Gargoyles I, II, III: Dark Angel Alliance

by Rach Elle

  As if on cue Junior heard a rustling in the bedroom behind him. Quickly and silently he stood, cautiously opened the door, and closed him inside.

  Sunders sat on the edge of the bed against the back wall. His legs were long enough for his feet to lay flat on the stone floor. His black clothes were wrinkled and his hair was disheveled. The light of day shined brightly through a gap in the heavy curtains, illuminating the room and accentuating the wrinkles around the Scotsman’s eyes and mouth. Slowly, Sunders lifted his head and looked at the tall, broad stature of the shifter before him. “So what happens next?” He asked morbidly.

  “I don’t know,” Junior answered, “I got you this far; the rest is up to you. Now come on, I’ll show you to the bathroom so you can get washed up.”

  Awilda woke suddenly to the sound of a bedroom door opening. It took her only a second to get her bearings and remember that she had slept outside Sonny’s room all night. She scrambled to get to her feet as he was led out of the room by Junior, who then showed him the way to the bathroom at the end of the hall. Sonny disappeared behind the door and Junior leaned against the jamb casually; waiting for the Finder to reemerge.

  Awilda could feel a sense of urgency coursing through her veins. She didn’t want to let Sonny out of her sight just in case Cooper tried to pull the Godfather routine again. Quickly, she turned and jogged to the bathroom nearest to her room. Once inside she brushed her teeth and hair, applied deodorant and a small amount of makeup to hide the small bags under her eyes, and dabbed on a little bit of perfume that Cooper had sitting on the counter. She headed back out into the hall to see the bathroom door opening and Sonny appearing behind it. He too had tried to clean up his appearance; he had wet his hair and combed it back with his fingers, creating the slick, glossy look.

  Without saying a word, Junior began descending the stairs into the ballroom as Sunders and Awilda followed. He led them across the marble flooring and into the dining hall, where the table was already set for breakfast. Each setting had a glass of orange juice and another of water. All that was missing was the food. Sunders took a seat and Junior and Awilda sat on either side.

  “So it wasn’t just a bad dream,” a female voice said flatly. The three looked to the right to see Cooper entering the room. She was still in her robe, but had taken the time to style her hair, complete with a sunflower placed behind her ear. She took a seat at the head of the table when suddenly Tauggle appeared next to her, jolting her forward in her seat. “Stop doing that!” She clenched her chest, implying he gave her a heart attack.

  “Good morning to you too, Lovely.” Tauggle smiled and floated to take his seat next to Awilda.

  Cooper looked to Junior, “So we’re not at all concerned that the Finder knows about him?” She asked, motioning to the Limrid.

  Junior shook his head, “He already knows.”

  “Of course he does.”

  Zeff entered the dining hall in a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. “I take it Vin and Mason know about our guest?” He asked as he took the seat at the opposite end of the table.

  “I told them they need to prepare an extra setting,” Cooper said.

  Sunders sat quietly, staring at the empty placemat in front of him. He had no idea what was happening. He knew at least two of the people around him were shifters; Junior for sure, and the giant scar on the blonde was pretty much a dead giveaway. But he didn’t know about the girl at the head of the table.

  He wondered where Crisp was. He didn’t feel like he would be well received if he spoke up and asked the question; and he was a little afraid of the answer. If these shifters were as welcoming to the doctor as they were to him then chances were Crisp was dead. He tried to remember if anything was said about him last night, but his head hurt just thinking about it.

  Sunders glanced at Awilda out of his periphery. If she was so adamant about saving his life, he couldn’t imagine her doing anything short of jumping in front of the bullet for Crisp. Those two were inseparable.

  “Alright, breakfast is served,” a cheerful, male English accent proclaimed. Sunders could hear plates being set down in front of each person. When a plate was presented to him he snapped to attention and looked up to see his server. His face went grave as he stared into the stunned eyes of Harry, the boy who stole his flash drive. “You,” Sunders scowled.

  “Uh, hi mate,” Alvin said nervously. Mason entered the dining hall with the remaining four plates. “Look John,” Alvin motioned to his friend, “the bloke who loaned us his cell is here.”

  Mason’s eyes widened and he forced a smile, “Wow, Harry, how splendid.” The two boys sat down across from the Finder.

  “What the hell are you two going on about?” Cooper asked.

  Without taking his eyes off of the boys, Sunders answered for them, “They’re talking about how they broke into my flat and nicked my flash drive.”

  “Technically,” Alvin chimed in, “you invited us into your flat.”

  “And then?”

  Alvin recoiled from the Finder’s dead stare. He answered quietly, “And then we nicked your flash drive.”

  “What was on that flash drive, exactly?” Zeff asked from the end of the table.

  Sunders slowly panned over to the scarred shifter, “I have a feeling you already know,” he said.

  Zeff thought for a moment, “True, but what I don’t know is what you were planning on doing with it.”

  “I was planning on using it to find you.” He looked back to the two boys across the table, “Looks like I didn’t need it after all.”

  “And why did you want to find us?” Zeff kept pressing.

  Sunders exhaled loudly, “First and foremost it was to make sure Awilda and Dr. Crispin were still alive. I’m the reason they were even in this country to begin with. If they perished because of me I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” He watched Awilda smile sweetly out of the corner of his eye.

  “As noble as that may be,” Zeff continued, “are you sure it wasn’t so you can lead the rest of the Dark Angel Alliance to our door?”

  “I’m sure,” Sunders looked into his icy blue eyes, “I have no intentions of leading the DAA to you,” he glanced up at Junior, “ever again.”

  “So why did you save the footage then?”

  “I told you; so I could study it and hopefully use it to find you. Look, if I wanted to work with the DAA then why would I erase the footage from the computer in the first place?”

  “To garner our trust.”

  “No, to keep the information that was on the flash drive out of the hands of the Protectors.”

  Zeff crooked a brow in disbelief.

  Sunders sighed, exasperated, “See, not all members of the DAA share the same mission statement. The Protectors over the years have become nothing more than rash, violent, trigger happy arses. If they find out that your kind can shift then there’s no telling the lengths they would go to just to get to you. I’m talking about hostages, terrorism, you name it. And they’re pure wallapers too. You could tell them the queen is a shifter and they wouldn’t even blink before ambushing the royal guard.”

  “What is your mission statement?” Cooper cut him off.

  “What?” He whipped his head to the other end of the table to see the petite brunette watching him.

  “You said not everyone has the same mission statement,” she pressed, “what is yours?”

  Sunders looked into Cooper’s eyes, “To learn; by understanding other species we can begin to build a world where we can all coexist. We can also pinpoint threats.”

  “And eliminate them.”

  “If need be, aye; but that’s the absolute last resort.”

  “And do you think we’re a threat?”

  Sunders shook his head rapidly, “Not at all; I used to, until a couple of nights ago, that is.” He glanced up at Junior again.

  29

  “Where are you going, my love?” Kingsley asked as Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom; dressed and ready fo
r the day.

  Elizabeth looked at the old man sitting in the living room. He had the television on mute as his eyes ran the length of her body; a tiny, hungry smirk reached the corner of his lips. Damn her; no matter how angry he made her she couldn’t help but be flustered when he looked at her that way. She tried to brush off the sudden heat that flourished between her thighs and grabbed her shawl from the closet. “I’m going to have breakfast with Bawli,” she said.

  Kingsley’s brows furrowed. He put the television remote on the end table and slowly stood. “You’re going to have breakfast with a man?” He asked, trying desperately not to sound too overprotective.

  Elizabeth shut the closet door and draped her white knit shawl over her shoulders. Her navy blue and white polka dot dress sat fittingly over her slender curves and her bright red sash was cinched tightly around her waist, matching her red high heels. She looked like she was about to entertain the troops on a USO tour. She had received a rather large shipment earlier that morning filled with clothing that Cooper had ordered for her. Apparently Cooper hadn’t seen another human being since the fifties. Elizabeth looked down at her attire and decided to ditch the sash and shoes in favor of her favorite brown penny loafers. As she adjusted her wardrobe she answered Kingsley, “Yes.”

  “And where are you having this breakfast? In the main dining hall with everyone else, I hope.”

  Elizabeth lifted her chin and looked at the white haired shifter, “On the balcony just off his bedroom.”

  “Like hell you are.”

  “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t spend time with King. Besides, it’s not like I have a lot to choose from when it comes to the company I keep; thanks to you.”

  Kingsley winced and tried to hide the pain her snide remark caused him. He knew all of this was his fault. The only solace he had left in this world was knowing that Elizabeth was by his side. He couldn’t stand the idea of her turning against him too. “Lizzie,” Kingsley said quietly as he lowered his eyes to the floor. “I just… I just don’t want to lose you.”

  Elizabeth’s heart broke in two at the vulnerable words that escaped his lips. “Oh, King,” she whispered as she closed the distance between them. “You’ll never lose me; what makes you think otherwise?”

  Kingsley looked into her beautiful, soft eyes and shrugged, “He’s a lot younger than me.”

  His heart jumped as she let out a short, cheerful laugh. “Bawli?” She chuckled as she said his name. “Oh King, you don’t know what you’re saying. Bawli and I are just friends; nothing more.”

  Kingsley’s shoulders relaxed as he cracked a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “What about this little date?”

  “It’s only breakfast; look, I’ll prove it to you; come with me.”

  “No, I can’t do that.”

  “Yes you can; I’m sure Bawli will be delighted to have you.” King’s eyes drifted to the floor in consideration. “I know I will,” Elizabeth cooed.

  Bawli had set the round table on his balcony with two settings, a pitcher of coffee and another of orange juice, and a plate of hot cakes, another with links, and another with all the sides necessary. He had barely spoken to Alvin or Mason when he was gathering this feast in the kitchen. They were mumbling about having to prepare breakfast for a special guest. Of course Bawli knew who that guest was and under normal circumstances he would want to be included in every discussion that was to be had with the Finder, but he couldn’t bail on Lizzie. He had promised her a nice breakfast. With gentle fingers he folded two fabric napkins and placed them next to each setting. He then placed a tall, thin vase on the center of the table and delicately dropped in a white rose that he had cut from the garden earlier in the morning. He took a step back, rested his hands on his hips and smiled as he surveyed the cozy spread. The two empty chairs sat next to each other; looking out past the orchard in the distance and onto the horizon. A gust of wind picked up and sailed through his hair. He wondered if it was cold outside. The sun was out but the sky did have a slight gray hue to it. He headed back into his room and opened his closet. After weighing his options he pulled out a light blue cardigan and slung it over a plush wing chair; just in case she ever felt cold.

  A light knock sounded at his bedroom door and his body stirred slightly. His heart rate picked up and he took a deep breath before opening the door. A large smile plastered across his face as Lizzie stood in front of him in a knee length dress and white shawl. He was about to open his mouth to welcome her into his room when another party came into view. Kingsley stood behind Lizzie, dressed in a pair of slacks and a t-shirt. “Hey,” Kingsley nodded, “thanks for having us.”

  Bawli tried to stop his smile from falling.

  “Oh,” Lizzie began, “I invited King to come along. That’s alright, isn’t it?”

  Bawli forced a head nod, “Oh, yeah, yeah of course; quite alright. Please, come in.” He stepped to the side and watched as the couple entered his room and made their way out to the balcony. He followed them, scowling silently as he passed the light blue cardigan resting on the chair.

  30

  Alvin and Mason were clearing the dining table as Awilda and Sunders walked side by side into the ballroom. Awilda could sense Junior following behind but at a distance. She figured he would be listening to every word they said. Zeff and Cooper retreated to their rooms and Tauggle was probably standing in the corner; invisible to the human eye.

  “You didn’t eat much of your breakfast,” Awilda said as she and Sunders came to a stop in the middle of the ballroom.

  Sunders opened his mouth to respond when suddenly Awilda’s small hand slapped him across the face. The surprise jarred him more than any pain she had caused. “I’m sorry,” he said flatly, “I wasn’t all that hungry.”

  “No, that was for leading the Protectors right to us and almost getting us killed.” Awilda hissed.

  Sunders nodded in agreement, “I suppose I deserved it then.”

  She slapped him again, “And that was for finding me when I specifically told you not to; what were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking I needed to know that you were alright. And then I was thinking that I’m a Finder and finding gargoyles is kind of my thing. And then,” his voice grew stern, “I was thinking that I’m a grown man and don’t answer to you.” She slapped him again. He took a deep breath, “You’re really fucking me off, you know. What was that one for?”

  Awilda shrugged, “I didn’t like your tone.”

  “Well I don’t like yours; should I slap you now?”

  “You can try. But fair warning; you’ve got a gargoyle watching your every move and I don’t think he’ll like that very much.”

  Sunders furrowed his brow and slowly turned to look in the living room. There he saw Junior; standing in front of the sofa, staring at him with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. He nodded once at the Scotsman to reaffirm the girl’s suspicions. Awilda smiled, yep; heard every word.

  Sunders turned back to face Awilda. “Fine,” he relaxed his shoulders and conceded, “I guess I deserve a million slaps; but I’m not sorry for tracking you down. What I said at the table was true; I did want to make sure you and Crisp were alright.”

  Awilda’s eyes popped in surprise, “Crisp? Only his colleagues called him that.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess that’s kind of what we were during our hunt for you.” He looked into her brown eyes, “How is he? I haven’t seen him at all.”

  Awilda smiled, “He’s okay. He took quite the beating from the Protectors and it took a lot out of him. He’s been sleeping it off ever since. I think he’s getting stronger though. I visit his room every once in a while and each time he’s more and more talkative.”

  “That’s good,” Sunders nodded.

  “Sonny,” Awilda began somberly, “How did you find us?”

  Sunders thought for a moment, then turned to face The Guardian Angel. “I followed Arav,” he said as he looked upon the giant painting that hung against a stone wal
l. “I tracked the path of your rental car and it led me to this general vicinity. Then I researched the area and noticed this masterpiece hanging within these walls. Was it iron-clad evidence? No, not by a long shot; but it was a start. Turns out it was also the finish.”

  Awilda silently cursed the painting. It almost got Sonny killed.

  “I’ve never seen it on such a grand scale before,” Sunders continued to marvel. “That’s Arav’s favorite gargoyle,” he pointed to the creature overlooking the sleeping city. “You can tell by the horns; they’re very distinct.”

  Awilda rolled her eyes as she looked at the painted gargoyle. His horns curved backward like a ram. He sat on a ledge staring out into the distance over dozens and dozens of rooftops, which were barely more than rudimentary shapes; triangles that sat atop squares. The gargoyle was the only aspect of the painting that had any real detail. She supposed that was the point, though. The gargoyle was, after all, the focal point of the piece.

  “There’s another way to know that it’s the same gargoyle,” Sunders continued. He paused and waited for her to inquire. After a few seconds Awilda begrudgingly asked, “How?”

  “Do you see anything out of place?”

  Awilda scanned the painting before them. She had seen it thousands of times in the past, but it wasn’t until she found the original in the forgotten storage room a number of days ago that she noticed a discrepancy. She raised her arm and pointed at the upper left corner of the painting. “That roof isn’t connected to a house.”

  Sunders’ eyes widened and a large smile spread across his face. “Good girl,” he breathed. “Do you know why?” He looked down at the petite lassie standing next to him. When she shook her head he beamed, “It’s because that’s not a rooftop at all.” They both looked back to the painting. Sunders continued, “Anyone would mistake that sand colored triangle as being just another rooftop; but it’s actually a hidden symbol. See, there are legends of gargoyles that originate in Egypt; one of which takes a number of years before this painting was rendered. The story is that a gargoyle had fallen in love with the princess Anuktata. One day he finally got up the courage to reveal himself to her, hoping she would reciprocate his love. But instead she was so revolted that she had him imprisoned and invited all the townspeople to gawk, curse, and throw stones at the creature.”