Gargoyles are the property of Disney. No copyright infringement is intended. This story may contain spoilers for episodes of The Goliath Chronicles. This is a direct sequel to my story ‘Sightings: Angels of the Night.’ I strongly suggest that you read that first. Sightings: Terror in the Sky “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back.” Dani Wagner smiled brilliantly at the cameras. “As you all know, today on ‘The Dani Show’ we’re taking an in-depth look into the scandal that has rocked New York for the last year. Gargoyles. Are they truly beasts? Or defenders of the night? We’ve already heard from our first guest, Ms. Lauren Rand, who was rescued from a rapist two years ago by a gargoyle. But not everyone has had such pleasant encounters. Please welcome our next guest, Mr. Simon McDonald.” A man in his late thirties strode jauntily out from backstage amid applause from the audience. He waved, hamming it up. Dani didn’t like him already. “Mr. McDonald, we only have so much time,” she said sweetly. “Could you take your seat?” “Sure thing, Dani.” He dropped into the seat closest to Dani, not noticing as Lauren moved down a seat. Dani didn’t blame her. This guy was creep personified. “Mr. McDonald,” she began, “you’ve heard Lauren’s story?” “I sure have, Dani,” McDonald replied. “And I have to say, I am not convinced.” Dani was confused. “Are you implying that Lauren wasn’t telling the truth?” “No ma’am,” McDonald said quickly. “I wouldn’t impugn the honor of such a pretty young woman. I think she really does believe that’s what happened. Maybe she was confused about the exact details. She had just gone through a horrifying ordeal and she admitted herself that she was tired and emotionally distressed. I think that she took what really happened and just, made it into something she could deal with better.” He laughed and leaned closer to Dani. “After all, darling, since when does a gargoyle save lives? It just ain’t in their nature.” “What is their nature, Mr. McDonald?” Dani asked. “Well, they’re animals,” McDonald said confidently. “Just look at them. The idea that one of those beasts is actually benevolent, let alone intelligent as Lauren seems to think, is absolutely ridiculous.” “Are you saying that I’m ridiculous, Mr. McDonald?” Lauren asked calmly. “Or perhaps you were simply saying that my situation was ridiculous.” “Well, now, I didn’t mean that at all, Lauren,” McDonald said soothingly. “Just that there’s no way that one of those creatures was actually smart enough to talk to you.” “So you’re calling me a liar,” Lauren said. “I think that’s a little harsh of you, Mr. McDonald,” Dani said, not allowing McDonald to get a word in edgewise. “Now, why don’t you tell us your story. And do be brief,” she added. “We only have a limitted amount of time.” McDonald frowned and decided he’d come back to the liar part later. “Of course. It was about three years ago...” *** McDonald double checked that the door was locked before stepping away from the store. They’d had break-ins twice in the last month, and he’d be damned if he was going to be ripped off again because of something as stupid as forgetting to lock the door. Pocketing the key to the store and pulling out his car keys he headed for the curb. A few errands to run and he’d be home in time for the Late Show. Halfway to his car he got the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around, but didn’t see anyone. ‘Jesus, the last thing I need is to get mugged,’ he thought, quickening his pace. Before he took two steps he saw - something - coming toward him, literally flying right at him. He shouted and ducked aside, trying to avoid the thing. It missed him, and went straight through the display window of the store. McDonald struggled to his feet, staring at the hole where a window used to be. “Shit,” he whispered. “What the Hell was that?” Two seconds later he realized he should have just run. A figure slowly made it’s way out of the store, using the window he’d come through as an exit. McDonald stared as the light from the streetlights illuminated the most unusual intruder he’d ever seen. It was, some sort of creature, McDonald wasn’t sure what. (“At the time,” he explained to Dani, “I hadn’t heard anything about gargoyles.”) It was tall, maybe 6 feet, with long white hair and dark brownish-red skin. It had a- a beak of some sort, and sharp talons on each hand. The question of what exactly something like that ate suddenly popped into his head and McDonald screamed. Which was probably a stupid thing to do, because it drew the creature’s attention to McDonald. It’s eyes widened and it leapt at him, knocking him to the ground. McDonald heard and explosion, but was too busy worrying about whether this thing ate it’s dinner alive or dead to pay it much attention. He heard a roar from above him, and apparently the creature heard it too, because his attention went to the sky. In one swift move it jumped off McDonald and onto the wall of the store, climbing up to the roof. A moment later it leapt into the air. McDonald struggled to his feet, shock written on every feature. His store was a wreck. The explosion had destroyed the entire front of the building and most of the street. Including, he saw with a sinking heart, his car. He looked around wildly and saw the creature who had done all this. It and two others were standing on a roof across the street. “You did this?” he screamed. “Filthy beasts! I’ll get you!” He stumbled into the store, searching for the gun he kept under the counter. He pulled it out and checked to make sure it was loaded, but when he returned to the street the creatures were gone. “Cowards!” he shouted. He turned back to the store and suddenly realized just what had happened. “Oh, my God,” he said. “I’m ruined.” *** “And that’s pretty much how the cops found me a few minutes later,” McDonald said. “I lost a small fortune because of that explosion.” “And you blame the gargoyles for the explosion,” Dani asked. “I sure do, Dani darling.” Dani smiled a sharp smile. “But Mr. McDonald. If these gargoyles are as unintelligent as you say, then how could they have built a bomb?” McDonald coughed. “Well, ah, you see, there must have been a human what built the bomb and sent the gargoyles to wreck my store.” “Ah, so it wasn’t actually the gargoyles who wanted your store bombed. It was a human, using the gargoyles.” “Right.” “You run a grocery store, Mr. McDonald, correct?” “Yes, ma’am,” McDonald said with a proud grin. “McDonald’s Food Market. Best in New York, if I do say so myself.” Dani managed to look confused. “Mr. McDonald, why on Earth would someone want to bomb a grocery market?” McDonald blinked. He hadn’t expected a third degree. And besides, he’d never really thought about it. “Well, I guess we’ll never know. Probably someone I ticked off. There are some real crazies out there.” “Uh-huh,” Dani muttered. “Mr. McDonald, is it possible that the explosion was aimed at the gargoyles?” McDonald laughed. “Really now, Dani. Then why would that thing trash my store.” “You say the creature went right through the window,” Dani said. “Is it possible that the gargoyle had been thrown across the street into your store? By an enemy? Or perhaps it was injured and lost control while flying?” “No ma’am,” McDonald said firmly. “How do you know?” McDonald blinked. He opened his mouth to reply, but realized he didn’t have anything to say so he shut it again. “You’ve never even considered the possibility, have you, Mr. McDonald?” Dani asked. “Well, well, you see-” McDonald struggled to come up with an arguement. “I’m afraid we’re out of time, Mr. McDonald,” Dani apologized. “Next,” she said to the cameras, “we’ll speak to our third guest District Attorney, Margo Yale.” ________ Continued in ‘Sightings: Defenders of the Night’