SON OF HADES: The Army of Hypnos

5. HORRIBLE HEIST

For some reason, she hesitated but after seeing me try to take off my shirt with only my right hand, she passed her phone to Bryce and helped me out.

She tied it tightly around the wound and kept a steady pressure on it. The stinging sensation was unbearable, but somehow I endured.

After what seemed like forever, she released her grip. My stomach growled, and Bryce's followed suit.

He plopped down beside us, reaching for his takeout. "It might be cold, and mashed up, but I'll be damned  if I care."

He and Queen unwrapped their bristol burgers and dug in. I watched with a pout, waiting for someone to figure out I was left-handed. Maybe I should just try eating with my right.

I was about to reach into my takeout when suddenly,  Bryce and Queen beat me to it. Bryce offered me the Diet Coke while Queen unwrapped the chicken salad sandwich, bringing it to my mouth.

These two were sunshine alright, my sunshine.

"Thanks, I app--" The sandwich was shoved into my mouth mid-sentence. I just rolled with it. Taking the drink from Bryce with my right hand, I began gulping it down.

Some spilled down my lips, trickling down my chest all the way to my abs. When I paused with a sigh, Queen's cheeks appeared to be flushed. I didn't see where her eyes were pointed, only the sandwich frozen in her grip.

Leaning forward slowly,  I took another bite. And for some reason, a cute smile crossed her face.

Bryce feigned a gag. "I swear, you two should get a room."

Queen shot a glare at him but his attention was locked onto his meal.

"Get a room?" I echoed. Must be one of those modern phrases I hadn't heard of. "Like buy a room? For who?"

"Queen gets it," he mumbled with a full mouth.

She flicked the cap of a Diet Coke bottle at his forehead. "Ha, ha, very funny."

After our meal, we had a few random conversations. Then we contemplated returning to Rupert Blood and Co at sunrise. It was risky impersonating my dad and it will be even harder now with this injury but we decided to just see where this goes.

It wasn't hard to fall asleep after such a long day.

***
Yawning,  I awoke well-rested. The pain in my shoulder had subsided a little. Sunlight poured in through the windows,  eliminating the need for our phone flashlights. Wait a minute,  daylight means....

"Guys, wake up." I found a way to stand.  "The store might be opening anytime soon."

Queen's eyes fluttered open. She sat up, rubbing them for a moment.

Bryce on the other hand was nowhere to be found.

"Bryce?"

I pivoted, sighting him drawing on a glass door with lipstick.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't reply, instead, he kept mumbling, his hands snaking with speed and precision. Queen and I went in for a closer look.

He flung the lipstick and slammed a hand beside his drawing. He was more hyper than usual, with eyes as wide as ever. "This is it! I had that dream again.  Clearer this time. This is the vehicle from my dreams!"

I stared at it. The vehicle had many tires, a conical structure, and lots of cannons protruding from its middle.

Queen tilted her head. "It looks like a cross between a car, a tank, and a UFO."