Olympus Drive Book 2: Nothing to See Here

Chapter 5

Basil

This has been a long day. And night. And day. I need to start sleeping more. Two kids are washed and in bed. I think like two more to go, but I'm not sure. I am pretty sure my dad hid his whiskey in the laundry room, and if so I need it now. I'll get him more later. Well, no, I probably won't I'll probably just steal this.

"Dean, why're you still here?" I ask, going in the laundry room to find him and Dara playing chess on top of the washer and dryer. For all the time people spend in this damn room, some of them could start doing laundry.

"My mom's got class till nine she just said she'd pick me up here," he says.

"Yeah but you haven't eaten---fuck I'm sorry was I supposed to look at your paper or something? Stamos said that was why you came by," I sigh, remembering and feeling bad I forgot until now and feeling bad that I can't see straight right now to help him.

"No, I made that up, how do you get rid of a hang over? I've been sick all day and Excedrin isn't helping," Dean says, rubbing his face. He does look rotten.

"You're hung over?" I didn't think he'd even ever had a drink. Sam doesn't drink she doesn't even keep beer in the house. "Are you okay?"

"Yes it was stupid----I was studying at a friends and they were daring each other to do shots. I just wanted to get out of there. I didn't think I'd feel this sick," he sighs.

"You need to drink water, you're dehydrated, and sleep, and try to eat something not eating isn't helping," I say, "This isn't an issue is it?"

"No, I'm not going to hang out with them again. I just didn't want to worry my mom," he admits.

"Promise? You do well in school you don't need to be making yourself too sick for class," I have no idea what to say considering that was what I did. Have done. Am doing.

"No. I promise. I just thought they'd leave me alone if I did a few shots. I just feel like shit now, I'm not going to go over there again," Dean says.

"Okay, come on, let me get you something to drink and eat, mostly you've just got to get it out of your system," I say, "When was this--- last night?"

"Yeah," he nods.

"You should feel better by morning," a few shots? Why would he still be sick? He could be underestimating how much he had but still. Ah well, he hasn't really drunk before. He's a kid, that's probably all. "These friends—it isn't anything to do with the rave that Stamos was on about?"

"I'd assume not ---we just got into their parent's vodka," Dean says, shaking his head.

"Do tell him if you hear anything I'd like to help him solve a crime we didn't perpetrate," I point out.

"Sure."

"Oh hello is this where the clever people gather? Boy put that damn Listerine down I have whiskey somewhere," my dad says, coming in and closing the door.

"I was looking for it," I say, giving Dara the Listerine to put away.

"Hello, Dean, you still here? Here you want a drink?"

"No he doesn't," I growl.

"No I seriously don't," Dean says.

"Huh, hair of the dog, whatever,' my dad says, finding his bottle of good whiskey where he had it under half-folded clothes.

"Do you just listen at the door before coming in?" I ask, annoyed.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to walk in on a private conversation or worse you with one of your secret women we aren't supposed to talk about oww—" I jerked the whiskey from him before kicking his leg.

"Then don't talk about it," I growl.

"Dad, can I help Uncle Detective solve the crimes?" Dara asks.

"No, you can stay in school," Dean says.

"If he lets you, you do have to go school sometimes though," I say, taking a long drink. That's better.

Luke walks in the door from the outside, without knocking, followed by Della.

"What--- is this just want you do? Stand in your laundry room doing shots with your bastard children?"

"I think we both know that's a yes that's why you came in here instead of the front door," I say, haughtily, giving the bottle back to my dad, "What's up?"

"I can't find Jasmine," Della says.

"What? I texted her a couple of days ago she said she was staying with you," I say, frowning.

"I haven't heard from her since last week. Something is wrong,' Della says.

"Or she's playing us," Luke says.

"Why would she do that?" Della asks.

"No that's not like her---there must be some mistake," my little girl wouldn't lie to me. She loves me. She listens to me. She actually listens to me. "Okay let's---you checked everyone else?"

"Yeah, she's not with Raven, Raven is with me, she's driving around with Ethan right now, I checked your mom's while you weren't answering your phone--- she's not there, and I checked Hector's aunt he's been in the Underworld for months," Della sighs.

"And she texted me two days ago and phones don't work in the underworld—shit okay, let's um, I'll go tell Stamos see if he can help us file a missing person's report this isn't right," I say, taking the whiskey back, "In the morning I've got go pick up Thyme from the airport then I won't go to work we need—"

"What?"

"No!"

"I thought you got rid of him!"

"The US military is returning him," I say dryly.

"Why??"

"No they promised to keep him!!"

"Yay!" Dara likes her big brother. Dara and her big brother are not allowed in the same room together ever since the Bowling Incident.

"Why—no they said they were going to keep him," Luke says.

"It's just for a few months," I sigh, "Look, maybe he can help us find Jasmine."

"Maybe," Della says.

"We'll find her, I promise," I say, "I'll text Hector, but phones don't work in the Underworld so he's not gonna answer."