Part 14 (1/2)

”Or did you desire to save the world from some pain Cain would inflict? She didn't tell you all the details, just the ones you needed to know. It's likely there's more to her story than she's telling you. But Gwynn, if she's telling the truth even just about Cain escaping, she's right, he will come after you. And you know I'll do what I can to protect you, but I don't know if I can stop him.”

”You can't,” Gwynn said. ”I never thought of it until Adrastia said it today, but I feel she's right, only Cain and I have any hope of cancelling each other out.”

”So shouldn't you do everything you can to make sure you win?”

”Yes, it's just...” Gwynn scratched at the remains of his right arm. ”When this happened, and then my powers were so stunted, I thought I was done. Then Sophia and I decided to start a family, so we used the Bifrost fragment beneath Asgard to come here. We'd explored it a bit previously, and it seemed perfect-a world untouched by Anunnaki madness. When Allison arrived, I looked down at that tiny little person, and I swore my life wasn't mine anymore-it belonged to her. To leave now...it feels like I'm breaking my promise.”

Pridament shook his head, his hand clapping Gwynn on the shoulder.

”Why do you always find a way to punish yourself? Everything is guilt. When you thought you'd failed to stop the world killer, you were ready just to lie down and die. Then Woten manipulated you, but you still blame yourself for the events of that day. And now, you're given the chance to regain your power-to protect yourself and your family-and still finding a way to torture yourself. It's time to stop being the martyr of your story, don't you think?”

Gwynn tried to find a smile.

”Yeah. I guess maybe you're right.”

Pridament's laugh echoed across the valley.

”Of course I'm right. I honestly don't understand why that continues to surprise you.”

7.

Exit Strategy

Brandt, Caelum, and Adrastia exited the Bifrost fragment on Asgard.

Marie waited for them, her back leaning against their van.

”Took you long enough,” Marie said. ”I was starting to worry.”

She stopped, looking at the three of them.

”Where's Jason?”

Brandt looked away. Caelum bit his lip, his body rocking slightly as though measuring out the right tempo of words to use.

”He stayed behind,” Adrastia said, rescuing the two of them.

”Stayed behind? What the h.e.l.l do you mean, he stayed behind?”

Even as the two men shrank away from Marie's fury, Adrastia stood impa.s.sively.

”It was his plan from the start. He believed staying behind would make Fuyuko look better, meaning no restrictions on her access to the formula. He also thought his life depending on her success would provide her more incentive.”

”Great.” Marie paced, her arms flying about so fast, they blurred. ”And none of you thought that was a stupid idea?”

”We didn't know,” Brandt blurted out.

He shrank away from Marie's glare that said she didn't really expect, or want, him to talk.

She turned on Adrastia.

”So are you telling me he shared this plan with only you?”

”I am.”

”And you expect me to believe he would share a plan like that with you, who he hardly knows, but wouldn't share it with the rest of us who are practically his family?”

”You're demonstrating why he did it, right now,” Adrastia said. ”He knew you would never let him go through with it, so he didn't tell you. Since I was going to be present for his conversation with Fuyuko, he discussed it with me ahead of time.”

”Well, that's just great. So we have no formula, no leader, and nothing but a jump drive with a bunch of prophesy bulls.h.i.+t.”

”You looked at the content on the drive?” Adrastia asked.

”I started to. And honestly, I don't see why you cared so much about it.”

”Then perhaps you should let someone else take a look.”

Brandt moved between the two of them, his hands outstretched, his face filled with the real fear he could die.

”Both of you need to step down,” he said. ”Marie, Jason told us to leave without him. He could've come, but he chose to stay-so I believe it was part of his plan. We may not like it, but right now, we have no choice but respect it. And you...” he said to Adrastia. ”I'm hoping when he discussed this ”plan” with you he made it clear he had an exit strategy.”

”I am the exit strategy,” she said.

”Oh f.u.c.k.” Marie punched her fist against the van, causing it to tip up on its opposite wheels. ”That's awesome. Just awesome.”

”You're kidding, right?” Brandt said. ”I'm not saying you aren't all bad a.s.s and stuff, but it seems a little much to think you can save Jason when he's stuck in a military facility surrounded by Anunnaki.”

Adrastia didn't bother to look at him.

”I'm sorry if my suggestion to have someone else look at the drive came off as an insult, but if you couldn't find any value in it, then you missed something.”

Faster than Brandt could blink, Marie was an inch from Adrastia's face-who, despite the invasion of her personal s.p.a.ce, didn't flinch.

”Then maybe you should just tell me, if you're so brilliant.”

Adrastia said nothing, just pierced Marie's skull with her stare.

”G.o.d d.a.m.n Ageless Ones,” Marie cursed, turning away from Adrastia and tearing at her hair. ”You always think you're so superior, and all you ever do is speak in riddles.”