Olympus Drive Book 3: According to Plan

Chapter 3

Rhea

I wake up to the sun gently shining through the skylight in the attic. It's late. The clock reads eight thirty that means that the kids that will be at school are already there. I sit up, putting my hands through my hair. Doesn't necessarily matter I just should have seen them out. Oh well.

Now there's work to be done. As always. But let me lie here and think that it's close to being perfect for now. I can walk to the beach and find Blood there, he'll laugh at me worrying about him, like he's invincible he nearly is. Death, coarse and restrained, with everyone but his queen --they catch me watching them smiling to see her again safe in his arms.  They're safe. They're happy. We're all safe here now. I have to sit here believing it.

Chiron runs over, absurdly happy I'm awake. I pet his soft head as he licks my face.

"Someone's always happy to see me eh?" I ask, petting him. I stand and find a hair tie and pull my hair out of my face. Better. Do I need to shave? Not really, I did last night. I rub my face. Smooth enough though it'll bother me later. Years in prison unable to shave properly. But I'm already late. And Chiron is bouncing at my feet. "Come on, time for your walk."

I look at my writings on the wall, chalk boards hung up long ago. The stones have read the same, day after day. There are some glitches. But we're doing well. I refuse to believe everything is fine though. I've been burned before, rather literally. I'll never believe we are truly okay.

But maybe this morning, maybe we are close. I get dressed, sweats, a black t-shirt, and a black flannel despite the warm day. It's mid September. A nice day to cause problems if you're a little super powered child if you ask me and somebody ought to. There's some maintenance that needs doing. Nothing extreme though.

I walk down stairs, letting the dog run down in front of me. The house is quiet. Surprisingly so.  The Pestilence isn't here? No it seems she's not. I find my phone, charging and remarkably untouched.  I pocket that and then go outside. Nope all the cars are gone. Whatever. Isa must've had a doctor's appointment or something so his mother took him. Still, I don't like not knowing where they are. Call me paranoid. I am paranoid. I'm paranoid for damn good reason.

I've lost them all before. I don't want to again.

"The fuck do you want?" says someone I'm pretty sure is in love with me, secretly from himself mind, as he answers the door in a nicely tight wife beater, with his badge around his neck, wearing faded jeans and no shoes like this is actually how he sleeps. Fuck, it probably is.

"You know where anybody particular is?" I ask, looking at my notebook.

"No. Not lately. I've had a shit morning this is me getting ready for the second time and while I'd love to arrest you Rhea, we had a hit and run this morning ---a sixteen year old girl is dead," he says, not specifically letting me in but going back in to get ready.

"Yeah, no, I'm anticipating some problems, nothing massive but I'd like us both to keep an eye out," I say. For better or for worse at one point the two of us became parents to something like twenty people.

"What?" he asks, suspiciously, as he goes to get his clothes. He has like ten more layers to go.

"Not completely sure but Sol---keep an eye on him yeah? I think he might be going to get himself into trouble," I say, trying to figure out how to phrase the rest without sounding insane. Like I always do. I sigh.

"Why?" Stamos asks, suspiciously.

"Just pay him some attention? All the ones in high school actually—oh and Basil's six months sober tomorrow, let's not let anything spoil it," I say, looking back down at my calendars. I am getting better at using the names they like now. Not their real names not to me nor ever will they be. There will only be one set of names that I whispered in the dark. Those are theirs, that were on my lips in mourning far too many nights as I bid them goodnight and promised I would find them again tomorrow. But now they use different names, their eyes hollow as they look at me. My Barad, perpetually cross with me and yet dependent, sad and quiet and so alone here. I was gone from him too long. I never seem to get this right.

"I am aware, that's the only reason I'm not arresting your ass right now," he says.

"Who was the hit and run? A girl you said, not a boy?"

"Why are you planning on hitting and running a boy?" he asks.

"Fuck off---I've got concerns about one of the kids in Luna and Sol's class I think," I say.

"What do you mean concerns?"

"Someone is gonna die, triggering hundreds of deaths potentially which could—,"

"You had me at hundreds of death what the fuck are you talking about?"

"I don't know, but there's a bit of trouble brewing, nothing I expect we can't handle but—,"

"Who is it brewing with?" he asks, coming over to look at my notebook but of course he can't read it. "Who are you saying is gonna die?"

"I don't know his name---but it is a boy. It's always a boy," I say, frowning, "Never mind. I've got to go check on the kids."

"Yes, you stay away from them. I am going to the station you can come with me and elaborate on what boy you think is going to die."

"I don't know his name I'm not going to, but we do need to save him, that's important," I say, still staring at my notes. "Have you talked to Basil today?"

"Yes, and he's at work. I have this hit and run I'm dealing with---and looks like I need to go and pick up a kid—Sol just got sent home for fighting," he says, looking at his phone.

"Who?" the boy tends to pick fights when he's annoyed, he won't use his godly abilities either just good old fashioned punches. I do like that kid. Complete hazard to himself and others and perpetually a disaster. 

"He didn't say he's just asking for a ride and leaving his sister the car---that all the bad news you had for me?"

"Have you talked to Dean? I'm having visions of him---being attacked I don't know," I say, frowning.

"Oh great you're having visions again."

"I always have visions I've told you that," I've told all of them that. Do they listen? No, not at all. Whatever. They're alive I'm stupidly glad they're alive and here and I can talk to them while they ignore me. That's better than the alternative.