Part Ten of the SteelClaw Chronicles

A SteelClaw Story

By Flynt and Kahreen.

*1*

Dawn.

Sabrina settled herself on the camp stool, watching as the rays of the morning sun played along the mists rising from the woods. The clan had already entered stone hibernation. Only herself, Silver and Diamond, thanks to their unique abilities, were able to stave off the effects of the daylight stone sleep. The three had volunteered to act as sentries, to safeguard the clan while they were in the mercenary camp. Sabrina had drawn the first watch.

Around her, activity in the main camp was heightening as Harding's mercenary forces began preparations. Sabrina watched as foot patrols were sent out. Beneath the camouflage netting, hoverships were being prepped and armed for the upcoming mission against Dominion. The mission's chances of success were at best, uncertain, but there was no doubt as to the outcome if they failed. If Dominion emerged victorious, it would be the end of life as they knew it, the end of everything. The dark brown gargoyle could sense the tension and apprehension in the air. For them all, it was 'do or die.' There were no options left.

Footsteps to the right caused Sabrina to turn. Diamond stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, watching the mercenaries through narrowed eyes.

"Silver is resting," Diamond informed her. "I will relieve you when the sun is highest in the sky."

"Okay," Sabrina looked at her white haired companion. "Do you think we really have a chance?"

Diamond sighed and continued to watch the mercenaries. "I don't know. But allying ourselves with these... humans, is foolish. They cannot be trusted, none of them."

"If it wasn't for them," Sabrina responded, " I don't think we would be having this conversation right now. Without their intervention, our skirmish with Dominion last night might have been our last."

Diamond gave a low growl. "Believe what you will, I still think it's a mistake. And woe betide any of them who approach this spot when I am on watch. They will regret it." She turned and started towards the tents. "I will see you in a few hours."

Sabrina watched Diamond's retreating form, pondering the peach gargoyle's words, before turning her attention back to the camp. This was one situation Sabrina never thought she would be in, not in her wildest dreams. How long had it been since she had accidentally teleported herself away from Avalon? Teleportation was meant to be a relatively easy spell and one she was mastering quite well. But something went wrong that fateful day. Instead of reappearing on Avalon, Sabrina found herself waking up in this strange world, so different from the magical isle she knew so well. How long since she had seen her friends? Her twin sister Mallory? A year? Longer? Sabrina sighed. It seemed an eternity ago. She wondered if she would ever see any of them again.

Deep in her thoughts of the past, the morning passed quickly. As the sun reached it's zenith, Diamond emerged from the tent, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She approached Sabrina and gave a little smile.

"Go and rest now sister," Diamond said. "We will need all our strength for tonight."

Sabrina nodded, realizing how weary she was. Standing up, she stretched and yawned. "A few hours sleep would be good. Wake me if anything happens."

"Have no fear. I will make sure we stay safe."

Sabrina gave a final yawn and headed towards the gargoyle camp. She entered the tent Diamond had emerged from, and found Silver, sleeping soundly. The stone form of Chaz, Silver's son, was seated next to her bed. Taking an empty campbed near her clan sister, Sabrina stretched out on it comfortably, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow

*****

Diamond paced back and forth, alert, never taking her eyes off the mercenaries in the main camp. Any who ventured too close for her liking were greeted with a warning growl and the flash of her fangs.

She was angry. Not only did she dislike the daylight, but being so close to humans went against all her instincts. Humans had killed her father, hunted him down like an animal. Her mother, grief-stricken, slowly went mad, until finally, she took her own life. To Diamond, the humans were as much an enemy as the Dominion aliens. Despite the threat that faced them all, in her eyes, it was wrong to ally with such an untrustworthy race.

But there was another source to her anger. Flynt's chastisement at her actions during the battle. The clan was under threat, and she was dealing with the threat the only way she knew how. Remove it ... permanently. His outburst had hurt her. She had thought that of all the clan members, Flynt would have be the first to understand her actions. Why didn't he understand? After all, wasn't he the first to question Thaylog's order about not harming the invaders? While Diamond respected Thaylog as a leader, she felt that decision was wrong. To allow the enemy to survive, and to strike again, was deadly.

She thought about the 'cure' Thaylog mentioned. If it worked, they would be rid of one foe. If it failed... Diamond stopped pacing and laid her hand on the hilt of her dagger. She would not sell her life cheaply. The enemy would pay, and pay dearly.

*****

*2*

"They have no idea what's happening only a few hours away from here do they?; Kahreen glanced at the small screen before her. The streets of Harrisburg were filled with people, most just finishing their usual commuting to work.

"They do not and perhaps it is better that way." A hand was rested on the control panel to Kahreen's left. It was flesh coloured and very human. Kahreen glanced at it.

"Nice trick," she commented as she began to swing the ship around, descending to the landing point that Thaylog had pointed out.

"A skill I sometimes find necessary," the white-haired man replied. "And you are right, the humans here do not know what is happening in Newbridge. It would seem that our foes have done an exemplary job in covering their tracks. Good." He nodded to himself. "That may work in our favor."

"Yeah." The feline biomech agreed. "If the outside doesn't know about the 'real' Dominion then they won't know what we're going to be up to either."

"And so much of our future actions depend on the thing we hope to discover here."

"You think they have something worked out?"

Thaylog looked out of the cockpit window. Coming into view was a number of white-coloured buildings that were situated outside of the central business district. "They have had enough time to work on the data that we sent to them."

"We only barely transmitted the data before Dominion took control of the city's communications." Kahreen frowned. "That was a few days before the attack on the mansion. Wouldn't analysis take longer than that? It hardly seems to be enough time to have a fully working cure ready."

"It will be enough," Thaylog seated himself as Kahreen began the landing sequence. "I have some very special people working here."

"You'd better have." muttered Kahreen as her cloaked ship touched down on the far side of the private airstrip within the research facility complex. She scanned her cockpit instruments. "Well the cloak still seems to be fully operational. We weren't detected at all."

Kahreen turned and looked at Thaylog. "I'll hold this position as long as possible. Short of a jumbo jet wanting to use this landing strip, which I doubt, there shouldn't be any problems."

Thaylog nodded. "I will contact you in a couple hours then." He headed towards the exit hatch at rear of the ship. "I will know by then exactly where we stand in relation to the cure."

*****

The security guard looked up from his magazine, watching suspiciously as a white haired man in combat fatigues approached the airfield's entry checkpoint. No flights had been scheduled for today, and this guy certainly didn't look like he should be here.

The guard rose to his feet and approached the check-in window, his hand resting lightly on his revolver. "Excuse me sir, this is a restricted area, may I see some identification please."

"Of course," Thaylog reached into his shirt pocket, producing his corpororate I.D for the officer to see.

"Mr. Legacy?" The guard asked, surprised. He checked the I.D again just to be sure. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you sir."

"Ah the clothes, " Thaylog responded. " I have organized some executive 'team building' exercises nearby. Since I was in the area, I decided to pay a surprise inspection. Now if you don't mind?" Thaylog glanced at the locked steel security door.

"Oh yes sir!" The guard pressed several buttons. "If you would look into the camera for retinal confirmation, the door will unlock automatically."

Thaylog stood in front of the small lens situated at the right of the door. A small red beam illuminated his eye for 5 seconds. The light faded.

"Identity confirmed," a computerized voice intoned. "Access granted."

The locking mechanism in the door unlocked, and the door slid open. Thaylog walked through and turned to the guard.

"Ring ahead to the front desk and inform them I am on my way. Tell them I wish to see Dr Lucien immediately."

******

*4*

Thaylog watched as a number of chemical formulae and diagrams flashed on the screen before him. Complicated and almost impossible to understand,they were nonetheless the cause of the excitement in his head of research, Dr Lucien.

"This is absolutely amazing!" The small man was almost jumping up and down. "Do you see here and here," he pointed to various parts of a diagram. "The virus is showing amazing neural RNA reversal properties. And here," he indicated another part of the diagram. " The infected cell has an extraordinary amount of mitochondria surrounding its nucleus. Something like this has never been seen before!"

"And the cure for this virus?"

"A little harder to work out since we don't have an actual sample to work on. All of our analysis and research to this point has been purely theoretical. If you want complete certainty we'd need an actual sample of the virus to work on," Lucien paused. "Has that changed?"

Thaylog just looked at him.

"Anyway," the doctor coughed nervously. "We are working on a virus that will neutralize the effects of this theoretical one that you sent to us." A spark of interest ignited in the human's eyes. "Tell me, is this viral data that you sent to us purely theoretical, or is it actually being developed?"

"By a rival company, yes." This half lie seemed almost too easy to give. "I believe they intend to put it on the foreign market. A counter virus will not only benefit others, but will prove most profitable for us."

"Then if someone is developing this virus you would have thought that the federal agencies would have gotten themselves involved in this."

"These days such organizations lack the funding and the power." Thaylog switched off the screen and a simulated model of the virus winked out of existence.

"True" the scientist nodded, "But you would think this rival corporation would have the sense not to develop it in the first place. If this," he indicated the now blank screen, "ever got widespread dispersal, there's no telling the amount of damage it would cause."

Thaylog glanced down at the man. "My friend, you have no idea. Now," he began to move towards another set of computer screens. "Tell me about the cure."

******

"They have a cure?" Harding allowed a small smile to cross his features.

"So Thaylog tells me." Kahreen's voice sounded scratchy and distorted as it came out of the small radio.

"When can you get here?" Harding glanced at his men scattered around the camp. Some were checking weapons and equipment, others were pouring over maps. All were half listening to the radio transmission.

"Not until after dawn." Kahreen's voice faded in and out. It was a bad transmission, but considering the methods they were using to overcome the communications barrier set by Dominion, and to avoid detection by their enemy, it was the best they could have hoped for. "They're just cooking up a working version now so it's going to take some time."

"Sounds like you'll be missing the party over here then."

"Can't be helped. Still, remember to bring us a souvenir."

"A virus-infected human." Harding nodded even though the biomech couldn't see the action. "Will do."

"We'll meet up at the pre arranged site. Over."

"And out." Harding finished as he switched off the radio transmitter. He glanced out of the open flaps of his tent. The sun was already hanging low on the horizon. Soon the gargoyles would awaken and then it would be only a matter of time before they began the attack. Flynt and his clan would head out into the city and act as a distraction for their real aim that night--the destruction of the Dominion communications tower. There was still so much to do, so much to prepare. Harding didn't believe in any religion, but at that moment he wondered if he should offer a prayer to someone. They needed all the help they could get.

******

"Sentry duty gets really boring at times doesn't it?"

Silver started at the sound of a human voice. She tensed for a moment but relaxed as she saw who was approaching.

"Sanderson isn't it?" She said, standing and working out the kinks in her back. She had not forgotten the human's earlier kindness. "To tell you the truth, it does a little, but it is necessary. The safety of my son and this clan is most important to me."

"I can understand that." Sanderson nodded. "Anyway I came over to pass on a message. We've just received word from your clan members in Harrisburg."

"Yes?"

"Yeah, they won't be back until after dawn so they won't be able to assist us with the attack. The good news is that it seems they have a cure to Dominion's virus."

"That is wonderful news!" Silver smiled. "The clan will be pleased when they hear this. Still,it is a pity that they will not return in time to help us. I was hoping they would have returned earlier, especially as it seems I won’t be helping with the distraction in the city."

"No?" Sanderson frowned. "Why not?"

"I can’t leave my son alone and unguarded. Nor would I take him into battle. Such things should never be experienced by a child," she added, remembering the violence that signaled the end of her own childhood.

"Your son needn't be left alone." Sanderson glanced back at the mercenary camp. "He's already under the protection of his beast."

"Sirius," Silver corrected him.

"Sirius, yes." Sanderson nodded. "Plus I can leave two of our most trusted men to watch over him here while you and your clan are in the city."

"I don't know," Silver began warily. She was grateful to the human for the way he had treated her son, but she was not sure she trusted any of the other mercenaries with the safety of Chaz in her absence.

"Look. We'll be leaving a couple of men here anyway to ensure the safety of the camp and monitor communications between our two groups tonight. It'll probably be the safest possible place your son could be. And I will personally ensure that they make sure he comes to no harm. You have my word on that." He paused. "Your clan will need you in the coming hours and your son will be safe here."

"I...." Silver didn't know what to say. For so long her main priority was the safety of her son. He was all she had left. She had lost him once, she was not about to lose him again. But now she had a clan, those she relied on and in return was needed by. They needed her now more than ever.

She looked up at Sanderson.

"If anything happens to him..." The threat hung in the air unspoken.

"Nothing will." Sanderson brought a clenched fist up to his chest and gave a salute. "I promise you that."

In the silence that followed the sun slipped below the horizon and the sounds of awakening gargoyles came from the interior of the tent. Silver glanced at the tent and then back at Sanderson. "You realize that I’m going to hold you to that promise."

Sanderson nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way." With that he turned and headed back to his own section of the camp.

Silver turned and went to greet her clan as they emerged from the tent.

*****

Llewelyn sighed and glanced out of the window of the hovership. Below in the darkness the forest surrounding the mansion flashed by. "I hope we'll be back here soon,Vash. All we seem to be doing these days is move from one place to another."

"Perhaps when this is over we will be able to call one place home and continue our lives and aims as they were before," the scorpion-tailed gargess replied.

"Yeah that would be nice." The fiery gargess gave a small smile. "I've got a lot of TV to catch up on. Do you realize we've missed half of the new season of 'X Files the Next Generation'?"

Vashkoda shrugged. "It's only TV. You can catch up on your viewing at any time."

"Yeah but it would be nice to watch some guy on TV battling evil space aliens instead of doing it myself."

"It would, but we have our obligations to fulfill. You cannot shrug off your duty."

"I suppose." Llewelyn had the feeling that her companion was talking about something other than their present situation. She opened her mouth to ask Vashkoda why she had decided to stay with herself, Silver and Sabrina but thought better of it. There were more urgent things to think of tonight.

Flynt had decided to send Vashkoda and herself with the mercenaries to launch an attack on Dominion's research center. Shaiya had been chosen to stay with Silver's son. As much as the clan needed the aid of these humans there was something not right about truly trusting them. None of the clan could put their finger on the exact reason, many of them putting it down to the fact that the mercenaries were human. However the lack of trust was something much more simple than matters of race and past actions. They didn't trust the mercenaries because they didn't belong...they weren't clan.

The remainder of the clan had set off into the city itself in order to cause a diversion. Llewelyn had the feeling they had been sent to go with the mercenaries to make sure that the humans didn't betray the clan. She didn't believe the humans would, they were all in the same boat...or hovercraft. Allowing herself a small smile, Llewelyn glanced at the digital clock that adorned the front of their compartment. A few of the mercenaries were doing the same.

"Well guys only five minutes before we get to blow something up. A nice little fireball is going to look really good on a night like this, isn't it?"

Her comments were met with a number of blank stares.

"You guys have no sense of humor," she mumbled as the hovercraft flew on into the night.

******

The city of Newbridge was silent, it's streets deserted save for the occasional patrol of Dominion foot soldiers. The only other sign of life came from the roof of the Inter-Dimension building as five figures vanished into the shadows of the penthouse balcony located on the top floor.

"The entrance code still works. Good." Flynt opened the door and the five members of the clan slipped inside.

"Our enemy will surely know that we would return here. This is wrong." Diamond stood by the glass doors of the penthouse and scanned the night.

"I don't mean to sound rude Diamond, but I thought that was the entire purpose of us coming out here. To attract Dominion's attention," said Silver, as she let her eyes move over the interior of the room they were in. In all the time she had been with the clan she had never before visited this place high above the city that Thaylog, Flynt and Dayia had once called home.

"Then we should go looking for them and take the fight to them!" Diamond turned to her clan mates. “This skulking about in the shadows, this plotting, this subterfuge. Those are human traits! We are not humans so why do we act like them? If we are to die in the next few days then shouldn’t we be living them as gargoyles?”

A frustrated sigh from Flynt focused Diamond's attention on the coffee-colored gargoyle. “Fine Diamond…and what would you have us do?” Flynt leveled his gaze on the white haired gargess. “You know as well as the rest of us that the cure Thaylog is bringing back to us may be our only hope against our enemy. What we are doing here will keep our enemy guessing what our true motives are until it’s too late.” He began to walk towards Diamond. “We work with the humans because we have no other choice. Believe me when I say that if there was any other way I would leave the humans to their own fate.”

Anger and confusion crossed Diamonds face. “Then why don’t you?”

“Because our numbers are so few and our enemy's numbers are so great. Like it or not we need the help of the humans. It would be suicide to act alone.”

He turned, taking in the expressions of the four females around him. “If Thaylogs plan fails then we will attack and show them what it truly means to oppose a gargoyle. But until that time arrives, if it arrives at all there is no need for us to throw our lives away.”

“Flynt’s right, Diamond," said Sabrina as she moved towards the gargess. “I still have blood kin and clan out there. I don’t want to lose them.” She reached out to put a comforting hand on Diamond's shoulder. The white haired gargess stepped back and Sabrina’s hand hung in mid-air for a moment before being reluctantly lowered to her side. She glanced down at her hand, wondering why now of all times Diamond would reject the comfort of her own kind, why she would reject her. At this moment in time she felt as if that revelation would never come. When she looked back up at Diamond, the white haired gargess and turned slightly away from her and the others.

“Diamond?”

Diamond turned back to face the clan, her face set in an expression that was impossible to read. She glanced at Sabrina before lowering her head so that her features were shadowed. “Be grateful you still have kin to fight for.” There was silence as each clan member wondered what exactly was happening here. Moments later Diamond let out a long sigh and lifted her head; her expression hard. “Alright then. Lets get this over with.”

Meanwhile, Dayia had walked to the balcony and took a quick look over the edge. “I think you guys should come and take a look at this,” she called back to the others. “We may be able to get this over with sooner rather than later.”

“What do you mean?” Flynt and the clan joined the raven-haired gargess.

“There,” she said, pointing down into the street below.

At first there was nothing, only the unnatural quiet of the city, but as the gargoyles watched and listened the silence was swallowed by the sounds of engines. The shadows in the darkened street below merged to create a source for the sound.

"A patrol?" asked Silver.

"I don't know." Sabrina frowned and glanced at the others. "If it was a patrol wouldn't there be more than one man driving that car?"

"They're becoming too cocky for their own good." Diamond drew her dagger. "And that is something they will come to regret."

"It isn't just a single car." Flynt said, his eyes still on the street below. "Look."

They did.

In the darkness and shadows figures moved. Here and there were cold metal flashed in the night.

"They're armed," commented Sabrina.

"But if there are people guarding that car, then there must be something in there that's important," said Silver.

"Good," Flynt nodded, obviously pleased. "If it's important, then attacking it will definitely grab their attention." He glanced back into the penthouse and at the antique clock that stood on a sideboard. Four minutes until Vashkoda, Llewelyn and the mercenaries attacked the mountain base. If he and his group were going to create a distraction--one long enough for the others to accomplish their task--then they would have to act now.

He glanced at the four gargesses, poised and ready to act when he gave the word. They reminded him of his old clan, a clan whose final victory he had been torn away from. Well not this time. This time he would see it through to the end... no matter what the outcome.

He tightened his grip on the balcony railing. The others, sensing that something was about to happen, readied themselves.

"Now?" whispered Silver, never taking her eyes off the street below.

"NOW!" roared Flynt as he vaulted over the balcony railings and hurtled towards the startled Dominion soldiers below.

******

They had landed some distance from the Dominion research base.  The hovercraft they had been traveling in was now nothing more than a rapidly vanishing dot on the horizon. Without exchanging a single word, the group of mercenaries and gargoyles split up and disappeared into the woodland surrounding the base, each individual knowing what role they were to play, each knowing that the time would be soon.

Harding glanced at his watch...the face of the timepiece glowing briefly before the leader of the mercenaries switched it off. From his position behind a low bush he could see the main gate of the base.

It was swarming with guards.

He glanced at Sanderson and held up a finger. One minute to go.

Sanderson nodded and gestured to some of the men gathered around him. In response they disappeared into the darkness heading for the rear of the complex, Sanderson following them.

One of the mercenaries staying with Harding glanced at the gate with a bemused expression on his face. "Didn't think that when we dropped that shipment off here a few days ago we'd be back to blow the same damn thing up," he muttered, adjusting his night vision goggles.

"We're doing a lot of things we didn't think we'd be doing," Harding replied in a low voice. He glanced at his watch again.

Thirty seconds.

"Those gargoyles had better be ready."

******

"I wonder why we're the ones who have to destroy the tower?" Llewelyn shifted on the branch she and Vashkoda were perched on. "Not that I'm complaining though."

Vashkoda's voice emanated from some point to Llewelyn's left. The scorpion tailed gargess had donned her hood and vanished from sight as soon as the humans had moved toward the base. She had yet to remove it. "The humans have the skills to keep the guards busy," there was a rustle and Llewelyn was sure that Vash had turned to face her. "We have the skills to get into the base.  Plant this explosive and get out of there before igniting the fuse."

"And they're not detonating the bomb by timer or wire because Dominion will detect that." Llewelyn nodded to herself and rubbed her hands together. "Now this is going to be fun."

"We are fighting for our lives and for the fate of every human on the planet." Llewelyn could feel Vashkoda's scowl burn into her back "I fail to see the 'fun' in that."

"Oh come on Vash...even you can't stand there all serious and say that you're not secretly pleased that we're going to get one up on Dominion? Relax...enjoy it. How many times do you think we're going to go up against some bad guy who wants to take over the world for some reason or another?"

"You seriously want me to answer the last part of that question?"

Llewelyn's face fell. "Err no."

A small explosion to the rear of the base ended any further conversation the two gargesses may have had. Time had run out and the part they were to play in that night's events had begun.

******

The image on the screen flickered once, twice before resolving into sharp focus. The image that flash before the CEO of Dominion enterprises should have sent the middle-aged human scrambling to the nearest phone.

And yet the only movement he made was the small smile that played around the corner of his mouth.

"Shouldn't we be doing something, Sir?"

A slight flicker of the eyes was all the acknowledgement Dawson gave the gaunt-faced man that stood by his side.

"Sir?" The man frowned.

Dawson stepped away from the screen, and folding his arms turned to his companion. "And what exactly would you have us do?"

"Sir?"

Dawson indicated the screen with an inclination of his head. "So these gargoyles are attacking a truck. Tell me..." Dawson frowned as he tried to recall the name of this one, the latest in a long line of personal assistants.

"Aynton, Sir."

"Tell me, Aynton. Why should we dedicate any further resources to dealing with these pests when whatever they do now is little more than a futile gesture on their behalf? They can't stop what's coming. Tomorrow it will be too late to do anything". Dawson turned on his heels and strode towards a large glass window. Beyond the glass there extended the interior of a vast hangar. Within the hangar were a number of non-descript aircraft that were being loaded with canisters. Dawson glanced at Aynton. "Tell me what a handful of gargoyles can do against an enemy they can't even see?"

Aynton considered this for a moment before looking straight into Dawson's milky-white eyes. "Absolutely nothing."

"But?" Dawson had hear that unspoken word in the tone of Aynton's voice.

"There are too many loose cannons about, Sir." Aynton nervously liked his lips and glanced back at the screen. "Harding and his men haven't been accounted for yet. And if the image on the screen is anything to go by, then half of the gargoyles have vanished without a trace."

"What?" Dawson's attention was immediately switched back to the screen. The camera angle had now changed. The new view took in the whole street and showed five gargoyles battling with a group of his soldiers.

Five gargoyles.

Dominion had estimated that there were ten gargoyles in that clan and that wasn't including their 'associates'.

Five gargoyles were missing.

"These gargoyles may not be able to do anything," Aynton continued. "But we need to know where they are."

Dawson scowled. He wasn't prepared to be made a fool of, not now, not ever. His attention was so focused upon the images on the screen that time slowed and the outside world became something he did not belong to.

He didn't hear the phone ring, didn't notice Aynton leave his side to answer it, didn't notice when Aynton's usually droll tones became tinged first with concern and then panic. What held his attention were the events unfolding on the screen before him. It was only when Aynton tapped him on the shoulder and gingerly held out a cell phone that normal time began to run again.

"It's the communications base, sir."

Dawson snatched the phone away from Aynton. "What?" He held the phone up to his ear ... the line was dead. He spun around to face Aynton. "What did they want?" he demanded.

"They said they were under attack." Aynton backed away from Dawson. "They mentioned Harding, sir."

For a moment there was no reaction from Dawson, and then in one fluid motion he threw the cell phone straight at the nearest person.

Aynton tried to avoid it but his reactions were moments too slow. The phone connected with his head and he fell into a crumpled heap in the floor. Others in the control room ran to help him.

Dawson did not.

His attention had once again been captured by the images that flashed on the screen before him. Where once there had been five gargoyles fighting his men, there now seemed to be an entire army! Winged figures flitted across the screen, moving too fast to be identified.

For Dawson the night had gone from bad to worse.

******

The soldiers' hesitation lasted for only the briefest of moments before they attacked again. They had been told to kill the gargoyles on sight, and now here before them was a whole army of the creatures. They surged forward, intent on the kill, intent on pouring out the hatred that had been drilled into their minds. They never noticed that the gargoyles' expressions changed very little, nor that the majority of their foe never moved or flinched at the bullets that buzzed past them. They never noticed that though many of their bullets were on target, not one gargoyle fell.

And most importantly of all, they didn't notice the five shadows that slipped silently away from the melee; didn't notice when one of the shadows stumbled and was immediately scooped up by one of the others and carried away into the darkness.

"I'm ok, you can put me down now Flynt." Sabrina looked up at the tan warrior and smiled weakly.

"I'll put you down once we've put some distance between ourselves and this city."

"But-"

"But nothing. You've earned your rest."

"Yeah Sabrina," Silver huffed. "That illusion of a gargoyle army you created is going to keep those idiots busy for a while."

"I wish we could take to the air," said Dayia as she dodged a discarded trashcan. "We could be out of here much more quickly."

"And run the risk of being seen?" Flynt said as he ducked into the darkness of a nearby alleyway, the others following his lead. "Remember what happened to you, me and Thaylog the last time we tried to escape this city by gliding?"

"Yeah I remember." Dayia leaned against the wall, allowing it to support her while she caught her breath. "Harding cornered us and you got-"

Flynt held up a talon cutting Dayia off in mid-sentence. "Exactly."

At the entrance to the alley, Diamond glanced back the others and then out into the street. "We shouldn't tarry here long."

"She's right." A long sigh from Sabrina drew everyone's attention. "I'm sorry guys...I couldn't keep the illusion going any more."

"That means that they'll be looking for us." Flynt took a deep breath and looked at the others. "We need to keep moving if we want to be at the rendezvous point before dawn.

"You're right," Sabrina said, getting to her feet. "I wonder how the others fared?"

"We'll know soon enough." Flynt said as he joined Diamond at the opening of the alleyway. The street was clear and for the moment safe for the gargoyles to make their escape.

"Lets go."

One by one the gargoyles moved into the street and were soon swallowed up by the night.

******

"This is too easy." Llewelyn sighed as she fitted another small device to the base of the communications building. "Where is everyone? I thought that we'd at least have one or two Dominion soldiers come over to pay us a visit."

Vashkoda said nothing, but glanced in the direction Harding and his men had last been seen. From there and from the far end of the compound came the sound of gunfire and the occasional explosion. She looked back at Llewelyn.

The horned gargess gave a small sheepish grin. "I guess it's a case of 'be careful what you wish for', right Vash?"

Again Vashkoda said nothing, a noise from behind her had caught her attention. From the sound of the gunfire came two figures. One was speaking into a walkie-talkie while the other had leveled a gun at the two gargesses. Vash's sharp eyesight confirmed one thing, these were not Harding's men. Dominion's attention had finally swung around to the communications tower.

Vashkoda swore under her breath and then spun around to face Llewelyn. "Are we done?"

Llewelyn grunted as she fixed the last of the explosives into place. "Done."

"Then let's get out of here and do what we have to do."

"I'm way ahead of you on that one," said Llewelyn as she vanished in a ball of flames. Vashkoda hesitated for a moment and glanced back at the two Dominion soldiers. One was shouting something at her while the other was still talking onto his walkie-talkie. The two men were now close enough to be caught in the blast that was to come, but there was nothing that Vashkoda could do about that. As the first shot rang out she knew that she had to act. Pulling her hood over her head she vanished from sight, scaled the nearest wall, took to the the air and glided away into the night.

There was nothing she could do.

A ball of flames erupted on her right hand side and Llewelyn winked back into existence. Vashkoda pulled down her hood and became visible once again. She glanced at Llewelyn.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," came the reply. Llewelyn glanced back down at the tower and a look of horror stole across her face. "Awww man." Her hands clenched into fists at her side as she hovered in the air. Down on the ground one soldier stood almost on top of one of the explosives that Vashkoda and Llewelyn had fixed to the tower. The other soldier was nowhere to be seen. Llewelyn closed her eyes. "I don't know if I can do this Vash."

A look of concern appeared on Vashkoda's face. "We have no choice."

"But when the explosives go off he won't stand a chance. It's not right."

Vashkoda glided close to Llewelyn and laid a talon on her shoulder. "If we wait any longer then the tower will be swarming with soldiers. Will it be any easier then? There's a time to act Llewelyn and that time is now."

Llewelyn opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "You're right," she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Vash. "But you might want to make a head start in getting out of here."

"What?" Vash frowned and she she opened her mouth to ask Llewelyn what she was planning, but before she could utter a single word the younger gargess had vanished in a ball of flame.

Llewelyn reappeared directly behind the soldier and before the surprised man had time to react, she had knocked him out. She picked him up, and holding him in her arms, she looked up into the night sky and sought out Vash. The older gargess was still where she had left her.

What was she up to? Vashkoda hovered in the air. She caught the younger gargess' eyes as Llewelyn mouthed the words 'I'm sorry'.....

...and then the entire communications base exploded, the blast and accompanying fireball engulfing Llewelyn and the human.

Vashkoda screamed, her words lost beneath the deafening roar of the explosion. She shielded her eyes, the eye-watering light from the explosion temporarily blinding her. The heat from the explosion had caused an updraft, one that carried Vash away from the chaos. She opened her eyes and scanned the wreckage.  There was no sign of either Llewelyn or the human.

"Llewelyn-" the moan escaped her as her shoulders sagged. She had failed the one person she had sworn to protect; she had lost a friend, she had...

"Vash?"

Vashkoda gasped and spun around in shock, her momentary loss of balance almost making her lose the current of air that was keeping her aloft. There, behind her, floated Llewelyn, the unconscious human still in her arms and an embarrassed look on her face.

"Llewelyn! What did you think you were doing? I thought the explosion had caught you. I thought..."

"I know Vash." Llewelyn hung her head "And I'm sorry, but I couldn't just leave him down there. I just couldn't. You understand, don't you?"

"I..." Vashkoda glanced at the human in Llewelyn's arms. "What were you planning on doing with him?"

Llewelyn grinned. "Thaylog and Kahreen said they wanted an infected human."

"Very well." Vashkoda sighed and banked to her left. Llewelyn followed suit. The two gargesses glided in silence for a few moments. As the glow from the burning wreckage of the tower diminished, the darkness that surrounded the complex engulfed them.

Vashkoda spoke. "Llewelyn?"

"Yeah?"

"Never ever do something like that again."

There was a pause, and then a subdued, "Yes Vash."

There was another pause. "It was an inspired maneuver though."

"Yeah."

"Reckless though."

"Absolutely."

"You won't be doing it again will you?"

"Definitely not."

"Good."

For the rest of their trip back to the rendezvous point the two gargesses traveled in silence.

There really wasn't anything more to say.

******

The forest itself was silent in the pre-dawn darkness. The sun had not yet risen, but the humidity was already beginning to verge on the oppressive, and the five individuals who lurked inside the camouflaged shelters were beginning to feel it's effects.

One of the shelters was set slightly apart from the others, partly through it's occupants wishes, but mainly through the resentment felt by the two humans who had been left behind to 'babysit' what they considered to be three creatures who were more than capable of looking after themselves.

Chaz knew that the humans were not happy at being left behind.  He knew where he wanted to be, and it certainly wasn't here sitting on his behind in a camp populated by himself, Shaiya, Sirius and a pair of sullen humans.

And there was one more thing... the mosquitoes. No one had admitted to being the one who had chosen the site, and for good reason. To one side of the camp lay a marsh which gradually became wetter and wetter until it merged into a lake that took up over half of the narrow valley they were now in. Coupled with the steep rocky slopes that rose behind it and the dense cover of the canopy above them, the camp was in what should have been the perfect location; perfect save for one fact.

Nobody seemed to have mentioned the mosquitoes that had descended upon the group as soon as they had stepped out of the hovercraft. Even Sirius, with his thick skin, had not been spared. One of the little bloodsuckers had landed on Chaz's arm. The young gargoyle grimaced and slapped the insect away. He sighed and looked at Sirius. The gargoyle beast had half-buried himself beneath a low growing bush and wore a similar expression of misery.

"I hate this." Chaz slumped to the ground, crossed his arms and caped his wings around his body in an attempt to keep the mosquitoes away. 

"If it's so uncomfortable out there, Chaz then why don't you come back inside the tent? The mosquito net isn't there just to decorate the doorway." Chaz turned slightly and peered over his shoulder. There behind the haze of the netting he could make out the slight form of the one who the clan had chosen to protect him.

"I know, Shaiya." Chaz shifted uncomfortably on the ground. "But it's too stuffy in there and you can't see through the netting very well."

Shaiya smiled, she knew where this conversation was heading. She pulled the netting aside and stepped out of the tent. "And why would you want to look out of the net?"

"So I can see mother the moment she gets back." He frowned. "Why else would I want to see through the net?"

"Oh I don't know," Shaiya gestured towards the humans. "I thought you were keeping an eye on them."

"Nah," Chaz shook his head. "Mother trusted them enough to leave me near them. I don't need to watch out for them." Chaz became silent as something occurred to him for the first time. "But if mother trusted the humans, then why are you here?" He looked up. Shaiya had donned her hood and cloak so that shadows covered most of her face and he couldn't see her expression. There was silence before Shaiya spoke; her soft voice reassuring.

"I was left here because I can protect you in ways the humans never could."

"But so could mother. Why did she go when she could have stayed here?"

"Because Silver had talents that will be useful to those who went to the city."

"So do you."

That caught Shaiya off guard. "That may be so, but I have wards that can keep you and Sirius safe if the Dominion finds us here."

"Wards?" The young gargoyles interest was aroused. "You mean like magic spells?"

Shaiya considered this for a moment. "It's not exactly the same, but I guess you can say that they have the same effect."

"But the others can do magic too."

 Shaiya smiled and ruffled the small boy's hair. Chaz squirmed, obviously embarrassed by such public displays of female affection. "Yes Chaz, the others can do magic too... that's why they've gone out tonight. That's why they'll be back." She disappeared back into the tent and soon reappeared with a blanket which she lay on the ground beside Chaz and sat down on. She made herself comfortable and glanced at Chaz before turning her gaze to the one piece of pre-dawn sky that was visible through the dense overhead canopy. "You don't mind if I watch with you, do you Chaz?"

He smiled. "Of course I don't," he said, before joining Shaiya in her watch of the sky.

Minutes passed in silence as the duo watched the sky above them begin to lighten. Sunrise was only an hour away, and still none of those who had left for the city and the communications base had returned.

Chaz frowned. "You think they're ok?"

"Of course they are." Shaiya broke off her vigil and looked at Chaz. The expression on the youngsters face was one of preoccupied concern. She was about to say something further when his eyes widened and he stood, never taking his gaze from the sky above him. Shaiya followed suit. "What is it?"

A look of concentration crossed Chaz's face. "Can you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"Engines." Chaz glanced at Sirius and then pointed at the gargoyle beast. "See, even Sirius can hear them." Shaiya looked. Sirius had reappeared from his hiding place beneath the bush and had moved to Chaz's side. And then she heard it... the low hum of a hovercraft's engine. Seconds later, movement from the human's side of the camp made it obvious that they had heard it too.

Chaz looked at Shaiya, hope in his eyes, "Do you think it's them?"

"Of course it's them," said a female voice behind them.

Chaz and Shaiya spun around. "Llewelyn!" Chaz cried and hugged the horned gargess.

"Hey kid," said Llewelyn, smiling. She detached herself from the youngster and turned to Shaiya. "We're the first back?"

Shaiya nodded. "You haven't heard from the others?"

Llewelyn shook her head. "Nope, but considering the lack of a welcome we got at the communications base, I'd say they were successful at distracting Dominion in the city."

"And you?" The trio turned to see one of the mercenaries who had remained behind with Chaz and Shaiya approaching them. "Was the mission a success? Where's Harding?"

"You mean the communications base?" Llewelyn smiled. "We..."

"The communications base was completely destroyed," Harding said as he, Vashkoda and the remaining mercenaries emerged from between the trees. Vashkoda carried the still unconscious Dominion soldier in her arms.

"Oh yeah," Llewelyn grinned. "We brought a present for Thaylog when he gets back." The grin widened. "Do you think he'd like him gift-wrapped?"

"Oh I don't know...stick some handcuffs on him and gag his mouth and I'm sure Thaylog would be over the moon." Kahreen detached herself from the shadows, a few moments later a larger shadow moved and Thaylog stepped into the clearing. He frowned at the biomech and walked over to Vashkoda. The scorpion -tailed gargess had set the human down on the ground. Thaylog crouched down and lifted the man's head up. "Are you sure he's under the influence of the virus?"

"Almost positive... I very much doubt any of the people at the base were working for Dawson under their own free will."

Thaylog straightened and looked at the dark-haired human before him. "As I recall," he said as he lifted his arm and swept it in a wide semi-circle, indicating the assembled mercenaries. "If the price is right, then Dominion would not need the virus...just cold hard cash."

"I guess we wait till he wakes up then." Kahreen jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "We'd better get him back to the Dragon then. I'm not too keen on leaving Flynt alone with the main cannon still online."

"Flynt's with you?" Vashkoda looked up in surprise. "What about the others?"

"They're with us and they're fine. We came across them not long after we passed over Newbridge so we decided to pick them up." Kahreen crossed her arms, a look of impatience on her face. "So if you want to follow me we'll go see if Thaylog's cure actually works."

"Thaylog?" The assembled gargesses looked at their Ivory leader.

Thaylog closed his eyes and then looked at the assembled group. "We can't be sure that we haven't been followed. It would be best if the clan rested in Kahreen's ship during the day. If the Dominion attacked and we had to leave at a moments notice..."

"You wouldn't want to leave any of your people behind." Harding nodded. "Good plan, gargoyle." He motioned to his men, all of whom headed towards their hovercraft. "And I don't want to leave any of mine behind either." He glanced at Kahreen. "Where is your craft?"

"Beyond that ridge. But you don't need to ask...we'll be riding with you."

"What?"

"It's faster and we need to be there before sunrise," Thaylog said, already moving towards the hovercrafts. "And don't argue. We don't have the time."

Harding muttered something under his breath and then motioned to Thaylog and the others to follow him. Within seconds, the mercenaries' hovercrafts rose in the air and took off across the sky, racing against the dawn and towards their final battle with the Dominion.

For good or bad, the next dawn would either reveal their victory...or the beginning of the end.

*******