Hades

Chapter Twenty One - The Ferryman, Part One

Chapter Twenty One: The Ferryman Part One

The Keres could not have chosen a less co-operative hostage. Uxi bit, kicked, thrashed, and screamed to be released, until Iwanami had spied the precious hourglass still attached to the magic mirror on Uxi's dresser. She let go of the angel, who was still cursing her in language so blue it would have made her master proud, and had held it high, swinging it carelessly from side to side above the hard marble floor, and looking meaningfully at her prisoner.

'Frederic,' Iwanami drawled, reading from the label. 'A human love interest, perhaps? How naughty of you. I prefer taking life the old fashioned way with lots of blood and gore, but don't think I'll hesitate to smash this if you don't shut the hell up!'

The snap in her voice had silenced Uxi, and the angel sat sprawled on the floor, her face wet with tears, scowling at her captors. After forcing Uxi into her bat form Iwanami held the tiny creature in a confined bubble of energy particles, its black wings fluttering pathetically in the restricting space. Knowing that Hades would soon arrive, Iwanami and her accomplice had quickly retreated once more past the sleeping three headed dog as it drooled an entirely new river in its sleep. By the time the Lord of the Underworld returned to his quarters the only indication of a scuffle was one of the little black bows with a grinning skull face that Uxi always wore in her hair, left on the floor. He clenched it tightly in his hand and grimaced.

'And still no sign of the kid,' he growled into the emptiness.

*

Having no idea where to look next and no idea where else to return to, Hades found himself back in Harusame's room. She only let him in after he'd promised not to take it out on her furniture again.

'It will be okay, Hades,' she said softly.

He shook his head. 'I've got to save her. She's...'

'I understand. She's like your family. I feel the same.' They both watched the clock, ticking the seconds away in a more ominous way than usual. It was ten minutes past two.

'She's got until four O'clock,' thought Hades. 'Uxi...'

*

At three forty-five, Hades paced the room, nearly out of his mind. Harusame sat silently, her face pale with worry and her hands squeezed together. She nearly jumped a foot in the air when Hades' earring once again crackled to life.

'Are you there, Hades?'

Hades stopped pacing and spoke very calmly and slowly, as though reasoning with a child. 'I don't know what you think you're playing at, but I don't find this amusing. When are you giving her back to me, Nightwalker?'

'It isn't that easy my darling, I told you I wanted to make a deal, if you recall? Bring the girl to the abandoned building off the west side of town, near the library. If you fail to bring her I will kill your winged friend here on the spot. You have...oh look at that! You only have about thirteen minutes. How time flies!' Iwanami giggled, a shrill, hollow sound that made Hades' flesh creep, and the transmitter once again went silent.

Hades turned to Harusame.

'I'd hoped to avoid involving you in this, but I had a feeling she'd say that,' he told her grimly. 'It looks like you're coming along for the ride. Hop on.'

*

It turned out Hades could leap through the air with surprising skill; had it not been for the grave seriousness of the situation, Harusame would have enjoyed the feeling of the wind whipping through her hair as he stepped lightly over streets and rooftops and she clung to his shoulders in the world's most exhilarating piggy-back ride. When they arrived, Iwanami stood alone on the roof of the building, her arms folded. She grinned, showing her teeth as they landed, and Harusame climbed off Hades' back.