Chapter 10

Ria wasn't surprised when they arrived at the store to find twenty Amazons lurking outside, armed to the teeth. Seeing all the weapons left her feeling practically naked until Rowena tossed her sword to her. She strapped it around her waist and nodded her thanks.

Jo looked away from the store's entrance and blinked in surprise when she saw the Amazons. "When did you get here?"

She looked at Ria. "And when did you get a gun?"

"Sword," Ria corrected. "It's a sword."

Tabatha sighed. "You can't see through the Mist," she said to Jo.

"So?" Jo asked.

She took out her gun and raised an eyebrow at Tabatha. "It's my investigation. You're the ones taking care of the monsters."

Rowena shrugged. "She's not wrong."

Tabatha rolled her eye and ordered her sister Amazons to split into two groups and start sweeping the building. She and Rowena stayed with Jo and Ria. They decided to cover the first floor of the two story building, the public store area that was slightly less likely to have monsters in it than the private classrooms on the second floor and in the basement.

The store was closed and the inside was dark. One of the Amazons, a teenage daughter of Hermes, touched the lock and it clicked open.

"I've shut down the security system," she said as she opened the door. "If we don't break anything no one will know we were here."

A few of the other Amazons laughed. Imagine that, a group of mostly demigods not breaking anything when they're fighting monsters.

The daughter of Hermes looked at Jo. Jo shrugged.

"I didn't see anything. Let's go."

"Can we keep her?" the daughter of Hermes asked Tabatha as they went inside.

Tabatha cracked a smile. "We'll see."

1902-Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Henry sat back in his chair. He had been leaning closer and closer as Pallas and Juila told their story and if he hadn't moved back he would likely have knocked the table over.

"That is absolutely fascinating," he said.

"I'm glad you think so," Julia said dryly. "You had better not tell anyone."

Henry looked at the daughter of Pluto with wide eyes. "Of course not! I would certainly not do something as foolish as that."

"If you do, we'll kill you," Julia warned.

Henry chuckled. "You would find that a tad difficult. You see, I don't stay dead."

Pallas also laughed. "I bet your father hates that," she said to Julia.

Julia rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean you don't stay dead?" Julia asked. "You die and then what? You wake up somewhere else with a new body?"

Henry nodded.

"That's perfect," Pallas said, interrupting him as he was about to speak. "Doctor Murdock—"

"Morgan," Henry corrected. "My real name is Henry Morgan."

"Doctor Morgan," Pallas allowed. "There is a monster that has been murdering our sisters. We need your help to stop it."

"I wouldn't use the word 'need'," Julia complained. "Killing it would be easier with your help."

"What sort of help?" Henry wanted to know.

Since Pallas had thought that it was a good thing that he was able to die and come back to life somewhere else, he could only guess that what they wanted help with would be dangerous.

"The monster frequents a gentlemen's club," Pallas explained. "That is the only time it is not surrounded by innocents."

"The other men welcome it," Julia said, puckering her mouth. "They think it will give them power. Idiots."

"There are too many protections on the club for us to go right in," Pallas continued. "But if we get you an invitation to the club you would be able to capture the monster and bring it out for us to destroy. You read as a normal mortal."

"Our leader doesn't want us to just destroy the whole club with it inside," Julia complained. "Not unless we have to. She thinks this will work though."

Henry thought for a few moments. "How would the monster be captured?"

"Will you help us?" Julia asked.

Henry nodded. He was a doctor. It was his job to preserve life, even if the people weren't "innocents".

"Julia will provide you with a vessel. All you have to do is get close enough to touch the monster with it," Pallas explained.

"And what is this monster?" Henry wanted to know.

Pallas and Julia looked at each other.

"We shouldn't say it," Pallas said.

"Names have power," Julia agreed.

"Well, could you write it down?"

Julia debated for a moment before calling Bea and asking for a pencil and paper. She scribbled on the paper as fast as she could and turned it towards Henry to show him the one word written on it.

Eidolon.