryphon rushing at him. The look of murderous intent in those green eyes as he struggled for air. Searing pain in his chest as the talons tore into him. People running and screaming. The sound of gunshots. Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He was alive.
The door on the opposite side of the room slowly opened. A feminine voice spoke as a woman walked into the room, letting the door shut behind her. “I see you’re awake. How are you feeling? Any pain?”
Daniel blinked his eyes as everything began to come into focus. He could see black hair about shoulder length, a white lab coat, and dark skin complexion. “I’m alright. A little sore,” Daniel responded which earned a chuckle from the doctor. She walked over to check his vital signs and his IV bag.
“I would suspect that. After all you were in the operating room for three hours. You’re lucky to be alive, Daniel,” the doctor said and went to the foot of his bed to check the clipboard. “I’m Doctor Elisa and I’ll be taking care of you for the remainder of your stay.”
“How long have I been out? And where are my wife and daughter?” Daniel asked as he looked at the clock. It was 2:00 but he did not see a date.
“For about twenty hours and they are in the waiting room. I suspected you would be out longer after the extensive damage you received.” Doctor Elisa put down the clipboard now and put her hands in her jacket pockets.
“How bad is it?” Daniel asked, and blinked as he took a closer look at Doctor Elisa. She was slightly heavyset, but wore no makeup and had a thin face. There were crow’s feet outside her brown eyes.
“You lost a significant amount of blood and we had to do multiple transfusions. You have four deep lacerations across the chest, one in your leg, five broken ribs, the radius bone and wrist in your right arm is broken, and you have extensive bruising around the esophagus. We ran a CT scan to check for any possible brain injuries but all appears normal.”
Daniel listened and remained silent. The sound of people cheering quietly drew his attention to the television as he watched a replay of The Redtails making the ground goal dunk. “That doesn’t seem so bad.”
“You’re over the worst part and you should make a full recovery in time. But, there are police outside that would like to talk to you when you are able. Can you talk now?”
Daniel thought it over. He would have to give them a report of what happened, but he wondered if he should bring up Matthew and the church. After all, these police officers could be on Matthew’s payroll, but if they were not, then he would have to also explain how he worked for Matthew and the criminal acts he had done.
“Daniel?” Doctor Elisa asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Go ahead and send them in,” Daniel answered.
“Very well. I can bring your family in after they leave,” Doctor Elisa said and opened the door.
Daniel could see a small group of uniformed people standing outside the door before it shut. He heard them converse with the doctor for a moment before two officers entered the room, a man and a woman. Daniel noticed right away that the well-dressed pair were carrying weapons under their suit jackets.
“Daniel Jefferson, glad to see you awake. My name is Detective Johansson and this is Detective McGee. We’ve been waiting to talk with you,” Johansson began.
She had her brown hair tied to a bun behind her head and wore a black suit with blue pinstripes. Detective McGee drew out a notepad from his brown suit jacket pocket and flipped it open. He had short gray hair and a wrinkled face with a small grey goatee.
“Yeah, I’m glad to be awake too. Pleasure to meet you,” Daniel responded and held down the button on his remote to make the bed sit more upright.
“Do you mind describing the events that led up to your assault?” Johansson asked.
“I don’t mind at all. I was at Chrissie’s diner after work when a maddened gryphon came into the restaurant and rushed at me. I feared for my life and for those around me, so I opened fired to dispatch the threat. I must have missed because I was struck by the gryphon, and the rest of it is all hazy,” Daniel said and as he did so the memories came back to him even stronger.
He knew every round had hit his target squarely. He clearly remembered Anfang teasing with him, toying with his prey. McGee scribbled on his notepad while Daniel fought back the image of Anfang’s crazed feline eyes staring at him as he struggled for air.
Johansson waited for McGee to finish his notes. “Can you describe this gryphon?”
“Yes. Uh, coloration similar to a redtail, patches of fur and feathers clumped together, scars on his body, missing one eartuft, and wings similar to a bat. His face was deformed, like a cats muzzle on the lower jaw and a beak for an upper jaw.” Daniel watched the two detectives nod to one another. “I assume you’ve already talked to other witnesses?”
“Yes, we have received similar descriptions,” McGee chimed in with his deep southern accent and made a note of it.
“This is the first documented case of gryphon assault we’ve handled. From what we can gather, attacks like this are extremely rare and gryphon’s do not attack unless provoked. Do you personally know this gryphon?” Johansson asked, his expression curious.
Daniel shook his head quickly. “No. I had never seen that gryphon before.”
Johansson nodded her head. “I understand that you have recently moved here to Macon, and started working for The Gathering as a consultant. Yet, you have a military background. Do you mind elaborating?”
Daniel froze for a minute as the conversation suddenly shifted to what he felt was an interrogation. The investigators could simply be curious as to his sudden job change, as it would look odd on paper, but they could also know about the shady activities The Gathering performs. He decided to play it safe and write it out as curiosity.
“When I got out of the military, I worked for a firm in Atlanta for three years as a security consultant. The Gathering offered me a better pos
ition here in Macon and I took it.”
Johansson listened to his explanation and nodded her head again. “And what exactly did you do for the military again?”
Daniel frowned and shook his head, letting a little agitation show in his voice. “I’m sorry but what exactly does that have to do with this investigation?”
“Apologies. We’re simply curious is all.” Johansson stated.
Mcgee closed his note pad and put it inside his pocket. “Well I think that’s all we have for now. Sorry for bothering you. I’m sure you want to see your family.” Johansson pulled out a card from her blazer pocket and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. “If you can think of anything else, please, give us a call.”
“I’ll do that. Good luck with your investigation.” Daniel responded.
“We will be in contact, Mr. Jefferson,” Johansson said and turned to leave.
Daniel watched them close the door behind them before letting out a sigh of relief. He could tell they did not believe his story. That was not going to be the last time he saw them. He looked to the television to watch more recaps of the previous game, noticing the camera focusing on Thyra’s goal shot.
He felt worried for her and Johnathen all the sudden; despite never had met the two. They seemed to be good people, but for some reason, Matthew hated them. If Matthew was willing to kill one of his own men, his right-hand man for just quitting, then what was he about to do to them? He had to warn Johnathen and Thyra as soon as he could. He decided if there was one positive thing he could do, it was that.
The door flew open, interrupting Daniels train of thought. A little blond girl ran into the room followed by his wife, Kathy. “Daddy!” Kate called out excitedly and jumped up on the bed. Daniel grunted as she put pressure on his stitches and quickly moved Kate to sit down next to him.
“Careful! Daddy has some booboo’s on his chest. Good to see you, Pumpkin.” Daniel brushed the blond hair away from her face and smiled to his little girl.
Kathy walked up beside him and leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek. She had dark circles under her eyes and her long blond hair was mussed, half of it coming undone from the scrunchy she had used to pull it back into a ponytail.
“And you look lovely, Kathy.”
Kathy chuckled lightly and watched as Kate lay next to Daniel and watched the television. “I wish I could say the same about you. How...”
“Hey, Dad?” Kate interrupted. “My friend Alissa from school said you had a fight with a gryphon. Was he being mean? I thought you said fighting is bad.”
Daniel shrugged his shoulders and rubbed along her head. “Yeah, just a little fight. And I know fighting is bad, but sometimes you have to.”
“Like, when you were away fighting for us?” Kate questioned.
Daniel looked up at Kathy and watched her expression change to concern. He took a deep breath before responding. “Well, that was different. But fighting is bad. If we can talk to each other, that is much better, ok?”
Daniel turned the volume up on the television. He did not feel like discussing politics of war and morals with his little daughter, not that she would understand. Kate wiggled around on the bed and laid her head on Daniel’s uninjured arm.
“Ok. But why did you fight the gryphon?” Kate asked again. Daniel thought for a moment and opened his mouth to respond, but the door slowly opened. The group looked over to see a small dark gryphoness standing in the doorway. Her beak was long and narrow like a corvid’s, and she sported eartuft piercings. Her wing was in a sling as well and her bright purple eyes searched the room. Her plumage shimmered in the light.
“Sorry to interrupt,” her singsong like voice carried easily in the room. Kate sat up from the bed and pointed.
“Look daddy, a gryphon!” Kate pointed.
Immediately, Daniel grabbed her hand to pull it down. “Now Kate it’s not nice to point. I’m sure she has a name.” Daniel smiled and looked to the gryphoness slowly entering the room. “No, you’re not interrupting. Can I help you, miss…?”
“Isabell. Well, not really help, no. I heard about what had happened and just wanted to talk.” Isabell said and let the door close behind her.
“Wanted to talk about what?” Daniel questioned.
He had not seen another gryphon around town, but recognized her from the news months before. This was the gryphon that had gotten injured during the Gathering’s rally. He furrowed his brow, wondering if she knew that he was working for the Gathering and if that was what she wanted to talk about.
Isabell was silent for another moment. She opened her beak to speak, but looked to his family. “Well,” she paused again and readjusted her good wing, trying to choose her next words carefully. “It’s about the gryphon that attacked you. I believe his name is Anfang.”
Chapter 21 Facing Old Demons
Anfang had woken in a daze and discovered that Matthew’s men had found him asleep in the bard and transported him back to the church. The gryphon did not remember the trip at all, but his chest still hurt from the multiple bullet wounds he had taken in the restaurant the day before, and he still felt fatigued. A short time later, Matthew had visited and told him that he had not yet won his freedom. Daniel still lived.
Anfang snorted through his nares as Matthew ranted angrily, driving the point of his failure home. He turned his head, looking out the large bay windows in Matthew’s office. Anfang tuned the human’s ravings into a soft murmur. The last thing he wanted was to be lectured by this ugly human.
Matthew noticed his bored look. “Are you listening, bird-brain?”
The large grandfather clock in the corner of the room ticked as seconds of silence went by. Anfang turned his head to face the elderly bald man before him, pupils narrowing into thin green slits again.
“Yes. I listen. I hear. I make mistake. Are you done?” he said and readjusted his large leathery wings.
Matthew scoffed and folded his arms in front of his chest. “No, I am certainly not done. You did not kill Daniel like you should have, and instead toyed with him! You almost got yourself killed, and you went too far!”
“Too far?” Anfang said.
“Of course, I wanted to stir up the public and make them realize what vile creatures your kind is, and in that particular interest, you have succeeded.” Matthew went on. “But there was no need to kill the police!”
Anfang growled and bared his teeth at Matthew when he mentioned gryphons being vile creatures. “I do not need listen to this,” he retorted and stood up.
“You certainly do! Now, sit down and listen. You have to fix this,” Matthew demanded and walked over to sit on the couch across from Anfang. The great beastly gryphon raised his head up high and looked down at the puny male, perking his one eartuft to attention.
“Fine. Speak,” Anfang said strongly.
Matthew reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “We have figured out which hospital and what room Daniel is being held in. Now, so far it seems he hasn’t told anyone what really happened, but we can’t trust that his silence will last long. Your task is simple.”
Matthew placed the phone down on the table for Anfang to see. “You’re going to fly into his window, kill him, and get out as quickly and quietly as you can.”
Anfang picked up the phone and looked at the screen. It was a picture of the front of the hospital with one window circled. The beast snorted again and placed the phone down on the table. “This not fun. Kill him in his sleep? No chase. No fight. No food. Just murder.”
“I don’t care if this isn’t fun for you. I’m telling you to do this,” Matthew commanded. He picked up the cellphone and started to type something into it. “I’m sending the location to you now.”
Just then, Anfang’s watch beeped. He looked down at the screen to see the arrow pointing him in a direction and a number at the top of the small screen.
“How long I do these things for you?” Anfang asked, growing irritated by these tasks.
“As long as you want a safe place to return to and eat what you want,” Matthew retorted and put his cell phone away.
Anfang’s eartuft fell flat against his head and he frowned, snaggle tooth sticking out of his bottom jaw to rub along his beak. As much as Anfang despised this man, he was right. There was nowhere else safe to go.
“Fine. I do this and you tell me where Thyra is,” Anfang said and rose up onto all fours. Matthew waved him off with a hand and nodded his head.
“You have a deal,” Matthew responded.
Anfang stood for a moment more and stared at the back of Matthew’s head. He could rip it clean off and be done with this human before he knew what hit him. IT was tempting, but he thought better of it. “Then I go.”
“I do have one other task I want you to complete before you leave,” Matthew said, raising a finger. Anfang snorted through his nares as he concentrated on Matthew. Yet another task in what seemed to be a never-ending list. “There is a woman I have in captivity that I want you to dispose of.”
Curiously, Anfang raised his head and raised an eye ridge. “You have human girl that you want dead?”
“Yes. I don’t care how you do it either,” Matthew slapped at the air dismissively and walked towards his office door. “I have no use for her anymore, and she’s starting to become a bother.”
Anfang followed the old out of the office and started down one corridor. The beastly gryphon’s chest rumbled with amusement, his stomach beginning to growl. “I can eat her?”
“As I said, what you do with her is up to you. In fact, it would be easier for me if you did,” Matthew looked back at the gryphon following him.
Anfang’s eyes narrowed into slits as a small smile appeared on his beak muzzle. His agitation was all but gone now. What had seemed like another chore at first now felt like more of a reward.
The Gryphon Generation Book 2: A New Era Page 23