CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“I’m so glad you boys are alright,” said Marguerite. “What was the explosion?”
“A storage shed that was being used to for dynamite and drilling equipment,” said Frank.
“You boys should get upstairs. They’ll come around looking to see what happened. The gods know it was loud enough.”
“Marguerite, do not risk yourself for us. As you’ve seen, we’ll be just fine,” said Frank.
“I appreciate your concern, Marguerite but just by our being here, we’ve placed you and the others in danger. We won’t make it any worse than it already is. We’ll be ready to jump if needed. You’ve done a great job of keeping your composure,” said Devin.
“Pfft! Composure,” she scoffed. “I’m an old woman who’s tired of threats and people attempting to take the only home I’ve ever known. I won’t just stand by and watch that happen. If I’m forced, I’ll swim across that water and walk to Athens.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” smirked Ian. Nico and the others walked through the back door, wondering about the explosion. When the men explained, they knew that the workers would come.
“They’re coming over the hill,” said Ben.
“Upstairs!” said Marguerite with a bark. “Go! They won’t bother us.”
The men quickly took the rickety steps up to the attic and watched out the window as men ran toward the burning building. With the storm still raging, lightning striking all around them, there seemed no doubt what happened to the shack.
They tried to find something, anything that remained that could be used but everything was destroyed. As daylight began to appear on the horizon, the winds seemed to die down but the rain continued.
Then they heard it. A bullhorn and a man’s voice ordering every citizen to the small village square. Without speaking, Marguerite made her way slowly down the muddy road, Nico and Leonidas joining her, holding her elbow so she wouldn’t slip and fall.
Diana sat on the lone small bench, rubbing her belly as her husband looked at her with concern.
None of them knew the men of Legacy were nearby under their stealth netting.
“I can’t prove it but I feel certain someone here damaged that building last night,” said the man standing in front of them. “When I find out who it was, you will be punished.”
“It was the storm,” said Marguerite. “I could see it from my window. The building was struck by lightning. We had nothing to do with it.”
“Old woman, don’t screw with me. All your talks of Poseidon and Zeus, they’re nothing! They do not exist and even if they did, they wouldn’t help the likes of any of you.”
Bodhi looked at Frank, both men wanting to jump in and beat the shit out of the man. But it seemed the gods had other ideas as a gust of wind blew a patio umbrella straight into the man’s gut.
He gasped for air, rolling to the side and pushing the umbrella away as his men tried to help him. Bodhi and Frank smiled at one another, shrugging but grateful for the help.
That’s when they saw the help. Joseph stood in front of the small café, lifting another umbrella and took off, charging toward bullhorn man and his buddies.
“Oh, this shit is gonna be fun,” said Bodhi.
With the others joining him, they lifted anything they could, charging at the men who saw nothing except flying objects coming at them. Three men screamed, running toward the docks and their small boats. Two more tried to leave but their boss refused to let them go.
“Who threw those things?” he screamed.
“Boss, it wasn’t them. They’re all standing over there. The umbrellas were there, at the café. It was the wind. Or Zeus,” he said whispering the last part.
“It is no such thing! He doesn’t exist!” Fuming and no closer to resolving his issues, he once again looked at the village. “If I find out any of you had anything to do with this, I’ll kill you all.”
As the three men walked back toward the cliffs, the others just sat in the rain, stunned. Bodhi walked closer to Marguerite, standing behind her to whisper.
“Marguerite? Do you truly trust all of these people?”
“I do.”
“Then get them somewhere where we can speak to them. Now.”
The only place that could hold everyone was the small church on the island. The men working at the cliffs seemed to avoid the church, which was a good sign. When everyone was seated, they looked at Marguerite, wondering why the old woman asked them to come.
“Marguerite, what’s happening?” asked an old man. Nico and Leonidas stood next to her, shaking their hand up and down to ensure they kept their voices low.
“We don’t want anyone to hear us. Boys?” she called. Ian, Devin, Bodhi, Frank, Dalton, Ben, Adam, Kiel, and Joseph stepped from behind the door leading to the priests quarters.
“Who are these men?” asked a woman.
“We’re here to help. We’re friends of Nicolai.” They all gasped and Adam held up his hand. “He’s safe in America with our friends and family but he will be returning once we figure out how to get these men off the island.”
“Are you magicians? Did you send those objects flying?” asked a woman.
“We’re not magicians and it’s rather complicated, but yes, we did that,” said Kiel.
“I like you already,” she nodded with a smile.
“It’s very clear that every day you stay here you are in greater danger,” said Frank. “We have to get you off of this island. Tonight.”
“They’ll kill us. They’ll kill us all.”
“Not if we get you to safety,” said Joseph. “Marguerite, Leonidas, and Nico have trusted us. Nicolai trusts us. We ask that you trust us. We have help on the mainland and we know that we can get you there safely.”
“What if the storm isn’t gone by tonight?” asked Diana.
“I know this is scary. I know we’re asking a lot for you to trust strangers, but I assure you we can get you there safely. You have my word,” said Bodhi.
“Marguerite? What do you think?” asked a man.
“I think they were sent to us by the gods. And Nicolai.”