by Sarah Bale
I ask over the wind, “Do you think Blot is dead?”
“Hard to say. Doesn’t look good.”
We reach Oklahoma and land. The wind whips around, blowing tumbleweeds across the abandoned streets of Silver City. I’m reminded of an old western movie I saw once.
Trace looks around. “This is it?”
“Yeah. Shocking, right?”
“Why would Doc come here?”
I shrug. “That’s the million-dollar question, right?” I take him by the hand. “Come on. It’s this way.”
I lead him to the crater. When we get there, we both stop.
“Holy shit.”
Sixteen
The crater is gone. It doesn’t even look like it was there. The only indication that something happened here is the freshly turned dirt.
Trace walks around the perimeter. “This isn’t good.”
“No, it’s not.”
Looking around, I will some sort of answer to come my way.
“What if you walk across the dirt?” Trace suggests.
“I guess it won’t hurt.”
Closing my eyes, I walk over the circle and don’t feel a damn thing.
“Whatever was here before is gone now.”
“Well, we better hurry up and look around. Headquarters will be looking for us.”
We walk around and I don’t even get a whiff of another Hero, including Doc, which is weird since I smelled his scent the last time I was here.
“There’s nothing here. I don’t get it.”
Trace sways, “None of this makes sense. Why should this?”
“True.” I sigh. “I guess we should go back.”
We’re about to leave when a woman steps onto the porch of one of the houses. She’s an elderly Native American, with long black hair that has streaks of grey in it. She motions us over.
“Hello,” I say with a smile. “I’m Hero Alpha. Hero Trace is here as well.”
She looks at me with her milky white eyes. “I thought I sensed two beings here.”
Trace says, “We’re here on official business. May I ask how long you’ve lived here?”
“My entire life. Right here in this very house.” She smiles. “But that’s not why you’re here. You’re looking for the same thing the others were.”
I glance at Trace before asking, “Do you know what it is?”
“It’s not from this planet and should be left alone.” She turns her gaze on me. “Though I suspect you’ve already had a taste of that power and have come back for more.”
Look, I’ve met a lot of interesting people in my line of work, but this woman unnerves me. I don’t think she can see, but she can see, if you know what I mean.
Trace asks, “How do you know this?”
“My tribe has told stories of it before, many generations ago.” She smiles. “Come inside.”
Trace glances at me before shrugging. I debate following for, like, half a second. Fuck it. This lady might be the key we’ve been looking for.
Her house is cluttered, reminding me of the hoarders you see on TV. Stacks upon stacks of newspapers that make little pathways. Somehow she manages to navigate it, taking us to a kitchen. We pass a framed photo of her and a man in a military uniform.
“Is your husband in the military?”
She snorts. “I’m not married. If you’re looking at the photo on the wall, that’s my brother, LD. He’s not in the military anymore, though he’s still out there trying to save the world. Last I heard he was somewhere in Asia.”
“It must be hard not seeing him.”
“He’s always done his own thing. Plus, he’s a slob. Not sure I could stand living with him.”
Trace and I exchange glances.
She laughs. “The two of you could learn to take a joke.”
She sits at the table, so we do the same.
“I’m Edna, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Edna.”
“What are your names? Your real names?”
Trace says, “We only answer to our Hero names, ma’am.”
She snorts. “Okay, if that’s the game you want to play, then fine by me.”
He replies, “You were saying your people have told stories about the crater before.”
“Ah. Straight to the point. What, are you on a time crunch?”
I say, “Sadly, we are. The government expects us to do things in a timely manner, or we’re penalized.”
“Then you understand how my people have felt over the years.” She shakes her head. “The story of the glowing rock has been passed from generation to generation. In fact, legend has it that same rock is how Silver City came to be.”
As she talks, I’m pulled into another vision. I’m outside, standing in the middle of nowhere. Buffalo roam the land, grazing the tall grass. There’s a flash of light and then something soars across the sky, landing in the ground. The buffalo become panicked and take off, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.
A group of Native Americans appear in the horizon on horses and ride toward the smoking hole in the ground. One of the women looks just like Edna. The males in the group speak to her, as if seeking her guidance. She dismounts and goes toward the hole. As she gets closer, the ground shakes and then opens. The crater glows a deep yellow and the woman falls to her knees. When she stands, her eyes glow the same color and the men back away in fear.
The vison skips and her group has grown. There are women and kids that weren’t there before. They are thriving there, with plenty to eat and drink. A group of white men arrive and go see the woman, bowing to her, as if she’s a queen. She gives them a trunk full of gold nuggets and they give her two wagons full of supplies. That night, she goes to the crater, to worship, but when she gets there, it’s gone, as if it was never there.
The vision skips to a lone man walking. The area looks desolate, as if no one has lived there in a while. In the distance I see the remains of the buffalo. The man falls to his knees, begging for death. As before, the ground shakes and opens. This time the crater glows green. The man steps into the center, screaming as something takes over his body.
A man on a mission, he finds supplies to build a barn over the crater and then a house next to it. Then he goes into the nearby hills. Wherever he digs, he strikes oil. He goes on to found Silver City, a town rich in oil, which in turn makes it rich in other areas. The town thrives and the man rises in status until he’s the mayor. He makes sure no one ever goes into his barn. Not even his wife is allowed.
On his deathbed, the man’s eyes flash a gold color and then he dies. When he’s gone, his family goes to the barn to see what secrets he kept out there. They only find some freshly turned dirt. No crater, though. With the crater gone, the city dries up until it becomes the ghost town it is today.
Blinking, I find myself staring at Edna.
“As you see, the crater has been here before. It never stays long, though. Only long enough to ruin the lives of those who have the bad luck of finding it.”
“Has anyone ever tried to dig around the crater, or where the crater should be?”
“In the early 80s a group came out here. Said the minerals in this area were different than anything they’d seen before. Any time they dug near the site, something would happen.”
Trace asks, “What do you mean?”
“Random weather. Stolen equipment. Anything to ruin their attempts. I believe that’s when the earthquake activity actually began in the state. People blamed it on fracking, but it’s really due to the crater not wanting to be found.” She shakes her head. “This time is different, though.”
“How so?”
“The spirits say that someone bad is trying to find what’s in the crater. And if they get it, the world is in great danger.”
“Do you know if they’ve found it?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t. I suspect we’d know, though. That kind of power can’t be contained or hidden for long.”
I swear to god, I feel like s
he’s staring me down through her milky eyes.
“You are a good person, Hero Alpha. Do not fall into the trap of thinking otherwise.”
Her words spark something deep inside that makes my eyes water.
“Thank you.”
“Do not thank me. Thank the spirts who wish you to remember this. They also want you to know that being the good guy doesn’t always mean doing the right thing.”
Trace’s mouth is gaping and I kind of totally get how he’s feeling. This woman is legit.
She stands. “You’ve spent too much time here. Both of you need to be careful. The threat is closer than you realize.”
We follow her through the maze of newspapers, to the front door.
“Thank you for your help, Edna.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
We step outside and I shiver. The air’s grown colder and dark clouds loom in the distance. Edna closes the door before we’re barely outside and the lock clicks, as if telling us to get the hell off her porch.
Trace says, “That was… different.”
I’m about to reply when our watches buzz at the same time.
I let out a groan. “I don’t want to go back.”
“We have to.”
Sighing, I take his hand and fly back toward DC. We’re almost there when a lightning bolt strikes right in front of us. A scream leaves my lips as we’re suddenly lifted high into the sky.
“What in the heck is going on?”
I shake my head and we soar toward a dark cloud. I can’t do a dang thing to turn either. We enter the cloud and go through some kind of portal. My skin tingles as we’re pulled toward a large mansion sitting atop of a cloud.
“Oh god. Is tha-”
“I think so,” I reply.
We’re dropped in front of a white marble stairway with golden handrails.
Trace looks up, swallowing. “I really don’t want to go up there.”
I don’t either, but I’m compelled to see what’s waiting for us at the top. When I take a step, Trace lets out a loud sigh, but he follows me. It feels like we climb forever. When we reach the top, a man stands in front of us wearing a golden toga. He literally looks like one of the Hemsworth brothers – you know, the cute one.
“Are we supposed to bow?” Trace asks out of the corner of his mouth.
“There’s no need to bow.”
He’s looking right at Trace as if-
“Of course I can see him. Do you really think I’d let someone enter my realm if I couldn’t see them?”
“No one else sees him.”
His gaze lands on me. “And yet you see him. One might say that’s suspect.”
“It’s not.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “You have your thoughts, Hero Alpha, and I have mine. And, I’ve been around much longer and seen things your mortal eyes can’t even comprehend.”
“According to our government, we’re not mortal.”
“You can die, can you not?” He shakes his head. “And your government doesn’t have the best reputation for making good choices.”
“Why is a Greek God so concerned with our affairs?”
“Why does a little girl who can fly think she can come so close to my realm, and think there won’t be consequences?”
“Shit,” Trace breathes out. “I knew you were playing with fire.”
“Let’s get to the point, Zeus. Why are we here?”
Zeus’ eyes narrow. “I’ve heard rumors of a crater in Oklahoma. Judging by your reaction you’ve either heard the same thing or seen it.”
I don’t even reply when he nods.
“So you’ve seen it and it’s awoken something deep inside of you.”
“How do you know this?”
“As I’ve said, I’ve been around much longer than you have. This isn’t the first time the crater has appeared and it won’t be the last.”
Trace asks, “What is its purpose?”
“Some say to balance what is unbalanced. Others say it’s to cause chaos. Where it lands, trouble soon follows.”
Trace glances at me and I resist reacting.
“I brought you to my realm for two reasons, Hero Alpha. One, do not dare insult me, my brothers, or my new wife. You have no idea what we’ve been through and you will not offend us any further, even in thought.”
I swear to god, lightning bolts flash in his eyes as he speaks. He’s fucking serious and this is my only warning. I nod my understanding. It won’t happen again.
“Two, I urge you to be very careful in what you ask for. As I’ve said, you are still mortal and there are ways to make you suffer. And they will make you suffer, child.”
The wind whips around us and the sky lights up with flashes of lightning.
“I understand.” I pause. “And I’m sorry.”
“Come back this is over and you can meet my dear Kaitlin. You two have more in common than you’ll ever realize.”
I’m about to reply when two incredibly handsome men walk toward us.
“Brother, our wife is missing you,” one of the men says.
Zeus smiles, looking less like a God and more like a normal man. “Then I shall hurry to be at her side, Apollo.”
Apollo? I’m sure my mouth is hanging open.
Apollo gives me a dazzling smile. “What are the Heroes here for?”
Zeus replies, “We were just having a little chat.”
“A chat?” The third God asks. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have brought wine.”
As if by command, a table with five goblets and a bottle of red wine appear.
“Thank you, Dionysus, but our guests must return to their realm. There are things these Heroes must help their kind come to terms with before all hell breaks loose.”
Dionysus frowns. “Well, perhaps next time?”
“Indeed.” To us, Zeus says, “Your leaders will have questions. Be leery of telling them of the crater. They won’t stop until they find it.”
With a wave of his hand, we rise into the air. This is different than flying on my own. Right now, I feel the raw power that is Zeus, compelling us to fly. To prove this theory, Trace isn’t even holding my hand. No, he’s suspended in the air on his own.
As we soar away, Zeus calls out, “And the Gods do not envy the Heroes, Alpha. We sympathize with you.”
We cross the sky faster than I’ve ever flown before. DC looms in the distance and we’re lowered gently to the ground.
“Thank you, Zeus,” I murmur.
Trace lets out a laugh. “Well, that was… different.”
“I think I’m in shock. I’m also feeling like a huge tool.” At his look, I say, “When we were flying to Paris, I had some not-so-nice thoughts about the Gods and the rumored problems they’re having with the Goddesses.”
“And now you’ve gained an invitation to meet her when this is over.”
“It would appear so.”
He says, “I never doubted that the Gods and Goddesses were real, but meeting them… they were just incredible.”
“More perfect than humanly possible,” I agree.
“Did you smell the wine?”
He’d been closer to the table that Dionysus made appear out of thin air.
“No.”
“I’ve never smelled anything like it before.” He lets out a dreamy sigh. “It was like the best fruits and flowers perfectly combined to make a drink meant just for me.”
“Easy there, boy. You’re starting to scare me.”
He shakes his head, as if coming out of a fog. “Promise me we’ll take him up on the offer when this is over with.”
“If we’re ever in Olympus again, then we’ll most definitely have wine with the Gods.”
But, I think we both know this was a once in a lifetime encounter.
“I wonder if the Uppers-”
My words stop as our watches suddenly flash red, like an alarm.
Trace meets my gaze.
“Oh shit.”
Seventeen
What if this is the time the Uppers see into my mind? What then?
“Where in the fuck did you go? We lost track of you over Chicago and then all of a sudden you’re spotted outside of DC.”
“You’re not going to like what I’m about to say.”
“Do I ever?”
“Zeus intercepted us.”
“Zeus?” His voice rises, making me flinch.
“Yes. Zeus.”
“What in the hell did he want?” He turns to the Uppers, who have joined us, and spits out, “What are the Gods doing interfering in our business?”
I feel defensive over Zeus. “Well, technically he has every right since he’s been around a hell of a lot longer than us!”
The Uppers watch me, listening intently.
“Are you fucking defending him?”
I swear to god, Marble looks jealous right now. Over a freaking Greek God that’s married. I never knew he had such a jealous streak.
I reply, “Look, I’m just saying that we’ve just kind of taken some of their space and I’m not sure we’ve ever even really talked to them.”
The Uppers have a silent conversation.
The one furthest away from me says, “You are correct. We have never had a successful attempt at speaking with the Gods. Any of them. Tell us, what did Zeus have to say?”
Their slimy powers try to slip into my mind, but I manage to keep them at bay.
“Well, he was mad that I’ve been flying so much through his realm lately. But then he wanted to know what we’ve done to disturb the balance in the universe.”
Upper Seven says to the other Uppers, “What makes this Hero so special that Zeus himself speaks to her?”
Okay, I was starting to consider Seven an ally of sorts. That just went right out the fucking window, because now they’re all looking at me with the same looks on their faces. And that look says they don’t trust me. At all.
Trace answers, “She just told you. He said the Heroes have been invading his space by zipping around through the sky, no offense Alpha. He probably just plucked the first Hero he found out of the clouds.”
