by Sydney Addae
“The Kirlethanium?” Thomas asked.
“Those issues are still potential problems for Lucian, things he needs to work through but had nothing to do with Raven,” Silas said.
“The necklace?”
“Not sure about that yet. Lucian’s still looking into it. When you return home, we’ll talk about it,” Silas said. “Have you learned anything more about the Olympians? Anything I need to know about?”
“We had a confrontation with them when Max, Pearl and I were returning to the house that night after scanning Prokam. Interesting stuff. I’ll replay it for you. It may be a little weird since it’s from my point of view, my memories.”
“Please do, I’d love to see it.” Silas drew Jasmine into the link. Moments later an image appeared and then sound.
Four Olympians stood in front of a house, whispering to each other.
“They’re confused and concerned that they cannot enter the building. I can’t believe they aren’t linked and speaking out loud,” Noah told Thomas who was driving.
“It could be a trick,” Pearl said from the passenger seat.
“Yeah, they may want us to think they’re limited so they can learn more about us,” Max said from his seat in the back.
“Possibly, but we won’t know until we look further into it. We’re heading that way.” Thomas looked at Max. “Go high, I want all four of them in view at all times. If they see through the illusions, either Barticus’ or Lizzie’s we need to know.”
Max nodded and shrunk.
Thomas glanced at Pearl. “Change. We’re coming home from a date. Human deep.”
She nodded and altered her appearance to a statuesque, cobalt blue-eyed blond with long wavy hair down her back wearing a skintight black dress.
Pearl’s abilities constantly surprised Silas. Looking at her, you’d think she was a sultry, pampered vixen when nothing was further from the truth. She was a hard worker and a tremendous asset to the team.
Don’t allow anyone to touch you. One of them messes with the mind or manipulates thoughts possibly both, do not drop your shields. Link with Damali or Mia if you need more juice before I get to you,” Thomas told her.
Pearl nodded.
Thomas stopped at the light.
Max jumped out through the window and ran toward the house, scurried up the pole closest to the Olympians and was in position before Thomas and Pearl turned the corner and pulled into a driveway of one of the illusions Lizzie created.
Aware he was being watched, Thomas raised the garage door and drove inside. Before it was fully closed, everything froze. Tingles ran across Thomas’ skin before he snapped out of it and remained seated, waiting.
An average height black male dressed in pressed jeans and a cream-colored shirt stepped beneath the garage door. Moments later it reopened. The other three stood just outside the garage.
“What the hell just happened?” Noah said.
“One of them can freeze, possibly change time. Doesn’t last long, an annoyance more than anything,” Thomas said confident it wouldn’t impact him again.
“They’re standing on the edge of the grounds,” Noah said.
“Lock down the house, stay below, they can’t sense you there. If they can, we need to know that as well.” Thomas watched the man speak in a low voice to the others. Tingles touched his head, then flowed down his arms while fading and fizzling out
He looked at Pearl. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, someone’s trying to break through my shields, they’re using a screwdriver instead of a hammer right now,” she said.
“They can’t ever breakthrough. That puts the whole team at risk.” Thomas frowned thinking of everything they learned about the Olympians through Hermes. “Use energy from Mia or Damali or both to keep those shields strong and if you need more, let me know.” He opened the door, stepped out and faced the Olympians. His gaze swept across the three men and woman.
“What are you doing here?” Thomas asked the man in front of him before glancing at the others. He stepped to the side of the door before shutting it. Pressure increased against his mind briefly before mellowing to a slight sting. In case that last wave came across as a hammer against her mind, Thomas fortified Pearl’s shields.
“Thank you,” Pearl said.
“Who are you?” The female dressed in a red short dress asked as she took a step closer. Thomas picked up her name from the others.
“Mia, the poison lady is nearby, I’m going to send you a breakdown of what she releases, catalog it so I can analyze it later for an antidote.”
“Will do,” Mia said.
Thomas’ slow gaze roved over Hera from the top of her head to the red heels she wore. “Who are you?” he countered.
She looked over her shoulder to the others and took another step toward him. Pearl opened the door and stood next to it, glaring at him.
“Go inside,” Thomas barked at her.
Playing the role of the jilted lover to perfection, Pearl glowered at the lady in red, opened her mouth, snapped it shut and using a key entered the door through the garage. The other three men slowly stepped back.
“The privacy box Noah’s using to keep others from seeing what’s going on is blocking my view of everything,” Max said. “Two of the guys are walking back toward their car.”
“They plan to poison me and take me in,” Thomas said.
“What? Seriously, what’s the deal with that?” Max asked.
“We need more information on their capabilities, no time like the present,” Thomas said while smiling at the gorgeous woman as she placed her hand on his arm and then his cheek. A foul odor surrounded them.
Smiling slightly, she held his gaze. “What are you? Enhanced human? Full-blood wolf? Half-breed?” she whispered near his ear. “Why aren’t you on the ground begging for your life after Hypnos tried to capture you in his snare or Perseus tried to enter your mind? Are you the person we seek to unravel the mystery?”
“Got it,” Mia said. “Want me to send it to Hawke so he can get started on creating a remedy to block its effects?”
“Not yet. I want to look at it first.”
“You can stop playing with them now,” Mia said.
Thomas picked Hera up and tossed her out the garage. “Close the garage door,” he told Lizzie as he strode forward.
Hera fell on the ground, rolled and stood with a gun pointed at him. “Bastard,” she screamed and pulled the trigger.
Thomas hopped forward and landed on one of the roofs of the SUV they arrived in. The bullet went through the garage door and hit the car.
“Everybody stay where you are, we need to know what they can do,” Thomas said as he jumped to the left avoiding being hit by the one called Hypnos. He and Perseus were the most muscular in the group but Thomas knew physical strength was the least deadly attribute of all.
He landed on his feet and was rushed by Janus and Perseus at the same time. Thomas swung, punching them quickly in succession. Both men lay bleeding on the ground in front of him, healing slowly.
“Eat this,” the woman, Hera said holding a mini-cannon on her shoulder. She released it. Thomas dropped and rolled to the side.
The missile froze mid-air. Janus grimaced and stood sluggishly. “Move the car in front of this before I release it.” He glared at Hera.
She returned his scowl. Perseus leaned on his elbow and pointed at the vehicle. It moved into the path of the missile and stopped.
Janus looked at Thomas. “You’re enhanced like us but stronger than most. Would you share your secret? How were you able to break free from everything we threw at you?”
Thomas sensed genuine curiosity and no malice from the man. “I’ve been this way a long time.”
They stared at him for a few moments. Thomas realized Janus would release the missile and jumped several feet backward while the four of them ran for cover. Max placed a shield in front of Thomas while Noah encased him in an invisible box.
“What did you lear
n about them?” Noah asked.
“I think this is the “B” team. One releases poison, another entraps people in dreams. The other is a good telepathic, Mia and Pearl are much better but we’ll need strong shields. He’s also a strong telekinetic. None of them can keep at it for long periods. I want them to think that’s normal and I’m recharging while they plan their next move.”
“None of them can tear down the house as Zeus did?” Noah asked.
“I don’t think so. Remember, Max has something to combat Zeus’ clap, so I’m not sure how effective Zeus would be,” Thomas said.
“Good point,” Noah said.
“Well, I’ll be...” Thomas laughed.
“What?” Noah asked.
“Janus is rolling back time. They’re looking at me because I’m locked in two security bubbles and not affected. It’s draining him, though. His nose is bleeding and his hand’s shaking. He’s cleaning up after her.” He watched as they stood in front of the garage after he drove inside.
Turning, the four entered their vehicles and drove off.
“Max, did we have an audience?” Thomas asked as he strode toward the house.
“Not that I could tell. Noah had the four of you surrounded the whole time. It was difficult to see everything,” Max said.
“Great job, everyone. Come down from there, Max. Lizzie, Noah, scramble everything so no one can tell where we enter,” Thomas said as Max ran alongside to keep up.
“Done,” Lizzie said.
The memory ended, the colors and sound vanished. Silas lay stunned and met Jasmine’s gaze. “He stopped time.”
She nodded.
“Silas?” Thomas said.
“That was some battle. And you call them the B team?”
“Yes. When I returned to the house we were discussing the fight, I thought there was a problem with the shot the Olympians received. Matteo had a different opinion. If you have a few minutes, I’d like to replay that conversation for you and get your opinion.”
“Yes. Yes, of course. Should I pull Hawke into this as well?” Silas asked. Shock was replaced by concern. These individuals were an entirely different level of threat and he wasn’t sure how to respond. If full-bloods were given that shot would they be able to stop time? Or turn into water? Or was that limited to humans? Would the Nation become dependent on Thomas’ team to fight against the Olympians? Not a good option. Tomorrow he would meet with Angus and Hawke to share this information and discuss how to prepare for a potential attack. For the first time ever, Silas sensed a real threat from the government and he didn’t like it.
“Not yet. I’ll need to make a decision regarding this and would like you and Jasmine’s opinion. Feel free to share anything you’d like with him or Angus later,” Thomas said.
“Alright.”
“Same thing, this is my memory, my point of view,” Thomas said.
The memory started hazy and sharpened to show the group seated in a family room or den. “Either the shot they’re receiving isn’t as strong as the one Noah received or something else is wrong. Don’t misunderstand me, on humans I’m sure their gifts work fine but not on enhanced humans,” Thomas said.
Matteo held up his hand. “That’s not true. You’re accustomed to a higher level of proficiency. Lizzie says all of you practice with weapons, communications, role-play and honing your skills. You treat your abilities as gifts, an extension of who you are. Most of us see them as curses. Something that makes us freaks, stops us from living full lives and hiding... hiding in the shadows for survival.” He paused, swallowed hard and met Thomas’ gaze. “I only worked on my gift because of my family, otherwise...” He shrugged. “I never valued it the way you, all of you, do. Wrong thinking perhaps, but it’s the truth. We’re victims in our minds first and people like those you fought tonight come along to confirm our thoughts.”
“That’s a good point, thank you for reminding us of other sufferers of the Liege’s experiments,” Damali said as she covered his hand.
“Are there a lot of people, enhanced from the Liege left?” Tip asked as his gaze skittered around the room.
Matteo shrugged. “Some, I don’t know exact numbers.”
“Are any of your friends, former or otherwise still alive?” Lizzie asked.
Matteo’s eyes widened. “There is one, perhaps two if his sister still lives. They left the castle a week before me. Hiram had been tossed outside like trash with a broken leg and arm. Not from surgery but because he didn’t move fast enough.” He shook his head. “The cruelty, barbaric.”
Thomas remembered his days at the castle and nodded slowly.
“The last time I reached out to him, he was alive. I don’t know if he still is,” Matteo said. “Other than Hiram and Melodee his sister, there is no one else I know personally.”
“Do you know if he’s gifted?” Lizzie asked into the silence.
“Yes... back then we were all altered. Hiram could fly. Sometimes anyway.”
“Fly?” Lizzie asked frowning.
Matteo shook his head. “He turned into birds and could fly. Dangerous thing in this part of the world. See why we consider these abilities curses?” Matteo asked.
“Definitely,” Tip said as he clapped Matteo on the shoulder and sat back in his chair.
The memory faded.
“Tip and Damali want to find Matteo’s friends to see if we can help them. In fact, they’d like to walk around town to see if there’s anyone we can help,” Thomas said.
“You don’t mean give shots to strangers?” Silas wouldn’t agree to that.
“That’s the problem. We can’t decide on what kind of help we can offer short of giving the shot. On one hand, it seems the epitome of selfishness not to help the less fortunate since we’ve been so blessed. But it also seems irresponsible to put such a weapon in the hands of people we don’t know and I have no interest in allowing on the team.”
“Then you have your answer. The only people who get that shot are people you’re personally responsible for. No one else. Feed them. Buy them clothes or a house for shelter but they do not get the shot unless they are a part of your team.” Silas made sure he came across loud and clear on that score.
“My thoughts on the matter as well. Just needed to hear it from a different voice than the one in my head. I’ll let you know when we’re on the way home, see you soon.” Thomas said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“YOU DID WHAT?” QUEEN Miriam yelled into the phone.
“I returned Raven home.”
“But... why? Why would you do that? Do you know who she is? What her family’s done?”
“Silvia said Raven’s Uncle was responsible for the death of my Mam and sister.”
“And for taking you. The condition I found you in was their fault. You were bleeding and bruised, no memory, ripped from everything you knew—"
“Not Raven’s fault. He’s not even her sire,” Zoe said. She knew this conversation would be brutal but she hadn’t realized her Mom knew about Raven.
“I cannot believe... Have you any idea what you’ve done? All the planning, the searching, everything,” the Queen asked.
“Mom?”
“Don’t try that tone with me, young lady. I am angry and have every right to be. You didn’t see what those... those bastards did to you. You were half-dead.” She took a deep breath. “They did that to my little girl—”
“Who loves you more than life itself. But Raven didn’t do it. She had nothing to do with any of it. To punish her for something she had nothing to do with would be wrong. You raised me better than that. I don’t know or care what anyone had planned for her but it’s over.”
“Try explaining that to your father. You robbed him of his vengeance... and me,” she added.
“Mom, I love you but you and Daddy cannot live my life for me. He’s mad because I disappeared, he’s hurt because I don’t remember him or any of this life, this has got to stop. I don’t like being pulled like taffy between the two of
you. I’ve accepted what happened to me all those years ago. It’s horrible. I’m not saying it wasn’t. But I’m alive and want to live in the present, not the past. So, if all this revenge and vendetta stuff is for or over me, please stop and let it drop. If I’m the victim, stop victimizing me all over again.”
“Baby, we’re not—”
“Yes, you are. I don’t need a daily dose of what happened 15 years ago. I got it. Just because I don’t remember means I need constant blow by blow reminders. Who would want that? It doesn’t change anything.” She paused. “Guess what? I survived and have lived a wonderful life, no regrets on my part. How can I miss or regret what I don’t remember?”
“True, but we remember. Sacha lost his pup, his heir and mate. His life for the past 15 years has been hollow, incomplete. You’re asking him to let go of the thing that sustained him for years.”
“He needs to let go and start living in the present. Look, there’s no way to turn back time. We’ll never get those years back, so why not start a new chapter from where we are now?”
“Zoe, you don’t understand,” her Mom said in a sad voice.
“What I know is I’m here. He asked for this time to get reacquainted. I’m here, he’s stuck in the past. The Kira he knew15 years ago doesn’t exist. I can’t be Kira for him and Zoe for you, just to make others happy. Don’t ask me to do that. I can’t.”
“Sweetheart, we don’t expect you to be anyone other than yourself.”
“Really? Because you raised me to be the smartest, brightest, most compassionate woman in the room who saw those with means and those without. You taught me to respect everyone and to be fair and to walk on the side of justice no matter what. For you to expect me to go along with whatever you and my sire planned, sounds like you wanted me to be someone else,” Zoe said.
The Queen cleared her throat after several moments of silence. “Well, I’m glad you learned the right things and ignored the other stuff. You’re right, we were wrong and I’m sorry you’re in the middle of this. We’ll get it all worked out. I’ll... I’ll talk to Sacha. He’s... um, well he’s searching for Raven. Someone moved her, that’s where he went, to search for her.”