If you dare to call them out, they’ll make a point to gaslight and bring in what are called flying monkeys, e.g. people who will abuse by proxy. These people will often believe whatever the narcissist is saying about the other person without question and, unknowingly or knowingly, mob the actual victim with threats, or spread gossip, etc. In many cases, the narcissist will make his/her monkeys believe he/she is the victim. And they play one really well. In my case, whenever my mother didn’t get her way or had been caught in a lie, she would sob forth those crocodile tears, jerking pitty from her golden child, our youngest brother, who regularly played her muscle. He was her most devout and violent flying monkey, coming to her aid, ready to emotionally or physically hurt anyone he perceived as a threat — even when it was obvious she was in the wrong. So no argument was ever won by anyone other than our mother and her little prince.