Barcode: Legend of Apollo (17 page)

I’m sick of people telling me about Helios. I don’t have to listen to this another minute. I release my chains, which blasts us away from the wall.

They are heavier and I notice they now have a bronze tint.

The darkness intensifies and my face feels more clouded than before. Slapping one chain on the ground, I angrily spout, “Fine. I’ll just end it right here.”

You’re not ready, yet.
 Kode runs toward me. I prepare to slap him with my chain, but they don’t move. My weapons resist my command, and I sense that they’re protecting someone. That’s when I remember that Angie and Selena are still in the room, and I can’t see them.

Once Kode closes in, I punch him roughly in the face. As though I hadn’t hit him at all, he grabs my chains and locks his arm around my neck. My weapons fall limp as he whispers in my ear, 
Do you believe in fate?

“Yes,” I hiss while trying to fight against him. Spit darts from my mouth as I grit my teeth and repeat, “Yes.”

I don’t, but I’ll try to say this in a way you can understand. If I believed in spiritual babble, I’d tell you The Writer hates you. He’s given you two enemies, and I’m the first to arrive.

“Bull.”

Remember those men I killed?
 I don’t respond, but a burning sensation fills my eyes as they turn gray.  They’re possessed by a rage I’m dying to unleash. 
Those men belonged to Helios.

“What?”

He already filled your city, and was ready to take over. I gave you more time. Don’t get me wrong, none of my intentions are to help you, but how can I have fun with you dead?

“Fuck.” Kode jerks his arm with such an overwhelming grip, I briefly think he’s snapped my neck.

Watch your mouth.

I gasp for air, but he doesn’t loosen the hold. Amazingly, the room becomes even darker and a morbid feeling of my skin tightening frightens me. I can’t move or shake it off. Cold chills press against various parts of my body. Demons of the dark pull me into their world, and I powerlessly watch as my flesh fades into the blackness.

Kode shouts into my mind more aggressively. His voice vibrates with a deep raspy tone. I hate it. 
You’re wishing you could take off the stupid bandages, but what if Helios pops up one day? How are you gonna find time then?
 He’s right. I just considered how much easier this would be if my barcode wasn’t restrained, but that takes time. There’s an emergency way to remove them, but I forgot. Damn. I forgot. 
You better get serious about fighting Helios or I’ll kill you first.

My body numbs, but a warm sensation rests on my back. A fierce hatred brews in my data as my strength rapidly recovers. Kode’s no longer holding my throat, though I’m still chocking. My sight returns and I leave the darkness. Angie’s saying something, but I can’t hear her. My ears pop as though leaving a high altitude and her words come through clearly.

“Are you okay?” she shouts.

“Yeah, but you’re loud.”

Turning to my right, I see Selena bleeding on the floor. She’s returned to a state of fearful shock. Kode fends off a monster similar to the one we saw in the corner. It’s nothing like the animals. Instead, it resembles an extremely large human wrapped in bandages.

He’s fighting? I start to wonder if I’d dreamt the entire conversation. I can’t figure out where I am or what’s going on.

“Spencer! Spencer!” I hear as tears splash against my face. “What were you and Kode talking about?” That’s when it hits me. Nothing’s changed. The pressure on my neck rendered me unconscious. I’m wondering why we’re in a fight, but Angie wants to know what happened between Kode and I. “Why were you talking about Helios?”

“We…” I try to continue talking but slightly choke. I’m able to sit up on my own, “We should probably save him to help Selena.”

Angie aggressively shouts, “Stop playing and kill it now!” With each word, I feel an incredible pressure weighing down on my chest. The real monster’s holding me in her arms.

Suddenly, I hear electricity crackling. Shiva’s converted back to gloves and Kode’s pounding the fifteen-foot phenom as though it were a training bag.

“You’re cursed. You spoke to Tartarus.”

Her tears pour more heavily, “I’ve done it a million times Spence.” Her eyes shake as she asks, “Why did you mention Helios?”

“Because he did first.”

“What did he say?”

I stand and coldly reply, “None of your business.” My tone shocks me. Surprisingly, I meant what I said. I don’t plan on telling anyone about our conversation.

Lifting Selena with one of my chains, I walk past Kode as he finishes off the monster. Though he’s nearly done with the creature, I tighten my weapon around its throat to hasten the process.

We all walk silently through the remainder of the maze with Kode leading the way. He’s dragging the slain creature by its hair. Other monsters show their faces but quickly run away after seeing what he’s slain.

When we exit the labyrinth, the walls retract and our grade displays itself on a projector, 
A.

Professor Gonzales, Monte, Leo, Trinity, and Stephanie are waiting near the podium. The expressions on their faces say more than enough. Their eyes search the room and watch as the other creatures return to their cages, but we hold the mightiest one of all.

Kode and I may hate each other, but it seems we have the same idea in mind. We lift and swing the monster towards its owner. The other students quickly run away as the monster’s weight crushes the podium.

Seventeen

“You seem different today,” Michelle says while pushing a large box I transmuted from the five marbles.

“How?” I ask while transmuting the box into an extremely heavy medicine ball. Then, we pass it back and forward while running through the classroom. It’s pretty difficult to transmute and lift, but after Kode practically threw me around earlier today, I’m fairly determined and pissed.

“You couldn’t transmute the marble yesterday.” Michelle catches the ball in her gut. I pause to see if she needs time to recover. She places the ball on the ground, performs a handstand with it between her feet, and uses her legs to throw it back. “Now, you’re running around with it.”

“Says the girl that’s catching and kicking the heavy-ball like it’s nothing.”

“It’s something. Probably heavier than daddy’s car engine.”

After catching and kicking it with her legs ten times, she holds onto the ball and transmutes it back into a box larger than the first. Concentrating, she adds handles to the box. Then, she lies on her back.

I struggle to lift it from the ground. With a bit of grunting, I’m able to place it onto her feet, which she holds up in order to prepare for her leg press. It’s a two in one exercise we use when we need to share the weight. She presses as I perform curls or squats.

“What’s got you,” she huffs before taking in a deep breath to push the heavy box away. Thank The Writer for the size of the weights; her legs have gotten sexier and I’m not able to avoid eye contact any longer. I may be upset, but I’m still a guy. Once she pushes the weight away, Michelle continues, “What’s got you so determined?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on. We’ve been working out this entire time. When have I ever let any of your secrets out? I’m all ears, Mr. Colt,” she says, giving me an adorable smile.

When we’re not arguing, Michelle’s a cool person to talk to. I’ve told her anything that’s bothered me over the past few months, mainly complaints about Dennis, but I haven’t mentioned Kode.

“I’m not ready to talk about it, yet.”

Michelle bites her bottom lip and stares at the door. She has something on her mind as well, but it wouldn’t be fair if I made her tell me. Instead, I watch as it eats away at her data. After a few more heaves, Michelle mumbles, “I’ve been thinking. I wish I were a boy.”

“What?”

“I wish I were a boy!” she says in a liberating tone. “My dad loves you. He talks about you all the time. ‘Spencer’s so powerful. I wish he were my son. He’d defeat Helios as a Miyamoto, the way it should be.’”

“So? He’d say that even if I were a girl. People love me for the power that’s supposedly in my barcode.”

“No.” She says with a turbulent kick of the box, “I’m the strongest demigod at this school. I’ve beaten all his records, and not a single classmate can stay in the ring with me longer than fifty seconds. Still, he never mentions my achievements. He even brags about Patrick, Kyle, Malik—anyone but me.”

“Patrick?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. That is bad.”

“Guys get more privileges. They get the best fights during finals, and make their way through the ranks faster.” Michelle doesn’t notice, but she’s pushing the box with a fearsome aggression that makes it look like child’s play. This is only the first day with the fifth weight, and her tattoos aren’t even activated. Mental note: don’t let Michelle kick me when she’s this hot. Speaking of hot, don’t look at her legs. “I hate being a girl.”

Despising myself for what I’m about to say, I look at the furthest corner of the room before mumbling, “I like that you’re a girl.” From the corner of my eyes, I see her tattoo flash brightly.

After turning back, I notice that she’s avoiding eye contact and her face just managed to glow redder than it was from moving the weight. Still, she pouts, “Thank you.”

I’m moved by her honesty. Much like I was when Hayley talked about John. “Don’t get scared.”

“Get scared? You mean don’t laugh?” She snickers, “Just tell me what’s going on.”

The color of her skin changes to a feverish red as her legs tremor. The weight’s starting to get heavy for me too, so I switch from curls to leg exercises. In order to do that, I have to turn around or the movement looks inappropriate. We found that out the hard way when Leo stopped by the classroom a month ago.

I leave the box on her feet for a second, and laugh at the huffing sound she makes as she’s forced to hold the weight without my assistance. Then, I transmute the edges near me until a long bar forms. Turning around, I throw it on my shoulders and begin my squats.

“I guess you could say Kode and I are at war.”

“You’re at war with a human? That doesn’t sound like you at all. I know you pretend to be weak at school, but are you saying he’s strong enough to battle against you?”

I don’t reply until I finish twenty squats and convert the box back into the five marbles. Michelle keeps her legs up to catch me, like always. Though she tries to push me up, her legs give in, and I fall backwards. Hard.

The impact causes air to leave her stomach and she makes a woofing sound. We both laugh for a few seconds. Michelle’s legs have given out before, but never at the same time as mine.

We’re both curled on the floor in pain, but I’d much rather be here than anywhere else. There aren’t too many other people that touch me, besides Hayley, and I want to feel close to someone right now. I could make up excuses like Michelle does and say it’s the tattoos, but, honestly, her arms feel like something I’ve never experienced before. Home? Joy? Connected.

I cheat a bit. Gently activating my tattoos, I sense her body against mine. Michelle squeezes me between her legs and groans in such a sensual way, I find myself aroused. Then, I realize she’s actually in pain from my weight.

She tries to hide the dim glow of her lions, but with my tattoos already stimulated, I sense the moment she kindles her codes. I try to lift up, but she wraps her legs tightly around my waist. I’m not sure what I should do. She’s hurt, but forcing me to stay.

“Spencer,” she whispers so softly in my ear I relax and close my eyes. I can feel her body against my skin without my sensors especially since I’m not wearing my armor.

“Yes?” I say entranced by the sensation of her breath against my ear.

“Turn over.”

“I can’t,” I reply, knowing what we’d both experience. Plus, I’m a bit too comfortable with her right now and I may do something I’ll regret later.

“Just do it so you can carry me back to the desk” Michelle’s so close she could lick the goosebumps on my skin. “Please,” is the mystical word that compels my body to react on its own.

Facing her, Michelle locks me between her legs and arms. I try to ignore the flesh I sense rubbing against my body, and resist the desire to intensify the connection by accentuating the power of my barcode. Michelle, on the other hand, stops hiding her urges and energizes both codes until they beam brightly. With her data clouding my better judgment, I do the same. I bend down until we’re nose-to-nose, and breathe in every bit of carbon dioxide she exhales. She tightens her grips and whispers, “Did you ever kiss?”

“What?” I say with my lips hovering near hers.

“Last year, I said you better kiss Hannah or you’ll have to smooch with me. I know how much you hate being close to me so you better have done it.”

“No. I’m just a friend. Remember?” I reply apologetically, unable to look into her eyes.

“She wants you. Believe me. Just hurry up with it or I’ll do what I promised. Okay?”

I fight a warrior stronger than Kode, my conscience. The devil in my ear wants me to reply 
no
 just to see if she’s all talk. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending how much I’ll hate myself for this tomorrow, I stop holding Michelle on our training mats and walk her over to a desk. The way she adjusts herself in my arms nearly causes me to drop her. Michelle gets comfortable and leans her face into my neck.

With her lips against my skin she says, “You scared me.”

I gently place her at the first desk I can reach. “Sorry.”

Releasing herself from the stimulating trance, Michelle gently hums, “Okay.” She unwraps her hair, “So what’s up with you and Kode? What did he do to get you so upset?”

We return to normalcy. And yet, Michelle continues staring at me with an alluring expression. I want to ask if she loves or hates me, which would be a more interesting topic, but I’m not ready to answer that question myself.

I skim my eyes over her body once more before replying, “It’s difficult to explain.”

“Why? You two get into a silent fight?”