#dr axel stoll

[johneichler]

You want some more? Here you go: Dr. Axel Stoll versus Donald Trump «America first!» - Da würde der 2014 verstorbene Kronzeuge reichsdeutschen Geheimwissens, Dr. Axel Stoll, nur milde lächeln.

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: The Fall of the Sun

Fifty-One: Kalypso

A Stalling Resolution

             Their sneak escape, if they could call it that, was the most pathetic, obvious one in the history of stupidity. They would have had better luck transporting a stack of cymbals on top of an elephant.

           That’s exactly what Pax wanted: the cymbals specifically, but Kally assumed he would also want an elephant. Thank the gods Frank had left in a huff before Pax came up with any ideas.

           Calex’s job was to reroute Reyna so Axel could get a proper goodbye with her, then ask Chiron to use the camp phone so he could call his parents. Axel disagreed with the first part of the plan, but liked that Calex could keep an eye on Chiron while contacting his step-dad and sister. If that didn’t take enough time, Calex would ask Chiron to come with him to check up on Vinyl’s healing process from being tossed by Python.

           Merry’s job was assuring Frank wouldn’t change his mind. And keeping Frank away from Axel and Reyna. And, really, making sure Frank was the happiest Canadian he could possibly be.

           Kally was supposed to escort them until the last minute, to make sure they only left the camp and no one incited unnecessary havoc.

           Calex and Merry said their goodbyes in their recovery room.

           Calex and Axel shook hands. They agreed with Kally: when everyone was better and Calex came back from Britain, they would have to have a proper soccer match. Pax tackled Calex into a forced hug, which left Calex frantically checking all his pockets, until he withdrew his Arsenal beanie. No one knew when or how Pax had gotten that from Thalia or how he could reverse pickpocket with a gimp hand. Maybe Kally shouldn’t have been, but she felt relieved to know he could still enact that terror on the world.

           After a few threats from Lapis, Merry confirmed she’d come wherever they were hiding to help out with Hiro within the next two weeks. She would also deliver news on how Sam Datta did on his makeup final. Lastly, Merry patted Pax’s head. “Don’t go kidnapping Kallybae, now,” she teased, “I need her here, at least for a bit.”

           “No promises,” Pax said with a grin.

           Then Merry and Calex were off, leaving Kally to wonder, casually, if she really was about to be kidnapped again. The others weren’t in any shape to do a proper kidnapping, but she wasn’t in any shape to resist.

Pax was brainstorming theme music for their slow, slow walk. There was a ramp down the Big House’s porch for Chiron’s wheelchair, but the rest was a trudge through grass. Every jostle made her scared of ruining her skin grafts. Will had strictly told her to lay off her powers for a bit, but she couldn’t help investigating how bad her burns were. They were gross.

“Then we’ll have a heavy guitar riff that rolls with the motion of Axel’s wheelchair wheels. The double-bass drums would be thumping along to Lapis’ limp. All heavy metal. Then, during our trailer, the camera will pan out and words will flash!”

           Pax put his hands on his hips and said with his deepest bravado, “Hospital Heroes: coming to save your town... Eventually.” He waved a hand in front of him to simulate the length of time.

           Eventually was correct. Lapis had to push Axel in a wheelchair while Alabaster pushed Kally’s. Axel had the weird birdcage with a blanket rested in his lap. The ride was bumpy and Kally felt stupid and silly having Alabaster silently walking behind her. Claymore got the glorious job of dragging Euna behind them in a bright red wagon with a squeaky wheel. Pax—with his maimed hand and sore shoulder—skipped happily alongside the others. Without any responsibilities.

           Everyone was surprised when another wheelchair raced from the cabins to intercept theirs.

           Pax leaned close enough to Kally for her to feel wisps of his hair and whispered, “Wheelchair duels. Let’s do this! We have an injured Axel, and can probably get a trash can lid and yard stick for jousting. We’re sure to win.”

           She swatted him away with her good arm, trying to hush him, especially when she saw Miranda Gardener pushing Sherman Yang towards them.

           “Hey! Wait! I have a bone to pick with you!” Sherman shouted. For a moment, Kally froze up, thinking he was talking to her. As they got closer and blocked off their path toward Farm Road, Kally realized the child of Ares’ dark eyes were narrowed above her at Alabaster.

           Miranda looked calm and… maybe relieved when she brought Sherman to a stop.

           Their noisy caravan paused.

           “He might need to wire you a message, since Alabaster can’t really talk right now—aye! What was that one for?”

           Kally glanced back to see Lapis releasing Pax’s ear. “Lazy and out-of-date word play, Ajaxapax. I expect better.”

           Squeaks erupted behind Kally. She glanced back to see Alabaster holding up his whiteboard. They’d tied it around his neck for the sake of ease. The white matched his medical smock.

           He wrote, What?

           Although his expression was difficult to read, since he had to move his head as little as possible, Alabaster’s emerald eyes appeared annoyed. Maybe they always looked like that.[1]

           Sherman inhaled and puffed out his chest. “Thank you for shooting me in the legs four times,” he said. His tone was neutral, eyes intense.

           Lapis choked back a laugh. “Holy Hun-Batz, Ajaxapax, you said this sissy-gorged camp was only for hair braiding.”

           Kally glanced down at Sherman’s legs. From what she could see under his lap blanket, both were fully wrapped in bandages.

           Alabaster raised an eyebrow. He wrote on his white board. It was my pleasure.

           “No really,” Sherman said.

           Miranda smiled softly and set a hand on Sherman’s shoulder. “He’s not being sarcastic.”

           Sherman reached up to take her hand. “I don’t know what would have happened to Miranda, Matthias, or Stoll otherwise or… or if I would have killed Clovis. I know we fought on opposite sides of the war but… you’re alright.”

           Both of Alabaster’s eyebrows rose. He nodded his head stiffly and wrote. Alabaster looked away as he held up the white board. I’m glad you’re both okay.

           With her good arm, Kally reached back to touch Alabaster’s side. Pax had shuffled closer to lay a hand on his arm.

           Alabaster shrugged them both off.

           Sherman cleared his throat. “Yea, well, the Stolls left a surprise for you in your Paxmobile. As a heads up, that Praetor chick just showed up there to supervise Matthias and Tyson.”

           “And she was not happy about it,” Miranda added. “She came from a weird direction and looked pissed. I hope they haven’t changed their minds now that Percy is gone.”

           Kally wasn’t sure what Percy had to do with this or what Matthias and Tyson were doing by the Paxmobile. If Matthias had his way, she was sure the son of Hephaestus would be painting the van pink.

           At the mention of Reyna, Axel shuffled in his wheelchair. He sat up, and for a terrifying moment, she thought he was going to try to stand. Lapis, seeming to sense the same thing, poked him in the chest bandages. Axel collapsed back. Sweat glistened on his brow as he fought to control his breath.

           At Percy’s name, Alabaster’s expression turned to a glare.

           “This is heartwarming and all,” Dr. Claymore growled, “but, if we get one more interruption to this happy promenade, I’m going to leave this wagon stranded here.”

           “He’s just sad we didn’t attach the balloon to his wagon,” Pax explained to Sherman, holding his hands out in a what are you going to do? gesture.

           Dr. Claymore shot Alabaster a look and Kally had to wonder how much Alabaster had warned Dr. Claymore about Pax’s… Paxness. Alabaster’s shrug looked exhausted and defeated.

           “Hardly,” Dr. Claymore finally said.

           Miranda gave them a soft smile, gave Euna’s slumbering form a worried glance, and pushed Sherman back towards the cabins. He nodded stiffly in parting.

           “If Doc gets tired of pulling Euna, we could make a sleigh. Tie Axel and Kally’s wheelchairs together with Euna’s wagon at the back. Then we could lasso Mrs. O’Leary and—”

           “I swear Alabaster. I’ll shoot him before the day is over,” Dr. Claymore grumbled, dragging the red wagon ahead. Kally hadn’t noticed until now that their escape was even more obvious than she could have imagined. Everywhere Dr. Claymore pulled Euna, a trail of flowers sprouted in their wake.

           Something about seeing Dr. Claymore with a flower trail made Kally choke on a giggle.

           They made it to the Paxmobile without anymore interruptions. A few Romans and satyrs saw them while they went through the fields. One of them—Ric?—scowled and looked like he was going to approach them, but another—Erin? A newer recruit Kally remembered being nice—dragged him away. Most of the Romans were pretending not to notice the caravan.

           Kally wondered how this felt for the boys. She knew how much Alabaster hated the Romans and Greeks and how terrified Pax had been of them. Despite Pax’s attempts at cheeriness, Alabaster and Axel’s faces had gone red with each Roman’s glance. Even Lapis’ mood darkened. They were leaving their former enemy encampment beaten and broken, as heroes running like villains, with their only reward being a chance to flee. Even that was treated like a favor.

           This wasn’t a joyful escape towards freedom for Alabaster, Axel, and Pax. It was a walk of shame.

           With everything they’d done and how much they’d risked, her insides burned at the thought.

           Before she could say anything, they crested the hill above Farm Road.

           Luke, the automaton golden donkey that pulled their van at mythological hyperspeed, shined in the sun. He munched at a bucket that must have contained motor oil. Someone had attached a This ass welcomes you banner around Luke’s neck.

           There was a new contraption on top of the Paxmobile. It was made out of celestial bronze and looked almost like a bike rack, but the bars came down the sides of the van, more like a cage. Her throat constricted until she saw Tyson helping to move something huge off a makeshift fork-lift and onto the top of the rack.

           Although it was tightly wrapped in protective coatings, Kally caught her breath, sharp enough that her ribs hurt. It was Joey’s statue. They’d reinforced the van structure to bear the weight of the stone.

           A blond chubby boy stood beside Reyna, appearing to argue with her. When he caught sight of them, he bolted forward. Kally had a surreal sense of déjà vu as Pax broke into a run towards Matthias Sverre Hanson.

           “Ajax Pax, here to relax!” the Nordic boy called as he collided with Pax in the gentlest collide Kally had seen. Matthias carefully lifted Pax around the waist to spin him.

           Through Pax’s laughter, his voice quivered. “Dude, you gave us ramming power. Now Joey can fight, even in statue form.”

           “We figured you guys would want her, and that Hera wouldn’t want her in her temple,” Matthias said. He set Pax back on the ground. The first time she saw these two hug, Matthias had been way bigger than Pax. Pax must have gone through a growths spurt in the last few months. Matthias had struggled to move him.

           The son of Hephaestus tapped his fingers together.            “I heard you were doing everything you could to get the Zhang man to change his mind about letting you go. Without Percy around to argue for you guys, I’d be careful of that.”

           “Percy?” Kally echoed, though immediately regretted it. Without turning around, she could imagine Alabaster’s scowl and could feel some of the hatred radiating outward.

           “Yea. Something about how the gods promised Percy that they would forgive all the children that fought on the Titan’s side, and how New Rome needed to respect that promise. He said it was Pegasus dropping that the gods back out on that promise by omitting you three. He was really pissed when they found out that they banished you, Witch Boy.” Matt pointed some finger guns at Alabaster.

           Tyson hopped down from the top of the van. The vehicle made a terrifying crunching noise. “Yes! Percy made me promise his friends would get away safely! Mattie said he make sure you leave safely from here!” He patted Matthias’ arm.

The son of Hephaestus almost flopped onto the ground under the motion. “You got it!” The cyclops gave everyone a huge, happy wave before walking back towards camp.

           “Say hi to your chicken for us!” Pax called after.

           Kally desperately wanted to know how Alabaster was reacting. He’d shown nothing but contempt for Percy, someone he blamed for the murder of many of his siblings. Kally would have to ask later. Reyna was approaching their group. Miranda had been right: Reyna did look pissed.

           Her dark eyes were icy as she examined Lapis. “You weren’t part of the deal.”

           Lapis snorted and would have taken a step forward had Axel not shot a hand out to block his path. Without turning from the praetor, Lapis said, “Hey, Witch Boy, Doc, can either of you drive stick?”

           “I’m a Mist form. I could dissipate at any second,” Claymore said, without truly answering. He set the red wagon’s handlebar down. Euna mumbled and tried to roll in the wagon, only accomplishing tilting it slightly.

           Alabaster scribbled onto his board. He’s not wrong and I don’t have a license.

           “Witch Boy is too good to drive himself places. He had sexy, Hispanic chauffeurs for that,” Pax said, brushing off his shoulder, then Axel’s.

Lapis put his hands on his hips, leaning heavily on his good leg. “Ajaxapax’s hand looks like a yeti’s chew toy and Tufted Ears is about to exhaust himself from breathing too heavily in your presence.”

           “I’ll remember this next time we’re all hanging out with Sapphire,” Axel growled softly. Kally glanced over at him. Axel managed to keep his chin up, but his ears were flattened against his hairline. His face was tinted red from embarrassment. One set of claws dug into the wheelchair’s armrest while the other gripped the blanket overtop the birdcage.

           Reyna examined the birdcage in Axel’s lap, not seeming to notice his humiliation in her anger. “That wasn’t part of the deal either.”

           Kally’s skin felt cold as she realized who, not what, was probably gagged inside the birdcage.  

           Dr. Claymore cleared his throat. “As thrilled as I am at the thought of getting rid of that thing, do you really want him lounging around one of your camps? If he’s under Orpheus’ curse, you can’t kill him. You know the other children will underestimate how dangerous he is. We were doing a fine job keeping him under control before some of your people attacked one of his wards in front of him.”

           Kally held her breath. That was the most direct she’d ever heard someone be with Reyna. Though, most people she’d seen interacting with Reyna were other teenagers, not angry middle-aged men. Kally had a feeling Dr. Claymore could have been talking to the Queen of England and had the same level of reverence.

           Reyna frowned and went to open her mouth, but Matthias raised his hand and waved them. “Yea, whatever. Reyna and Axel can go argue over who gets custody of the Plague Bringer. Meanwhile, uh, Lapis, if you’re the driver, I’ll need to talk to you about some adjustments I had to make to the Paxmobile for optimal statue awesomeness. And Doctor Dude, you’re the adult, so I wanted to go over some stuff with you too. Pax, Alabaster, and Kally can check out the gift Chris, the Stoll brothers, Sherman, and Clovis left for Alabaster.”

           Lapis snorted and jammed one hand into his pocket. With the other, he hooked his fingers around the birdcage to lift Jack out of Axel’s lap. “You could have just said you wanted to give Red some time to fondle Ajaxapax and Witch Boy before they say goodbye.”

           The words resonated in Kally’s head. Say goodbye. Although she had Alabaster behind her and Pax and Axel beside her, emptiness clutched her chest. Calex would be flying home to Britain soon. Merry still didn’t know where she and her brother would end up once the courts were done sorting out their family. Even if Merry were emancipated, she would have to live in New York, at Camp Half-Blood and Kally still didn’t feel like she could live here and pretend to worship these gods. Would she have to go home to Virginia, alone, and go back to school and pretend nothing happened? With all the struggles everyone else was facing, she felt guilty feeling sorry about it, but… She had no idea where the Pax boys and Alabaster would end up. Sure, Kally needed to get home and tell Mr. Paine and her family that she was alive, but would she really be—

           “We are not going to fondle,” Kally said, belated. Her face felt like it was on fire.

           By the time the words came out of her mouth, Alabaster was already pushing her wheelchair down to the van.[2] Matthias, Lapis, Dr. Claymore, and Jack’s birdcage were strolling further down Farm Road. Well, Lapis was awkwardly hobbling. Kally remembered Pax once telling her that you needed two feet to operate a stick shift. She wondered whether or not the boys would end up stranded a mile away after Lapis’ bravado ran out.

           “You two can talk in the back of the van,” Pax called to Reyna and Axel as he hopped alongside Alabaster and Kally. “You know. If your fight needs to get private—”

           Alabaster tugged Pax forward, cutting his words off. Assuming the truce between the Romans and the Triple A Chimera really was temporary, she knew who they were hunting down with a gag and a forty hour seminar on polite conversation. And, if Frank had his way, a grizzly bear.

           The ache in Kally’s chest grew the closer they got to the van. The beat-up white vehicle shouldn’t have made her feel fuzzy on the inside, considering how many times she’d almost died since stepping into it. Now, she knew the logo Pax had painted over belonged to his father’s pharmacy company, and she better understood the nearly burned-off, bright, kindergarten-like letters:

Pax Extraction Team

Ajax, Axel, Alabaster

Discounts on Protection Today!

           They would need to paint over the scratch-out and re-add Alabaster’s name properly.

           Alongside the van, there was a red satchel that bulged awkwardly, like Santa decided to give them explosives this year. Her heart sank even further to realize Christmas must have been a few days away.

           Alabaster stopped her wheelchair alongside the van. All she could do was look at the red satchel to ignore Axel and Reyna’s voices as they disappeared inside the back doors, and ignore how warm her eyes were beginning to feel. If she wasn’t careful with the teary-eyed thing, she would end up looking like a puffer fish had rolled all over her face, and she really didn’t want that to be the last impression Alabaster and Pax had of her before… before…

           How long would it be before she saw them again?

           Kally swallowed and went to open her mouth.

           Pax held a finger up to her lips. Really, he put a hand up to her face since he couldn’t curl the other three fingers back. He gave her that devilish smirk and winked his hazel eye.

           With his functional hand, he pointed to the cracked passenger window of the van.

           Alabaster rolled his eyes and leaned against the side. Although he tried to look nonchalant, Kally could tell he was either resting from being out of bed too soon or getting closer to the window to listen to the conversation inside.

           Kally knew she shouldn’t. Part of her insides squirmed to think of Axel and Reyna finding them eavesdropping and what the two powerhouses would do, even with Axel in a wheelchair. Hades, Axel would probably offer for Reyna to throw him and the wheelchair as violent ammo.

           But, Reyna’s voice came through the cracked window so clearly, and Kally really wanted a distraction.            

           “—pretending not to realize it, but it’s only a matter of time before some of my enemies in the senate start asking about why my father’s ghost was haunting me. They’ll use it to get me exiled or worse.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to resign due to a suspicion. Your soldiers love you.”

A sigh. The van shifted weight as, Kally guessed, Reyna sat down somewhere. “That might change once everyone hears the Triple A Chimera escaped from the custody of two praetors. One of us will have to take the fall, and I won’t let it be Frank.”

“I won’t—” Axel cut off abruptly. He swallowed audibly before his voice came out much gentler, almost fragile. “You know, if something happens, there’s this small group of friends of mine that are thinking about starting a camp. We’re kinda rag-tag right now, but there’s a position open for a weapons instructor.”

           Alabaster rolled his eyes, not pleased with that prospect. His hands clenched into fists. Instead of continuing to listen, he knelt down beside the Santa bag and dared to blindly open something from the Stoll brothers. Kally or Pax should have warned him what the Stoll brothers were like, but the singing satyr butt balloon was probably as much warning as Alabaster needed.

           Pax, meanwhile, pouted. “That sounds a disappointing amount like they’re not going to make out. I heard Axel got the title of Cat Breath while they were in Xibalba. Imagine Reyna’s reaction if she smelled the Fancy Feast on him.”

           Maybe she should have been more indignant on Axel’s behalf, but she was too excited about something he had said. “You’re still going to make the third camp?” she asked, trying to keep her hope from making the question too high-pitched. She’d been scared to ask about it, especially around the Romans and Greeks.

           “We’re still going to make the third camp,” Pax said. “You can’t get rid of us that easily. Like I told Axel, I’m like a parasite. Besides, you owe me too many drachma and Reese’s Sticks for me to just leave, Cyclops.”

           Alabaster made a startled noise and Kally guessed it didn’t have to do with her debt.

           As he stood up, he pulled the Cloven Terror helm from the red satchel. The Stygian iron enlaced in the ram’s head seemed to radiate darkness. Those eyes looked so hollow without the familiar green glow. Creepy as the helm was, Kally wanted to touch it, to see if its cold, taunting voice would greet her. For a startling moment, Kally wanted to wear it.

           When Kally shook off the feeling, she found Alabaster’s emerald eyes examining her. With that look of understanding, Kally knew she had shared something with Alabaster that he’d never shared with anyone else.

           Pax jumped gleefully and scurried to investigate everything else in the bag. Within a second, he recoiled from the next helm.

           The Leonis Caput helm, the Silver Tongued Snake helm, Axel’s Nemean lion pelt, Alabaster’s spell elements, and the pieces of Pax’s utility belt were all inside as well.  There was also a note that Alabaster snatched from Pax so Kally could read it aloud. “Please don’t use these to kill us. Love, the Stoll Brothers.”

           Pax mimed wiping a tear from his eye. “Weapons of murder. Such a sweet peace gesture. I wonder if we can recruit the Stolls to join our future pranking squad. I mean, camp.”

           With how much the Romans feared these, Kally was genuinely impressed that the children of Hermes had stolen them back. She considered all the people and items now expected to fit into the Paxmobile: Dr. Claymore, Euna, Joey on the roof, Lapis, a half-paralyzed Hiro, Alabaster, Pax, Axel, Backbiter, this satchel with the three darker alter egos of the boys.

           “Do you guys have somewhere to go? While you’re—um—we’re planning out the next camp?” She had no idea how that was going to work. This was too big a group to live out of the Paxmobile like the boys had been doing when she met them, let alone take a few hour drive without Clamore shooting Pax. If the Romans really did decide to hunt after the Triple A Chimera, they couldn’t go back to Alabaster’s ruined house. The Romans knew its location and Kally assumed his HOA wouldn’t appreciate the pieces of dragon strew across the lawn.

           “After we drop by the hospital for Hiro, I have an idea.” Pax gave her his devilish smirk. “I don’t really plan but—”

           Pax stopped talking. His mouth opened for a second as his eyes went wide. Then, they narrowed and his smirk took on a different quality that Kally wasn’t sure she liked. “I do plan. I am the schemiest of anti-hero schemers that has ever schemed. I do have a plan. And, it starts with this.”

           Kally flinched when Pax leaned directly to her eye level, his face close enough to smell his chocolaty scent.

           Kally glanced at Alabaster, panicked. This was Pax, right? Pax who never planned and was proud of it? If Pax could turn into other people to cause mischief, could Atë or Eris? Kally had no weapons on her. She didn’t know if she had the strength to conjure another sun javelin and would definitely melt off her skin graft if she tried.

           Alabaster’s eyes also went wide. One of his hands had hesitantly strayed into the red satchel.

           “Kalypso Kassand, I, Ajax Pax, hereby absolve you of any oath you have to me on the River Styx. You no longer need to keep my secrets under threat of an eternally damned soul, just under the threat of this sad panda face.” He reached to touch her chin. Without the ligaments to control his fingers, his caress was rougher than usual.    

           Kally had seen Pax’s puppy pout at least a hundred times over the last few months. This time, it felt different. The cute, happy innocence didn’t extend to his eyes.

           Kally couldn’t focus on that with what he said. Her mouth fell open. The tears she’d been trying to fight back threatened to surface. All this time, she couldn’t freely talk to Merry or anyone about everything. She didn’t always know what Pax considered a secret and had to wait for his permission to tell people things, things that could have probably saved lives. The freedom, something she just accepted she’d lost forever, made her heart thud.

           “Thank you,” she said. Kally choked back the tears. Her face would be lobster colored in no time. If she let herself cry, the ache in her ribs said it would hurt a lot. “However, since you tricked me into it in the first place, I want you to call off our drachma/Reese’s debt off.”

           Pax’s pout morphed into a smile. “You’re wising up, Cyclops. How about we cut it in half?”

           “Down by a quarter,” Kally said.

           “Deal. Alabaster, what’s a quarter of a lot?” Pax asked.

           Alabaster scribbled on his board. For a moment, Kally wondered if he actually remembered her debt and was doing the math. Then Alabaster flipped his board, revealing that he’d taken the time to draw a middle finger instead of just flicking Pax off with his hand.

           “Aw, Alabaster, the time you took to draw that shows that you care,” Pax said.

           Kally could hear the back door of the van open, letting Reyna hop out and adjust her braid in a way that made Pax do a giddy My brother got to make out and is probably unconscious because of it dance. By now, Lapis, Claymore, and Matthias were walking back towards them with the birdcage. The ache in Kally’s chest increased; their time was almost out.

           Kally felt stupid asking when she would see them again. Plus, she didn’t need to leave that to their hands. As Merry and Atë had pointed out, Kally wasn’t a doormat anymore.

           “You guys are Catholic, right?” she blurted.

           Alabaster went to write on his whiteboard.

           Pax swiped his marker.

           Alabaster scowled.

           “As Catholic as a Mayan-Greek demigod can be,” Pax said. Although Pax had answered for all of them, Kally had a guess as to how the god-hating child of Hecate might feel. That would need to be a discussion for a different day.

           “Come over to my parents’ house for Christmas,” Kally said. Her face felt like it would melt off if it got any hotter, but she didn’t care. She was taking a stand here.

           Pax’s expression softened. The darkness melted from his eyes so he could relax into a much more genuine Pax puppy face. “So we can scare your racist brother again? Kally, that’s the best holiday gift you could have given me.”

           The last time she was home, Axel had terrified John, her brother, and his drunk friends with a trick of the Mist. Had that really been the last time anyone from her family had seen her? She was terrified for the inevitable “I told you so”s about getting into a white van with two random guys and disappearing for a few months.

           Even Alabaster seemed to calm at her proposition. Either that or the exhaustion was getting to him. She wouldn’t know until he finished erasing and rewriting whatever he was doing on his board.

           “There’s a really tough conversation I need to have with my mom about my real dad,” Kally said, trying to keep her voice even. “And it would be nice to have back up in case she gets too mad to talk to me during the holidays.

           After rewriting one more thing, Alabaster finally held up his board.

           We’ll be there.[3]

           Kally’s heart skipped a few beats.

           Lapis, Matthias, and Claymore walked back over with the birdcage. Matthias and Reyna stood on either side of Kally’s wheelchair as the boys put the red satchel into the back of the van. Fortunately, Euna woke up enough to groggily stumble out of the red wagon.

           Euna paused, glancing at her sister’s statue attached to the top of the van. She reached up and touched Joey’s stone foot. Also fortunate, she didn’t seem to notice Lapis, who carefully avoided that, “damn, psychotic grass hippie.”

           Kally wanted to give Euna a hug or to ask her what happened when she disappeared down to Tartarus. She wanted to tell Euna that Calex had demanded she give him a phone ring as soon as she was feeling up to talking, and that Thalia said she’d hunt Euna down to slap her for the “flower cocooning.” Whatever that was.

           But, Euna’s dark eyes were so glassy, Kally wasn’t sure if Euna even knew she was awake. The eerie glow to Euna’s skin, made her look surreal and Kally was suddenly nervous to approach her friend. She wondered if Euna was aware enough to tell her father about what had happened to Joey.

           Not that the Pax boys, Alabaster, and Claymore wouldn’t keep her safe, but they weren’t the most comforting.

           Before Euna could disappear into the van, Kally said, as loud as she could with the ache in her chest, “Euna! Let’s get milkshakes sometime soon!”

           Despite everything they’d been through, Kally knew uncomfortably little about Euna except that she liked food. Kally hoped that would be enough.

           Euna’s distant gaze found hers. She gave Kally a thumbs up. “I like milkshakes.” Then she slipped into the van with Backbiter in sword form.

           Lapis hopped into the driver’s seat and put Jack’s birdcage in the passenger seat. Axel made Matthias roll Kally closer so he could give her the gentlest hug from where he was propped inside. The glance he shared with Reyna made Kally wonder exactly how their conversation had ended.

Alabaster reverted Claymore to a Mist card to conserve on car space, and to prevent him from shooting Pax. Alabaster squeezed Kally’s hand.

Then, Alabaster and Pax were hopping into the van.

           Pax paused in the doorway with the doors almost shut. Baller, his crazy weasel, scampered up his clothing to rest on Pax’s shoulder. He gave her a devilish smile and winked his yellow eye. “Just remember kids,” he said to Reyna, Matthias, and Kally. His gaze lingered on Kally. Reyna sighed in annoyance and Kally, similarly, had to wonder if Pax had rehearsed whatever he was able to say.

           He sucked in a deep breath. “The moral of the story is: if you’re cute enough or pathetic enough, you can get away with anything. The system is broken and villains get to walk free.”

           With those uplifting words, Pax shut the doors.

           Reyna walked behind Kally. Kally’s throat constricted, wondering if it would be worse to have Reyna—someone who still terrified her—or Matthias—someone known for pranking—push her back to the Big House.

Reyna made the decision when she rested her hands on Kally’s wheelchair. Kally wanted to watch the van drive away, if nothing else than to make sure Joey’s statue wouldn’t flip off. The older girl didn’t seem interested in such sentimentality.

           “Wait,” Matthias said when Reyna went to wheel her.

           They paused and looked at the Paxmobile.  

           The Paxmobile made a few revving noises.

Then made a pathetic puffing noise.

           Luke the donkey snorted once, seeming unimpressed with the van’s epic failure.

           Another rev.

           “Hansen?” Reyna asked.

           Matthias grinned. “Oh, I disconnected the battery to fuck with them. I’ll give it three more tries before Axel—”

           “HANSEN!” Axel roared from the inside. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY VAN!?”

           “And with that, I’ve made Axel angry enough that he’ll allow Pax to come back and prank me.” He withdrew a wrench from his pocket and walked towards the Paxmobile. Matthias cheered, “Now we’ll have to see them again.”        

Kally grinned. Even without Matthias’ disconnect and the promise of a chaotic, crowded Christmas, she was sure they would.

 ***

Okay! So I’m going to refrain from a long-winded, soppy author’s note until the second epilogue is out. For now: thank you guys for reading! T.T You’ve all been so nice and supportive, especially those of you leaving such encouraging comments and asks! I really hope you enjoyed!!! Stay tuned next week for Epilogue Part I.

I can’t believe this whole thing will be out and done at the beginning of August O.o T.T

 ***

  Bonus:

           Leo was definitely digging Brooklyn House’s set up, with the giant albino alligator, Sadie’s annoyed boyfriend, and Sadie’s panicking older brother. It was nice knowing Calypso was at camp, helping Chiron in the healing center and that he’d never need to see that creep, Pax, again. He just wanted time to figure stuff out, between Calypso’ trickery and how Pax had messed with his head. However, as he helped craft a massive carrier for all the healing vials Jazz, Brooklyn House version of a child of Apollo, had made for them, he couldn’t fight off the nagging feeling that he’d forgotten something else.

           On the plasma TV hanging above a fireplace that was large enough to park a car inside, he caught the words of a local news anchor.

           “—unsure if this is a runaway Christmas float, or a well crafted-prank drone—”

           Leo almost dropped his contraption. “Uh, Lady Sadie?”

           “Yes Commander Valdez?”

           “Uh, we may have left a homicidal, flying metal dragon loose in New York City.”

           “You left a what?!” Carter almost screamed from another room.

           “Nothing brother dear!” Sadie called sweetly.

 ***

Footnotes:

[1] Mel betanotes, “Maybe it’s Maybelline.”

[2] So, in the first rendition of this, I put, “Alabaster was already pushing her down to the van.” And I realized that wording might be a bit forward/unbalanced considering how much of an audience they have and how he can’t move his mouth.

[3] No, the epilogue is not a Christmas special. XD that was Mel’s first guess.

[derstein1]

Ich mag das @YouTube-Video: https://t.co/pjthE0pF1H Neuschwabenland: Was ihr laut Dr. Axel Stoll wissen müsst | VERSCHWÖRUNG AKTUELL

[fuszpils-blog]

Der Fuehrer privat: fuer Deinen download manager!

[aluminiumfoilhat-blog]

Amazon Buchempfehlungen rechtzeitig zum Fest

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: Fall of the Sun

Forty-Nine: Calex

Not Enough Lollipops

           Tension eased in Calex’s chest.

           “Oh titans, it’s a zombie,” the pile of Pax blankets squeaked. Pax’s head popped out of his bedding, looking a bit too close to the squirming kitten pile in Will’s arms. Calex could only see from Pax’s nose up, as he kept the rest of him buried thoroughly. His black and golden eyes were gleaming with hope. The crazy spikes of his overgrown fauxhawk spiraled out in wispy swirls. “You’re alive! I think! Please tell me you’re alive and not a ghost with a dead kitten! That would be way worse. Does that mean Ghost Boy isn’t spokes and shadows?!”

           Although everyone said that Will had died, Calex never saw the body. The idea of him being dead never really solidified and Will looked very much alive right now.

           “You,” Will growled. Pax squeaked and disappeared back into his pile of blankets. “You should be sleeping on your back. The position you’re in is going to disrupt the healing of your shoulder. You’ve already permanently lost mobility of one hand, do you really want to lose mobility of your whole other arm?”

           No response came from the Pax pile. Calex had to wonder if that dodgy prick was pretending to sleep.

           But the words hit hard. Permanently lost mobility.

           Calex tensed each muscle on his body. Although he was sore, he could feel how painful it was to move all of his limbs. When he glanced beside him and Merry, he saw a stack of bloody bandages, clean ones, and a pinkish tinted bowl of water.

           Will’s tired blue eyes narrowed at Leo. “This isn’t for a prank, is it? I have a lot of patients to tend to.”

           “Kitten cannons,” Leo said, “We’re testing new defenses since our old ones failed.”

           Will sighed and handed him the bundle of mewing kittens. “You’re lucky Chiron told me I needed to get out of the infirmary for fresh air.”

           This crowded room, Calex assumed, shouldn’t qualify as fresh air. He feared what the infirmary looked like.

           “Our party pony is up?” Merry squeezed Calex’s shoulder and said the question his mind was too slow to put together.

           “Yes, he’s been busy tending to the wounded.”

           Will did a quick examination of Lapis’s leg. Sloppily, he cut the pant leg away, revealing a deep gash that was stuffed shut with red sand. Will made a face, giving Lapis a look.

           Lapis raised an eyebrow and glanced to Sadie.

           Sadie cleared her throat. “I, uh, may not have thought to tend much to him. Being a villain and all.”

           Will sighed.

           A reverence quieted the room as Will cleaned and bandaged Lapis’ wound. Calex noted how Will didn’t hum or sing. Calex wondered if his healing powers didn’t bode well with Will’s resurrection. Calex assumed it had more to do with the number and severity of the wounded. Will probably couldn’t waste his powers healing minor cuts and scratches or dodgy blokes like Lapis.

           After Lapis, Will started at one side of the room and went down the line. He widely skirted the covered birdcage in the corner, glanced over Euna’s slumbering form, gave Axel a confused glance, then paused by Calex.

“You’re going to have some serious scars,” he said, gesturing to the pile of bloodied bandages beside Calex. “Merry’s been at your side cleaning your injuries for the last day, but it’s like something sucked your skin off your face and parts of your arms and legs. For you, bed rest isn’t as vital, but you will need to keep your wounds clean. Once you’re well enough, I expect you to report to the infirmary to help me. Your experience at a clinic is invaluable since we’re down so many healers.”

           The words were hollow: a doctor’s report. Calex remembered the shattered structure of the Apollo cabin and wondered if anyone had gotten out alive.

           Will’s blue eyes examined Merry. Their intensity softened. “Merry, are you—”

           “I’m fine, Doc,” Merry said, her voice shaking with the thinly veiled lie. “We’ll talk about that later. Not ready for that downer yet.”

           Before Calex could ask, Will had already moved on to Kally. He knelt down, delicately lifted the sheets around her arm.

Calex glanced at Merry. She touched her cheek and mouthed the word, “Later.”

Merry might open up more in private. He hoped so. Calex swallowed and sat up to inspect Kally.

Kally’s arm was wrapped from her elbow down.

           “No one is allowed to touch this arm. Assuming you two are leaving like you planned…” Will glanced at Leo and Sadie.

Leo gave him a thumbs up. “You got it, medic. Don’t you worry. The Valdezinator will be right back.”

           “Some of my mates from Brooklyn House can clean up this camp as fast as you can say the word, ‘Order,’ and we have a healer,” Sadie said. “And I want to see my brother panic when Leo comes with me to pick them up.”

Will looked back to Merry, Calex, and Axel. “With them gone, you’ll need to make sure Kally doesn’t touch her arm or move it when she wakes up. She has two broken ribs and her opposite hand is fractured, so she won’t want to move much anyway, but the third degree burns in her right hand required a skin graft from her leg. Don’t let it smudge.”

           Calex swallowed. He and Merry nodded. Merry began to tremble.

           Will pointedly skipped Pax and walked to Dr. Claymore. The middle-aged man set his book into his lap and raised his eyes to the healer.

           Will frowned at Alabaster’s still form as he replaced the IV bag. “He should have been up.”

           “Oh, he was, for a period of time,” Claymore agreed. He pulled the edge of his jacket open, revealing several syringes beside a pistol. “Do you really think he’d let himself get bed rest here?”

           Will sighed, closing his eyes. “Fine. Just let him wake up next time. Sherman, Clovis, and the Stoll brothers all wanted to talk to him.”

           “Alabaster will not appreciate their idea of streamers, get-well cards, and singing balloons,” Dr. Claymore warned, tilted his book back open.

           “Take that up with the Stoll brothers,” Will said. Then, he added, “Without using your pistol.”

           Dr. Claymore snorted something about the art of subtlety.

           The son of Apollo walked to the door, paused, reached into his pocket, and stepped back to Pax’s sleeping bag. He set a lollipop at the edge of Pax’s bed. “I found an extra one,” he said.

           Something poked out of Pax’s pile of blankets. It took Calex several seconds to recognize it as a hand. There was a massive blacken spot in the center of the palm, fading to gruesome greens and purples. The rest of the hand was swollen to the point of looking like a poorly made jello-prop. Pax didn’t grab the lollipop like Calex was hoping. Instead the dumb bloke used the side of his hand like a rake, dragging the lollipop into the depths of his nest.

           “Thanks,” Pax said from the inside. “Now I don’t need to sing the lollipop song for the next ten hours.”

           Will sighed again. “I’ll be in the infirmary if you change your mind about treatment.” He returned his gaze to Leo and Sadie, who were fawning over the kittens. “I’ll let the others know you’re heading out soon.”

           As soon as Will left, Sadie folded her arms across her chest and smirked at Leo. “We only needed one kitten.”

           “Yea, but who doesn’t want a blanket full of kittens to lighten the mood?” he asked.

           Axel nodded his head. “Kittens can add a certain amount of happiness and mischief to any situation.”

           Sadie carefully scooped a kitten from the pile and held it towards Axel. “Bast,” she chided.

           Calex flinched when Axel inhaled sharply. One of his hands clutched his chest wound while the other fumbled back onto the sleeping bag to catch himself from falling backwards.  

           Meanwhile, the orange and black kitten in Sadie’s hands grew. Sadie gentle set it onto the floor. At almost the same time the paws touched the ground, they had shifted into hands and feet.

           A woman knelt there. She was beautiful, with black hair and caramel skin. Her eyes were similar to Axel’s, glistening lamplights with slits down the center. A leopard-print leotard clung tightly to her gymnast body. Her gaze was both amused and concerned as she examined Axel.

           “Will the real Mr. Stoic please stand up?” Merry whispered playfully.

           “Don’t move too much,” Bast warned. She leaned closer to Axel, nudging his head and shoulders around to investigate his wounds. Calex remembered Axel trying to decapitate Aphrodite for less, but their leader moved obediently. He looked confused, disoriented, and a little sickly. His eyes flashed around the room, taking in everyone’s position. His chest fluttered.

           “I partially stayed to assure you had strength to recover. You’ll have more scars as honoraries for being such a seasoned warrior. But please, do take care of yourself. Our kind isn’t designed to process the burden of guilt for so long.” Bast ended her investigation by curling a finger behind his tufted ears.

           Axel shook his head, his eyes focusing on her. With a grimace, he sat up, squared his shoulders, and raised his chin. “Thank you.” His mouth tried to form a word, but didn’t seem to know what to say. “That was a massive gamble, but without your help—”

           Bast’s smile turned exclusively to amusement. She leaned forward and licked along Axel’s jaw line, ending at his ear. Sadie gasped and Axel went silent.

“Let me know if things don’t work out with that praetor,” Bast said, “And, regardless, don’t be a stranger.” She took his hand and used her finger to write several glowing hieroglyphs on his palm. “You can use this to contact me if you want to make some more intra-cosmic magic, my handsome Tomcat.” She ended by booping his nose with her finger.

           Axel’s face flared to bright red.

           Leo let out a low whistle. Merry, Calex, Pax, and Lapis all choked on laughs.

           When Bast rose to saunter to Sadie’s side, Sadie swatted her arm. “Bast!” she said gleefully. “You ruined the poor boy! How have I never known you to be so devious?! How have you not told me stories!”[1]

           “I try to keep my kittens out of that part of my life, but you should know all cats are mischievous,” she said with a massive grin.

           Sadie rubbed the remnants of tears from her eyes. She managed to stop smiling when she returned her gaze to Calex. “You better keep that promise. If you haven’t given Gretchen a ring by the time we get back, I’ll add you to Leo’s new lizard collection.”

           She pointed to a paperclip cage at Leo’s waist containing a tiny gecko.

           Calex nodded his head. “Right.”

           Bast, Leo, and Sadie left with that parting salutation. Considering they were in a room with Lapis Pax and the Triple A Chimera, he couldn’t believe they would leave them unguarded.

           “You’re up,” Leo said to someone in the hall. “And let me know if you need me to make some special restraints for our friends. I’ll make sure it smells bad and plays annoying music.”

           Two praetors and a centurion walked into their room. [2]

           Calex tensed. He could feel Merry do the same. He could see Axel pale. All he could think about was everything they’d been unjustly blamed for over the last few months. But, was all of it really unjust? Axel had confessed he and Pax had tricked Leo into recrafting Kronos’ scythe. Euna had killed a dozen mortals. The Triple A Chimera had worked for Kronos. Alabaster, Euna, and Axel didn’t do much to hide their disdain for the gods, and Calex, Kally, Merry, and Pax had actively been protecting them.

           “Time to finally decide what we’re going to do with you,” Reyna said, unsheathing a knife to twirl it between her fingers.

 ***

Okay, last time I have Reyna twirl a knife for dramatic-end-of-chapter-effect, I promise XD Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! :D Stay tuned for Kally’s chapter, Satyr Butts and Catching Up.

 ***

  Footnotes:

[1] So, Bastet wasn’t just the goddess of protection in Egypt. She was also a goddess of fertility and physical pleasure, something Riordan—in his middle grade series—understandably skirted around. During Bast’s festival, women were freed from all social restraints to sing, dance, drink, and—yes—lift their skirts to show off their genitalia with pride. One of my former housemates worshipped Bast and loved doing just that no matter how often it sent one of our more reserved housemates into a panic.  

[2] How many Romans jokes start like this?

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: Fall of the Sun

Fifty: Kalypso

Satyr Butts and Catching Up

             Kally was happy they waited until she was awake to fill in the group about what happened. Frank wanted to wait until everyone was up, but Axel and Calex did a convincing job dissuading him from waking Euna.

Clovis had gently beckoned Kally out of her surprisingly peaceful dreams and Chris Rodriguez and Matthias Severe Hanson very ungently pulled Pax from inside his nest. Hazel was even generous enough to give Alabaster a white board and some dry erase markers.

           Kally feared the first thing he’d write was, My helm or your first born child.[1] Considering the ingredients he kept for his spells, she wasn’t sure what he’d want if she’d lost something of his that was so important.

           All of their possessions were gone when Kally woke up: her notebook, messenger bag, and his Cloven Terror helm. Even her clothing was gone. Instead, she woke up with an IV drip in her hand, a surgical smock, and pain with each breath. She had barely been able to pick up her glasses from the pillow beside her.

           It was creepy to think someone had changed them. The only people Kally knew well at camp had also been unconscious. For the time being, Kally would just pretend that was one of Will’s powers: magically poofing people into surgical-friendly clothing.

           The only person in the room who was allowed to keep their weapon—and Kally guessed “allowed’ was a strong word—was Euna.

           Instead of asking about his missing things, Alabaster scribbled down, Why? and pointed to the balloon beside his sleeping bag. It depicted a satyr on one side and the satyr’s ass on the other with a note that said, “Poke me; I sing!” There were also streamers strewn off his IV stand.

           “Apparently this is how a certain child of Hermes decided to thank you for saving his brother,” Dr. Claymore said. He never looked up from the book he was reading, though the smile that he cracked said he’d watch the Stoll set up everything while Alabaster slept.

           Alabaster’s fingers flashed over the board to write, Ajax. No.

           Pax, meanwhile, pouted.

Axel sighed. “His arms are too messed up to throw anything at it. Trust me. He tried.”

           Frank and Reyna sat in foldout chairs they’d managed to stuff into the room, moving Lapis’ closer to the weird bird cage in the corner. Hazel stood ready by the door like the most unassuming of guards. None of them wore armor, just SPQR sweatshirts and workout pants. Hazel’s fingers tensed around her spatha’s hilt. Reyna twirled her knife into the edge of her seat. A sword hung at both her and Frank’s sides. Every time Euna mumbled in her mossy cocoon, they would startle and go for their weapons.

           While nibbling on some microwave breakfast sandwiches, Reyna got them up to speed.

           “Apparently, after Prometheus brought Axel and Pax back here, he contacted Helios—”

           Kally felt her jaw drop along with a piece of egg. “Wait—that creepy, former sun god that used to work with Hemera?”

Kally remembered Helios and Eos, the Goddess of Dawn, dream-messaging her to say that Hemera had been taken.

           “Creepy is a forgiving choice of word,” Reyna said, looking utterly unamused.

           Frank coughed off to the side. “Reyna may have brought Helios up to speed on the last few decades of equality on gender treatment.”

           “With her fist,” Hazel said with a giggle. Whatever transpired must have been intense. Hazel was fanning herself.

           Axel smiled, looking impressed. Although Merry and Calex had informed Kally about his flirt-session with a cat goddess, Kally had a feeling no one could distract Axel from this praetor.

           Reyna cleared her throat and continued, “Prometheus contacted Helios—”

           “And said there might be an open job listing for Sun Chariot Driver,” Pax filled in, bouncing on his haunches.

           Apparently, before Kally woke up, Pax had been refusing treatment. She forced him to take some ambrosia with a Reese’s Stick. Now, she was wondering if the extra sugar before real food was a bad idea. Though, with the barely convincing smile on his face, she wondered if Pax was acting as peppy as possible to distract everyone from how he actually felt.

           Reyna nodded, looking a lot less like she wanted to strangle Pax than Kally would expect. “If Nyx wanted Hemera to come back alive, Eris told Nyx that she had to wrap Apollo in the Golden Net and keep him there, but didn’t mention anything about the chariot. When Nyx’s old business associate showed up to borrow the Sun Chariot, she didn’t try to stop him.”

           “How did Helios know where to find them?” Calex asked. He leaned up against the wall, sitting on top his sleeping bag. Kally winced anytime she glanced at him. Half his handsome face was covered in some vicious scabs that cracked when he talked. The bandages peaking out of his clothing indicated that wasn’t the only part of him that was cracking.

           Merry, sitting between them, would occasionally frown and apply pressure with a clean cloth when something bled too much. Her face was marred with bruises, and when Kally had tried to put a thumb at neutral position to see how Merry was feeling, Merry had shaken her head and mouthed the words, later, sweetie.

           Frank snorted and leaned back in his chair. “Augh, you should have heard Helios. ‘I helped find Persephone when Hades kidnapped her. You think I can’t find someone as high on his own sun fumes and flamboyant as Apollo?’’

           Hazel frowned. “They really don’t like each other. After Sadie, Leo, and Jason got Hemera and Lapis back and Lady Nyx let Lord Apollo go, he stormed back here. Helios had come back to get rid of Python’s corpse—”

           “Corpse?!” Calex and Kally echoed.

           Her head spun. She had put her everything into the last light javelin she threw, but… corpse?

           Calex slipped a hand past Merry to offer Kally a high five. “Nice play, Kassand,” he said.

           Kally struggled to raise her arm that didn’t have the skin graft. Every move made her ribs burn. On the list of reasons she found her powers stupid, having the ability to conjure the heat and brilliance of the sun without being fireproof topped everything else.

Seeing her slow movement, Calex leaned the extra way to tap her hand.

“Thanks for the assist, McKenzie,” Kally said, sincerely hoping they’d be well enough and the chaos would settle enough that she and Calex could scrimmage each other on the soccer field. Every time they high-fived, it made her long for a fun, normal-seeming soccer match.

           “Python will reform one day,” Reyna said. “Until then, Helios pried out her fangs for the two of you. Thalia already called dibs on one of the eyes to add to her Aegis shield.”

           “Thalia’s okay?” Axel asked, his ears perking up at the name.

           Reyna nodded. “Once Lady Diana saw the sun fall, she returned to check on everyone. Thalia is with Lady Diana now, assuring that Lord Apollo doesn’t skip out on details when they explain everything to the other Olympians.”

           The squeak of a marker brought everyone’s attention to Alabaster. He held up his white board. If his jaw wasn’t wired shut, he looked like he might have been smirking.

           Helios and Apollo didn’t get along?

           Kally suddenly wondered whose side Helios was on during the Second Titan War and why Prometheus, who apparently had been hiding since Mount Othrys’ fall, had been comfortable going to him for help.

           Hazel continued her story from where Kally had interrupted. Kally felt her cheeks get red, realizing how much she’d derailed them.

“Helios’ actions helped save the camp, but Lord Apollo was furious the older deity had borrowed the sun chariot. And Helios began shouting at him for neglecting his employees. He demanded Lord Apollo give Hemera, Eos, and Astraeus more benefits and more days off during the winter solstice. I thought they were about to start brawling, but that’s around when Artemis showed up and calmed her brother down. It was…” Hazel smiled softly. “Kinda sweet. You could tell Helios really cared. He only left to check on Hemera and make sure she and Nyx were okay.”

           “At least he had some redeemable features,” Reyna grumbled. She flexed her hand and Kally noticed the bandages around Reyna’s knuckles. “And Lord Apollo helped a little with the healing before he left. His song saved Lou Ellen and Michael Kahale.”

           Alabaster made a noise.

           Kally glanced over to see him covering his stitched jaw, where she knew a bone had been sticking out a day before. Judging by his pallor, he must have tried to talk.

           Kally didn’t have the heart to ask which people Apollo hadn’t been able to heal. A moment of silence passed; everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing.

           Pax stopped rocking on his haunches. “So, two of the Special Seven are here.” He pointed to Hazel and Frank. “I’m going to guess Piper and Annabeth are still doing some massive sleep marathons to get rid of the kissing disease and the buboes. Commander Valdez just left, and his good mood means he’s got his blond Superman around. Where’s your Aquaman?”

           The tone of his voice was a little too careful. Kally didn’t understand the seriousness of the question—she assumed Percy had other important things to do now that he wasn’t glued to a chair—then she saw the way Merry jutted her jaw to the side.

           “After Jason assured him that he’d focus on reconstruction, Percy went to spend the day with his parents and little sister,” Hazel said, “I think the whole family is coming to help out tonight. He’s a little rough though. Um… I think the early stages of mono are setting in.”

           Kally held her breath as Pax, Axel, and Lapis all turned their gaze to Merry. Even Calex frowned in concern, showing she hadn’t told him about anything yet.

           Reyna cleared her throat, sitting up.

           Merry waved the diversion off before Reyna could begin. “I guess I can’t really avoid the Debby Downer anymore,” she said. The buoyancy vanished from her voice. “I…”

           Her gaze had sunk to the floor. Reflexively, she tapped her collarbone, like she expected the music dial on her jacket to appear. After sucking in a shaky breath, she looked back up, glancing from Pax, to Axel, to Lapis. “Baby Jackson is safe… but, by the time the EMTs got there...” A silent tear rolled down Merry’s busted cheek. She withdrew her hand from Calex’s reach when he tried to touch it. “Hiro is paralyzed from the waist down.”

           Kally froze. She could hear the sound of three different cheeks popping.

“He fell onto one of the parapets… I shattered his mind. It was all I could think to do when—he’s at Mount Sinai hospital.” Merry’s breath was so short, she sounded close to hyperventilating. “I-I’m sorry.”

           Kally felt her mouth hang open in surprise. Iciness in her stomach made her set the half-eaten breakfast sandwich down. Her appetite was gone.

Merry hated violence. She wouldn’t even hurt bugs. Shattering someone’s mind? Was that even something Merry could do?

           Tears streamed down Pax’s face.

           Axel closed his eyes.

           Lapis choked into his gag. His chair thudded on the ground as he thrashed.

           Pax shot up from his bedding.

           Frank rose to intercept him, but Reyna shook her head.

           Pax scurried to Lapis. With a whimper at moving his arm with the injured shoulder, he tore off Lapis’ gag before anyone could stop him.

           That mustn’t have been what the praetor thought Pax would do. Maybe a hug. Not giving a psychopath their most dangerous weapon back.

           Hazel, Frank, and Reyna all tensed. Kally expected Lapis to cast some kind of Egyptian magic and send everyone’s faces smashing into the ground.

           Instead, Lapis sobbed, tearing making black lines as they mixed with his charcoal liner. “He’s alive. Our stupid grime-licking Dartface is still alive. You hear that, Tufted Ears?” Lapis looked up, his expression one of crazed glee. “There are still four Pax boys! Eat garbage, world! You can ‘t eradicate us that easily!”

           Pax and Axel released broken laughs. Pax snuggled, as best as he could, against Lapis.

           Axel muttered something back to Lapis in a staccato language that Kally could only guess was Mayan. The Egyptian barked something back that made them burst into more sob-laughs.

           Merry looked understandably speechless. She hugged herself and huddled further from Calex’s worried glance.

           Axel exhaled slowly and opened his eyes. “Merry, we expected you to do what you needed to do. Hiro babysat Percy’s little sister for days and was willing to cut off her fingers without a moment of hesitation.”

           “His mind was more like a mirror hanging out at a skeet shooting lounge,” Pax croaked.

           “But he’s alive,” Lapis repeated, rubbing the coal-tear streaks against his sleeve. “Our crazy bastard is alive.”

Lapis sat up to glare at Reyna. “I’m going to hug my brothers,” he announced. He muttered something in Egyptian and his bindings disintegrated.

           The Romans clutched their weapons tightly as Lapis rose. He half-dragged Pax, half-limped over to Axel’s sleeping roll and collapsed beside him, dragging Pax down on his other side.

           “We’re going to be a Facebook-friendly, snot-happy family, and we’re not losing any more of us. But, I’m still kicking both your sorry asses for all this shit later,” Lapis said, rubbing his face on some of Axel’s bandages. His scowl darkened when he pointed to where Merry was now sobbing into her cupped hand. “Don’t think you’re off the hook though, Wine Babe. You’re coming over all the flippin’ time to try to fix up Dart Face’s messed up head.”

           Merry didn’t complain. She nodded her head feverously. With that tiny hint at forgiveness, she leaned toward Calex.

           Despite all the terrible things Lapis had helped put them through, Kally felt her own eyes warm. Axel and Pax looked so much more relaxed with their family member beside them, like neither cared what was going to happen next. For a moment, she could picture some of the stories Pax had told her, about them playing in the school yards of Belize or pranking the carnival with Frasco. Her gut twisted to realize there really were only four members left when there used to be seven in their Tumbling group.

           Like Reyna had read a book on how to ruin family moments, she twisted her knife deeper into her chair and said, “We need to talk about that.” Frank and Hazel’s expressions fell. Alabaster made a low growling sound, closer to something Axel might make. Dr. Claymore shut his book and examined them carefully.

           “Merry being a Wine Babe?” Pax choked through hiccups.

           Reyna ignored him. “Frank and I discussed matters with Chiron and Annabeth. Considering Merry’s father’s position at camp and her importance in saving Percy’s little sister, we believe the Olympians will overlook her involvement with the Triple A Chimera,” Reyna said.

           Kally felt her stomach make a valid attempt to punch its way out.

           “We believe Calex will also be absolved of any crimes, as well as Kally, especially considering their prominence in taking out Python. However, Euna is a different matter. Her declaration and continued vehemence towards the gods will make her a target for Olympian ire and they’re going to be looking for a target after this humiliation.”

           Kally glanced over at Euna. The daughter of Demeter snored softly in her moss and grass cocoon. Despite the scythe in her hand, Euna looked peaceful, in a weird feral dryad sort of way.

           Any relaxation Axel might have felt about having another sibling close must have tensed away. He sat up, away from Lapis and Pax, pulled his shoulders back, and raised his chin. “You’re not taking Euna without a fight,” he said.

           Reyna sighed. She stood and walked over to Axel’s sleeping bag. When she knelt down, his gaze remained firm. Then, Reyna pressed the butt of her knife into Axel’s bandages.

           Pax and Lapis exchanged a look and a short conversation in Mayan. One of Lapis’ hands shot up and Pax shoved it down.

           Axel’s face paled at the pressure on his wounds. He collapsed backwards with little more than a grunt.

           “Will says that you’d be dead if that goddess hadn’t helped you heal,” Reyna said, sheathing her knife. “And Euna’s not the only one we’re worried about. The Triple A Chimera isn’t safe. New Rome has wanted to hunt you down for years, and I assume the gods want the same. Look at what Ares did as an unofficial punishment. Image what it would be like with a full consensus.”[2]

Kally could feel the saliva building in her mouth and she swallowed back the urge to vomit. The thought of Pax’s fresh injuries and both brothers’ internal turmoil flashed through her head. She still couldn’t believe the Greeks and Romans worshipped gods that would force people to kill their own family members. She knew Axel and Pax had screwed up in the past—they’d even betrayed her—but nothing warranted what happened to them.

“None of you could defend yourself right now. The spellcaster doesn’t have a mouth to cast a spell. The thief can't use his hands to throw a smoke bomb or plan an escape. The tank isn’t strong enough to hold up against the gentlest press from the butt of a knife,” Reyna said, her tone tight.

           “You said butt,” Pax whispered, though his face was still pale.

           No one laughed at Pax’s joke. None of them were in a condition to help the Triple A Chimera or Euna escape, except maybe Euna herself. Even then, maybe not. Tearing one god apart left Euna comatose for a day. What would Euna do if they summoned her to Olympus with the twelve gods?

           Squeaks interrupted the ominous hush. They glanced over to Alabaster as he flipped his white board over, What are you saying?

           His scowl was intense.

           “I’m saying that we’re grateful that you helped save camp, but that doesn’t make up for your crimes in the past.” Reyna’s sternness didn’t break under his glare.

           Merry, Kally, and Calex exchanged a terrified glance. This wasn’t right, and they all knew it.

           Frank cleared his throat. “But, we are also saying there is a lot of chaos happening at camp right now and it’s hard to keep track of who is here and who leaves and who was supposed to be guarding the Pax Mobile. Hazel, wasn’t it supposed to be Dakota?”

Hazel coughed and became very interested in something outside their room. “I’m not sure. I thought Dakota had a sugar crash and Bobby was supposed to take over for him? It’s kind of hard to say.”

After dealing with Axel and Pax for so long, Kally was relieved to see that Hazel was a terrible liar.

           Tension eased from Kally’s chest. Merry squeezed Kally’s shoulder. Calex chuckled.

           Axel still looked concerned as he struggled to sit up. Although they made it as subtle as possible, Kally could tell Lapis and Pax were helping him, especially when Lapis rolled his eyes. “Reyna?” he asked, like he was looking for affirmation.

           Although Kally usually looked at Axel as a leader of sorts, she wanted to hit him with a, shut up and accept it speech.

           Reyna folded her arms across her chest. Her face was unreadable. “If I didn’t want to face the Olympian’s wrath, I wouldn’t be here when the sunsets. That’s as long as Thalia suggested she could stall the Olympians, if there was a need. But, also, I would get out of here as soon as possible, in case any guards decided they wanted to change how vigilant they were being. Speaking of which, Zhang?”

           Frank sat up, and Kally got the feeling he often forgot he was a praetor. It made him a lot less intimidating and made Kally feel even worse that she’d given him a massive concussion during one of their… misunderstandings. With the Triple A Chimera on the run again, Kally wondered if any of those misunderstanding would be cleared up, or if the Triple A Chimera would go down in the history books as exclusively monsters.

           “We should decide who we wanted to post here, since Leo and Sadie might consider leaving early for their trip without telling anyone and there might be a gap in the guard,” she said. There was a hint of humor in her tone as she turned to step out the door.

           As Frank went to stand, Axel said, “Wait, I’ve been meaning to say something to Praetor Zhang.”

           Reyna continued out the door with little more than a wave. Apparently she was done with Pax nonsense for the day.[3]

           Frank paused. His expression twisted to one of trepidation and Kally couldn’t blame him. Out of all the heroes of Olympus, this shockingly nice son of Mars had taken the brunt of the injuries from their group, both mental and… emotional.

           “I’m sorry about your ear,” Axel said. The comment felt almost like a casual formality and Kally contemplated whether maiming apology letters were a thing.

           Frank reached up to touch the bandages still plastered to the side of his head. He frowned. “Yea, I’m still pretty mad about that. But… um… Sorry my dad made me interrupt your date. I would have at least waited until you were alone to arrest you. Do you guys… know what happened to it? My ear, I mean? Will said we could have reattached my ear if we had it…”

           Frank looked a little queasy. Kally had to wonder: if someone ripped off her ear, would she rather they had eaten it or the ear just been lost?

           Alabaster and Pax exchanged a glance. Axel’s face remained blank, but he puffed up his cheeks and popped them.

           The son of Hecate tapped his white board to draw attention to him. After an uncomfortable period of marker squeaks, Alabaster held up his board, No. It would be weird if we took it, right?

           Frank’s shoulders slumped. “I just wish we hadn’t lost it,” he said.

           Calex cleared his throat. Kally made herself look anywhere but at Frank. Merry glanced at all of them with a disapproving, confused hum.

           Before anyone could stop him, Pax let out a nervous giggle. “Oh, we didn’t. It’s in a tube of formaldehyde in Alabaster’s basement.”

           Frank paled. His mouth moved a few times in horror. Hazel’s eyes went wide.

           “I just wish we’d lost it,” Frank corrected forlornly. If possible, his shoulders sank lower.

           “Oh!” Pax said, “Speaking of not losing things that could emotionally destroy cute Canadian boys.”

           From within his blanket nest, Pax withdrew a charred stick and balanced it on his busted hand like he was presenting a baby lion.

           Hazel reacted first. She snatched the stick from Pax’s palm and held it close to her chest. “When did you get this back?!”

           “We thought Atë still had it!” Frank said. He rushed to Hazel’s side, slipping a hand to hers to touch his stick.[4] “Thank—wait, were you the one that set it on fire during the fight? I felt that.”

           Frank scowled at Pax.

           Pax puffed up his cheeks and popped them. “If I said that I gambled your life force for a good cause—Aye!”

           “What Ajaxapax is trying to say is that he’s sorry for stealing your piece of ugly kindling in the first place,” Lapis said. His fingers were pinched tightly around Pax’s ear. His charcoal-lined eyes narrowed as he gave Pax a devilish grin. “Just ‘cause Tufted Ears traumatized you doesn’t mean you get an easy pass.”

           “But—but my year of consequence-free pranking!” Pax squeaked, squirming to break Lapis’ hold.

           Hazel tucked the stick neatly into Frank’s pocket. “When did you get it from him in the first place?” she asked. “Frank is really careful with his stick.”

           Lapis released Pax so he could give a proper explanation.

Heat rose in Kally’s cheeks. With everything going on, she couldn’t remember why she was so enraged by the mention of that stick, but she knew it was something that made her furious.

As they watched, Pax’s features shifted. His skin darkened several shades as his hair lightened to a cinnamon. His black eye lightened to match the hazel one. His frame shrank. Within a few seconds, there were two Hazels in the room. Fortunately, his hand stayed busted and bruised as a dead giveaway in the event that they decided to play a quick round of Ring around the Rosie. Pax-Hazel altered the way he was sitting, mimicking Hazel’s shy demeanor.

Frank’s jaw dropped.

Real Hazel gasped.

           Hazel-Pax batted his-her eyes at Frank and fanned her face. When he spoke, his accent mimicked her slight Louisiana one. “Oh, the day after we arrived in New Rome? It was just a little detour that Frank and I took on our walk to the training fields.  I needed you two to be too flustered to communicate, so no one would realize there were two Hazels walking around. And I needed a centurion that the praetors would trust to go into the principia on their own.”

           “Wait, what?” Axel demanded, scowling at Pax.

           “You dodgy perv,” Calex said, putting the good half of his face into his hand. “Do you want these blokes to go back on letting you go?”

           Frank looked like he couldn’t decide if he was going to be sick or if he was going to turn into a rhino and gore Pax. Hazel looked horrified. “You were mean to Frank? As me?!” she asked, sounding genuinely hurt.

           Kally remembered why she was in the let’s hurt Pax party.

           “Yea, ‘mean.’” Hazel-Pax lost the act. At real Hazel’s appall, he gave Frank an endearing smile. “She’s so cute and innocent.”

           Frank seemed to decide on goring Pax. He stood back to full height and Kally could see him tensing for an attack.

           Lapis twisted Pax’s ear again. Pax shrieked while morphing back into his raven-haired, hazel-and-black eyed, Hispanic self.

           “Aye! Okay! Okay! I’m sorry I impersonated your girlfriend and rocked your morning!”

           “We’re giving you this head start because you saved the camp,” Frank told him, shaking with rage, “But, once we help rebuild the camp, I’m fulfilling my father’s quest and dragging you before the Olympic council in place of your brother.”    

           With the threat, Frank stalked off down the hallway.

           Hazel paused. She walked up to Pax and punched him in the face.

           Pax squealed again, pressing his ruined palm to his face. “Well deserved punches are the most painful!”

           Hazel’s mouth moved a few times. She blushed. When she couldn’t think of the right words, she stormed off after Frank.

Although Kally knew Pax’s words were light, the tone was choked, like all his obnoxious bravado had met its match. For an uncomfortable moment, she wondered if Pax had been intentionally a jerk to let Frank and Hazel focus on that, instead of going easy on him after… everything.

           Kally shook off the feeling. She was still mad at him for doing whatever he did with Frank while they were almost-not-really-dating. She was also mad that she couldn’t decide if she did or didn’t want to know what it was or if that even mattered. There had been so much going on, and so much almost dying, that Kally hadn’t had a chance to think about her feelings for Pax, or that Alabaster had kissed her in the infirmary, or that Alabaster and Pax had dated, or that Pax had locked himself into a hopefully platonic date with his half-sister. There was still too much going on to acknowledge that train wreck.

           New rule: no flirting until at least one month after the most recent traumatic event. Preferably with everyone in safe locations with fewer gods trying to kill them.

           Kally glanced at Pax, wondering how long he’d make it before—

           “What did you do?” Axel demanded again, his voice tight.

           Tapping emitted across the room and Alabaster pointed to his board. And why did you need access to the principia? Unlike Axel, Alabaster looked amused.

           “Yep, still illiterate,” Pax reminded him, though Kally suspected he’d dodge that question regardless. “Let’s just say that Frank might know these hands better than Alabaster or Kally. And really, that—in itself—is a crime.” Pax held his hands up and winked at Kally. He blew a kiss to Alabaster as best he could. Although he was trying to look playful and cute, the way his shoulder slumped and the discoloration of his hand almost distracted Kally from the obscenity. Almost.

           Axel sighed. “Lapis, can you hurt Pax for me?”

           Pax didn’t squeak fast enough when Lapis snagged his ear. There was a split second where Kally could see Pax examining his hand. His forearm twitched with movement, but only his thumb folded to the bruised skin. A sickness returned to Kally’s stomach when she realized he was trying to move his other four fingers. All their hard work reattaching Pax’s tendons had been undone. She wondered if he’d ever be able to move his fingers again.

           In one way, that felt like karma, with how much of a sneak thief and pickpocket Pax was. But then Kally remembered how much Pax liked to paint and sew and bake for others. She remembered how he used his pickpocketing to help his brother combat his nicotine addiction.

           That moment of Pax’s silent recognition past, then he was whining under Lapis’ grip. “Aye! Okay! I lied! Kally still knows this hand better!”

           Merry shoved Kally’s shoulder while humming Let’s get it on.

           Kally felt like her face had caught fire, her head scrambling to figure out what he was—

           “Because I cut it open for surgery?” she half-asked, half-explained. That’s the only thing he could—  

           Something made a loud thump. Kally jumped. Pain exploded in her ribs and she inhaled sharply. That’s when she remembered there was an adult in the room, listening to this whole conversation.

           Claymore had slammed his book shut, which Kally didn’t even remember him reopening. “As charming as this teenage idiocy is, it might be prudent to follow the praetors’ suggestion of haste. The Triple A Chimera and Euna are on a timeline. I don’t want to see what will happen if they change their minds.”

 ***

Thank you for reading!!! I hope you enjoyed :D Stay tuned next week for Kally’s chapter, A Stalling Resolution. And, afterwards, stay tuned for the Part One/Part Two epilogues the following weeks! We’re so close to being done!

 ***

Footnotes:

[1] Pax would like to say that Alabaster probably wants to say this regardless, but not with the same intention that Kally fears.

[2] I just had to note the amount of swearing and anger Mel wrote in her betanotes about this. XD

[3] Mel beta note: “BUT YOU LOVE ONE PAX’S NONSENSE, RIGHT?! THERE’S STILLL A CHANCE, RIGHT?!”

[4] I will leave this how it sounds and judge all of you for saying anything between this cute Canadian and sweet New Orleans girl could be dirty.

[aluminiumfoilhat-blog]

Verwechslungsgefahr!

[aluminiumfoilhat-blog]

Falls ihr neue Lektüre benötigt.

[aluminiumfoilhat-blog]

Eine kleine Sammlung von Dr. Axel Stoll.