Zeus (Frozen Origin)

by Dawn, Crystal

  Zeus was pretty sure Kyler’s boss wouldn’t give a damn since he had no personal involvement with Sierra or her team. Kyler’s rage and his willingness to give in even though he clearly didn’t want to, brought to mind that Sierra had said her people wanted something from his. It was clear that this wasn’t just about saving his males, but more about saving them for reasons that weren’t all political. They started discussing things again. Kyler’s people wanted a small military presence among the gods making him wonder why and what would they give in return for it. He had never had the commercial bent that Apollo had which made him sure that Apollo would eventually be the one in charge of these negotiations in the future. The talk today was just to lay a foundation that would tell each side what the other wanted and help set expectations.

  Kyler had been a poor negotiator and the longer they spoke the more certain Zeus was that Kyler’s people were hoping his people would do certain jobs for them including training special ops. Kyler hated the idea of Zeus training teams which had previously fallen under his prevue and he didn’t attempt to hide it. Zeus wanted to get the man in the training room where he could teach Kyler a little about what a true predator could do. The thought made him smile inside because he refused to show emotion that Kyler might take advantage of. Way did well hiding her feelings too now that she was in professional mode. The female might be a professional advocate, but she reminded Zeus a great deal of Sierra. He instinctively knew this female could rip someone’s throat out and she had restrained herself with Kyler because she didn’t want him to know her true abilities. Once the ground rules were laid, Kyler left which allowed him and Way to speak.

  “You can call me Way if you would like.” She said with a friendly smile. “I know Kyler is an ass but Sierra thought they were only using each other for physical release. That’s something I’m sure you would understand.”

  It was something he understood but her attempt to reassure him made him worry that he hadn’t hid his emotions as well as he’d thought. “I do understand and I know that you’re aware of my interest in your friend, but why do you think I would care about a relationship she had before I even knew her that she has ended?”

  “Don’t kid a kidder, Zeus. I’m trained to pick up on the slightest sign from body language to expression that tells me disinterest or excessive interest. I already knew your interest so it made it easier to see the level of that interest. Don’t worry, Kyler has no clue nor will he ever, based on the way he reads you. He, on the other hand, is nearly transparent when it comes to his feelings. I think he intended to marry her and couldn’t imagine she didn’t feel the same way because he usually gets whatever he wants. The problem for him is he doesn’t usually deal with alpha types so this has been a hard lesson for him. I spoke to Sierra early this morning and her team is between assignments so they are available. Even if they go out on assignment, they are usually gone a week or less.”

  “I understand, how soon can we get them back?”

  “Tell me which ones you want back the most in case it comes down to pick and choose. Sierra’s team are all specialists so they may not want them all tied up indefinitely.”

  “Sierra and Brandie are essential, the other women would be good, the men can stay or go. My men respond better to females since those are mostly what we worked closely with.”

  “You or your men weren’t concerned about any of the personnel that was here, were you? They were all removed when Sierra left.”

  “None of us could care less about them or their fate. If anything we all hope they are punished for their part in our treatment especially that of Hades and his team.”

  “What happened to that team? I haven’t been brought up to date since just before the raid.”

  “They refused to destroy an orphanage filled with children so they were caged down below where they were starved and tortured, some to death.”

  “I’m so sorry that happened.”

  “Had Sierra not insisted on exploring the sublevels, they would have died. The personnel that was down below left them with the main access blocked so it took an hour with many men working on it to secure entry. I’ve since learned there is a hidden access to the sublevels from outside. We have secured it, but that was the way they were coming and going.”

  “That just shows your need for security, like cameras, on site. We will need to get a list of your necessities in order to be sure you won’t run out of anything. They will only help you for a limited time before they expect something in return for it. If you want to have the freedom to say no, you’d better have resources of your own set up by then.”

  He could see that running the equivalent of a small city was going to be exacting. If they wanted to be independent, which is what they needed to be if they wanted to have control of their own lives, they needed money. That was what it boiled down to, money made the world go around. Ares sent him a mental message that there was an incoming chopper, it might be Hercules. If it was, he intended to have a meeting with his top leaders. All top leaders could communicate with each other mentally which would mean Hercules would have a spot on the council Zeus was contemplating establishing. He didn’t want to do this alone and he wanted his males well represented with the strongest leaders among them. While his word was and had always been law, he knew he wasn’t perfect and he wanted the advice of the others to help him deal with the humans. Who knew they would be so difficult to understand and have so many emotional issues?

  He went quickly to the landing pad where the chopper was setting down. Without even looking he knew that Way had trailed behind him. Apollo met him but stood there staring at Way as if she were an all you could eat buffet of his favorite dishes. Another god falls to the mercies of an attractive female human! He wasn’t really surprised because Way was much like Sierra which would make her appealing to a god but at the same time very resistant to him. Hercules jumped off the copter looking just like the god he was named after. His muscles flexed as he moved emphasizing his large size since he was both broad and tall. He looked intently at the small human woman eliciting a deep possessive growl from Apollo even though he had just seen her moments before himself.

  Zeus watched as the god with the strawberry blond hair and sky blue eyes prowled closer to his human as she backed up slowly. Apollo was staking a claim, but Zeus couldn’t allow him to do it yet. He touched his shoulder lightly to get his attention. It was difficult for Apollo to look away from his unclaimed mate but he wrenched his eyes from her to see what his leader wanted.

  “You must wait, Apollo, so I can tell you what you need to know. All of our leaders must go to the meeting room where we have much to discuss.” Hercules nodded while Apollo just growled in agreement under protest. They had been raised together though not all of them were the same age. Origin had made batch after batch of them not stopping until they had the number they needed. The first few batches had been destroyed due to defects but not until they were sure that new batches would be successful. Hercules was from a later batch making him a year or so younger than most of the leaders.

  Zeus sat at the head of the table as they waited for Hermes and Dionysus, generally called Dione. Ares, Apollo, Hades, Hercules, and Poseidon each sat lost in their own thought, no doubt about females. Dione entered with his typical smile since he was always the happy god willing to play and enjoy the company of anyone who had time to spare. Hermes followed him with his com attached speaking as he walked. Zeus often wondered if their names were chosen to suit their temperaments or if their abilities developed because they were encouraged due to their names?

  He took the time to examine his brothers while they were paying no attention to him. There was Ares who had raven hair and golden eyes, he was built similar to Zeus himself just a hair shorter in stature. He was intelligent as they all were but his gift was an uncanny ability to read people. He sensed emotions and could sometime catch thoughts, a thing he might be better at if he actually tried to do it. Apollo was the colorful one with h
is vivid red blond hair and sky blue eyes. He was nearly Zeus’ height but built long and lean like the runner he was. He had speed and endurance which was an unbeatable combination. He was a gifted fire starter which came in handy on a cold night in the desert or the mountains when they were on a mission.

  Poseidon was next with his black curly hair, deep black eyes, and ebony skin. His had the build of a swimmer which was no surprise and his gift was an ability to breathe under water. He had an extra set of gill like lungs below his arms that were hidden when he was dressed but had to be bared to allow him to breathe when he entered the water. His skill was especially useful when a boat was the target of an operation. Hades was an unexpected mix of jet black hair, golden brown skin, and olive green eyes. He had the bulkiest muscles of the group besides Hercules being built like a weight lifter. No surprise that Hercules was built in a similar fashion but he had golden brown hair, skin to match, and eyes that matched the bluest sea. He was gifted with the greatest strength of any of the gods, not just super human, but super god strength.

  Hermes was even leaner than Apollo being built like a long distance runner. His dark brown hair and deep purple eyes made him stand out even in a group of gods. Hermes had the gift of sending messages beyond what any of them could. The core leadership of the gods could communicate mentally with each other and the rest of the gods, but not over great distances like Hermes could. Dione was the funny one whose chocolate brown eyes always danced with mischief. His long curly medium brown hair was worn loose so it swung like a curtain. He was the charmer captivating women and making friends with males with a gift for putting anyone at ease under any circumstances. He was tall as they all were with the same broad shoulders and well muscled body. He was more like Zeus and Ares being well muscled but not bulky like Hades and Hercules. Zeus thought about his own gift which was sending out electricity and that wasn’t just lightening bolts. He could send out small bursts or large amounts at will.

  “Brothers, we have a difficult task ahead of us now that we are finally free. We must support ourselves taking our lives in our own hands to make of them what we will.”

  “Always the dramatic one, Zeus. Can’t you find a way to make this a little more fun for us?

  “I’m glad you ask, Dione, because I have a task that no other but you can possibly manage.” Zeus knew it was wrong, but as he paused for effect, he enjoyed the worry that crossed Dione’s face. Well, he had asked for it after all. “We will be having a party for all the gods and an equal number of females in six months give or take and you are in charge of the event. Plan for extra attendees since you never know.”

  It had the opposite of the expected result as Dione laughed and cheered. “This will be so much fun, I promise you. Females, dancing, and drink, what could be better for a god?”

  “Apollo, we must negotiate with the humans to get the most for the least. You will help me with that taking over once we know what they really want from us. Ares, I think we may try to start a private security company. We need money and that is our main saleable skill so we will do what we can there. You will be in charge of picking those who will be working for it and getting jobs that pay. Hades, you will be in charge of Cronos and everything that happens in the bottom level. That includes security but only around our father. Hercules, you will be in charge of security on the other levels including keeping an eye on the humans here so we know what they are up to. You will assign them their offices if they need one and their rooms to stay in. Hermes, you will handle all communications which is coms, internet, and any TV or radio in use. Poseidon, you will be in charge of our facilities assuring we have what we need as far as supplies go and supervising the construction we need so we will have room for mates and children as well as guests wanted or otherwise. Any questions?”

  They all spoke at once so Zeus chose them to speak one at a time. He now had the help he needed, but their questions revealed how complicated each task would prove to be. “Make small decisions on your own, leave big ones for when we all meet as needed to work together to solve our difficulties. This will work since we are all family.” Zeus said hoping it was so since the situation was overwhelming even for a god.

  They went over all the relevant concerns as well as assigning those who would help each with their endeavors. The more ground they covered, the more Zeus felt that things would soon be in hand. The weight on his shoulders seemed to lift as he looked at each of his brothers knowing they were all capable of the tasks he had assigned them. His job would now be to anticipate problems and to make final decisions on any problems they faced. He looked at the clock on the wall thinking it couldn’t possibly be that late but his stomach growled letting him know he had missed both lunch and supper. He dismissed the meeting so he and his brothers could get some food, but as they ate their discussion revolved around the matters at hand. He referred Dione to Way to get him started on the party earning him a growl from Apollo. “Easy my friend, I just want him to find out what kind of party she wishes us to throw, not to hit on her.”

  “Maybe, but we all know how he is and that females seem drawn to him.”

  “She is our advocate so she must remain accessible to all of us. She will not succumb easily so don’t worry so much.”

  “What do you mean, Zeus?”

  “These women are not like those Origin brought in. They are independent and strong wishing to stay free without mating. I don’t understand them but I have one I wish to mate too but she left me. Now I must attempt to get her and Ares’ mate back. It is confusing to have a female run away and I don’t like the feeling.”

  “I will not have that problem since I will take her to my bed and convince her to never leave.” Apollo said with confidence. The others laughed enjoying his boasting but those who had been around these new human women weren’t so sure he’d succeed.

  “Let me know how that works for you.” Zeus said feeling sorry for his brother already. He’d entered the twilight zone, he just didn’t know it yet. The time he’d spent with Sierra had shown him that everything he thought he knew about women was wrong. The women they’d had contact with before weren’t the type of women you wanted to mate, they were either women hired for a job that wanted access to unlimited sex or women hired for sex that wanted easy and generous paychecks.

  It was time now to finish eating so he could go to bed where he would dream of his sweet mate. He took a quick shower, no time for self indulgence now. He needed some sleep with an early morning ahead of him. He and Way had a meeting scheduled at six followed by a meeting with Kyler at six thirty. He foresaw a day soon when his time became a valuable commodity. He thought he would dream of his mate because she was not with him but he was wrong.

  He was about to get on a copter to take a trip that would change his life. Not just his life but the lives of Ares, Apollo, Hades, and Poseidon since they were in this together. They were raised like brothers learning to count on each other knowing each others skills as well as they knew their own. He could tell by looking at the others seeing their ages and what they wore that this was their first mission, the one that would decide their future. If they did well they would go on more missions but they would have more freedom at home, maybe even be allowed to make trips to the outside world. Their lives would improve, possibly even be the kind of lives worth living. It would make the lives of their younger brothers better because they would share as they always had.

  At twelve a human wouldn’t even be considered for such an undertaking but a god, they were almost grown and already as large as all but the massive human men. They had trained for this since they were able to walk so he knew they would succeed. It was still only normal to be nervous and that feeling would keep them alert. There was a retired special forces major with them since this was their first time. The man was still young having signed on at eighteen and having just retired at thirty eight. For an older man he was in excellent physical condition looking maybe thirty tops. Zeus figured the major was a real lady killer a
nd he intended to get some advice from him after the mission was done.

  They had accepted a nearby mission in Bolivia where some private companies were tired of being in the middle of drug wars and hoped to prevent the continued growth the drug trade seemed to be experiencing. They were simply to attack a large storage facility while taking out any of their soldiers. Easy, right? It was just before the point where reinforcements arrived, not theirs, but the enemies. Ares and Zeus planted the charges that would take the building out while the others split up taking out any of the men they came across. Laying the charges which had timers on them, had gone well, but leaving was another thing entirely. They had regrouped after the charges were set thinking the enemy had been cleared from the area where they were beset by an overwhelming force.

  Major Dunlevy was watching them rather than the enemy which turned out to be a fatal mistake. He was caught right between the eyes by a sniper with a high powered rifle. A portion of his brains splattered over Zeus’ face. In the confusion of their retreat, Zeus forgot to assign someone to see to the body that should have been taken back with them. It was a mistake he never made again, but to this day he felt shame whenever he thought of that mission. The enemy identified the major in no time sending parts of him to his family through the mail. Origin had considered the mission a complete success saying the major was paid well and that death was a possible outcome he was aware of. Zeus had always hoped someday to do something for his family, but Origin kept close track of them when they were away from the facility so he had never been able to.

  Escape wasn’t an option because one god had tried it. He was killed and his gruesome tortured body placed on display until the trainers that worked with them could no longer stand the smell. They were told and they believed it, that had they not found him, they would have chosen one of the others to kill in his place. Eventually, he would have been found and then he would die as well. The world was a cruel place for those who were different without the protection of a group or money. The lesson had stuck and all these years no one had been willing to risk the lives of their brothers. They had considered an uprising, but again they learned the place was wired to explode from an outside trigger. It seemed they had been lucky that the current manager didn’t want to die. When she found out about the explosives, she had them disconnected. If they’d only known, they would have taken over months ago, even with the risk that they wouldn’t have been able to survive with few resources and no money.