Chapter 2

 

“Help with what?” Miles asked incredulously. Gabe and Oliver exchanged a look that Miles took notice of. “What? What was that?” he looked back and forth between the two men. “Just tell me what’s going on!”

Gabe and Oliver seemed to be having a conversation just by staring at each other. Gabe finally sighed and spoke to Miles “Your dad has been working with us for quite some time. Long before the…explosion…both of your fathers were helping us. Too many people were getting interested in Rick and Thomas’s work; many have tried to either take their work or kidnap them personally. It had gotten so bad that the only way to save both of their lives-and their families lives- was to fake their deaths. Having the…connections…we have, we helped them disappear. They were safe, for five years.” Gabe stopped, struggling to share all of this information out in the open.

“What do you mean they “were” safe?” Kate question, completely brushing over the fact that her father was alive and well. Miles didn’t have quite the same reaction.

“You mean to tell me my dad is ALIVE?” Miles quickly interjected before Gabe could answer Kate’s question.

Gabe glanced at Kate as if to tell her to hold on a second and turned to Miles. “I’m not sure if your father is alive right now.” He turned to Kate, “Thomas is alive and well and waiting for us back at the base. Someone got word that Thomas and Rick were still alive, and the attempted to take them and everything they’ve been working on from us. We managed to save the information, but Rick sacrificed his life in return. They are holding him captive somewhere, which is almost more dangerous than if they had gotten the information.” Oliver grunted, signaling Gabe to stop talking there. “We need your help getting him back, both of your guys’ help. Please, come with us. I will explain everything, but we need to leave and we need to leave right now.”

Miles looked at Kate, Kate looked at Miles. “We should go, Miles” Kate whispered to Miles. “I need to see him. You know how much I need to see him.”

It was true; after their dads had been pronounced dead they both fell apart. Kate especially took it hard. Miles grieved, which was expected of him, but Kate took it way harder. There was so many days that Miles thought he would lose her to her grief, but they managed to creep their way out of the abyss of pain and loss. Miles was scared to see what would happen if these men in suits were just a bunch of liars, getting Kate’s hopes up just to watch her crumble again. He was more scared of seeing if Thomas really was alive…that meant that everything these guys were saying was the truth. His dad really was alive, and he was kidnapped. And he was supposed to save him?

“How am I supposed to save my dad?” Miles asked, truly curious as to what their answer could be.

Gabe looked at him confused; even Oliver gave him an odd look, “Because you have the power and ability to find and save him?”

Miles laughed, “Oh do I? I’m an 18-year-old senior in high school. Ollie over there looks like he could be of more help than me.”

“You mean you don’t know…? Neither of you know?” This is going to take a lot more explaining than I anticipated…” Gabe mumbled to himself, Oliver shifting uneasily in the corner.

“I won’t help you until I get some answers.” Miles finally decided, ignoring the cryptic mumbling of Gabe. As soon as the words left his mouth, Miles’s front door opened. Mom was home.

 

“Miles, are you home? What are you doing home! You should be at-” Miles’s mother, Joyce, cut off as she made her way upstairs and into the kitchen. “What in the world!”

Miles opened his mouth to try and explain the random men he let into the house, but Gabe was already speaking. “Hello Joyce. Nice to see you too.”

Recognition washed across her face. “Gabe.” was all she said, in a tone matching her troubled and angry facial expression. “What are you doing in my house Gabriel” Joyce spit out between clenched teeth.

“Again, nice to see you too. Before you go asking me all these questions, explain to me how you and Ruth managed to NEVER tell Kate or Miles the truth about who they are!” Gabe was getting worked up and was standing merely inches away from Joyce. Miles took a step towards him; there was no way he would let Gabe take one more step towards his mom.

“What we choose to tell OUR kids is NONE of your business! What are you doing here Gabe? You told me you would never come back here ever again.”

“Something has happened to Rick, Joyce”

Joyce looked as if she had just been slapped, taking a step back. “What do you mean something’s happened? You said he would be safe if he left us.” Joyce accused.

“I know what is said. But something has happened. And we need Miles and Kate’s help to find him. Unfortunately, they don’t know anything about who they really are so their help seems almost improbable.”

            Joyce now looked over at Miles and Kate, finally noticing they were even in the room. Shock and regret showed all over her face. She walked to the nearest chair and sat down. “I think Ruth and I should talk with them first before you take them away from us too.” It was meant to sound bitter, but only Joyce only sounded defeated.

            Gabe nodded, accepting the deal. “We will be back in three hours.” Oliver and Gabe walked out the same way the came in, abruptly and without warning. Miles and Kate went and sat down by Joyce.

            “I’m going to call my mom…” Kate got up and walked into the other room, leaving Miles and his mother alone. Joyce had a far off look in her eyes. Miles waited for her to start explaining; once he realized that she wasn’t going to say anything, he began speaking.

            “Who was that man, mom?”

            Nothing.

            Miles cleared his throat, “How do you know him?”

            Nothing again.

            “Mom, what did he mean when he said ‘they don’t know anything about who they really are’?” Again, Joyce remained silent. Miles groaned in frustration “Talk to me, mom, just tell me what’s going on?”

            Miles tone snapped Joyce back from whatever memory she was trapped in. She began, “Five years ago, a few months before the explosion. Gabriel showed up at our house, you weren’t home. He told us that Rick needed to disappear, or us he would be kidnapped or killed. We panicked; we didn’t know what to do. Eventually I convinced him to leave, I knew it would be better if he were alive somewhere far off instead of kidnapped or killed here-all because I was selfish and couldn’t let him go. He didn’t want to go, Miles, he really didn’t. But it needed to happen. So Gabriel, Rick and Thomas planned out the explosion. And then they left. I haven’t heard from him or any of them until today, when Gabriel showed up. I never knew or understood what your father did for them, I didn’t ask because I was afraid of the answer. But if he is in trouble now, you have to help him Miles. You have to.” She began to cry, overwhelmed at the possibility of something awful happening to the love of her life.

            Miles was just as overwhelmed, but for different reasons. “How in the world can I help him!? Everyone keeps saying this but nobody bothers to explain!” Kate walked back into the room, her mom, Ruth, following her. Ruth immediately flew to Joyce, both women crying into each other’s shirts. Kate was pale and a little shaky. She took the seat next to Miles, across from the blubbering parents.

            Once the mothers were composed, they looked at their children and at the same time announced “You were adopted. Sort of.”  

            Kate jumped on them first. “How can you be sort of adopted? And how could wait so long to tell me!” directing her anger at her mother.

            Miles stared down his own mother, who was unable to hold his gaze for very long.

            “We have been best friends since college. It was there that we met both of your fathers, who were also best friends. They were charming, and we fell madly in love very fast. We both noticed how secretive they were, but didn’t bother asking about it-we were too in love. Eventually the honeymoon phase wore off and we started getting curious. They were gone so much for “work related” things, it was all to weird. We confronted them and asked what exactly they were doing. All they would tell us was that it was government related. It turned out that it wasn’t government related at all. At about the same time we uncovered the truth, you both came to us.” Joyce broke off.

Ruth picked up where she left off.  “Your fathers claimed that they found you both while they were on the job. Just two abandoned infants, with nothing but matching blankets and an envelope. All the letter inside the envelope said was ‘Until its time’”.  

            “What does that mean?” asked Miles

            “We aren’t sure. But it was signed Z&P&H, which we now believe to be Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.”

            “What, as in the Greek gods Zeus, Poseidon and Hades? Is this a joke?” Miles leapt up from his chair. “Are you trying to tell me my real parents are Greek gods?”

            Joyce stayed seated, a calmness taking over. “That was my reaction too. But then I learned that your father, Rick, was involved. He is a messenger of Zeus. Thomas is as well. They spent most of their lives traveling back and forth from the heavens to Earth, gathering all kinds of information on all kinds of different things. They both essentially knew more than Zeus himself. They kept the balance between the gods and the earth. One day, Zeus had him bring you and Kate to Earth. Zeus told him to find families for you both to grow up in, to live happy lives, and to be protected from the Old Ones. Rick and Thomas took it upon themselves to care for, love, and protect you both.”

            “This is all so unbelievable.” Kate stammered as she glanced wildly around the room.

            Ruth spoke up now, “I know it is, but just allow all of us to explain back with Gabriel and Thomas. If Rick really is captured by the Old Ones, you two are the only ones who can save him.”

            Joyce stood up. “Ruth is right, Miles. You need to help your father. You can, and you will. Or else you’re grounded.”

 

True to his word, Gabriel and Oliver showed up back at the house exactly three hours after their departure. After the big reveal from Joyce and Ruth, Miles ran away and hid in his bedroom. He needed time alone to think and process. There was no way his mom could be telling the truth. But for some reason, there was a very small, very tiny piece of him that felt as if she were telling the truth. Only one way to find out, he thought to himself. He wanted to wait out the rest of the three hours alone in his room, but Kate wasn’t going to let that happen. She allotted him enough time to process and deal alone, but soon enough she barged back in and collapsed next to him on the bed. They stayed like this for a long time, just taking in each other’s presence and allowing it to soothe each other’s worries.

            Gabriel marched into the house and began barking orders. After we all had an overnight back with a few of the essentials, he led us to a big black SUV. We all climbed in, Kate and Miles heading straight to the far back. “How long of a drive is this” Kate inquired hesitantly, not wanting to step on anyone’s serious demeanor.

            “I’d get a comfortable, maybe take a nap. It’s quite a drive. I can’t give you much more specifics than that.” Gabe climbed into the passenger seat and gave Oliver the nod to get a move on.

            Emotionally and physically exhausted, Miles did what anyone 18-year-old who just was informed that their biological father was either a crazy-powerful, lightening-throwing, king of the gods, or a sea-living, trident-carrying, king of the sea would do: sleep. He passed out almost instantly, Kate resting her head on his shoulder. His last thoughts before drifting off were focused on how happy he would be if he got to see his dad Rick again.

 

 

            Miles stayed asleep the entire car ride to wherever they were going. He started waking up when the car began to slow down. He groaned awake and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He poked Kate, who was asleep on his shoulder, until she started to wake up. He looked around in the car and noticed that everyone, except Gabriel and Oliver, had fallen asleep. How odd, he wondered, that everyone did exactly as Gabe said and slept. Deciding that he had more important things to worry about, Miles ignored his uneasy feeling and looked out the windows. They were surrounded by forest; all he could see from every direction were trees. It was also dark out, so it must have been late at night. The SUV came to a complete stop and Oliver and Gabe got out, instructing everyone else to do the same.

            They all clambered out of the vehicle, still waking up from their long synchronized sleep. Miles looked around again, now with a better view. And he saw nothing. “Why are we standing in a forest?” He inquired, as he began to think of how far away civilization must be…and anyone capable to help incase Gabe or Oliver all of a sudden turned into axe murderers.

            Gabe ignored his question and started walking away from the SUV, Ruth and Joyce following right behind. Kate looked at Miles and shrugged, and began following too. Miles sighed and run up beside Kate. Oliver took up the rear looking very alert and ready for danger. They kept walking through the woods until Gabe stopped at a big oak tree. He then pulled out his phone, dialed a number, said something inaudible from where Miles was standing, and put it away. They all just stood there, confused and anxious. Then, all of a sudden, Miles noticed a ripple in the air behind the giant oak tree. Some weird door opened, showcasing that there was some kind of facility sitting here in the forest.

            “Follow me, quickly please” Gabe started towards the door, urgency in his step. He stood at the door waited while Ruth and Joyce walked through. Right when it was Kate’s turn to walk through the door into what seemed like nothing, a loud wailing sound came from behind them. Miles whipped his head around to see where the screeching was coming from. He saw a large, disfigured creature running full speed right at them. Before he could get a good look, Gabe and Oliver shoved him through the door and smashed a button that was on the inside. The door closed immediately and they were surrounded by darkness.

            “What. Was. That.” Miles spit through clenched teeth. “Where are we? What’s going on? We are here, at your secret facility thing- start talking.” He was shaking all over, struggling to take a deep breath. His eyes darted all over the place, adjusting to the darkness. He was searching for Kate, he needed her comforting touch now more than ever. He found her and reached out to her. They interlaced their fingers, a different kind of peace settling throughout him.

            Gabe reached up and pushed another button, this one opening up yet another door, shedding darkness into the enclosed bunker they were all crammed in. Standing on the other side of the door was a man, a very familiar man. Ruth and Kate rushed him immediately, hugging the life out of Thomas Runes.