In a small apartment building where they were, a group of shifty men met in a meeting. They were poachers who were from Russia looking for good game. The leader, who was 54 years old, had a mustache and stood around 5'6, having blue eyes and dark black hair. His name was Yegor. A known criminal in Russia but well hidden in his fake friendly animal zoo.

The gang had heard about gargoyles living in New York and wanted a go at nabbing them for their upcoming month-long animal auction and hoped to get a pretty price for a live gargoyle.

Yegor stood up, an evil look in his eyes as his men turned to him. "Well men, here we are in the city of Manhattan. Who is ready to hunt some 'goyle with me, eh?" The others cheered meanly.

"But who? There's like eight of them here in this city." Yegor just grinned. "Who cares as long as we can get one. We will be able to fetch a pretty price for any of them."

The rest of them snickered evilly. "Yeah, 'm ready to catch some fresh meat for our auction!" leered another with a beard. The men then eventually made up a plan to try to catch any of them alone, for it would be hard for them to try and corner all of them at once since they were all fierce fighters. But they would get one, one way or another.

....

On the other side of Manhattan at the Eyrie building in the month of February, an exhausted clan had returned home from their long patrol. Brooklyn in particular was feeling worn down, both physically and mentally. He sat there on the parapets while the rest of his family went inside to rest, too tired to even move anywhere.

"Lad, you alright?" Hudson asked in concern, seeing Brooklyn's face looking rather tired and troubled. He had been acting off recently ever since Broadway and Angela mated with each other and since the Coldsteel incident, which still haunted the young gargoyle.

Brooklyn blinked when Hudson spoke, looking up at him with ears flat. "Uh, nothin', Hudson. Just tired from our patrol, that's all," he mumbled, rubbing his arms, and shutting his eyes when hearing Broadway and Angela giggling. "Just gonna go get some water." With that, he stood up to go into the kitchen and get his drink.

He had managed to get himself his water and was going into the library to just relax by the fire since it was still a cold February. He sat down on the couch, sighing a bit from his sore muscles from fighting the usual crooks. One of them had given his arm a bad bruise, which made him wince when sitting down, rubbing it.

I wish I had a mate to sit here with... Brook thought, gazing into the flames and drinking his water, wings around his shoulders. Suddenly, he heard Broadway and Angela come in, making him frown, hoping they wouldn't do all that love nonsense in his face. But to his disappointment, they were holding hands, making his stomach churn. Broadway saw his brother sitting curled up on the couch, not looking at them but seeming to be lonely.

"Uh, hi bro. You okay?" Brooklyn huffed in response. "Why ask? I'm great," he responded sarcastically.

Broadway didn't buy it but thought of something to cheer him up. "Me and Angela may make some cookies if you want to join us," he offered. This made his brother perk up just a little from the invitation, but eventually his loneliness attacked him again. "Er, don't think I'm up for being in the kitchen right now. Think I want some more air without fighting anybody."

Angela raised her hand. "You sure?"

Brooklyn nodded. "I'll be fine. Don't worry for me. You have Broadway anyway."

He stood up to quickly leave the room with the couple watching after in concern. On his way out, Lexington had been on his way to the nursery when the green gargoyle spotted his red brother stomping by, his eyes looking rather moistened. "Bro?" Lex asked but Brooklyn ignored him, swishing his tail angrily while on his way to the parapets. Frowning, Lex figured Brooklyn was just in one of his surly moods again like usual as he shrugged and went to spend his time with Alex.

On the parapets, Brooklyn made the choice to leave the castle despite his sore arm to get away from everybody for a bit, wincing slightly when he jumped onto one of the perches then took off into the night, hoping to find a secluded place to be totally alone without being bothered by anybody.

...

During this time, the poachers had been packing up their weapons needed to hunt and catch a gargoyle; dart guns, nets, and even a muzzle if needed, which they would. They would keep in touch with each other over radio when one of them spotted a gargoyle.

One man named Henri was on his post when he saw something fly by with large wings. He smirked. It looked like a gargoyle alright! Henri turned on his radio. "Hey Boss, I saw a gargoyle! He's headed east I think. Let's follow it!"

"Alright. Keep tracking this one. Maybe this beast is worth millions if he looks worthy," said Yegor on the walkie. Henri signaled his group to follow Brooklyn, who hardly noticed he was being followed since he was so deep in thought.

....

Eventually, Brooklyn's lone gliding led him to an old warehouse he and his clan every now and then caught bad guys at but didn't look like much activity was happening which was fortunate for him. Brooklyn landed on the roof and ignored his bruised arm again, sitting down with his legs curled up, holding his knees, and staring into the distance, a small tear coming down his cheek.

He felt so lonely and disheartened that it was hard for the young Second to focus on his duties, especially when Goliath went missing on his Avalon journey. It was terrifying after his leader had disappeared and he had to be a leader. Could he do it again if the worst should happen to Goliath one day? Brooklyn trembled at the thought, the wind blowing in his hair as he hugged his knees more, unaware that he was being snuck upon.

Henri and his men were waiting on top of the roof while Yegorand the rest were positioned below should the freak make a break for it but were pretty confident he would be an easy target. Yegor saw Brooklyn sitting on the roof, looking rather sorry for himself. It made him roll his eyes but he admired how the gargoyle looked. It looked different from some of the other photos he saw online of a huge, muscled gargoyle with a human's face. This one looked the most like how a natural animal would, and he would ensure this freak knew it.

"Now, Henri. Shoot him while you have the chance!" hissed Yegor in his walkie.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, had Angela in his thoughts again but then heard the sound of a gun being cocked. He gasped slightly but before he could see who was coming, a sudden sting hit him in the lower back like when he tried to rescue Maggie.

"Aagh!" Brook screamed from the dart, eyes round in panic from being ambushed. He jumped to his feet at the sight of the three humans there on the roof with him, backing up. The lead male with the beard laughed meanly.

"Hello, red one. The boss had been wanting to hunt your kind for some time now." Brooklyn felt confused, mostly from the drug getting to him but not fully yet. "Oh... what... do you mean?" He mumbled, rubbing his head as the fuzziness took its toll on his brain. Henri shook his head. "It means brainless, that you're our trophy, our catch. And we're taking you."

That didn't sound good to Brooklyn, whose eyes glowed up as he tried to ignore the drugs and escape but just then, a net was shot out next and it tangled him up. Brooklyn shrieked again and thrashed about only to trip over the edge of the roof and fall to the ground below where his seller was waiting with a satisfied grin.

Blinding pain hit hard on Brooklyn's body when collapsing to the ground, feeling even more warm and woozy from the awful drug. Brooklyn whined and struggled to stay awake to fight; seeing another group of men with guns too, knowing he was trapped. And his clan was nowhere around.

"I...I w...won't go-go anywhere..." mumbled Brooklyn woozily, his vision spinning, as Yegor held up his prey's head. "Hope you sleep in Dreamworld well, little freak. For we're taking you away from this loser city forever." All Brook did was give a sad moan before eventually, his mind surrendered to the sleep drug which had his vision fall into sleepy darkness.

The poachers all cheered at catching a gargoyle, looking him over greedily, feeling his skin, which felt smooth and studying his wings while he was in the net. Yegor knew he would have to make sure he left no evidence of his leaving the states when taking his prize home with him. He didn't want the authorities to catch up to him.

He gave a little sneer when rubbing the creature's stomach after turning him over. Oh he would make short work of this little devil for sure and sell him off eventually to a buyer willing to pay him millions, or even trillions.

The men pulled Brooklyn's arms behind his back and put cuffs on his wrists. Cuffs were also put on his ankles too. A leather muzzle was put over his beak to ensure he wouldn't bite. Yegor then also added another piece: an electric collar around Brook's neck for better control over him. It went under his hair. It wasn't too tight, just firm against the skin that the gargoyle would feel shocks when he would use it on him.

Now the red male was ready for transport. He was taken to their transport truck, a big black travel van. He was thrown inside without so much a care for his well being and all got inside before any others spotted them. The driver got in and they zoomed off to their hiding place.

....

May seem a bit familiar to my other Journey story but this time Brooklyn isn't with the bad guys for too long since this has some romance in it. ;) but nothing too M rated for you guys since I'm not brave enough for that yet.