Pegasus and the Fight for Olympus (8 page)

‘All right,’ Emily said, stopping the fight before it got started. ‘That’s enough.’ She looked at Joel. ‘Why did you go to the CRU facility without me?’

‘Please don’t be angry,’ he explained. ‘But it was still dark when we left. We couldn’t risk going in daylight, especially now that the CRU know you and Pegasus are back. They don’t know about Paelen and me. We figured they’d be expecting you both to show up, not us.’

Emily sighed, realizing he was right. ‘What did you see there?’

‘Not a lot,’ Joel answered. ‘It’s deep in the forest, surrounded by dense trees. It’s probably like Governors Island. Most of the facility is underground. There’s only one small building above ground. The rest is a large parking area and guardhouse. There’s a single road going in and a tall electric fence surrounding the whole property. We saw cameras everywhere. Some were pointing down, but most were patrolling the sky. So it looks like they are expecting us to fly in.’

Paelen took over speaking. ‘I asked the sandals to take me to your father, but they could not find a hidden way in. I believe the CRU may have discovered what I can do. They have sealed all the small entrances. There is only one entrance and it is heavily guarded.’

‘With soldiers carrying big guns,’ Joel added. He dropped his voice. ‘Em, I’m so sorry. I don’t think we can get to your dad. Not without help.’

‘But Jupiter won’t help us,’ Emily said desperately, ‘especially now that the Nirads are back. He doesn’t care about my dad or the CRU. It’s got to be us who frees him.’

‘How?’ Joel asked. ‘Em, they’ve got guns! None of us are bulletproof, even if you are the Flame of Olympus.’

‘We’ve got to think,’ Emily said softly as she started to pace. ‘We can’t go charging in there. They’ll stop us before we get anywhere. What we need is a plan.’

They ate breakfast as they bounced different ideas around. It was finally Pegasus who offered the best possible solution in suggesting they capture a couple of CRU agents and force information out of them to help in the rescue.

‘How?’ Emily asked. ‘We can’t just go to the facility and grab a couple of agents. We’ll get captured!’

‘What else is there?’ Paelen asked.

Joel grinned. ‘I know. We go back to the festival. I bet there are still CRU agents pouring through the place looking for traces of us. What if we go see, and if they’re still there, we’ll grab a couple of their guys? We bring them back here and make them tell us where they’re keeping your dad. Then we take their ID badges and clothing and drive right into the facility like we belong there.’

Emily shook her head. ‘One problem. We can’t drive.’

‘Joel can,’ Paelen offered. ‘He was driving this morning when we stole a car and bought all this food.’

Emily frowned at Joel. ‘You did
what
this morning?’

‘We stole a car,’ Joel said guiltily. ‘But we had to. The sun was coming up and we couldn’t risk being seen flying. Besides, we had all this food to carry.’

‘How could you know what to do?’

‘Em,’ Joel said finally, ‘before we met, I was living in this awful foster home. I used to get very angry and frustrated. So I’d go out at night and steal a car and go driving around the city for a few hours until I wasn’t angry any more. That’s how I got my criminal record.’

‘So you’re a car thief?’ Emily said in shock.

‘Not really,’ Joel said. ‘I wouldn’t steal them to sell or strip for parts. I’d just drive them for a while and then return them when I was done.’

Emily was almost too stunned to speak. ‘Joel, are you telling me that right now, right here, outside of where we are hiding from the CRU, you’ve got a stolen car?’

Joel nodded. ‘We don’t have a lot of time before Jupiter and the others come looking for us. We need to get your father out of there. We can’t wait until night to go out. How else are we going to get around in daylight? We certainly can’t fly. We need a car. Besides, we got it from a used car lot, so it’s not like we’re hurting anyone.’

Emily looked from face to face and realized Joel was right. There was no other way for them to travel around the area. But with a car, how were they supposed to travel with Pegasus? They needed a horse caravan. When she voiced her concerns, Pegasus reached over and gave her a gentle nudge.

‘Pegasus can’t go out in daylight,’ Paelen said, ‘it is too dangerous for all of us if he is seen. He has asked you to stay here with him while Joel, Cupid and I take the car and capture the CRU men.’

‘I can’t stay here while you guys risk your lives,’ Emily protested. ‘Besides, I can help.’

Paelen rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘Emily, Pegasus will go wherever you go. If you insist on coming with us, he will not stay here. He will follow you.’

Emily looked into the stallion’s big brown eyes. Paelen was right. Pegasus would follow if she tried to go without him, and to do that, he would endanger himself. She stroked his soft muzzle. ‘All right, Pegs,’ she said softly. ‘We’ll both stay.’

‘And I shall stay with you,’ Cupid volunteered.

‘Oh no, you will not,’ Paelen said angrily. ‘I do not trust you. You claim you are not a coward and followed us here to help. But you only want to stay with Emily so she can protect you from the Nirads.’

‘You are wrong,’ Cupid protested. ‘I will protect her should anyone come here. Besides, even dressed as I am, I do not look human. I will be a burden.’

‘Pegasus is here for Emily,’ Joel said. ‘And you won’t be a burden. Cupid, we need your help. I may be much bigger than you are but you’re so much stronger than I am. If you really want to help, this is how you can do it.’

‘Pegasus and I are safe here,’ Emily added. ‘Joel and Paelen need you more than I.’

Emily saw fear rising in Cupid’s eyes. He had heard about the CRU and what they had done to Pegasus, Diana and Paelen. She realized Paelen was right: deep down, Cupid was frightened.

‘But there may be more screaming girls.’

‘They’ll be long gone,’ Joel said. ‘We’ll just go back to the festival, grab a couple of CRU agents and come right back here. You’ll see, it will be easy.’

After breakfast, Paelen, Joel and Cupid left Emily and Pegasus at the Red Apple.

Joel drove their stolen car out of the parking lot. Paelen sat in the front seat beside him while Cupid was stretched out in the back seat complaining constantly about having to lie on his wings and all the damage he was doing to the feathers. His fidgeting was starting to drive Paelen crazy.

‘If you do not be quiet,’ Paelen warned as he turned to the back, ‘I will pluck out all your feathers myself. Then you will not have anything to complain about!’

‘I do not see why you are so angry,’ Cupid said. ‘You are not the one with your wings stuffed down your trousers. You are still wearing Mercury’s sandals and can fly anytime you wish, whereas I am burdened with this uncomfortable clothing.’

‘And I’m burdened with the two of you,’ Joel shot. ‘Gees, you’re like two spoiled children! Shut up so I can concentrate on driving and not getting us caught in this stolen car. Cupid, lie on your stomach and keep quiet.’

‘Of all the indignities …’ Cupid complained as he turned and settled on his stomach.

‘How far is it to the festival by ground?’ Paelen asked, looking forward again. They were entering a town with a main street and buildings and homes on either side. As it was still early in the morning, people were out and rushing to get to work.

‘A few kilometres,’ Joel said. ‘When my dad brought me up here, we stayed in a hotel. We’d eat at the Red Apple and then go to the festival. So it’s all in this area called Tuxedo.’

Paelen fell silent and stared out of the front window. He was astounded at how different this world was to Olympus. Here the people travelled around in cars and always seemed to be in a hurry.

Above them the sky was grey and heavy as the first snow flurries of the season started to fall. ‘What is this?’ Paelen asked in wonder as he opened the window and felt snow landing on his hand. ‘What is falling from the sky?’

Joel looked at him. ‘Haven’t you ever seen snow before?’

Paelen shook his head. ‘It does not do this in Olympus. Until I came to your world, I had never left there before.’

‘Child!’ Cupid shot from the back seat. ‘I have been here many times and seen snow all over this world.’

‘I am not a child,’ Paelen argued.

‘You are much younger than me,’ Cupid responded, ‘younger than most Olympians. That makes you a child.’

‘How old are you?’ Joel asked.

Paelen shrugged. ‘I do not know. You have lived in Olympus, have you ever seen us measure time?’

‘I never noticed,’ Joel admitted. ‘But I guess not.’

‘We do not,’ Cupid continued. ‘There is no need. We do not race around like you humans, trying to fill every moment of your short lives with one kind of action or another. We live, love and enjoy ourselves.’

‘Until the Nirads attacked,’ Joel added. ‘I saw a lot of running around then.’

Paelen heard Cupid’s breath catch and knew he was terrified of even the mention of Nirads. ‘That is the exception,’ Cupid said. ‘Though I am certain there is not a human in this world who would not flee the Nirads.’

‘They’d be crazy not to,’ Joel agreed. ‘Now, keep your eyes open for police, soldiers or the CRU, we’re not far from the festival.’

Paelen’s eyes scanned the area, searching for anything that might look out of place.

‘There are a lot of extra police out,’ Joel muttered as everyone watched two police cruisers drive past their car. ‘This could be a problem.’

They continued out of the town and entered a wooded area. The road followed along the Haunted Forest’s property. They saw the tall chain link fence and some of the rides behind it. Finally the haunted house fell into view. In daylight there weren’t a lot of festival workers about. But what they did see were soldiers and a lot of men in dark suits.

‘The CRU,’ Joel said nervously. ‘Pegasus was right. They’re searching for anything to tell them why we were here last night. We just might be able to capture a couple of their men.’

‘Do you think they will be expecting us to come back?’ Paelen asked.

Cupid hauled himself up from the back seat and peered out of the front window. ‘It could be a trap.’

Joel shrugged. ‘It could be. I think I’ll drive past the parking lot a few times to see what it’s like there. Just keep your eyes open.’

As expected, the parking lot was filled with black CRU cars and multiple military trucks. Several soldiers stood behind one of the trucks, smoking and taking a break.

‘Well, we can’t drive in. I think we should abandon the car away from here and walk,’ Joel said.

‘But how will we transport the men we are going to capture?’ Paelen asked.

‘We’ll have to steal a CRU car,’ Joel suggested. ‘We’re going to need it to go to the facility anyway. So we’ll get both at the same time.’

‘That does not sound like much of a plan,’ Cupid complained.

‘You got any better ideas?’ Joel challenged.

Cupid fell silent and lay back down on the seat.

Joel drove the car past the festival and turned in along a dirt road heading higher into the mountains. He parked up and they abandoned the car.

As they treaded through the woods back towards the festival, Cupid continued to complain. Finally he stopped and freed the lower part of his wings from his jeans.

‘Cupid,’ Paelen said tiredly, ‘you can not show those.’

‘I am not going to,’ Cupid said. ‘I am going to leave my top on. But I could not walk another step with the feathers scratching against my legs. This will be fine. No one will notice.’

Joel raised his eyebrows and looked at Paelen. ‘Is he kidding?’

Paelen finally gave up. There was just no reasoning with Cupid. ‘Fine, do as you wish. But if you get into trouble, do not expect us to help you.’

They approached the chain link fence to the festival and followed it until they reached the large parking area. They ducked down behind some trees and studied the flow of men in and out of the parking lot. Not far ahead, they saw an open truck that contained scientific-looking equipment. Men were wearing white outfits that looked like space suits. They were carrying sealed containers with the word
quarantine
printed on the sides.

‘Do they think we’re infectious?’ Joel asked. ‘What could they have in there that they think is so dangerous?’

‘I do not know,’ Paelen answered. ‘Did we leave anything behind, last night?’

‘Feathers,’ Cupid suggested. ‘The girls tore out a lot of my feathers. Perhaps they think they are dangerous.’

‘Maybe,’ Joel agreed. ‘Emily also set fire to the ground. Maybe they think that’s contaminated as well. Whatever it is, there are a lot of men there. We’re going to have to be extra careful.’

Joel led the way forward as they kept low and crept carefully into the parking lot. They crossed over to where most of the black cars were parked. When they ducked behind a large bush, Joel peered over the top. ‘I think these are the CRU cars,’ he said. ‘Those green trucks over there are for the soldiers. We should wait here until a couple of agents come along. Then we can make our move.’

Light flurries soon turned into a full snowstorm with large heavy flakes falling and collecting on the ground. Before long, there was a film of snow covering the vehicles. After what seemed an eternity, they heard the sound of muffled voices drawing near.

Paelen stole a peek and saw three CRU agents walking towards the black cars. Their heads were down against the weather and they were talking softly. When one of them looked up, Paelen sucked in his breath. ‘Joel, look, it is Agent T! Do you remember him from Governors Island?’

Joel peered at the agent walking with the two others. ‘He was almost as bad as Agent J. He was part of the team that interrogated me. I remember his smile when they gave me those terrible drugs.’

‘The plan was to take two agents,’ Cupid said nervously. ‘Perhaps we should wait for others.’

Fury rose on Joel’s face. ‘No, I’ve got a score to settle. I want him! Let’s just grab all three.’

‘I agree,’ Paelen said. ‘I should like to “speak” with Agent T myself. Besides, we do not know how long it will be before more agents come and I do not wish to leave Emily alone for very long. This may be our only opportunity.’