Merlin's Revenge Chapter 25
The gang finally comes together.
Robert Jumped to stand in front of the three people standing under the Space Needle. He was downwind of them and could tell by his rank scent the cop standing on the left was terrified and near panicking.
“Everybody take it easy, you're the ones that wanted to talk." Robert said the same time he was sending to Glen and Anna, *This one is close to losing it* He was pleased that this mode of communication also conveyed which individual he meant.
*Noted* From Glen and *Okay* came from Anna.
Robert didn't need to look around to sense Glen's approach. He was more focused on the panicky cop. The man looked about ready to draw down on him, at a guess just because he looked different. Granted, Robert now looked radically different, a monster in appearance but he would have thought speaking to him would have changed that perception, at least a little.
It was providing another clue as to just how much he had changed. This one a mental alteration. Robert too was just a moment away from taking action. He saw the twitchy cop as a threat and wanted to eliminate it. He knew he was perfectly capable of doing so, and didn't think he would have a problem afterward either. It was on behalf of Glen and Anna that he held himself in check. As Glen landed twenty feet to his rear Robert repeated “Just stay calm, everybody."
The man standing between the two cops finally noticed the attitude of the one on his right. “Relax, Bill."
Glen walked up to sit on his haunches to Robert's left. As he wrapped his tail around his feet he sent out to everybody *Is there a problem here?*
The cop jerked as if someone had hit him with a cattle prod and pulled his weapon.
“Put that away." Robert ordered.
The man in the middle said “Holster that weapon." at the same time the other cop said “Don't."
Robert sensed Anna flying behind the trio. His eyes were on the cop as he brought up his pistol and aimed it at Glen. He Jumped and appeared at the cop's side the same instant the man fired.
Everything seemed to happen at once. Robert clapped two tentacles on either side of the cop's gun, wrapping the open ends tightly around the gun and the man's hands. Anna zipped in even faster and drove herself into the cop's back. Glen simply grunted at the impact of the bullet.
Robert reached out and clapped a pair of hands over his tentacles completely encapsulating the gun. Anna rebounded off of cop's back and flew higher to cling to the man's head. The cop, knocked off balance from the impact of the gryphon started toppling over. Robert wrapped two tentacles around his chest and braced himself to take the extra weight.
Through his extra senses Robert felt something similar to his ears popping when he was still human. At least that's how his brain translated the sensation.
The next instant Anna lifted off the man's head. He also fell slack and apparently unconscious.
Robert let him drop and came up with the gun in one tentacle. He looked at it a second almost smirking as the pads of his tentacle gripped it like glue. Satisfied he looked to Glen.
The dragon was brushing the scales of his chest off. There was not even a blemish on him.
“Huh." Robert said the same time Anna asked *Are you okay?*
*I'm fine. Takes more than a little popgun to do anything to me now* Glen sent to Robert and Anna.
The two men crouched at the side of the third. Robert could tell his heart had stopped. No sound or vibration originated from his body. He looked at the gryphon *If you can reverse whatever you did you'd better do it quick before he dies*
She sent a mental sigh. A moment later *Tell them to back away. I'm not going to give them an opportunity to get near me*
Nodding to her Robert said “Back away, she's going to try to reverse what she did." He hoped his voice sounded more confident than he felt.
The cop ignored him and started CPR. The other man simply looked at him with an expression that implied he didn't understand. Robert pulled them away with his tentacles. As Anna flew in to land at the downed cop's side Robert became impressed at his own strength. The cop was resisting but was no match for the displacer cat. He held him at bay with three tentacles, and it was easy.
He watched as the gryphon placed her front paws on the man's chest. He felt a series of flutters through his new senses until he sensed the man's heart start up. Anna lifted off and flew to sit next to Glen. They watched from a distance as Robert let the two men go to the fallen cop.
He stepped back and examined the gun in his tentacle. He experimented by trying to pull it out of his tentacle with one hand while still trying to grip it with the tentacle that held it. He had to use a good deal of strength to get it to peel out of his tentacle pad. He doubted any human had the strength to remove it against his will.
As they waited Robert looked the gun over. He was unfamiliar with handguns. He'd seen them in movies and thought he found what looked like the safety and engaged it. It took a little more time to find the clip release. With it seemingly unloaded he held it out to the second cop.
The man took it and deliberately staring at Robert, he slid the top part back and opened his hand to show a bullet. “Aways empty the chambered round."
Robert shrugged. The other human was coming back to life. He looked at the third man and said “If you still want to talk, speak your peace."
“I apologize for that. I was only here to pass on a message." The third human said.
“Let's hear it, then." Robert said, letting the impatience filter into his voice.
“There's some of the city council who want to speak with you. All of you. They're interested in enlisting your help."
*Tell him I'm not interested* Anna sent to Robert.
When he looked at the gryphon she was staring at the man. Her face was largely immobile when it came to facial expressions. He'd gotten a clear impression of her mindset in her sending. She now stared at the man with eyes and a matching raptor beak that gave the impression that she was assessing what he might taste like.
Glen sent *You can at least listen*
Robert saw the typical head movement toward each other as they sent to each other. He was interested in what they had to say. He was also wondering how the gryphon had incapacitated the cop so quickly. In the interest of ending the encounter and getting the three of them on their way Robert asked “Where are we expected to meet them, and when?"
“City Hall, the 4th Avenue side. It would only take a few minutes for them to see you whenever you can get there."
*I can be there in a few minutes* Glen sent to Robert.
Accepting that they expected him to pass on their message Robert said “Glen, the dragon can be there in a few minutes. Anna doesn't seem interested."
“And you?"
“I'll listen, but no promises." He answered.