Olympus Drive Book 1: Everything is Fine

Chapter 30

Luke

After six hours of sleep I return to the old house, Hector in tow. I'm glad his aunt is cool with us checking him out for visits like we do. We do it a lot, for very vague reasons. Anyway she goes along with things rather well.

To my disappointment, Stamos has stuck around, apparently to supervise and 'help'. Basil is extremely hung over and not entirely awake. Thyme is following him like a puppy. Apparently Helen impressed upon the boy that the one and only person who could protect him from Titans and monsters is his dad and the child now will not leave his side. Basil has tripped and fallen like ten times; it's funny.

"So dad's at Lockwood, let's go get him," I say, as I make myself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, they can't stop all of us," Hector says.

"I can help!" Thyme says, now he's just hanging onto Basil's improperly buttoned white collared shirt, while Basil sits at the counter nursing his hang over.

"No, I'm going alone, I need you here to stay with the kids," Basil says, to me, as he pours Excedrin into his palm.

"But I helped break out before," Thyme says.

"How?" Hector asks.

"I made everyone fight."

"What---that's his thing?" I ask.

"Apparently," Basil says, shrugging.

"Though we don't test things to find out we take people's word for it," Stamos says, intercepting me as I try to bring Basil vodka.

"Hair of the dog—look at him he's miserable," I say, trying to dodge around Stamos.

"I'm staying sober until we find Helen," Basil says, shaking his head.

"Why?" I ask, frowning.

"Because I am," Basil says.

"You'd have to be black out drunk for it to affect you," I say. His abilities have never been altered by the booze, which is mostly why I don't really care he does it.

"Hector, can you take Thyme upstairs to show him the weapons in the attic?" Basil asks.

"There are weapons?" Thyme asks, eager but still not entirely interested in releasing his dad's shirt.

"Yeah, go on," Basil says, "You'll be safe. I'm right here."

"Mom said to stay with you once I found you."

"She did not mean within three feet of me at all times she meant generally, go on with your uncle," Basil says.

"There are some really big swords you want to run me through?" Hector asks.

"Cool, yeah!"

"Really do not do that," Stamos calls after them as they run up the stairs.

"What?" I ask Basil, well aware he was getting Thyme away.

"Sober I can maybe resist Helen's control---I can't drunk," Basil says.

"Why would she use it on you? She hasn't done that since we were kids," she used to make me go to bed on time or quit flooding the basement but I'll admit that was justified. I don't recall her ever doing it to him.

"You haven't seen her since you were kids," Stamos says.

"Thyme last saw his mom five years ago---when she was trying to break out to come get here---and she didn't get here—or picked up by any regular PD we've been looking," Stamos says.