Story: To Catch A Killer (all chapters)

Authors: Ororo

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Chapter 1

Title: To Catch A Killer

[Author's notes: Disclaimer: No money made from this fic. No copyright infringement intended. All characters, except MJ, Larissa & other OC, belong to Disney and Co.]

He stared at their bodies, some dying others already dead, and felt nothing. They were the scourge of humanity and had sold themselves to him for a few dollars.


He'd see them standing on street corners, dressed provocatively and flashing fake smiles. There was a time when he didn't have to pay for a woman to service him.

The female prisoners of war he'd captured were used for one thing only, sex. They knew to refuse would result in painful often humiliating punishment. Day or night, soldiers could be seen raping and torturing women of all ages.

He smiled, remembering the sounds of their screams as they begged and pleaded for mercy. Once his men were done using them they were executed. Their bodies thrown into a mass grave.

His government was aware of what was going on in the camps, but looked the other way. The cabinet was anxious to be rid of the Dashamirr ethnic group. Their presence threatened the countries
racial purity.

Everything changed when an assassin's bullet to his right eye ended his military career. He now wore a patch over the eye to cover the empty socket. Shortly after the attack, U.N. troops entered his country and brought an end to the war.

He stopped his search when he found one of them still breathing. Her gaunt cheeks and bony frame aroused him. It reminded him of how powerful he'd once been. Her ribs stood out from her swollen belly. He was certain she didn't know who the father of the unborn child was.

Ignoring the stench in the room, he unzipped his pants. He kneeled down in front of her and placed his throbbing manhood inside her open mouth.

Chapter 2

Title: Broken Heart

Part 1

Elisa sighed, staring out over the city. The view from the castle balcony could only be described as breathtaking. The castle sat on top of the tallest building in Manhattan, overlooking Central Park. From this distance gone was the graffiti, grit, and grime. In its place were hundreds of twinkling lights from other buildings and street lamps, making the scene appear almost peaceful.

Underneath the illusion, the harsh reality was something much darker. Someone was kidnapping prostitutes - plucking them off the streets. Dozens were missing, but so far only eight bodies had been found.



"Elisa?" The brunette turned to find Goliath staring at her from the balcony doors. "Thank you for coming." She tried to smile but failed. It had been six months since they were supposed to meet here to discuss their relationship, but Goliath had been called away. Angela, his daughter, had informed Elisa about a phone call he'd received, along with the message they'd talk another time.

She'd tried forgetting him, but her heart wouldn't allow her to. Not even when Fox Xanatos came into the picture. Her brief affair with the married woman had been intense, and left Elisa even more confused. She'd used Derek's ultimatum as a reason to end the affair, but the truth was she didn't want to break up Fox's marriage. Loneliness had pushed her into Fox's arms, and guilt had driven her away. She needed closure, and she intended to get it tonight. Elisa swallowed, forcing down the lump in her throat.


"Hello, Goliath," she croaked. She and Goliath had never crossed the line from friends to lovers. Perhaps that's why, she told herself, it was thoughts of Fox and not Goliath that kept her awake at night. The memory of soft kisses and silky red hair gliding down her body, fanning the flames of simmering desire. Blue eyes filled with passion and something more staring up at her from between spread legs.



"The council finally made its decision," Goliath informed her. The lavender gargoyle walked out, stopping only inches from her. She stared up at his eight-foot frame. His dark mane whipped around his angular face, concealing his brow ridge. He smiled at her, baring sharp fangs. "You and I can be together."

He drew her hand up to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss on the back. Elisa let out her breath. She'd already decided if they stayed together she would tell him about her affair with Fox. Sooner or later Demona would reveal what she'd seen at Nightstone: Elisa and Fox practically making love in one of her conference
rooms. "I need to tell you something." Elisa started. She stopped when he placed his claws on her shoulders.



"There's more, Elisa." Goliath stated. He hesitated. "For us to be together you must agree to
certain things," he said in a gentle tone. "During the Breeder's Moon I will take a consort. A gargoyle female," he explained. "You will be my mate, but she will bear my child." The Breeder's Moon was the twenty year cycle when gargoyle females were fertile and could conceive. Several months after conception, the female would lay an egg. It would take another ten years from the time the egg was laid until it hatched.

His large wings fluttered open. He wrapped them around her drawing her closer. The wings' warmth didn't offer her any comfort. A sense of dread knotted up in her stomach. The Breeder's Moon was a sensitive subject for her. Even if she could give him a child, it wouldn't be a full blooded gargoyle. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to pull out of his embrace.

He looked down at her, his onyx eyes full of emotion. "It's my duty to do what I can to ensure the survival of my kind. You must understand that, Elisa. If you were in my place, I would expect nothing less from you," he said. She turned away, attempting to hide her tears. He cupped her chin in his talons, turning her head around. "It's just sex, Elisa, nothing more. I will copulate with a female gargoyle to produce an offspring, and it ends there."


She laughed bitterly. "How can you say that?" she asked. "You will be bound to her from the time the hatchling is conceived until the day you die. It's not just sex; it's a life-time commitment," she said. "All the horrible things Demona has done and yet you can't take her life. Why?" she asked him. He dropped his hands, releasing her from his wings. When he didn't answer, she continued. "It's the same reason she hasn't killed you. You're bound to each other by Angela, your child."

Goliath turned away from her. Elisa stood behind him, waiting for a response. When he spoke, his voice was determined. "I won't turn away from my responsibility. You and I have not committed fully to each other. We are at best close friends," Goliath said. In her heart, she knew it was over between the two of them, but his next words still hurt. "If I choose to be with another, then it's my choice, not yours," he concluded.

She stepped back as if she'd been slapped. He glanced over his shoulder. The stricken look on her face burned into his memory. "It's not my wish to cause you pain, and this causes you pain," he said. "We should not see each other until the Breeder's Moon is over." Elisa realized Goliath had already chosen a concubine. "Who is it?" she asked. It could only be one of two possibilities. He'd never sleep with his daughter, so that left Delilah or Demona. "Delilah," he answered.

The irony didn't escape her. She couldn't give him a child, but he would use her genetic clone as a substitute. "Why her?" she asked.He turned to face her. "We've discovered that your DNA won't affect the species of Delilah's offspring, but it will allow her to give birth to live hatchlings." He held his hands out in front of him. "She will carry for eighteen months before giving birth. We won't have to wait ten years for an egg to develop," he said. He took a step toward her. "Delilah can save us. Once she's mated with me, Brooklyn, and Lexington, I will send her to the other clans," he explained.

Elisa stared at him in horror. "You're going to breed her?" She asked. He froze, dropping his hands "After what Thailog did, how can you even consider doing this?" She looked at him through new eyes. He was no longer who she'd thought he was. "Anton Sevarius said that Thailog was your alter ego. Maybe he was more like you than any of us realized," she accused. His eyes flashed red in anger. "I'm not going to take her against her will. Delilah has agreed to be with me," he defended.


Elisa stared at him in disbelief. "You look like the gargoyle she called 'master'. The gargoyle that created her from my DNA and your ex-mate's DNA and then used her as his sex slave." Goliath stiffened. "Did you think she'd tell you no?" Elisa asked. "Do you believe she'd be capable of telling you no?" He stared at her in silence. He knew the clone had been broken by Thailog, but he'd made it clear that this would be her choice. He would be gentle with her, and
pleasure her in ways Thailog never did. "Delilah has made her decision; there is nothing more to discuss," Goliath said.

Elisa shook her head. "When Delilah dies in labor after giving birth to gargoyle number 20 or 100, what then?" Elisa asked. "Will her children be forced to take her place and get passed around like chatel from one clan to the next?" She turned on her heels before he could respond, more afraid of what he would say than if he'd say anything at all.

(tbc)

Chapter 3

Title: Tempers Flare

Part 2

Elisa made her way down the great hall, the sconces that lined the wall lighting the way. She reached the elevator just as the doors opened. She stepped blindly inside, her progress halted when she bumped into someone. "Elisa?" The brunette looked up into concerned blue eyes. For a brief moment she lost herself in Fox's piercing gaze. "Fox," Elisa whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. The red head took a step toward her. "Detective Maza," David Xanatos said. He wrapped an arm around his wife's slender waist. Fox froze fighting, the urge to take Elisa in her arms.

Elisa's gaze slid from the arm around Fox's waist into David Xanatos's dark gaze. He was standing slightly behind his wife. His lips curled into a smile when their eyes met. The hand on Fox's waist slid higher to just below her breast. Elisa's eyes followed. "Detective Maza, are you okay?" he asked.

Elisa pulled her gaze away from his hand. She tried telling herself she had no right to be jealous, but that didn't stop her angry response. "When will you two get enough of playing God?" She looked between the couple. "Is that why you live in a castle on top of a skyscraper? So that you can look down on the people whose lives you've destroyed?" Elisa accused. She knew the gargoyles didn't have the technology to research Delilah's fertility and gestation cycle, but the couple in front of her did. "She's not a guinea pig. I won't let you hurt her. I'll stop you, all of you, anyway that I can." She moved to get on the elevator.

David Xanatos stepped aside. His wife didn't. Fox stood in front of Elisa, glaring at her. "You will not speak to me like some criminal on the street. This is my home, and you are a guest only because I say so." Elisa brushed past the angry red head. "I'm not done," Fox snapped. She grabbed Elisa by the forearm and spun her around.

"You will learn manners, or I will teach them to you," the red head warned.

"Fox!" David Xanatos called out, never having seen his wife so angry. "I want to know what you're accusing me of," Fox demanded.

Elisa reared up on her heels getting into the red head face, but David Xanatos stepped between the two women.

"That's enough! I want you to leave, Detective Maza." Fox released Elisa. She turned to face her husband.

"David?" Fox asked.

Elisa stood frozen staring, between the husband and wife. "It's nothing, darling. Goliath came to me for help," David Xanatos said. "You were busy with the X-10 rifle project. I didn't want to bother you."

Elisa stepped quietly into the waiting elevator. "I'm not busy now; care to explain it to me?" she heard Fox say as the elevator doors slid shut.

Chapter 4

Title: Till Death Do Us Part

Part 3

Fox entered their bedroom, the automatic lights coming on, the soft light casting shadows around the room. Gold Egyptian figurines accented Grecian pillars and columns. Fox sat on the side of the large sleigh bed in the center of the room watching her husband. She crossed one leg over the other. The green silk mini she wore riding up her thigh. David Xanatos leaned against the bedroom door his dark gaze traveling down his wife's creamy legs. Even after four years of marriage her beauty still bewitched him.

Fox stared wondering when she'd stopped seeing him through rose colored glasses. It wasn't that he was changing. He was the same man she'd married. Handsome, charismatic, ruthless, all qualities she'd adored at one time. No, he wasn't changing, she was. It started after the birth of their son, Alexander. Oberon, the king of the fay and Titania, his queen and Fox's mother, had decided to take Alexander and raise him on the mystical island Avalon.

Something inside Fox awakened. She'd created Alexander from a part of herself that couldn't be labeled as fay or human. He was created from love. It was love that gave her the strength to tap into her latent power and defeat Oberon. Her love for Alexander showed her that not only could she love but she wanted love in return. In the four years they'd been married David Xanatos had yet to utter the three words she longed to hear. I love you. Fox shook off her thoughts. "You were going to explain to me about Goliath?" Fox asked breaking the spell.

It had been months since Elisa had visited the Castle. Seeing her tonight caught Fox off guard and seeing in her tears was even more surprising. Fox suspected the "her" Elisa referred to earlier was Delilah.

When Goliath had cancelled his meeting with Elisa after getting a mysterious phone call, Fox had asked Owen, out of curiosity, who Goliath had spoken with. The PA had informed her the call had come from the clone hybrid, Delilah. Fox later saw Goliath and Delilah leaving the labyrinth together one evening when she'd stopped by to drop off medical supplies. The look of adoration on Delilah's face had been unmistakable as she gazed up at the clan leader.

Fox didn't like what she saw but decided to stay out of it. Her presence in the underground lab was barely tolerated. Talon avoided her at all costs, Maggie greeted her with suspicion. Claw, would hide in the shadows watching her. And Fang simply leered at her from his cell. The last thing Fox needed was to confront Goliath about Delilah in front of them.

David flashed her a brilliant smile. "Goliath asked me to research Delilah's fertility." He pulled himself up to his full height unbuttoning his jacket. He took off the jacket and carried it into the walk in closet they shared. "Why would Goliath want to know about that?" Fox asked.

She new the breeders moon was only a few weeks away. "Does he want Delilah to mate with Brooklyn or Lex?" She heard her husband chuckle. "Not Exactly," he called out. "Delilah started spotting and went to Angela for help. Turns out she was ovulating." Fox closed her eyes. "Oh no," she muttered. The gargoyles were desperate to reproduce.

"Elisa's DNA altered her fertility cycle but it won't affect the species of Delilah's children. She'll give birth to live full blooded gargoyles." David Xanatos explained. He stepped out of the closet, minus his jacket and tie, his shirt undone. He'd freed his hair from his customary ponytail. The dark locks hung past his square jawline. "Say what you want about Anton Sevarius but the man was brilliant. I always wondered why he mixed Demon and Elisa's DNA to create Delilah." He paused. "Thailog was probably going to breed her too." David stated.

Fox groaned. She buried her face in her hands. "Fox?" He asked surprised by her reaction. She looked up at him pleadingly. "Please tell me you tried to talk Goliath out of this. That you told him she's been violated enough." He stared at her his hands in his pockets, studying her as if she were some new species created in one of his labs.

"Don't you see how wrong this is, David. She survived Thailog only to end up the Councils whore. I will not allow it." He walked to the glass liquor cabinet in the room and poured himself a drink. He took a swallow before turning around to face Fox. "You've changed. This is a scientific break through. I'd think you'd appreciate the magnitude of this discovery. If the clan is successful and her off spring survive, their cells may hold the key to longevity. Humans can benefit from this too."

Fox threw her hands in the air. "So that's why you got involved. Always searching for that elusive immortality." He gritted his teeth. "Look in the mirror; you haven't aged a day since I met you. Do you think I want to grow old and feeble? Knowing I won't always be able to satisfy you? That sooner or later you'll leave me for someone else?" She watched him take another large gulp from his glass. He grimaced as the brown liquid slid down his throat.

As she watched him she realized he was afraid. Afraid of death, afraid of her leaving she wasn't sure but it was an emotion she'd never seen him display. She stood up and walked over to him. He watched her approach gripping his now empty glass. She gazed up at him her blue eyes capturing his brown. "I love you," she whispered.

Slender fingers reached out stroking his hair. He sighed closing his eyes leaning into her touch. Her fingers glided down over his cheek and jaw caressing his goatee. She placed her hand on his chest and could feel the rhythmic beat of his heart. "But sometimes I wonder-----do you love me."

His eyes snapped open. "Or like Delilah am I just another science experiment." She took a shaky breath and stepped back. "I intend to offer Elisa my help. No female, of any race or species, deserves to be used like that." She took one last look at him waiting for a response. He remained silent staring at her. "I'm going to take a shower," she told him. She turned away and headed for the adjourning bathroom.

"Fox." She stopped in her tracks. He'd spoken her name so softly most would not have heard it. She cocked her head and glanced at him over her shoulder. "You are my most prized possession. I will never let you go." He said. "Remember Fox: For better or worse till death do us part."

His dark good looks took on a menacing appearance in the low lighting of their bedroom. "Till...death...do...us.... part." He enunciated each word slowly.

(tbc)

Chapter 5

Title: National Security

[Author's notes: A/N: In case anyone missed it, this is a femslash story. Main characters are Elisa/Fox. Story doesn't follow canon and neither do the characters. This is a WIP so constructive criticism is welcome and so are suggestions but flames that are emailed to me or posted as "reviews" on aff.net will be extinguished.

A special thanks to Darkwoofe for taking the time to beta this chapter.]

Disclaimer: No money made from this fic. No copyright infringement intended. All characters, except MJ, Larissa & other OC, belong to Disney and Co.

++++++Gargoyles++++++

Elisa stared up at the glass structure. At one time, it had been the tallest building in New York, but with new companies like Xanatos Enterprises and Nightstone Unlimited coming onto the scene Cyberbiotics had given up that title. Many still considered it an architectural achievement. The tinted glass changed color throughout the day, going from black in the early morning and afternoon, when the sun was brightest, to silver in the evening. And at night the tint vanished, allowing passersby to watch automated robots performing security duties.

"You coming?" Matt asked, standing on the first of the steps that would take them up to the atrium.

She wanted to say "no", but Captain Chavez had pulled them from the SVU task force for this case. She only told them it may involve "national security." Elisa got out of the car, and reluctantly followed her partner.

At the top of the steps, moving sidewalks carried them into the building. Elisa tried to relax as they passed through a body scanner, but she jumped when flashing red lights started going off.

"Weapons alert! Weapons alert!" an automated voice announced. Steel doors slammed shut, trapping Elisa and Matt inside. A camera came out of the ceiling, pointing down at them. Elisa could hear a low humming coming from the newly emerged camera.

She looked closely at the camera and could see a pen shaped object protruding from it. Seconds later two red beams shined on both her and Matt's chests. Elisa threw her hands up, realizing it was a weapon. "NYPD!" she shouted.

++++++Gargoyles++++++

Elisa and Matt were escorted into Fox's office, where the red head had her back to them, staring out the glass wall behind her desk. "Have a seat, detectives," she invited, not turning around. Elisa and Matt remained standing.

"Is that security system legal? Somebody could get killed trying to get in here," Matt stated. Once their badges had been scanned and their identities confirmed, the security system had released them, but they had to agree to an escort before being allowed on the top floor of Cyberbiotics.

Fox turned around to look at her guest for the first time since they entered her office. Her thick red hair was silken and parted down the middle, her eyes partially hidden behind the curtain red. The tailored white pantsuit she wore accentuated every curve. Elisa couldn't help but realize that, no matter where or when she saw her, the red head was always well put together.

Fox smiled at Matt, glancing briefly at Elisa before answering. "That's the point, Detective, keeping uninvited guests out at all costs."

Matt looked at Elisa. "You called us, remember? Maybe next time we could get a little better treatment," Matt replied.

Fox nodded, "Now that you're identity has been verified, you won't have any future incidents." That seemed to pacify Matt. Elisa remained quiet, embarrassed about her behavior from the previous night. Fox's gaze slid to Elisa. "I hope you weren't as traumatized by my security system as your partner." She teased.

Matt huffed. "Not," he muttered, sullenly.

Fox smirked at the other red head, before returning her focus to Elisa. She could feel Fox's scrutiny. Somehow, even when they weren't alone, Elisa felt as if she had Fox's undivided attention.

"I've arranged a meeting, tonight with Demona to discuss Delilah" Fox said.

Elisa didn't bother to hide her skepticism, "I don't think Demona will be all that interested in helping Delilah."

Fox arched an eyebrow at her, "You thought the same about me...and you were wrong,” she replied in a calm voice.

Elisa pulled her pen and writing pad out of her jacket. She really didn't want to discuss Delilah and Goliath in front of Matt, so decided to get down to business. "Captain Chavez said something was stolen from Cyberbiotics last night. Can you give us the details?" she asked.

Fox unbuttoned her jacket and draped it over her desk chair. The top three buttons on her silk shirt were undone, offering up a glimpse of her nicely rounded breasts; Matt let out a low whistle. Elisa glared at her partner. He shrugged, not looking the least bit repentent. Fox heard the whistle but chose to ignore it. It was Elisa's reaction intrigued her. She couldn't tell if the brunette was offended or jealous. She punched some numbers on her computer keyboard, and an entire wall opened, revealing another room.

"This building is so cool," Matt enthused. He walked to the threshold of the other room and then suddenly stopped, glancing back at Fox. "Is it safe to go in there?" he asked.

She answered in an amused tone, "Yes, Detective." Matt continued inside. "I've deactivated the death ray." The policeman froze.

The pitch of his voice was higher than usual as Matt yelped, "The what?!"

Fox walked inside, joining him. "I'm only kidding," she said. He relaxed. "Kinda," Fox added.

Amused, Elisa walked in after them. The room was filled with weapons Elisa had never seen before. They looked like something off of Star Trek. Some were as small as a .22, while others were as large as a hand held rocket launcher.

Fox went to a wall and pointed to a medium sized weapon, "Last night a shipment of these was stolen from the docks. The laser rifle is highly classified and was being sent to the Pentagon."

Elisa stared at the weapon. The body was black, with a red stripe running down the middle. It was boxier than a standard rifle. She walked over to Fox. "How many were taken?” she asked.

The red head ran long fingers through her hair. "One hundred," Fox answered. "It has a range of over one hundred fifty yards and fires ten times faster than an automatic. In the right hands it could be used to take over a building. A hundred can change the course of a conflict.” Elisa looked up, startled by the last comment.

"You mean a war?" she clarified.

Fox reached up, taking the rifle off the wall. She stepped on a button on the floor, and a life sized dummy appeared. In the center of its chest a heart monitor beeped. She moved to the back of the room with Elisa and Matt following her. She then raised the weapon shoulder high, sighted on the target, and fired. A white energy bolt shot out into the target. The heart monitor's beep slowed down but remained steady. "That's a low discharge. It's enough to stun," Fox explained. She adjusted the weapon and fired again. This time, the heart monitor surged erratically. "That's medium. It can disable, causing you to black out." Another slight adjustment and she fired a third time. The monitor beeped, then flat-lined. "That's high and enough to cause cardiac arrest. It will kill" she told them grimly.

Elisa stared at the weapon, then at Fox. "Will you show me how to use it?" she asked. Fox moved behind Elisa, and gently wrapped her arms around the brunette, placing the rifle in Elisa's hands. Full breasts pressed into Elisa's back, causing her to tremble.

She slid her hands over Elisa's to steady her. "Don't be afraid," she whispered into the detective's ear. She stepped closer until there was no more space between them. "Touch it," she told Elisa.

Elisa allowed her fingers to glide over the sleek metal surface. It was surprisingly light weight for a weapon of its size. She found the settings, then let her fingers trail down to the trigger. "Do it slowly. Use your fingertip," Fox instructed in her ear, causing another delightful tremble to pass through Elisa. She dropped her hands to Elisa's waist. Elisa sighted on the target and pulled the trigger. The discharge caused a slight kick and she bounced into Fox causing the red head to let out a throaty groan.

Matt cleared his throat, reminding the two they weren't alone. "Ahhh, are there any built in safety features to keep just anyone from using it?" he asked as caught the ladies attention.

Fox turned the weapon over, pointing to a key pad. "Each shipment has a specific code that needs to be entered before the weapons will discharge. The codes are assigned by me or Halcyon and are sent electronically to the buyer," Fox explained.

Elisa glanced over her shoulder. "Does your husband have access to the codes?" Elisa asked. She felt Fox stiffen then pull away.

"I didn't hide them from him if that's what you want to know. But he would need my passcode in order to retrieve them, and to my knowledge, he doesn't have it," she told them.

"You sure?" Matt asked.

"You'll have to ask David," Fox said. "But I don't have any reason to suspect him."

Elisa laughed. "Right, he's such a trustworthy person we should just rule him out. Like he was honest with you about Delilah," Elisa added.

Fox stared daggers at Elisa. "Goliath came to David for help" Fox defended. "Or did your boyfriend not tell you the whole story?" she added in a snide tone. Matt looked at his partner then the business woman, noting an electrical charge that had nothing to with the weapon, filling the room."He's no longer my boyfriend!" Elisa snapped. "Unlike you I'd never be with someone who could do that!"

Fox leaned into Elisa's personal space. "That's exactly why you sleep in an empty bed. Because you're so quick to judge others. We both know you're not exactly an innocent, are you?"

Elisa didn't back down. "It's none of your business who's in my bed. But don't worry, it won't be empty long," Elisa countered.

Fox bared her teeth and growled. Matt's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. He placed one hand on top of the other signaling for a stop. "Time out, ladies. Time out," he repeated.

Elisa roughly shoved the laser rifle into Matt's hands. "I'll be in the car," she told him, storming out.

His eyes widened when Fox turned to follow. Matt stepped in front of the red head, blocking her exit.

"Get out of my way, Detective" Fox commanded shaking with barely controlled rage.

TBC

Chapter 6

Title: Red Fox

Part 5

++++++++++Gargoyles+++++++++

"What the hell is going on!" Matt yelled, confused by what he'd just seen. Elisa's hand had been uncharacteristically shaking when handling the rifle, and Fox's excitement became evident when she'd stepped away from Elisa; her swollen nipples pressed against the front of her silk shirt.


Matt was certain that for a moment they'd forgotten he was in the room. He blushed, pushing down his own arousal. The chemistry between the two women palpable. It was obvious they were no longer enemies, but when had they become more than just friends? He asked himself.


He glanced at the woman in front of him. She'd taken a wide stance, hands held one over the other in front of her. Instinctively, he took a defensive position, squaring his shoulders and planting his feet.


She was half-human and no one knew for sure the long-term effects the Eye of Odin had on her. He wasn't certain he could control her in her current state, but he couldn't let her go after Elisa either. He had no intentions of backing down. "Don't even think about it," Matt warned. For several tense seconds they faced off, staring into each others eyes. She blinked. He tried not to flinch. She dropped her hands to her sides and took a step back. Matt released the breath he was holding.


"I'm sorry, Detective, it's been a long day." Fox had the grace to look contrite. Matt relaxed his stance, nodding his silent acceptance of her apology. "The idea of spending the next ten years in a foreign prison doesn't appeal to me." Fox offered a smile. He frowned not following her last statement. "The International Court of Justice, a division of the
U.N., can charge me with aiding a terrorist group if those weapons end up in the wrong hands," Fox explained.


"What makes them think terrorist are involved?" Matt asked pulling out his own pen and pad. Fox walked back to the glass wall behind her desk. She stood inches from the tinted surface, one foot in front of the other, arms folded across her chest, staring down. Matt was certain from this distance, forty stories up, she couldn't see Elisa. "A few years ago I was approached by a group calling itself the Ibrisima Liberation Army. The I.L.A. was a militant faction out of Eastern Europe. They'd heard about the X-10 laser and made me an offer for the prototype." Fox stated.


"How much?" Matt asked. Fox threw her head back and laughed. He waited, tapping the tip of his pen on his pad. "The offer was the prototype or my life. I was given twenty-four hours to produce the weapon and all my father's research." The red head turned around. She leaned back resting against the glass surface. Matt watched an airplane flying in the distance. He pulled his gaze back to Fox. A sense of foreboding took hold of him as he asked his next question. "What did you do?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I consulted with some business associates and received authorization to make a counter offer," Fox said. She glanced at the pen and pad in his hand, then back into his eyes. He capped the pen he was holding and placed it in the coiled rings of the pad, then shoved them into his pants pocket. "Off the record," he assured her. "Obviously, I survived. The thugs that were sent did not." A chill raced down his spine at the cold tone in her voice. Matt stared at her, his mouth frozen in a silent 'O.'


Long before transforming herself into Fox Xanatos, she'd been known to the FBI as "Red Fox." Red Fox was a trained mercenary who's targets included politicians, military officers and government witnesses. A network of informants placed her in several countries during assassination attempts, identifying her by the tattoo over her eye. The FBI had never found any physical evidence linking Fox to any crime, and all attempts to question her were blocked by the CIA.


"Soon after their visit, I heard about the Adriatik massacre." Fox shook her head. "Over eight thousand people were slaughtered - dragged from their homes and shot. Most of the bodies found were males. The women and girls were taken to prison camps." She let out a heavy sigh. "Unspeakable things were done to them." Matt had read about the allegations. He'd hoped the stories had been exaggerated, that no government would allow its own people to be murdered and do nothing to stop it.


"You think the same group stole the rifles?" Matt asked. Fox walked to her desk and picked up the morning paper. The caption on the front of the New York Times read: 'Ibrisima Ambassador, Zoran Puzic, moves into diplomatic residency.' "He was a general in the Ibrisima Army." Fox hesitated a moment.


"One of his son's was part of the group that threatened me." Matt rubbed his fingers across his face. "Jesus, Fox," he uttered in disbelief, "does Puzic know about your involvement with his son?" He could see it clearly on her face. She looked wary. A few years ago, she didn't have a family to worry about.


Things were different now, and they'd both seen and done enough to know that you reap what you sow. "Do you need protection? I've still got connections with the Feds. I can get you into witness protection," Matt offered.


Fox shook her head. "Mother is coming to get Alexander, and Halcyon will be moving into the castle." She turned away, gazing back down at the street below. "I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine. But I intend to get those weapons back by any means necessary." The phone on her desk started ringing, cutting off any response from Matt.


Fox reached into her front pants pocket and pulled out an ear piece, clipping it over her ear. She pressed a fluorescent green light, and the phone on her desk went silent. "Fox Xanatos," she announced into the ear piece. "Yes, General, thank you for returning my call." Fox glanced over her shoulder at Matt.


She covered the mouth piece with her hand. "Zoran Puzic sees those of other races and ethnic groups as expendable. He's probably in this country to avoid testifying against the government that sanctioned his crimes. Once the genocide trial is over, he'll be sent home. Keep Elisa away from him," Fox warned.

++++++Gargoyles++++++

The drive back to the precinct was silent. Matt kept glancing at Elisa, trying to determine her mood. He didn't think it would be a good idea to ask if it was "that time of the month." He cringed imagining her reaction. "You wanna tell me what's going on between you and Foxy?" he asked.

She slammed on the car brakes, stopping at a red light. "Absolutely nothing!" the brunette snapped. She refused to return his gaze, looking straight ahead. "Ooookay, but it didn't look like nothing." He knew he was pressing his luck, but sometimes the only way to get Elisa to talk was to piss her off.


"I mean it looked like you wanted to rip each others clothes off and€¦" He drifted off, imagining the two women locked in a passionate kiss. He stared into space, a blank expression on his face. "What was I sayin'?" he asked, snapping out of his fantasy. She peeled off, tires squealing, when the light changed.


"Oh yeah, you and Foxy Red." Elisa groaned, not sure what annoyed her more: his nicknames for Fox or that he wouldn't let it go. "She's sexy in a mysterious, dark past, kinda way." He paused. "She's kinda scary, though." He sat up in his seat. "Not that I'm afraid of her," he quickly added.

Elisa rolled her eyes. She tried to suppress the smile that lifted the corners of her lips. "What were you and Fox talking about for so long?" Elisa asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Matt pulled a tape recorder out of his front pocket. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe it." He pressed play on the tape recorder. "So just listen."

Chapter 7

[Author's notes: Warnings: Crime scenes of dead bodies depicted. Second warning, graphic oral HETEROSEXUAL sex. If either offends, please skip this chapter.]

++++++Gargoyles++++++

Hours later Elisa looked up from her computer monitor. She had a vague memory of pulling into their assigned parking spot at the two-three and getting out of the car. She was still reeling from the tape. In order to corroborate Fox's story, they needed proof. After calling around to several other precincts regarding open homicide cases that looked like contract killings, they'd found one that fit their profile.

The bodies of six men had been pulled from the Hudson River five years ago. Each man had a tattoo of the letters I.L.A. on his forearm, along with a series of numbers. The coroner's report listed the cause of death as a single gun shot wound to the head. Elisa clicked with her mouse, and her computer screen paged to the next document.


Pictures of the bullets taken from the scene were laid out on a forensics' lab tray. "Shit," Matt muttered over her shoulder. "You know what those are?" he asked, pointing to the mushroom shapes. "Hollow points," Elisa answered. It took considerable time and skill to make a hollow point. A groove had to be dug into the tip of the bullet without causing any damage.


When the bullet reached its target, the hollowed point would expand, causing maximum destruction along the wound path. Regular bullets fall apart during flight, leaving shell casings on the ground, but a hollow point is reinforced with steel to ensure the bullet arrives intact. Ivan Puzic and his friends were dead before their bodies hit the ground. The bullets were so lethal they'd been outlawed in the U.S. several years ago. Elisa clicked next.


They both cringed at the bloated images of six corpses. The damage done from being submerged in water for several weeks had made it almost impossible to identify the victims. When the men failed to return home, a missing persons report had been filed with the Justice Department. The I.L.A. tattoo on their forearm, along with their rank and serial number, established who they were.


"Which one is Ivan Puzic?" Matt asked. Elisa glanced down at the photos faxed to them and then back at the six photos on her computer. She placed the cursor on the middle photo, then clicked to zoom in.

"I-I think he is," she said, identifying him by the serial numbers on his arm, visible on the fax and the autopsy photo. Any doubts about what Fox Xanatos was capable of was dispelled by the pictures.
"What are we gonna do?" Matt asked. Fox's statements, along with the evidence, was enough to incriminate her.


Elisa looked away from Matt, debating with herself. She knew there were three sides to every story. What he said, what she said, and - somewhere in the middle - was the truth. She replayed the coversation between Matt and Fox in her head. One part stuck out. "Over 8,000 people were killed," Fox had told Matt. She turned back around in her seat. "We find the weapons and make Puzic pay for killing thousands of innocent people."


She held Matt's gaze as she pressed the delete button on her computer. The pictures of the dead militants disappeared one by one. Matt pulled out his tape recorder and placed his thumb over the red erase button, in an instant his conversation with Fox was wiped out. Without the statement there was no case against her. Elisa would deal with her conscience and Fox Xanatos another day.

+++++Gargoyles++++++

Monique Jeffries, AKA Big Mama on the street, moved her mouth skillfully up and down the John's latex-covered shaft. Her tongue circled the mushroom head before wrapping her lips around it. He groaned in appreciation; the stranger lifted his hips, forcing more of himself into her mouth. She opened her mouth wider to accommodate his girth.


When his length was buried inside her warm mouth, she stuck out her tongue. Using a skill that had taken her years to learn, she licked his testicles while sucking his member. "Fuck!" the john shouted, looking between his legs at the woman who was taking him to heaven. Her cheeks caved in as she sucked him harder, sensing he was close. His manhood quivered, signaling his release. He grabbed the back of her head, holding it in place. The tip of the condom ballooned as it filled with semen.


Monique slowly raised her head, giving his shaft a long lick before releasing it from her mouth. She sat up in the passenger seat of his car. He was still breathing hard, watching her reapply plum lipstick to full lips. She noted, from the corner of her eye, that he was still semi-erect. 'Damn!' she thought to herself, he'd want another blow job or some ass. She was anxious to leave. The area he'd taken her to making her nervous. It was dark and deserted.


Monique guessed from the smell it was a landfill. "Come on, baby, do it again," he said, holding his penis at the base. "I'm still horny."
She glanced sideways, trying not to show her annoyance. "Sure, playa, but let's go someplace else. It stanks out here." He narrowed his eyes at her. "No!" he said. He yanked off the condom, throwing it at her. The contents splashed in her face. "I don't like those. Doesn't feel the same." He held his penis towards her.


"Suck it now, bitch," he commanded. She'd seen this before. It didn't matter if it was twenty dollars or a hundred. Some men felt once they'd paid for it, they owned you. Her hand slid to the switchblade she kept strapped to her thigh. She reached out, replacing his hand with hers. She wrapped long brown fingers around his thick shaft.


"Relax, baby, I'm gonna take real good care of you," she told him, keeping her voice low. She stroked him up and down. He thrust his hips to the rhythm of her hand, his eyes drifting shut. She brushed her thumb over the head of his penis, eliciting a deep groan from him. She pulled out her knife.


She pressed the steel against the base of his penis. "Didn't anybody ever tell you not to piss of a woman holding your dick?" His eyes snapped open. "Who's the bitch now! Motha fucka!" she yelled. He tried sitting up. "Don't," she yanked hard on the rapidly softening flesh "move," she warned. She removed her hand from his shaft but kept her knife poised over it.


The hooker reached behind her, searching for the door handle. When she found it, she opened the door and jumped out of the car, not bothering to look back. She moved as fast as she could in the stiletto heels she wore. The extra flesh she carried slowed her down even more."Fucking whore. I'm gonna kill you!" he screamed.

++++Gargoyles+++++

Monique listened to the john screaming obscenities as he searched for her. "I'm gonna shove my dick so far down your throat it's gonna come out your fat ass." She wanted to tell him he wasn't workin' with that much talent. Instead, she stayed low, crouched under a window.


Her heart beat rapidly, adrenaline pumping through her veins. If it came down to it, she'd fight; it wouldn't be the first - or the last - time she'd had to fight her way out of a bad situation. She could hear him walking near her hiding spot. His footsteps stopped.


She jumped, startled, by a loud bang. The sound of a door crashing open followed. She cocked her head, listening for the slightest sound. "Holy Mother!" he yelled. She could hear him running. Moments later, she heard a car peeling away.


She peeked cautiously over the windowsill. Silence and eerie darkness greeted her. She glanced around, eyes drawn to faint light coming from an open doorway. Monique knew something had scared the john. She walked outside, instinct telling her to run, but something pulled her to the open door. Gripping her knife tightly, she walked towards the other building. She placed a hand over her mouth when she entered. The stench almost overpowering her.


It smelled like urine, feces, and rotting meat. The hand holding the knife started to shake, but she forced herself to keep going. She made her way to the edge of a large room. Lying on blood soaked mattresses were naked, emaciated bodies. Dead eyes stared at her, their mouths open in silent screams.


Like the John Monique turned, prepared to flee.
"Help." She stopped, looking around the room, not sure she'd heard the softly spoken words. "Help me." Monique shook her head, telling herself there was nothing she could do. The landfill was out in the middle of nowhere. She'd be lucky to make it out alive; she couldn't carry an injured person back to the city.


Maybe the John would send help? The hooker closed her eyes, remembering how he'd run and left her stranded. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "Hello! Where are you?" she called out.
"Please help me," the voice pleaded.


Monique's eyes strained in the dim light, searching in the direction of the call. She made her way toward the voice, afraid of what she'd find. She tripped over some boxes, startling a pack of rats. The rodents scattered, seeking protection in the dark. Behind a stack of wooden crates, she found what she'd been looking for. And What she found would haunt her for the rest of her life.


She stared down at the woman's bony frame, her ribs and swollen belly clearly visible. Wide eyes gazed back at Monique with a mixture of hope and fear. For the first time since she'd laid down for money, she called for divine intervention. "Lord, have mercy," she whispered.


(TBC)

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