REMEMBER ULYSSES
by Lyda Mae (RavenDove) Huff
Chapter Four: Call Me Ande
-----
Ulysses strolled into a large chamber. On the far side of the room sparing mats were spread across the floor; a large crowd of his followers watched intently as two women practiced their skills. The two Amazonian thugs were tall, and slender, their bodies had been hardened through years of training into lethal weapons of their own right. He watched them for a moment; they were called Athena and Freya, the goddesses of the hunt.
Enough indulgence, he chided himself; he had come here for a reason. His second in command sat in a corner far from the excitement. Kali-Shiva was rechecking time tables with his best hacker Anancie. The Mistress of pain noticed him as he walked toward her. He spoke, "Have you sent the squad I ordered to take care of our problem at the Sab Michael?", his very tone commanding an answer.
She looked at him, trying too hide her annoyance. "The tricksters, and mischief makes have been sent." Kali-Shiva's face twisted into an expression of disapproval; "I still thing they are no better than muscle bound goons, with very little brain power between the four of them."
Ulysses looked at her, thinking, (She talks too much, but I know she is far from stupid). "They are exactly what you say Kali. All the better to do the dirty work." He smiled an evil grin, then turned bruskly, leaving Kali-Shiva and Anancie to their work.
Anancie looked up at Kali, "You should be careful not to anger him Kali; I know I don't have to tell that."
She turned to Anancie, and spoke. "I know about his temper Anancie, but I am not afraid of him. Besides he needs someone to be honest with him, in spite of his anger. That is why I'm his second in command, he knows I'm not a yes man. You, on the other hand, are his pet spider, and you do tricks to please him. That is why he likes you Anancie; you are his little dooby, and he is always right." Kali-Shiva knew she had hurt the young African computer hacker, but she also knew it was the truth.
Anancie looked back to their work, not wanting too admit that Kali was right.
-----
Bond sat at the casino bar that evening. What Bertram had told him was a start, but he still wasn't sure where Jeanette was. He looked at his second Vodka Martini.
A beautiful blond in a slinky teal dress; sat on the stool next to him. "A penny for your thoughts stranger?" She had an accent of the high- lands, but it had been refined.
"Not quite so cheap Ms." He looked at her curiously.
"Dr. actually."
His eyebrow raised. "A doctor you say; medical."
She smiled coyly; stifling a laugh. "Psychiatrist. Dr. Andraea Lamont." She extended her hand to him.
"A Psychiatrist." He kissed her outstretched hand tenderly. "That would be just my luck."
"I don't analyze everything Mr." She paused waiting for him to drop his name.
"Bond; James Bond." He looked at her more intrigued. "What brings you to Paris Dr. Lamont?"
"Vacation." She set her empty glass on the bar. "Please don't be so formal; Mr. Bond. My friends call me Ande."
He gestured to the bartender. "Shall I buy you another?" He pointed to the empty Champagne glass.
"I certainly won't stop you." She smiled coyly; thinking to herself (careful Ande the man is far from stupid)
"Another for me, and one for the lady." He looked at her sizing her up. "I'll call you Ande; if you'll call me James."
"Certainly; the name suits you."
"So Ande; if you're on vacation. Why do you ask about my thoughts?"
She shrugged as if surrendering. "Red handed. You look like you have a-lot on your mind. Minds being my business; I was curious about what could so preoccupy such a handsome man." She sipped from the drink he had bought her.
"Perhaps another time Ande. I have business to attend to tomorrow." He stood up, and paid the tab.
As he turned to leave she spoke. "Would tomorrow night be better? We could discuss life over a bottle of wine. All you have to do is bring your troubles."
"Perhaps." he left.
(Damn. He hadn't even asked where to reach her.) She waited a few minutes than followed him.
-----
Bond strolled along unsuspecting. His hotel was only a few blocks away, and fresh air might do his head some good. He saw a young girl reading Tarot cards. This woman looked familiar; there by the river with her table and deck. She was dressed as any girl in Paris might be. He decided to ask his fortune; who knows what she might know.
"Good evening Missure. Curios of the fates?" She shuffled her cards without really looking at him.
He seated himself on the folding chair that sat in front of the table. "Perhaps a little, but then aren't we all." He looked at her intently under the street lights.
She looked up and spoke. "I charge ten franks per spread."
He couldn't believe what he saw. (Jeanette; it couldn't be. She looked so much like her, but not quite.) "You look like a girl I met last time I was in Paris. Do you know a Jeanette Michelle?"
The girl smiled. "The fates play games with you Missure. Indeed I know the girl you speak of." She shuffled the cards; looking away.
At this he had to know more. "How do you know her?"
"Patients Missure; there are eyes and ears where one does not expect." She looked at him cautiously.
He reached for his wallet. "I will pay well for information."
"Put your money away Missure. For my sister's friends I read for free." She looked around carefully; then pulled a card. "The Emperor ill- dignified. One who would deify gods seeks your death."
"Your sister."
"Twin but not identical." She pulled another card. "King of Staves dignified; you seek to stop evil plans." Then she pulled a third card. "Nine of Swords ill-dignified; you are suspicious of everyone." She paused a moment.
"One that defies gods would be?" He eyed her curiously.
"Ulysses." On went the reading. "Four of Coins dignified; you are set on revenge." She looked about with a shiver. "Knight of Cups dignified; you are a passionately man. Things look toward your favor." She pulled the last two cards. "Strength dignified; be strong in your resolve, and wary of temptation. The Priestess dignified; The cycle balances." She looked up from the table. "That is all I can tell Missure."
"You've been more help than you know. What is your name?"
She looked down gathering her cards. "Annika, and you are the man she went to meet. Be careful Missure Bond; there are many who would kill you without a second thought." She folded everything up, and stuffed it in a backpack. Then she climbed down the sewer grate she had been sitting on.
(a most curious woman. No doubt she hid from Pantheon below the streets. He had to find Jeanette; now more than before. That was why Annika had helped him, and he knew it.)
-----
Chapter Four: Call Me Ande
-----
Ulysses strolled into a large chamber. On the far side of the room sparing mats were spread across the floor; a large crowd of his followers watched intently as two women practiced their skills. The two Amazonian thugs were tall, and slender, their bodies had been hardened through years of training into lethal weapons of their own right. He watched them for a moment; they were called Athena and Freya, the goddesses of the hunt.
Enough indulgence, he chided himself; he had come here for a reason. His second in command sat in a corner far from the excitement. Kali-Shiva was rechecking time tables with his best hacker Anancie. The Mistress of pain noticed him as he walked toward her. He spoke, "Have you sent the squad I ordered to take care of our problem at the Sab Michael?", his very tone commanding an answer.
She looked at him, trying too hide her annoyance. "The tricksters, and mischief makes have been sent." Kali-Shiva's face twisted into an expression of disapproval; "I still thing they are no better than muscle bound goons, with very little brain power between the four of them."
Ulysses looked at her, thinking, (She talks too much, but I know she is far from stupid). "They are exactly what you say Kali. All the better to do the dirty work." He smiled an evil grin, then turned bruskly, leaving Kali-Shiva and Anancie to their work.
Anancie looked up at Kali, "You should be careful not to anger him Kali; I know I don't have to tell that."
She turned to Anancie, and spoke. "I know about his temper Anancie, but I am not afraid of him. Besides he needs someone to be honest with him, in spite of his anger. That is why I'm his second in command, he knows I'm not a yes man. You, on the other hand, are his pet spider, and you do tricks to please him. That is why he likes you Anancie; you are his little dooby, and he is always right." Kali-Shiva knew she had hurt the young African computer hacker, but she also knew it was the truth.
Anancie looked back to their work, not wanting too admit that Kali was right.
-----
Bond sat at the casino bar that evening. What Bertram had told him was a start, but he still wasn't sure where Jeanette was. He looked at his second Vodka Martini.
A beautiful blond in a slinky teal dress; sat on the stool next to him. "A penny for your thoughts stranger?" She had an accent of the high- lands, but it had been refined.
"Not quite so cheap Ms." He looked at her curiously.
"Dr. actually."
His eyebrow raised. "A doctor you say; medical."
She smiled coyly; stifling a laugh. "Psychiatrist. Dr. Andraea Lamont." She extended her hand to him.
"A Psychiatrist." He kissed her outstretched hand tenderly. "That would be just my luck."
"I don't analyze everything Mr." She paused waiting for him to drop his name.
"Bond; James Bond." He looked at her more intrigued. "What brings you to Paris Dr. Lamont?"
"Vacation." She set her empty glass on the bar. "Please don't be so formal; Mr. Bond. My friends call me Ande."
He gestured to the bartender. "Shall I buy you another?" He pointed to the empty Champagne glass.
"I certainly won't stop you." She smiled coyly; thinking to herself (careful Ande the man is far from stupid)
"Another for me, and one for the lady." He looked at her sizing her up. "I'll call you Ande; if you'll call me James."
"Certainly; the name suits you."
"So Ande; if you're on vacation. Why do you ask about my thoughts?"
She shrugged as if surrendering. "Red handed. You look like you have a-lot on your mind. Minds being my business; I was curious about what could so preoccupy such a handsome man." She sipped from the drink he had bought her.
"Perhaps another time Ande. I have business to attend to tomorrow." He stood up, and paid the tab.
As he turned to leave she spoke. "Would tomorrow night be better? We could discuss life over a bottle of wine. All you have to do is bring your troubles."
"Perhaps." he left.
(Damn. He hadn't even asked where to reach her.) She waited a few minutes than followed him.
-----
Bond strolled along unsuspecting. His hotel was only a few blocks away, and fresh air might do his head some good. He saw a young girl reading Tarot cards. This woman looked familiar; there by the river with her table and deck. She was dressed as any girl in Paris might be. He decided to ask his fortune; who knows what she might know.
"Good evening Missure. Curios of the fates?" She shuffled her cards without really looking at him.
He seated himself on the folding chair that sat in front of the table. "Perhaps a little, but then aren't we all." He looked at her intently under the street lights.
She looked up and spoke. "I charge ten franks per spread."
He couldn't believe what he saw. (Jeanette; it couldn't be. She looked so much like her, but not quite.) "You look like a girl I met last time I was in Paris. Do you know a Jeanette Michelle?"
The girl smiled. "The fates play games with you Missure. Indeed I know the girl you speak of." She shuffled the cards; looking away.
At this he had to know more. "How do you know her?"
"Patients Missure; there are eyes and ears where one does not expect." She looked at him cautiously.
He reached for his wallet. "I will pay well for information."
"Put your money away Missure. For my sister's friends I read for free." She looked around carefully; then pulled a card. "The Emperor ill- dignified. One who would deify gods seeks your death."
"Your sister."
"Twin but not identical." She pulled another card. "King of Staves dignified; you seek to stop evil plans." Then she pulled a third card. "Nine of Swords ill-dignified; you are suspicious of everyone." She paused a moment.
"One that defies gods would be?" He eyed her curiously.
"Ulysses." On went the reading. "Four of Coins dignified; you are set on revenge." She looked about with a shiver. "Knight of Cups dignified; you are a passionately man. Things look toward your favor." She pulled the last two cards. "Strength dignified; be strong in your resolve, and wary of temptation. The Priestess dignified; The cycle balances." She looked up from the table. "That is all I can tell Missure."
"You've been more help than you know. What is your name?"
She looked down gathering her cards. "Annika, and you are the man she went to meet. Be careful Missure Bond; there are many who would kill you without a second thought." She folded everything up, and stuffed it in a backpack. Then she climbed down the sewer grate she had been sitting on.
(a most curious woman. No doubt she hid from Pantheon below the streets. He had to find Jeanette; now more than before. That was why Annika had helped him, and he knew it.)
-----