It had now been a week since the Bronx incident and Brooklyn's health had been improving greatly, much to the clan's happiness. He began moving around the castle more and staying outside with the clan turning to stone. Brook was grateful to have it back again, even if it wouldn't erase his scars.

Eventually though, Brooklyn asked Hudson if he could learn go out to glide again. Hudson wasn't so sure. "Are ye sure, lad? Just don't want ye to get lost or taken again."

Brooklyn gave him pleading eyes. "Please, Hudson. I just really need to exercise my wings again after being cooped up after my long journey. It'll get me started on going on patrols once more, though I still don't feel ready to do them." He said.

Goliath came up then. "I suppose some light training wouldn't be any harm, Hudson. We can at least give him this chance at living like a normal gargoyle again. But take someone with you, Brooklyn, to be safe."

Brook's eyes brightened, smiling a bit at Goliath. Hudson then nodded in approval though he wanted to keep waiting. Lex showed up then. "Hey Lex, do you want to help me practice gliding again?" He called.

The smaller gargoyle seemed surprised but grinned, happy that Brooklyn seemed ready to go into the world again. "Sure," he said. Goliath then wished Brooklyn luck with his gliding as the two brothers ventured onto the parapets.

Just seeing the outside again when going to glide made Brooklyn pale a bit, swallowing. His wings felt a twinge from his nonstop gliding before, backing up now. Lex noticed, looking at him.

"It's alright, bro. Just take it slow, ok?" said the smaller gargoyle with an encouraging smile. Swallowing, Brooklyn nodded, spreading his wings, somewhat stumbling but managed to get a good jump, catching the wind.

He yelped slightly from not having been doing this since his travels, wings flapping to gain balance. Lex joined his red brother and steadied him from underneath. Brooklyn panted, struggling to steady himself but could now feel his wings getting used to gliding again. The beaked gargoyle was just thankful he didn't need to travel anymore and could just do a simple gliding outing with his bro.

The two glided around Manhattan near the castle, Brooklyn slowly feeling his nerves settling and happy he could get fresh air. He began to have a bit of fun in the air, eventually leading into him and Lex playing tag like they did as hatchlings.

They chased each other through the streets but made sure to keep to the shadows until eventually, Brooklyn felt tired. Lex saw this and pointed to a familiar building with a large sign they often used as a lookout and hideout. Nodding, Brook followed his brother and they managed to land, both panting.

"Didn't... think... I could have fun like this again," Brook mumbled, wiping his brow, and sitting down, unaware of a certain dark gargoyle watching with his binoculars from above on another building.

Lex smiled. "I'm glad that human who took you isn't anywhere nearby," he stated. Brook sat down to just admire the view, Lex joining him, holding his hand.

Thailog was in his hiding spot, smirking at the sight of his red prey, waiting for the right moment.

Lex was curious about what technology was in this building and he wanted to check it out some more on the inside. "Hey, Brook, you want to go inside and check out some cool stuff?" Lex asked him.

"That's your department, Lex. I just want to stay out here and enjoy the fresh air after being in the castle for so long." Brooklyn said.

"Alright, but you're missing out." Lex smirked playfully.

"I'll wait on ya." The red male stated. He would also look around for signs of trouble.

From his hiding spot, Thailog saw the little green male head to the stairway on the roof to go downstairs. It was closed right now but Lexington was making his way down to go see the technology. Thailog saw this as a good chance to separate the brothers. He had to take care of Lexington before getting Brooklyn in his grasp. He left his spot and went to get Lex out of the way.

Brooklyn stayed on the rooftop and felt the fresh air blowing on his face and through his hair. It was a nice night out despite it being wintertime. It wasn't terribly freezing tonight, only mid-thirties. He would wait for his little brother to come back. He just wasn't much a techno-geek as Lex was.

Down below, Lex had found himself in a room full of microscopes and computers. He was down two floors. His curiosity got the better of him and he decided to get on one and see what they were studying. He got his answer of trying to find a cure for allergies. Interesting but no cigar. Maybe he was better off leaving and he and Brooklyn could go to a video arcade and play some video games or something or play them back home.

As Lex was leaving the room, a deep evil voice chuckled. It sent a shiver up Lex's spine. He knew that voice. "Nice to see you again, Green One." The dark gargoyle showed himself.

"Thailog! What do you want?!" Lex exclaimed.

"Oh, nothing from you, but your red brother, everything." Thailog chuckled evilly, then shot a dart from his gun into Lex's right bicep.

Lex cried out in pain, and it didn't take long for the small gargoyle to get all ditzy and fell over, knocked out in a nap. Now it was Brooklyn's turn. Thailog had a plan.

....

Brooklyn had been waiting a while on the rooftop for his brother to return. Surely it couldn't take Lex that long to get fed up with 'science toys.' But then, he didn't get off so easily, but Brooklyn was ready to leave this place. He was going to go down and find him. He was getting bored, and nothing was happening outside.

The red male went down the same way that Lex had and went to find his brother. "Lex, where are ya, bro? It's time to go." Brook called out to him but there was no answer. "Lex?" He called again. No answer.

When Brook got to the second floor, he soon came across the computer room where Lex had been previously. "Lex, you in here?" He went further into the room and soon came across Lex's form, out cold. "Lex!" Brooklyn cried out and ran toward him.

He checked to see if he was alright. Lex was breathing okay, just unconscious. Then he saw the dart in his arm. "I'll find who did this to you." Brook growled.

"But then you don't have to." What sounded like Goliath's voice stepped out of a closet, gun aimed.

Brooklyn's eyes widened. "Thailog! What did you do to him!" He demanded.

"He's of no concern to me. But, you on the other hand, are." Thailog smirked. Then he took aim.

Brooklyn gasped and raised his hands. "Can't we talk about this?" he asked desperately, thinking he was going to be shot. He didn't want to get shot again.

"Oh sure, so you could go running to Goliath and bring them about? I don't think so." Thailog mocked him and then shot the gun. But what came out wasn't a bullet but a net. It got a hold of Brooklyn instantly.

Brooklyn struggled desperately in the net. "Let me out of here!" he demanded.

"I don't think so. I was paid a lot of money to capture you for a third party that wants you back." Thailog declared as he came up toward him.

"Who?!" Brooklyn demanded.

"You'll find out." Thailog said and then pointed his gun at him again, but this time, sonic sounds came out of a different part of the gun.

Brooklyn cried out in pain and held his head. He suddenly got dizzy super-fast and that made him fall to the floor, unconscious.

"Sweet dreams, Diablo." Thailog mocked him from hearing his other name from Anthony.

Thailog put his gun on his thigh, and he picked up both gargoyles; Brooklyn over his shoulder in the net, and Lex up by one of his legs and dragged him. He got them both outside but dropped Lex on the rooftop. Now he had his target and left with him. The net made him easier to carry back to the hideout.

....

Awhile later, Lex soon woke up and found he was on the rooftop and found he was alone. Where was Brooklyn? This sent panic into Lex. He had to get home and tell Goliath that his red brother was missing. He remembered Thailog and most likely he took Brooklyn out too. He of course didn't remember coming back up to the rooftop.

Lex took off back to the castle.

He soon got back there and told Goliath everything he knew.

"Who knows what or who Thailog would take Brooklyn for." Goliath said, "But it can't be good news."

"We have to find him!" Lex cried out in a worried tone.

"And we will, Lexington." Goliath said.

The clan set out with their earphones on so they could communicate better. Brooklyn hadn't even been home that long and already he had been kidnapped again. But they weren't letting him go without a fight this time. They all hoped he was alright, wherever he was.

...

Thailog got Brooklyn back to the hideout. This time, it was a different place than Gen-U-Tech. It was Anthony's home here in New York. It was like a big mansion, kind of like MacBeth's.

"I have your red gargoyle." Thailog flew in the window.

"Ah! Let me see him!" Anthony rushed to greet the clone.

Thailog pulled the net off his shoulder and laid the sleeping netted Brooklyn on the floor. Anthony smiled evilly.

"I have my Diablo back. The money is yours." Anthony smiled, rubbing his hands together. He had so much to catch up on with 'his' gargoyle.

"Good." Thailog replied. "But what do you want done with him?"

"Put him in the cage in the lab. I'll do what I want with him from there." Anthony said.

Thailog then picked up the red male again and knew where to take him. Anthony couldn't wait to talk to Diablo again after he had gotten away and would see fit to punish him good. He wouldn't be getting away again. But then, he also didn't want this freak of nature around that had delivered him back, despite his usefulness, but he was obviously dangerous.

Thailog took Brooklyn to the lab and put him in the large cage in there. He then took the net off of him. Then he left him in the cage, locking it. Anthony had trailed behind him, thus giving him the key.

"Thank you."

Thailog then went to Sevarius, who was elsewhere taking care of other notes.

Anthony then went up to the cage and looked at the unconscious gargoyle. He still looked the same as when he saw him last. But he also noticed the scars on his body too. One from where his brand had once been that had been removed, and the other from his gunshot wound as he had escaped.

"I see you are not unscathed from being with me, Diablo." Anthony sneered at his prize. "Now, to make sure that you will not get away from me again." He smirked.

The man then reached over to a table and brought out a new muzzle and cuffs for his prisoner. He unlocked the cage and went into it. He was just using a leather muzzle like a belt that he tied and clamped around Brooklyn's beak so he wouldn't be able to open his mouth when he woke up. He also had some assistants come into the cage and pick Brook up off the floor and put his back to the cage bars where there were chains from above.

Brooklyn's hands were held up and put in the cuffs at the end of the chains. His head was still slumped from being out cold. Then the men tied his ankles to the floor of the cage, along with tying his tail to his right leg so it rendered it useless too. His wings were left alone.

Once Brooklyn was properly restrained, he was left alone to wake up. The men were outside but close by if needed. Anthony pulled up a chair and would wait for his precious Diablo to wake up from his nap.

A little while later, Anthony heard a moan coming from the cage. He was waking up at last. He smiled. He went over to the cage. He wanted to be the first thing that the gargoyle saw.

Brooklyn was waking up from his encounter. His vision was blurry at first but began to focus. He tried to put a hand to his head that hurt with a headache but found he couldn't move his hands. He felt they were held up and he looked up and saw they were held by cuffs.

"Hello there, Diablo." Brooklyn heard a voice.

Brooklyn turned his head to the sound of the voice and there before him was the man he never wanted to see again. Anthony! Brooklyn's eyes widened in fear and shock. He instantly tried to move and found all his limbs restrained. He also tried to talk back but found his mouth tied shut too.

"You probably thought you'd never see me again, is that correct?" Anthony inquired. "I bet you did. But now that I have you back, you aren't getting away ever again." He sneered. "You are my prize whether you like it or not, and we have much to catch up on."

Brooklyn's breathing was heavy and panicked. His eyes wide with fear. Oh, please let me go! He screamed in his head.

"Don't think your miserable clan will be coming to your aid. I plan to take you back to my home in Montana again, soon." The man mocked him.

Brooklyn then gave him a glare.

"Oh, I have something for you since your escape so long ago. And I'll have you rebranded with my mark again." Anthony declared. "And don't think I don't know where you live. Sevarius told me all about it."

Brook's eyes widened again. Then Anthony leaned down and picked up something out of a bag. Brooklyn watched as he picked up a big crowbar. Then the man unlocked his cage and went up to him. He longed to kick him but couldn't. He saw the bar in his captor's hands. What was he going to do?

"This is payback for escaping me, Diablo!" Anthony exclaimed as he then jammed the crowbar down fast and hard deep into Brooklyn's stomach.

Brooklyn instantly cried out in pain and curled over. His cry was muffled due to the muzzle. He bared his teeth on the side. He felt pain deep in his belly. He tried hard to breathe; the air gone from his lungs. His hands balled into fists. He tried to bring his legs up but couldn't bend them much.

"Been wanting to do that for a long time." Anthony admitted. "Now I'm going to go call your benefactor."

The evil man left the cage, laying the crowbar back on the table. He then left the room, leaving Brooklyn alone to feel the pain circulating in his stomach. Oh, I got- to get out- of here. He thought to himself.

...

Out in the main quarters, Anthony rejoined Sevarius. He was given Xanatos' phone number. Thailog was with them. He was there as back up in case Brooklyn needed some settling down.

"So, what is the plan for that red gargoyle?" Anton asked.

"I plan to take him home with me like I did before. I plan to punish and study him for the rest of his life. He's not going anywhere." Anthony explained.

"That's a good punishment for him." Thailog grinned maniacally.

"Just what is that gargoyle's role in his little family?" Anthony asked.

"He's the Second in Command. I would gladly take that role from him should I be allowed to." Thailog decreed.

"I'll be happy to relieve you of him once and for all, Thailog." Anthony said, "Now that he's mine again." He dialed the phone number. The phone on the other side rang.

.....

At the Eyrie building, the clan had returned from looking for Brooklyn and had found nothing.

"Did you find any trace of Brooklyn?" David asked the clan as he came out to see them.

"Not a trace of him anywhere." Broadway replied.

"Why would Thailog take him?" Angela asked.

"We don't know, Lass." Hudson said.

"There was no ransom note for him. But I feel like it's my fault that I couldn't stop him." Lex had a sad look.

"No. I was the one who thought it was alright. If it's anyone's, it's mine. I'm responsible for him." Goliath stated. "We will find him, no matter how long it takes."

"We might set up for lookouts in Montana too, since Brooklyn said that was where he was when he was taken." David said.

"Yes, do that." Goliath agreed.

Then, Owen came outside with the phone. "Sir, there is a phone call for you from a Mr. Anthony Roberts."

The clan and David turned. They had heard Brooklyn's story and knew the name but didn't know his identity.

"David Xanatos here." David said.

"Hello, Mr. Xanatos. I have your precious red gargoyle. He is my prize to toy with once again. And he is going to regret having gotten away from me." Anthony announced over the phone. "And if you happen to trace this call or send anyone after me, I'll make sure to harm the red one good. And I even mean kill him!"

"Wait! You don't need to do that. If he's such a burden to you, I'll be happy to buy him from you." David asked. "How about giving you $50 million for him?" He offered.

"Sounds tempting, but no. This gargoyle is mine."

The clan was listening to this conversation as well. They knew that Brooklyn was not an animal to be purchased like a pet was, but being such rare creatures, to humans, gargoyles were valuable alright. But the clan knew that Xanatos was just trying to save Brooklyn's life and get him back to them.

But then Anthony spoke again. "One more thing: can you get my gargoyle's 'leader' on the phone? Would love to speak to him."

Goliath was feeling his worry for his second fill him up as David, eyes narrowed, nodded and handed the phone to the larger gargoyle.

"Hello?" He asked carefully and heard Anthony laugh cruelly. "A not so pleasure to finally meet you, Goliath isn't it? I'm sure you would like to say one more farewell to your dear red one?" Goliath growled. "I won't let any harm come to Brooklyn!" He shouted. Anthony huffed. "No, Goliath. My gargoyle's name isn't 'Brooklyn' or whatever stupid name he gave himself. It is Diablo, get me?"

Broadway heard this and snarled. "You'll let go of my brother now!" He stormed, but Goliath pushed him back gently. Anthony just shook his head. "Afraid not. He is mine. But I will put Diablo on soon. Let me get him."

....

Brooklyn meanwhile had heard Anthony come into the room in his cage, holding a phone. He gave Anthony a questioning gaze. Anthony smirked at him. "I will give you permission to hear your family's voices one more time, Diablo. For your 'leader' wants to say hi."

Anthony then put the phone on speaker so Brooklyn could hear them.

....

Goliath could hear the sound of his second breathing raspily. "Brooklyn? Brooklyn!" He yelled desperately. Anthony snickered on the other end. "I fear his mouth is all tied up at the moment. But he can speak, only for this one time." Eventually Anthony took off Brooklyn's muzzle, just for once. Brook whimpered and gasped when the muzzle was off. Just hearing that broke Goliath's heart at the idea of Brooklyn wearing a muzzle to suffocate him.

"Brooklyn... please... talk to me. I have to know if you're ok," he said, tears beginning to come along. Brook lifted his head weakly. Goliath's voice sounded more soothing and sad than Thailog's. A choking noise emerged. "G'liath..." he croaked from voice misuse. Anthony cackled, stroking his pet's beak, making Brooklyn shy back. "Go on, dear pet. Tell him," he taunted. Brooklyn swallowed bile in his throat before struggling to speak again.

"Stomach... hurts," Brooklyn said, feeling shaky. Elisa on the other end was scared for the young male, hoping somehow they can get him home.

Goliath frowned, knowing that Anthony probably hit Brooklyn's stomach. "We will get you out of there somehow, Brooklyn. Just try to keep being strong and hold on. I promise we'll come for you!" He said in a desperate voice. Brook's ears perked at his leader's voice, happy to hear that from him but suddenly Anthony drew a knife. "Hm, maybe I should draw open one of your scars, you think? Since your benefactor claims he will come despite my warning?" Brooklyn felt panicked, wiggling in his bonds.

"No! Don't!" Goliath heard Brooklyn yelp on the line, his heart clenching. But then a louder scream rang in the air. Anthony had hurt him again.

Lex's eyes were round and they were glowing too. His brother's screams of pain were horrible to listen to. "Stop it! Leave him alone!" He screamed. Anthony just laughed.

"I think not. Diablo's comforts and health don't matter to me. But we won't be online long. His muzzle will now come back on him forever. And if his stone sleep is back, I have some spare serum back home to give to Diablo. How delicious that would be..." Both Angela and Broadway protested at this strongly, they didn't want him to leave again.

Goliath was feeling unsure of what to do now; afraid that anything else he would say would cause more harm than good to his Second, but didn't want to lose him either. "I'm sure there must be something, anything, we can do for his freedom! And you had no right to take his sleep away!" He protested, but Anthony said otherwise.

"Fraid not, beast. And what worth is he to you? He doesn't look like the rest of you human faced freaks anyway with his hideous devil beak," mocked Anthony, gripping Brooklyn's beak harshly, making tears come down his face from the insult. That made Goliath angry. "It doesn't matter if he looks different from us; he's family!" He roared. But Anthony now felt bored. "I had enough conversing with you, 'Goliath'. It is time we said goodbye for good. On goes his muzzle again!"

Then Brook began crying when the muzzle was being placed on him one more time, wishing he could say one more thing to his family, hearing them yelling in fear for their beloved brother. Anthony laughed triumphantly at being able to bring grief to these pests. "So, farewell, mighty Manhattan clan or whatever you are. Diablo will be gone forever!" Brooklyn shouted muffledly, trying to beg Anthony to let him talk to them some more but it was no use after Anthony hung up.

He glanced at his prize, eyes lit up with evil and addiction to him. "Just you and me forever, now Diablo. Forever..." Anthony rubbed Brooklyn's stomach which caused the red one to tense up again from feeling those terrible hands again before eventually leaving him alone for now to set up some more torture.

Brooklyn looked down in hopelessness and defeat, believing now all hope for him being safe again with his family away from this perverted human was now destroyed, heart feeling like it would burn in his chest from sorrow.