Proxy: The Measure of a God

Chaper 3

    AS THEY NEARED THE STADIUM, Griffin thought of Methodist Medical Center once more and the airship hovering over it.

    Dez and Jet are both there with Alex. How long till he gets to one of them? I'm probably worrying too much. I mean, how bad could it get? Alex is just one person after all.

    With the world as quiet as it was at that moment, Griffin appreciated how impressive the stadium actually was—a massive structure designed to seat thousands so they could watch men compete. It disappointed him to think it was used for whiny millionaires to play a game and for companies to use that game as a means of advertisement.

    Griffin on the other hand felt like Maximus as he passed through the first arch, to the point that he could imagine a roaring crowd growing louder as he drew closer to the field. He had been picked by a bulletproof man for ... something, something that would enable him to handle a situation he currently couldn't.

    When Griffin emerged from the tunnel onto the playing field, he saw a gathering in the center of the stadium, and he had to resist letting a strut enter his walk. About a dozen people were looking at him.

    "All right." Hermes seemed happily anxious. "Here we go." With a tip of his helmet, Hermes led the way toward the group.

    He felt as if he should have had a speech prepared. As Griffin approached, he saw that some of them had the same controlled excitement as Hermes did. A few others seemed angrily impatient as if Griffin were a child who was finally taking out the trash.

    After a walk that felt like several miles, he stopped in front of them. One in particular instantly caught his eye—a pale and extremely voluptuous woman in a shimmering red dress with a high slit. Her thick, dark curls framed her ample cleavage, which was shown nicely due to the dress's low cut. Griffin didn't even spare the others a glance. "Hi." He held out his hand. "Griffin Eadi, master thief."

    Her ruby libs spread to reveal a dazzling smile. "Aphrodite, goddess of love and sex."

    "You're confident."

    They were interrupted as a towering and bearded elderly man came to Griffin's side. It was apparent that this man had the physique of a bodybuilder despite the fact he was wearing a suit.

    "Hermes." His voice boomed, and he effortlessly held everyone's attention despite only addressing one person.

    Hermes gave a small smile and nodded. "Loki backed off after a bit of posturing, but I think we should still speak with Odin. Anyway, as you ordered." Hermes stopped to present Griffin with a wave of his staff. "The one called Griffin Eadi. By the way"—Hermes turned to Griffin but continued talking to the old man—"before Loki intervened, he was about to kill Jet Yoshimoto."

    "About to?" another woman in the crowd asked. She turned to Griffin. "Why didn't you after Loki left?"

    Griffin considered the woman before answering. "You wouldn't understand."

    "Young man, there is nothing I can't understand."

    Griffin rolled his eyes. She was a plain looking woman in her forties, average height and weight, with an olive tint to her skin, someone anyone would have walked by and not have thought twice about. Her demeanor, however, was noteworthy: judgmental and a bit narcissistic. Not the first person like that Griffin had ever met but noteworthy nonetheless.

    Griffin considered whether he should answer. It would aggravate her to be ignored, which would humor him. On the other hand, his answer would frustrate her, and that could be fun as well.