Olympus Drive Book 2: Nothing to See Here

Chapter 69

Rhea

"I am literally begging you not to do whatever highly self destructive thing you are about to do," I say, slogging through the sand towards Cronus as he stands in the midst of his summon circle, his black magic complete.

"You started this war."

"No---will you please see I tried to stop it!!! The only way to stop the violence is to end it I chose to do that--------you can too it's not too late," I say, "Please. Just come away. They never need know you were here. You have your daughter and Gia please----just walk away."

"You're wrong you know," he says, blood draining from his mouth, "You always are but this time especially. Because it is too late." His hands slowly begin to glow, then split as the skin he was inhabiting disintegrates.

"Bradley Rhea I am arresting you on six counts of kidnapping---"

"Let go---do you have a one track mind or what?" the detective starts dragging me backward by my shirt collar.

"I've been around here long enough to know that when people start glowing and shit you stand the fuck back and let the kids handle it," he says, continuing to drag me away. "Now come join the group of people emotionally invested in this who want to watch."

"YOU'RE STILL ALIVE? How? You're so dumb."

"You know him too? How many creepy people do you know, mom?"

"Hi Gia glad to see you remember me, hi again sis---the kids don't even know he's doing this I didn't tell 'em because I was trying to convince him not to," I say to the Detective who hasn't let me go. He really has a thing for holding onto me.

"Yeah, how'd that work out for you?" the detective asks, as we stare at Cronus, as he slowly sheds the full skin and straightens up, in his true form, the Storm's lightening still bouncing on his flesh. Even after all these years. I picked the boy up, took him inside told him not to electrocute people. He cried a lot. Didn't apparently fully get the memo but we tried.

"Not a problem, eh dad? Something you were going to handle, eh dad?"

"One I'm not your dad-- two, it wasn't a problem," I mutter, as Storm cuffs me on the back of my head.

"Explain the glowing split in the sky and remember I haven't had a drink in twenty four odd hours, so please use small words?" Storm says, properly annoyed.

"He's opening the gates to Tartarus, to let out the Titans," Gia says.

"He's summoning a load of zombies because he wants to kill you and he can do that because you electrocuted your little goth brother," I say, flatly.

"Thank you, dad. Whoever you are---you don't get to explain things," Storm says, adjusting his coat as his eyes flash.

"Now, I know your standing plan is to electrocute everything in sight but that won't actually work this time. You can't destroy them alone."

"He's not alone," the Famine and Pestilence walk up, one of them looks like she lost a fight with a steamroller but given her personality that's really understandable.

"Why do we always do this shit at the ocean? Why can't we wreck somebody else's home?" the Blood, complaining.

"We don't like you," Darkness informs him, summoning fire in both hands.

"To be clear, the monsters pouring out of the sky are all free game for me to kill?" the War, completely happy and actually bouncing on his heels.

"Yep," his dad says, "Let's go."

"You're not even gonna---okay," I sigh, as they all proceed not to consult me or anything and just attack the oncoming forces raining down from the heavens.

"What---what do they think they are going to accomplish?" Gia's little girl says, pointing at them.

"I don't fucking know they're all so goddamn stupid," I say, tiredly.

"If he opened a gate--- don't we need to close it?" Stamos asks.

"Yeah-----Gia this is the only person in Winfell with more than a single digit IQ----you'll get along with him just lovely," I point at Stamos who is standing there being crisp and well put together despite our shared night at the rave.

"Okay, if it's a portal to the dead doesn't Hector need to do that?" Stamos asks, "Can they even close it without him?"

"No, they fucking can't—and for all we know Hector's still mad at us in the Underworld," I say, as Stamos stops me from walking away by continuing to hold the back of my shirt.

"Is that---that's why you were so against Basil getting mad at him?"

"Yeah—cause this could happen. And it did," I sigh, "And they and their single shared braincell are going to be fighting an endless battle you can't kill spirits they don't die that's what makes 'em spirits."

"But to be clear Hector CAN close the gate?" Stamos asks like he and his perfect three piece suit need to be reminded of the first rule of the Underworld.

"I'm the motherfucking God of the Dead, of course I can."

"You dramatic idiot," I say, as he nearly dodges my attempt to pat him on the back, adjusting his stiff suit.

"Thank you for being here, we appreciate you," Stamos says.

"Don't," Hector says, raising both arms.

"Is my Daddy repentant yet?" Jasmine asks, walking directly past me.

"He's cried three times---can you wait---nope not going to," I say as the gates to the Underworld open behind us, and the armies of the dead rise up behind their lovely queen.

"Wait---Luna I don't know where you think you're going," Stamos attempts to actively parent the twins who are running headlong into the battle, screaming.

"And the little tiny ones are involved now," I say, putting my hands to my face.

"They're going to kill him aren't they?" Gia asks.

"Eventually, probably, yeah, he can't resist Death forever, even if he is going to try. I'm sorry Gia I tried to talk him out of it," I say.

"I know you did," she says, hanging her head a little.