by Gideon Mills
“I know,” I said.
“Is there no way you can get us some police presence?” Fleur asked. “Just in case it is a setup.”
McGarrett pursed his lips. “No. It would draw too much attention. It’s already bad enough that everyone knows we talk and help each other out. That would give your father some leverage against me and the force.”
He was right, but it would have been nice to have some police backup. Not that Athena, Felicity, Fleur, and I couldn’t handle anything they threw at us. “My only concern is the anti-Paragon weapons,” I said.
“Mine too,” Fleur admitted. “They scare the bejesus out of me.”
With all that she had been through, that was understandable.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Felicity said. She smiled, baring her sharp fangs. Her tail moved behind her faster than usual. The squirrelkin was in her protective mode and ready to keep us all safe.
“Nor will I,” Lola said. “I’ll make sure everyone is safe from here.”
Lola went to her terminal and started to work on just that. She probably began to hack the cameras in the area, and anything else that would allow her to monitor us and the surrounding areas.
4
Meeting the Mako
Waking bright and early so we could get some extra scouting in was a drain, but here I was. Up at the crack of dawn and dressed in some of the finest jeans in the city, and a shirt that had Felicity’s favorite superhero on it, a character from a popular MMO. One that I had never played, but she talked about it all the time.
“Morning, sunshine,” Lola said. My room was on the way from hers to the front of the place.
“Morning,” I said with a yawn. I hadn’t looked in the mirror, but I imagined that I had bags under my eyes. Just because I was a God didn’t mean I didn’t need sleep. I was millennia old and required my beauty sleep, just like any other person.
I held her hand as we walked to the front. Her touch soft against my own, her sweet aroma floated up to me. Whenever I was close to her, I felt happy and safe. I was relieved that she wouldn’t be going with us on this mission. While Lola played a vital role in rescuing Fleur, she was still best behind the computer, where her true genius shone.
We were the last two to arrive in the main area. That was no surprise to me. Athena was always up and ready. Over the years, I could count on one hand the number of times I arrived before she did to the gathering point. Now once the fight started, I was always the one to engage first. It was in my carnal nature to fight first and ask questions later, while my sister was the other side of that coin.
Fleur was an early riser, as well. She was much like Athena in many ways, thinking ahead in the battle, trying to find the best time to strike and cause the most damage. That was a fantastic quality in a woman or person. Felicity was more like me in that area. Though she appeared to be up and ready. In her hand was a steaming cup of coffee.
“About time you arrive,” the squirrelkin said, speaking nearly as fast as Lola did at times.
“How much coffee have you had?” Lola asked.
Felicity shrugged. “I don’t know, I lost count.”
Lola moaned. “This is going to be a long morning.”
“Hey,” Felicity countered.
I kept my mouth shut, but I agreed with Lola. Felicity on a sugar and caffeine rush was going to be draining.
Yet, that was okay since I knew she was going to be hyper-focused on the task at hand. Felicity was nothing but concentrated when it came to the mission.
Before we left, we all made sure we knew the plan if this was a setup, and where to go. Planning was always the most important thing we could do.
Taking two vehicles to Central Park and parking on opposite sides of the place was part of it too. I rode with Fleur, while Athena and Felicity went together. This actually gave me a chance to bring up the outfit.
“You still have your academy outfit?” I asked. The park was in sight now.
Fleur glanced at me. “What if I do?” she asked.
“I was just wondering what you looked like in it.”
She smiled. “I’m sure that’s all that crossed your mind.”
I laughed. “You know me too well.”
“I do,” she replied. “Maybe we’ll see if we can work something out.”
That was all I needed. My head was lost for a moment picturing it all. But once she pulled into the park and got out of the car, I was ready to meet Mako and see what he wanted.
Jumping out of the car, I raced over to the meeting area to give it a quick look. It was just as I expected. Secluded, and a great place for an ambush. Yet, I didn’t see a single person around. Standing as still as possible, I listened for any and all sounds. No people. Nothing but the early morning sounds of the animals of the park. Birds chirping and crickets. Not to mention many other critters doing their thing. The closest people were too far away to be much of an issue, we would see them coming from a long way away, or hear them. Unless they were Paragons with the ability to move with stealth, and there was nothing we could do about that.
Ten minutes later, Fleur was next to me. “I saw no one,” she said.
“Neither did I. This place is devoid of humans.”
Fleur nodded. It was a waiting game now for Mako and his team. I had no doubt that he was going to bring those goons with him.
Right on the dot, Mako and a group of four men arrived. The man was nothing if not punctual, that was something to like about him. It bothered me that many people these days and even in the past were always late. I was a military man, and can vouch for the saying that to be early was to be on time, and to be on time was late, and to be late was unforgivable. Yet, the people today just didn’t seem to care about other people's time.
Letting that go, I focused on the man standing in the clearing that he chose to meet in. Mako looked much like his pictures did online. He was in his early sixties, with black hair that was fading to white. His olive skin was showing some wrinkles, but otherwise it would be tough to tell his age. Like most men with the money he had, he wore an elegantly tailored suit and held himself in a good posture.
“You see anything?” Fleur asked.
“All clear,” I said. The men with him had weapons, but I wasn’t able to discern what type they were. We all knew this was going to be a significant risk on our part. “The men are carrying, but that’s to be expected.”
Fleur nodded. “Let’s go.”
We were to go first, and then Felicity and Athena would join us. They were to remain hidden just in case we were ambushed after we revealed ourselves. Not that I expected that, but best to be safe. Have layers and layers of plans, that was the Athena way.
When Mako saw us, a broad smile covered his face. “I’m glad to see you decided to meet me,” the older man said. Not he was actually older than me, but he looked the part.
“What’s the saying,” Fleur said. “The enemy of my enemy is my ally.”
Mako smirked. “Something like that, but I would like to think we have more in common than just that.”
“Showing up yesterday with anti-Paragon weapons doesn’t help the cause,” I said.
Mako nodded. “If I didn’t have to keep up appearances for Fenrir, I wouldn’t have.”
Fleur tilted her head. “Keep up appearances? Last I heard the Epps and Walker were in a bitter feud.”
Mako nodded. “We are, and yet we do a lot of business. Much like you said about enemies, best to keep your allies close, but your enemies closer still.”
“Or something like that,” I added.
We all had a little chuckle. Athena and Felicity joined the group a few minutes later. “Nice of you to join,” Mako said. “As you can tell, no ambushes. No tricks on my part, and today my men don’t have weapons that can hurt you, or rather strip you of your powers.”
Felicity let out a squeak, and her face turned red. “Prove it,” she said. Her voice was steady; as Felicity spoke, I had to imagine the squir
relkin was focusing hard to pull it off. Looking at her, she appeared to be a ball of nerves.
The men all pulled out standard guns, from the look of them, Berretta M9. Standard issue for military men in the States. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if all these men served in one branch or another. They had the look of military men, and I respected that.
“Good,” Fleur said. “What is it you are proposing?”
Mako smiled. “I’m not your enemy, I hate that people are doing things these days to harm the relations between Paragons and humans. Or powered and unpowered. Even though I have no enhanced abilities, many are my friends, and have helped me grow Epps Technologies.”
I laughed. “Money is a great motivator.”
Mako shrugged. “It is, but that’s not the only reason. Part of it, I will not deny it, but suffice to say, I have a personal reason as well. I do not want the world to be divided. I do not want one or the other to rule.”
I liked what he was saying, but they were just words. Words can be spoken by anyone, but what he did meant more.
“What is it you want?” Athena asked.
Mako examined her before he answered. “To team up, for now, a secret team-up, Fenrir doesn’t hear about it. He would use it against all of us, but if we use my tech and that which Guardian can make, we might be able to outgun even the biggest weapons supplier in the world. With both Ares and Athena, add in this feisty kin, our two teams might be able to take out Walker.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of it all. We had the smartest person in the world working for us in Lola. The two strongest on Earth at the moment with Athena and me. The most skilled fighter in Fleur, and none of that mentioned Felicity. I just didn’t see what Mako was bringing to the table.
“We will have access to your tech and your people?” Athena asked.
Mako nodded.
“You have a large private security,” Fleur said. “Much like my father, will we be able to use them when the time comes?”
Mako again nodded. “You will.”
“We need a moment,” Fleur said.
“Take your time.”
We moved to the side to talk, and decide what our best course of action was.
Lola was the first to speak through the comms. “He is genuine, no signs of trying to trick us.”
“We need to get all the allies we can,” Athena said.
“She’s right,” Fleur added.
“I like him,” Felicity said.
It seemed to me they all had decided already. “I trust you.”
The choice had been fast and easy. We would be seeing what Mako was all about, and if we could take out Fenrir together.
Going back to the man, I said, “Let’s see if we can work well together.”.
5
Talking it Out
The trip back to the headquarters of team Ares was a silent one. This alliance with Epps, or rather more specifically Mako, was one I just wasn’t sure about. Maybe I was wrong, and it would work out in the end, but right now, I had my concerns.
Over the years, I’ve been both pleased by surprise team-ups, but also have been burned by them. The last thing I wanted to happen was for Mako to be Fenrir’s Trojan horse. I was around for that, and let me say this, it fucking sucked. A great strategy for the winning side, but on the others not so much. It felt like cheating to me, but Athena loved it. To her it was a great way to show intelligence and strategy. Fuck that shit.
Back at the hideout, we all sat at a table Athena insisted must be placed. It was what she called the war table. My dear sister was one for the dramatics at times and making things bigger than they needed to be. This was not one of those times. We were at war, and having a table that was here to make sure we stayed on topic was a great idea. Not that I was going to say that to her. Her head was already big enough.
Half an hour later, McGarrett arrived. He was in his police uniform with the shiny Captain’s badge on it. He was one of the most influential police officers in the city these days. Building his name up more and more.
He sat down at the table with us. “I see the meeting didn’t end in an ambush.”
“Nope,” Felicity said. “Mako was rather civil and friendly.”
McGarrett nodded. “That is the rumor of the man. He might be rich and powerful, but he has a name for helping the little guy out.”
“That’s all I found on him too,” Lola admitted. “I just have trouble believing it. Everyone has deep dark secrets. Just a matter of time before I find them on the web.”
Fleur chuckled. “I’ve made you jaded.”
Lola blew her a kiss. “I’m not jaded, just learned that the more money a person has, the more likely the secret they keep is nasty.”
I really hoped that wasn’t true. If Mako double-crossed us, I would be furious, and go on another trademark Ares rampage. Like one this time hasn’t seen. Not that it would really help my cause, but I just wasn’t going to tolerate a betrayal.
“So you working with him?” McGarrett asked.
Fleur and the others laid out what happened and the outcome. It didn’t take more than a minute.
“I see,” McGarrett said. “What do you need from me?”
“Just more data on my father,” Fleur said. “He has been doing his best to make sure Lola can’t find a thing.”
It was true, the man made it nearly impossible to track him. Walker Consolidated was already impossible to hack. Lola was at her wit's end, but I had faith in her. The Guardian would find a way to learn more about Fenrir and his plans.
Though having McGarrett and the newly reinstated Paragon unit look into it was good.
All this was a lot for us, and we didn’t have an actual plan. I had little doubt that Athena was cringing on the inside, and the same went for Lola and Fleur. They were all planners, and we didn’t have a clue.
What we really needed to know was what Fenrir was up to, and how he planned to achieve it.
6
Training
The next morning I woke up bright and early since I wanted to get some training in. That was part of who I was. Just because I was a God, didn’t mean I didn’t have to work at being a great fighter, and master of the sword.
It was true that I might not have to work out to stay in great shape, but I did. In all my years, I always have. There were plenty of Gods that didn’t lift a finger for centuries and their bodies were precisely the same. That was something I wasn’t going to risk and found my way at the gym.
Being this was Fleur Walker's place, the gym was state of the art, with all the bells and whistles. If I didn’t keep up with the modern technology on Mount Olympus I would have been completely lost.
Though I basically ignored all the state-of-the-art stuff and stuck to the tried and true. Doing an excellent chest workout with the bench and the bar and dumbbells. Working the chest and then my triceps, I built up a good sweat.
Pleased with the routine, I made my way to the treadmill and ran. I might not look it with my size, but I actually loved running. The machine wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace that I could do, but going slow and steady at the top speed of the equipment was relaxing, and let me clear my head.
Since I had been here on Earth, a lot had happened. Most of it was my fault, and I was going to fix it. Letting Eris break free of Olympus had been a colossal failure on my part. Allowing her to set up Reign and Fenrir was too. Not that that was entirely on me since Hera was pulling the strings of many of the people involved, even mine. I hated that and was going to fix it. Dad needed to see her for what she was and put Hera in her place. That was a tall task, and one for later.
After the run, I moved on to the hand-to-hand combat training. Just as I was about to begin, Fleur walked in. “You want to spar?” she asked
I chuckled. There was a good chance she had been watching me for a while and waited for this precise moment. This was something we both loved to do. Being fighters, sparring with one that pushed you to your limits made us better.
“You know I do.” I smiled at her.
This was one of my favorite things to do. Outside of actually making love to her, holding her. Holding Lola. Felicity.
The sparring was a high with Fleur, and I was going to enjoy it. Fleur loved it too, and she told me more than once after. Each session of sparring almost without a doubt led to another type of cardio, and one that no one would pass on.
We circled around each other, looking for the best way to beat the other. I had first-hand experience in this matter, and not in the way I liked. The fight with Belladonna had been just that, and one I had hated.
Fleur made the first move with a feint to the right, and strike on the left. If I didn’t have a God’s speed, she would have landed the blow, but I was able to move to the side at the last moment and avoid it.
“I hate your speed,” Fleur said. “Just not fair.”
I shrugged. “Can’t help what I’ve been given.”
Her nostrils flared in a humph. “Still not fair,” she protested.
She let it go and focused on her movements. It was hard not to get lost in her beauty as we took each other in for the next strike. Her red hair and smooth skin. Fleur had some of the deepest, most caring eyes I have ever seen; the deep green penetrated your soul if a person let them. I did.
She was in me, part of me with those eyes. I loved that. Her toned shoulders were on display, and I knew under the rest of her outfit was a rock-hard body. One that would make any man envious and want to be with her. I was fucking lucky.
It was my turn to attack and I attempted a leg sweep, and she avoided it. Even with my faster than usual speed, she was able to. Her Paragon abilities really were in a league of their own. She might not have super speed, strength, or durability, but her fighting level was in a true league of its own.
The sparring lasted for thirty minutes. Each of us gaining an advantage for only a moment before the other recovered.
