by Rach Elle
Regina stopped in the middle of an empty, residential street. She turned around to see James looking like he was about to explode. She took a deep breath. “Sunders Harper doesn’t work for United Financial. He works for an underground agency called the Dark Angel Alliance.”
James looked taken aback. “How do you know that?”
“Because,” she took off her jacket and rolled up her right sleeve to show a small tattoo on her forearm. James looked at the small circle with two wings stretched upward. “I work for them too.”
“So, you two know each other?”
“No, we work for different factions of the company. He’s a Finder, I’m a Creator; and that girl, that crazy ninja bitch, is a Protector.”
“You’re right,” his shoulders slumped, “I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about.”
Regina exhaled deeply, a puff of chilled air escaping her lips. “The Dark Angel Alliance started almost one hundred years ago.” She began as she put her jacket back on. “They were a company committed to locating and coexisting with supernatural creatures in our world. If the creatures wouldn’t coexist then the DAA would terminate them to protect the human race. But unfortunately others didn’t share in the DAA’s ideologies and there was a violent backlash. It forced the agency to go underground, known to only the ones that worked for it and the few that financed it. United Financial is just a cover for the Finder headquarters.”
“So,” James pinched the bridge of his nose, “the Finders find creatures.”
Regina nodded.
“And the Protectors protect us from creatures.”
Regina nodded again, “They’re the ones that the Finders call when they’ve located supernatural activity. They either catch or kill.”
“So the Creators do… what exactly?”
Regina tensed. After a long pause she answered, “We create.”
“Creatures?”
“Yes, we conduct experiments to create the supernatural.”
“But isn’t that just adding to the problem? Or is it like, job security for the other two factions?” James asked as he tried desperately to wrap his mind around what Regina was telling him.
Her eyes were suddenly hard and aged. “Our personal mission as Creators is to realize supernatural capabilities in humans with the idea that if we can take an average human and make them extraordinary, then we can take an extraordinary being and turn them into average; thus eliminating the need to kill.”
James narrowed his eyes. “So, you conduct experiments on humans?”
Regina nodded.
“Holy shit,” James breathed, “you’re sick.”
“We’re not sick. We’re pioneers.”
“You’re messed up. Do all of your experiments work?”
“Well, no, but…”
“So what do you do with the ones that don’t work? Do you just throw them out on the street all deformed and mangled and shit? Or do you just try again?”
“We have a special ward for those who are unsuccessful.”
“How many experiments do you do every year? Like, three or four?”
“We have several teams that specialize in different types of creatures. Each team conducts around twenty a year.”
“And how many have been successful?” James felt sick to his stomach.
Regina thought for a moment, “A few dozen.”
James’ eyes widened, “And you’ve been around for a hundred years?”
“No,” Regina shook her head and held up her hands to steady him. “We were a part of the original inception of the agency but when it went underground the funding to the Creators was cut. They just didn’t have the technology back then to support such an undertaking. It wasn’t until about twenty years ago that science started to unfold at a much more rapid rate. The president of our faction made a case to the DAA elders for the Creators to be reinstated.” She could still see the look of horror in his eyes. “Look James,” she began, “It’s not what you think. We don’t just snatch people off the street. We have a team of Recruiters who go to those who are downtrodden; people that don’t feel like they have a purpose for living anymore. We give them a purpose. They volunteer to be a part of research to better mankind. We’re not monsters; just a bunch of scientists trying to save the world.”
James listened to her words. Her soothing voice and big green eyes calmed him. The churning in his stomach began to dissipate as he processed what she was saying. The fact that people were being mutated was difficult to hear, but he’d come to worse realizations before. “So why was that Protector trying to take you out?” He asked.
Regina lowered her eyes to the ground and bit her bottom lip nervously. “The facility where I worked; there was an explosion. I managed to escape.”
“And what… the Protectors wanted you to die?”
Regina nodded. “I told you, we’re an underground organization; the Creators especially. Imagine what kind of outcry there would be if information on our faction was released. They can’t take any chances of that happening.”
“Yeah but they can’t kill you over it.”
“Yeah,” Regina looked into James’ eyes, “they can. Either that or scrub my memories.”
“They can do that?”
She nodded, “They do it to every new recruit so that we have clean slates to work with. We have a pretty good success rate.”
Sadness swept her body as she thought of the only Daywalker she knew of whose memories wouldn’t go away. His real name was Jack, but to protect him from the scrubbing process again she only referred to him by his given Daywalker name Heat. She had tried to forget about him in recent weeks; his warmth and passion; suddenly now more than ever she missed him and wished for her old life back. With Heat’s image in her mind she longingly whispered, “I don’t want them to take my memories. Besides, I know so much that they would probably skip that step and just put a bullet in my head; much easier and one hundred percent effective.”
“So that’s how you know so much about gargoyles. You try to turn people into them.”
Regina nodded, “In a nutshell.”
“Is that why you approached me at the bar? Because you knew of my connection?”
“No, that was a coincidence.” When it was obvious James was disbelieving she continued, “Honestly James, when I met you I was trying to start anew. I didn’t have any plans on becoming mixed up with those creatures. But apparently that’s my lot in life.”
“So you changed your identity; that’s why that chick called you Jessie.”
Regina nodded. “And that’s why we need to find your daughter as soon as possible so I can get the hell out of Dodge.”
James scoffed, “Yeah, well, doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen. We didn’t exactly get a good lead from that Scottish dude.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” James looked at the beautiful blonde woman standing in front of him. She smiled coyly. “Remember that map on his desk?”
“Yeah.”
“Harper was a little quick to shove it into his desk once we started asking questions about Crispin. Even money says he’s looking for him too; and that section of the city he circled is where we’re going to find him.”
“We’re just going to knock on everyone’s door until someone gives him up? That sounds tedious.”
Regina smirked as a slight twinkle formed in her eye. “Just think of it as a good old fashioned scavenger hunt.”
Sunders still stood in his office, completely stunned. Not only had two detectives opted to flee the building via fire escape, but Rue – little, innocent, naive Rue – channeled her inner ninja and took after them. Clearly, there was more to this than what met the eye. Sunders had a feeling he wasn’t speaking to detectives; and it was obvious Rue knew it. Finally after a few moments he was able to pick his jaw up off the floor and shake his head in disbelief. He replayed his conversation with the man and woman in his mind. They were looking for Crisp and Awilda; but why? Perhaps they were relatives o
n their own personal mission to find their loved ones? Hell, they could even be gargoyles for all he knew. They probably disappeared down an alley, shifted, scaled a wall and flew home.
Sunders remembered the map on his desk. He thought he had played it pretty cool; folding it and putting it away inconspicuously; but then again, he also thought he was talking to law enforcement and Rue didn’t know her right from her left. Clearly he was wrong on both accounts. He could be wrong about the map too.
He headed for his desk and pulled the map out of the drawer. He opened it and studied the circled area. Houses were few and far between. There were some mansions and even a few small castles. He hoped he’d find his gargoyles dwelling on one of those properties. He turned on his computer and got to work.
22
Elizabeth had just finished cleaning the guest house in silence. Kingsley sat by a roaring fire, reading his newspaper and sipping his coffee. She smiled to herself at the sight of him. He was an old man, no doubt about it; set in his ways and always true to his convictions. Her smile drifted downward into a frown as she thought of that morning and their fight. Well, if she could even classify it as a fight. King stormed out of the room before it could escalate; but that was the norm. King never wanted to talk about her illness. It depressed him, understandably so; but what about her? She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to keep it all inside. She’d been living with this secret for a year now. For an entire year she’d known she was dying. The emotional toll was so much more than the physical one.
A knock sounded at the front door and Kingsley got up from his chair to answer it. Elizabeth barely heard the door open.
“Ah, Bawls; how can I help you?” Kingsley greeted their visitor. Elizabeth sharply pivoted on the kitchen floor and made her way through the living room.
“Hiya Kingsley, is Lizzie here?” Bawli’s jovial English accent asked.
“Um, yeah,” King began.
“I’m here,” Elizabeth cut him off, suddenly appearing alongside the old man.
Bawli’s smile grew wide; stretching across his face and revealing the white of his teeth. “Hiya Lizzie, I was wondering if I could borrow you a bit. I wanted to show you something. That is, if it’s alright with Kingsley, of course.”
Elizabeth looked to King, but it was only out of courtesy. She didn’t need his approval to leave the house and since he hadn’t spoken a word to her since their tiff earlier that day she figured he didn’t need to start now. Before he could say anything she chimed in, “Of course it’s alright. Let me get my coat.” She grabbed her jacket hanging next to the door and stepped across the threshold into the chilled London air. “I’ll be back shortly King,” she said as she walked away.
Elizabeth and Bawli walked side by side across the veranda. “Where are we going?” She asked.
“You’ll see,” he said in a hushed voice. Soon he led her into the wooded property just outside the Vanderburen expanse. They made a sharp turn and continued travelling parallel to the castle until finally they reached a cave-like opening. Elizabeth followed the large shifter downward into the cave only to find it paved and lit. As they descended further she realized she was entering an underground garage. Once they reached the bottom of the slope she could see about a dozen vehicles in designated parking spaces. The garage went as far as the eye could see and she could only assume it connected to the castle at the far end. But they wouldn’t be walking that far. Bawli led her to a black sedan in the corner and unlocked it with his keyless entry. “Get in,” he said.
“I thought we couldn’t leave the castle grounds.” She was hesitant to go against orders.
“I’m a grown man Lizzie,” he began. “I can do what I want.”
“Then why are we sneaking out?” She smiled.
“Not everyone feels the same way I do.”
Elizabeth chuckled and climbed into the passenger seat next to Bawli. “Exactly how much trouble will we be in if we get caught?” She asked.
“By the DAA or Cooper?”
“Cooper.”
Bawli pretended to think for a second. He turned the key in the ignition. “I’d rather take my chances with the DAA.”
23
Sunders had been researching the properties located within the circled area of his map for an hour. He pulled up streaming satellite footage of various addresses, hoping he’d see something out of place; a clue that he was on the right track. His next place of interest was the Vanderburen castle. It was a castle that once housed royalty. The modern day heirs had moved on years ago, but to his understanding the castle was still inhabited by a relative. No one of status; second cousin twice removed sort of thing. He looked up the castle online and found a not so promising bit of news. The owner often rented out their ballroom for special events; weddings, corporate parties, etc. He frowned. He had a feeling that if the place was housing gargoyles they wouldn’t be inviting the public to tour the property. Still, he couldn’t leave any stone unturned.
He clicked on the website and watched as it pulled up a beautiful photo of the castle on a sunny day. He browsed the links at the top of the page and clicked on ‘Gallery’. A collection of thumbnails appeared and he clicked on the first one. A photo of a rose garden enlarged, showing nothing of interest to Sunders. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for a very long evening as he clicked the arrow to go to the next photo. He browsed and scanned fifteen photos before the images finally shifted from the outside of the property to the inside. He found himself looking at various events in a lavish ballroom with marble flooring and golden chandeliers. He continued hitting the arrow over and over until…
Sunders adjusted in his chair and leaned forward, his face mere centimeters from the computer screen. He clicked the back button to see a picture of an empty ballroom. It was taken from above; from the top of the staircase, he figured. It looked down on the sleek, white marble flooring with gray inlays while still showing the large, gleaming chandeliers that hung above it. It was a beautiful shot and any couple looking to say their vows would undoubtedly have no trouble imagining their first dance on that floor; but Sunders was more interested in something else entirely.
Just off to the left of a chandelier he could see the bottom corner of a painting hanging on the back wall. He zoomed in on the photo. He recognized the shapes and colors of the painting. He couldn’t be sure, but he was willing to bet he’d just stumbled upon a break in his investigation. He was nearly one hundred percent positive that hanging on that wall was The Guardian Angel by Arav Dave. He could feel his heart palpitating with excitement. He looked at his watch to see that it was much too early in the day to visit the castle. If it truly was where his gargoyles resided then there was a good chance he’d be recognized from the park and wouldn’t be allowed through the front door. No, he needed to do this after sunset where he could move undetected; and he needed to do it tonight.
24
Bawli and Elizabeth had parked the car and were walking up the street when Elizabeth realized what they were here to do. She put her cold hands in her jacket pockets and hunched her shoulders forward in the wind as she looked upward to see what looked to be a giant Ferris wheel. Bawli was taking her on the London Eye. She smiled to herself as she walked next to her friend. He was sweet to bring her here. He was going against direct orders to make her happy. This was the kind of thing Junior would do.
They reached the end of a very long line. “Looks like we’ll be here a while,” she said.
“Nah,” Bawli shrugged, “I know a guy; wait here.” He left and headed to the front of the line. A few moments later he returned. “Alright, let’s go.”
Elizabeth approached the boarding dock of the Eye and waited patiently for the next pod to arrive. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she whispered to Bawli, “Considering my fear of flying and all.”
“It’s not like flying,” he began, “It moves very slowly and steadily. It’s not like we’re going to whizz round it. You’ll feel very safe.”
>
The next capsule slowed to a stop and the technician opened the door. The two stepped inside along with a family of four and another of three. They walked around a bench sitting in the middle of the pod and stood next to the windows. As the pod began to move Bawli could sense Elizabeth tense up. He softly put his hands on her shoulders as she turned her head to look back at him with her beautiful blue eyes. She smiled sweetly as she brought her hands upward and placed them over his. With the way he held her and the way she looked at him, at first glance anyone would think they were lovers; even with their apparent age difference. But they weren’t so far apart, Bawli thought. Yes, he looked to be in his mid-twenties, but in reality he would be sixty-seven this year. Elizabeth was in her seventies. The idea of the two of them together was not as crazy as outsiders might think.
The capsule slowly travelled upward, affording a wide view of London and the River Thames. Bawli pointed out some of the sights like St Paul’s Cathedral. “It’s not the clearest of days,” he frowned. “When it’s not so cloudy and gray you can see all the way to Windsor Castle; over that way.” He pointed into the dreary distance.
After about twenty minutes of marveling at the city Elizabeth sighed. She turned to face Bawli. “I’m sorry for my outburst this morning.” She said. She hated the fact that she broke down in front of this man. She questioned him about her own mortality and it couldn’t have been a comfortable situation for him. He didn’t deserve that. “But thank you for bringing me here. You’re a good friend.” She smiled.
“No need to thank me. I’ve been meaning to get out here and do this anyway.”
“You’ve never done this before?”
Bawli shook his head. “It’s more of a tourist thing, really.”
“Oh,” she said as she turned back around to face the city.
Bawli thought for a moment. He cleared his throat, “Lizzie,” she turned back to him. “Would you be interested in having breakfast with me tomorrow? I usually eat on the balcony off my room. It offers a nice view of the veranda and the orchard in the distance.” He suddenly found himself very nervous; almost as if he was a secondary school boy asking her out on a date. “I’d love it if you joined me.” He tried to keep his breathing steady as he awaited her answer. His heart jumped into his throat at the sight of a smile reaching her eyes. They gleamed as she spoke, “I’d be delighted. What will we be having; tea and crumpets?”