Fade in - Andersonville Cemetery 50 years from now.
Gently I placed the flowers on the grave of my beloved
husband with much sorrow. Three long years had past since
his death, and yet I missed him as much as the day he had
died. Close by were the graves of my parents, also having
long ago gone to their reward. The Anderson's hadn't been
my biological parents, but I had called them my own just
the same.
Next to my parents was the final resting-place of my
brother, Steve, AKA Al Parker. Unlike the others, he had
died an early and violent death during the first Peace
River riots. That left just Jennifer. Sweet, lovely
Jennifer! How my sister enjoyed life. She was a grandmother
now, having married and given birth to four, lovely
children.
I was also grandmother, only not like Jennifer. Unlike her,
I hadn't been able to conceive any children in my marriage.
It was something Tom and I had always regretted, although
we had adopted over the years. Tom had been so
understanding about the problem. He had been a wonderful
husband.
"Hello Linda," a familiar voice greeted me. I turned and
smiled at the judge. Juno looked the same as she did 50
years ago, maybe even prettier.
"Hello June," I replied nervously, knowing why she was
here. I decided not to waste time with small talk. "Did he
decide?"
Judge Herns sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Linda, the
old goat refused. I tried my best to change his mind."
"I know you did. I was hoping...it doesn't matter." I stood
slowly and brushed the dirt off my skirt.
"I miss him," June said tenderly as she stared down at
Tom's grave. "In fact, I miss all of the Anderson's. That's
what I hate about living forever...having to say goodbye to
the friends you make. It seems like they stay for just a
little while and then they're gone." I didn't comment so
June continued.
"I remember when I first met Tom. I didn't like him much.
He was, I hate to say this, a man."
"It was hard for you to trust men back then, June," I
stated the obvious.
"Yes, that's true," Judge Herns admitted. "Tom was the
first man I was able to trust in a long, long time. I wish
the old goat had been more like him."
Her words caused me to chuckle. "How is Judge Jasper?"
"The same. He grumbles all the time about his new town, but
if you ask me it's better than the old one."
"It's warm in South America," I pointed out.
"Yes it is," Judge Herns grinned. "But I didn't say the
town was in South America, now did I? You know I can't tell
you its location, Linda. We wouldn't want your military to
know."
I nodded, although I suspected the US government already
knew where the town was but had decided not to do anything
about it. Considering what the Olympians had done to the
people of Peace River at the end, not going after them was
a crime. It was only because Judge Herns and a few of the
others had been in Andersonville at the time that the
government didn't go after them.
"I remember when there were just a few graves here," I
commented. "Now look, there are hundreds."
"At least most of them died of natural causes," Judge Herns
pointed out. "They all lived long, full lives."
"Do you know when?" I asked suddenly. Juno looked at me
carefully.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Maybe I can speed things up," I replied as together we
walked slowly back to my speeder. "What difference will a
few hours make? Perhaps it would be better for everyone if
I went in the middle of the night like my mother."
"Do you want me to be there when the time comes?"
I shook my head. "No June, I'll be fine. My family will be
close by." Then I stopped for a moment, and looked at Juno
with pressing concern. "Do you think I should tell them
about Dennis Butz before I die?"
The goddess's chin grew tight. "Dennis was a hero, Linda.
His story deserves to be told."
I chuckled softly and continued to walk. "A hero...I don't
know about that. But I think you're right, June. After 50
years the truth needs to be told."
"In that case I wish you well my dear. Since I won't see
you again..." June hugged me tightly one more time. "I'm
going to miss you, Linda."
"I'll miss too, June. Do me a favor, and watch over
Jennifer and my children for me."
"It will be done," Juno replied as she released me and took
one last look. "Goodbye Linda."
"Goodbye, June."
As we parted I didn't cry. I knew one day we would meet
again, but perhaps not under such pleasant circumstances.
Fade out...
***
Voice of Linda Anderson - They say to judge someone; you
must first walk a mile in their shoes. When I first came
here, I regarded this town as a prison. In many ways that's
still true, but only if you look at it superficially. Years
later, with the benefit of hindsight, I can now see the
town for what it is; a last attempt to bring peace between
the Titans, the Olympians, and us, the human race. If the
town succeeds, the people imprisoned in Peace River will
finally be free and there will be peace. If it fails, the
resulting war could end the world as we know it. There are
some on all sides of this conflict who have their own
reasons for seeing the project fail.
These are the stories of the men and women who made a
difference during those dark days, and shaped history. It's
also about those who had to face their deepest, darkest
problems and what they gained from conquering them. It's a
place of second chances, hope, and peace. The name of this
town is Andersonville.
***
Andersonville 30 - The day Dennis Butz died
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff
This story dedicated to the readers of my stories. Thank
you for the comments and support you have given me while
writing this series. It was and still is appreciated.
Fade in...
Kevin knocked on the partly open bedroom door. "Aunt
Linda?"
"Come in, Kevin," I said cheerfully. "What is it?"
"There's a man outside from the US military. He says his
name is Captain Myers."
"Really? Are you sure his last name is Myers?"
"That's what he said."
"Tell him I'll be out in a moment. Has everyone else
arrived?"
"Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Rick showed up about ten minutes
ago. They've been wondering where you are."
"Tell Jennifer I'm not as quick as I used to be," I
grinned. "And also tell her 'no', I don't need her help
getting dressed. I'll be out in a moment."
"Yes, Aunt Linda." Kevin, sensing that I wanted to be alone
for a moment, closed the door as he left. I took a good
long look at myself. I didn't really look that old. Oh, I
had gray hair and some wrinkles on my face, but I had kept
myself in shape. I looked to be in my early 50's, not my
late 70's. Of course the reality was I was even older than
that. The doctors couldn't understand why I was dying at
such a young age.
Carefully I brushed my hair one more time and added another
layer of lipstick before leaving. It felt good to be pretty
one more time. When I walked into the main room I took a
good look at everyone. There was Jennifer with her husband,
and two of her kids who were almost grown. My sister gave
me a big smile.
In the corner sat Kevin, the son of the late Ashlee Gang.
He had come to live with us after Jupiter had executed the
rest of his family. I worried about him. Despite my best
efforts, Kevin still had a lot of hate and resentment
toward Judge Jasper. It was my fear that he would try going
after him one day. That would be a tragic mistake if he
did.
Next to him sat Melissa with her three kids. She was a
lovely woman, with fluffy blonde hair that curled and hung
gently down her back. Melissa looked as pretty as her
mother, Sally Anderson, used to. Tom and I had adopted
Melissa when she was only 2 months old, after the sudden
death of her parents.
Finally I turned to greet my guest. He was a short,
handsome man who looked much like someone I once knew. I
held out her hand and said, "Thank you for coming, Captain
Myers."
"Ms. McClain," he answered politely with a smile that
indicated he was happy to be here. "You don't know how much
of an honor it is to finally meet you."
"Please, call me Linda. You're not by chance related to
General Myers, are you?"
The captain beamed. "He was my grandfather. My father named
me after him. He used to work in the bunker until an
unfortunate incident cost him his command. Did you ever
meet him by chance?"
"I knew your grandfather well...he was a good man. Did you
know that after Dennis Butz removed your grandfather from
his post, he reconsidered his decision and blotted out the
incident from his record? Later on he recommended your
grandfather for promotion."
"No, I never knew that. My grandfather always wondered how
he was able to make general with that reprimand looming
over his head."
"There are many stories I could tell you, Captain, but I
suspect you're here for one reason."
"That's correct ma'am. I'm here to find out what really
happened to Dennis Butz. There are all those rumors
floating around out there. Is he really dead?"
I pressed my lips together tightly. "Yes captain, he's
dead. Some would say he died a hero's death almost 50 years
ago...and until today only Judge Herns and I knew how. I
suppose I should start at the beginning. Please, have a
seat."
Captain Myers sat down next to me and I took his hand.
"Tell me Captain Myers, have you even experienced the
trance power?"
"No, but I've heard it's an incredible experience."
"It is, if the story is enjoyable. Prepared to be blown
away, Captain." I smiled and closed my eyes. Slowly but
surely everything around us faded away.
***
I should have been working, but my mind was flooded with
too many things for me to concentrate on my job. In 27 days
I would be married. Married, as a woman. If someone had
told me my future when I was still a teenager I would've
said they were nuts. Now I wondered if I wasn't nuts. Not
only was I marrying a man...I was marrying someone who
looked the way I used to.
"Daydreaming again, Linda?" June ask humorously from her
office doorway.
"Sorry, Your Honor," I replied sheepishly. "I'm just
thinking about next month."
"I see." The judge smiled tenderly at me. "Is Tom stopping
by today?" I shook my head.
"He's out of town taking care of some personal matters."
"Oh, that's too bad. It's always nice to see him here. He
makes you so happy."
I blushed. "I didn't know it showed."
"It does," the judge laughed. "Don't worry Linda, I won't
tell anyone."
"Thanks," I grinned, and then frowned slightly. "It's a
little scary sometimes, June. My life is going to change,
and there are times I find myself wondering if I'm doing
the right thing."
"That's just nerves," June reassured me. "All brides feel
that way as the time gets closer. A few years from now,
when you have kids running around your feet, you'll be
wondering what you did before you had them. Believe me
Linda, your life is going to turn out just fine if I have
anything to do with it."
"And you do," I half-grinned.
"Only when I'm needed," she replied truthfully. "This is
your life...and like a friend I'll be there to support you
when it's required. However, I'm not going to butt into
your affairs. Your happiness is what you make of it."
"Thanks June. That is perhaps the best gift anyone could
give me."
She chuckled. "If only buying all my presents were that
easy. How about I take you out to lunch later on?"
"Can I take a rain check, June? I'm suppose to have lunch
with Dennis today...unless you want to join us?"
She shook her head and gave me a humorous grin. "No, that's
okay. We'll do lunch another time. If I know Dennis, he
probably wants to talk to you about something he doesn't
want me to know anything about."
"I'm sure it's nothing," I laughed.
***
"You have to decide," Crius insisted. "We cannot wait any
longer. Can I count on your assistance or not?
Dennis rubbed the top of his forehead. For years he had
delayed giving Crius his word, although he hinted that he
would when the time came. Now it had, and Dennis was about
to make a decision that would affect the rest of the world.
The fate of billions of people rested on his shoulders
depending on what he said. The director had never backed
away from making the tough decisions, but now he was
feeling the heat.
"I need more time, Crius."
"Time!" he raged. "You've had time Rhea, plenty of time.
The chemical is ready, my men are trained, and the day when
it is most convenient to strike is fast approaching. I have
to start finalizing the plans. There is no more time, Rhea.
Either you're in or you're out." Crius prayed that he was
in. He may have had the backing of his people, but it was
Dennis who held the power. If he didn't join, it would
leave Crius in a serious bind and the old god would lose
face.
"You're talking about war, Crius," Dennis defended himself.
"I don't take that lightly...and you have been very vague
about what my role will be."
"Give me your word and I'll tell you everything," Crius
promised.
"If I give my word it's binding! What is it you want of me?
Tell me first, then I'll decide."
The old god sighed. Dennis was no fool; nor could he be
told the entire truth. Crius decided to tell him just
enough to get his cooperation.
"After we strike Rhea, you will get the American planes and
troops to attack. This will keep the Olympians busy, and
weakening them at the same time. While this is going on my
men will attack the caves and free our people. We will arm
them, and when the time is right, strike at the heart of
Peace River. Together we will bring the Olympians to their
knees!"
"And the people of Peace River? You promise that they'll
recover from this chemical's effect?"
"Yes, of course, of course," Crius lied in an irritated
tone. "How many times do I have to tell you Rhea, this
chemical will only put them into a dreamless sleep. They'll
be fine, unless of course the Olympians do something to
them. I can't prevent the Olympians from harming anyone."
Dennis turned and looked out the window. How could he even
consider doing this? He had made friends with some of the
Olympians. Now he was going to stab them in the back! Could
he allow himself to agree to this madness? If he did, what
happened if the situation escalated? Dennis knew that
despite what Crius had told him, he was the key to this
operation. If he said 'no', there might not be an attack.
If he said yes...things could get out of control very fast.
But if he did say no and Crius attacked anyway, more of his
people would suffer. Could he live with that - knowing he
had the power to prevent that from happening?
Suspecting Dennis needed one more push to commit, Crius
played his trump card. "Think about your daughter and wife,
brother. They're calling out for justice!"
"I'm not sure either of them would approve of war," he
stated.
"Not war Rhea, justice. We will end the suffering of our
people once and for all - and when we do we'll return to a
time before the Olympians came. You remember that time,
don't you Rhea. The humans called it the golden age, when
there was only peace and prosperity. War and battles were
unknown back then, and would never have been known if it
wasn't for the Olympians. We owe the people of this planet
a chance to return to that time once more...and we can do
it if you join us. Rhea, think of all the crimes the
Olympians are guilty of against our people. The time to
repay them for their cruelty is now! The time to repay them
for what they did to your daughter is now! The time to
repay them for what they did to your wife is now!"
The words bit hard into Dennis' conscience. Crius was
right; the day of reckoning had come. His treaty with
Jupiter was rocky at best. Although the King of the Roman
Gods had agreed to release a certain number of Titans each
year, there had been no more released since Crius. Every
time there were talks about releasing more of his people,
Jupiter would claim the Titan's had violated the agreement
somehow and he wasn't required to release anyone.
Technically Jupiter was within his rights to do so, but
that didn't sit well with those Titans who were free and
waiting for their loved ones to join them. They didn't care
about the politics; all they wanted were results. Crius had
heard their calls and stepped in, thus gaining him great
power among their people. Unfortunately, he still needed
the director's help to succeed.
Dennis was tempted by the offer. He had slowly come to the
realization that despite what Jupiter had promised; the
Roman God would continue to find ways not to honor his
agreement. It was almost as if Jupiter were trying to goad
them into war. Could his dream succeed under these present
conditions? Dennis knew it couldn't. He still believed, but
he also knew there needed to be a change. He made up his
mind.
"Juno will not be harmed, nor will any of the others," he
stated outright. "Cronus made the mistake of allowing it -
I will not! The Olympians will be treated with respect
after this is over, Crius. There will be no paybacks for
old debts. Instead we will work with them to smooth out old
hatreds. After their defeat, we'll bring them here to live
in peace with any of our people who wish to join them.
Unlike other wars, there will be no retribution for past
mistakes."
Crius was in anguish at what he heard. No retribution? The
Olympians were to be treated as 'guests'? His followers
would never agree to that.
"Some of our people won't like that ruling," Crius pointed
out.
"This isn't debatable," Dennis replied forcefully. "If we
don't stop the circle of hate, than this war will be like
every other war...just a number in a series of wars. I want
this to be the last! If you want my support then you'll
swear to me right now that you and your followers will
abide by my wishes."
"You're our leader, and I think it is a wise ruling
brother. I give you my word that what you say will be
obeyed by me and my followers." Crius almost choked on the
words.
"When does this begin, Crius?"
"Two nights from now."
"So soon?"
"The moon will be full and close to the earth. It's a time
when they'll be at their weakest. I've already delayed this
operation by two months so we could take advantage of this
situation."
Dennis nodded. "I'll talk to the general, and tell him the
people of Peace River are in grave danger. This will force
the President to allow military action to begin against
them. I only hope it doesn't spread."
'With us on the inside they don't have a chance, Rhea.
We'll end this before they know what hit them."
"I hope you're right, Crius." Dennis looked at his watch
and frowned. "I have a meeting to go to. I'll talk to you
later, Crius."
"I look forward to it, brother."
Crius walked him to the door, then smiled brightly after he
was gone. He put his hands together like he was praying and
held off shouting for joy. There was reason to celebrate,
but it would have to wait until after the mission. Lucas
walked into the room frowning. He had heard them talking,
and he didn't like what had been agreed to.
"No retribution!" he hissed.
"Her words, not mine," Crius replied calmly. "After this is
finish, Rhea will be a liability to us. She'll need to be
taken care of ...do you understand?"
"With her powers?" Lucas questioned.
"You'll have to make sure it's done 'before' she gets them
back," Crius explained. "Obviously I had to agree to her
terms. Make sure she dies as a hero. I may be able to make
use of that later on."
Lucas nodded.
***
"You seem troubled, Dennis," I observed while shoving some
salad into my mouth. The director had barely touched his
plate or said much. That in itself was unusual.
"I'm sorry, Linda. I was talking to Crius before we met. He
mentioned my wife and...it doesn't matter."
"If it bothers you than it does matter," I replied. "Look,
if you want to talk about it..."
"No," he shook his head. "No, we should be talking about
something else, like your upcoming marriage."
"Don't take this the wrong way Dennis, but I'm sick of
talking about my wedding. That's all everyone wants to talk
to me about...especially my mother. It's taken over my
life."
Dennis laughed. "It wasn't so bad in the old days when we
ruled. Now it's a social event."
"Or worse," I agreed. Then I soften, and took his hand.
"Dennis, I would really like to help you get through this.
I know it hurts. Talk to me."
"There's nothing to talk about, Linda. She's dead, and the
person who killed her is walking around free."
"Do you know who it is?"
"I've known for years," he frowned. "Crius found her killer
a few days after it happened."
"Who did it?"
"Mars," he answered. "He killed her because of the attacks
on his wife and brother. I swore on my wife's grave I would
deal with him properly. Now I just made an agreement with
Crius that I won't."
"Crius told you he didn't want him harmed?" I asked in
amazement. It was no secret that Crius hated the Olympians
immensely. I had even heard rumors that he wanted to go to
war with them.
"Not exactly. It's better that you don't know all the
details. I just hope..."
"What?" I pushed.
"Linda, please understand that I don't want you or any of
your people harmed. There was a time when I looked down on
your race, but I've become quite fond of them. Being forced
to live as a human year after year has given me a new
outlook on your people. You can accomplish so much if you
put your mind to it."
It sounded like a farewell speech, and made me uneasy. What
had happened in his meeting with Crius? "Dennis, what's
going on?"
He smiled as if trying to relieve my fears, but failed.
"Nothing Linda. If things work out as planned, and they
should, your people will be sitting high."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Then you won't have to deal with me anymore." He frowned
and shook his head. "I'll go pay the check."
"Dennis!"
He looked at me sadly. "It's okay, Linda. It's better that
you don't know."
As he left I followed him with my eyes. Dennis was stiff
and tense. I had seen him like this once before - at
Olympus (AV 18). Then a horrible thought hit me. The Titans
and Olympians were going to war.
***
"June, can I speak with you please?"
The judge looked up from her paperwork and smiled. "Of
course, Linda. Come in."
I took a seat in front of her, and found myself shaking.
June picked up on my condition, because she came over and
sat down next to me. She took hold of my hand and asked,
"What is it Linda? What's got you so worried."
"Judge, I just heard something and I don't know what to do
about it."
"Well, you can tell me? I'm sure together we can work this
out."
"It's not that simple, June. I don't really know if what I
suspect is true - and I don't want to panic anyone."
Humm, I see," she nodded slowly. "This has something to do
with Dennis, doesn't it?"
"June, please don't ask me to tell..."
"It's okay, Linda, I won't. Can you at least give me an
idea of what it's about?"
"His wife. He thinks that Mars killed her."
"Do you believe that, Linda?"
"I don't know June. Mars has a pretty bad reputation, and
he did kill that person who took the place of Judy Hartford
(read AV 19). I don't want to accuse him of killing Mrs.
Butz, but I could see him doing it."
"Don't believe everything you read or hear," she said. "I
can assure you that Mars didn't kill her. He was on an
assignment at the time."
"But Dennis thinks he did."
"Dennis is wrong," she stated firmly. "He's been wrong
before. The reason why Crius told him that was to win his
support. I hope you're not suggesting that he has."
"I don't know, June. All I do know is that it's affecting
his relationship with your people. Mrs. Butz was murdered,
but why?"
"I don't know, Linda. Perhaps we'll never know."
That wasn't an answer I could live with. Somehow I knew her
death played a major role in all this. Something big was
about to happen because of it, and I had to find out what
that was. "June, I need to ask you a big favor."
"I already know what you're going to ask, Linda. Let it go.
She's dead! What good will going after her killer do?"
"It'll put Dennis' mind at ease, June. It may even restore
the relationship between your two people. I noticed Dennis
has been acting pretty distance this past year." I looked
carefully at the judge. "June, I'm getting married in less
than a month. This may be my last chance to investigate a
case."
"You're going to need that time to get ready for your
wedding," she pointed out.
"My mother is taking care of that. This is her wedding, not
mine. I'm letting her enjoy herself. I have an opportunity
to do something bigger here. I have a chance to put an end
to a friend's nightmare. I owe Dennis a lot, June. We've
had a rocky friendship over the years, but I do respect him
and...care about him."
"So all you want from me is to approve your leave?"
"No, I need you to find someone from Peace River to travel
with me. I would prefer Apollo, or Mercury."
She shook her head. "Unfortunately, for reasons I can't
explain, none of our people in Peace River are available."
She thought about it carefully. "There is someone I could
get. You've never met him before, but I can vouch for his
character. He would serve your needs well."
"What's his name?"
"Phobos...Ambassador Phobos. He works in our European
market."
"Isn't he Deimos' brother?" I asked, wondering what market
she was talking about.
"Yes, he is...although they're as different as night and
day. He owes me a favor. I'm sure he could accommodate you,
and get you into Peace River again."
What makes you think I'll be going to Peace River, June?"
"Because I suspect that's where your investigation will
take you. I know how your mind works, Linda. Even though I
just told you Mars was on assignment and didn't kill Mrs.
Butz, you're still going to check it out. I suppose that's
the only prudent thing to do. Do you want me to see if he's
available?
"Yes, please."
Judge Herns picked up her phone and made a call. When the
other person answered, she started speaking in a language I
couldn't understand. It sounded like Latin, but I wasn't
sure. They conversed for a few minutes and she hung up the
phone. "He'll be here tonight. You can leave in the
morning."
"Thank you, June."
She frowned. "Linda, this favor comes with a price. While I
respect Dennis and his people, I'm still loyal to my own.
If my people are in some sort of danger, I expect you to
tell me about it right away. Is that clear?"
"Yes June. If something is up, you'll be the first to
know."
"Then lets get back to work," she smiled gently.
***
The Ambassador wasn't what I expected. Short and heavy, he
had just a small crop of his original hair left. Phobos was
by far the most out of shape god I had ever met. It made me
wonder why he didn't use his powers to make himself more
fit. On the other hand, he was dressed in a tailor made
English suit that would have cost me a months salary - if I
were still wearing suits that is. He smiled cordially and
stuck out his hand.
"So, you're the young lady who's held my brother's
infatuation all these years," he said.
"Guilty," I grinned. I liked the ambassador. He was nothing
like his father, who seemed grumpy and angry all the time.
Nor was he like Deimos, who was shy and withdrawn. Phobos
was open, friendly, and looked to be something of a
practical joker.
"Linda Anderson," I said taking his hand. "You can call me
Linda, Mr. Ambassador."
He chuckled. "So formal. Please, call me Dan. I'm only an
ambassador when I leave the States. Juno has told me what
you need. I'm to assist you in any way I can."
"Thanks, I appreciate your help, Dan." Phobos just smiled
as if it were no big deal.
"Give me a call when you get there, Linda," June said. "And
make sure you call your mother every night. If you don't
she'll worry about you."
"I will June," I promised.
"Then good luck," she replied. "Take care of her, Phobos."
"My lady, she's in good hands," the young god replied
smoothly.
***
We were flying high somewhere over the state of South
Dakota. Judge Herns' private plane wasn't huge, but it
wasn't small either. It was meant to seat 20 or so people,
and being alone in the main cabin made it seem bigger. I
gazed out at the ground below, wondering if I was doing the
right thing. Maybe I was sticking my nose someplace where I
shouldn't be sticking it. I kept telling myself that I was
doing this for Dennis, but the truth was it was more than
that. This was my last chance to relive a part of my old
life...to be Tom McClain, private eye. Okay I was a female
now, but that wasn't going to stop me from enjoying this. I
was going to make this moment count. The door between the
cabin and the cockpit opened, and Phobos stepped in and sat
down next to me.
"Enjoying the flight?" he asked.
"Yeah...wait a minute, who's flying the plane?"
"I am," he grinned. "Relax Linda, I'm still in control. So,
a penny for your thoughts."
I laughed at his openness. "I was thinking about my life,
and how it's changed. Soon it'll change again."
"Life is like that," he grinned. "A few years ago I was a
traffic cop in Peace River. Now I'm jetting-setting around
the globe."
"What is it that you do, Dan?"
"I represent my people, Linda. As you know, the Titan's
have a 'pact' with your country, and a few others. Our
people have done the same. The problem is, someone has to
talk to them from time to time. My grandfather is too busy
with Peace River, so I represent him in different matters."
"Like snatching their people and whooshing them off to
Peace River?"
He chuckled. "Those are strong words, Linda. We give those
who are dying a second chance to live."
"I've heard that before, Dan. I'm not arguing that you save
their life. What bothers me is that you don't tell them the
full story about living in Peace River."
"True...it's a 'buyer beware' situation. Humans rarely ask
the right questions. In fact they hardly ask any questions
at all. Most of the time all they want to know is if this
is on the up and up. On the other hand, 97% of the people
who live in Peace River are completely happy. I don't know
of any other town that could beat our numbers."
"You could be open and honest about what they're getting
themselves into," I suggested.
"True, but than so could the people we bring to Peace
River, Linda. Most of the time they're also hiding
something. I disagree that we're any more dishonest than
the people we bring to our town. If they asked the right
questions, we would tell them the truth. Most humans don't
even ask."
It was the same argument I had heard from the others. We're
doing this for their own good. We're providing our people
with a safe place to live, and we heal them from their
life-threatening illnesses. We want them to be happy, so we
provide them with a job and a nice home. Yet none of the
Olympians ask themselves why so many of their citizens died
each year trying to leave. None of them ask why the Freedom
Fighters not only existed, but were growing in leaps and
bounds. Not one of them wondered if there wasn't a better
way to deal with the human race. Dennis was right; the
Olympians didn't respect us as a race. We were no more than
little children to them, who needed to be watched all the
time. Then I considered all the trouble we got ourselves
into, and wondered if there wasn't some truth to their
reasoning. If we didn't respect each other, how could we
expect others to respect us?
"Can I ask why you were picked, Dan?"
Phobos sighed. "I wanted to get out of Peace River for a
while. Don't get me wrong Linda, it's a lovely place, but I
had been there since its creation and I needed some
excitement. My grandfather recognized that I could relate
to your race easier than the others so he gave me the job.
I also watch over the others still in stasis."
"How many are there?"
"A couple hundred. If the town ever grows we can wake them
up...'if' it ever grows. So many problems I'm afraid."
"Like what?"
"Water, food, and the right people. Creating the river
around Peace River was a huge mistake - and yet because so
many of your people would leave if we took it away, we need
it there. What's the expression; we're stuck between a rock
and a hard place? I'm sure my grandfather will work it out
in time. He's always been able to in the past." Phobos
paused for moment then asked, "Tell me Linda, what is it
your people want?"
"The same as what you want, Dan. The freedom to live and
make choices...and to travel where ever we want without
being harassed."
"Really?" he stated in all seriousness. "Because if you ask
me, people have that now and they still aren't happy. Look
at all the depressed, lonely people out there. Look at all
those healthy people who kill themselves every day. They
could do things to improve their life and the lives of many
others yet they don't. Instead it seems that the more a
person gets, the more miserable they become...and in the
process they bring other people down with them."
"You're talking about a few people who have problems."
"Am I?" he questioned. "I'm talking about your people as a
whole, Linda. I've traveled around your world, to places
you haven't even heard of. Do you know what I've seen?
Leaders who live high off the hog and don't give a damn
about the people they're supposed to be serving. Masses of
people who could improve their life, but would rather
complain about their problems then fix them. In fact it
seems the more opportunities people have, the more they
complain. Look at all the people in your country who live
in nice homes, eat great food, and have at their fingertips
100's of different entertainment options. You live like
kings compared to the rest of the world, and yet you
complain the loudest about how hard life is. It's clear
material things don't make you happy, so what does?"
"I don't know, Dan. It's different for every person. If I
knew what would make everyone happy I could bottle it and
be a billionaire. Sure we complain, but we also enjoy life
to the fullest. Everyone gets down, and sometimes when we
do we complain too much. But that doesn't mean as a whole
we're unhappy all the time, or even most of the time. Don't
you ever get down?"
"I suppose, but we act differently."
"How so?"
"We take our frustrations out on others."
"You mean humans."
"I suppose that's true," he confessed. "Our people can be
very cruel at times."
I had heard tales about the gods; how they had used humans
as playthings for their amusement like bullies on a
playground. I hadn't seen much of that type of behavior
around Peace River, but I had wondered if it still existed.
Phobos looked out the window and remarked, "We're almost to
Baltimore. I guess I better get up front and land this
plane."
"What?" I looked out the window, and indeed I could see
Baltimore just ahead. "How in the heck did we get here so
quickly? We've only been talking for ten minutes."
"Good tailwind," he grinned just before entering in the
cockpit.
"Yeah, right," I scoff. "And if pigs had wings they could
fly."
"You're right, they could," he replied with a grin. "But my
grandfather didn't think that was natural, so he put a stop
to it." Phobos closed the cockpit door, leaving me to
wonder if he had been serious.
***
Phobos had arranged everything the night before. He taxied
the plane over to a hanger where some steps were wheeled up
to the door. From there it was only a short walk to a
waiting 2002 Buick Lesabre. A minute later we were outside
the airport gate.
"Pays to be a diplomat," Phobos smiled.
"Sure does," I agreed.
"So, where do we go first?"
Sudden it hit me - I had no idea. I had been so caught up
in the moment of investigating my last case that I hadn't
thought about how it was going to be conducted. I felt very
foolish. "Let's go to the police station and talk to the
detective who did the investigation."
"Sure thing, boss," Phobos answered with a smile. As he
drove I took out a small notebook and made up a list of
questions I wanted to ask. Luckily I finished before we got
to the police station.
"Mind if I come in?" Phobos asked. "I've never seen a real
investigation before, except on TV."
"Sure Dan," I chuckled. "Only it's not as exciting as they
make it out to be. Mostly it's asking questions you already
know the answer too."
"They why ask them?"
"Sometimes the way they're answered will surprise you." We
walked inside and asked to speak to the detective in charge
of the investigation for Mrs. Butz. As we waited I looked
around the police lobby silently. Except for a few posters
on the walls, there wasn't much to do but wait. The side
door buzzed, and a man with a mustache wearing a wrinkled
tan suit, walked out.
"Miss Anderson?" he asked.
"Yes, that's me." I took his hand. "This is Dan Phobos."
"I'm Detective Kesselring. Why don't we go to my office to
talk?"
He led the way down the narrow hallway of a police station
build long ago. His office wasn't much more inviting. There
were books stacked on the floor and papers scattered over
his desk. The detective picked up a thick file and placed
it in front of me. "I had a copy made of all of my notes,
just as you requested."
"I requested?" I stated in confusion. Phobos cleared his
throat.
"I figured we would be coming here, so I asked for copies
to be made. I hope you don't mind."
"No...thank you," I replied, suddenly feeling foolish at
how rusty I had become? Maybe it was a good thing this
would be my last case.
"So, what questions do you have?" Detective Kesselring
asked.
"Actually, I was wondering if we could visit the accident
site and I could ask my questions there."
"Sure, my cars out back," the detective answered.
He stood, and we followed him to his car. Along the way he
explained how his investigation was going. It had more or
less reached a dead-end. The license plate had been
registered to a fictitious person and address. The
witnesses had allowed the police to draw a picture of the
man, but no one had been able to identify him. Although it
was a crude drawing, I could tell it was someone who looked
like Mars. We pulled into a store parking lot and got out.
"This is where the car was sitting," he said pointing to an
empty parking place. "Mrs. Butz parked in this row, 17
spaces from the front, and was walking toward the front
entrance. The driver pulled around this way," he made a
motion with his hands, "and accelerated toward her. We
estimate he was doing 35 to 40 mph when he struck her,
causing her to fly onto the hood of the car and hit the
windshield. After the suspect stopped, Mrs. Butz slid off
the hood and to the ground. The suspect then accelerated
again and ran over her, crushing her skull."
"I understand he got out of his car to look," I said.
"Yes, he did," the detective frowned. "At first I thought
this was a hit and run accident. I figured the driver hit
her by accident...panicked...got confused, and ran over
her. Then he got out of the car, saw her condition,
panicked even more, got back into his car, and drove off.
But when we found the car abandoned and registered to a
fictitious person, I knew we had a murder on our hands."
The detective had explained things so well that there
wasn't much to ask. I did question him about a few things,
just so I wouldn't look stupid, but nothing much came from
the answers. Finally we got to the tape.
"The cameras over there," he pointed to the rooftop of one
of the stores. "It caught the entire event. Unfortunately,
it never got a good shot of his face because of the
positioning, so we had to rely on the witnesses who were
there. As you can imagine, most were in shock so that
didn't work out very well. Since this was most likely a
professional hit, we sent the drawing to the FBI. They came
back with nothing. The case has been at a standstill ever
since."
"I'll like to see the tape."
"It's back in my office," the detective replied. I took one
more look around before getting in the car. Something cold
touched my shoulder. Was it Mrs. Butz ghost trying to
communicate with me? I shrugged the feeling off and got in
the car.
***
The tape was violent and bloody. Watching the event unfold,
it made me wonder how someone could do this to another
person and not be bothered by it. I forced myself to watch
the accident several times. The man in the car got out, but
never looked directly at the camera. If the camera had been
a few feet to the right we may have gotten a good shot of
his face. Phobos stared at the screen silently, and it was
hard to gage what he was thinking. Finally I let the tape
roll.
"What are you doing, Linda? Why aren't you watching the
crash again."
"Because I've learned as much as I can from it, Dan. Now
I'm watching to see if anything else happens."
The small group of people around Mrs. Butz grew. There must
have been a doctor close by, because a man was kneeling
beside her body trying to render assistance. A few of the
women stood there with their hands over their mouths in
horror. Fortunately the quality of the tape wasn't good
enough to show all the gruesome details.
"It's sad," Phobos observed. "People do this for money?"
"And other reasons," I answered. "Sometimes for love,
sometimes for revenge. Other times they...Whoa, wait a
minute." I leaned closer as a new person entered the
picture. He looked familiar.
"What is it, Linda?" Phobos asked while watching the
screen.
"I know him," I gritted my teeth. "Damn it, I know him.
He's from Andersonville. Turn around and look at the camera
guy." Unfortunately, the man didn't follow my suggested. He
looked at the body, then turned in the opposite direction
and disappeared off the screen.
"SHIT, I know him!"
"You can tell by looking at the back of his head?" Phobos
questioned in astonishment.
"Yes I can Dan. I've seen him before, I know it." I rewound
the tape and played the part where he walked in again.
Unfortunately, the camera didn't pick up enough of his face
for me to recognize him.
"Now what?" he asked. I didn't answer. I kept playing back
the tape praying for a break. Then I saw it.
"There!" I froze the picture and I pointed to a young woman
on the screen. "We need to find out who she is."
"But why?" Phobos questioned, now more confused than ever.
"Look at what's she doing, Dan."
Phobos did and smiled. "She's looking right at him."
"Which means she knows what this person looks like. Go get
detective Kesselring."
"Will do, boss," Phobos exclaimed, bursting with
excitement. A moment later he was back with the detective
in tow.
"Can you tell me who this is, detective."
He looked, then frowned. "That's Dorothy Augustin. She was
a witness to the accident, but doesn't remember much."
"Do you know how I can contact her, detective?"
"She moved recently, I know that. I asked her to keep in
touch with me and she called me a few months ago. Let's
see, where is her new address and phone number?" Detective
Kesselring shuffled through his papers until he found the
information. He pulled it out and handed it to me. "I only
have a home number and address."
"No work number?"
He shook his head. "It wasn't necessary. Besides, she
changes jobs frequently. Why do you find her so important?"
"No reason," I lied. "She was close by when this happened.
I'm hoping she can provide me with some more information."
"You're wasting your time, Miss Anderson. I've had her here
several times already. She's too traumatized to be of much
help."
"Sometimes women open up more to other women, detective.
Perhaps she'll open up to me."
The detective rubbed his chin doubtfully. "I guess it's
your time, Miss Anderson."
***
"What time is it?" I asked nervously. We had been sitting
in the car outside Dorothy Augustin's door for almost two
hours now waiting for her to show up.
"The same time it was the last time you asked Linda, only
five minutes later," Phobos answered in an exasperated
tone. "At least I know what to buy you for your birthday -
a watch."
"Where could she be?" I asked absent-mindedly. "It's after
seven already. Most people get home by 5:30 or six."
"Maybe she had a date, or stopped to have a few drinks with
some friends," Phobos replied. "Calm down, Linda. We'll
find her."
"I'm sorry Dan. I don't mean to be so nervous. I just feel
like something big is brewing at home, and my time is
limited. Perhaps if we talked about something else it will
take my mind off this."
"Sure, what would you like to talk about, Linda?"
"How about you, Dan. Were you in the war?"
"Wow," he grinned. "Now that's a loaded question. I really
shouldn't be talking about this with you, Linda. What the
heck, I guess it won't hurt. I wasn't around during the
first war, but I was for the second."
"There were two wars?"
"Yeah, but you probably only heard about the first one
called the Titanomachia. That war lasted over ten years and
won us our freedom. The second war happened almost 200
years later. That's where the mermaids and Cyclopes came
from."
"What caused the second war?"
"A small group of Titans, left over from the last war,
built up a large army in secret and moved against us. It
almost worked too, but we were able to stop them and
regroup. The major blow came shortly after the war started,
when we ambushed Crius and his army as they were crossing
what is now known as the Black Sea. 20,000 men perished in
that battle. Well, it wasn't really a battle. As I said, it
was an ambush. We had help from Demoe, (read AV 11), who
betrayed Crius for the promise of his own power. Without
their military leader, it was only a matter of time before
the Titans fell."
"I thought Dennis was their leader?"
Phobos chuckled softly. "Dennis, or rather Rhea, is no
military leader. Politically she shines, but on the
battlefield she's an amateur. In fact she didn't join Crius
until a few weeks before they moved, shortly after her
daughter was murdered. My grandfather crushed her on the
battlefield by leading her army into a trap. Her men fault
bravely, but he held the high ground. They were soundly
defeated."
"Why haven't I heard of this war before?"
Phobos tugged at his small beard. "That's a good question,
Linda. Unlike the Titanomachia, there weren't really that
many battles. Most of them were what you would call small
skirmishes, sometimes less than a hundred men on each side.
Secret weapons were the theme, like the creation of the
Cyclopes and the mermaids, among others. There were only
three major battles, the first attack followed by the two I
just mentioned. In less then a year it was over. There were
no glorious victories in this war...and without glory there
wasn't any reason to remember it fondly. Sort of like the
difference between World War II and the Korean War. The
remaining Titans in that war were defeated and banished
below."
"But not Rhea," I pointed out. "If she was the leader of
this second war, why wasn't she imprisoned like the rest?
Why does Jupiter allow her to walk the earth, even if her
movements are monitored?"
"Aww, but now you're getting into an entirely different
area, one which I shouldn't talk about," Phobos smiled. "My
grandfather's reasons are his own, Linda. Let's just say he
owed Rhea, and repaid her."
"Owed her for what?"
"Sorry, family secrets," he grinned.
"I wonder how many skeletons I would find in your family's
closet," I commented dryly.
"A great many I would imagine."
"If your grandfather was repaying Rhea back, it doesn't
explain why all these years he forced her to live as a man.
Did she do something similar to him?" The thought of
Jupiter being forced to live his life as a woman somehow
appealed to me.
"Oh no," Phobos shook his head. "Rhea was punished for her
role in that war. If anything, my grandfather was lenient
on her."
"Lenient!" I shouted. "How can you say such a thing?"
"Because if he had placed her down below with the other
Titans, it's unlikely she would be alive today. Some of her
people would like to kill her for what she did."
"Which was?"
Phobos grinned. "Again, that's not my place to say. If
anyone should tell you it should be Rhea."
"And she doesn't talk much about her past," I grumbled. "In
fact, she, or rather Dennis Butz, doesn't talk about much
of anything when it comes to their history."
"An unfortunate situation," Phobos grinned knowingly.
"What about his daughter, Rommona? Why did Jupiter kill
her?"
"He didn't."
"What? But Dennis thinks he did."
"We know."
"And?"
"And what Linda?" he asked while eyeing a car that passed
by.
"And what did Dennis say when he was told Jupiter didn't
kill her?"
"To my knowledge, no one has ever discussed this with him?"
My eyes came close to bulging out. I couldn't believe what
I had just heard.
"You're joking, Dan. After all these centuries no one has
tried to set him straight?"
Phobos shook his head in puzzlement. "No, why would we?"
"Because your grandfather is being accused of a crime he
didn't do," I stated in an exasperated tone.
"So what," he replied, completely mystified at the point I
was trying to make. "My grandfather knows he didn't do it.
We know he didn't do it. Why should he have to deny
something that we know isn't true?"
"Because maybe if you had there wouldn't have been a second
war!" I stated. "Why else would Rhea join forces with
Crius? It was for revenge."
"We weren't concerned about her joining him."
"That's not the point," I countered.
"Actually it is, Linda. You want to put human values on us,
but we have our own values we live by. If war happens, we
fight. We don't try to prevent it from happening or run
away from it. Rhea was one more log on the fire we had to
put out - but it was a fire we 'could' handle. Crius
severely underestimated us back then...and if he tries to
move on us now, he'll see that he made the same mistake."
"My gosh, what aren't you telling me, Dan?"
"A lot of stuff," he replied with a frown. "We haven't been
just sitting around all these years Linda - nor is money
the only thing that motivates your inventors. A nice house
in a quiet, peaceful community along with a healthy body
that doesn't age past 30 is a pretty good incentive to some
people - not to mention unlimited funds at their disposal.
You would be amazed at some of the gadgets your people have
invented for us over the years. "
"I thought you were all powerful," I reply coldly.
He laughed. "We are Linda, but how do you think we got this
way? There is power out there in the universe, if you can
tap into it. Unfortunately, your people are starting to
learn how."
"And that bothers you because we might challenge your
authority?"
"No," Phobos shook his head sadly. "It bothers me because
you'll kill yourselves in the end. Only some of your people
have the wisdom to handle such power, but as a whole your
race does not. I fear if such knowledge is discovered, your
people are doomed."
"Sorry Phobos, but I have a hard time believing that would
happen."
"Your people take drugs, smoke, and drink in excess with
the full knowledge it is harmful to their bodies - with
full knowledge, Linda," he said pointedly. "Do you really
think such powers are safe in their hands when they
discover all the things they can do - both good and bad?"
"How did your race survive then?"
"Because we had different standards, Linda. Not better,
just different. Our race was better adapted to handle this
power." He looked up at a car pulling in. "I think Dorothy
is here."
I turned and watched as she got out of her car. Her hair
was shorter than in the picture Detective Kesselring had
taken of her years ago, but it was still a dirty blonde.
She was wearing nice pants and an expensive jacket, as if
she had been out somewhere.
"Just when things were getting interesting," I commented.
Phobos smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if he were
saying 'what can you do'. "Lets go talk to her."
Phobos followed my lead and walked beside me as we
approached. "Dorothy Augustin?" I asked. She turned and
eyed me with suspicion.
"Yes."
"Hi, I'm Linda Anderson and this is my assistant, Dan
Phobos. We're private investigators. I was wondering if we
could ask you some questions?"
"About what?" she questioned warily.
"I've been hired to investigate the murder of Mrs. Butz,
the lady who was run down in the parking lot a few years
ago. I'm going back and talking to all the witnesses who
were there."
"I see." She hesitated uncomfortably for a moment as if
searching for what to say next. "Look, Miss Anderson..."
"Call me Linda," I smiled, hoping it would ease her
discomfort.
"Look Linda, I would like to help but...it's like this. I
spent months trying to block the image of what happened to
that poor woman out of my mind. I used to wake up in a cold
sweat because I kept dreaming of the accident. I even had
to see a therapist for a few months to get through this. I
don't...I don't want to go back there again. Please, leave
me alone. I can't help you."
"Miss Augustin, I understand your reservations, but the
questions I need to ask have nothing to do with the actual
accident. It's what happened afterwards that I'm interested
in."
"Like I said, I can't help you," she brushed me off. "I'm
sure one of the other witnesses can."
"Dorothy, I've seen the tape. You saw a man who may be
behind all this. You looked directly at him."
"Are you telling me that I'm in danger?" she asked in
alarm.
"I don't know. But if you help me, I'll make sure that you
won't be."
"And if I don't tell you anything then there's a good
chance he'll leave me alone."
"Maybe, but..."
"No," she stated firmly. "No, don't you see, I can't go
through this again. I'm sorry she was murdered, but I can't
help you."
"I only need his face, Dorothy. Please, just watch..."
"NO!" she said more forcefully. "No more - it's over." She
grabbed her purse and walked away in a rush. I was at a
loss as to what to do. Thankfully, Phobos was not.
"Miss Augustin," Phobos said in a forceful manner. "If that
had been your mother who was run over and it was Mrs. Butz
who had seen everything, would it sit well with you if she
walked away from this - despite her fears? Or would you
want to see that justice was done?"
Dorothy stopped dead in her tracks. With her back still
turned to us she said, "That lady wasn't my mother,
detective."
"She was someone's mother, someone's friend, someone's
lover, someone's child," he stated. "Maybe you didn't know
her personally, but you know people like her. For that
brief moment she touched your life, and you cared about
whether she lived or died. Don't let that concern for her
end just because she did, Miss Augustin. There has to be a
better reason for not caring anymore. Help us help her,
Miss Augustin."
She stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do.
When she turned I saw conflict in her eyes. "What do you
want to know?"
"Perhaps it would be better if we went inside out of the
cold," Phobos suggested, now taking charge.
"This way," she replied. Dorothy unlocked the door to her
apartment and let us in. There were boxes stacked all
around as if she were in the process of moving again. "Can
I get either of you something to drink?" she offered.
Phobos looked at me and replied, "No, we're fine." We took
a seat, and she sat down across from us.
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
"Linda," Dan said, giving the control back to me. I opened
up my laptop and turned it so she could see the screen.
"This picture was taken shortly after the accident." I
pointed to the person standing near her. "This is the man
I'm interested in. You got a good look at him just before
he left. Do you remember him?"
Dorothy searched her memory, then slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I don't recall anything. It was years ago, and
I was upset at the time."
"It's okay," I reassured her. I looked over at Phobos, and
he nodded to go ahead. "Dorothy, there's a method I can use
to help you remember. The process isn't painful and there
are no lasting effects."
"What do you want to do to me?" she asked in an uncertain
tone.
"Nothing that involves needles or anything like that," I
explained. "All you have to do is hold onto my hand. From
there I'll take you back to that time, and we'll see his
face together. That's all I need from you."
"Who are you?" she demanded to know.
I looked at Phobos and swallowed hard, then turned and
faced her again. "I'm part of a secret government project.
I have the abilities to step into other people's lives and
see what they see. This woman you saw murdered was...well,
that's classified...but she was very important. Knowing who
had her murdered could be the key to stopping a war."
"A war?" She stared at us as if we were nuts.
"I know this sounds crazy, Dorothy. Look, all you have to
do is take my hand and I can prove that everything I just
said is true. Please, trust me by giving me that chance."
By now the young woman didn't know what to think. She
looked at Phobos, who gave her a small, reassuring nod.
Slowly she held out her hand and I took it. We connected,
and the room began to fade around us."
"What's...what's happening?" she asked in a scared voice.
"It's okay, Dorothy," I replied in a calming tone. "It
takes a few moments to move within your mind. Here it comes
now."
The parking lot came into view, and I was staring down at
the mangle body of Mrs. Butz. It was even more horrible
than the pictures I had seen.
"Oh no," I heard Dorothy cry. "Oh please, not again."
"It's okay, Dorothy, I'm right here," I reassured her. "I
know this is painful, but hang in there a few seconds
longer. This will all be over soon, and then I'll take you
home."
Something caught the corner of my eye, and I saw a man push
his way through the small crowd. He looked at the body,
then at me. There was an expression of joy on face for a
job well done. I recognized him immediately. He turned and
left without saying a word. Quickly I brought us out of the
trance so we wouldn't have to view the body again. Dorothy
covered her eyes and started crying. I nodded to Phobos
that I had gotten what I came for, then placed my hands
firmly around the crying woman.
"I'm sorry, Dorothy. I know reliving this again was
upsetting, but the information you had was important."
"Do you know who did this?" she sniffed.
"I have a good idea."
"Can you stop this war?"
I shook my head. "I don't really know, Dorothy. I haven't
got the full picture yet. There are pieces still missing
that I need to find." Then I smiled at her gently. "You've
been a big help to me. Thank you."
"You're welcome." She sniffed and then looked at me
nervously. "What do you plan to do with me now?"
"Nothing, Dorothy," I reassured her. "In time you may find
out what role you played in all this. Until then, I'm
asking you to keep this a secret."
She gave me a sick chuckle. "Who would believe me?"
Phobos cleared his throat. "We better get going, Linda.
There are other places we need to visit."
I nodded in agreement, and turned to the other woman.
"Thank you again, Dorothy."
She smiled as if to let me know she was okay, and we let
ourselves out. Phobos waited until we were outside before
saying anything.
"Who was it, Linda?"
"A Titan called Lucas. Do you know anything about him,
Dan?"
"A bit," he scowled. "He works for Crius, and was one of
the Titans who attacked Ms. Marshall and Officer Merrick."
"You mean Venus and Mercury," I corrected, growing tired of
the name games when there was no one around.
"That's another way of putting it," Phobos smiled. "Diana,
Apollo, and Mercury set a trap for him, but ended up
catching his partner, Leo instead."
"I guess it wasn't your lucky day," I replied. "Where's Leo
now?"
"Underground," he answered nonchalantly. I knew what he
meant. Leo was being held in the caverns below Peace River,
known to the Olympians as the Tartarus.
"Did your people question him, Dan?"
"Yes, but he wouldn't talk."
"Why didn't you make him?"
"Torture!" Phobos stated in mock surprise. "What do you
think we are Linda? Barbarians?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
The Roman God laughed. "Oh, you're a funny one, Linda. It's
a good thing I have a sense of humor." Then he stopped
laughing, and got serious. "The truth is Linda, we figured
Leo didn't know much anyway. He was a small fish following
orders from a bigger fish. If it weren't for his buddy
Lucas, he wouldn't have gotten his hands dirty in the first
place. So, where does that leave us?"
"I'm not sure," I said slowly. "Your father, or someone who
looked just like your father, murdered Mrs. Butz with the
help of Lucas."
"You still think my father is involved in this?" Phobos
questioned with a just twinge of anger to his tone.
"I haven't ruled him out," I admitted carefully. "Maybe he
was working with Lucas."
"Clearly you don't know my father," Phobos scoffed. "He
would never work with those Titan scum."
"You may be right, but I have to find out for myself.
Besides, that's not what's bothering me. Why did they kill
Mrs. Butz in the first place? She didn't have anything to
do with this."
"Do you think Dennis would agree to war if she were still
alive?" Phobos stated boldly. A cold chill went down my
spine. Could there be any other reason? Phobos saw my
reaction and smiled triumphantly. "Peace River then?"
I nodded slowly. "Peace River."
"Excellent," he grinned while pulling out his phone.
***
I was standing in a huge room surrounded by polished, oak
benches that rose up to create a circle pit. The scene was
something straight out of the Roman Empire era. Each god
had his or her place; the less important sat higher up
although I suspected each had an equal say in things. So
this where the Olympian's came to debate and hash out their
problems. I could just imagine old Jupiter walking around
the pit expressing his opinions while the others looked on.
It had to be an impressive sight
Slowly the room began to fill as each god came in and took
his or her seat. I found myself a little intimated as they
stared down at me with pressing concern. Fortunately, they
sat together on one side of the forum. Judge Herns was also
there, sitting prominently in the front row. She gave me a
reassuring smile to calm me down. It helped knowing I had
at least one friend in the room. Jupiter sat next to her
looking over some notes. When the last Olympian arrived, he
stood and held up his hands to silence everyone.
"I've been approached by Ambassador Phobos who is
requesting an audience for Linda Anderson. It seems our
Titan friends are up to something, and Miss Anderson has
been investigating the matter. I am granting his request."
Jupiter then stopped and glared sternly in my direction.
"Miss Anderson," his voice boomed out in a harsh tone.
"You've being given an honor that few of your people have
ever had - to address us in a formal setting. With that
honor comes responsibility. You will therefore be
respectful to us at all times. Although this is a place of
debate, you will not be getting into a shouting match with
us. You will state your business clearly, respectfully, and
without any of your usual sar