PLATO'S STEP-DAUGHTER I FLYNN CARSEN

Let Bygones Be Bygones

Let Bygones Be Bygones

"I was wondering when you were going show up," Flynn said, examining his cuffs.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing three years ago when you stood me up at that Greek restaurant," Circe countered, looking characteristically stunning in a flowing black maxi-dress, Jacob dribbling despite himself.

"I had a pigeon to save," Flynn said, shrugging his shoulder.

"And as I noticed earlier, I see you've moved on," Circe said, her gaze flickering in Clara's direction.

"I've moved up in the world," Flynn said smoothly.

"Archimedes," Circe said, ignoring Flynn's insult, "it's been a long time."

"Not long enough," Archie said darkly.

"And Jacob," Circe said, turning to him, only for Cassandra to step in front of him.

"You leave him alone," Cassandra said defiantly, tilting her chin.

"How clever of you to co-ordinate your hair and temper," Circe cooed, exchanging a mocking glance with Karen.

"Could we hurry this along a bit?" Ezekiel said impatiently. "I've got a b" -

- "birdcage he so doesn't want to go back into," Flynn said hurriedly, whilst wondering where the hell Eve was.

Circe laughed at this, the sound strangely metallic, like gears grinding together. "I suppose this is the part where I confess all my sins to you," she said seductively, trailing her finger along Ezekiel's arm. "But it was actually Akatha who orchestrated the whole spectacle. She singlehandedly modernized the process, but it was I who had the idea of spreading the sacrifices out over the year, instead of all at once. It increases the overheads but the decrease in visibility means the return on investment is even higher on a per intern basis" –

-"You killed Henry, didn't you," Jenny said dazedly.

Circe smirked. "No, it was the Minotaur who did that, dear one," she said, "I don't like to dirty my hands" -

Jenny slapped her, the sound ringing around the room.

"Ouch," Flynn said, wincing.

Circe straightened up, her jaw working. No mortal had ever dared to lay hands on her since Odysseus.

"But Akatha stole the ball of thread from you," Jacob said, distracting Circe, "so why go into business with her?"

"You know what they say, let bygones be bygones," Circe snapped, losing her customary cool.

"You've got to spend money to make money," Ezekiel smirked.

"Oh, I knew I liked you for a reason," Circe sneered, rounding on him, looking ugly for an instant.

But before Ezekiel could frame a suitably snappy comeback, the walls rippled around them, startling everyone, even Circe. Then the biker was suddenly in the room, morphing from man to Minotaur, pawing the ground with its hoof and tossing its horns back. But every time he tried to lunge forwards, he head-butted some kind of unseen forcefield that was keeping him contained, making the air shimmer oddly, sending hot pink sparks flying, the sight making Clara clutch Flynn's arm.

"How?" Circe said, rounding on Karen.

"Don't look at me!" Karen shrieked. "I'm not doing this!"

"It's magic," Flynn said, glancing around him, "fairy magic" -

As he spoke, the fairy suddenly materialised out of thin air, diving at Circe, sprinkling her with fairy dust, turning her hot pink. Circe stood there screaming, Archie following the fairy, shouting, "do me next!" The fairy duly obliged, cackling to itself, its fangs looking even more fearsome than ever. Karen was frozen to the spot, paralysed by indecision, wanting to run, but not wanting to leave the ball of thread, her gun now raised in Ezekiel's direction again. Flynn was about to appeal to the fairy's better nature for help, but remembered just in time it didn't have one. Dumping the Minotaur in their midst was its idea of fun, and it would only be a matter of moments before it unleashed it on them.

"What the hell" - Eve spluttered, also appearing out of thin air, startling everyone all over again.

"Where the hell did you go!?" Jacob demanded.

"I was in the canteen," she said, turning wildly on the spot, "being chased by Frankfurt" -

-"My name's Franklin!" Franklin yelled, appearing out of thin air as well.

"Fanlin!" the fairy shrieked, showering him with pink stars.

"Ahhh!" Franklin screeched, falling to his knees. "I'm magenta!"

At this moment, the Minotaur broke free of its prison, charging at Karen who turned tail, the others scattering for cover as well.

"Zeke, duck!" Eve yelled, pulling out her gun.

Ezekiel duly ducked, Eve blasting the ball of thread's glass case to smithereens. "Thanks!" Ezekiel smirked, snatching up the ball of thread, Flynn twirling past him, dancing Clara along in his wake.

"Throw it to me!" Cassandra ordered, jumping up and down on the desk she was now standing upon.

"Why?" Ezekiel said, passing the ball of thread from hand to hand.

"What, you don't trust me?" Cassandra said, looking crestfallen.

"I do, but I'm just curious why I should throw it to you," Ezekiel answered, brow furrowing.

"Just throw the damn thing!" Jacob bellowed from under Cassandra's desk, Jenny huddling beside him.

"Do it!" Archie yelled.

"Yes, do!" Eve agreed, the Minotaur's horns missing her by inches.

"Okay," Ezekiel said, shrugging his shoulders. He tossed it through the air, the ball of thread unravelling, becoming Barbie pink as it unspooled, Karen and Circe diving for it, Cassandra catching it before they did.

"Magic depends on symbols," Flynn wheezed as the walls began to shake, "and what better symbol for a Labyrinth than a straight line wrapped around and around itself?"

"My point precisely!" Cassandra cried, punching the air with her free hand, clutching the ball of thread with the other.

"Great minds think alike!" Flynn shouted, doing a double air punch in return. "Now hit the deck, troops!" He pulled Clara onto the juddering ground, the others hastily following his example as a beam of white light issued from the Minotaur's mouth, engulfing it and the room, making the teeth rattle in their heads. As they lowered their arms, it was only to see the Minotaur was gone, as if it had never been, taking the Labyrinth with it.

"What have you done?" Karen breathed, rounding on them.

"I see your business partner's bailed on you," Flynn said, standing up, gesturing to the spot where Circe had stood. "At least she has the sense to know when she's been outmanoeuvred."

"Checkmate," Clara said, popping the T.

Karen just stood there, seething, before suddenly lunging at Flynn, only to disappear in a puff of pink smoke.

"Oh," Flynn said, tilting his head to the side. Lying on the ground was a Barbie doll, its features twisted in an angry grimace, its small fist raised. It even had a tiny plastic gun. Beside it was Franklin immortalized as a pink Ken, his own face forever trapped in a tearful expression.

"Classy," Ezekiel observed, raising an ironic eyebrow.

"Very," Clara agreed.

The fairy cackled overhead before vanishing in an explosion of pink sparks, Flynn raising his hand in fond farewell.

"Is it over?" Jenny shakily asked, clutching Jacob, his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him.

"It's over," Eve said, exhaling sharply.

"We made it," Cassandra said, clasping her hands together, awestruck.

"This time," Jenkins said from behind them, ever the eternal optimist, the Annex doors flung wide open in welcome.

I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home...