#valra

“Everyone okay?” Elisa called out after the smoke cleared of Valra's body. The group answered with confirming coughs and yells of agreement. The only ones who didn’t cry out were Sha’lain and Nema. 

The two women were studying the pile of ashes formerly known as Valra. Nema had pulled out a strange contraption that glowed and hummed when she waved it over the ashy embers. 

Lexington looked questioningly when Nema handed it over at his silent plea. 

“She’s gone. There’s no way she’d known ahead to fake her death,” Sha’lain said definitively. 

“She wouldn’t have thought it could happen to her anyway,” Nick snorted, kicking over the small pile. 

“Demona?” Elisa looked to Goliath 

“Escaped,” Brooklyn rasped with frustrated resignation. 

“Then let’s go after her,” Nick said, "We have to find out what they were planning."

“It’s not worth it. She’ll have changed her plans after tonight, and come back. Then we will stop her like always,” Goliath said. 

“He’s right,” Elisa inserted before Nick could insist, “Ti-Yet should have probably convinced Dorn to call the channels and reverse his statements. Not that’ll stop the Quarrymen from their hunt, so we should head back before the sun rises.” 

“What about confiscating all this stuff,” Sha’lain asked, examining a small gargoyle statue that they recognize as the vessel Demona had almost used to spread her virus. 

“We-“ Elisa paused. She had never confiscated any assets from Nightstone Unlimited because there was no legal recourse for her to do so. As for as the world knew, Dominique Destane was an upcoming entrepreneur, and as publicly law-abiding as one could be. 

But the Alliance did not have to abide by the laws of New York State. They didn’t exist after all. 

“Take whatever you want,” she smirked. This should derail some of her schemes. 

Carrying armfuls of their repossessed loot, they flew back to the castle. Ti-Yet and Fitz were waiting to greet them just as the sun was starting to lighten the horizon. 

“Did you give that scaly freak hell?” Fitz held up his hand for a high five. 

“We sent her to it,” Sha’lain smacked it 

“I’m guessing your presence means you’ve pulled off another success?” Nema gave him a peck on the cheek. 

“Did you?” Goliath repeated curiously. How could this man convince a mob rule inflamed with prejudice and fear to give up their hunt in a matter of one night. 

“That’s not possible,” Hudson echoed Goliath’s thoughts. But as he did so, they all come to realize there was the absence of yelling. The insults and jeers that had come to be a tolerable background noise from those with the time to protest 24/7. Looking over the edge, Broadway reported that there was a lone picketer. 

“Well, okay. Maybe I haven’t solved it in one night but Matt and I started the first phase to it. And it was inspired by our good friend, Jon Castaway,” Fitz said mischievously. 

That drew even more baffled looks from the clan, and Nick hit his friend on the arm, “Stop playing around and tell us already.” 

“With how Jon was saying that the gargoyles are being used as Xanatos’ corporate espionage soldiers, and the government should step in. Why not tell the people that’s exactly what we do with them. Hide the gargoyles away for a few days, tell the public that the government is going to reprogram the gargoyles as agents of good. A week goes by, you return and do what you’ve always done, and the public will recognize that you’re only here to help.” 

There was a long pause as the clan processed Fitz’s proposal. It was a simple deception. Almost ridiculous that the public were willing to believe that the gargoyles would only be a force of good thanks to the intervention of humans. 

Yet. . . . 

Owen, who hand patiently stood in the background in his normal deference, spoke up, “Mr. Xanatos, Fox and I spoke in the car and we all thought this would be the most advantageous course of action for the gargoyles to take. You may continue your quaint acts of heroism unimpeded, and Mr. Castaway’s complaints will have lost their fire if the public believed your actions are sanctioned, and controlled by federal forces.” 

The trio and Angela had begun to cautiously smile among each other. Hudson was thoughtful and Elisa’s expression remained neutral, but she had not contradicted Owen’s assessment. 

Goliath reflected that when he had first woken up in this strange time that he had agreed with Elisa that the world was not ready for the existence of gargoyles despite their good intentions. It was a disheartening realization to know that centuries laters the humans they sought to protect still judged them by their appearances. 

However, it was not the gargoyle way to fulfill duty for the sake of glory. 

Although Fitz was all cocky smirks, he could see the hopefulness in his eyes. Same with Nick, Sha’lain, and Logan. His daughter was nodding at him, a silent telepathic urge to say yes. 

Elisa touched his hand, “I think this might be the best option.” 

"That would be fine," Goliath assented. Suddenly a smile crept across his face as a new thought came to him. Although he was not sure of fully joining the Alliance.

"To better pull off the deception, shouldn't we travel on your jet and stay in Roswell for a few days?"

Nick was startled, before he came to realize what Goliath was saying, "We'd love to have you. Also you'll be free to fly around, tourists love spotting objects in the sky."

"We can go to Roswell? Yes, our own world tour!" Broadway cheered

While the clan turned the Alliance agents, peppering them with questions about the sights to see, Goliath felt Elisa's hand grip his own.

"Think you can get leave?" Goliath asked quietly.

"I might be able to scrounge something as the head of the gargoyle taskforce. Not that we'll be needing it much longer," Elisa replied.