“The cat’s in the cradle with the silver spoon. Little boy blue and the man in the moon. When you comin’ home, Daddy? Don’t know when, but we’ll get together then, son. The cat’s in the cradle with the silver spoon…” Jason keeps repeating while rocking back and forth. I walk over to the corner and sit down beside him.
“The cat’s in the cradle with the silver spoon…” I join in while rocking back and forth.
…
[November 14th] Day 7, 1000 hours:
Jason and I are both lying in the corner in the fetal position.
“CT, I don’t think I’m going to make it.” Jason rasps out.
“Don’t say that… we can make it through this, together.” I reply.
“Tell Reyna that I still love her… and I want her to name our child after Neil Patrick Harris…” Jason whispers as his eyes slowly shut.
“Jason… Jason…? JASOOOOON!” I shout.
“Hey guys, are you ready to go?” Reyna asks and Jason’s pop open.
“You three are done? It’s over? We’re free?” I ask.
“Cole, quit being so melodramatic and let’s go.” Cheza replies.
“We did it, CT! We made it through this!” Jason exclaims as he hugs me and we both start crying. We’re weeping into each other’s arms when we kiss each other.
****
“AH!” I scream awake to find myself spooning a mannequin, with my leg thrown over its hip. I look around and realize that it’s not over… that I’m still trapped in this nightmare…
Where did my clothes go?
…
[November 14th] Day 7, 1700 hours:
“So what happened next?” The investigator taking a statement asks.
“Well, Jason found a container of Play-Doh underneath one of the racks…” I tell the investigator while tightening the security blanket around my shoulders. “And I used it to create a directional plastic explosive with my blood. I rolled it into tubing, set it up on the outer wall, and blew open an exit next to the doors.”
“Did it occur to you that the doors weren’t locked?” The investigator questions.
“Yes, once on the outside where I had fresh air, it did occur to me that Jason might have been pulling when he should have been pushing.” I reply. The investigator writes something in his small note book.
“Please continue.” The investigator requests.
“After we saw glorious daylight, we went through the newly created exit and escaped. By this time, Jason had already stripped down to his boxers and tied his shirt around his head to mop up the sweat from his efforts of trying to tunnel through the marble with his spoon. Jason ran through the hole in the wall with his spoon raised above his head while shouting ‘FREEEEEDOOOOM!’” I recant.
“And what happened to your clothing?” The investigator asks.
“I honestly don’t remember. They either got incinerated in the blast… or I ate them…” I reply.
“Alright, I think I have all we need. Would you like to press charges? After all, what they did to you two was technically psychological torture and unlawful imprisonment.” The investigator asks.
“That’s alright… we do still love them, after all.” I smile at him.
“Well, I still suggest that you get some counseling; I needed extensive therapy after going dress shopping for my sister’s wedding… you might also want to ask about Stockholm Syndrome.” The investigator says.
“Thank you for the suggestion, but I think I just want to go home now.” I reply.
“Of course. Prince Jason has already settled to have someone take care of the damages so you are all free to go.” The investigator replies.
“Thank you.” I say.
The investigator leads me out of the room and down a hall to where Jason is waiting. Jason takes one look at me and snaps his fingers to clothe me; I hand the security blanket back to the investigator before an officer escorts us back to the lock-up for the girls. The girls glare at us as they are led out of the cell. Jason ports all of us back to the palace before the girls explode.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU TWO!” Reyna screams.
“WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?” Cheza shouts.
“We went mildly insane and you want to know what we were thinking? The investigator asked me if I wanted to press charges on you guys for psychological torture and unlawful imprisonment; he seriously asked me that. Do you want to know what I said?” I reply with a snarky tone.
“WHAT!?” the girls angrily scream at me.
“I told him no, because even after all that, Jason and I still love you guys.” I tell them after eliminating my snarky tone and their expressions soften immediately. My phone starts ringing and interrupts this wonderful moment; the caller id says it’s Tia.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Feros.” A gravelly voice says with a light accent that I can’t pick up.
“Who is this?” I demand.
“Come to the plateau behind your house in Arizona within the hour and come alone. If you do not, Tlazolteotl’s life is forfeit.” The male voice responds and then hangs up.
Is this retaliation for the Templar killings? How did they capture Tia?
“Who was that, Cole?” Cheza asks.
“Dunno; wrong number I guess.” I reply.
“So what should we do for dinner?” Jason asks.
“How about you make tacos?” I suggest.
“That sounds good!” Natasha exclaims.
“Alright, I’ll get to work! They’ll be done in about half an hour.” Jason says and heads for the kitchen. Reyna and Natasha exit the room, leaving just one person left.
“Hey Cheza, can you go find Sara? I think I’d like to talk to her.” I softly say.
“Sure, Cole. I’ll be right back.” Cheza gently replies and leaves the room.
I hurry and slip on my suit, unzip the sleeve, and pull on my holster.
“Hey Cole, did you need to talk to me?” Sara asks as she enters the room, but stops when she sees my battle attire. I give her a half smile and touch my Haglaz rune.
Chapter 18: Dammit! Not Another One!
Upon arriving in the front yard of the house, I hear a blood curdling scream—a feminine blood curdling scream—coming from the plateau. What results is the longest minute of my life as I wait for the time limit to be up before I can port up there. When I arrive, I see two men standing over a smoking and charred-skinned Tia. One of the men has a metal brace on his left leg and that’s all I notice before my helmet engages and my arm turns black. I quickly twist open the ring on my left hand and slice my right wrist open when I see the golden auras that surround both men. I’ve started the formation of my Mu-cutter when they turn around.
“So you must be Feros.” The god with the leg brace says.
Judging by his voice, he was the one I talked to on the phone. Both gods are wearing fitted bronze armor cuirasses with leather protecting their legs. The one that addressed me is bald with a goatee and the other is wearing a Spartan style helmet; both are a few inches taller than me.
“Who are you? What have you done to Tia!?” I demand.
“I am Vulcan, also known as Hephaestus, and this is my brother Mars, also known as Ares.” The Roman/Greek god of fire and the forge says before gesturing to the Roman/Greek god of war.
“We’ve done no worse to her than what you did to our Father!” Mars proclaims and charges at me with a gladius.
I grab the sword with my left hand as it comes in and I try to break it before finding that I’m unable to. Now would be a good time to attack with my Mu-cutter, but I still have no idea what’s going on so I hold off.
“What are you talking about?” I ask. Mars delivers a kick to my torso that sends me flying back about twenty feet, taking his gladius with me.
“Don’t play dumb! The only person that could’ve turned our father Jupiter into a husk like that is you!” Mars replies as a spear and a shield appear in his hands.
Mars charges at me
again with the spear aimed at my chest. I put my left hand in front of the spear to block it. The force of the blow causes me to spin rapidly as I slice through the top of the shield, following through to his right hand and spear, which was an honest mistake because I was only aiming for his spear.
“AUGH!” Mars screams and jumps back as I hit the ground as the result of spinning so many times. Vulcan snaps his fingers and I’m engulfed in flames. I quickly touch my triskele and port behind Vulcan.
“It looks like he escaped. Well, let’s take care of Tlazolteotl and then hunt down anyone Feros cares about, like his girlfriend.” Vulcan says before I vertically bisect him and quickly slice the halves into small chunks. The effects of short ranged porting hit me as I vomit blood.
“I’m not losing anyone else. I won’t allow it. Even if I have to make an enemy out of the entire Roman/Greek pantheon.” I say while slowly walking towards Mars as blood dribbles down the front of my suit from my helmet.
A shining arrow suddenly sticks out of the front of my right kneecap.
“Eh?” is all I have time to say before the arrow explodes, severing my right leg. Mars runs over and kicks my helmeted head so hard that I feel my neck break.
“Now, I’m going to go find your girlfriend and bring her here specifically so you can watch as I rape her while being unable to do anything about it!” Mars angrily shouts.
The Void in me opens up and tells me it’s hungry. That bizarre sensation in my eyes occurs as I hold my left arm out and eight black tendrils shoot into Mars. The tendrils drag him over to me when they suddenly move him of their own volition. An arrow appears in Mars’s stomach, but doesn’t explode.
“DAMMIT APOLLO! Watch where you’re shooting!” Mars screams.
Well, that settles who has been shooting at me; none other than the Roman/Greek god of the sun, light, and medicine, that is said to bring disease and death with his arrows.
Since I’m still missing a leg, I know when I should get the fuck out of here, and that time is right about now. I twist my broken neck back into place, being careful of the placement of my Mu-cutter, before dragging myself towards Tia’s prone body as I see Apollo’s shining form in the night sky as he flies toward me. He fires a second arrow at me when I’m twenty feet from Tia; my tendrils automatically move Mars in the path of the arrow to block it. A third arrow comes in at ten feet, which is also blocked. After an excruciating drag, I finally reach Tia.
“Now just run back home, Feros! I’ll make sure to come find you and pay a visit to your girlfriend too!” Mars exclaims before I’m able to touch my Haglaz rune.
Since Mars is quite clearly suicidal, I decide to honor his wishes. My tendrils drag him into me and I quarter him with my Mu-cutter before retracting the tendrils, dropping the chunks of Mars. A fourth arrow comes in as I reach for my Haglaz rune; the arrow looks like it’s going to hit me before it’s suddenly diverted by another arrow as I port Tia and I to Jason’s room.
“COLE! WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU AND TIA DOING!?” Cheza screams, seeing nothing but Tia’s newly healed and naked form on top of me. I disengage my helmet and notice that Sara is still in the room.
“Airi, is the stump clean enough to make a new leg?”
(I should be able to work with it, Master)
“Sara, I need you to set up a saline drip, please.” I request through gritted teeth and clenched eyes as the pain from my leg finally hits me.
“If you’re dehydrated from having sex with Tia then just drink some water!” Sara says rather pointedly. I throw up another dishing of blood, most likely because I ported again so soon after the short range porting.
“GODS! WOULD YOU BOTH PULL YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES!?” I scream as I move Tia off to the side, displaying my stump and causing both girls to gasp.
“Tia was set on fire and I had my leg blown off so if you could both stop being self-centered bitches for half a second and give me some help, I’d fucking appreciate it!” I shout.
(Brace yourself, Master)
“Wait Airi, not ye—AUGH GODDAMMIT!” I scream as Airi starts forming my new leg.
“FUUUUUUUUUUCKING A! JUST KNOCK ME OUT ALREADY, AIRI!” I shout and my head becomes fuzzy as my eyes close.
…
[November 15th]
I wake up and find myself in Jason’s bed, completely naked, with a bag of saline hanging from the bedpost and connected to an IV.
(Healing and leg reconstruction complete, Master; total time of thirteen hours)
“You know, sixteen years ago, the one thing I promised myself that I would never let happen was that I’d never wake up naked in bed with my little brother…” Tia sighs to my right.
I open my eyes and look over at her; Tia has a sheet covering her from collar bone down, but her skin appears to be fully healed and her hair has even grown back to its usual length.
“Hey Tia, I’m glad you’re okay.” I tell her.
“Thanks to you; Thank you for saving me, Cole.” Tia says and I avoid her eyes; after all, it’s my fault she was even hurt in the first place.
“So what’s the deal with you and Sara?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“We aren’t dating or anything if that’s what you’re asking. Just chalk up that event to a drunken mistake… now, how about you tell me what you know?” Tia suggests and I sigh in response.
“Hold on.” I tell her as I open up my connection with Cheza.
“Cheza, can you bring everyone in here? I assume everyone wants to know what happened and I only want to explain once.” I think.
“Just a second.” Cheza replies. A minute later, Cheza, Natasha, Jason, Reyna, and Sara walk into the room.
“So what happened?” Sara asks.
“Tia, would you like to start?” I ask and Tia nods.
“Well, I was captured by Vulcan and Mars and brought to the top of the plateau behind the house where Vulcan set me on fire after calling Cole.” Tia says and motions for me to take it away. I had expected her to embellish a bit more…
“I got a call from Tia’s phone telling me to come alone to the plateau and that Tia’s life was forfeit if I didn’t. So I ported to the house, heard her screaming, and ported to the plateau. Tia was unconscious by the time I got there. After brief introductions, Mars charged at me while claiming that I killed his father by turning him into a husk; I assume that he meant in the same fashion as Horus. After a brief engagement with Mars, in which I accidentally cut off his hand, Vulcan set me ablaze so I ported behind him. He started talking about killing Cheza so I hacked him to pieces.” I start.
“What do you mean you ported behind him? How far away was he?” Tia interrupts.
“Only about fifty feet. I can port within that one hundred meter limit, but there is a cost; I usually end up vomiting blood and it rearranges my organs when I do it. I’ve become more adept at healing those injuries since it first happened when I was fighting Veles and Perun.” I explain.
“As I made my way towards Mars, a shining arrow appeared in my right knee and then it exploded. Mars kicked me in the face, breaking my neck, before taunting me about raping Cheza. I slipped into the Void around then so I used my tendrils to pull him in. A second arrow was blocked by using Mars as my shield, and I discovered that Apollo was behind the arrows. I dragged myself over to Tia to get us out of there while Mars took two more arrows. Once I reached Tia, Mars swore revenge, which included raping Cheza. He obviously had a death wish so I granted that wish for him before porting here.” I recant.
“Wait, when did you kill Jupiter?” Jason asks.
“I didn’t.” I reply.
“But Jupiter was turned into a husk, like Horus was?” Cheza questions.
“Apparently… I think I might’ve been set up.” I respond.
“By someone that can turn gods into husks like you can?” Sara inquires. I nod in response as the door opens.
“Cole, it seems you have a visitor. We will be waiting in the sitting room.” Hel announces,
sounding none too pleased, and leaves.
I sit up and move the blankets aside, flashing everyone, but not caring because it isn’t like they haven’t all seen it before anyway. Upon getting my first look at my new leg, I see that it matches my arm and has five holes along the shin and calf.
“Airi, why would I possibly need to draw blood from my leg?”
(I’m not sure, but it doesn’t hurt to have the option, right?)
“I suppose you do have a point.”
I grab a pair of cargo short and throw them on with a white t-shirt; I just realized that I’ll never be able to wear shorts in the human world ever again… sad day. I limp out into the hall, not entirely used to my new leg yet. Cheza comes up behind me, sets my right arm across her shoulders, and supports me down the hall to the frequently unused sitting room. Waiting in the sitting room with Hel is a tall, bald, pale, man wearing a black suit while smoking a black cigarette that smells of pine and has a silver skull on the filter.
“Cole, allow me to introduce you to Hades, one of the Underworld’s Supreme Rulers.” Hel introduces.
“Great, somebody else who wants to kill me.” I mumble.
“Relax, Mr. Treyfair. I know that you are not responsible for my brother’s death; there’s even a police report to prove it. I came here to ask for your assistance in finding who killed Jupiter since you know the method that was used to kill him.” Hades requests.
“Why do you sound like James Woods?” I inquire.
“Is that really important?” Hades asks.
“Yes, yes it is.” I reply.
“We simply have similar voices. I actually did the voice overs for the Disney rendition of me for the Hercules movie. As much as I wanted the credits to read ‘Hades as Himself,’ Disney said they couldn’t do it so we gave credit to James Woods.” Hades explains.
“Since I’m interested in who set me up, and since you answered my stupid question, I’ll provide my assistance in finding who killed Jupiter… Just keep Apollo away from me; I don’t want to have to keep making these things.” I say as I knock on my new leg.
“I would also like to inspect the body to see if I can’t discern anything that will lead us to the culprit.” I add.
Cole's Haunting Melody (The Gods' Executioner Series) Page 16
