This story dedicated to Crystal, for her unselfish and generous devotion in providing a place (Crystals Story site) for writers like myself to share their stories with others.
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Treasach Klawes and Sam Vincent
Copyright 2001
Fade in...
I slid the report into the proper file just as he walked into the room. Dennis Butz stood there wearing his three-piece suit, looking as handsome and charming as any man could. But I was not to be tamed by his charm.
"Hello, Linda," he said with a friendly grin.
"Judge Herns isn't in today," I replied back in a frosty tone.
"I'm not here to see her."
"My plane leaves in less then an hour Dennis, what do you want?" I slammed the file drawer shut and walked past him to my desk without making eye contact. If he didn't know I was pissed at him before, he knew now.
"I wanted to give you something before you left." He handed me a small black box. Inside was a gold necklace with a cross.
"Is this supposed to make up for what you did to me?" I told him with a glare.
"It's for you to wear while you're in Peace River. It won't stop their magic, but it will prevent them from reading your thoughts."
"What magic?" I demanded to know.
"I can't tell you, Linda," he replied softly.
"THE HELL YOU CAN'T!" I yelled. I looked Dennis straight in the eyes to show him I meant business. "This game you've been playing with me has gone on long enough. I want you to tell me everything you know about Peace River, including who Judge Jasper and his people are!"
"I'm sorry, Linda, but I can't," he apologized. "Just watch yourself around Mr. Cupler. He's really the only one you need to be concerned about. Ms. Marshall won't have much affect on you."
"That's not a good enough answer, Dennis. I want you to tell me RIGHT NOW what the HELL you signed me up for! Who are these people and what do they want with me - and with you?"
"I'm afraid, Linda, that's something you'll have to find out on your own. Please, you have to trust me."
"Trust is a two way street, Dennis," I snarled. "So is RESPECT! If you want me to 'TRUST' and 'RESPECT' you, then you have to be willing to do the same thing with me."
"I do trust you, Linda, and respect you greatly," he replied in a tone that sounded sincere. "I'm sorry you're so angry that you won't accept that as fact."
"You don't get it, do you Dennis? How can you be so intelligent and yet fail to comprehend the basic premise behind my words? Let me spell this out for you real clearly so you'll know why I'm so pissed off at you. You made a deal to bring Sally to Andersonville in exchange for my services, without consulting me first. The fact is, if you had asked I would've said 'YES'! But you didn't respect me enough to ask. You just went ahead and made the deal as if my opinion didn't matter."
"It was a spur of the moment decision," Dennis tried to explain. "I didn't even know Pete Atkins was going to bring it up until he did."
"What, you couldn't tell Pete you'd get back with him?" I pointed out rudely. "What's the matter, can't you two people talk to each other on the phone? Was it so urgent that you had to make a decision right then and there? You could've - NO, you should've told Pete you'd have to check with me first and get back to him. That's what someone does when they respect the person involved; they check with them first before signing away six months of their lives into some hell hole."
"Peace River isn't that bad."
"How do I know that? Besides, that's not the point, Dennis! You still don't get it."
"Yes Linda, I do. You're right, I should've asked you first. I'm sorry that I didn't, it showed a great lack of respect on my part. Please understand Linda, when Pete offered me the trade, I assumed you would be willing to go along with it. However, you're absolutely correct, I had no right to agree to his deal without checking with you."
"That helps, Dennis. Now tell me why Judge Jasper wants me in Peace River so badly. And what is this conflict about concerning your two people and how does it involve the human race?"
"I'm sorry, Linda, I can't tell you. Please believe me when I say if I could tell you I would. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to at this time. There are rules I have to follow to keep the peace between their people and ours."
"Who are you?" I asked directly.
"You know I can't answer that," he replied softly. "In time, Linda, you will know the truth about us and what is going on."
"In time, huh?" I said sarcastically. "Somehow I don't think I'm going to like the truth when I find out." Dennis shuddered as if he didn't know how to answer me.
"Is Peace River better than Andersonville?"
"NO!" Dennis replied back sternly. "Our people have much more freedom than they do. And Andersonville is a much safer place to live."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You're going to have to discover the answers to those questions for yourself," he stated firmly. I noticed Dennis's demeanor had changed to a more defensive attitude. Apparently my last question had struck a nerve in him.
"So that's it then. It comes down to a matter of trust, or lack of trust on your part. Go forth Linda, into this strange and dangerous world like an unprepared virgin and pray you don't get swept away in all this! Don't question why it's this way...it just is!"
"Have you ever THOUGHT..." Dennis started out angrily then stopped, took a breath, and continued again in a calmer tone. "Have you ever thought Linda, that learning the truth on your own is better than me telling you what it is? Think about it little miss smarty-pants, before condemning me for my actions. If I told you everything you wanted to know, you'd be learning it through my interpretation of what the truth is. In the end, you'd most likely view the situation very different and not 'trust' me. You may not like my lack of silence on this matter, but it's for your own good."
"Nice recovery, Dennis," I countered. "I almost believe what you just said - NOT! It's still comes down to a simple matter of not trusting or respecting me with information that may help me understand what's going on. You're sending me into Peace River completely blind. Comparing my last meeting with Judge Jasper, I'm sure it's going to be a long six months."
"Look at the bright side," Dennis said with a slight grin.
"Bright side? What the hell bright side is there to all this?"
"You get a six months vacation away from me." Before I could think of a response, Dennis Butz had already left the room.
"Rotten, son of a bitch," I muttered under my breath.
Fade out...
***
Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.
The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.
***
Fade in...
My flight to Peace River was on a Leer jet big enough to handle 15 people. Accompanying me was Laura Miller, Andersonville's school superintendent, and Vickie Marshall, my dance instructor. Both were considerate when welcoming me aboard the plane. However, I found they were just as tight lipped about what was going on as Dennis Butz had been.
Piloting the plane was Diana, Judge Jasper's daughter. She gave me a smug look and told me to take a seat. I sat down as far in the back as I could. Every now and then I caught her looking at me in the mirror with a look of contempt.
Vickie, on the other hand, was her usual friendly self. She offered me a drink from the bar, a real alcoholic drink, and commented on how nice I looked in my green, skirt suit. I thanked Vickie; telling her I had worn it just for this meeting with Judge Jasper. I figured if he were going to find fault in me, at least it wouldn't be in the clothes I wore.
About an hour and a half out of Andersonville I got my first look at Peace River, and was a little surprised at what I saw. A wide river, at least a mile across, encircled the town and the area around it. Actually, it wasn't so much a river as a moat that cut almost 20 square miles of land from the rest of the world.
The town of Peace River was located on the south side of the island, and from the air I could tell it was much smaller than Andersonville. It was spread out pretty well, with several nice looking neighborhoods and a large number of farms scattered all around. The northern half of the island was a thick forest, with a nice size lake in the middle of it. In fact I could see three such lakes within the boarders of the island. Only one was connected to the river by a small channel.
Looking at the east and west sides of the island, I noticed two steel bridges that spanned the waterway. These bridges appeared to be the only way in and out of Peace River. One thing I found odd about the river itself, if you could call it that, was the lack of boats on it. I could see some watercraft on one of the lakes but nothing in the river. Apparently it wasn't for recreational purposes.
'That must be how they keep people from leaving,' I thought. Unless you were a very good swimmer or could build a raft, there wasn't any way out of Peace River other than the bridges. I had no doubts the bridges were well guarded somehow.
Along the banks of the river I spotted several buildings that seemed to be spaced out about a mile apart. I wasn't an expert on waterways, but the buildings reminded me of a pumping station I had once seen at a lock on the Ohio River. All of the buildings were identical in size and shape, and each one had a tower located on the roof. Perhaps they had spotters overlooking the river, searching for people trying to cross it. Maybe Peace River was even set up similar to Andersonville, where if someone entered into a restricted area it set off some kind of alarm somewhere. Ashlee and Stephanie both had told me they had been caught trying to escape.
There wasn't any doubt in my mind that the security in Peace River was incredible and meant to keep people inside. Still, I suspect there had to be a number of attempts made each month despite their efforts. I wonder if anyone had succeeded yet.
"We'll be landing in just a moment, Linda," Vickie smiled while peeking out the window with me. "What do you think of our town so far?"
"Interesting," I commented. Her smile got even bigger.
"You'll find plenty of interesting things once you had a chance to explore. I had Diane fly around the island so you could see everything first." There was a slight bump as the plane began to descend toward the ground. "Better buckle yourself in, we don't want you getting hurt if it's a rough landing."
I did as I was told and watched the town of Peace River come into view. I noticed a number of two and three story buildings that made up the main street through town. The courthouse, which looked to be identical to the one in Andersonville, loomed out from the center of the town. Even from this distance it looked impressive.
The buildings quickly disappeared behind some trees and I felt the airplane wheels touching down on the tarmac. After landing we taxied over to a hanger and Diana cut the engines. With a slight tug on the door, Vickie opened it up and ushered me outside. There I found five police officers, including Mark Merrick, waiting for me. I didn't know whether to be honored or scared by the reception. Mark walked over and held out his hands.
"Nice to see you again, Linda. How was your trip?"
"It was...fine," I answered while looking at the other police officers staring back at me. "Is all this for me?"
"Relax, you're a guest here," Mark laughed.
"I would hate to see my reception if I wasn't." Mark laughed at the comment but the other officers didn't join in.
"You'll be riding in my car," he motioned to the police car nearby. "I'm be driving you ladies to the courthouse to meet with Judge Jasper and some other guests. In the meantime, Officer Ganymede will take your bags to your new apartment, Linda. If you will get in the car please."
"Do I have a choice?" I asked.
Mark chuckled slightly and held open the door. As we drove toward town, I was struck by how old some of the houses looked. Oh, they were in good shape, but their design indicated they have been built years ago, when big, massive houses located on huge lots were the norm. That caused me to wonder how long Peace River had existed - and why the US government didn't know about this place. Certainly our satellites would've picked this place out. After all, how many towns had a moot around them?
Officer Merrick parked in front of the courthouse and ushered me up the stairs. Vickie, Diana, and Laura Miller followed at a discreet distance, as if observing my movements. Their actions did nothing to calm my nerves.
"The judge wants to see you in the conference room. There are a few people he would like you to meet first."
The 'few people' Mark mentioned was actually more like twenty people standing around talking, joking, and drinking. All that stopped when I entered the room. To my shock, Judge Jasper gave me a warm smile and walked over to greet me.
"Linda, thank you for coming here on such short notice. I want to personally welcome you to the town of Peace River."
As if on cue everyone started clapping, all except for Diana that is. She had a strong look of reservation on her face as if my being here wasn't such a good idea. I was probably the only one the room who was in agreement with her.
"Thank you, Your Honor," I responded politely and totally flabbergasted by his actions. Where was the hard-nose prick I had learned to hate in Andersonville?
"Officer Merrick, if you will please." Mark walked over and locked the door.
"I brought you here first Linda, not only to welcome you to Peace River, but to allow you to meet some of the people you'll be working with in a more friendly setting. That and the fact we'll find any reason to throw a party. I haven't met a whiskey and rye that I didn't like yet." There was a round of laughter around the room.
"I appreciate your concern," I said cautiously. This was not the reception I had been expecting. Judge Jasper was acting civil toward me, as if he had respect for me.
"It's not out of concern," he answered while handing me a drink from the bar. "You're a guest here and we want you to feel that way."
I was definitely feeling uneasy now. Except for Diana, everyone else was acting as if it were a pleasure to have me here. Even their smiles looked genuine.
"Perhaps we could go over my job duties," I mentioned politely.
"Later," the Judge told me. He put his arm around me in a comforting fashion. "Right now I think you should be told who we are."
"You mean, introducing me to everyone?"
"No, I mean the truth about who we 'really' are. The question you asked both Ashlee and Stephanie when they were guests in your town. Perhaps it would be better if you took a seat."
I sat down and swallowed hard. Somehow I knew this was going to be big, real big.
"Now, were do I begin? Let me ask you a question, Linda. What do you know about Roman history?"
"Not much," I replied honestly. "History was never my strong subject in school. I do seem to recall the Roman Empire was an advanced civilization for its time."
"And the gods they worshipped?"
"There were a number of them. In fact the planets of our solar system are named after the Roman..." I stopped in mid-sentence as a light went off in my head. I looked around the room slowly; everyone was grinning back at me.
"It can't be!" I whispered
"It is," Judge Jasper reaffirmed. "I am the god, Jupiter, and these are my people. Take a deep breath Linda, and calm down. No one is going to harm you."
I wasn't scared. I was more shocked then anything. They actually wanted me to believe that they were the Roman gods. No, they didn't care if I believed them or not; the point was, they believed it.
"I suppose there is an interesting story behind this." My statement won me a round of laughter, including one from Judge Jasper, old Jupiter himself.
"Yes, as a matter of fact there is. But before I tell you, why don't I introduce you to everyone here. This is my son Mars, also known as Mr. Marshall." A muscular looking man, who would've put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame, grabbed my hand with his meaty paw and kissed it.
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Linda." I found myself unable to reply as I looked into his manly face. Except for the scar across his cheek, he was a handsome, mature looking man and extremely fit.
"My brother, Neptune."
Neptune looked similar to Jupiter, both in body and facial feathers. His beard was a bit longer and his face a bit thinner, but you could tell they were brothers.
"Of course you know Officer Merrick," Jupiter continued as he led me around the room. "Care to venture who he might really be?"
"He runs a communication shop and is extremely fast. Mercury?"
The cop grinned widely at my answer. "Very good, Linda. However, you seem to be having a bit of a problem accepting all this."
"It's a little hard to take in," I admitted nervously. "I didn't really believe, um, I mean think, that you were...I mean...being here in the United States and all."
"I think what you're trying to say without wanting to upset us, is you didn't think we existed," Jupiter expounded. "Perfectly understandable since we've kept a low profile to your people. Over here, we have Mr. Cupler. You may know him better in history as Cupid."
"Mr. - Mr. Cupler." I was hesitant to give him my hand. He was only about 5'4", with long, golden blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail. He was dressed normally, wearing a pair of pants and a good shirt. If I had to guess his age, I would say he wasn't much older than 16. He looked too young and friendly to be dangerous. Why had Dennis warn me to beware of him over of all the other gods here?
"Don't worry, Linda, I won't bite," he told me in a genial manner.
"Sorry - it's...never mind." I took his hand and felt a warm flow of energy running up my arm. Suddenly I felt at ease around him. Was this the magic Dennis had warned me about?
"I'm sure you've heard some pretty bad stories about me," he explained. "Don't worry, I'm really very nice. I'm sure we'll be good friends once you get to know me better."
"At least it'll be an interesting relationship," I recovered and even managed to smile. He responded with a hearty laugh, and the others quickly joined in.
Over the next 20 minutes Jupiter introduced me to everyone there. Mrs. Marshall, my dance instructor, was really Venus. Mrs. Miller, our superintendent at the Andersonville school district, was really a muse for Judge Herns. Judge Herns turned out to be the goddess Juno. And officer Deimos, he was really the god Deimos. I remembered one of the two moons around the planet Mars was named after him. I wondered where his brother Phobos was. Did all of the Roman gods live in Peace River or only a selected few?
After the introductions were complete, more drinks were served and the gods divided themselves into groups of 3 or 4 to debate certain issues. It seemed that the more they drank, the more intense some of the debates became.
I heard Neptune, also known as Capt. Nemo, discussing how fresh water from the treatment plants was seeping into the ground and eventually into the river itself. Apparently this affected the balance in the water, which wasn't the same as regular water.
In another corner, Minerva was concerned that the art museum wasn't up to par, and that more talented artists needed to be brought in. I found her discussion very cold, as if the lives of the people they were considering kidnapping - that's what I considered it - didn't matter. So what if the talented young artist they wanted to bring here had a family? That didn't seem to matter from what I overheard.
Finally Judge Jasper ended the party, saying it was time to get back to work. All of them said 'goodbye' as they left, promising to visit with me again once I had settled in. Apparently, I was something of a dignitary to them. They seemed just curious as to find out what I was like as I was about them. When the last person left, Jupiter closed the door and turned to me.
"I'm sure there must be a thousand questions running through your mind right now," he said in a warm, but businesslike fashion. "Unfortunately, this is neither the time or place to answer them; and I happen to know Officer Merrick and Deimos are patiently waiting outside to talk to you. So I'll reserve a table for us at Crystal's and we'll cover some of those questions over lunch. Oh, and one more thing Miss Anderson - at this point you will go back to referring to me as Judge, Judge Jasper, or Your Honor. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Good," he smiled then added, "by the way, you look very nice in that outfit. Gives you a very professional look."
"Thank you, Your Honor." He nodded his approval and I followed him back to my new office. Sure enough, both Officer Merrick and Deimos were waiting at my desk patiently. Judge Jasper excused himself and entered into his chambers, closing the door behind him.
"It's been our tradition," Mark started off with a smile, "to present each new guest in Peace River with a gift. That way they'll remember their stay here as a pleasant one. So from my people to you Linda, I give you this." He pulled from a box a long crystal vase.
"Oh my gosh, Mark, it's beautiful." I blushed at the words, for it made me sound more like a girl than I felt I really was. However, there was no question that the vase was beautiful. It glistened in the office light and had a picture edged into the crystal of a woman and child filling up a vase by the riverside.
"I'm glad you like it," Mark grin. "Officer Deimos has something for you too.
"I saw them on the way in and thought maybe you would like them," he told me shyly. He placed some pink and white roses into my arms. When he did, I saw over the top of his sunglasses and noticed he had pure, black eyes instead of regular eyes like everyone else. Was this some kind of birth defect?
"Thank you, Officer Deimos."
He smiled slightly then blurted out, "Would you like to have lunch with me today?"
"I'm sorry, Officer Deimos, but I can't. Judge Jasper asked me to have lunch with him. Maybe another time."
"Dinner then?" he asked hopefully. "I can give you a personal tour of Peace River afterwards."
It was tempting offer, but the only thing I wanted to do was go home, get out of these pantyhose, soak in a hot bath, and try to figure out what was really going on here.
"No tonight," I told him. "I have a real bad case of jet lag and wouldn't be very good company. Maybe in a few days, when I get settled in."
"Okay," he replied in a disappointed tone. "I need to get back to the office and fill out some paperwork. I'll talk to you later, Linda."
Officer Merrick watched the young officer leave then turned and said, "I really wish you would reconsider his offer, Linda."
"Come on Mark, I'm beat. I just got into town, I'm suffering a little jet lag, and I still have to go back to my apartment and unpack. Not to mention my head is still spinning from what I've been told this morning. Suddenly everything I used to believe in has been shattered."
"How?" he asked.
"Well, for one, I never used to believe space aliens visited us. Now I learned an entire community is living here among us, doing who knows what."
"You don't actually believe we're here to harm your race, do you?" Mercury questioned. "If that were the case, you'd all be sheep herders serving our every need. Instead everyone brought to Peace River is treated equally. We don't discriminate between you or us."
"Brought here?" I questioned. "Don't you mean kidnapped, Mark? Isn't that closer to the truth? You're not asking the person to come and live here, you're telling them to!"
"Linda, we could debate this all day; and as much as I would like to do that, I can't right now. Look, all I ask is that you look around our town with an open mind before judging us. If you do, you'll see that Peace River isn't so 'hellish' of a place as you think it is. Now, about Officer Deimos offer."
"I told you, Mark, I'm tired. After I get off work, I'm planning to visit Ashlee and see how she's doing. Then I'm going home and locking myself into my own private sanctuary."
Mercury shook his head. "Bad idea, Linda. Your time in Peace River is limited. Six months may seem like a long time, but it'll go by quickly. Getting back to Officer Deimos offer, I'm calling in a favor. Remember when I took you to Officer Brown's funeral? I didn't have to do that, but I knew it would mean a lot to you. Well, going out with Officer Deimos tonight would mean a lot to me."
"Oh you're going to have to explain this one to me, Mark," I replied.
"Okay," he sighed. "If you must know, Officer Deimos has a...well...a crush on you. You're all he talks about and it's driving me nuts."
I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing. I found the idea of someone having a crush on me very funny, only the look on Mark's face told me he was very serious.
"Come on, Mark," I chuckled. "I just met the guy this morning. How could he have a crush on me?"
"Linda," he said very formally and seriously. "This isn't a joking matter. When you - or should I say Tom - turned Gerald into a little girl, you did something that up until now has never happened to one of us. You beat us at our own game. True, Gerald is an idiot and he didn't have any of his powers, but he was still one of us. That made you kind of like a celebrity to some of us, especially those who didn't like Gerald to begin with. When Gerald lived here, he was something of a bully to the younger gods."
"And I bet Deimos was one of the gods he bullied, right?"
"That's correct."
"But I didn't even know Gerald was one of you," I pointed out quickly.
"I don't think that really matters, does it?" Mark asked point-blank. "You would've done the same thing to free your friend from his clutches. And the way you treated Gerald after his capture, that only made us admire you more. You were the topic of many of our discussions, and my father was flooded with requests to bring you here."
"But that was Tom McClain, I'm Linda Anderson, remember?"
"Yes, but your personality is that of Tom McClain," he countered. "Linda, you're young, beautiful, and a proven warrior. To Officer Deimos, who is still young and foolish at heart, you're like an untouchable fruit. That's the way it is with us. When we get stricken by someone that's all we can think about. Going out with Deimos would mean everything to him."
"You like him, don't you."
"I like a lot of people," he answered, "even you."
"I don't have to have sex with him, do I?"
"Only if you want to," Mercury grinned.
I snorted my disgust at the idea. "Okay, go tell him to pick me up at 6:30."
"Actually, it would be better if you went since you turned him down earlier. It would lift up his ego if you did. Oh, I know it's asking a lot, but would you mind wearing a nice dress and heels for tonight? You know, pretty yourself up for him."
"A dress and heels - oh, come on Mark! The last thing I want to do is change out of this dress and into another."
"Please," Mark stated hopefully. He said it with such sincerity that I found it impossible to turn him down. Besides, I did owe him one.
"Okay, but only if you answer a question. You had something to do with Sally returning from the grave, didn't you?"
"You're very sharp, Linda. Yes, I did. After she died, I intercepted her soul before she got to the other side and brought her here. I did so on my father's orders."
"But your father didn't want to get involved with her."
"No, he didn't want her brought here," Mark corrected. "Once she died, the rules changed. He was the one who told me to go get her. Just so you know Linda, my father wanted your brother to succeed. That's why he sent Sally to Andersonville, to be with him."
Officer Merrick's words touched me, and I found myself having a new outlook on Judge Jasper - even admiring him. I was seeing him in a whole new light, as a caring, sensitive man. Then another thought crossed my mind. Were these my true feelings or their magic working on me?
"Well, I don't know what to think now," I told Mark carefully. "This isn't the same man I remember."
"You shouldn't believe everything Dennis Butz tells you," Officer Merrick replied. "He's not very forthcoming on the truth."
I was going to tell him that Dennis hadn't told me anything about them but held my tongue. They didn't need to know everything I knew, or didn't know. This worked to my advantage if I kept it that way. They may start blurting out things they thought I knew; information I could use to figure out what was really going on here.
"Where would I find Officer Deimos?" I asked.
"At the police station," Mark Merrick told me. "I appreciate this, Linda."
"Like you said, Mark, I owe you a favor. Going to Kevin's funeral, and the picture you gave me, meant an awful lot to me at the time. Heck, it still does. It doesn't seem like going out with Officer Deimos begins to cover what you did."
"Just enjoy yourself tonight, that'll be payment enough," he smiled. "Why don't you go tell him now - it'll make his day. Oh, and please don't let him know that we talked about this."
"Okay, I understand."
I walked down the hallway toward the police station while thinking about what to say. I didn't want to give Officer Deimos the wrong impression, but at the same time I didn't want him to think I was being forced to go out with him either. My relationship with Jeff Summers had cooled before I left; leaving me available much to my mother's disappointment and to be honest, mine. It wasn't that I wanted to get married and settled down, but rather the rejection I felt when he told me he needed to still date other people. Was that why I didn't want to go out with Officer Deimos, I was afraid he may wind up rejecting me to? I wasn't ready for that.
Inside the Police station I was greeted by a thin looking police officer with straight blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. He gave me a smile and I noticed his nametag read Officer Ganymede.
"Good morning, Linda," he said cheerfully as if we were old friends. His name struck a cord in my head, but I couldn't place who he was. I knew he had a moon named after him, but not which planet it circled. He hadn't been one of the cops at the party. I guess duty had called.
"Good morning, Officer Ganymede. I was wondering if I could talk to Officer Deimos for a moment.
He gave me a knowing wink. "Let me go round him up."
The cop went into the back for a moment and returned with Officer Deimos in tow, who wasn't wearing his sunglasses. When Deimos saw me, his eyes got big and strangely, even darker with excitement.
"Yes, Miss Anderson, what can I do for you?" he asked in a businesslike fashion. I had to give Deimos credit; he hid his excitement well.
"Please, call me Linda," I smiled. "I was wondering if you would still like to have dinner with me tonight?"
The officer's eyes bugged out at the news, and I noticed Officer Ganymede seemed amused by his friend's reaction. He quickly excused himself by saying he had to file something in back.
"Yes Miss...I mean, Linda...if you want. What time should I pick you up?"
"Make it 6:30. I need time to get ready."
"O...okay," he replied nervously.
"Great!" I said with emphasis. "I'm looking forward to tonight. See you later, Officer Deimos."
He didn't reply; he just stood there in a joyful daze as I left the station. Outside I started laughing at the effect I had had on him. One of the things I did enjoy about being Linda was the influence I could have on men if I turned on the charm. In fact, I was feeling pretty happy inside as I strolled back to my office.
***
Crystal's was a wonderfully decorated restaurant that would've put many 5-star restaurants to shame. On the walls were large, beautiful murals depicting different scenes of ancient Rome. Spread around the room were hundreds of stunning, crystal vases, indicating where the restaurant got its name. The tables and chairs that decorated the dinning room were made of pure oak, solid and sturdy, yet comfortable to sit in.
A tuxedoed maitre d' greeted us at the door and we followed him to a table located in a separate room made of glass. It sat higher then everything else and overlooked the dinning room. As the maitre d' held out my chair, I felt like royalty. The waiter showed up about the same time and quickly took our order. I got the feeling that the people working here didn't like to make Judge Jasper wait too long. After the waiter brought us our drinks, he left the room, closing the glass door behind him.
"Well, I think now is as good as time as any to discuss some of the questions you may have, Linda," Judge Jasper said in an open manner.
His warm frankness threw me for a loop; I had expected him to be quite the opposite; very closed-lipped and secretive like Dennis Butz was. Of course I had also expected him to treat me the same way he had before - like dirt. Instead he was acting more like an understanding father figure.
"Is it okay to call you Jupiter?"
"Only when I allow it," he replied in a dry tone. "To keep people feeling at ease in our town, we use aliases, normal names common to this area. Since there weren't any other people around this morning, I didn't see the harm in using our real names. Besides, I felt it was important you knew who we really are?"
"Why me?" It had been one of the many questions burning in the back of my mind since I found out he had requested me to come here. "Surely you could've found a better replacement for Ashlee besides me. That's not why you brought me here, is it?"
"No, not really," he said directly and leaned slightly forward. "What I did to you back in Andersonville, and at your trial, was for your own good. Now you may think I was being a little hard on you, and perhaps that's even true, but it wasn't personal I can assure you. It's simply how I handle situations such as yours. I transformed you into a girl so you would grow, which you did both in spirit and maturity. You learned to hate me, but you also learned to respect my outlook on things. When you decided to return to being Linda Anderson, I knew you had changed inside. My wife - my ex-wife - views you as her own daughter. You should know that is quite an honor, Linda. She rarely becomes attached to regular humans. But I'm getting off track here. The bottom line is, I wanted to make amends for some of the hardships I caused you earlier - and to show you I'm not the prick you think I am."
"What about Dennis Butz? If you're the Roman gods, who is he?"
"He's a Titan."
"I thought you were the Titans!"
Judge Jasper snorted loudly as if he had been insulted. "Hardly! We fought and defeated the Titans centuries ago. Most of the Titans are here, kept away from the rest of the world. Some, like Dennis Butz, are allowed to roam free because they don't pose a threat to us. It takes a great deal of our resources to keep them incarcerated, so we try to limit that number to only the ones we consider real dangerous."
"This war, can you tell me something about it?" Judge Jasper looked at me carefully, as if deciding how much he wanted to tell me at this time.
"Let me say this. Before we came to your planet, our two races had been fighting among the stars off and on for almost a thousand years. You would think two advance races would be able to settle their differences in that time, but the Titans were unreasonable. They would sign a treaty only to break it after a few years. As far as I know our people are still fighting out there among themselves."
"But if that's true; why are you still here? Couldn't you just signal someone to pick you up?"
"No, our coming here was an accident. My father's ship, the Ovid, was a science vessel that was attacked by a larger, more superior Titan ship. They were fighting close to a neutron star when the Titan ship missed my father's ship and hit the star by mistake. This created a wormhole in space and the Titan ship was sucked in first, followed by the Ovid moments later. In a matter of seconds my father found his ship and crew transported 10 thousand light years from home with no way to get back. They spent years in space looking for a place to call home until they found Earth. The only problem was, the Titans had found Earth first, almost 2,000 years earlier. It seems the disturbance had not dumped them into another area in space, but also into another time. By the time my father and his crew found out it was too late, the Titan's had destroyed their ship and they were stranded here."
"So what happened next?"
"Survival was hard. Many of my father's crew were hunted down and killed - no, that's not the right word - butchered by the Titans. A few survived and had children. What our forefathers found out was that their offspring didn't get old and die here. There's a natural force in your atmosphere that kept regenerating our cells. Our fathers perished but we, their children, found out we could live forever by staying here."
"No wonder you don't want to leave," I pointed out.
"Why should we!" he stated a little irritated by my statement. "I have as much right to be here as you do. I was born on this planet, had children on this planet, and have worked hard to keep things in check on this planet. If it weren't for us interfering in your lives, you humans would have rendered this world uninhabitable more than a century ago. We've been the guardians of this world for some time now."
"But first you had to take care of the Titans."
"That's correct. There were a series of short engagements, coming down to one long, ten-year war that ended with the defeat of the Titan's army. It was a horrible war, as wars often go, with floods, fire, and famine. After it was over, the remaining Titans switched tactics and started using psychological warfare. They twisted the facts, so what really happened was replaced with stories of cruelty on our side. Worse, they claimed that we were the descendants of them. I can't tell you how insulting it is to be considered one of them, Linda. It's interesting to note that if enough people repeat a lie it becomes the truth. We tried to set the record straight, but things only got more confusing. In the end, the real history of what had happened during those years was lost to the lies."
My mind was spinning with information. Dennis Butz wasn't really human, at least not what I thought of as being human. And Judge Jasper, old Jupiter himself, was not only real, but also thousands of years old. Which left me wondering what role we, the humans, had in all this.
"How do we fit into this?"
"If by 'we' you mean your race, very simply. We're trying to fix the damage the Titans did while at the same time making sure you don't destroy yourself in the process. In time, once your race advances to where it's safe, we'll introduce you to star travel. One day you'll find a way to get us home. Yes, Linda, while I may have been born here I still consider out there, among the stars, home. Living forever can be very boring without adventures or challenges. That's why we need you - to help us escape and return us to where we belong."
"What about Andersonville? What's its role in your grand plans?"
"That remains to be seen. Dennis wants us to release his people into your town, in the hopes that one-day they can return home as well. To do this, they needed to be re-introduced into society again - which is where Andersonville comes in. We can't do it here in Peace River; they'd never adjust to living among your people under our rules. That's when Dennis Butz came up with his offer to create a new town under our guidelines but run by him. We want you to understand Linda, that keeping his people here under guard is very taxing on our resources; resources I might add, that could be better used to help your race. If the Titans will work with us, well, the potential for everyone is enormous."
"Why do I get the feeling you don't think Andersonville is going to work?" I asked.
Jupiter smiled slightly. "You're very perceptive, Linda. Yes, I have serious doubts about Andersonville, only because Dennis Butz has so little respect and trust for us. He tends to keep things secret from me instead of being up front with any problems he runs into. This makes it very hard to trust him. I think you know what I mean better than anyone. If I had my way, you wouldn't have been turned into a woman at all. I would've kept you as a man."
I was about to say something, but stopped myself; Jupiter had just contradicted himself. Earlier he had indicated it had been his idea to turn me into Linda Anderson, to help me grow. Now he was suggesting it was Dennis Butz who had made that decision. What was the truth here?
Judge Herns - Juno? - had told me I had been turned into Linda because they couldn't make the Anderson's forget they had two daughters and one son. So who did I trust more, Judge Herns or Jupiter? Well, that was a no brainier. I found myself thanking Dennis Butz for giving me this necklace that prevented Judge Jasper from knowing what I was thinking.
Our food arrived, the tastiest lamb chop I had ever eaten, and our conversation changed. Judge Jasper went over my duties, which were basically the same as those in Andersonville. After lunch he gave me the rest of the afternoon off to look around. I thanked him and decided now was as good as time as any to visit Ashlee. I put on my tennis shoes that I kept in my oversize purse and headed off. When I got to Ashlee's house she greeted me with a warm smile and a welcoming hug.
"Little Calvin's sleeping," Ashlee whispered while offering me a diet Pepsi that I accepted. She looked worn out sitting on the couch in her cotton nightgown and pink, terry-cloth robe. I suddenly felt bad about dropping in unexpected and offered to come back at a different time, but she wouldn't hear of it.
"Honest, Linda, I could use the company," she said. "Bill's at work all day and the kids go over to a friend's house after they get out of school. I'm used to human contact from working in the courthouse, and this isolation is driving me nuts. And when my family does get home I'm usually too busy with the baby to carry on a conversation. The little devil sleeps all through the day and cries half the night." Then she grinned real big and added, "and I'm loving every minute of it. Look at him."
The little infant stirred slightly when she readjusted the covers over him but quickly fell back into a peaceful sleep."
"Um, Ashlee. I don't know how to ask this but is he...real?"
"You mean, is he really my child or someone who was transformed into a baby?" she rephrased with a coy smile.
"Well, yeah."
"Believe me Linda, he's real," she answered with a painful grin. "I have the stretch marks to prove it." I started laughing although when I thought about it, I didn't see the humor in it.
"So, what do you think of Peace River so far?" she asked curiously.
"Run by Roman gods, it's so damn hard to believe."
"I know what you mean, Linda. It took me almost an entire year to accept it as fact."
"Has anyone ever tried to challenge Ju...Ju..." I found myself starting to gag, and Ashlee reached over and touched me on the shoulder.
"Don't try to say his name, Linda. Take a deep breath and forget about saying it." I stopped trying and found myself able to breathe again.
"One of the things we can't do in Peace River is say their names unless they allow it," Ashlee explained then added, "although there are ways around their restrictions. For instance, planet Jupiter visited me the other day. See what I mean? Really Linda, it's better just to use their aliases, it makes the conversation easier to understand. I know who you're really taking about."
"Okay," I replied hoarsely while taking a drink of water that Ashlee had poured for me. "That's some trick."
"I'm not sure how they do it, but the method is even more effected on the people Judge Jasper transforms. The best I can do is get out the letter 'J'. Please, don't try it again...it's a waste of time. Now, what was your question?"
"I was wondering if anyone has ever challenged Judge Jasper before?"
"A few people have - the results weren't pretty. There's a secret movement inside Peace River that Judge Jasper and his people haven't been able to break. They call themselves 'Freedom Fighters' and operate in cells of three and four people. Judge Jasper caught a few of them last month but not their leader. Their movement seems to be pretty well organized."
"And Judge Jasper has no idea who their leader is?"
"None," Ashlee shook her head. "From what we know, they create cells and communicate with each other through drops. So if one person is caught the most they can expose is two or three other people."
"What have these Freedom Fighters done to get noticed?"
"Mostly they perform small acts of defiance to protest their being here. One time they managed to cut off the power to the town for almost an hour. Another time someone painted, "Free us!" on the courthouse wall. That really upset the judge of course, and he put cameras on the walls outside to make sure it didn't happen again."
"Do you think that's why Judge Jasper brought me here?" I asked. "To find out for him who the leaders of this group are?"
"Maybe, but I doubt it," Ashlee explained. "First of all, you, me, and everyone else that works with the gods are the enemy. Well, you're an outsider and I'm sure the Freedom Fighters know about your past, but it's unlikely they would trust you any more than they would trust me. I suspect they would consider you a plant by the judge.
"Second, being an outsider means you're not going to be here long term, so they wouldn't really have an interest in you. If I were a betting lady, I would say the odds of them contacting you would be very rare. I will tell you that if they try to get me into their organization, I would tell them to go to hell. I'm happy with my new life in Peace River. All these Freedom Fighters are doing is making it harder on those who want to live the rest of their life out in peace and harmony."
"Well, it looks like others don't agree with you, Ashlee," I pointed out. "So why do you think I'm here?"
"I think Judge Jasper wants to make amends for his earlier treatment of you. He believes Andersonville will fail, and if he's right, the people in your town will have to go somewhere. After all, you just can't throw them out into the real world again. So it would be a good idea to have a leader, sort of a voice for your town, to represent them and help them get adapted to their new life here. Of course, Dennis Butz may be planning to kill them if that happens. I've heard a number of horror stories about him."
"From Judge Jasper?"
"From lots of people, including his own people. A few of them live among us you see. And, when you learn more about Peace River you'll see some of the Titan's atrocities first hand. Linda, I don't know how you feel about Dennis Butz, but he's not someone you can trust with your life."
The phone rang and Ashlee rushed over to pick it up. After a few 'Uh huh's', she hung up the phone and sighed. "I have to go, one of the kids is sick and I need to take him to the doctor."
"Want me to stay here and watch Calvin?" I offered.
"Thanks, Linda, that's awful sweet of you. But right now I can't stand to be away from him for more than five minutes. Mr. Cupler was here earlier telling me the same thing; that I didn't want to be away from my baby for any length of time. I guess it's the new mother instincts inside me."
"Mr. Cupler," I said to myself. Ashlee, while acting rationally, wasn't the same person I had met in Andersonville last year. Of course she had just had a baby a few days ago and her hormones were all screwed up. I guess that could explain her change in behavior. But Cupid's visit to her this morning made me suspicious."
"Well, if you need anything just let me know," I told her.
"You're such a good and loving friend," Ashlee said with a hug as if we had known each other all our lives. I began to wonder if this was how everyone acted in Peace River.
"I'll talk to you later, Ashlee. Goodbye."
As I was leaving her house, a car pulled up and a short, attractive woman stepped out of the car. "Hi Linda, ready to see your new place?"
"Who are you?" I asked rather confused.
"Oh, I guess daddy didn't tell you about me. I'm Connie, one of the local busybodies around here. I've been assigned to assist you while you're here. You know, help you out when I can and make you feel comfortable with your new surroundings. If you need me, all you have to do is dial "0" on your cell phone and I'll come running. Mark Merrick has already coded in the number for you."
"What happens if I need to dial the operator?" I asked.
"Oh Linda, you are such a tease," she giggled with enthusiasm. Frankly, I couldn't see what she found so funny about my question since I hadn't phrased it as a joke.
"Well now, let's drive you over to your new place."
My new place happened to be a luxury apartment on the 6th floor of an eight-story building overlooking the lake. It had a kitchen; large bathroom with a Jacuzzi; two good-size bedrooms, one with a queen-size waterbed and the other with one of those king-size adjustable beds that I heard Paul Harvey bragging about all the time; and a step-down living room. The living room was huge, with a big screen TV in the corner and to my surprise, a well-stocked bar. Off to one side was a small, but cozy looking office with both a Mac and IBM PC.
"Like it?" Connie asked while reading the approval in my eyes.
"What's not to like?" I replied, flabbergasted. "I've never been in a such a wonderful place like this before."
"Only the best for our guest," she giggled. If I wasn't so stunned by my new place I may have gotten annoyed with her silly laugh. I heard the doorbell ring.
"I'll get that," she giggled again and pranced off. Moments later there were three of them standing there - triplets. "These are my sisters, Peggy and Terry."
While they were each dressed differently, there was no mistaking the three girls in front of me were sisters. Each stood about 5'4', with long, curly brown hair, and held a smile that was almost as annoying as their giggling.
"I'm pleased to meet you," I said while not knowing who was who.
"As are we," they replied at the same time, as if they both shared the same mind.
"I've asked them over to help me unpack your things," Connie said.
"That's okay, um, girls, I can do it myself."
"Nonsense," all three said at once. "It's your first day here and you had a tiring trip."
"Why don't I make you up a nice hot bath so you can relax," Terry suggested.
"And Peggy and I will unpack your things," Connie finished. "Which bedroom do you want to sleep in?"
"The one with the waterbed I guess," I replied back in a bewildered tone.
"Excellent," all three answered as once. "Follow us, Linda."
I sat on the bed and watched as one girl proceeded to take out my underwear from the suitcase while the other opened up my dress bag.
"Do you want your panties and bras separated or in the same drawer?" Peggy asked.
"The same," I answered, not really caring.
"I'll put them in the top drawer so they'll be easier to get to. Your pantyhose I'll put in the drawer underneath and your nighties will be in the drawers next to your panties."
"Fine," I answered. I didn't see what the big deal was but Peggy sure thought it was.
Oh Linda, you have such pretty clothes," Connie squealed with delight. "This pink dress would be perfect for your date with Officer Deimos tonight."
"Wait a minute, how do you know about my - wait," I corrected myself. "First off, it's not a date and second, who told you I was going out with him."
"Linda," she giggled, "you can't keep secrets like this in Peace River. It's a small town; everyone knows what the other person is doing. Besides, I've been assigned to work with you. I know everything about you."
"Everything?" I hoped that wasn't the case.
"Yes, everything - even the fact that you'll be starting your period next week. I'll make sure you have plenty of tampons on hand." This time both muses giggled with amusement, and I found myself getting just a tad upset.
"It's not funny, you know," I snapped at them. "In fact, it's painful as hell - especially if you didn't grow up with them to begin with." I gave them both an angry glance.
"Linda, we're sorry," they both replied in a slightly sober tone. "We weren't laughing at you, we're just happy to be able to serve you. Anything that makes you happy makes us happy."
Suddenly I felt embarrassed by my actions. They may have appeared to be mindless bimbos, but both of them were wiser then I could ever hope to be. The awkwardness was broken when Terry came in carrying a towel for me.
"Your bath is ready, Linda," she smiled from ear to ear. "Let me help you with your clothes."
"I can do it myself, thank you," I said, trying to be polite about it. The thought of being undressed in front of them, anyone as a matter of fact, made me uncomfortable. It was something I had been struggling with ever since I had been turned into Linda. Even when I was dating Jeff I would only allow him to touch my breast through the outside of my blouse. It was an issue I knew I should talk to Carol Green about, but I found myself unable to do so when I did meet with her.
"I should get undressed in the bathroom," I told them in a guarded tone.
"Oh Linda," the three of them said at once. "There's no need to be modest here. We are after-all, all girls here. You don't have anything that we don't have."
"Don't I?" I wanted to ask. While the three muses looked like regular females, I had to wonder how much we really were alike.
"Let me help you with your blouse," Terry said while eagerly reaching out and unbuttoning it. I felt one of them unzipping my skirt at the same time, and felt it fall to the floor. Terry removed my blouse and reached for my bra snap, but I had had enough.
"STOP!" I yelled out with tears forming in my eyes. I quickly moved my arms over my breasts to hide them from the other girls. It was Connie who reacted first with concern, as she slowly walked over and cuddled me.
"Linda, don't be embarrassed about your body," she said in a caring, understanding tone. "The female body is a beautiful piece of work. It's a shame you have to wear clothes to cover it up."
"I...I..." The words that I sought out didn't come to me. The truth was, I was ashamed about my body. Damn it, I was - well, I had been a man at one time. Now when I looked at myself in the mirror the reflection made me feel uncomfortable, even a little frightened. Where was Tom McClain, the man I had once been and even loved? This woman, who I was also slowly starting to love, had replaced him. I was afraid, DAMN IT! What if I did fully embrace her, the new me? Would I lose who I had once been for good? I didn't want to let go of me - Tom McClain.
"It's okay," Connie whispered softly as she gently unsnapped my bra. It started to fall off and Terry held up the towel to cover my breasts. "Just relax and let us take care of you. You're feeling scared and weak - we want to help."
"I'm not scared - and I don't feel weak!" I tried replying back in a stern voice. It didn't come close to convincing anyone, including myself. "I've been this way...this way...for...over a year. I...I...I can...I can handle..." Suddenly I found myself crying for no reason. All three girls wrapped themselves around my body and hugged me tightly.
"It's okay," they said together. "You need time to grieve, that's understandable. We want to comfort you, to make you happy. But first you have to accept who you are. You have to realize that the old you isn't dead."
"But...but I'm dead," I blubbered out like a baby.
"No you're not, sweetheart," one of them said gently while stroking my hair in a calming fashion. "Your body is different, but you're still the same you. If you look at yourself, I mean really look at yourself - you'll see how beautiful you really are. Go ahead, don't be ashamed or embarrassed, Linda. Take a good look at how lovely you've become."
They stood me in front of a mirror and Terry slowly pulled the towel away. There was a girl in the reflection looking back at me, the real me now. She stood there naked, except for the white, nylon panties that covered up what defined her womanhood.
"Now smile," they all said. I did. A faint smile at first that grew into a happier grin.
"She's pretty," one of them said.
"Yes," I agreed while wiping the tears from my eyes.
"She's you, Linda," Connie said in a low tone that I almost didn't hear. "Young, beautiful, and with the potential to be anything you want her to be. Tom McClain isn't dead! If anything, he's more alive than what he once was because you feel his spirit more. Only the body has changed...not your soul. You're still him, and you're also Linda Anderson. Look at yourself, sister. You're not some freak of nature. You're a soft, warm, lovely woman."
Connie's words made me cry again, only because I knew she spoke the truth. Even though I would live the rest of my life as a woman, I would always be Tom McClain inside. I hadn't died; I had been reborn. The thought confused me but also made sense.
"Let's get you into your bath," Connie said, while grabbing my hand. "My sisters will finish up in here."
She ushered me to the large, roman bathtub filled to the rim with bubbles. I slipped out of my panties, without embarrassment this time, and she helped me into the tub. I let the warm, soothing water circle around my body as I slowly drifted off to sleep.
***
It was sometime after five when Connie woke me. After helping me dry off, she led me to the bedroom. There on the bed I found my pink dress and underwear already laid out for me.
"I know you may think it's a bit much, Linda," she explained. "But dressing like this tonight will really help you. Beside, it'll drive Deimos crazy all night!" She started to giggle and I found myself joining in.
We continued to talk as she helped me with my underwear and then into the pink dress my mother had made. After applying my makeup, I looked at myself in the mirror. I found myself liking what I saw.
"Gosh girl, you're gorgeous," Connie giggled. "Deimos is going to be crazy with lust."
"You don't think," I started to ask in a fearful voice.
"Relax, Linda," she reassured me. "I know Deimos; he won't take advantage of you. In fact, you'll be lucky to get a goodnight kiss. He's sweet, but kind of backward when it comes to love and romance. If you think about it, it's kind of funny. I mean, Vickie Marshall is his mother - and you know who she is?"
"Ve...V..." I tried to say "Venus," but found myself gagging instead.
"Easy, Linda. You can't use our real names unless the ones in charge allow it. Unfortunately, I don't have the power to override their command. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked you a question that you couldn't answer. By the way, it's okay to call Deimos, Deimos. There won't be any bad effects from doing this.
"Yes, I understand. I thought Deimos was his last name. So his real name is Deimos Marshall?"
"Not really," she replied with a giggle. "I think that's something I'll let him explain to you."
"But Deimos, that's his real god name. Why can I say his name without gagging."
"I don't know, I guess it's not that common a name as Jupiter or Mars. Besides, it's used as a last name, not his full name. I know that's a little confusing but don't fret about it. You have an entire night ahead of you so don't spoil it by thinking about this."
"I guess you're right." Suddenly I found myself slightly confused by my reaction. The old me wouldn't have let the question go without an answer, but I couldn't stop thinking about my date with Deimos. Why was I suddenly thinking so differently? My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the front door.
"He's here," Connie announced excitedly. "Let's take a good look at you again." She moved her head up and down my body. "You look perfect, Linda. Now smile pretty."
She opened the door and I saw Deimos standing at the door wearing a nice shirt and good pair of dark slacks. In his hands were some flowers that I assumed were for me. When he saw me smiling at him he grinned, but in a nervous way.
"Come on in, Deimos," Connie told him while grabbing his arm. She practically yanked him into the living room.
"My, you're looking sharp tonight, Officer Deimos" Connie remarked. "Did you get a hair cut today?"
"What? Oh yeah," he replied without taking his love struck eyes off me. Connie mouthed the words, "I told you he was shy," and giggled.
I coughed to break the tension and said, "So Deimos, where are we going tonight?"
"What?" he asked in a daze.
"She means dinner," Connie said to him.
"Oh dinner. Yes, of course. Well, you've been to Crystal's already, is there someplace else you'd like to eat?"
"Linda arrived in Peace River this morning, Deimos," Connie mentioned to him in a low voice. "How would she know what restaurants there are to eat at?"
Deimos frowned deeply at the other woman and asked, "Don't you have some place else to go?"
"Nope," she smiled. "I was going to hang out here until Linda got back. You don't mind, do you Linda?"
"No, not at all," I told her.
"Which brings us back to dinner," Connie giggled again. "Why not try The Spaghetti Bowl. It's not as fancy at Crystal's, but they have candles on the tables and play real, romantic music. Perfect to sit and talk the night away."
"Well, I wanted to take you someplace a little bit nicer," Deimos responded in an unsure voice.
"The Spaghetti Bowl sounds fine," I answered. "Besides, I've already been to one fancy restaurant today. I'm not really in the mood to go to another."
"Well, you sure are dressed for one. You look so beautiful tonight."
"Please don't say I look like a goddess," I joked. Connie giggled and Deimos turned a little red with embarrassment.
"Well, you two, run along now and have fun," Connie said while pushing us toward the door. "I'll see you later, Linda."
Making sure Deimos didn't hear, she whispered to me half-giggling, "And I'll lay out a special nightgown on your bed, just in case." I stuck my tongue out at her, which only caused her to giggle more.
***
Dinner turned out to be quite a pleasant event. Deimos was always the gentleman, a little quiet but very polite. Even with his solid, dark eyes shinning back at me I felt at ease around him. Later on we found ourselves down by the edge of Peace River. There we walked hand in hand along the shore, picking up shells along the way.
"What kind of shells are these?" I asked while examining one in my hand. "They look like sea shells."
"Hold on for a moment." Deimos looked intensely with his eyes at the water for a moment and said, "Taste the water."
I stuck my hand in and put it up to my mouth. I was surprised to find out it was salt water.
"My uncle built this river, with the help of my grandfather," Deimos explained. "It's ocean water brought in from the coast by an underground stream.
A loud splash in the water made me look up, and I noticed the head of a pretty, young woman sticking up from the water. She had long, brown hair, what looked to be a killer body from the chest up, and an angelic face. The young woman smiled and waved at me in a friendly manner - then motioned for me to join her in the water.
"Look, she wants me to come in with her," I laughed while placing one foot in the water. Officer Deimos quickly grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me back.
"Don't ever go into the water, do you hear me?" he warned me sternly with narrowed, menacing eyes. "If you do they'll eat you alive."
"What?" I asked confused. "Who will?"
"It's one of the gifts the Titans gave us," Deimos answered as he sadly stared back at the girl who was still smiling at us. "That's Qewn, my twin sister. Dennis Butz and his friends turned her into a flesh-eating mermaid. If you go too far into the river she'll attack and kill you. You can't reason with her - or the others. It's in their nature to do this."
"Dennis did this?"
"His kind did this," Deimos corrected with quiet rage. "Watch carefully, so you can see the real truth of what they did."
He pointed his hand outward and a beam of light shot out from it. It struck the female mermaid and she began to change. Suddenly her angelic face turned into something much less stunning. There were scales all over her face, and long fangs and sharp teeth that protruded out of her mouth. But her eyes were what I focused on, for they were black as coal, just like Deimos's eyes.
"Oh my God!" I shrieked in fear. It was a vile creature.
"This is how she really looks," Deimos shook his head sadly. "From a distance, she's able to project a much more inviting image. However, when you get close, you see what she really is. Of course, by that time it's too late." He stopped the beam and the mermaid returned back to her beautiful self.
"You should have seen her before," he continued in a low, sorrow tone. "She was such a lovely girl - a goddess of love like our mother, and almost as pretty. She wouldn't have hurt anyone. Now she would kill me if I gave her the chance. I used to be able to talk to her centuries ago, but even that is gone now. She regressed fully into this monster the Titans forced her to be." The young god hung his head heartbroken and I could see a tear in his eye.
"Deimos, I'm so sorry." I placed my hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
"It's okay, I've accepted her fate long ago." He turned and looked at me, his black eyes glistened in the moonlight from the tears.
"How many are there in the river?"
"About 45 right now. Thirty-nine of them are mermaids and the others are mermen. Every one of them is as cunning and bloodthirsty as my sister out there. My uncle keeps searching the oceans for others, so he can bring them here where they'll be safe"
"They were turning you into one of them, weren't they?" I asked him directly.
"Yes. My grandfather rescued me in time. However, as you can see," he frowned deeply while pointing to his eyes, "the effects from their drugs are permanent. I'll never look normal again. For the rest of time I will bear the scars of what they did to us. I used to be seen by your people as a god of love: now when they see me they run away in fear and panic."
"You hate them, don't you, Deimos? You hate the Titans."
"Every last one of them," he spat out. "You would think after all these centuries it would be less so, but it's not. So you see Linda, not all of us agree with the creation of Andersonville."
"I...I can understand why," I cooed while rubbing up next to him in a comforting fashion. He smiled slightly at my affection and wrapped his left arm around me.
"I must be boring you," he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so emotional with you. I guess this is nothing compared to what they did to their own people."
"What do you mean?"
He frowned. "I shouldn't show you so much ugliness on our first date."
"It's okay, I...well...I like you, Deimos."
His frown turned to a real big smile, and he hugged me a little bit tighter.
"Would you show me some more please?" I begged with curiosity. "I want to know the full truth about them."
"If you wish. I shouldn't really show you, most of our own citizens don't know about them. However, being the secretary to my grandfather and all, I guess it's okay."
He stopped and said to the mermaid, "Goodnight, Qewn. I'll visit with you another night. We turned and strolled back to his car with our arms wrapped around each other's waist.
***
"I want you to prepare yourself, Linda, they aren't very pretty. Whatever you do, don't scream. That only upsets them."
"I won't," I promised as Deimos led me over to a fence. I heard him first, sobbing loudly in the night like a lost child. I felt great pity for whoever it was until I saw it wasn't a small child but a 30-foot tall giant.
"Timoti, what's wrong?" Deimos asked. The giant turned and I saw what Deimos had meant. The giant had one eye - one huge eye where two should've been. I started to back away in fear, but Deimos held me firmly in place.
"My doll. I was playing with her and her head came off. She's dead now."
"It's okay, Timoti, I'll tell Judge Jasper. I'm sure he'll give you a new one to play with. You have to be more careful next time. Right now I want you to meet a friend of mine. Her name is Linda Anderson."
"She's so pretty," the giant said as he stood up and walked over to us. We were standing on a cliff overlooking the valley, so Timoti's head stood about even with us. I found myself shaking in fear at this horrible sight.
"Can you come in and play with me?" the Cyclops asked.
"Not tonight, Timoti." The giant looked sad and started to pout. "Hey, you know I'll be back. Next time for sure."
"Promise," the giant said while rubbing the tears out of his eye.
"Promise," Deimos said firmly. "Where's everyone else?"
"Some kind of meeting with your father. I was sad and didn't go."
"You should. My father could be talking about something important." Timoti shuddered his massive shoulders and slumped down a little.
"I wish I could visit you, Deimos."
"I know, Timoti, but the people living in Peace River wouldn't understand you. Remember what happened the last time you visited one of our towns? Besides, you might step on one of our citizens by accident, and you know how important they are to us."
The Cyclops nodded its massive head and asked, "Does your friend talk?"
"Sure she does, Timoti. Say something, Linda."
"Um...hi...hi Timoti. Nice to meet you."
"You have a pretty voice, Linda - and a pretty name. Would you be my friend and play with me?"
"Sure, Timoti...if Judge Jasper will allow it," I replied not wanting to upset the giant. "What kind of things do you like to do?"
"Oh, fun games," the giant said while clapping his hands. "I'll dress you up in some of my prettiest doll clothes and turn you into a princess. We can pretend you're going to marry a handsome prince. Oh, it'll be lots of fun."
"Um, well, that sounds like fun," I replied in a back stepping tone. I whispered over to Deimos, "why didn't you warn me?"
"Be thankful," he whispered humorously back to me. "At least he doesn't want to play house and have you be the baby." I shuddered at the idea.
"Oh goodie," the giant Cyclops clapped his hands in glee. "I can't wait."
"But before we do that, you need to go back to the meeting room and listen to my father," Deimos insisted.
"Oh, all right," Timoti replied back in disappointment. "Come back soon and visit me, both of you." Slowly he lumbered off into the forest.
"My...my...my..." I found myself hyperventilating in fear.
"Take it easy, Linda," Deimos said while holding me up. "Take a few deep breaths and calm down. Timoti wouldn't hurt you, he's very friendly."
"More of your people?" I questioned.
"No, the Titans were experimenting on their own. In the later days of our war, they tried to turn some of their own kind into super human solders. They were hoping to turn the tide back against us. What they ended up doing was making muscular giants with the mentality of a six-year-old. We rescued them from being killed and have taken care of them ever since."
"But why?"
"How can you ask that question, Linda? True, they are, or at least were at one time, Titan's. Now they're just harmless, defenseless children. They needed us to protect them. That's what we do, that's what we're all about. We're here to protect everyone from the Titans.
His answer was mystifying to me. Somehow I couldn't believe the Roman gods would do all this out of the goodness of their hearts. There had to be another reason why they were doing this - or was there? Maybe my lack of trust in Dennis Butz was shadowing what I saw here. Could it be that what I was seeing was the real truth, and not some smoke screen thrown up to confuse me? Unlike Dennis, Jupiter and his people had been opened and honest with me since I arrived. Oh, there were things I didn't like, but they didn't try to debate it with me and make me see it their way. Dennis had told me that the people in Andersonville had more freedom than in Peace River, but so far I found the opposite to be true. And if half of what I had learned tonight was true, than Dennis wasn't the kind and caring person he wanted me to believe. He and his kind were actually monsters.
"It's late, I should take you back," Deimos said while taking my hand.
"Thank you, Deimos - for bringing me here and showing me the truth." I reached over and kissed him on the lips. He responded and we made out underneath the moonlight."
***
"So, how was your date?" Connie giggled with interest as soon as I walked in the door.
"It was fine," I smiled back. "He's an interesting date. I'm glad I went out with him."
"I'm glad too," she grinned while touching my hand. "We should celebrate your first night here."
"Celebrate, what are you talking about, Connie? It's almost midnight and I have to work in the morning."
"Not anymore," she giggled again. "I talked to my father and asked if you could go into work at noon; that being your first official day of work and all. Today really didn't count. He agreed so you get to sleep in tomorrow." There was a sharp knock on the door. "That would be them."
"Them? Who's them?" I asked.
"My sisters of course," Connie replied while opening up the door. Eight girls entered into the room, looking identical except for the clothes they wore. "I thought you should get to know us all a little better."
"Oh, wonderful," I replied while rolling my eyes. They all laughed at my actions.
"Party time!" they said together. A couple of them pulled out some bottles and the fun started. Much later on that night, Connie helped me get into bed.
"Sweet dreams, Linda," she told me.
"Connie, are you spending the night?" I asked sleepily. "I mean, I have that extra room and all."
"Well, I do have my own place to go back to - but I'll stay if you want."
"I'll like that," I replied in a half-stupor. "It'll be nice to have a roommate for a while."
"Okay then dear, I'll stay. Now get some sleep." In a matter of moments I was snoring softly in my nice, warm waterbed.
Connie smiled slightly then quietly made her way out the front door and down the elevator. Outside by the lake she saw her father waiting for her.
"Hello, father," she said with love and respect.
"Good morning, love," Jupiter replied with a hug. "I was just sitting here admiring the noise the frogs are making tonight.
Isn't strange how something so small can make such a loud noise. Funny how the humans fail to miss such wonders."
"It is a lovely sound," she agreed while sitting down next to him.
He turned, smiled, and said, "You've done very well, my dear. I want you to know how pleased I am by your progress."
"She seems like such a nice person, father. I like her a lot. That makes it easier to act like her best friend."
"How do you think things are going?"
"She still has her doubts, but I think she trusts me. We bonded earlier with my sisters and she got close to us. However, I still can't feel her emotions. It's as if something is blocking me from doing so."
"Don't be discouraged, Linda is a very strong willed girl...and adaptable. Do you think she will grow closer to you?"
"I believe so. She invited me to stay at her place as a roommate. I think she may be feeling lonely here - maybe even a little homesick. I'll play on that."
"Good," Jupiter replied back with satisfaction. "It's important that Linda trusts us completely. She may be needed later on if Andersonville fails to do what we want it to do. If that happens, she will have to choose sides; and I want her running to us, not to them."
"I'll do my best to make sure that happen," Connie replied
"I know you will my beautiful daughter. You should go back now and get some sleep." They stood up and hugged.
***
From behind the darkened bedroom window I watched them talk. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew what it was about. Connie had been a little too eager for me to like her, and it had raised my suspicions. So I pretended I was happy and went with the flow to see where it took me. I guess Connie had forgotten I had once been a man, and I wasn't as trusting as a real woman may have been under the same circumstances. It was a weakness I hope to exploit.
So I went with the flow and faked being asleep to see what happened next. The fact that she was meeting with her father didn't surprise me, and I wondered if Mark Merrick was in on it too. After all, he was the one who had insisted I go out with Deimos. Despite Deimos's moving performance, I had no doubt he was in on this. Now the meeting with Connie and Jupiter only confirmed my suspicions that I had been set up in the hopes I would trust them completely. This only served to make me trust them less. I was just thankful Dennis had given me this necklace so they couldn't read my thoughts. He may be a Son of a Bitch, or something even worse, but he had come through for me. For now, I would let the Roman gods believe what they wanted to believe. For now I would play their game until it was my time.
Fade out...
Next episode -- Three Finger Jack
