Reclaiming the Past
Sep. 10th, 2007 08:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reluctant_gargoyleOne of the things I regretted most in my transition from police detective and Clan ally to Gargoyle and second-in-command was the loss of contact with many of the people in my daily life. Through what was probably an overly elaborate scheme, and with some help from Matt on the one side of things and Lex's computer doctoring on the other, I was able to stage my disappearance. Most people believe I vanished trying to find out what had happened to my brother.
Secrets within secrets. Derek's own disappearance was much less explained, but two Maza kids vanishing? That needed more explanation. Tying the one to the other seemed the best bet. God help us all if something strange should happen to Beth. Not just because she shouldn't have to go through what Derek and I did--though I've got a happy ending and Derek's got a purpose, if nothing else--but because it would stretch the boundaries of credibility almost beyond repair. As it is, most people think we're dead.
I won't say it keeps me up nights, because, of course, it can't. I'm already up and I'm dead to the world during the day no matter what's on my mind. But it does bother me on occasion.
So one night, I decided to do something about it. Probably not the smartest way to go about it all, but I started with my ex-boss, Maria Chavez. She was a family friend to begin with, and, well you've gotta start somewhere. A carefully placed call has asked her to meet with "a friend" out on the balcony of the rebuilt clock tower... A friend with information about Elisa Maza.
***
She was suspicious, but she had come. For that, I was grateful. I'm not sure what I'd have done otherwise. But I didn't have to figure it out. I was perched above and, after a moment to assure myself that she was alone--and to steel by own nerves--I dropped down, sticking partially to the shadows. "Good evening, Captain," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
She turned, surprised. "You're... you're one of those Gargoyles. The ones who were living here." In spite of her surprise, she seemed determined to press onward. "You said you had information about Elisa Maza?"
"Yeah, about that..." I said, stepping where she could see me. "You might say the information's first hand."
She nearly screamed, but she'd been on the force long enough not to outright panic. "Maza. I thought this might be you."
"What?"
"I'm not stupid, Elisa. You've been caught in more than a few photographs, not to mention video here and there. I've known you for years. Recognizing you wasn't hard. I trust you've got a reasonable explanation?"
This was not going the way I'd planned it. "Well, I'm not sure all of it's really 'reasonable...'"
"I meant why you never told anyone."
"Well, let's just call it all part of a long story..."
"I've got time."
I told her almost everything. About how I'd met the Clan, about how they'd helped me on any number of cases. I even talked about Derek and Matt, because I'd received their permission to tell about their involvement. Because things didn't make as much sense if I didn't. I left out the occasional detail as it related to Xanatos and some of his previous underhanded dealings, but otherwise, full disclosure.
It was a risk, disclosing our vigilante status to a police captain, but... she couldn't help but acknowledge that crime has seriously gone down since we've been around. We settled on, well, let's call it an informal relationship. She pretends that she doesn't know a thing about us publicly, and privately, gives us a few more tips here and there on major crimes and... more importantly, can now call us in when we're really needed. Win win for everyone. A little risky... But she cares too much about the city to let the rules get in the way of what was very good for it.
I am glad for being able to reclaim pieces of my past.
I won't say it keeps me up nights, because, of course, it can't. I'm already up and I'm dead to the world during the day no matter what's on my mind. But it does bother me on occasion.
So one night, I decided to do something about it. Probably not the smartest way to go about it all, but I started with my ex-boss, Maria Chavez. She was a family friend to begin with, and, well you've gotta start somewhere. A carefully placed call has asked her to meet with "a friend" out on the balcony of the rebuilt clock tower... A friend with information about Elisa Maza.
***
She was suspicious, but she had come. For that, I was grateful. I'm not sure what I'd have done otherwise. But I didn't have to figure it out. I was perched above and, after a moment to assure myself that she was alone--and to steel by own nerves--I dropped down, sticking partially to the shadows. "Good evening, Captain," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
She turned, surprised. "You're... you're one of those Gargoyles. The ones who were living here." In spite of her surprise, she seemed determined to press onward. "You said you had information about Elisa Maza?"
"Yeah, about that..." I said, stepping where she could see me. "You might say the information's first hand."
She nearly screamed, but she'd been on the force long enough not to outright panic. "Maza. I thought this might be you."
"What?"
"I'm not stupid, Elisa. You've been caught in more than a few photographs, not to mention video here and there. I've known you for years. Recognizing you wasn't hard. I trust you've got a reasonable explanation?"
This was not going the way I'd planned it. "Well, I'm not sure all of it's really 'reasonable...'"
"I meant why you never told anyone."
"Well, let's just call it all part of a long story..."
"I've got time."
I told her almost everything. About how I'd met the Clan, about how they'd helped me on any number of cases. I even talked about Derek and Matt, because I'd received their permission to tell about their involvement. Because things didn't make as much sense if I didn't. I left out the occasional detail as it related to Xanatos and some of his previous underhanded dealings, but otherwise, full disclosure.
It was a risk, disclosing our vigilante status to a police captain, but... she couldn't help but acknowledge that crime has seriously gone down since we've been around. We settled on, well, let's call it an informal relationship. She pretends that she doesn't know a thing about us publicly, and privately, gives us a few more tips here and there on major crimes and... more importantly, can now call us in when we're really needed. Win win for everyone. A little risky... But she cares too much about the city to let the rules get in the way of what was very good for it.
I am glad for being able to reclaim pieces of my past.
