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Chapter 11: Off The Record
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Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 12: Complications
"Of course."Deke rubbed a hand down his face. His life had just gotten more complicated. "And it was just a coincidence Whitney was there to see the body drop?""Not a coincidence—an unfortunate happening. Might even have been a warning to her.""Why her?" he asked. The buck sauntered off, as if Deke were inconsequential. Deke walked the perimeter, checking for breaks in the wires, or trip wires that had been violated. He found none. "I don't know," Tex replied, "but there are no coincidences.""True. I haven't figured out yet how she fits into all this.""She does; we just don't know how yet. I'll do some more digging. Her father owns the newspaper she works for."Something niggled at Deke's brain. That was important. "Dig more on him.""Oh?""Nothing I can tell you with any certainty, but my gut is saying it has to do with her father." Deke leaned against a tree, suddenly tired. He'd wanted to live out the rest of his life quietly. That option had left when the body had dropped off
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 13: Adopted
Deke put up his hands. "You're not mad at me." He was right, but that didn't stop her from wanting to rage at him. Her whole life had been a lie, and she needed time to adjust. He rose and strode to the kitchen, brushing past her. "Let's take this conversation up later.""It's not going to be any easier later than it is now."He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You need time to adjust."She didn't have time. Someone had tried to get into Deke's house—to get to her. "Obviously, I don't know anything about my birth parents."Deke nodded. He put a tea bag into a mug of hot water, then leaned against the counter. She wrapped her arms around herself. Would she ever be warm again? Deke handed her the mug of tea. She gripped it like it was a lifeline. "I'll have Tex investigate it," he said. "The adoption was private, so he was lucky to get even that much information."She nodded, wanting to go farther inside herself but refusing to. This was her life, and she had always tried to face it he
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 14: Still Being Chased
"What the heck was that for?" Whitney asked."That alarm was the perimeter being breached. Someone must have gotten the cell signal.""I thought you said this was a secure line.""I guess the bad guys have up-to-date technology, too. Get your jacket on. We have to go.""Go where?""Back to the city. That way, no one can easily intercept the signal. There are too many of them." She hurried as Deke waited by the door. When she was ready, he went out ahead of her. He looked all around them. "Come on." He grabbed her hand—which was good, since she couldn't see past the light coming from the front window. He took long strides, and then they were in the woods. Her feet moved faster than she thought they could."Why aren't we taking the truck?" she asked."Because they've seen it." He didn't stop—not even when she yanked on his arm."I need to catch my breath," she said."No time, princess."The moniker chafed at her. She was no princess. "No need for insults. I'm just out of shape.""That co
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 15: Back to the City
Whitney fell asleep partway to Center City, and Deke was happy to be alone with his thoughts. He hadn't yet discerned why he felt so strongly about Whitney, but now, he had to get down to business. The Foleys were meeting them at the safe apartment. He swiped his key card and pulled into the underground garage. Whitney stirred when he parked the truck. They hadn't been followed, as far as Deke could tell. No one could follow him into the garage unless they lived in the building. The Foleys had checked it out prior to buying the apartment from Tex.Whitney opened her eyes as he parked the car in the concrete area under the building. "Where are we?" she asked, stretching."Back in Philly, in a safe area."She nodded, but he figured she was only rolling with it because she was half-asleep. They entered the elevator, which whisked them to one of the top floors. The doors opened into a hallway with three doors. Whitney had remained quiet the whole time, which made Deke a little nervous—th
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 16: He Can Cook
Whitney listened to the chatter around her as they all ate the food Deke cooked. He was a wizard in the kitchen. Her thoughts were all over the place, but they all seemed to come back to him. Twice during the meal, she caught him staring at her. She'd clearly interrupted a meeting, and they hadn't continued the subject at hand until everyone finished eating. Were they keeping something from her? Her reporter instincts were bruised, but she'd bet there was something they weren't saying in front of her. "So, where do we stand?" she asked as they cleared the plates.Deke settled in a chair. "I cooked. You can all clean."Whitney would have gotten up, but the kitchen was already crowded. Besides, she wanted to be the one asking questions. Her gaze turned to Deke. He wasn't making eye contact with her suddenly. Was he lying? Hmm. So far, Deke had been upfront with her. That meant the situation was getting bigger. She could ask them, or she could investigate. If she just got a hold of a com
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 17: Trust Wasn't Her Gig
Whitney stared at his back as he left her in the kitchen without any more answers than she had before. She would have to research the Foley brothers herself.Deke's phone dinged from where he left it on the counter, and she smiled as she heard the water turn on in the bathroom. She had one phone number memorized—the newspaper office—and she could use it right now. She took Deke's phone out onto the deck overlooking the Delaware River. She didn't want him to overhear her, so she faced the apartment instead of the view, just in case he came out of the bathroom.Her only friend in the newsroom picked up. "This is Kendra.""Kendra, it's Whitney.""Hey, girl. Where you been? You father's been looking for you.""He has?" She couldn't hold back her surprise. She hadn't expected him to even notice she was gone."Yes, of course.""I haven't been gone that long.""But you're always here, so everyone noticed."That's how he knew. Someone must have mentioned it to him; that would be the only reaso
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 18: No Flying
"Just… not my thing."Donal snorted. "We're gargoyles, dude. It's almost as good as sex to let your wings loose and fly.""It's only ever gotten me in trouble.""I'm sure if I bought you a drink sometime, you'd tell me the story," Donal said."Might need more than one drink to tell that one.""I'm betting it involved a woman.""You'd win that bet." Deke paced in the kitchen, knowing time wasn't on their side. They also didn't know who the enemy was. If they did, he'd know for sure where to look for Whitney. Damn her for being so headstrong. It might have gotten her killed. She needed a man to protect her.Oh, no. He'd never wanted to protect anyone before in his life. This was bad. Maybe he should step out of this situation while he still could."Wait," Donal said. "Tex is going to send you an article from Whitney's newspaper.""What about?""You'll see.""Do I need to read it now? We need to find Whitney.""You'll understand. I'll meet you at the top of the newspaper building." Donal
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 19: Bait
"They are going to come here, looking for you. Either because they are mad about the article, or because they know you have come to see me."Whitney mulled over his words for a moment. "So, they're coming here?" She doubted that. "What happens then?""I destroy them." For a moment, her father reminded her of a villain from a James Bond movie. His eyes flashed darkness, and she could have sworn his teeth had lengthened.A chill went down her spine. She blinked, but her father just stood in front of her. "And how do you plan to do that? They're big guys." And ex-military. "Easily, Whitney." Before her eyes, her father transformed. She blinked, thinking she was seeing things. His teeth became larger and sharper. His fingers elongated, while his stature became smaller. His skin turned a green she didn't think was healthy, and he stood in front of her, snarling. She backed a few steps towards the door. The wings on his back flapped at her, but he didn't approach.What the hell had she jus
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Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 103: Aftermath
Dani woke late the next morning to the scent of coffee and pancakes. It all smelled good, so she pulled on sweats and headed in the direction of aroma. Ben stood in front of the stove wearing a pair of jeans and a worn t-shirt. He wouldn't have looked any better if he'd been in a tuxedo.She paused in the doorway and watched his efficient movements. He was humming while he worked. As if a load had been taken off his shoulders. There were no reminders of his wounds from last night."Hi," he said, turning to her.She slid into his arms as if it were the most natural thing. They'd been through something together. Even if they didn't have a bond before, the events of last night would have cemented one between them. "Hey.""You okay?" he asked."I'm okay. Not sure where I go from here," she said.He had one hand on her back and the other on her hair, stroking it. As if he knew she loved it. "One foot in front of the other."Dani's phone rang. It was the college. "Let me take this." She move
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 102: She Was Here
Dani was close and that made Ben want to turn, but something was holding him back. Was there some magic in this room that kept his abilities at bay? He didn't know that could happen. He'd never heard of it and it was a disturbing new twist to a goblin's power. He'd have to ask Donal when they arrived. Which he was pretty sure they were going to do.If Dani was here, she'd been brought here by the good guys. At least he hoped. The men playing cards had left. He could feel his wounds healing, but not as quickly as they should have. Something was definitely blocking his powers. A goblin flung open the door to the room. This one's stench was as bad as the rest of them.He wore a suit in his human form, but it didn't mask his evil. Ben glanced up at him with his one unswollen eye. This wasn't going to end well for the goblins, and if he could, Ben would extract as much information from them as possible. They still thought they were winning.The good guys were going to win again. Ben had no
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 101: Saving Ben
Dani heard the words he didn't say. They could kill Ben and it hurt her heart. She flinched at the idea that he would no longer be around. "I get it. I'm sorry I'm dragging my feet."Donal put a hand on hers. "We understand, we just want to get Ben."She nodded. "So do I." She shook herself. "So, I have to be touching Ben for our power to work?""Yes, and he needs to be in gargoyle form.""There's nothing else I need to do?" she asked.She looked at each one of them. As much as she couldn't grasp it all, she wanted the whole story. All of it."Just hold onto Ben."***Dani bounced around in the front seat of the van as Tex drove it from paved streets to ones with potholes and ruts. For the taxes they paid, the roads were the worst. Of course, this was an area that had been abandoned and maybe those companies renovating the warehouses would do the same for the roads."Not too much further. Can you feel him?"She nodded. Ben was in pain. She knew that, but he hadn't given up hope. It was
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 100: You're a Fairy
Dani's thoughts immediately went to her friend with cancer. That was the biggest incident. It wasn't the only one. A few more flooded her brain. "Yes.""Well, those are your fairy powers. You can wish something for someone else and it comes true. Something good of course. You are unable to use your powers for bad things."Powers? She had powers? "Can I wish Ben back here?""It's not that simple," Sean said, taking up the explanation. "Because goblin magic is strong, you can't overcome it. Well, not alone."She sat straighter. "So, how can I?""With your gargoyle."She looked around the table again. "Ben?""Yes. Ben's your gargoyle," Sean said.Okay. She needed a little more. "Can you give me some background?""Back before humans—or we think humans with goblins' help—ruled the world, there was magic. Gargoyle and fairies formed an alliance against goblins. A few elite families of gargoyles were assigned to protect a specific fairy. That is still true, but most fairies have no idea they
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 99: Ben Gone
If Dani went downstairs to Foley Security, she might miss Ben.She should wait.She poured water into a mug and tucked it into the microwave for tea. Something was bothering her. Something in her soul told her that Ben was in trouble. She hit cancel on the microwave and took the steps one floor down.Foley Security was buzzing, but it was probably normal activity. The spouses had gone home. Ben and Dani knew when their interviews were. Donal had taken care of security for the ones they would have to do in person. The rest would be done remotely via Zoom in the office Tex had set up for them.Dani looked around, then finally asked the receptionist, "Where's Donal?""He's out meeting a new client.""Declan?""He's in his office. He might be on the phone," she said."Can I go back? I need to talk to him."She nodded as the phone rang. Dani slipped past her and down the hall, in search of any of the Foley brothers.Sean walked out into the hallway. Dani stopped. "I need to talk to you. Ben
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 98: Suspended
"Give them to me, and I'll not have you escorted off campus by security."The woman was a goblin. How hadn't Ben noticed that from the other end of the lecture hall? Maybe they were getting good at covering up their stench. "Let's go, Dani.""I'm not going to be run off campus that easily.""It's better if we go now."The dean shot him a glowering look. She knew what Ben was, and he didn't want an altercation in case any of the students were still lingering. Dani frowned then packed up her briefcase. "This isn't over.""Yes, it is."Wyatt was waiting outside. "Professor Walsh? What's going on?""I guess I'm suspended. Do me a favor? Keep questioning things," Dani said to him.Ben put a hand on her lower back. "It was worth a try, Dani. This place is crawling with goblins, so I guess they have infiltrated here also.""Let's talk when we get to the car," she said.Ben had to agree. He couldn't get them out of there fast enough.***Ben received the notice from YouTube the next day. They
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 97: Reunion
Meg hugged Dani. "You look as if you are carrying the weight of the world. You aren't alone anymore, Dani. We're all here."The idea warmed her. She hadn't had a tribe since college. Many of her friends had moved away to find jobs in other cities. She'd stayed put, thinking this was her home. It was, even if she had no family here. Instead of fostering new friendships, she'd launched herself into her career. Speaking engagements had followed, but her life was a little empty."That's nice to know, Meg. Thanks.""Ben might be done by now. He'll be looking for you.""Me?"She wasn't sure if he would be or not. She didn't know where she stood with Ben. Or exactly why it mattered to her. Before their event, she'd been happy to go through life alone. Sort of happy about it. Maybe she'd only been reconciled to the idea."Of course," Meg said."Why?"Meg just laughed, the sound a sweet melody for some reason. "Let's go find him. I'm starved and I hope my husband is back with breakfast."Dani's
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 96: Confession
"How much do you know?" Ben asked."Well, I know that goblins invaded the venue. We have several videos of that. And now that you put out that video of you changing to a gargoyle my boss has told me to step up our investigation of the goblins.""You've known about what is going on?" Ben said.He shifted in the chair he'd chosen. Dalton nodded. "They've been on our radar for a while. With you exposing them we suspect they will get more violent.""I certainly hadn't expected that reaction.""Don't feel guilty. You did what you thought was right. I get it. I'm sure it was cathartic to come into the light about who you are."Ben nodded. Dalton had said that wistfully. "You a supe?""Gargoyle, like you, except I'm of French ancestry not Irish. My family has been in the United States for years.""I had a buddy in the service whose family was from France. Paris. He was the first generation born here. Frenchie, we called him. He'd swear at us in French so we'd have no idea what he was saying."
Gargoyles in Uniform Chapter 95: Revealing
Ben would do everything in his power to protect his children, if he had them. Tex shrugged. "I think that you're doing the right thing. It is the only way to win this battle with the goblins."He shook Tex's hand. "Thanks. And Aileen?""My wife is on board with defeating goblins.""Good to know. Now let me think about what I'm going to say."Ben walked back in front of the camera."You haven't been planning this?""I have, Tex, but I never thought about what I'd say.""Say what is in your heart," Dani said from the doorway.Ben nodded. "I guess that's the best advice I'm going to get."Tex climbed up onto the table and sat behind the camera. "Well said.""You should go up, Dani," Ben said.She shook her head. "I've spent my whole life studying history. I want to be part of it now.""No pressure," Ben said, laughing."None meant, but this is huge, Ben," she said.He nodded. "Okay let's begin. I think I know what I want to say now."Dani cleared her throat. "I'll be right outside."Ben w
