by Gene Stiles
“And once the month is up?” Helizad knew he would not be able to return home for some time. The Recruiters would return and he would have to run again. “What are we to do then?”
“As you have all heard by now,” Eriktis answered from his over-sized chair next to Demeter, “there is a war coming. We believe Cronus will take over your farms to feed his legions.”
“I have heard this is already being done in some towns,” Nefmerizith said, his eyes glinting as he spoke. A rising anger blazed in his heart as he thought of troops invading his home.
“Yes,” Eriktis said, his voice like chipped flint. “It has. We are trying to stem these actions on land and sea. It is not an easy task.”
Demeter studied each young face before her and let her voice become firmer. “You can stay here and defend your homes as best you can alone, join resistance militias we can point you to or you can join our own armies and navies.” Her eyes went cold and hard as she looked at them. “We intend to stop Cronus and end the rein of Atlantis once and for all. We intend to give cities and towns the same freedom to choose as we offer you.”
“This war is coming to you no matter your choice,” Demeter said, her blue eyes filled with flashes of lightning. “Not one of you will be able to sit back and wait for it to pass. Do you protect only your own and ignore the plight of others? Do you pray that you can stand against the might of Atlantis when they come for your homes? Or do you join a larger cause for all of humanity? How you choose to fight is up to you.”
“Think hard and long on it,” she finished, her voice softening once again. “Ask as many questions of us and others as you need to. We know this is not an easy decision and you must be sure. There is great danger in any path you take. Your course must be the right one for you.”
“Rest now,” Demeter said, rising from her chair. “Enjoy what hospitality and safety we can offer. Please let us know soon what you choose. Time and peace, I fear, is running out for all of us.”
The Dire Wolf was unusually busy for a weekday. The port of Daedalia was overwhelmed with ship traffic, especially since new wharfs had been constructed to berth the growing fleet of warships passing through the harbor. That meant a huge increase in sailors, officers and workers and for those seeking the best in entertainment and gifted companionship, only the Dire Wolf would do even if that meant entering the pits to find it.
It also meant a steady flow of vital information for Hera and her sisters.
Desiree still ran the club with an iron hand wrapped in a velvet glove. She was now considered the most powerful woman in the city, above ground or below. The tall, full-bodied, auburn-haired beauty held in her ledgers secrets from captains, businessmen and politicians that could have them flayed to the bone should they become public. She used the information sparingly if at all so as to keep her sources wary, but compliant. Most of it she simply passed on to Hera for future use.
The floor-length, form-fitting, purple-sequined gown Desiree wore had a slit up the side that stopped just short of her curvy hip. It exposed a darkly bronzed, enticing length of leg that drew many an appreciating stare as she walked by. Her full, dark red lips smiled seductively at her admirers when she stopped at their tables to welcome them and ask if their needs were being met. Her sparkling green eyes seemed to hold a promise of personal attention upstairs, but that was never to happen. Desiree only gave herself to very special clients and then only on exceedingly rare occasions.
“A very good night,” Cussemus said as she approached the end of the long, polished mahogany bar. The ten-foot-two Nephilim towered over her even when leaning against the bar on one elbow. “I do believe we our ladies and men will be sore in the morning,” he added with a wry grin.
“You may be right there,” Desiree replied with a raunchy laugh, “but they will be much the richer in the morning. I trust everyone is behaving?”
“Always,” Cussemus answered, his deep-ocean blue eyes sparkling. “There is nothing like being lifted by the neck by one of my brethren to calm a rowdy guest. Some of our patrons may not like having the Nephilim here, but none are stupid enough to object to our face.”
“I am glad you are here. That is all that matters,” Desiree said as she patted his mammoth forearm. “You and your kin will always have a place with me. Besides,” she said, placing her comparatively tiny palm against his artistically carved face, “you are easy to spot above the crowd.”
It was strange how the gigantic man lowered his cheek into her hand. She could feel the vibration coming from his throat against her skin. It was almost like the purr of a contented kitten. Desiree knew she loved him and he her. It was an odd and different emotion for her to feel and she was unsure of what to do with it so she kept the words to herself.
“You have given me, my brothers and my sisters a home when others sought to drive us out,” Cussemus said, his tone thick and husky. “I would give my life for you.”
His body and soul ached for her, but he feared to tell her of his heart. What if she did not share his desires? What if she only saw him as her friend and bodyguard? It was better to keep his fantasies to himself than to have them dashed against the rocks.
“I do not want you to die for me,” Desiree chided tenderly. Trying to keep things light despite the pounding of her heart, she added mischievously, “Who else could give me such incredible back rubs?”
His bellowing laugh drew the leery attention of a few nearby guests. Once they saw it was not directed at them, they returned to their drinks and companions. The music was loud and the room filled with the smoke of aromatic incense. Dancers crowded the floor, their sensuous gyrations causing many a person to seek the pleasure offered upstairs.
“My lady,” a young guard said, his voice quivering and just loud enough to be heard over the noise. “There is a woman in your office asking for a word with you. I do not know how she got there. I was posted outside the door all evening. I never saw her enter. She opened it from inside and asked for you.” He looked abashed and afraid he would be punished. “She said her name was Juno and that you would know who she was. Please forgive me, Lady.”
Before Cussemus could crush the man for his incompetence, Desiree put up a restraining hand. Her face looked stern, but it was not directed at the guard. “There is nothing to forgive,” she assured the man, seeing his trembling body relax slightly though the blush did not leave his cheeks. “I thank you for your message. You are relieved for a couple of hours. We will handle it from here.”
Desiree waited until the guard hurried off before turning to Cussemus. Seeing the question in his eyes, she said with a small, quirky smile, “Come with me. There is someone you need to meet.”
“I heard you changed your name,” Desiree laughed as she rushed to embrace the woman standing in her gaudy, overly ostentatious office. The two giggled like school girls as they hugged each other tightly. “You gave my guard quite the fright. Shame on you!”
“I felt the private entrance was a better idea than walking through your club,” Hera grinned as she stepped back, still holding her friend by the hands. “My face is a little too well known around here.”
“I would say so with that huge portrait of you hanging on the wall,” Desiree replied with a good-natured nod.”
“For Creator’s sake, burn that ugly thing!” Hera said with a chuckle. “It is atrocious! Besides, the Dire Wolf is yours now. Not mine.” Looking at her with admiration, she added, “You are looking well, my sister. I love what you have done with the office.”
“This is only for the rubes,” Desiree replied with a wave of her hand. “It is far too garish for my tastes. On my mother’s grave, it has been a long time! What could bring you down into the pits? Not that I have not missed you sorely. I am overjoyed to see you. Yet, you know how dangerous it is for you to be here, especially right now.”
“The danger is what brings me here,” Hera said solemnly. Letting go of Desiree’s hands, she turned her head and gazed sharply at the giant who had be
en standing silently at the door. “I believe we should speak in private.”
“Oh, I am so sorry,” Desiree responded as she reached out for Cussemus. “I forgot you were there for a moment.” Motioning for him to join them, she introduced him to Hera, “I trust this man with my life and more. You will find no one more loyal. Please treat him as you would me.”
“Your word is more than enough for me,” Hera said, taking the big man in with a warm smile. “It is nice to meet you, sir. I am Hera, daughter of Cronus, sister of Zeus and once the proud owner of this fine establishment.”
“We are within months of beginning our assault on the military outposts,” Hera said as she sat on the plush, red brocade sofa in Desiree’s more moderate private quarters. “Poseidon is already attacking convoys at sea and sinking weapons shipments.”
“I know,” Desiree said, leaning forward to see the maps on the data screen. “That is why so many warships are in port. Cronus plans to surround his vessels with an armada. He is beyond furious that your brother has been so effective with his hit-and-run tactics.”
“I bet he is,” Hera grinned wolfishly. Her jade eyes darkening, she continued. “I am here for two reasons. First, once the true battle begins, I do not believe you will be safe here any longer. I come to offer you and your people sanctuary and a new home with us.”
“I thank you for that,” Desiree replied, placing a soft hand upon Hera’s wrist, “but my place is here. This is my home. I was born here and I will fight for it in my own way. I know the intelligence we send to you is vital and I intend to keep the flow going as long as I can.”
“Lady,” Cussemus said from his chair at the end of the low table. His voice was low and deep, but knife-edged and hard. “I think you should go. I can run things here and you have Lucinda to manage the Dire Wolf in your absence. I would see you safe.”
“I thank you for your concern, my dear friend,” Desiree said gently, glancing into his hooded blue eyes. She knew by his furrowed brow and the way he intertwined his fingers between his knees what Cussemus truly felt. “Yet, I would never leave my people behind.”
“I am not asking you to,” Hera assured her. “This was once my home as well. I would save all of you. You could close the Dire Wolf down on some pretext and we could spirit you away before Cronus knows what is happening.”
“Good Cussemus,” she said, seeing how troubled the giant was, “you and your kin will be in the greatest danger. Many Nephilim fight at our side. As if you were not ostracized enough, you will be truly hated once the battle begins.”
Hera sighed deeply and shook her head. “I know my ‘father’ well. He will see his creation – the Children of Pettit – turn against him and all thought of protecting the Nephilim will vanish in his fury. I do not even want to imagine the tortures he will visit upon you and your kind.” Hera stared into their stubborn faces, her emerald eyes pleading. “Please, come with me.”
“You will lose all the intelligence we can provide,” Desiree said, her resistance weakened as she pictured her love flayed on the steps of the Great Pyramid for all to see.
“It is not worth your lives,” Hera told her, seeing their resolve waning. She reached over and took Desiree’s hands and squeezed tightly. “We have other sources. I love you, my sister. We grew up together. That is why I took this grave chance just to warn you. Come with me.”
“You said there were two reasons for you being here,” Desiree said, shifting the discussion away from the turmoil swirling in her mind. “What is the other?”
‘Best to let them ponder this for a while,’ Hera thought to herself sensing she was making headway with them.
“Cronus has built a new port in a large bay just up the western coast,” she said. “We would like to know its purpose and any other information you may have concerning it.”
“Now that is an easy one.” Desiree smiled brightly. She got up and strode to the tall bookshelf that filled one wall from floor to ceiling. She moved a stack of hide-bound books to one side, exposing a steel panel with a crystal plate in the shape of a hand. Placing her palm upon it, she looked over her shoulder and grinned before she said, “In the name of Hera.”
The panel slipped aside revealing a large, square, sunken box stacked with data crystals and thick files. Retrieving a pyramid-shaped, dark blue crystal, Desiree closed the hidden door and came back to the couch. Putting the pyramid in the reader, she pointed out various things to Hera as they appeared on the monitor.
“We have not had time to send it to you as yet since we just received most of these reports,” Desiree told Hera. “We have not organized them nor checked on the accuracy of the information. I have not had the chance to review it, but this is what we have so far.”
The images that scrolled across the screen gave the women a sick feeling in the pit of their stomachs. The port was much larger than the docks of Daedalia and filled with warships, mammoth cargo vessels and troop transports. The aerial views showed vast shipyards with at least two dozen unfinished vessels awaiting completion. The curved shoreline was packed with gigantic warehouses and wide, unpaved streets rife with heavy traffic. A half-mile wide boulevard led deep into the desert and was lost from view among the rocky hills and brush-covered landscape. An anthill of workers scurried between strange-looking devices and war machines, packing them into gigantic wooden crates and loading them on the waiting ships.
“This is Siren Harbor,” Cussemus said darkly. He moved to join the women on the sofa, his bulk sinking into the plush cushions like a stone. “Our spies tell us only part of this is directed toward your brother.” He pointed at a pile of huge, spear-shaped, metal tubes being loaded aboard a monstrous ship. “Atlantis is planning on invading Nil.”
“I thought we ended that when we destroyed the Atlantica fortress,” Hera said grimly as she saw the might they were up against. “We barely slowed him. War is coming sooner than we thought. Cronus must be stopped.”
A fire broke out in the Dire Wolf about a week later. It started in the kitchens and quickly spread to other parts of the old wood and stone structure. No one was hurt, but the damage was extensive. The popular night spot had to be closed for renovations, much to the heartbreak of many a disappointed client. The staff were all paid a month’s worth of wages and told to visit family and friends or to just enjoy their time off. Little by little, they slipped away into the night.
Desiree used up all the favors she had getting them secretly aboard an outbound ship. She cajoled, bribed and threatened her way through the harbor until she was assured she had safe passage for her and all the people she trusted. Cussemus and the Nephilim stowed away in cargo holds, careful to keep their presence away from prying eyes.
After two weeks at sea, they were met by the ships of Poseidon. The sullen captain feared he would be sunk by the masked giant who came aboard and stared down upon him. His angst was baseless. Once the people were transferred to other vessels, the Atlantean ship was freed to return to port or join this Aegir character as they saw fit. Knowing what they faced should the Lord Father learn of their passengers, the captain chose to join. After all, he was never a loyal servant of Atlantis anyway. The sea was his home and no man, not even this gargantuan, was his master. The captain and his crew followed the tide and the tide was changing…rapidly.
Chapter V
“This is what we all face, Lord Ra,” Zeus said, sweeping his hand over the spread of documents, images and data crystals laid out him. He sat at the long, oak table before the Trinity, his hand twisting a holo pyramid that displayed various captured weapons in the air between the rulers. “I ask for your help in creating countermeasures against them.”
“Thank you for your presentation, Lord Zeus,” Ra said from the high-backed, gold-gilded throne centered on the raised dais in the council chamber. His piercing, azure eyes scanned the group of scientists, Commanders and advisors gathered in the room, seeing the consternation written on their darkened faces. To them, Ra said, “Please dissemina
te this material among your people and see how we can help. Thank you all for being here. Dismissed.”
Amid muted conversations and grumbled words, the people filed out of the granite-walled chamber and hurried toward their appointed tasks. They all knew from the tone of Lord Zeus and the mountains of intelligence he provided that war was coming to Nil sooner than they liked. It filled their souls with anger and angst but also galvanized them with iron-willed purpose.
“Now,” Ra said with a sigh once the room was cleared, “we can dispense with the formalities.” He took the golden crown from his wide brow and shook loose his long, wavy, blond hair. Unsnapping the girdle of crimson-edged tiles from around his torso, Ra took a deep breath, his carved chest muscles rippling above his narrow waist. “That thing constricts my breathing,” he said with a quirky grin.
“Maybe we should have the armorers it let out some,” Isis said, her emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. She also set her crown aside and ran a slender-fingered hand through her waves of shimmering auburn hair. “They could add a few tiles on the sides to accommodate your widening girth.”
“Are you saying I am getting fat, woman?” Ra said with a laugh while rubbing the barely perceptible bulge of his rock-hard stomach.
“Not fat,” she replied patting his belly. “Just cushy.”
“Oh,” Ra grinned as he rose from his throne and walked toward Zeus. “That is so much better!” His artistically molded features took on a more serious mien as he approached Zeus standing behind the table. Ra clasped his forearm and laid his other hand over the man’s wrist. “Even in these troubled times, it is good to see you, my friend. It has been too long.” He bade Zeus follow him and turned to the elegantly carved doors at the back of the room. “Let us find more comfortable surroundings.”