Pegasus and the New Olympians (12 page)

Shaking her head in defeat, Emily turned to leave the stall. But as she did, Alexis cried a warning.

‘You’re not taking my horse!’ Rip shouted.

Emily turned back in time to see him order his men, ‘Grab her!’

Rip lunged forward and knocked Emily to the ground as his men surrounded her just as Alexis flashed into the stall. Those that followed Rip’s orders were soon to learn just how strong, fast and lethal the Sphinx of Olympus truly was.

Rip Russell was the first to feel her wrath as Alexis tore him off Emily. Unhinging her jaw, her eyes went black as she drew her teeth. She barked at Emily. ‘Close your eyes!’

Doing as instructed, Emily put her hands over her face. She heard screams filling the air around her, mixed with the sound of Alexis roaring as the Sphinx defended her against the attacking men.

Emily curled into a tight ball and tried to block out the terrible sounds. Moments later, she sensed movement. Reaching out her hand, Emily felt Pegasus’s front legs before her. His back legs were behind her while his wings were hanging down the sides. She realized he was standing over her and protecting her with his whole body.

Moments later, Emily heard Earl and Agent T running into the stall.

‘Emily, are you all right?’ Earl said.

She nodded. Emily started to remove her hands, but Earl stopped her. ‘Keep your eyes shut; you don’t want to see this.’ He helped her climb out from under the stallion.

‘Pegasus, take her out of her,’ Agent T ordered. ‘And keep the others out as well. We’ll take care of this.’

Earl guided Emily out of the stall and hoisted her up on to Pegasus’s back. ‘Go on ahead. We’ll be out in a moment.’

As the stallion carried her out of the stable, she could hear the horses screaming and kicking their stall doors. When they reached the outside, Pegasus nickered softly.

‘I’m OK, Pegs,’ Emily said shakily as she slid off his back.

‘Em, what happened in there?’ Joel said. He ran up to her and looked at the blood on her clothes. ‘Are you hurt?’

Emily shook her head and looked at herself in shock. ‘It’s not my blood. It’s theirs. After everything they heard and saw, Rip Russell still didn’t want us to take Tornado Warning away. He and his men attacked me.’

‘What did you do?’ Paelen asked.

‘Nothing,’ Emily said. ‘I didn’t have time. Alexis did it all. She told me to close my eyes and she dealt with it. It all happened so fast.’

Paelen shivered. ‘That is the Sphinx. When she is on your side, you cannot have a better ally. Oppose her and it is at your peril.’

Earl emerged from the stallion stable. He leaned heavily against the side, struggling to stand up.

‘Earl,’ Emily cried as she and the others approached him. ‘Are you all right?’

He shook his head. ‘I ain’t never seen nothin’ like it. The darn fools. Didn’t they realize what would happen if they tried anythin’? We warned ’em. We warned ’em all.’

‘Did Alexis get everyone?’ Paelen asked.

He shook his head. ‘Don’t think so. I saw a couple huddled in the corner of the stall. It looked like they hadn’t moved.’

Pegasus nickered and Paelen said, ‘Alexis would only go after those men attacking you. If some stayed back, she would leave them unharmed.’

Earl nodded. ‘She left the others in the second stall alone too. It’s just the ones going after Emily that she got.’ Earl’s face turned a darker shade of green. ‘I’ll be fine in a minute,’ he said. ‘You kids get ready to go and I’ll meet you at the truck.’

‘C’mon,’ Joel said softly as he led Emily towards the vehicles. ‘Get yourself changed and then we can leave here.’

Hours later, Emily was standing in the trailer beside Pegasus as it was towed across the desert towards Nevada. Chrysaor and Alexis were in an open stall behind them. Tornado Warning was locked in the rear stall, now calm and still from the tranquillizers. Joel and Paelen were up front in the four-seater pick-up truck with Earl and Agent T.

Emily hadn’t said a word all journey. Alexis had emerged from the stallion barn soaking wet after being hosed down by Agent T. No one but Pegasus, Earl and the ex-CRU agent had seen what the Sphinx had done and not one word was spoken about it.

As Alexis dozed peacefully in the clean, dry straw of the trailer, there was no sign of the monster she had become.

Beside her, Pegasus nickered. Emily gazed into his warm brown eyes and saw the vision of the two of them soaring together in the open skies over Olympus. There was no violence, no blood. Just the sense of peace and joy they shared whenever they were alone together.

‘I hope we can do that again some day, Pegs,’ Emily said softly as she stroked his soft muzzle. She turned and looked out the barred trailer window. The air that blew across her face was dry and blisteringly hot. Though Olympus was warm, it never became uncomfortable. The oppressive heat only made Emily feel worse.

She sat down in the straw and leaned against the wall. She was achingly tired. Pegasus bent down and licked her face. He neighed softly.

‘He suggests you get some rest,’ Alexis translated without opening her eyes. ‘We have a difficult time ahead of us and you will need it.’

Emily wanted to comment on the difficult time they’d just been through, but thought better of it. The Sphinx was on their side, but barely. It wouldn’t take much to drive her back to Olympus and Jupiter.

She lay down in the soft straw at Pegasus’s feet. She worried about the time ahead and she worried about what the men from the stables would tell the police. Alexis had warned them if they told the truth she would return. But would that be enough to stop them?

Despite her worries, the gentle rocking of the trailer and the sweet smell from the fresh straw lulled Emily into a deeply troubled sleep.

‘Look at that! I must see this place for myself !’

Emily awoke to see a golden lion’s underbelly standing over her. The Sphinx’s front paws were up on the barred window frame as she and Pegasus peered out.

‘What is this place?’ Alexis asked breathlessly.

Emily crawled out from under the Sphinx and climbed shakily to her feet. They were driving along a highway that ran through Las Vegas. The sun was starting to set and casting a golden light on all the windows of the buildings. They were currently passing a tall black building covered in dark glass. There was a crane on the roof and it looked like it was still under construction. Just past it was another series of brightly coloured buildings. ‘It’s Las Vegas,’ she answered. ‘Those are casinos where people gamble and see shows.’

As they continued on the road, Emily watched Alexis’s excited eyes trying to take in all the sights of the city. She squinted to understand a large billboard hanging down the side of a tall casino. ‘Elvis … is … in … the … building’ she slowly read aloud. ‘Elvis? My Elvis! He is here, I have found him! We must stop!’

Emily hated to shatter Alexis’s illusion. ‘Maybe when this is over, we can come back and see him.’

‘Wonderful idea,’ Alexis agreed excitedly. ‘It will be our reward for saving the world.’

Down at the far end of the stall, Tornado Warning was coming out of the sedative daze. He kicked the stall door and whinnied. Emily went over and stroked the racehorse’s white face. ‘How’re you doing, boy? It won’t be much longer.’

Pegasus crept closer, his jealousy obvious. ‘It’s all right, Pegs,’ Emily said softly. ‘He’s frightened and confused. He doesn’t understand what’s happened to him.’

Despite her comments, Pegasus continued to hover. Tornado’s ears twitched back and his nostrils flared. He started to paw the trailer floor and whinny.

‘Easy, boy,’ Emily calmed. ‘Please, Pegs, get back. You’re upsetting him and I don’t know what he’ll do here in the trailer.’

Pegasus backed down. He snorted angrily and turned away from Tornado. He walked to the far end of the trailer and kept his back to Emily.

‘I believe we will need to sedate Tornado Warning again.’ Alexis carefully approached the stall. ‘He is upsetting Pegasus. In these tight confines, that would not be good. Pegasus is doing his best to contain himself. But even he has his limits.’

Emily agreed. She climbed the small ladder that ascended into the ‘granny’s attic’ of the trailer and crawled along the overhang that went over the truck bed. Emily started to pound on the trailer’s front wall, hoping that Paelen’s sensitive hearing would hear her and let Agent T know they needed to stop.

The message was received. Soon the truck and trailer were pulling over to the hard shoulder of the highway. When they stopped, Emily went up to the barred window and waited for someone to appear.

‘What’s up?’ Earl asked as he came to the window.

‘Tornado Warning is coming out of the drugs and he’s really upsetting Pegasus. We need to give him some more before they start fighting again.’

Earl nodded. ‘Well, we’re pretty cooked up in the truck. This place is like an oven! How people can live here is beyond me. We were all talkin’ about stoppin’ to pick up some supplies and somethin’ to drink. I think now would be a good time.’

‘Definitely,’ Emily agreed.

With the promise of a pit-stop Earl went back to the cab of the truck. ‘Did you hear that, Pegs? We’re going to stop for some food. We’ll also sedate Tornado again, so he won’t bother you.’

The stallion’s eyes were large and bright and he was quivering. Emily put her arms around his neck. ‘I know this is hard for you, Pegs. But I’m asking you to stay calm for a bit longer.’

Chrysaor had been lying in the straw but now approached his brother and squealed softly. Pegasus nickered back. But when Emily looked to Alexis to translate, the Sphinx simply shook her head and remained silent.

After a time, the trailer turned off the highway and they entered the suburbs of Las Vegas. Alexis remained at the barred window, curiously taking in everything and bombarding Emily with questions.

They finally turned into a shopping centre with a huge supermarket. Agent T parked the trailer and everyone climbed out. The moment Emily left the trailer, Tornado Warning started to whinny loudly and kick at his stall door. This caused Pegasus to whinny in response and paw the floor.

‘You’d better stay in there with them,’ Joel warned. ‘I don’t think it’s safe to leave those two alone together.’

‘I will stay with you,’ Paelen volunteered quickly. ‘I’d rather not go in after my last supermarket visit.’ It had been a CRU trap. Emily could fully understand his reluctance.

‘Joel and I will go.’ Agent T handed the truck keys to Earl. ‘If anything happens, get everyone away from here.’

Alexis came out of the trailer wearing Pluto’s helmet so only Emily could see her.

‘Where are you going?’ Emily asked.

‘I sense no danger here and wish to see what is inside this strange place.’ Alexis touched the ex-CRU agent’s leg. ‘Tom, do you mind if I join you?’

‘Not at all,’ Agent T said and actually smiled. ‘Just stay close to me.’

Emily noticed a definite change whenever he was speaking with Alexis. His tone was much softer and friendlier. Had the Sphinx’s charms actually warmed his cold heart?

More loud whinnies from Tornado Warning forced Emily back into the trailer. Paelen and Earl followed her in while the others went shopping.

Little was said as they waited, and they all felt the tension pressing down on them.

Agent T and Joel returned with a shopping cart full of food. An excited Alexis reported all the things she had seen, smelled and heard at the supermarket. She was more like a child than the fearsome creature she had become at the Double R Ranch. She and Agent T laughed as they retold the story of Alexis’s tail accidentally knocking over a display and the perplexed expressions on the people’s faces that couldn’t see her or understand how it happened.

Tornado Warning was fed first as they put more heavy tranquillizers in his chocolate ice cream. Once he had eaten his fill, everyone else climbed into the trailer and settled down to eat.

‘Well, this is it.’ Agent T stood. ‘In a couple of hours we’ll be in Rachel, Nevada. That’s only a few miles from Area 51 and the entrance to the CRU facility.’

‘Then what?’ Joel asked. ‘Does anyone here have any suggestions what we do next? ’Cause I sure don’t and it’s driving me crazy.’

Emily shook her head. ‘Not this time. It seemed so clear last time because we were getting my dad back. But now …’

‘But now we’ve got to see how many clones the CRU have created and if we can stop them,’ Agent T finished.

‘Exactly,’ Emily agreed.

‘Well, we won’t know until we get there,’ Earl said as he too stood. ‘And we ain’t gonna get there unless we get movin’.’

‘Before we do …’ Agent T said. He concentrated on Emily. ‘Did you see that tall, black tower-like building when we first arrived in Vegas?’ When Emily nodded, he continued. ‘We’ve all agreed that we’re going to use that as a meeting place. If anything goes wrong. If we ever get separated, head to the top of that black tower. Understood?’

Emily nodded.

‘Good, let’s go.’

Under a blanket of stars they left Las Vegas and made their way along the Extraterrestrial Highway that ran deep into the desert. When they arrived in Rachel, it was a surprise to see the place was actually considered a town. It was more like a caravan park. There were no houses and the only business in the area was one motel with a small restaurant. Like everything else in Rachel, it was nothing more than a series of caravans parked closely together.

While Earl and Agent T went inside to arrange accommodation for the night, the others gathered outside the trailer.

‘Hey, Em, did you catch that name?’ Joel pointed at the restaurant.

‘
Little A’Le’Inn
.’ Emily read the sign. ‘What else would you call it this close to Area 51?’

Paelen walked over to a flying saucer mounted on a tall pole. It was surrounded by brightly coloured lights. ‘What is this?’

‘It’s supposed to be a UFO,’ Joel explained to a confused Paelen about alien spacecrafts.

‘So that is what the CRU thought I came to your world in when they had me at Governors Island?’ Paelen frowned and looked even more puzzled. ‘It is not very big. How did they think I would have fitted in there?’