PRESENT DAY

Chris Bowser was escorted into a private conference room in the Express Plaza Hotel, where he saw five men and women seated in high chairs arranged in a horseshoe. There was a regular-sized chair in front of them. Athena motioned him to the chair and he sat down.

“You were thoroughly searched and no offending items were found on you. So, on behalf of Hermes, we would like to extend our welcome to you to the Summit of the Gods. As you found out earlier today, two of our members died in a plane crash on their way back from their work-related travels. They were Chief of Police Barry Stevens and Harbormaster Captain Les Crankson. Your reward, if you give a good account of yourself today, would be the seat of your choosing between the two seats left vacant by the death of these men. Your punishment, if you were to dissatisfy, would be the same fate that the men suffered. Now, to our high Lord, Hermes.”

Everyone raised their right hand and said, “Hail Hermes.”

*****

“Activate the locks.”

“Locks activated.”

“Activate the detonator.”

“Detonator activated.”

“Ensure placement of the explosives is still correct.”

“We’re missing one on account of the moved table, but the seats are still armed and so are the light fixtures and the ceiling fan. Maximum damage is still an option.”

“Perfect.”

Sukuyaa asked through the headphones. “Are you sure you’ll be able to go through with this? We can still abort and try to capture your parents later.”

Connie responded as she sat in the lobby of the Express. “I want to be able to move on. I can tell my twin is trying to return or she’s merging with me. I don’t know. But I am done with the disappointment. My parents may not be dead, but I have had to live with the trauma; it literally created this persona you’re talking to right now. Thank goodness you know both of us, so you’ll still be here at the end.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Alright, we’ve got our feed into the hotel cameras, but that floor has none. So I can guide you to the floor but after that, you’re on your own. Remember the code word.”

“I got you. I’m ready to roll.”

****

“So, Agent Bowser, we sent you the folders, we sent you the secret documents that no one has, and we sent you our suspect. Yet we have yet to see any action from you. What is the issue?”

Bowser looked at Hermes. “May I speak freely?”

“Certainly. Only mind your tone; this is the Summit of the Gods.”

“Understood. I had just returned from the basement library at our station when your summons reached me. My next move would have been to issue an arrest warrant for Ms. Mina Simpson.”

Athena responded, “Ms. Simpson is not related to this case. The suspect we sent you was Ms. Tina Tyson-Sheridan. Did you look into her at all?”

Bowser opened his folder. “Your Highnesses, if I may. Ms. Tyson-Sheridan is also high atop my suspect list but right above her is Ms. Simpson. On the night of the murder of Markham Greene, the docks at the port exploded, so everyone went to the scene to help, which left the exits unguarded. That was poor port protocol and it happened because the assistant to the harbormaster was kidnapped. That allowed Miss Tyson to leave with him undetected, and it also allowed this vehicle to drop off the body of Mr. Greene at the site of his discovery six hours before his corpse was actually found.

“This vehicle is registered to a Sukuyaa Salima, who does not exist in any database, but is the nickname of Ms. Tyson-Sheridan. One of our cameras managed to capture the face of the person who actually drove the vehicle as they were leaving the city. ”

Bowser held up the picture, which clearly showed Connie in the driver’s seat. A guard took the picture to Hermes, then passed it to Athena and the other three one by one.

Bowser continued. “I went to the library to see if I could find out more about this woman, and I believe I understand why Mr. Greene was killed. There was a sealed case file which was buried deep inside the library, in a section containing budget reviews. That file had information that suggested that Mr. Greene was the ringleader in the murder of this woman’s parents about thirty years ago. There were three men involved in the hit, which was on Mr. Kennard Simpson and his wife, Mrs. Lily Simpson.”

Athena and Hermes kept a straight face, but inside both of them, they began to worry as Bowser continued. “My theory is that Thomas may have had some connection to that hit, and he was kidnapped for information or has already been killed. Either way, Mr. Greene’s role was found out, and he was killed for it.”

*****

“Are you getting this? Looks like the files did exist after all. Shame you couldn’t find them when you broke in.”

“I know. I could’ve spared myself so much agony.”

“Take a left and you will be on their floor. I’m reading activity that says there may be cameras all through those stairs and elevators, so they’ll definitely spot you at some point.”

“That’s my sincerest hope, especially now that they know to look for me. It might keep them from looking for you.”

“This is the Bell Syndicate, girl. They don’t leave loose ends.”

********

A guard walked in discreetly with a tablet and went straight to Poseidon. While standing straight, he handed the tablet to Poseidon. Poseidon walked to Athena and showed her the tablet as Bowser continued.

“A day after Mr. Greene’s charred body was found, we received reports of a warehouse that burned down the night before. We checked and found a table with medical tools which were either partially melted or completely destroyed. This picture was found outside of that warehouse. We suspect that it was accidentally dropped as Ms. Simpson was leaving.”

Athena interrupted, “Hermes, I request the honor of your attention.” Hermes waved her over and she showed him the tablet. “Agent Bowser, thank you. Our man will escort you back to your home. Expect to hear from us again in a matter of days.”

A confused but relieved Bowser stood up and was escorted out by two men.

“Poseidon, you are in charge of security. Bring her here alive. Harm not one hair on her body.”

******

“Activate on my go. Three, two, one, go.”

Sukuyaa hit a button, which set off the explosives on Poseidon’s seat. She saw him turn into a blood splatter while Hermes and Athena jumped up in shock. She hit two other buttons and saw the other ‘gods’ suffer the same fate.

Connie faked like she was stepping out of the elevator, but then she threw a small grenade into the hallway and stepped back in the elevator.

At the same time, Sukuyaa set off the explosives in the light fixtures and the ceiling fan.

There was so much dust and smoke that she couldn’t see anything through the camera feed.

“Sukis. Update?”

“Too much smoke. You’ll have to go in yourself.”

“Pull the replay, I need to be sure before I move.”

“Okay, one se- never mind. They’re downstairs. It appears they had some kind of elevator right below their seats. Hotel camera has them in the parking garage.”

“Okay. I’m headed there. You know what to do.”

*****

Bowser was being led to the SUV that brought him when he heard the radio command on one of the guards’ walkie-talkies. There was a lot being yelled, and then a loud bang, and then everyone went quiet. The two men with him ran towards the parking garage and left him alone. His human instincts wanted him to run for his life but his detective instincts overpowered that thought. He stealthily hurried towards the garage.

***

Sukuyaa took her spot at the far end of the street and aimed her rifle at the garage. She watched and waited patiently. Connie spoke through the earphones. “Are you in position?”

“Yes I am, track star. I can hear your panting outside of the earphones at this point.”

“Kiss my ass. The guards who took Chris out must be around somewhere. Watch for-”

“One second.” Sukuyaa saw the two men in black suits running into the garage.

Bang. Bang.

“I’m back.”

“Nice work, girl.”

Right before Sukuyaa could even enjoy her feat, they both heard the screeching sound of a car as it raced towards the exit of the garage. It sped past Connie, who had just gotten down there, and was about to exit. Sukuyaa aimed at the back tire and let one fly.

The next sound was of the car screeching and spinning until it spun around and crashed upside down into the wall to the left of the exit.

Connie rushed to the car. The driver had been thrown headfirst through the windscreen and was stuck in there, lifeless. She saw that a massive shard of glass had stabbed Lily through the heart; there was blood all over her. The passenger door opened, and Kennard fell out of the car, barely alive.

“Hello, Father! Care to tell me why you faked your death, or do you want me to keep living a lie?”

Kennard looked up with all his strength, his voice getting fainter and fainter. “Mina. Goddamn daughter.”

“That’s the hello I get after all these years, you motherf*cker?”

“You won’t understand. We had to leave you.”

“Yeah. I heard Barry’s tape recording. Do you know how much I’ve been through? Before you die, just tell me why you did it. Why did you and this woman abandon me and fake your death?”

“Your mother tried to turn her father in for selling drugs. But the cops she spoke with were his friends. He wanted us dead.”

“So you left me tortured and alone? That’s what the hell kinda parents you were?”

“Mina, I’m running out of time.”

“So talk to me. Just tell me why you were so evil!”

Kennard reached for her hand. “Ellis Rose. Ellis Rose has the answer.” Kennard’s arm then went limp and fell flat on the ground.

Connie couldn’t have any time to cry; police sirens were approaching. She spoke through the earpiece.

“Let’s clear out.”

Hmmm… Ellis Rose has the answer. Well, as we come to the end of this, I guess we might just find out what the answer is…