Gargoyles I, II, III: Dark Angel Alliance

by Rach Elle

Madge’s mind flashed to an image of her brother.

  “Call him Madge, please,” Sunders picked up her cell phone from the coffee table.

  “I don’t know if he’ll know what to do. He’s never operated on these creatures before.”

  “He’s our only shot.” Sunders held out the phone for Madge to take it.

  Her shoulders slumped, “Why did you even bring me into this? Why not go to him yourself?”

  “Because he hates everything about me,” he smiled, “His sister on the other hand; he’d do just about anything for her.”

  56

  Marvin Handler used his personal set of keys to enter the United Financial building after hours. He was tired, scruffy, and wearing the same clothes he’d worn earlier that day. It was much faster to pull them out of the hamper than to rummage through his drawers to find something new to wear. And the one emphasis Madge had made was that he needed to hurry.

  He whisked through the lobby and into the elevator. He didn’t know if anyone from the DAA was working this late at night. Often times the Finders pored over their books and computers all night long, implying they had no personal lives to speak of; but Marvin wasn’t heading to their floor on this night. As he stood in the elevator his finger moved past the fourth floor button and landed on the eighth; his floor.

  The elevator doors opened and Marvin stepped onto the eighth floor. It was dark and quiet. Over to the left was his office locked up for the night and directly ahead was where Jessica, his only nurse, usually sat waiting for something interesting to happen. Marvin sighed, life as a doctor to the Finders division was bloody boring; nothing more than routine exams and prescriptions for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and a host of other ailments. Except for tonight, however.

  Marvin turned to the right and headed down the hall toward the operating room. Just before he reached it the door opened and Madge stepped out into the hall to meet him.

  “Madge, are you alright?” Marvin asked, genuinely concerned. She had sounded so frightened over the phone.

  “Yes, I am; thank you for coming Marvin.”

  “What’s this all about?”

  Madge looked nervous, “I think it’s better if I show you.” She opened the door and led him inside.

  The operating room was mostly dark except for the under-cabinet lighting that gave the space a fluorescent blue glow. Marvin stopped short. Standing directly in front of him was a thin, pale man with white hair; and Sunders Harper.

  “Bloody hell,” Marvin cursed and turned to leave before Madge stepped in his way.

  “Please Marvin, listen to him. He needs your help.”

  “You can’t really be standing up for this wanker; after what he did to you?”

  “This is bigger than that; trust me.”

  Marvin pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. After a moment of consideration he turned around to face the Scottish Finder. “What is it then?”

  “Before I tell you why you’re here,” Sunders began, cautiously. “Let me just say I understand why you don’t like me. And I understand why you might turn down my request, but please, before making any rash decisions, take the time to consider this thoughtfully.”

  Marvin scowled, “Consider what, exactly?”

  On cue, Sunders and the white-haired man stepped to the side to reveal the operating table behind them. Marvin gasped violently at the sight of a large creature laid out on the table. He was on his stomach with his wings hanging limply to each side. His tail hung over his hip and reached the floor. His shoulder length blonde hair draped over the side of his face, hiding his features. But even with all the deformity and shocking mutation, Marvin could only fixate on one thing; the giant shard of glass sticking into the creature’s back.

  He moved quickly, whizzing past Sunders and approaching the creature so he could get a better look at the injury. He narrowed his eyes at the skin surrounding the blade. “How long has he been like this?”

  “An hour,” Sunders answered, “Give or take.”

  “Remarkable,” Marvin breathed. “The wound has already started healing around the glass.”

  “These creatures heal much faster than you and I.”

  “Then we better operate immediately; before it closes entirely and we risk losing shards inside.” He looked up to Madge and smiled, “For old time’s sake?”

  Madge nodded, “I’ll start sterilizing while you scrub up.” She began gathering tools and placing them on a rolling cart, preparing to get to work.

  “There’s no need,” Sunders interrupted.

  “Oh yes there is,” Marvin argued, “This equipment has been doing nothing but gathering dust for the better part of a decade.”

  “Like I said,” Sunders flattened his tone and injected some much needed urgency. “They heal faster than you and me. Any infection he gets will be gone by sunup.”

  “I can’t in good faith use equipment that would undoubtedly cause my patient more harm…”

  “Doctor,” Sunders raised his voice, “the wound is closing as we speak. There is no time for arguing and even less time for unnecessary precaution. Do what you need to do and do it now.”

  57

  Sunders stood in the hallway on the eighth floor of United Financial. He leaned against the wall, trying to act casual. Not that there was anyone to act casual in front of. He was alone. Madge and her brother Marvin had been operating on Zeff almost forty-five minutes now behind the door that stood at the end of the corridor. He took a deep breath, hoping the doctor knew what he was doing. He was out of practice having been with the Finders for so many years.

  Sunders could remember when the Finders had first hired Marvin. It didn’t exactly come as a surprise to anyone. Marvin’s father had been the resident physician for decades before. And when it was announced that Dr. Handler came as a package deal – complete with his own sister as his nurse – everyone was even less shocked. Rumors had circulated that the Handlers were planning on a take-over; but it was all bullocks, of course. After a few years of what was undoubtedly pain-staking boredom, the sister began immersing herself in other aspects of the Finders and soon found an interest in the prospect of gargoyles. Sunders could remember the look of disgust Marvin had when Madge announced she was transferring to the Scotsman’s team. It was the same look the doctor gave him every time they passed each other in the halls. It was clear Marvin thought becoming a Finder was beneath Madge’s true potential.

  “Any word? They’re getting restless.”

  Sunders jolted slightly at the sudden voice. He turned to see Tauggle and Awilda standing before him. He relaxed a little, “Nah, they’re still going at it. Is everyone else alright?”

  Tauggle nodded, “They’re all in the van parked a block away. You know if this doesn’t work they’ll probably blame you.”

  Sunders rolled his eyes, “I know.”

  “They’re also wondering how you’re going to keep the doctor quiet about all this.”

  “He won’t tell anyone.”

  “How do you know?”

  Sunders looked into the glistening gold eyes of the Limrid, “Because his sister won’t.”

  Tauggle shrugged and walked to the nearest window overlooking the less impressive aspects of the city.

  Awilda approached Sunders. She leaned against the wall, mimicking his stance and bit her bottom lip nervously.

  “Are you alright?” Sunders asked, having been watching her out of the corner of his eye.

  “There’s one thing I don’t understand,” she began quietly. “My dad said that according to Arav if you kill a Limrid you’ll become all powerful.”

  Sunders furrowed his brow, “Arav had said nothing of the sort; that I know of, anyway.”

  She looked up to the Scotsman, “He said it was in a piece called The Scared Limrid, or something like that.”

  Sunders thought for a moment, “The Cowardly Imp?”

  She nodded.

  A look of saddened revelation swept his eyes and he s
ighed. “Many of Arav’s pieces can be misinterpreted. The Cowardly Imp states that whoever kills a Limrid will be privy to the ultimate power, which he then describes as consisting of the seven deadly sins. See, Arav often times referred to hell as sin. In other words, the ultimate power referenced in that piece is a fancy way of saying hell.”

  He stared forward and allowed his mind to recall the work. Without missing a word he quoted, “For whoever shall end the life of this pitiful creature shall be privy to the ultimate power; man’s lust and pride realized. The gluttonous sloth encompassed with wrath; his avarice shall be immortalized and enshrined forever in the sin.” He looked down at the girl standing next to him with apologetic eyes. “The Cowardly Imp is not an invitation to kill a Limrid; it’s a warning against it.”

  The door to the operating room opened and Madge stuck her head out. “Sonny, we’re finished.”

  Sunders, Awilda and Tauggle quickly entered the room; Tauggle changing his eye color from sparkly gold to dull blue. They approached the operating table to see a sleeping Zeff with large, black stitches in his back.

  “How did it go?” Sunders asked.

  “Couldn’t have gone better,” Marvin smiled as he leaned against the counter. “Was there ever any doubt?”

  “We gave him some sedatives so he should be out for a while,” Madge said, “Unless his body counteracts that more rapidly too.”

  “Aye, it does,” Sunders nodded. “I should get him out of here before he wakes up.” He turned to Marvin, “Thank you.”

  Marvin nodded.

  “I trust you will not breathe a word of this to anyone.”

  “What?” Marvin’s eyes widened, “What do you mean; of course we have to tell someone. You’re a Finder and you found a gargoyle. Doesn’t your division throw parades or erect statues for this sort of thing?” His surprise was suddenly laced with sarcasm.

  “I have located these creatures before and followed protocol,” Sunders began, “I called in Protectors and led them straight to these beings. And you know what the Protectors did? They tried to kill them; no questions asked. I’m deeply saddened by this but I do not believe the Dark Angel Alliance still upholds themselves to the same standards as when I first began with the company thirteen years ago; at least not all divisions.

  “These creatures are peaceful and have done nothing to warrant becoming prey. So I’ll ask you again, can you please keep this to yourself?” He glanced at Madge to see her staring at her brother; speaking without any words as only siblings could.

  Marvin broke free from his sister’s stare and looked back at Sunders. “You keep saying creatures; plural. How many more of them are there?”

  “That is unimportant.”

  “If you expect me to keep your secret then you’re going to have to give me some answers.”

  Sunders narrowed his eyes for a moment before finally conceding, “I have found five.” He decided not to include the Limrid standing next to him.

  Marvin’s eyes popped at the number. He looked at the sleeping gargoyle he’d just operated on. DAA protocol specifically stated all personnel must report any findings of any nature. He couldn’t really be willing to break protocol for Harper, could he?

  “Please Marvin.”

  Madge’s soft, pleading voice broke through the silence that hung in the air. He looked up at his sister and relaxed his posture. “I won’t tell anyone,” he said matter-of-factly, “You have my word.”

  58

  Awilda slowly entered the castle and made her way down the main corridor. No one except Sunders had said a word to her since leaving the old hotel. The time spent in silence gnawed at her gut like a starving rat. She couldn’t stop picturing the dark mass that hovered over Junior. There was no face; no distinguishable characteristics and yet she could feel it watching her; studying her and eventually appeasing her command to leave Junior alone. She had controlled it; and it scared the hell out of her.

  Awilda walked into the living room. Everyone except Junior and Sunders headed upstairs to Zeff’s room where Tauggle had undoubtedly taken him. She looked around at the stone walls and the beautiful chandelier hanging from the stone ceiling. Her eyes drifted downward to the stone floor where they rested for what seemed like an eternity.

  “Awilda,” Sunders said softly.

  She blinked only to realize her eyes had begun to water. She looked up at the tall Scotsman. The moonlight from the window behind him highlighted the grays in his otherwise brown hair. “Are you going to be alright? For tonight, I mean; you probably shouldn’t be alone.” He asked.

  “No, I’m fine,” she lied. “I just need to lie down. I’m going to turn in; goodnight.” She turned and headed into the ballroom where she would ascend the staircase to the second floor and hopefully reach her bedroom before losing all feeling in her shaky, anxiety ridden legs.

  Awilda rounded the corner into the ballroom; her shoes making a sharper sound against the marble flooring. She stopped short at the sight of Junior and Kingsley speaking at the other end of the room. She wanted to hurl at the thought of what Junior must have been telling the old man. Oh, by the way; your Responsibility is the spawn of Satan.

  Suddenly Kingsley’s eyes darted past Junior’s shoulder and landed on her. She recoiled instantly as he stared at her; his expression hard and cold. Junior turned his head and looked at her through his periphery. She quickly averted her eyes; fearing she’d see the same look on his face too. She wrapped her arms around her torso and headed up the stairs.

  59

  Simon Crispin was lying in his bed. The room was dark and quiet as he rested his aching muscles. His ears perked and the hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention when a small sound broke through the silence. He turned his head on his pillow to see the door opening. “Who’s there,” he asked.

  Awilda poked her head inside Simon’s darkened bedroom. The small amount of light that peered in from the hall afforded her a glimpse of her friend and the small smile that appeared on his face at the sight of her. It was a short moment of relief for someone to not look at her like she was a menace to society; even though she supposed she was.

  Simon began pushing himself upward to a sitting position as she closed herself inside the room.

  “Awilda,” he breathed and held out his arms. She crossed the space and accepted his embrace. “Thank God you’re alright,” he hugged her tightly.

  “I have you to thank for that,” she began, “I overheard Bawli saying you were the one that tipped everyone off about my… James.”

  Simon pulled away at the sadness that laced her father’s name. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

  She shrugged, “A family member trying to kill me isn’t exactly a new concept.”

  “So what happened?”

  Awilda pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. She twiddled her thumbs in her lap as she spoke. “Um, he and his girlfriend didn’t make it.” A hand came into her line of sight as Simon wrapped his fingers around her palm. “Actually,” she continued, “it was what happened after that that I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Crisp tightened his lips, “What is it?”

  Awilda looked up into the gray eyes of her friend. “I know that you know about Arav Dave’s The Ultimate War; but have you ever actually read it?”

  Simon nodded.

  “So you know that it says the devil will choose a destroyer to kill the human race?”

  Simon nodded again.

  “Well,” Awilda could feel more tears stinging her eyes. “James killed a Limrid tonight. And after he did this huge dark cloud appeared and… oh,” her tears overflowed, “the sounds; the growling and screaming; they were just awful. It killed my dad and it turned Tauggle to stone and it tried to kill Junior, but…”

  Crisp furrowed his brow as he tried to make sense of Awilda’s fast, run-on account of the events, “But what?”

  “But it wouldn’t kill me,” she sobbed. “I told it to go away so it did. It listened to
me. And the whole time even though I was defying it I couldn’t shake this crazy, horrible feeling that it was a part of me; or that I was a part of it; I don’t know.” She buried her face in her hands. “It’s undeniable now,” her muffled voice was barely audible. “I am the destroyer.”

  After a moment of watching the girl cry into her palms Simon spoke softly, “I know.”

  Awilda lifted her head, “What?”

  “I know that you’re the destroyer. Your… James told me his theory before he abducted you. I didn’t want to believe it but it made too much sense; your nightmares and paranoia; your family history and the interest these gargoyles took in you. Hell, you even found a Limrid; one of the most allusive creatures in the world. I know that you’re the chosen one.” He reached out and grabbed her hand again. “But I also know that you’re much too stubborn to go down without a fight.”

  “Simon,” she sniffled, “what am I going to do?”

  He pulled her into him, wrapping his weak arms around her small body as she climbed onto the bed. He lied down, bringing her with him and they soon were holding each other like lovers. Her head nuzzled into his shoulder and her arm draped over his stomach as he stroked her arm gently. “You’re going to be strong and defiant; just as you were tonight. The devil can’t have you if you don’t give yourself to him.”

  “What if I’m not strong enough?”

  He kissed the top of her head, “You’re much stronger than you think; trust me.”

  60

  Sunders woke to the sun shining brightly into his room. He had slept over at the castle in the same room they had provided for him the night he trespassed and almost got himself killed. He yawned, stretched and smiled at the effects of a great mattress. The constant knot at the base of his neck was nearly gone. Slowly and reluctantly, he got out of bed and put on the shirt and pants he had worn the day before.