Saphora: vol.1 Retention (The Athena Universe) (29 page)

“Thanks.”

“He’s not all there, is he?” Glover sighed, giving a soft shrug.

“According to our psychologist, he’
s just a prick.”

“Sounds about right,” Saphora concurred.

“Yeah well. Maybe he just needs a big hug,” Glover suggested, raising a brow at Saphora. “Care to give him one?” Saphora laughed mockingly.

“I’d rather be found guilty.” Glover laughed, moving on to her other hand.

“I don’t blame you.”

“So after this I can go home?” Saphora asked, glancing up at Glover.

“I’m not sure. My boss had said she wanted to ask you some questions.”

“Is there a reason I wasn’t told that before coming here?” Glover grinned, pressing her left index finger into the ink.

“You’re not the easiest person to get a hold of.”

             
Back at Maverick’s apartment, Maverick was pacing the floor of his living room while Hydra was trying to better organize her belongings. He had just gotten off the phone with Jared, telling him once again that he was too busy for him to come over and play video games. Finally stopping, her plopped down onto the sofa with a groaning sigh and a shake of his head. Hydra, noticing the stressed actions, turned her attention to him, watching him closely.

“Is everything alright?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just, uh – how long do you plan on staying here?”

“Is there a problem with me staying here?”

“No, it’s just that it’s only a matter of time before my friend starts wondering why he can’t come over.”

“Why can he not come over?” Maverick stared at her blankly.

“Well … Because … You’re here.” Hydra raised a brow, not following.

“And?” Maverick chuckled loosely, running his hand awkwardly through his hair and scratching the back of his head.

“Okay, uhm, I don’t know if you know this, but you’re a super human. Not even human. You’re a super powered alien.”

“Your friend is not going to know that.” Maverick laughed.

“You – okay, you don’t have pupils. People around here? Humans? We have pupils. That might freak some people out.” Hydra fell silent at the observation, staring into Maverick’s eyes. She spread her palm in front of her face, coating it in ice in order to see her reflection. She glanced from his eyes to hers, taking note of the comparison. The small black dot in the center of his light brown eyes, compared to her endless spheres of lavender.

“Oh … I suppose I should conceal my eyes when traveling with you.”

“Yes, you – wait, okay and that’s another thing. You’re going to be following me everywhere I go?” Hydra nodded. “That might not work.”

“What do you mean?”

“I work. You know, I have a job.”

“I just heard you say you would not go in until three days from this one, if my knowledge of your ‘week’ is accurate.”

“Yeah, but … I will be going back. What will you do for the six or eight hours that I will be there? Be a customer?”

“Yes.”

Maverick shook his head.

“That’s not going to work. They’re going to think you’re stalking me.”

“Stalking?” Hydra asked. Maverick sighed, leaning back on the sofa.

“Never mind. You know … You don’t need to follow me. I’m not going
to tell anyone about who Saphora is.” Hydra was silent for a moment.

“It
is no longer to protect her from you,” Hydra argued, before hearing her communicator start going off. She looked over to the book she had set it on, walking over to it. Maverick watched as she ran her finger along the side of the flat sphere. And within that instant, a hologram of Artemis appeared. Maverick stood in pure shock of the technology before him, as Hydra stared into the image. The distraught Artemis glitched before beginning to speak.

“Hydra?”

“Yes, Artemis. What is it?”

“Where is Saphora?”

“With the humans.”

“You need to go to her! Tebias is on the move,” Artemis urged.

“How long?”

“About forty minutes.” Hydra nodded, ending the transmission. She turned on her heel, heading for the front door.

“Come on,” Hydra ordered, looking back at the stunned Maverick. He was hovering over the communicator in amazement. Looking up at the impatient Hydra, his brows wrinkled.

“Saphora’s in trouble?”

“She will be if we don’t leave. Do you know where the police took her?”

“Uh, yeah, the police station,” Maverick answered, walking up behind Hydra.

“Take us there.”

              “Geez, what were you guys doing in there, having a picnic?” Roland asked, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning on when he saw Glover and Saphora come out of the room.

“Just having a conversation li
ke normal people,” Glover responded, while Saphora refused to even acknowledge the question. She stared down the hallway with dread, waiting for them to take her to Officer Johnson, who had been said to have questions. Roland scoffed, crossing his arms.

“I bet there wasn’t nothing normal about it,” he
challenged, giving a once over Saphora. “Johnson had to step out. So I guess you got lucky today.”

“So I can leave?” she asked.

“You seem eager to get out of here,” Roland pointed out.

“This isn’t exactly my favorite place to hang out. Not to mention the company sucks,” Saphora spat, glancing up at Glover in consideration before adding, “Most of it, anyway,” and looking back at Roland.

“What, you spend twenty minutes in a room together and suddenly you’re best friends? What’d you guys do, kiss?”

“
Roland
,” Glover groaned and Saphora rolled her eyes, looking away from him.

“Can I leave or not?” Saphora asked again.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll drop you off, your highness,” Roland sloppily offered, popping his gum. Glover shook his head and stepped forward.

“No, I’ll take her home.” Roland smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

“What, you jealous? You guys dating now?” Saphora scoffed, and started walking down the hallway towards the lobby of the station. Glover jabbed his hand at Roland’s shoulder warningly.

“I
will
taze you,” he warned in a low voice.

“Come on, you got her to talk? About what?” Roland asked in a voice that was almost as low. Glover shook his head, chuckling and putting his hands on his hips as he watched Saphora get closer to the lobby. “Well?” Roland stressed.
Glover turned back to look at his anxious partner.

“You want to know what we talked
about?” Glover asked, crossing his arms and leaning towards Roland. He chuckled, and started walking away. “We talked about our common distaste for you,” he called out as he laughed. Roland stood there, appalled.

“Well I’m glad you two found something in common,” he somewhat shouted.

Glover rushed over to catch up with Saphora before she could reach the front doors.

“So, are you going home or am I bringing you somewhere else?” Glover asked generously. Saphora looked up at him, before walking out of the lobby and onto the pavement.

“I really have no problem walking home,” Saphora insisted, not slowing down when he followed behind her.

“Nonsense. Please, let me bring you home. I insist,” Glover pressed. Saphora sighed, stopping in her path.

“What is it with you guys and
needing
to take me home? I’m a grown woman.”

“It’s a code,” answered Glover. Saphora tilted her head up, holding back the urge to scoff at the answer.

“Oh, right. It’s expected of police, right? Tell you what. You can not, and say you did. It’ll be our little secret,” Saphora offered, winking and starting to walk again. But Glover kept up with her, shaking his head in disagreement.

“Not a code of work. But a code of being a gentlemen,” Glover clarified. Saphora laughed harshly.

“Right, because Roland is the perfect gentleman.” Glover shrugged.

“Alright, maybe he was following a different code.”

“Or maybe he just wanted to get in Fran’s pants.”

“Alright. What’s it going to take for you to let me bring you home?
” Saphora thought, her brows raising at the opportunity to gain something.

“Answers.”

“
Answers
. To what questions?”

“Any that I have during the ride.” Glover grinned, tilting his head to the side in amusement, his hands on his hips.

“Alright, fine. Answers.” Saphora smirked.

“It’s the red one, right?” she asked, changing her path to walk towards the red Chevy that was parked a little ways away in the parking lot. Glover laughed, shaking his head as he followed.

             
“So what is your first question?” Glover asked, now that they were driving along the highway. With one hand comfortably on the top of the steering wheel, they were going a smooth 55 mph. Saphora folded her hands in her lap and nodded.

“What’s your name?” she asked, turning her head to look at him while he watched the road. “Your first name.” Glover grinned, exhaling a chuckle through his nose.

“Dani,” he answered honestly. Saphora nodded, poking her lip out.

“Huh. I half expected you to say something I couldn’t pronounce.” Glover laughed.

“Why, because I am Arabian?”

“Precisely because you’re Arabian.”

“Yes, well, my mother was very considerate when naming me, I suppose,” he said, as he switched lanes.

“And what about your last name? Glover doesn’t strike me as very Arabian.” Glover nodded.

“Yes. It is my father’s last name. He’s Scottish.”

“Oh, I see.”

“And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“I know your first name, but not your last. Or do you take Fran’s last name?” Saphora shook her head.

“No, I don’t.”

“So what is it, then?” Saphora hesitated before answering.

“Kiran.”

“Kiran,” Glover repeated, searching his knowledge for what nationality that may have fallen under. “What is that?” Saphora grinned, shaking her head. Instead of even considering her answer, she merely said,

“Can’t remember.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It can’t be helped. Next question.
Being an Arabian, you know what they go through here, right?” Glover paused.

“Yes …”

“Have you ever had to deport another Arabian?” Glover grimaced.

“Yes.”

“Even if you knew they had done nothing wrong?” Looking at Saphora for a brief moment, he frowned, shaking his head and returning his attention to the road.

“Why are you asking me this?”

“How many times?”

“What?”

“Deported an innocent man? Locked away an innocent man. How many-”

“Once,” he said in aggravation. Saphora paused, almost surprised by his answer. She nodded, reading his expression.

“You hated it.”

Glover sighed, blinking a few times and adjusting his gri
p on the steering wheel. “Would you ever do it again?” Glover was silent, his jaw clenching. “Would you?”

“No,” he finally answered. “Never again.” Switching lanes as he approached his desired exit, he grumbled. “Next question.”
Saphora nodded, looking out the window as she thought of another to ask. And as she did, something in the side mirror caught her attention. It took a moment for her eyes to make out what it was. But when they did, they widened in horror. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to keep breathing. And with a strained exhale, she found the words,

“Oh my god.”

********

“I don’t see why I have to conceal my hair as well,” Hydra complained, constantly adjusting the baseball cap that Maverick had instructed her to wear. Her navy locks were tucked beneath the cap as neatly as it would allow. Finally giving up with trying to coop with the strange sensation, she dropped her hands in her lap with a sigh.

“Because I don’t think it’s a good idea to give people the chance to recognize you,” he explained, handing her a pair of sunglasses. “Here,” he said, putting them in her lap. Opening them up, she turned them around in her hands, her brows pinching together in wonder.

“What are these?”

“For your eyes. The rods go against your ears.” Blinking, Hydra slowly raised them to her face, gasping once she did. She looked around a bit panicked, her hand reaching forward.

“The sun! Your sun has stopped!” Maverick rolled his eyes, wiping his hand down his face as he shook his head.

“Those are sunglasses. They make the light less harsh. And they also make it harder for people to see your eyes.”

“Naming them after something that gives light, when they take it away. You humans are so strange.”

“Hey, I didn’t come up with the name, alright? Just wear-“

“Stop! Stop your vehicle!” Hydra urged, pressing her hand against the passenger window. Maverick pulled over as quickly as the road would allow, and looked over in her direction.

“What? What is it?”

“There. Can you see that?” she asked, pointing out into the distance. There was black smoke rising from the area. She stared for a moment longer before looking back at Maverick.

“Smoke,” he answered. “That looks like it’s on the highway. Near Saphora’s house, too.” Hydra tapped urgently against the window, ice spreading from her index finger onto the window each time.

“Get us there. Now!” Maverick leaned back into his seat and shifted gears, speeding off down the road and cutting someone off in the process. Hydra gripped onto the car door to steady herself as the speed of the car picked up with each passing second.

“How do you know it’s him?” Maverick asked, speeding around cars with ease.

“Is
fire a normal thing to happen spontaneously on your roads?”

“Good point,” he answered, cutting off someone else and speeding onto the ramp to the highway. But once they were on the road to the highway, Maverick had no choice but to slow down when meeting the traffic that was building up due to what was in front of them.

“Can you not go any faster?”

“Not unless you want me to wreck some cars.” Hydra groaned, trying to peer around the cars. In a fit of desperation, Hydra gestured to the side of the road.

“Stop over here,” she instructed. Maverick peeled off as asked and parked the car. Not a moment after, Hydra was getting out of the car and starting to run down the road towards what was causing the traffic – Tebias. Maverick fumbled to get the keys from the car, getting out of the car and rushing after her.

“Wait up!” he shouted, trying to catch up with her surprising speed.

“Stay back!” she warned. The battlefield was no place for a human. Especially Maverick. But Maverick ignored her warnings, and did his best to keep up with her, wanting to help. It took about five minutes for Hydra to come close enough for her to see the scene. Saphora was cowering behind what was left of a flaming red Chevy. She was holding onto Glover, who was injured and immobile. Blood stained his forehead and neck, and a good portion of his clothing. Tebias was on the other side of the highway, whose traffic had also grown denser in the mists of the calamity. He was approaching fast, igniting the already burning car, waiting for Saphora to either come out from the wreckage, or be blown to bits. Sobbing, she held onto Glover tightly, not knowing what to do.

“Saphora!” Maverick called out from behind Hydra, once he had gotten close enough to see. “Saphora!”

Barely hearing the voice over the roar of the fire and horns of the cars, Saphora turned her head in shock, desperate for what she thought she heard to be real. And when she saw the impossible sight of Maverick and Hydra running towards her, she smiled, tears streaming down her face. Tebias’ head snapped over in their direction, a snarl ripping from his throat. With rushed actions, he sent another fireball hurling towards the car. The car bounced at the impact, and then, a moment later, exploded. Hydra’s eyes went wide as she sprang towards the blossoming fire. Maverick, however, skid to a painful stop, nearly falling to the ground as his arm raised to protect his face from the heat that surged through the area. Blinking furiously, he looked over at the now blurred image of the growing flames. Breathing heavily, he jerked his arm away from his face and fought to steady himself on his feet.

“Saphora!!” he screamed in denial, watching the flames with so
me hope that she would come running out of them. But with every passing moment, the hope began to dwindle. Hydra rushed up to the scene, spinning on her heel to dodge the incoming fireball. Her left hand aimed at him, firing several ice spheres. Two hit him in the shoulder before he moved to get out of the way, his hand reaching up to remove them with a groan. Hydra’s right hand sprang forward towards the car and unleashed a stream of water onto the fires, rushing to put them out. Her other hand soon joined her as she coughed at the thickening air.

“You better not be dead,” she said to herself. People were screaming, getting out of their cars to move away from the danger. Hydra drew closer to the flames as they began to die down, and ran to where she had last scene Saphora. But som
ething stopped her, and ignited hope in both her and Maverick. Clearing the majority of the fire, Hydra could see that her water was falling down onto some kind of sphere. And as more fire was extinguished, it was clear that it was a force field. Saphora was inside, eyes shut tight, and arms tightly wrapped around Glover. Hearing the water being poured over her head, she peeked her eyes open. She looked around at the force field that she was producing in both shock and joy.

Seeing this, Tebias growled in
distaste, ripping the second ice sphere from his arm. Hydra stopped as Saphora stood up, after having gently placed Glover on the ground. She spoke into the receiver that was once attached to his hip.

“Officer down. Officer Glover is down, please send help. There was an accident on the highway. Please hurry, he’s hurt badly,” Saphora said into the device before dropping it and turning around to face the burning remains of the car.

“No!” Tebias shouted in anger, his hands flaming. With new found confidence, now that she had help to take on Tebias, she raised her hands and leaned back for a moment, before thrusting forward and shoving her hands out. The remains of the car skid forward at an alarming pace, right into Tebias, crushing him against the guardrail. Hydra looked over at the now running Maverick, and then looked behind her, seeing that there were on a bridge. She looked down at the water below with joy, coming up with a way to escape the situation before the authorities.

“Come on! We need to get to the car!” Maverick shouted, running up to them. He immediately went up to Saphora,
gripping onto her trembling shoulders.

“Are you okay? I saw the – you blew up,” Maverick breathed, looking about her features in search of marks or burns or anything that would assume pain. Saphora nodded, keeping her eyes on the car.

“Fine, I’m fine. Hydra?” she asked panicked. The car started to move, insinuating that Tebias was not ready to give in. Hydra’s hands shot forward, this time sending large pillar-like spheres flying at each end of the car remains. They pinned the car against the guardrail, and therefore Tebias. He roared with rage as he tried to get free from the burning mass against him. Once done, Hydra turned back around.

“There’s no time to go back to the car. We are going to jump,”
Hydra advised. Both Saphora and Tebias turned around to look at the water below. Maverick looked back at Hydra like she had lost her mind.

“Are you out of your mind? Jump into the river? And then what?!” Maverick argued.

“Leave that to me,” Hydra explained. Saphora looked back at her, wondering if that meant what she thought it did. Hydra nodded. “This river comes close to the abandoned house. We can emerge there. Saphora, you’re going to jump with Maverick. Use your force field to contain you, to conserve the oxygen until I get you.” Saphora nodded, feeling like she had a good enough control over herself to create a force field on command.

“Wait, wait, we’re actually doing this?” he asked, looking back and forth between the two. “Oh my god. We’re going to die
. This is how I’m going to die,” Maverick complained, nodding. “At least blowing up would have been quick,” he argued as Saphora grabbed his arm.

“Jump!” she said pulling him over the
edge. They leaped into the air over the guardrail. Saphora curled her body, keeping her eyes on the water and focusing. Maverick, on the other hand, was failing everything but the arm that Saphora was holding, and screaming the entire way down. He held his breath when diving into the water, and closed his eyes tightly. He curled his body up, huddling close to Saphora. But as the moments passed, he noticed that there was no water. There was no feeling of the river around him. One eye peaked open, followed by the other as they both widened. There in the depths of the river, he could see the thin film of the force field. Without him even noticing, his let go of his held breath, breathing in the oxygen that was contained in the protective sphere. Slowly, he reached forward, placing his hand against the surface. He looked back at Saphora, and jumped when seeing her eyes - a glowing white. But she returned his glance, and smiled.

“I’m doing it,” she said softly, as if her volume would affect the sturdiness of the shield.
Maverick smiled, his brows raising as he exhaled. He nodded, looking back out at the water.

“
Yeah
you are. So cool,” he somewhat laughed. “So now what?” he asked, looking back at Saphora. She was looking straight ahead, her expression caught between fear and relief. Her hand rose, her index finger pointing in front of her. Maverick turned back around, squinting into the darkness of the water, trying to make out what she was pointing at. Finally, after some effort and straining of his eyes, he was able to make out what looked to be a giant snout coming towards them, with snake-like movements. Maverick stood somewhat dumbfounded as his brain fought to accept what he was seeing. The option for denial however was quickly shot down as the snout opened, revealing the drakon’s toothy mouth. The suction caused from her opening her mouth pulled Saphora’s force field into her mouth and sent Maverick into a fit of screaming cries.

********

              “I can’t believe I’m alive right now,” Maverick said, walking into the abandoned house. Saphora trudged into the house behind him, nearly stumbling into him in her exhaustion. Keeping that force field going took no small amount of energy, and her strain was showing. “I can’t believe I was inside a dragon’s mouth, and am alive to say this,” he said, shaking his head.

“Drakon,” Hydra corrected, following them into the house. Maverick turned around to look at Hydra.

“What?”

“Drakon.”

“That’s what I said.”

“No, you said dragon.”

“Isn’t that what you just said?”

“Drakon. I am a water drakon,” Hydra insisted. Maverick raised his brows and scoffed, nodding as he walked further into the house.

“You’
re confusing, is what you are,” he grumbled. “How does all of that fit into this … this little woman that you are now?” Hydra shook her head.

“Do not try to understand our anatomy,” she sighed, looking behind her to gaze out of the front door.
“If we are lucky, your authorities will capture Tebias. With the state he is in now, they may actually be able to hold him.”

“Why is he after her anyway? What’s his problem?” Maverick asked
with aggravation. He stopped to turn around, waiting for her answer as Saphora made her way to the marble countertop. There were now a few scratches and dents, but she was grateful to see it had survived.

“It is because she is the only chance of them failing. Without her, they are sure to take down the kingdom.”

“Who’s they? Just who is he getting his orders from?”

Hydra paused with a grimace.

“His mother.”

********

“Worthless!” spat Ares. “You’ve always been weak, you pathetic boy. How is it that you cannot not even manage to defeat a child?
Handicapped
, at that!” Ares screeched from the communicator in Tebias’ palm. His head lowered, he took the scolding. “You continue to fail me, Tebias.”

“She is not completely so. Each time I face her, she has regained more control of her power-“

“Excuses!” she hissed. “You dare give me
excuses
? Fourteen years you were on that wretched planet! Did you think she would be helpless forever, you fool?” Her pale grey eyes were crisp in their fury. Tebias ground his teeth at the pitch in her voice.

“Mother, I-“

“No! You do not have the right to call me such a name. I will not have a son as inadequate as you.”