Olympus Drive Book 1: Everything is Fine

Chapter 39

Detective Stamos

It's an even longer night than I anticipated. I call in to work again. They are mad because apparently they have a new case. I don't even care because I'm preventing a case from happening. I also really want to arrest Rhea.

The other kids are happy to see him, which is decidedly unhealthy. They do go home though, Della succeeds in taking Jasmine even though it's her week to be with Basil. I don't like that because that little girl is officially the only thing that makes him smile. That's just for a few hours, though. 

She goes home to sleep, I go tell Hector's aunt he's alive and make him talk to her, then we collect the dog and go back to the old house, by which point the others have shown back up. I'm not clear if Luke left possibly not he may have been helping his brother. 

I also need to get Raven back in her family's custody whenever I find them. That's later though. For now I'm supervising and preventing Rhea from brainwashing them again. And trying to keep Basil moderately sober. He's vaguely appreciating the help. He also isn't well. The others are happy Rhea's back. He's—I don't know what he is. But it's not okay. And he's actually appreciating my moderation of his alcohol consumption which is good. It's wasn't doing me any good but at this point his drinking no longer even vaguely looks appealing now I just want to puke.

"Hello boy---did you watch the kids for me? Good boy!" the dumb dog—how has it lived this long? Oh well I don't care—it's happy to see Rhea, sitting at his feet tipping it's big dumb head back in sheer joy.

"What is it you're wearing?" I ask Rhea, who just came down the stairs. He's wearing black sweats, a bathrobe, and an assault rifle across his back. That is all.

"The skin of someone who used to be Bradley Rhea," he says, without even looking up at me. He at least trimmed his beard and looks like washed his hair.

"Leave him alone," Basil is trying to keep us apart for great reasons. Since Rhea found out I'm the one who sent the kids home he's started hating me as much as I hate him.

"Can you teach me how to shoot that rifle that grandpa?" Thyme asks, bouncing around him.

"Later and I'm not your grandfather-----who's this?" he points at Dean. Who is still here.

"He's a guest," Basil says, flatly.

"Not yours then?"

"Thanks. No," Basil still flatly, drinking coffee that I hand to him that wasn't spiked.

"Huh. Okay," Rhea, not like he believes it.

"Did my mom call?" Dean asks, sadly.

"No, buddy. I tried her but she didn't pick up. It's kind of early she probably got back late and slept in," Basil says, nicely.

"What are we doing to find Helen?" Hector was outside—I don't actually know what he was doing I'm mostly making sure Rhea's not alone with anyone. That takes some time and concentration.

"Raid other compounds?" Della says, shrugging.

"Yeah and let us help you—she has to be somewhere," Luke reasons, he's at the kitchen table with Jasmine. They are the only ones eating breakfast. Well Rhea is getting food now too.

"She went into the Underworld we already know that," Raven says.

"Ah---what's the first rule of the Underworld?" Rhea asks.

All of them, including for whatever reason Dean, "The first rule of the Underworld is never go to the Underworld."

"Why?" I ask.