11 Hours Later

June 25, 2075

2000 MDT (Mountain Daylight Time)

Mount Olympus, Near Colorado Springs, Colorado

Scarlett Redheart's Point of View

I still can’t believe it. The general of legend is walking with me through this dark, creepy tunnel that’s dimly lit up by white, black, and grey colored lanterns. We’ll be seeing Ruby and the other imprisoned members of Squad Zeus any second now. How could she leave without saying goodbye?! Freaking brat. Knowing her, she’s probably saying something like-

“What? Afraid to get your ass whooped by a girl?!” Ruby says to the guard on watch. “Let me outta here so I can introduce you to my friends lefty and righty, and I’m not talking about my boobs, so get your mind out of the fucking gutter you double-chinned asswipe!”

“You’ve been flapping your gums for several hours now. How much energy do you even have?” A woman with a British accent asks.

“Oh, don’t even get me started on you, Tiffany,” Ruby insults.

“It’s Anna, and you are aware of that information,” Anna corrects her.

“Tiffany, bimbo, it doesn’t matter. I can’t believe that someone as obsolete as you just waltzed into our circle,” Ruby says, her voice getting louder the closer we get.

“Ruby you… talk too… much,” Sonya says in between breaths.

Sonya must be exercising.

“I HAVE TO PEE!” Rachel announces.

“I’m hungry…” Billy reveals.

“You guys are so loud!” Drew says in an irritating tone.

Squad Zeus!

“General! Sergeant! They’re all yours,” the guard on watch says in annoyance as he walks away. “Thank God,” he mutters under his breath.

To the left is the boy’s cell, and to the right is the girl’s cell.

“General! Scarlett!” Everyone except for Ruby and Anna happily greets.

“Nice to see you all,” I say.

Sigh, here we go.

“Ruby I…” I say.

“Achoo! Oh, my allergies. Must be the bacon,” Ruby says as she turns her back on me.

“Bacon?” Billy questions.

“Yes, Billy. The kind that comes from a disgusting fat pig,” Ruby replies with a mean snicker.

“Ruby, you don’t mean that,” I say.

“Can I have some bacon?” Billy asks.

“No, Billy! We don’t talk to pigs!” Ruby loudly shouts.

“Oh,” Billy responds sadly.

“Why are you even here, Scarlett?” Ruby asks sharply.

“I’m here for extra security, to interrogate Squad Zeus, and to check on my bratty baby sister.”

“Oh yeah? Then let us out of here.” Ruby responds.

“No, you’re prisoners for a reason,” the guard reminds her.

“You can’t put shackles on my creativity, dumbass,” Ruby clarifies as she turns around and rattles the bars. “Give me enough time, and I’ll find a way to escape from this prison.”

“Ruby stop acting like you weren’t crying about Scarlett and Teresa,” Sonya says as she finishes exercising.

“W-what? I-I wasn’t crying! You are so, so silly Sonya,” Ruby chuckles as her voice starts to crack.

“I missed you too, Ruby,” I say.

“Scoff, Whatever.”

“Ok, interrogation time! Were any of you aware of Luke’s abilities?” I ask.

“No!” They all answer in unison.

“What a stupid question,” Ruby shouts in disgust. “Come on, Scarlett. If we or Luke knew he had superpowers, don’t you think he would’ve used them to simply slaughter all of the zombies, and save countless lives? Just because we’re wrongfully being treated like criminals, doesn’t make it so,” she explains.

Good point.

“Ok then, interrogation over. Your turn, ahem, G-General Farrington. Ruby, please show respect to our general. He’s a founding member with the highest rank in the army.”

“We’re innocent, Mr. Chiseled Chin, so let us outta here!” Ruby yells as she flips the general off.

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“Ruby, show respect! He’s the general! He’s important!” I say.

“I don’t give a fuck who he is! I’ll kick his ass too if that’s what it takes for us to leave!” Ruby expresses as she rattles the bars. “Besides, nothing is currently more important than letting Rachel pee! She starts making weird cat noises and becomes delirious if she can’t appropriately relieve herse- mmm!”

Thank you, Sonya, for muffling her vulgar mouth.

“Ew, it tastes like dirt and sweat!” Ruby says in a stifled voice.

“General Farrington?” Sonya asks.

“I’ll cut to the chase,” General Farrington explains. “Recent events have made the council members and civilians even more paranoid about outsiders. You Sonya Grey, Luke Miller, along with Anna Robinson, are the biggest potential threats in the eyes of most Olympians, because none of you were born in Olympia. Rachel, Duy, and Billy Cooper are seen as less severe threats, because they were born in the Olympian settlements, Brackettville and Port Arthur, Texas, but are nonetheless viewed as threats.”

“Billy and Rachel a threat? Don’t make me laugh. They wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Ruby says in a soft voice.

“This is entirely absurd. What in the world did I do?” Anna asks as she inspects her nails.

“Sonya Grey, you are a former Black Scorpion. Anna Robinson, you are a former Royal. Both of these factions have bad history with Olympus. I came here specifically for you two, and I won’t force you, but I suggest that you two, along with one other volunteer who isn’t Ruby Redheart, come along with me for a top-secret mission,” General Farrington reveals.

“Screw you! Like I would go anywhere with you!” Ruby angrily says in a muffled voice as she flips off the General again.

“I’ll do it,” Sonya says in a calm tone, glaring at Ruby.

“What exactly is this top-secret mission?” Anna asks as she brushes dirt off of her uniform.

“Admiral Minerva Silva of the kingdom Athens has been poisoned from fighting a Behemoth. Athens lacks medical supplies, so they asked us for assistance,” General Farrington explains.

“Traveling from North America to South America. That’s quite a journey,” Sonya says in a curious tone.

“A journey that must be completed in seven days or less, which is why we won’t be going to South America,” General Farrington clarifies. “The Royals are sending an elite soldier named Angela Blackwood, along with several troops to investigate the rumors of Luke Miller’s abilities. This new threat will arrive in less than a week. The council has revealed that I am also a prime suspect in this investigation along with Doctor Veronica Shinka, her apprentices Harold Smith, and my daughter Kiko Farrington.”

“Scoff, great! The shitheads are sending a little turd after us!” Ruby complains in a sarcastic, deadened voice.

“Kiko, Harold, and I must return to Olympia before her arrival,” General Farrington continues. “The meeting point is located near The Undead Forest, next to Scorpia, Mexico. We will be wearing cloaks for this mission, of course, because causing trouble with Scorpius is the last thing we need right now.”

“I’ll go,” Sonya agrees in seriousness.

“I suppose anything is better than listening to Ruby’s creative, vulgar insults all day,” Anna agrees.

“Ok, so I just need one more volu…” he starts to say.

“General! Let me go on this mission, please!” Billy yells out as he grabs the bars.

Wow. He’s usually so quiet.

“Minerva is one of Olympus’s oldest allies and a powerful one at that. She is very influential across South America and has great knowledge of the sea, water tunnels, and bridges. Losing someone like her is something that we absolutely cannot allow to happen. Are you willing to sacrifice your life if needed, Private Billy Cooper?” General Farrington warns as he walks towards Billy.

“Yes, sir! If it means helpin’ my kingdom, then I will sacrifice my life for the sake of the mission if needed! I will do anythin’ to bring Olympus one step closer to reclaimin’ Brackettville!” Billy answers proudly.

“Are you willing to take a life if needed?” General Farrington asks as they meet almost face to face.

“I… I…” Billy hesitates.

“Billy, you and Rachel are the most passive ones here, and that’s ok,” Duy steps in. “I can go instead of you.”

“Billy, you don’t have to go,” Sonya kindly says. “If you’re not ready for this, then…”

“I want to go! Please! I’m tired of playing support!” Billy pleads. “In… in Winner, all I did was pick up your scraps! I felt so worthless! I want a chance to prove myself as a squadmate, but most importantly, as a man! Please! I volunteer!”

“Open their cells, soldier. Release Anna Robinson, Sonya Grey, and Billy Cooper. And, please allow Rachel Cooper to… handle her business,” General Farrington orders.

“Billy!” Rachels yells out.

“Don’t worry, Rachel,” Billy says with a faint smile. “I can’t keep hiding behind people forever. I have to learn how to take care of myself,” Billy explains with a smile.

“Go kick ass, Billy Boy!” Ruby cheers on.

“Give them hell!” Duy yells out.

“General, wait. I’m not leaving without saying goodbye to Luke,” Sonya says with a slight blush.

“I see. Very well, but make it quick,” General Farrington grants Sonya. “Scarlett here will escort you.”

“Thank you, General,” Sonya thanks with a hopeful look in her eyes.

*

Upstairs, Beneath Mount Olympus’s peak

The Pillar of Judgement

*

Mount Olympus is surprisingly beautiful. The Pillar of Judgement is roughly half the size of a football field and resembles an airplane hangar, to the left is the barracks, to the right is unusable wreckage and a firing squad. Above are the platforms where another firing squad is in position. Is that an electronically operated elevator in the background? Unbelievable! Yet the strangest thing about this place so far is the oddly placed large metallic pillar-like structure in the middle of the room where Luke Miller is chained up and being judged. Olympus appears to retain its reputation of ridiculous nicknames for structures, even outside of the capital.

“Sonya! I…” Luke quickly calls out.

“Luke, I don’t have much time, so here,” Sonya says as she gives Luke a quick sip of root beer. “Rachel wanted you to have some. Said she didn’t mind sharing this one time,” Sonya says in a gentle voice.

They’re so cute.

“Listen, I gotta go away on a dangerous mission with General Farrington, Anna, and Billy, but one or all of us will probably die,” Sonya explains in a nonchalant tone. “Luke, I don’t know what’s going on with you, or why you never told me that you got bit, but none of that is important right now. I’m going to ask you a simple question, and I want you to answer truthfully. You’re my best friend, so I obviously know you better than anyone else,” Sonya says in a very serious tone. “Are you still Luke?” She asks with a curious, bright look in her eyes.

“Yes, Sonya. I’m still me. I’ll always be me,” Luke says.

“Then that’s all that matters,” she says after the two share a long kiss.

“Sonya, I…,” Luke says in a confused, energetic tone.

“You’re Luke Miller!” Sonya interrupts with a hidden smile, bright look in her eyes, and a big blush on her cheeks as she crosses her arms beneath her chest. “You’re my boyfriend, and as your girlfriend, I am asking you to train your butt off for the next seven days so we can convince Olympus that you’re not a monster, but a human being who has been experimented on by a mysterious woman. Luke, with your powers, I believe that we can end The Age of Zombies and find a cure for you at the same time. Kiko and Harold won’t let you die. They’ll do everything possible to help you, but they can only do that if you’re focused on training.”

What an interesting woman.

“Scarlett, I’m ready to go,” Sonya announces to me. “Hasta Pronto (See you soon), Luke,” she says with a soft smile as she holds her heart and walks away with me.

“You ok, Sonya?” I ask.

“Yes, it’s just, Mmm. He’s an excellent kisser, Scarlett. I was caught off guard,” Sonya smirks.

“You kissed him first, and you were the one who was caught off guard?” I say.

“Scarlett, he tasted like root beer,” she explains with a slightly devilish grin.

So lucky. As bad as things are, I suppose that every cloud has a silver lining. Sigh. Love is one mystery that I doubt I’ll ever solve.