Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 31: I forget why we're here, like I really do, so just go with it

Dean

"And what do you think you're doing here?" a very elegant woman in a very tight black dress lounges on a sofa that's backed up against huge picture windows that look out on the choppy dark night ocean. She's drinking wine out of a sports bottle.

"We are desired guests," I never said I was the best person to get us out of this situation.

"I'm Maya Rosencrantz---and this Dean, Dean Guildenstern," Maya is better at lying than me. I'm so glad she's here. I take another sip of the water bottle of wine. I didn't feel like vodka and now it's wine. This is great. No not really, but anyway. I mean. It's not great. Not a good situation. I really get that. But. I have an unending bottle of wine and a friend who is being a really great sober wingman. You know what? I personally think things could be worse.

"I have no idea who you are---take them away," I have an idea how things could be worse.

"Take us away where?? Look, we're just college students," Maya says, ducking away as the intoxicated guards come to grab us.

"Oh wait---you're friends of Ariadne's aren't you?" The woman asks, putting a hand to her head as she swirls her glass of wine.

"Yes---yes we are ---yes definitely," I say, despite having no idea who that is.

"Yeah," Maya says, nodding helpfully, "Definitely."

"Oh why didn't you say so? God this is why I quit drinking---yes Gustav show them to some of the guest rooms let them get cleaned up. Ariadne should be home tomorrow or the next day," she says, waving dismissively.

"Cool cool," I say, turning to go.

"Where is she?" Maya asks. Not like, natural curiosity, but like concerned that we accidentally killed her which is not possible I'm not that drunk. Yet.

"She's teaching her father a lesson I suppose with his stupid 'contest'. I don't know what that man expects to accomplish---anyway you can ask her what she thought she was doing when she gets back."

"Right, we will do that, you have a nice night," I say, snapping my fingers at her then making finger guns. Yes, Maya basically drags me away.

"Ease off," she says, taking my wine.

"I'm fine," I feel better than I have in ages. She's right. Just nice and easy. Sipping the energy of everybody on the whole island. Makes everything absolutely okay and fine and okay.

"Good, then you can have some more when we get to the room," she says, linking arms with me as the guards lead us down the hall and a set of stairs. They look very miffed about it too. Well I would be miffed too if I had to walk around in a bullet proof vest with a very big gun. Only my brother Thyme thinks that sort of thing is fun.

They do put us in one room, but it's huge with a huge king size bed so we don't protest. Again, the guards look miffed.

"Didn't that strike you as odd?"

"Yeah, they're not questioning the free booze," I say, flopping back down on the bed, "I claim this half unless you're not cool with that then I'll take the sofa or the floor, honestly a few more drinks and I'm fine on the floor—"

"Don't be silly--- we're fine," she says, flopping down on her side of the bed, "No, seriously, don't you think it's odd that the guards are that heavily armed? What are they thinking is gonna happen?"

"Teenagers with booze will crash a corporate tour and make their way into their private mansion?"

"Dean."

"I don't know! I am not the person you talk to about plans," I say, putting my hands over my face.

"And where is the girl who they think we're friends with? I don't know it's just weird," she sighs.

"My phone is ringing. I want you to answer it."

"That's my phone—why did you have my phone?"

"Darling, I have no idea how we even got here. I don't remember—"

"Shh, it's your Uncle Grant," she says, answering the phone, politely, "Hi, what's up?"

"Okay---is there any way you two are NOT at Minos Industries right now?"

"We would never."

"We are in a safe place that is not there."

"Definitely."

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about us."

"Because you were asking me about it earlier, and look I've seen several things on the news about strange deaths involving the factory and employees who complained about weird working conditions and I know you went to Greece and then you asked me randomly about that new game that got recalled due to some software bug except the people who had a copy said that there wasn't a bug there were strange messages in it and I'm very concerned based of everything supernatural that's ever happened with this family?" he asks.

"We're fine, thank you, definitely don't share your suspicions with my dad," I say, taking the phone.

"Okay, but you two realize I'm saying that where you are saying you're not is dangerous and it's okay to call me and your Uncle Luke---shut up yes they can call us---oww---stop pinching me----if you break this phone ---it's my eight phone this month-----anyway you can call me AND YOUR UNCLE LUKE if you are in trouble we will not tell your dad---no you won't----we want you safe, and I do not think that place is safe at all. Some kid online had an entire conspiracy that they kidnapped their lead designer and honestly there were some good points."

"Nope, we're good, not there, just chilling. Thank you for calling," I say.

"Yeah thanks bye," Maya says.

I hang up.

"We are so screwed," she says.

"No we're not, not yet," I scoff, "Remember the Rhea children motto---?"

"We're not truly fucked until somebody is getting struck by lightening is not a good motto and sets the bar way too low."

"But it's an attainable bar for us, okay, time to get some sleep," I say, rolling over on the bed. For once my brain isn't pounding. I suddenly do just want to curl up and sleep.

"Okay, I will take a shower and probably put out some salt lines if it's all the same to you."

"Who've you been hanging out with? My grandpa?" I ask. He used to always put out salt lines everywhere. Not so much anymore, though.

"No, though I'm concerned why----oh never mind you mean your dad's dad who doesn't look older than him. Yes, he does put out salt lines. No, I just watch too much Supernatural."

"Oh. Yeah. That too. Night now."

"Do you um---have a way of not having a ton of vines crawl in the window while we sleep like happened at your mom's house?"

"Not at all!"

"Okay," she says.

"Do you want me to take the floor?"

"No, not that worried about it, just curious. Night."

"Night."