Catalyst (A Grace Murphy Novella) (3 page)

Before too long I could feel the pressure of the conveyer belt hitting against my feet and the cold water flowing around my arms and legs. The nanites hadn't taken too long to heal me, starting with my windpipe. I'd been breathing for at least two rounds of
Pirates Life
and I was humming along as I moved my arms up over my head and stroked outward, pushing myself back from the belt.

Testing my strength I turned over onto my stomach and swam a few yards before finding a walkway.  I had to go back and pull the stranger out of the water if there was anything left. I wouldn't be doing my job very well if I left him there for the humans to discover. Granted, Medusa may have tucked him away somewhere for a late night snack.  I shuddered and pushed that thought away. 

Maybe if I just explained my actions before taking her on, she wouldn't attack me. 

Yeah, maybe I'd win the lottery too.

A God and a snake with an attitude walk into a bar…

Medusa watched as Grace's prone body floated lazily away, bobbing along the surface of the water. She suppressed a laugh. Perhaps in another lifetime they would have been friends.  She didn't have many friends – okay any friends these days. But she still had allies.

She'd have to talk to them.

The agent was paralyzed in a state of shock and fear. Losing a finger wasn't something that anyone, even if they weren't quite human, could live through long without medical attention or at least a tourniquet.

Medusa prodded him with a finger and when he finally opened his eyes, she basked in the glow of his terror.

"Hello," she drawled. "I've been looking for you, Samae. You've been
very
bad.  We had a deal, remember? You failed to provide the information promised and that, my little traitor, means – what?

He couldn't answer through the chattering of his teeth. She didn't need him to. Fear was the price he was going to pay here.  She wasn't even going to bother to kill him – this time.

"Hmm? I didn't hear you." Medusa leaned closer into her prey and allowed her snakes to snap at his face, never quite biting but coming close enough to terrorize.

When he didn't answer, she backed away and whipped her tail back and forth in agitation. The truth was – she didn't need his information anymore.  Something else was affecting the hunt. Her prey was laying low due to the recent loss of her doppelganger.

Her razor sharp teeth gleamed in the low light as she smiled. How frustrating that had been – never certain which one she'd been stalking.  Now, there would be no mistake. Athena would pay for this curse and Medusa would finally find peace.

A giant hand clamped down on her shoulder and she hissed, preparing to fight off this new intruder.

"Calm yourself," Zeus' voice eased through her adrenaline rush and she stopped mid-strike.

After a short bow of greeting she asked, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

He shook his head with a small smile. "I see you've taught my girl a lesson."

She hid a grin and held up a finger. "One moment, please. I need to address a prior engagement. However, I'd love a chat. I was thinking of calling you."

"Yes, of course." He nodded and stepped back, allowing her to continue with her game.

She rose to her full height over Samae and tilted her head, allowing her snakes to wreathe across her shoulders. She didn't want him to go running off just yet, but her conversation with Zeus would have to take precedence.

"As I said, Samae – I'm very disappointed.  You know the punishment for crossing me.  I want you to think on how you can repay me for a while."

He cringed and asked in a small voice, "For how long?"

"As long as it takes me to forget your failure, Samae. How long do you suppose that will be?"

He whimpered and tried to scramble away. "Y-you never forget Medusa," he breathed.

"That is correct. I never do."

Her eyes flashed and his body solidified in a contorted pose.  "Do you suppose the staff will place him with the others?"

"I don't think that you'll leave this one here," Zeus replied.

"No, I don't think I will. I want him to feel this punishment. I was this close." She drew her forefinger and thumb millimeters apart and then flung away the gesture.  She'd lived too long to rage at the unfairness of the situation. It was best to deal with it and move forward, adjusting to the new obstacle course.

"Why do you persist? You've got glamour. You don't ever have to look as you do now again. I don't understand your constant quest for retribution, Maddie.  Why don't you start living a life instead of hunting a demon?"

"It isn't me that I see in the mirror, Zachary. Besides," she waved a hand. "It's all I know. What would I do with a real life at this point?" She turned around, smiling and morphing into her glamoured self.

"Hmm, I like the red. Turn around. Is this one new?"

Medusa did as he asked, showing off her latest creation. Her new body was
average height and weight with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair. The only feature that Medusa wasn't able to change was the sea-green eyes she'd been born with. 

"Do you approve?" She asked shyly.  Zeus was the only person she could come close to calling a friend and she was never quite sure how to act with him. It disturbed her that she cared what he thought at all.

"I do. It's been so long that I don't quite remember your original form. But this one is good. You're the very image of a girl next door."

She laughed. "Yes, we can't let the mice know that a tiger is walking in their midst."

He was silent for a moment, listening to Grace singing in the distance. A small smile played at his lips. "So, I see you've met my step-daughter. Horrible singing voice – that girl. But she's funny as hell."

"Am I to expect retribution?"

He paused for a moment and then shook his head in the negative. "No. Her mother will be put out, but I can deal with that.  Gracie needs a few more lessons in humility.  Her diplomacy skills are lacking."

"The Goddess
help us all when she comes into her full power, Zeus.  I could feel the very edge of what she will be capable of, and it's a terrible and frightening burden." Her voice was serious now.  Grace, that woman-child, was on the cusp of a responsibility that no one person should have to shoulder.

He nodded gravely. "I am certain that I'll burn in the deepest parts of the underworld for what I've done to her. But – you know more than most what Nyx is capable of. She has to be stopped before she surfaces.  We barely contained her the last time without destroying this world.  It was a simpler time with a fraction of the humans living today. I'm still surprised that she's gone undiscovered for so long. I'm afraid with the recent spate of disasters; it's only a matter of time before they pinpoint her location. It's all coming to a head, Maddie."

"Well she's certainly not ready yet. I took her down without so much as breaking a sweat." She shrugged and stilled, listening to the off-key notes drifting down the water-way. "You're right, she is a frightful singer." Remembering that she had other business to attend to, she stiffened. "I wish you luck, Zachary."

"You could do more, Maddie. You could join this fight and help us train her." He circled her wrist with his massive paw and held her gently.

"You know I can't. I am not a part of your world. I have a quest, after-all." Her mouth twisted into a wry smile and she pulled away.  "I'm the Medusa. I've people to turn to stone and children to eat."

"Some would call your quest, revenge."

"Semantics. Besides, can you really see me joining the 'good guys'?"

He looked at her with pity and a small bit of understanding. "You know you're welcome in Olympus at any time."

"Perhaps one day. Maybe when you pull down the statue of the monster that made me, I'll come for a visit."

"You know that statue is of my daughter." Zeus tensed. He knew that Medusa was sensitive to any mention of her nemesis, but he wouldn't apologize for making his daughter in her image.

"Ah, the great Athena. It turns out that like her namesake, she was also rotten to the core."

"You go too far," he warned.

"It's easy to turn a blind eye to those you love. Even when they do not deserve it Zeus.  Be careful you do not make the same mistake again," she nodded toward the off-key warbling. "There's something I should tell you."

"Yes?"

"I bit her."

Zeus gritted his teeth and dug his palms into the ridge of his brow. "You couldn't have started this conversation with that?" 

"I wasn't going to tell you, but after our conversation I thought that perhaps you should know."

He chopped his hand down and spat out, "She's already got anger issues! She doesn't need your god's damned rage on top of it, Maddie. What were you thinking? What am I going to tell Diana?" He was bellowing now, his face turning a mottled shade of red in his anger.

Medusa didn't back away from the oncoming storm of his temper. "Tell her what you like. You have a few days before venom takes full effect."

For the first time in years, Zeus pondered actually killing her.  He'd hoped that her need for revenge would dissipate. It wasn't waning at all. "I should kill you and be done with it."

"But you won't because you feel responsible for what happened. I know you Zachary, you won't kill me when it would only weigh on your conscience.  You have a few days. I'll leave the antidote in the usual place for you."

"Why don't you give it to me now?"

"I don't want to tempt my sisters. This gives you a reason to keep me alive.”

"When you are capable of making a decision that isn't based in either spite or retribution, we can revisit why you should be left alive. Right now, Maddie, I'm thinking that you could use a good killing." He gave her a brief nod of farewell and disappeared.

Just as well.  Friends were liabilities. She wrapped her fingers around Samae's stone arm and prepared to teleport.

Finally, our heroine gets a churro – but only from carts far from the water

The designers of this park really knew how to twisty-turn a ride. I'd thought the ride was much bigger than this but that was the whole point of the illusion.  I slowly schlepped back to where my very un-magnificent battle had occurred and found the place empty of all life. Somewhere in my foggy brain I'd thought that she'd taken up residence in this funky little ride. But no – she was gone and all that was left were the broken stone statues and a half-eaten forefinger shimmering at my feet.

I bent at the waist and vomited into the water which made it all worse. The sight of my gorge splashing across the bits of flesh that were still attached to the bone made me sick all over again.  I have a weak stomach, okay?

Sure, I'd seen more macabre things in the last few years, but this didn't belong here.  This park was supposed be a place of joy and peace.  My mind couldn't wrap itself around this out-of-place situation. So – I lost it. I spun around and tried to control
the heaving. Feet braced apart, I was bent at the hip, staring at my toenails and gasping for air.

They were looking a bit ragged. When was the last time I'd gotten a pedicure? Thank God I hadn't been wearing my boots. Ugh, can you imagine the fungus that would be growing right now?  No wonder I was close to being re-
virginized. I wouldn't hop into bed with someone with dragon toes either.  'Round and round it went, focusing on anything I could but what had just happened here.

How long had it been? Where was Dylan? Where was the rescue party? Why wasn't I out getting laid right now instead of standing in a circle of my own vomit? I'd been lulled into a false sense of security over the last year. Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seat-belts, we're about to take off.

"That is most likely the best question I've heard you ask in a year," Hephaestus drawled.

I shot up and whirled around, "Oh God! Quit sneaking up on me like that!" My heart pounded, trying to burst out of my chest.  I desperately wanted to run screaming. 

"If you'd pay more attention, it wouldn't be sneaking."  He nudged the digit with his foot and asked casually, "Did you do this?"

I shook my head. "Not even close."

"Then what happened here?"

I explained while I stared at a spot in the papier-mâché cavern wall.

"Medusa," He said full of skepticism. "You're saying Medusa is hanging out at the Pirates ride in MagicHappyFuntimeLand."

"That's what I said," I replied exasperated. "What's so hard to believe about that?"

He held up a finger and reached into his pocket, and pulled out his ringing phone. "Yeah, I got her. We're down by the ship battle." He nodded a few times and finished with, "Yeah we'll be right here."

Within seconds Diana and a small team teleported in and began work on removing any evidence of supernatural presence.  She started prodding me and jabbing at me with instruments.

"Ow! What's that? Why are you poking me?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of bacteria is in this water and what sort of things that make their home here?"

"If the crushed throat didn't kill me, I'm sure that a few bacteria aren't going to," I replied deadpan.  "So what is Medusa doing here? I thought she was killed by Perseus."

Diana rolled her eyes and gave me a look that spoke volumes. "Do you believe everything you see on TV?"

"No… maybe. I mean it's on Wikipedia." Heph snorted behind me and I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. "Okay no."

She arched an eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure?"

"We can stand here having 'troll Grace' time or you could just tell me what is up with her."

Diana bent over to pick up the severed finger and plopped it into a baggie. The squishing sound made my stomach convulse and I looked away.

"I don't recall you being this squeamish." She scrutinized me closely and then stuck another instrument in my face. "Did you swallow any of the water?"

I shrugged.
"Probably. Why?"

"Bacteria."
She sighed and jabbed another needle into my arm.

"
Ow! Jesus!" I jumped back and rubbed my injured limb. "Warning."

She made a strangled noise and gestured for the remaining Hunter to search further into the tunnels for evidence. "Medusa has been living relatively anonymously for the last several thousand years. We don't bother her; she doesn't create a mass panic."

"She. Just. Ate someone."

Diana leveled a stare and asked, "Did he deserve it?"

My mouth dropped open and I couldn't seem to shut it. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Heph coughed back a laugh behind me and I squashed the urge to do violence. I gave him my best murderous glare and turned back to my mother.  "Since when do we let the inter-dimensionals eat people?"

She fidgeted and had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Where is Zachary? He's better answering this question." She turned on her heel and strode away.

"Are you serious?" I called after her.

Turning on Heph, I asked, "Is she serious? What is going on here?"

He threw me a lazy grin and leaned back against the wall. "This is what we like to call a Gray Situation."

"What does that even mean?" More importantly, why didn't I know about it? 
You spend a year being a good girl, training and soaking up knowledge and of course you're going to think you know everything. This situation just went to show me that I still knew nothing at all.  It made me feel like a virgin at a porn star convention.  Everyone around me had
that look
in their eye and no matter what – I couldn't figure out what that knowledge was.

It pissed me off.

"It means that it's not black and white. Not everything is cut and dried here. Sometimes things happen that aren't necessarily what you would call good."

"No, I definitely am not calling this good, Hephaestus." I wanted to get this wrapped up and try to enjoy the rest of my vacation with my kid. Speaking of which, "Where is Dylan? I am assuming that he called you?"

Heph nodded an affirmative and gestured toward the entrance. “He's waiting outside for us. Once he got everyone out and explained that they'd been testing out a new type of attraction, they happily toddled off to an area where Drew was waiting to give them altered memories."

I smiled with pride and admiration.
"Smart move. He's a genius kid."

He returned my smile and nodded. "He sure is. Are you guys having fun?"

"Nope."

"Nope, you're not having fun?"

"Nope, we don't get to change the subject.  Now is where you tell me why you aren't hunting that bitch down and lopping off her head.  Also, why didn't I turn to stone when I looked at her?"

He shrugged. "That only happens when she wants it to.  I can guarantee that if I were to chase her down, she would most certainly turn me into a statue.  I prefer to be mobile when people admire my good looks.

I scoffed at him but secretly I agreed. He was, in fact, very pretty. In the last year, he'd started leaving Olympus more and was dressed casually in a pair of well-fitted jeans and a rust colored button down oxford shirt with the collar open.  He had to get his shirts tailor made due to the width and breadth of his shoulders and chest. I may have sighed.

"Did you just sigh at me? I think I heard a bit of a kitten sigh there." He smiled and I forgot to breathe. He was sexy when he was glowering but when he smiled, it was like the planets aligned and the sun shone down on his brilliant gorgeousness. 

'Snap out of it Grace!' I told myself and scowled blackly at him. "No I did not sigh. And – and quit being so  - so narcissistic." 

"Yes ma'am," he replied with mock sincerity. "Are you going to stay here with Dylan or will you be coming back home?"

Home was Olympus. After Lyssa had blown up my house last year, I'd been dodging some government agency by staying in Olympus with the rest of them. We'd stayed in the palace there near Diana and Zeus for a few months before I'd insisted that it was time to build a house.  One day I'd gone out on a Hunt and I'd come back to a brand new three bedroom house that looked surprisingly like my old home nestled about a hundred yards away from Heph's compound. It looked out on the orchards and fields of produce that fed the people of Olympus. It even had shrubbery and flowers around the perimeter of the yard.

I'd shed tears of joy and then promptly kicked everyone out so I could nest and get back to some semblance of normality.

"Naw," I replied shaking my head. "I promised the kid a Park vacation and he's going to get it. We're here for three more days."

He nodded. "Excellent. I've been thinking of taking a short vacation here myself. Mind if I join you?"

I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion. "Are you here for a vacation or acting as a babysitter?"

He became cautious. "What answer will be the wrong one?"

"Smart ass. Do you think she's going to come back for me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm unwilling to take chances with you or Dylan."

"That was probably the best right answer you could give me. I'd like to say that I can handle myself but she obliterated me and she wasn't even breathing hard." I felt small and scared.

"Let's get out of here." He took my arm and guided me toward the exit.

I heard a slithering of scales across the stone floor, whipped my head around, and caught the end of a serpentine tail flicking as it slid behind a set. She had been listening to our conversation.  I glanced at Heph and raised an eyebrow in question.  He shook his head and pushed me harder toward an emergency exit.

That meant that he'd sensed her as well but was going to pretend to ignore her for now. I guess I could go along with that. No need for extra bloodshed – but that was seriously the last time I was going on this ride. For that matter, we were nixing The Paddle Boat too. Any ride that had water was off the list.

"Tell Zeus that I want details. She didn't kill me and I want to know why we aren't nuking her from orbit. But right now – right now I want a churro."

He nodded solemnly and guided me toward my son who rushed toward us when he saw me.

"You're all right?"

I folded him into a hug.
"Of course. I promised that I would be. You on the other hand – you are brilliant. Nice move with the explanation."

I pulled back and high fived him.  After a groan and an eye roll he slapped his palm against mine. "Mom that's not cool anymore."

"Who said I was cool?" I asked, poking him in the ribs. "Churro?"

He nodded.
"Yeah. I could go for a churro."