CHAPTER NINETEEN: Mushroom Cloud
Alex.
Alex woke up to the sound of morning traffic and Riley on the phone.
"Yeah, we're almost there - we're just going to stop by someplace, I'm starving," Riley was saying. He had one hand on the steering wheel, and the other was holding his phone to his ear. Alex stared at it, still half-asleep.
She'd noticed the phone when they left camp, and when they were rushing into the delivery truck. Riley had been texting somebody as she started the car. But she'd been with Riley nearly all night, and she never noticed him taking the time to put in a sim card again. They'd been in such a rush. Maybe he did it while he was talking with Clovis. But no...they weren't allowed to connect the sim cards on camp grounds at all. Alex kept staring at it, trying to find answers. And when she couldn't, she closed her eyes again.
"-uh, yeah, I want to eat again, jeez, can't I eat?" Riley scoffed into the phone. "Yeah, Alex is here too. She's asleep, though. What, you want me to say hi? Alex, Jim says hi."
Alex murmured in her sleep. "Hi."
Jim...who was Jim? Alex had a vague recollection of one of Scott's secretaries.
"Okay, so she's not asleep." There was a pause, and some talk from Jim over the phone. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Listen, it's not my fault I got food poisoning all day yesterday, that was totally unexpected. Yes, we used cash at the motel, what am I, an idiot? Don't worry, I got this. Bye."
She heard the clutter of Riley just throwing his phone into the drink holder. When Alex opened her eyes, she didn't know where they were, but they were going down some main road, and heading towards what looked like a huge shopping centre.
"So what are we feeling like? Chicken? Burgers? Steaks" Riley asked, turning into the parking lot.
Alex yawned. "Burgers. Is Scott going to mind that we're late? We already spent a whole day in Philadelphia."
"Yeah, yeah, ya-da, ya-da," Riley rolled his eyes, speaking in that way that Alex knew meant he was acting calmer than he really felt. There was an air of panic around Riley, but she couldn't tell why. "But, come on. The food poisoning yesterday? And then, this morning, a whole horde of cows just walking onto the highway like that?" he shrugged, choosing a space close to the entrance. "Where'd they even come from?"
Alex just shrugged. Cows were the least of their problems. And Riley had been vomiting up a storm yesterday before collapsing into a deep sleep for most of the day and night. She hoped everyone would understand; with 'everyone' meaning Mags, Piper, Scott, the Camp, the Amazons, the Gods...who else? Alex was getting a headache just trying to wrap her head around the latest of Riley's elaborate plans.
This time's plan was: get to Scott soon, so they could get the answers for Alex's trial. All the data Scott had collected when they trained, all the research, the reports, those moments when she was overpowered by monsters, that showed she could be defeated, and that she didn't always lose control - things that could help her prove her case against the Amazons.
She also thought there was some element of a 'dreaded family reunion' there. The last time Scott and Riley spoke face-to-face, it hadn't ended nicely. Maybe that was why Riley was taking his time.
Finally, they parked. Alex put her hoodie over her head and smoothed her hair back under it so it wouldn't fall to her eyes.
She took a second look at the Delphi Strawberry Service vest she'd been using as a blanket/shade. They were still using the truck. Alex patted the dashboard affectionately, thanking the truck for taking them this far, and apologising for stealing it. She clutched the vest like it was a security blanket. Riley would tell her that she shouldn't wear it in case Camp Halfblood had spies or friends out here. Something in her mind told her to bring it with her anyway. She grabbed the vest, folded it up quickly, and held it tight under her armpit.
Riley started walking towards the entrance and Alex rushed to catch up with him. As she did, she bumped shoulders against a woman walking past, her hands full of groceries. The woman looked like every harassed middle-aged woman, possibly a mother, but there was something that struck Alex about her.
"Sorry -" Alex said automatically, but the woman just swept past, the wind blowing her peacock-patterned scarf to Alex's face. She swatted her hand at the scarf, but when her vision cleared, the woman was gone.
The two of them scoffed down burgers in the mall food court. It was a pretty standard mall; Alex didn't see anything particularly special about it. Just another stop-over on a road-trip. She, Riley, and Mags had been on so many, she was probably an expert on malls. The security guards too. One or two were patrolling this area, yawning or just holding their hands by their belts lazily as they walked around. Tazers, not guns. More often than not, the trio had had to steal things or trespass, and Mags always made sure they were at least vigilant, if they had to go into public places. If Mags had her way, they'd be eating home-made food and sandwiches for the rest of their lives, but Riley and Alex loved processed food too much.
Mags.
Alex lowered her burger sadly. "Hey, man, do you think we should call Mags or something?"
"Call?" Riley arched an eyebrow. "How are we going to call the camp, you know they don't allow phones."
"No, I meant, like - Iris Message." Alex lowered her voice to a whisper so the others in the food court wouldn't hear. Thankfully, it wasn't so packed, so they had a fair few empty tables around them to separate them from other mallgoer.
"Do you have a dogma?"
"A drachma?"
"Same difference." Riley sucked the burger sauce from his fingers.
The air of panic was around him again and Alex pulled a face, confused.
She tried again. "I don't have one on me right now, but maybe they have some in the truck."
"Speaking of the truck," Riley deflected, "we gotta ditch it. After we eat, we're getting our stuff and finding a new one."
"What? Nah, come on, we're almost there-"
"We're ditching the truck."
"But we're so close, and I don't want to break into anyone's car again, and it's not like we're in any trouble," Alex reasoned. "We only steal cars when we're in trouble." Every time they stole someone's car, she couldn't help but feel guilty, like she was imposing on someone's life. "And you said that when we got to Scott's place, we'd explain everything to -"
Riley sighed. "Alex…"
"But you said -"
"Alex," Riley snapped. "We're ditching the truck."
His tone surprised her. She fell silent immediately.
"And you're not calling Mags," he added.
Alex huffed. Her burger suddenly felt cold now, and she didn't want to eat it. "I don't see why we can't just -"
Riley gave her a look. She fell silent again.
She didn't eat her burger, and she didn't move at all, while Riley finished eating. They didn't speak, just sat there, and Alex looked around, counting the minutes until they could leave again.
It was a Saturday so the mall was understandably busy. Little kids were being corralled by their parents. Groups of teenagers hung out at the bigger tables in the food court. All types of shoppers strolled around the place, holding a million bags, or holding nothing at all. Some tourists too; Chinese tourists, by the looks of it. They all wore the same uniform jacket, and some of them had lanyards with their IDs, and cameras too. Maybe they were on their way to DC like she and Riley were.
One of the tourists in the group caught her eye. He was looking straight at her, scratching a long goatee. He jumped around nervously behind another tourist as they queued for donuts. She noticed he was wearing a navy blue jacket, but it didn't have the stripes or the logo of the tourist group. Alex frowned. Her gaze fell to his feet.
Hooves.
Alex's eyes widened, then she schooled her features immediately, hoping Riley didn't notice. He was too busy eating.
She looked at the possible-satyr again. They caught each other's eye. He looked like he was making sure that she was her. She held tightly to the vest she'd rolled up, now stuffed under her hoodie like an extra belly.
Alex scanned the rest of the floor. She needed a legitimate reason to leave Riley for a while. Her eye fell on a record store, and a sporting goods store. Alex pushed her chair out from under the table.
"Um, where are you going?" Riley asked.
"I just wanna look at the records," she said, with a breezy smile. "I'll be back in like ten minutes."
"No way, too risky. Sit down," Riley said, gesturing lightly for her to sit again.
Alex scoffed, incredulous. "You can't tell me what to d -"
"Alex..." Riley sighed heavily. She frowned, bristling. This was his guilt-trip sigh. This was definitely not how she thought Operation Save Alex was going to go.
Then his phone rang. The shrill sound made both of them jump and Alex froze where she stood, caught between leaving and going. Riley's sigh had unsettled her, but now he was glaring, warning her of something if she decided to leave. And now the ominous timing of the phone call...
"Sit. Down," Riley repeated slowly.
Alex's eyes flashed, and she clenched her fists, but she complied.
Riley answered his phone carefully, wiping his hands on a napkin first before taking the call. Alex watched him. He didn't say anything, just listened, and when she sat still and paid attention to the voice over the phone, she could hear Scott's voice.
"...and tell her what's going to happen. That should be enough."
Alex's heart skipped a beat. Her face fell.
Riley gulped, his face otherwise stony and serious. He looked torn, as he always did whenever Scott told him to do something. But this time, Scott's command won over. "Will do," he said, before ending the call.
She remained standing, holding her chin higher.
"What did Scott say?" she asked, feigning innocence.
Riley's lips formed a thin line. "I think you heard what he said."
They stared at each other for a beat. She sat down again, frowning, and when she was sure her bottom half was covered by the table, she took out the vest from under her hoodie. She held it in her hands.
"Riley…" She wanted to sound strong. In control. But what came out was just the childish voice of someone who was confused. "What's going on?"
He stared at her again, his eyes holding still, like he was trying to figure out the words to say. Something nice. Something that made sense. And then in a millisecond, the 'thinking face' stopped, and he just slumped back in his chair. The chair legs scraped against the floor with the movement, and the loudness of the sound made Alex wince.
"Oh, Jesus…" Riley groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "Okay, fine. Okay, might as well. Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine…" he murmured.
Alex took a shaky breath. While Riley was preoccupied with his face, she hung the vest, logo visible, on the chair next to her. She hoped the satyr saw.
When Riley looked at her again, he saw her fist reaching out to the side, not registering the vest. He instantly put his hands up. "Hey now, I'm not that stupid. I'm not going to try and fight you here."
"Not physically," Alex frowned.
"Not verbally either. Depending on how this goes," Riley said, scratching his cheek.
Annoyed at how casual he was being, Alex banged her fist on the table. It was Riley's turn to jump at the sound, other shoppers looking at their direction now, and Riley gave a faint, fake chuckle, putting his hand over Alex's. He patted her fist.
"All right, chill, Alex -"
"We're not going to Scott's to make that file, are we?" she accused. "You just wanted to leave camp, you wanted to take me and - and leave -" She stumbled over her own train of thought. "But why would you -? Why would you wanna leave Mags?"
"Mags never agreed." Riley looked at Alex in the eyes for one second, and for the rest, the stared at a spot on the table. "She never liked this part of it, she never liked keeping this away from you. To the point that we just stopped telling her stuff."
Alex waited.
"...you remember that day we found you? The giants. The giants in the playground, they attacked you, you fought four of them, we helped you defeat the other two?"
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah?"
"It was a set-up. We sent them to you. Scott, me...well, mainly Scott. We wanted to see how you would do. What you would do. You were just a senior. We'd gotten bored of watching you just...walk to and from school, to and from rehearsal, to and from -"
"What…" Alex's voice was small. Her whole world was beginning to break down, right in front of her. "What do you mean you watched me? That day at the park, that was the first time we -"
"First time we met, yeah. But we've known about you for ages. Alex, can't you just -" Riley cut himself off, exasperated. "Can't you figure it out? We've known about you for ages. Why do you think we found you in the first place? Because we just happened to be in the right time, in the right place? Scott's been looking for you. And then he had me look for you. He's known all this time you were the descendant of Achilles."
Alex started shaking her head. She didn't believe it. She couldn't. She didn't notice that Riley's hand was still over hers, and she started clenching her fist again. Even her other hand, once placed flat on the table, was now in a fist. From the edge of her vision, she could see the glow again. She gritted her teeth, her fury rising -
"And now…" Riley sighed. "We've got a problem. Because if you fight me right now, in this mall...Scott's got a team watching over your parents. He'll give the order to attack them."
The glow faded. Her furious expression changed to shock. Fear.
"You can't fight me, Alex," he said, grave. He took his hand off hers. "So all you can do now, is listen."
In the middle of the food court, he told her about the day she was found by them. How she'd already been in a mad frenzy killing the giants, before they had to step in and stop her - and not, as she had been told before, to protect her. How they first heard about her because of what happened at her old school. That they'd been looking for people her age, kids with violent tendencies. How her parents had done well hiding her, encouraging her to be physically able, but also to be soft.
That was the part Alex hated the most. Riley said it as if being soft was bad.
It took all her being to stop him from talking, to throw him across the food court, crash him through a window, find Scott, force him to - to -
And that was when her line of reason usually ended. Force him to what? To let her parents go? Riley had told her there were at least two teams surrounding the mall right now, all watching and waiting to see how the conversation was going. She could imagine how they would work. One person to notify Scott that she'd retaliated. And the rest, to stop her. The team with her parents, she had no clue about. From all the things she remembered, staying with Scott and Riley, she knew that there was never any clear policy for things. Scott liked to be creative. No two missions were ever the same. Maybe the team were posing as friendly neighbours, having tea with her parents right now. Maybe they were just sitting outside in a van. Maybe they'd planted a remote-detonated bomb.
She tried not to feel too overwhelmed at thought, but her stomach was already churning.
If people really were watching her, then they probably saw her put the vest over the chair. But Riley hadn't taken a call the entire time he was talking. And she didn't notice any earpieces. God, I hope that satyr saw me.
Riley continued explaining. Maybe he was relieved too, to finally be able to say all this. He told her about how the fight between him and Scott had been real, that they really had left Scott because of the fight, and that Scott had allowed them to live together, and to attend university, and start a new life. At least that part wasn't a lie.
By now, Riley had also started to eat her unfinished burger.
"...but he only did that because," he said, after swallowing a big bite, "we already worked well together. As a team. You, me and Mags. That wasn't a lie either," he added.
"Right. That wasn't a lie, but everything else was," she said blankly.
"Not everything."
"But still," she interjected, "everything."
He narrowed his eyes. "Do you actually expect me to go back over, like, five years and nitpick every single thing we ever said and did? We're still friends, Alex."
"You're insane," she hissed.
"I'm not. Not me. Scott maybe," Riley pointed next to him, as if Scott was actually there.
"Yeah, but you're still going along with it." His eyes flickered to her, before going back to the burger. "I don't understand," she continued. "You and Scott never get along. Why would you…?"
"Do you know how many times the world almost ended because of gods?" he asked, ignoring her question completely. He dropped the burger back on the table and wiped his hands on his pants. "The Manhattan thing. All the mortals fell asleep, sure. But Kingshield Tower didn't. You know that story. Davey. Mags' parents. And this wasn't some sort of human terrorist attack based on rights, or religion, or oil, or goddamn money. No. It was gods. Gods and their kids and their whole stupid world. Thinking that the world's still their playground."
"I heard the story from the kids at camp," Riley continued. "Luke Castellan. Sounded like a good enough idea," he shrugged. "But he was still part of that system. Then the thing with the Earth Goddess. Then the thing with the Triumvirate, all those ancient kings or something. I actually remember some of those names from people Scott used to talk to. Your friend Piper? Her father nearly got bankrupt because of those old kings. And for no good reason, except for the fact that he had a child with a goddess. And who's fault was that? Mr McClean's, or Aphrodite's? Again - they're still thinking the world's their playground because they're immortal and bored."
Alex opened her mouth to intervene, but Riley was too quick. He was getting heated in his own rant. "And then what about us? Mags' parents, ten years worth of innovative technology gone because some kid got it into his head that he could be a god. Davey, he wanted to be a lawyer so he could help with the foster kid system. Your parents." Riley paused, waiting for a reaction. Alex just frowned at him.
But Riley didn't end up saying anything. He just shrugged. "And then you. Even we don't know why the line of Achilles got worse. But you really think biology is the reason for all that bloodlust?"
Alex thought about it. She thought about all his points; she could understand why he believed them. Try as he would to make it all sound reasonable, like it was just common sense, Alex knew that he was still grieving over Davey. Davey's death was the one thing that changed him. Everything else was just confetti.
"...so what do you want me to do about it?" she asked. "Lead you? Storm Olympus? Start World War Three? There's not even enough people, and now with both camps coming after you -"
Then she stopped.
"Wait…" Alex's eyes widened. "That's why you gave the location. You released those videos. You've been calling Scott this whole time - you're actually trying to get the whole world in on this?"
Riley leaned back on his chair, stretching. "I don't see why not."
Alex shook her head. "You are insane. There's a reason why the gods are still alive, why everything still has to be a secret. It's the same reason why I'm not parading the fact that I've got these - these powers. The same reason why you told me to never fight - assuming that's not a lie either," she snapped. Riley shook his head, telling her it wasn't. "Well, then, that's it. Everything has to be kept a secret, because people can't handle it. Even me. I still can't handle it. The world has enough problems, Riles. I'm not joining your fight. Your thing, whatever it is."
He looked disappointed. "Even with your parents on the line?"
Alex's jaw clenched. "You're going to let my parents go."
"Not my call. That's still on you. You can't fight me," he pointed a finger at her, taunting her. Alex thought about snapping the bones in half. How would she get out of this? She needed to get to Camp Halfblood - no, she needed to get to her parents. And anyway, she didn't even know if the camp would want her back. And she was supposedly surrounded with a team right now.
She needed to test it first.
Alex scraped her chair back suddenly, making sure the sound was loud. And at least ten people from the crowd lunged forward - with Riley reaching for something at his belt.
She narrowed her eyes at him. She moved the chair forwards again, sitting down calmly on the seat. "You had a gun this whole time? Pretty basic of you."
Riley blinked, hand still on his belt, and then relaxed with a small smile.
"Why use swords when we have guns, right? Why wait for demigods to go on our side, when we've got you? All we need are more of you now."
Alex glared at him. Something struck her as odd about that last sentence, like a lingering joke or a punch-line waiting to happen. But Riley didn't seem like he was going to explain.
"Speaking of demigods... " Riley leaned forward on the table, folding his arms on it. "Even if you do manage to get out here, and/or save your parents...I wouldn't go back there. Not after the way we left."
"Somehow I don't think the demigods are as two-faced and insane as you. Once I explain -"
"Oh, no, it's not just that. You remember I pinged the location, right?" Riley lifted up his phone for show. "Well, it turns out people aren't as adventurous as I thought they would be. Some people went out to Long Island, but then I guess that huge statue told them to go away or something. Magic," he rolled his eyes. "So now we're trying something new. Remember what we were working on before we left? Down in R&D?"
He wasn't smirking anymore, wasn't joking around. He spoke slowly and carefully, making sure Alex absorbed every word, and had time to process it.
Research & Development. Before they'd left, Scott and Riley's big fight had had to do with how many people were getting injured during the fights with monsters. How many people they were losing. And, as in true fashion, Scott, being from the generation that grew up under the mushroom cloud, suggested something so horrifying, everyone had to shut it down.
At least, Alex thought everyone did.
"Riley…" she began, shocked. "You can't."
"A hundred people. Just...a hundred people," he responded. But the way he said it made it sound like he was still trying to convince himself. Riley's thick brows bunched together as he frowned. "And anyway, we'll see how effective a bomb like that is. Maybe the statue will stop it and it'll just be pretty fireworks in the sky." He paused. "It's not nuclear. It'll just be a regular bomb."
Then his expression shifted, like he just realised how insane he actually sounded. And then Alex didn't have to say anything anymore.
"Look, I'm not a complete sadist. You know me, Alex. It's just - it's just a barrel bomb. Like an IED. And if they're smart - if the demigods are smart - then they've probably already figured out something to counter it. And then boom," he banged his fist lightly on the table, but the action made Alex's heart jump. "Fair battlefield."
Silence. The two friends, old friends, stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Riley, and the team watching them, were probably on the edge trying to figure out what Alex was going to do. Alex, herself, was still forming her plan. What could she afford to lose?
"When are they releasing the bomb?" she asked, looking away from him.
"Any time now."
Another silence.
She didn't have to look around to see where the nearest exit was. There was no point. The mall was unfamiliar. Riley had brought her here when she was tired but calm. She hadn't paid attention to the lay-out. She'd just have to run.
Her eyes flickered back to Riley.
"I want to call Scott. I want to talk about my parents."
He didn't hesitate to call the number.
When the phone was finally in her hands, her first instinct was to try and crush it. But she waited for the dial-tone to end, and then she heard Scott's familiar voice over the phone.
"Scott," she said, thanking every single god out there that her voice didn't crack.
"Alex. Honey."
Now she really wanted to crush the phone.
"I trust Riley's told you all that you needed to know?"
"Sure. You want me to become some sort of evil She-Ra."
"I knew letting you watch Sunday cartoons all the time wasn't good for you."
"I liked She-Ra."
"Alex, get to the point."
She inhaled and exhaled. "I want to know what kind of danger my parents are in."
"Enough danger."
"I'm serious."
Scott sighed over the phone. "A van outside the house. Your parents are watching TV together right now. Your father just finished mowing the lawn."
Maybe they saw the van. Maybe they're figuring out a way to leave.
"...and we've also sent them a package addressed to you. They're good folks, they've left it in the lounge, unopened. But a present like that doesn't need opening for it to give off a big...bang."
Alex could've stopped breathing right then and there.
"But you won't hurt them," she said. "You won't hurt them if I don't fight back, right?"
"Exactly right."
"As long as I don't fight back," Alex repeated. "You promise?"
"I promise."
No, Alex thought. That wasn't good enough.
"Do you swear on the River Styx?" she added.
Silence on the other end. And then a soft, dark chuckle. "Camp's really done a number on you, huh, kiddo? All right. I'll humour you. I swear on the River Styx, no harm will come to you parents as long as you don't fight back. I still like Riley, and the team with you right now are just fresh off the training course. It'd be a shame to see them defeated so soon."
"And you're watching me, right? You're the one who decides if I'm fighting or not?"
Another silence. Alex feared maybe he was getting suspicious. But he just chuckled again, as if this was a game he knew he would win anyway. "Yes. I've got the final say-so. I've got eyes and ears everywhere. You know this. Nice trick with the vest, by the way."
Alex told herself not to react to the last remark. "Okay. Okay, good. I won't fight. I won't fight, Scott."
"Good girl."
The call ended. Alex held the phone gingerly in her hand. Riley looked relieved, slumping back on the seat.
She couldn't fight. She wouldn't.
But she could run.
That didn't count as fighting, right? It's the opposite of fighting. It's flighting.
She reached out to put the phone down in the exact middle of the table, her pulse racing as she timed herself.
Her shoes were tied. It wasn't too hot. She wouldn't get sweaty, she wouldn't slow down.
Oh, please. Alex May Estrada, slow down?
She just had to make sure to avoid Riley, and anyone else from Kingshield. She couldn't throw anything at them, she couldn't kick at them - she just had to trust Scott's affinity for games, she had to keep playing in a way that made this all seem fun. A cat and mouse game. She could do this.
As soon as she dropped the phone on the table, she bolted.
A/N: And after two-ish weeks, I've returned with another chapter! This part of the story is almost over. This would be 'Part One'; I like the idea of keeping all the parts in just one story rather than creating another book/story. It's going to be a fairly long one, with a lot more reveals and twists along the way - ones that are hopefully just as exciting for you as it is for me! I love writing this story so much, I wish I had more time and energy to write this faster, but alas, uni is a thing.
As always, thank you to the readers of FOTB! The old ones, the loyal ones, the new ones! All the views and comments mean so much to me, so thank you always!
Here's a fun-fact: FOTB is also the acronym for 'Fresh Off The Boat', right? A popular saying regarding new migrants. My initial idea for this story was to stress the migrant part more, but instead I took the acronym and found a cool way to use it with 'For Only The Buried'. 'For Only The Buried' has its own special meaning, though. And don't worry, it'll be revealed eventually in the story! As will most things. Trust me, if there's something confusing, I've probably already planned it out and it'll come out in the next few chapters fhbvkwtjhfbg but ofc, with still just enough mystery to keep the intrigue going.
But can anyone guess what the title means? Bonus points, we could have a discussion about it 👀
Either way, thank you for reading Chapter Nineteen! Hope everyone has a lovely week!