A Gargoyle's Journey and Virility

Part 9

When Ray got up the next morning, he went to check in on the cameras and found that Brooklyn wasn't in there and the door was wide open. His eyes widened and he sounded an alarm.

"Escape alert!" The red lights went off. Ray ran out of the room in a hurry. Surely, the gargoyle didn't know his way out of here. He would find him and put him back.

When Ray went to Melina's headquarters, he found her all bloody on her face and body. Melina had injured herself to make her story more believable.

"Melina, you were left in charge of Brooklyn last night. What happened?" He demanded to know.

"I came into his room to deliver his supper and he turned on me. He got away, Sir." Melina declared in a lie.

Ray was still skeptical, but he turned and walked out and ordered all his men to find the gargoyle. He had to be in the facility somewhere. He had been taken deep underground and wouldn't know his way out without help. Melina was ordered to get treated by the doctor.

"Wherever you have gotten to, Brooklyn, you aren't getting away from me so easily." Ray growled. Brooklyn carried something he wanted more than anything. He would get him back.

As for Melina, she hoped Brooklyn was able to get far enough away from here before sunrise or else he would be dragged right back in here and would be kept under constant restraint. That wouldn't be good for his condition. She should have gotten him out before the experiment had happened.

Later in the day, when Brooklyn hadn't been located anywhere inside the compound, some men went outside to start looking for signs he had been brought outside. And indeed, there were his footprints in the sand.

One of the men held a talk radio. He held it to his mouth and said, "Sir, we have gargoyle footprints in the sand outside."

Ray was shocked that Brooklyn had found the entrance but at the same time, he was suspicious that a certain someone might have helped him escape. He then ordered, "Follow those footprints. He couldn't have gotten far."

Five men left the facility to track Brooklyn down by following his prints in the sand and dirt, but after a few miles, his marks disappeared altogether. Given the rocky outcrop they were near, it was obvious that the gargoyle had taken to the air. There was no tracking him down now.

Ray knew he had to face Melina again. She was resting in the doctor's quarters right now. He stormed over there. He smacked her in the face, waking her. She yelped in pain.

"Boss!" She gasped as she held her face.

"You lied to me! You helped Brooklyn escape, didn't you?!" Ray demanded in anger.

She knew she was busted. "Yes, I did! Ray, he was miserable here. Why not let him go?"

"Because he has what I want! If he runs into trouble out there, he's endangering more than his own life, he's doing it to the child too!" Ray exclaimed.

"I'm sure he can find someone to help him." Melina said.

"No, it won't be so easy. Most humans would think of him as a demon, given his looks. We have to find him, and you are not looking after him anymore when we do find him!" Ray snarled. "Pack your things and clear out of here!"

Melina knew she had been taking a chance by helping Brooklyn escape. After her boss left, she began to do as he said, she packed up her things and got out. She could be killed if she didn't.

...............

Brooklyn woke up from his stone sleep in the cave and remembered where he was. He had gotten out of the facility at last with Melina's help. Now he needed to head to Arizona. That was south of here and he needed to determine which way was which.