Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
Her lips were cold, yet still tasted sweet for the two seconds Scorpio kissed the doctor.
Until she stomped on his foot.
His bare foot.
With her boot.
As if that weren’t affront enough, her knee rose and hit him in the balls.
A warrior didn’t exist that wouldn’t fold in shock and pain.
As he breathed through the agony, she tartly stated, “Keep your hands and mouth to yourself. As a matter of fact, keep your entire person away from me and go back to whatever hole—or star—you crawled out of.”
With that, she stalked away which led to confusion. Women didn’t reject him. Ever. Unless…
“Apologies, I assumed given Sage sent me on this mission that you were into men. My mistake.”
The doctor whirled and gaped before huffing, “I’m straight, I just don’t like strange men mauling me.”
“Hardly mauled,” he argued.
“You kissed me without permission.”
“How else would I do it?” he asked with genuine puzzlement. “Doesn’t asking take away from the impromptu nature and passion of a kiss?”
“Is that the excuse male predators are using these days?”
“What?” Scorpio’s turn to gape.
“I am not in the mood to stand around in the cold discussing your lack of morals and behavior. Goodbye. And don’t follow,” she added as she continued marching away from him.
Dilemma. Should he crawl back to Babel Tower and admit to Aries he’d borked the mission in under five minutes, or should he ignore her demand and try to salvage the reason he’d come?
Given the mockery he’d suffer if the reason he returned empty-handed ever got out, he chose the latter.
“Listen, I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot.”
“Go away.”
“I can’t. The fate of the world depends on you helping me to find some relic.”
She whirled suddenly. “You are talking to the wrong person. I don’t have anything you might want. Or are you here to steal my equipment?”
“No. I’m here because you’re supposed to help me find some ancient artifact.”
“Wrong place. In case you hadn’t noticed, there is nothing out here but ice and snow.”
“And seals.”
“And penguins. Whatever,” she exclaimed. “Whatever it is you seek, I can’t help you. All I’ve discovered since getting here are glacier samples.”
“Sage is never wrong.”
“Always a first time,” she chirped before heading away from him again. In the distance, he could see a trio of tents, one pyramid-shaped right next to a pair of domed ones.
“Are you here alone?”
She stiffened before saying, “Nope. My partner is around somewhere. And he’s bigger than you.”
She lied. He could tell. He let it pass. She thought him dangerous. True, but he wouldn’t be harming her.
“If there’s nothing to see, then why are you out here?” he called out instead.
“Because it’s my job. I’m a climate scientist with degrees in biology, geology, and glaciology.”
“What the fuck is glaciology?”
“A science that studies glaciers.”
“Oh. That’s a thing?”
She didn’t reply.
He’d stuck his foot in it again. “What’s so interesting about glaciers?”
She sighed. “What part of go away are you not grasping?”
“I’ll leave when I’ve gotten what I came for.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time then,” she muttered before she unzipped the flap on the domed tent and entered.
Should he follow? She might be waiting with a frying pan or a knife.
But she did mention having whiskey, and his blue balls—with a hint of purple now!—could use a shot of warmth.
He marched into the tent and found her standing by a fold-up table plugging in an electric kettle.
She glanced at him. “You just don’t quit.”
“Did you really think I’d leave that easily?”
“No.” She sighed. “Whiskey?” She held up a bottle half-full of amber liquid.
“Hell yes.” He sat down on a chair, which his bare ass didn’t appreciate. He could tolerate the cold but that didn’t mean he liked it.
“Where are your clothes?” she asked as she slapped down a mug and the bottle.
“Told you, lost them during transit. It happens when I miscalculate the mass being translocated.”
She blinked.
“Bad math took my shit. I don’t suppose you’ve got some spare stuff that might fit.”
She snorted. “No. Best I can offer is a blanket.” She scrounged in an open crate and pulled out fabric that made a crinkling sound. She tossed it to Scorpio before she plopped into the seat across from him with her own mug and splashed some whiskey into it.
He draped the strange blanket over his lap.
“How come you’re not shivering or turning into a Popsicle? It’s like minus twenty out. You should have frostbite,” she stated.
“Zodiac Warriors don’t feel the cold like humans do.”
She took a sip before murmuring, “I’ll probably regret encouraging you, but what is a Zodiac Warrior?”
“Me.” He grinned. “There are twelve of us, one for each Zodiac constellation. It is our task to fight evil in the world.”
She arched a brow. “Only twelve? Guess that explains why there’s so much crime still running rampant.”
“We don’t deal with petty stuff. We leave that to human authorities. We handle the truly dark scenarios, the kind involving nonhumans, true depravity, or threats to Earth.”
Her brow arched. “Nonhumans?”
“Ogres. Manticores. Actual aliens, which, let me tell you, are not like the cute little green guy you see with Bugs Bunny.”
“And what kind of threats to Earth are we speaking of?”
“Asteroid impacts. Ancient curses unearthed. Probably the freakiest one was the spider that managed to burrow its way into an atomic reactor. The size of that thing…” He shook his head in recollection. “Libra had nightmares for months after we sliced him out of the cocoon it wrapped him in. He’s on sabbatical right now and thinking about retiring, given his wife just gave birth to their first kid.”
“Once he leaves, does that mean no more Libra?”
“Only for a little while. Sage, she’s the one who sees the future and shit, will name a replacement. A human, who, if they accept and pass the tests, will receive the Zodiac Astral Blessing, making them special like the rest of us.”
“How come I’ve never heard of Zodiac Warriors? I mean, if you’re out there saving the world, shouldn’t there be news articles or stories or even rumors about you?”
“Our existence is kept secret to avoid issues with governments and those who would seek to destroy us.”
“So secret you couldn’t wait to tell me,” her dry reply.
“Only because I had no choice given my abrupt appearance before you. You will, of course, not mention my presence to anyone.”
“As if anyone would believe me,” she muttered before she sipped her whiskey.
Scorpio took a slug of his own before asking, “They wouldn’t, and I also don’t recommend trying to get anyone to, as then we’d have to take measures.”
“Meaning what?”
“Depends on the threat to the crew. Mind-wiping is the first thing we try. Discreditation. But personally, I find removing someone’s head to be most effective at keeping them quiet.”
He probably should have kept the last to himself because she stiffened.
“You’ve killed?”
“How else would I protect this world?”
She shook her head. “I’ll give you credit for creating an elaborate story, but sorry, I’m not sure I believe it.”
“Very well then, explain my presence.” He leaned back and crossed his arms.
Her lips pursed. Pretty lips, the kind with a full bottom and a lovely indent on the upper—the kind that had already lured him into trouble. She’d removed her hood, hat, and goggles, revealing smooth features, cheeks pink from being outside but skin pale of hue. Paler than him, with his golden sun-kissed tan. She’d unzipped her coat, the bulk of it hiding her shape, but her breasts did push against her sweater nicely.
“I don’t know how you got here, and naked at that. I do remember seeing a flash of light?—”
“That was me being beamed back to Earth from my constellation.”
“—and then you were suddenly just there, wrestling a leopard seal. That wasn’t too smart. They have killed people.”
He snorted. “I’m a warrior. I’ve battled much worse.”
“Let’s say you’re telling the truth… I still don’t see how I’m supposed to help. Surely you have some clue as to what you’re supposed to find.”
“The boss didn’t offer much in the way of details. Basically: go there, find the doctor, retrieve the object. It should be noted that prophecies often work like that. We get the bare minimum to start us on a quest, and things kind of happen along the way, revealing what we need to know.”
“A quest.” She snorted. “Do you know how odd that term sounds to a scientist who deals in facts?”
“Fact is you are going to intentionally or inadvertently help me locate an artifact.”
“Let’s say I do. Why would I let you take it?”
“Because it’s needed to save the world.” For a scientist, she didn’t listen very well.
“But here’s the thing. I’m here on a grant, which means anything I find doesn’t belong to me, but to Cetus.”
“Who is this Cetus?”
“The Cetus Environmental Research Corporation is who sent me here to study the glaciers in the area. I signed a contract. All samples, all discoveries, everything I do here is their property, and that would include any object I happen to find in the ice.”
“Only if they know about it.”
She stared at him. “I am not lying to my employers.”
“Not lie, just not mention.”
“It’s the same thing,” she huffed. “And how do I even know you’re a good guy? For all I know, this supposed special artifact”—she did finger quotations—“is actually what will cause trouble in the world and you’re a villain trying to use me to get it.”
“You think I’m the bad guy?” Flattering because, after all, he did appear quite ferocious. However, it was also insulting. “I’ve been saving humanity for over a century.”
Laughter erupted from the doctor that went on for some time before it devolved into choked giggles. “Oh, now I know you’re messing with me. You are not a hundred years old.”
“A hundred and seventeen, to be exact. And, yes, I am. I told you becoming a warrior enhances our attributes and abilities. Longevity is one of those perks. I’m not even the oldest. That would be Leo. He’s hitting the big three-oh-oh later this year.”
She stared into the bottom of her empty cup. “There is not enough whiskey in the world for this conversation. I need to go lie down.”
“But it’s daylight.”
His remark arched her brow. “It’s nine o’clock at night. And the reason it’s still bright is because, in Antarctica, during the months of December, January, and February, the sun doesn’t set. So, it is technically night.”
“You go to sleep then. I’m not tired.”
“Wasn’t an invitation,” she muttered.
“Mind if I poke around?”
“Yes. Keep your hands off my stuff.”
“You know I’m going to do it anyhow.”
Again, she exhaled loudly. “Don’t break anything.”
As if he’d be so clumsy.
She exited through a draped doorway for another section of the temporary habitat leaving him alone, and he did indeed snoop. The very sturdy tent he was in appeared to be for meals and storage. The crates along the sides held food supplies for the most part, but some contained equipment as well. Tucked in a far corner, almost unseen for the tarp heaped atop, he found a duffel bag and, wonder of wonders, clothes inside. Men’s clothing from a less-than-sizable fellow. A rifle through the items had him able to cobble together an outfit of snug track pants and a T-shirt that stretched.
He left the domed tent for the next one, where scientific equipment had been set up along with some computers. Sweet.
He sat down and moved the mouse to wake the device. To his surprise, there was no login screen. Then again, who would be snooping on the doctor’s computer out here? It had an internet connection, mostly likely via satellite, seeing as how he’d seen a receiver outside. He opened a browser window and logged onto the website Aries finally agreed to—not easily. It took Aquarius a decade of badgering before the boss let them get with the times.
The casual observer who happened across the website Zodiacsforworldpeace dot org saw a graphic claiming “website coming soon.” Scorpio clicked on the corners of the screen, top right, then bottom, bottom left, then top, then middle.
A box popped up flashing, Username?
He typed it in with his passcode and then answered his three security questions. Favorite show? Archer . Color? Black, duh. Best restaurant? McDonalds. The screen changed to a page with symbols, one for each of the crew. He clicked on the curled horns for Aries and reported.
Arrived in Antarctica and was observed by the doctor, who is a girl! Could have mentioned that. Says she has no object. Not too crazy about me either. Doesn’t believe a word I say.
He leaned back in the chair and waited. It took a few minutes for a reply.
What the fuck do you mean she saw you arrive? I gave you coordinates that should have been a mile from her camp.
So, I might have messed up my math a bit. I landed a few feet away from her, in my birthday suit.
A short pause then, Sage claims she didn’t see a future where you didn’t get there naked.
He didn’t know if that should make him feel better or not. Was he really that inept at calculations?
Aries kept typing. She says to stay close to the doctor. The object will reveal itself shortly, and when it does, that will trigger a chain reaction. Expect possible hostiles.
And him without any weapons.
Don’t suppose you could beam me over a kit?
Can’t. Sage says this first part of the mission has to be done by you and you alone. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.
Well yeah, he would. Because if Sage had faith, then so did he. That faith still had him scrounging for weapons and coming up empty-handed. He sure hoped he didn’t face off against any guns, or worse, though, because he doubted anyone would be intimidated by the tripod he’d split and sharpened into spears.
You know who else wasn’t intimidated by him? The doctor.
She woke and walked into the dining tent, saw him, and drawled, “And here I’d hoped the seal returned to finish you off.”