Defying Fate

Chapter 32-p1

Hermes car was the only one left in the courtyard as Odysseus stepped out into the pre-dawn morning.

"Where did everyone else go?" He asked Athena.

"They went ahead," she replied. "They'll meet us at the docks. Zeus wasn't keen on letting Hermes drive." She opened the passenger door for him, and he clambered inside the spacious interior. Inside was a space even bigger than it had been the day they'd gone to the marketplace. In rows toward the back were Odysseus' crew, leaning on each others' shoulders sleepily.

"Has anyone explained to them what's going on?" Odysseus asked Athena as she went to close the door behind him. Thanks to his new height, he could stand up straight in the car, though the top of his head brushed the fabric of the ceiling as he turned to look back at her.

"Hermes told them what they needed to know," she said softly.

"Are we going to be okay?" Odysseus found himself asking, and Athena smiled up at him.

"Get seated," she said. "We're losing starlight." She closed the door abruptly, behind him, and he moved forward to get Asterion buckled into a harness, and then buckled his own seatbelt.

Polites glanced over at him from across the car and smiled, though his expression was still slightly worried. Odysseus smiled back briefly, then turned to look out the window as the car wound its way back down the hill into town, twisting the button on his new shield idly. It clicked softly, like a dial, as he turned it one way, then the other. Marking the distance.

They arrived at the docks before the sun had crested over the hills on the edge of the bay, though there was a tell-tale lightening that showed the sun was truly rising now.

Yawning hugely, and holding a key ring, was none other than Officer Louiza. Odysseus felt himself standing a little straighter in front of her, reaching back to feel Asterion, riding in the carrier on his back.

"Tell me, Angelo," she called out. "Why you had me up at the crack of dawn to release this boat. You couldn't have arranged this for a more godly hour?"

The gods around Odysseus grinned and glanced around at each other subtly, as Hermes stepped forward.

"I just enjoy beginning my day with your beautiful face," he said smoothly, doffing a hat Odysseus was certain hadn't been on his head a moment ago.

"Watch it, Angelo, I'm married," Louiza said, but she was grinning.

"Never stopped me before," Hermes bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "Allow me to introduce my family..."

He rattled off a list of names so quickly Odysseus could barely pick them up. He didn't recognize any of them, but Louiza smiled and nodded, even going so far as shaking Zeus's proffered hand, and nodding at Athena.

"Your family grows every time I see you, it seems," Louiza said after the greetings had finished. "You've picked up some more kids, though I remember this little one." She knelt before Odysseus, smiling at Asterion over his shoulder. "How's your dad, kiddo?"

"Noby!" Asterion said, grabbing a fistful of Odysseus' hair and jerking his head back a little.

"Ouch!" Odysseus reached behind his head to release the toddler's hand. "Um—he's okay," he squeaked. "He wanted to thank you, for taking good care of every one."

"I was just doing my job," Louiza said, standing up and looking down at Ody properly. "Kid, you look just like him. I take it he figured out his own name and got back to his family okay? Angelo promised he would."

Odysseus froze, his hand closed around Asterion's, and he looked down at Louiza, not sure what to tell her. "Oh, um, yeah," he muttered. Hermes had promised, did that mean more than it seemed to on the surface? Odysseus wished he'd been able to sneak that book. The Odyssey. Perhaps it held some answers.

"Tell him to stay hydrated for me," Louiza was saying, "and maybe, to get his head out of old stories. Seems he's missing out on the one that's right in front of him."

Tears inexplicably sprang to Odysseus' eyes. "I'll tell him," he muttered, dashing them away with one hand. Eurylochus reached over and patted him on the shoulder, and he took a deep breath, as Louiza went back over to Hermes.

"We impounded the boat because it didn't have any navigation equipment. That's not safe for you or for anyone around you. Get a radio for that thing asap, Angelo. And tell your nephew not to sail without one again."

"Will do, officer," Hermes said, grinning. "Thank you so much for your service."

Louiza sighed, but undid the rope that had been slung across the gangplank. "She's all yours," she said.

"Wait! The sheep!" Polites burst out suddenly, looking around for the sheep and the huge bale of hay that had been there a few days ago. "What happened to the sheep!"

"The.. giant babydoll sheep the size of cows? I let an expert take a look at them, see what he could make of it. He runs a farm up the hill." Louiza hooked a thumb over her shoulder, indicating a general southward direction.

Polites shook Odysseus' shoulder. "We have to go get them."

"We don't have time," Odysseus protested, "We have to get to the—" but Polites' eyes were so big and round, and he held tightly to Odysseus' arm, looking up at him pleadingly in the way he hadn't been able to do in over a decade, a power he rarely used. Odysseus caved.

"Um... Officer," He piped. "We need to get those sheep back."

"What for?" Louiza looked at them curiously.

Odysseus gestured helplessly at Polites, who turned the full power of his puppy-eyes to Louiza.

"I..." She couldn't resist his powers either. "I don't know if anyone's awake, but I'll make some calls."

She pulled her tablet out of her pocket and started speaking into it. "Look, I know it's early, he's a shepherd, he's up early anyway."