Page 41 of Goddess of Storms

"Why?" Nile asks. "We need to get Harper. What is so important in your car?"

Stone raises an eyebrow at him, as they help me into the back of the truck. "My hammer." He smirks.

Nile rolls his eyes as buckles me in, "Fine, but if it's not there, we are not going on a crazy search for it. Harper is our number one concern."

Stone grunts as he climbs into the passenger seat. "Then hurry your ass up, we have to get to Harper."

Nile revs up the engine and speeds out of the lot. "Your car will be in a wrecker's yard, anyone have a phone with google?"

"I think that's in the car still, too," Stone comments, "but I know where to find it."

"What is the plan? And who put the pants on me?” I ask.

Nile and Stone both laugh.

“Trust me, I won’t be doing it again anytime soon.” Nile laughs. “Phoenix, do you have a weapon of choice?”

“A sword, Father insisted all his sons were trained in hand-to-hand combat and swords. Got one handy?” I ask.

Nile pats his right forearm, where his trident tattoo is, “Never leave home without mine. Well, it’s a trident but that’s better than a sword.”

“Not all of us are lucky enough to get magic tattoos, or for that matter a gift of any kind from their godly parent,” I gripe.

“A little bitter back there, Phoenix?” Stone asks.

With a huffing sigh, I answer, “Maybe a little, but I’ll get over it. Those fuckers took our girl, let's get her back.”

“Turn here,” Stone tells Nile, “Just a few blocks and the impound yard will be on the left. You two stay here and I’ll grab my hammer.

“How are you? Okay?” I ask Stone. “I am sore in places I didn’t know I could be sore in and my head is killing me. Can you look for my sword in the car? I had it in there before the wreck.”

“I’ll look, and my father, he worked us to the bone, and then made us work harder. That was his way. He said he was giving us a thick skin.” He winks as Nile pulls in to the lot and he hops out.

“Well, his father was nicer than mine,” I whisper.

“I can’t imagine having Ares as a father, I’ve heard the stories, he is almost as much of an asshole as his father.” Nile smirks.

“Worse, we trained all day and at night. We would have little “battles” and whichever son or daughter lost would fight him. He never once showed mercy, either. And the swords were real,” I tell him as I rub the scar on my wrist.

“What’s the plan when we get to the address of the card? I don’t think that they’ll welcome us with open arms. I think it’s best we have a plan of attack ready,” I tell Nile.

“What do you suggest? Of the three of us, you have the most military-type experience and your fireman training may be handy.”

“First, we need to scope out the location and find where they are holding her. We can’t go in guns blazing. Where the vantage points are and what type of weapons they have. Once we do that, we can set a small contained fire to distract them and we can sneak in,” I tell him.

“Dude, you just thought of all of that just now? Your tactical planning could rival Athena herself.” Nile laughs.

“Fuck, don’t say that out loud, We have to save Harper, not incur Athena’s wrath,” I reply.

“What is taking Stone so long?” Nile complains, ignoring my comment about Athena.

“I mean he was literally just hit by a car, so it may take him longer to get around.”

About that time, Stone lumbers toward the car and with a smile on his face and his hammer in hand.

Jerking the door open, he pops down in the seat, “Time to bring our girl home. Sorry Phoenix, no sword in sight.”

Harper

---