The Pantheon

by Amy Leigh Strickland

  Penny and Peter, similarly dressed, were already up and wandering around the field. “Where are we?” Lewis asked them.

  “I don’t know.” Peter walked toward the sound of water. Lewis got up and followed, still feeling dizzy. It was cold.

  Peter stopped at the shallow stream. He bent down and picked up a rock. “This rock is fake.”

  “It looks like stone to me,” Penny said.

  “It is, it’s marble. Look at these marks. Like a chisel. It was hand carved, it wasn’t worn naturally by the water.” Peter put the rock down and touched the grass. “This grass is fake, too.”

  “Like mini-golf grass?” Lewis asked.

  “Like... dried paint.” Peter stood and kept walking through the water. Lewis’ eyes started to focus on the horizon. It wasn’t what he had thought it was. It was a painted wall.

  Lewis tried to run right up to it, but the fastest he could manage was a very human speed. He finally put his hands on the cold barrier. “It’s terracotta,” he announced.

  The three all turned and stared at each other. They couldn’t begin to imagine why anyone would lock them in a replica meadow, dressed in togas. “Let’s go check out the temple,” Penny suggested.

  They walked back through the stream and across the counterfeit field. The marble architecture of the temple was beautiful. There were monumental Doric columns framing the entrance. Inside, torches were mounted in brackets along the walls.

  The single hall was lined with grotesque statues. The one to their immediate left depicted a woman, nearly skin and bones, clawing at the earth and eating dirt. One their right was a man, his face rotting, his skin falling off. Each statue depicted a different horror in great, realistic detail. It was as if they were scenes captured in the peak of their misery. Still, they were cold. Penny couldn’t look at them. They made her feel sick.

  She crossed the hall to the single statue at the end. It stood centered, opposite the doors to the fake meadow. This work of white marble was much different. It didn’t even seem like stone. A beautiful woman held the hand of a child. Both stood among rubble, but they looked to the sky. Penny reached out and touched it. Warmth spread through her.

  Peter and Lewis came to stand on either side of her. “What is it?” Peter asked.

  Penny stared at the statue. It wouldn’t have meant anything to her had she not just viewed the hall of horrors around them. It would have meant nothing without the fear that pressed on their hearts and minds. With all of that darkness and anxiety, however, it meant the world to her. It kept her standing.

  “It’s hope.”

  “Shun unjust acts.”

  -Delphic Maxim

  xix.

  Aphrodite laughed and crawled away from him.

  Her naked form was enticing, but so was

  the little game they played every time they met

  in her husband’s bed.

  “You’re going to play hard to get?” he asked her.

  She found his constant brooding to be sexy.

  She had been drawn to his rippling muscles and

  warrior spirit.

  She found it was his smile she fell in love with.

  It instantly transformed him into a child.

  “Well, maybe not too hard to get,” she replied.

  He crawled toward her.

  His gaze was sharp, his smile hiding in his eyes now.

  Ares play-acted the part of conqueror.

  She put up her arms in mock protest but soon

  flung them around him.

  “You caught me,” she whispered, warm against his ear.

  A metal net fell and landed on the pair.

  The Smith had watched their ritual long enough.

  He stared at his wife.

  He was flooded with hot humiliation.

  When he was sure his wife had seen his pain,

  he called in his kin to point and laugh at her

  so she felt his shame.

  “What makes men indifferent to their wives is that they can see them when they please.”

  -Ovid

  XIX.

  Devon had batted her eyelashes at Zach Jacobs plenty, but since discovering that he was the thunder-god and that he really belonged to June for all eternity, it had only been a game. Devon knew there were plenty of other fish and she knew that starting a war with June over Zach Jacobs was a bad idea. She needed all of the allies she could get when she was a super-powered being, hiding in modern America with super-powered enemies on the loose. Besides, that kind of drama might get a bit dull if it stretched on for eternity.

  Today when June and Zach were having a blow-out in the hallway over some affair, Devon at least knew that it wasn’t her fault. “Why would you think something like that?” Zach asked. June had been trying to keep her voice down. She did not want the whole school to know what was going on. Zach, however, got very loud when he was being defensive.

  “Because,” June hissed back, “I asked her.”

  Zach was busted. No mortal could lie to June. Sure, they could try. Zach shut his locker and started to walk away. He assumed June would follow and she did.

  Devon sidled up to Frank’s locker and leaned next to it. “Looks like the King and Queen are having some problems.”

  Frank looked over at her and shrugged, “And?”

  “And... you don’t think this is probably going to affect the rest of us?”

  Frank shut his locker. “Probably.”

  That was his answer? “God, I wish you had two brain cells to rub together.” She rolled her eyes at him and turned to walk to class.

  Peter, Penny, and Lewis had been missing for exactly a week. The Pantheon had hoped that Penny and Peter had simply run away, but now that Lewis was gone, too, Epimetheus and his brother, Prometheus, were their only suspects. Of course, Celene couldn’t tell the Olympia Heights police that they were the ancient enemies of the local serial arsonist.

  Dr. Davis had missed four days of work. On Saturday someone had found Penny’s cell phone in the old cemetery. There had been no other evidence left over from the struggle. For those four days, Jason Livingstone had tried to keep his office clear of Pantheon members. He knew that they needed someone to turn to. He knew everyone was anxious, but he also knew that he didn’t need someone getting suspicious about why some kids kept going to see the school nurse more than others. It was going to be hard enough to explain the connection between Lewis, Penny, and Peter when-- if they were ever found.

  Now Dr. Davis was back. She was struggling to catch up after four days out, but Devon, Minnie, Zach and June had at least bullied their class into being respectfully behaved and doing their labs while they had a substitute. Frank was in the same junior chemistry class with them, but he remained silent at the back of the class. The other junior chemistry class, which only had Nick in it as a representative of The Pantheon, had quickly spiraled into chaos.

  June sat down with Minnie today, leaving Zach to take a spot next to Frank. Devon sat where she could watch everyone. It was a real life soap opera. It was fascinating.

  Dr. Davis started the lecture. Zach text-messaged June from under his desk. She hadn’t silenced her phone.

  “Sorry,” she blurted and scrambled to find the phone in her bag. She pressed ignore and glared at Zach.

  “Did the sub hand out the study guide?” Celene asked the class.

  The class shook their heads. Dr. Davis muttered something under her breath and passed a stack of papers around. She looked like hell. She’d obviously not slept well and she hadn’t bothered with makeup today.

  The class broke into groups of four to fill out their study guides. June went so far as to invite Devon into her group to keep Zach out. The fourth student was a quiet girl who never spoke. Devon didn’t even know her name and she wouldn’t be learning it today.

  Zach texted June again. Her phone flashed silently through the outer pocket of her bag. She read the message and closed her phone.

  “Was that Zach
?” Devon asked, as if she didn’t know.

  “He keeps texting me ‘sorry.’” June shoved her phone into her bag. “Can’t even bother to say it to my face, has to text me.”

  “Will you let him say it to your face?” Devon glanced back at Zach. June didn’t reply. Devon couldn’t keep her curiosity in check. “Who’d he sleep with?”

  June just glared.

  Zach had only invited Frank, June and Devon to the after class meeting. He didn’t want too many cooks and he didn’t want someone like Nick getting hot-headed and ruining their plans. He also didn’t want anyone too sensible, like Minnie, trying to talk him out of this. He was willing to do something stupid if it could save his best friend. He was suffering under the weight of guilt for sending Lewis off on a scouting mission alone.

  Zach was terrified for Lewis. June didn’t like to be open and emotional and so Zach had foolishly looked elsewhere for comfort. Now she’d left him and he felt really, truly alone. He could deal with that later. Right now he needed to get his best friend back.

  The four stood on the field. The grass was wet from mid-day rain. Nobody spoke for a minute. Frank surprised them all by starting things off.

  “Zach and I think we need to lure the Titans out.”

  “Lure? I’m going to guess we’re the bait?” Devon gestured between herself and June.

  “Well,” Zach explained, “Frank and I would be the muscle. We’d get you two to appear isolated. Once that happened we think they’d strike. Then Frank and I would step in and take care of them.”

  June rolled her eyes. “They got Lewis and Penny and Peter. This Epimetheus guy, we’re sure his brother can’t be far behind, right? Minnie said Prometheus was forethought, meaning A) he’s probably not stupid enough to fall for this plan and B) if Lewis couldn’t just run away and these guys have the power to fry you crispy, then chances are just the two of you aren’t going to fair very well against the two of them.”

  Zach’s jaw tightened. He was sure June was just rejecting his plan because she was mad. June was sure she was rejecting his plan because it was stupid. It was the most poorly thought-out plan she’d ever heard.

  “It has potential,” Devon said, trying to smooth things over.

  “Yeah, if you’re in an action movie and all of the bad guys can’t aim their guns.” June shook her head. “Call a Pantheon meeting if you want to come up with a better plan. I’m not going to help you get us all killed.”

  June didn’t stick around for a rebuttal. She walked off the field. Zach muttered something crude and went off in the opposite direction.

  Frank stared at Devon, the only person left to stare at. Unsure of what to do, he finally shrugged his massive shoulders and started walking to the parking lot. Devon chased after him; her stiletto heals sinking into the turf and making her pursuit less than graceful. “Wait up!” she called. He slowed enough to let her walk beside him.

  “As Zach pointed out,” she said, “I’m only good for bait. Walk me to my car so I don’t get toasted?”

  Frank nodded. “Okay.”

  Mr. Valentine had bought Devon’s red Beamer off a man who’d bought it, driven it a hundred miles, and then been forced to sell it by his wife. It was a mid-life-crisis regret. It was also a total chick car. Frank scratched a dried-on bug off of her rearview mirror. He was always unsure of how to excuse himself from social encounters. Devon leaned on her car door. “You don’t know how bizarre it is, having June and Zach broken up.”

  Frank just grunted.

  Devon went on, “You haven’t been here a year yet, but it’s like having your parents divorce or something. They’ve been a couple since... what was it, seventh grade? No, sixth. And she’s been calling him her boyfriend since she could tie her shoes.”

  “Really?” Frank couldn’t imagine dating someone for so long, at least not as a high school student.

  “Yeah, I think June will get over it and beg him to come back in a week. She’s totally dependent on being the future Mrs. Zach Jacobs.”

  Frank furrowed his brow at her, “Get over it? He cheated on her.”

  “Yeah, well, she wasn’t taking care of him so he wandered.” She shrugged, “June’s a total ice queen. It was bound to happen.”

  “He cheated on her,” Frank repeated.

  “You said that already. No relationship is perfect.”

  “If they had problems so bad that he needed to look elsewhere, he should have broken up with her. And if he broke up with her just because she wasn’t having sex-- well that’s an even worse reason.”

  “Probably,” Devon still didn’t see why Zach was with June. Sure, she was attractive and smart, but that didn’t make up for her personality. “But she can’t act like he blindsided her. We all saw it coming, she just chose to ignore the signs. Zach’s a lusty guy and she knows it.”

  “How can you be so casual about it?” Frank would be crushing skulls if anyone else had slept with a girl he was in love with.

  “Oh, I’m never casual about sex. I just don’t think we need to tiptoe around the subject.”

  Frank stood there, his hands in his pockets, a portrait of anger. Devon watched him, fascinated. “You’re really bothered by this!” She had a hint of laughter behind her words. “This is like, the most I’ve ever heard you talk! I’m not taking his side; I just don’t think she should put all of the blame for their issues on his infidelity. You shouldn’t either.”

  “Either way,” he said, “it’s going to be a problem for The Pantheon.”

  “No kidding.” Devon remembered saying something like that to him this morning. She pushed the unlock button on her keyless entry. “Well, I’m not going to hang out at school all night. Thanks for being my fearless protector.” She stretched on her toes and kissed his cheek. She was a very flirty and affectionate girl. She hadn’t intended anything by it. As she pulled away, though, she remembered that smile in her dreams. She lingered near him. His scent was so familiar. Devon watched Frank. He looked down at her, the anger in his black eyes replaced with curiosity as she caught his gaze.

  Devon placed a hand on his chest, feeling his muscles through his t-shirt. He grabbed her hand and shook his head. “Don’t use your pheromones on me.”

  She smirked, “I’m not.”

  That seemed to be the only hint Frank needed. He pulled her tight against his chest and pushed his lips against hers. Her knees went weak. She wondered if he’d dreamt about her too. He held her up like a rag doll in his arms but she didn’t relax. The kiss was far too exciting to get lazy about. Devon buried her fingers in his black hair and pushed her tongue past his lips. He pushed back. They were both struggling to take the lead.

  Frank soon had Devon up against the door of her car. Her feet were no longer on the ground. This was, by far, the greatest kiss of her mortal life. She hadn’t predicted he could be so exciting.

  Her lips were tingling. She was still unsatisfied. Devon forced herself to tear her mouth away so she could talk. “Stop, wait.”

  He backed off immediately, afraid he’d done something wrong. “What?”

  Devon laughed, “Get in my car, I’m taking you home with me.”

  Frank smiled. Devon felt her heart skip a beat.

  “Worship the divine.”

  -Delphic Maxim

  xx.

  The sacrifices were laid out for the gods.

  One group of worshippers brought a cow’s stomach.

  The other brought fresh meat, glistening with fat.

  An obvious choice.

  Zeus accepted the fatty beef and bit down,

  only to find his teeth stopped by something hard.

  He tore it open and found nothing but bones

  hidden ‘neath the meat.

  Prometheus was the one who had ordered

  the mortals to make this deceitful exchange.

  He laughed as he tore open the cow’s stomach

  to find meat inside.

  The thunder-god had a terrible temper.
<
br />   The rest of The Pantheon had tried to calm him.

  With a word every spark on earth went out,

  taking fire from man.

  “Eureka! I’ve got it.”

  -Archimedes

  XX.

  Astin Hill had set his computer to burn a demo CD for his new band before bed on Friday night. His new band featured the same bassist and drummer as his old band, but had booted Ritchie Waverly and axed his bad name ideas. Astin took up the role as singer, in addition to being the lead guitarist. It was better this way.

  Astin hit play to listen for glitches in the recording while he got dressed the following morning. When the four songs were over he took out an indelible marker and wrote “Astin Hill” on the CD. He hadn’t come up with a better band name yet, but his own name was starting to stick.

  Diana came in with his cell phone. He’d left it on the dining room table before bed. The ring tone was an Mp3 of one of his own songs and it sounded out in crappy cell phone audio.

  “Hey,” Astin answered. It was Teddy Wexler.

  “Astin, feeling up for some recon?”

  “Excuse me?” Astin changed the phone to his other ear.

  “Evan wants to investigate that jar the Titans stole. We’re going to bust into the museum tonight.”

  “You and Evan?”

  “And Nick. You in?” Astin could hear the Wexler’s housekeeper singing in the background. It was a heavily accented version of “Sweet Caroline.”