"David Xanatos?" Marco asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"I knew you owned the mob!" Janna declared smugly.
"Please Ms. Ordonia, I do not own the mob. Mr. Drakon simply recognizes my importance in ensuring the Sykes Syndicate does not overwhelm his business. And he occasionally provides me with a useful favor such as, as you might guess, a smokescreen for my more confidential agreements."
"So I'm not here to do 'protection' work for the mafia?" Marco asked suspiciously.
"No, but you are here for protection." Xanatos replied. "Janna, may I assume you are here on behalf of Doctor Doofenshmirtz?"
"Janna, you work for the deranged lunatic?!?" Marco asked. "Wait. Why is that surprising?"
"Ehhh, kinda?" Janna replied to Xanatos, tilting her hand back and forth. "I'm here to pick up my friend Marco after work."
"Janna!"
"Dude, this is David Xanatos. If he doesn't already know your real name I'll eat Leopold."
"Rawrf?!?"
"No sweetie, she doesn't mean it." Feldrake said.
"Four years building up the mystery of Cazador…" Marco muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're getting off topic. What sort of 'protection' am I here for?"
Xanatos nodded. "Considering the appearance of your friend on such an… eventful night-"
"Look Xanay, this was a coincidence." Janna interrupted. "I'm not here to-"
"Oh I believe you." Xanatos interrupted back. "This obscene coincidence tracks with everything I've seen of the Doctor so far, and while I was only vaguely aware of Mr. Diaz's connections to Echo Creek I must admit I am not surprised."
"Not even about the demon?" Janna asked, sounding slightly put out.
"Hi, I don't understand what's going on." Tom said.
"Then perhaps I can explain." Xanatos began, rising from his chair. "Several months ago, Ms. Ordonia, an item I had intended to purchase was unexpectedly lost to me."
"That's why you went to the auction!" Janna declared.
Xanatos nodded approvingly. "It was one reason. I had paid the asking price prior to the auction in order to avoid any unexpected bets. Unfortunately, Madame De Spell is rather… mercenary. Someone else offered more at the last moment."
"What was it?"
"One half of a set." Xanatos replied. "A set that Demona now has both parts of."
"Are we going to have to make a list of things we don't know what they are?" Lizzy asked.
"It would help." Xanatos replied. "Demona is an old enemy of mine. As soon as I heard your prophecy I suspected it referred to her, and the events of the auction only served to confirm it. She is a gargoyle with a simmering hatred towards humanity, determined to strike back against an entire species because of what she thinks we did to her."
"Where have I heard that before?" Marco muttered darkly. "Don't tell me, she's got genocidal ambitions too?"
"They're coming out of the floorboards these days." Janna agreed darkly.
"There is an upside. Or perhaps it would be better to say 'glimmer of hope.' It would seem as though Demona is not satisfied with one completed artifact. Several months ago she arranged for the theft of another item of interest from Notre Dame Cathedral, replacing it with a replica. I was able to intercept this item, and it is currently in one of my own vaults, here in New York."
"Oh yeah! The Papillon thing?" Janna asked. "Jackie sent me a message about that from France."
"Oh. Is she uh… she doing ok?" Marco asked.
"Yeah, she's having a good time."
"Oh good. Good."
"..."
"Soooo, what's the doom artifact do?" Tom asked after several awkward seconds.
"Suffice to say if she acquires this item alongside what she already has, she may well accomplish her goals. Quickly."
"Where do I come in?" Marco questioned.
Janna punched him in the arm.
"Ow! Okay, okay, fine! Where do we come in?"
"I can't be certain, but I believe that Demona plans to make her move tonight. She would find it… poetic. While the prophecy you shared with me might have said her designs will not come to pass, that leaves no reason to be complacent. Dracon's outfit is prepared for some 'gang warfare', and they would appreciate the support."
"Quick question. If she's as bad as you're saying, why haven't you just killed her yet?" Marco preemptively looked to Janna as if expecting an objection. When none came, he simply shrugged.
"Demona cannot be killed."
Marco's eye twitched. "That just means you're not trying hard enough."
"I'm led to believe it's a quirk of the fates, actually."
"Great. Just great. Have you told anyone else about this impending apocalypse?" Marco asked.
"Horvath is the largest center of occult power in the city at the moment. Unfortunately he is just skilled enough to suspect every word I say. He will likely mobilize once it becomes clear I am telling the truth, but considering the speed at which Demona could put her plan into effect, that will likely be too late."
Opposed Intrigue Check:
Xanatos Intrigue Check: 8+71=79
Janna Intrigue Check: 23+22+17=62
Xanatos Success!
"Mm hmm." Janna said. "And are you going to fill in all the blatant omissions in that story?"
"Are you going to refuse to help if I say no?"
"...Touche."
"Cazador, if I wasn't clear, I need you to help me protect this final artifact. Tonight and, if the threat should fail to materialize, for several nights to come. I'll pay your usual rate, no questions asked. Do we have a deal?"
Marco thought for a moment. "Yeah, I can do that." He said, patting a weirdly shaped case he had slung over his back. "I've fought worse."
"Good." Lizzy said, standing up and cracking her knuckles. "Now if the exposition is over-"
"Yes, we should be going." Xanatos agreed. "Before Demona makes her move."
"..."
Lizzy looked around.
"...is something wrong?" Xanatos asked.
"This is usually the part where the attack we've been talking about immediately happens."
"I would not have spent the last hour arranging a complex, deniable means of obtaining a mercenary, only to then take the time to explain the situation personally, if I had any expectation of an assault being imminent."
"What."
Janna frowned. "How the heck would you even know that?"
"I put a tracker in the item she stole from me."
"Ah."
"Ohhhh."
"Yeah that makes more sense."