Chapter 2

It was mid-afternoon at the secret gym at New Olympus High and the seven teens were busy training their skills.

Atlanta was teaching Odie a set of karate moves, Harry was bench pressing his above normal weights, Jay and Theresa were sparring off with each other, Archie was working on his target practice and Neil was busy searching his reflection for any trace of a blemish.

"This is called a falcon strike." Atlanta said as she demonstrated to Odie. "It's when you side step ninety degrees around your opponent and thrust your open palm into their lower abdomen."

With flawless action Atlanta executed the move onto the punching bag, making it swerve from her impacting hand.

"I don't think I can do that." Odie said doubtfully.

"Oh come on, you just need confidence. Now you try it."

Atlanta held the bag still as she awaited her friend's attempt. Odie let out a sigh as he got into an awkward imitation position of Atlanta's previous form. Taking the step across Odie stumbled on his feet; temporarily losing his balance, then threw his palm into the bag with minimal effect.

"How was that?" Odie asked haplessly.

Meanwhile Jay and Theresa were going head to head with their safety weapons made of hollow plastic. Jay parried Theresa's swings of her nunchucks as he moved in on her to attack. Theresa was fast on the reflex as she caught Jay's blade in the chain of her weapon and hurled it out of her challenger's reach. Without giving him time to react, Theresa trip-kicked Jay, sending him to the ground with a painful thud. Ignoring the pain in his body, Jay caught Theresa's wrist and tugged her over his shoulder. As she hit the floor, Jay dove for his xiphos and spun back onto his feet with it in his firm grip. Jay stood over Theresa who was still trying to gather herself, and was about to confirm his victory when his eyes set on her and he hesitated. Theresa's expression of awareness quickly changed to irritancy.

"Jay!" Theresa complained as she stood back up.

"What?" Jay asked with misunderstanding.

"How am I supposed to get any better if you hold back on me?"

"I wasn't."

Theresa stared Jay knowingly.

"Okay, maybe I was…. But that's only because I had to." Jay scrambled to explain.

"And why is that?" Theresa said skeptically.

"Er…well."

"Is it because I'm a girl?"

"Of course not… it's because… I li… you're…" Jay looked around for an escape. "Hey Harry! Here, I'll spot you."

Jay bolted to Harry's station, leaving Theresa with folded arms and inquisitive look on her face.

At this point Atlanta was ready to call it quits on trying to help Odie so she decided to speak up.

"I've had enough training for today. Who wants to come with me to the mall?"

"Sounds good to me." Archie immediately said as he retracted his whip.

"Ditto, this work out has really taken it out on me." Neil said nonchalantly as he pocketed his mirror.

As Atlanta, Archie, Odie and Neil ran out of the gym, Harry was moving fast to catch up.

"Hey guys! Wait up!" Harry shouted as he dropped the weights that Jay was spotting.

Unable to hold the fifteen hundred pounds, Jay went crashing to the ground. Jay was sprawled uncomfortably on the floor as he tried to pull himself up.

Theresa was slowly following the group as Jay's voice made her glance back.

"Theresa, could you give me a hand?" Jay asked as he attempted to free his trapped leg from the barbell.

Theresa didn't even answer as she continued her exit from the room, leaving her friend to fend for himself.

"Was it something I said?" Jay asked fruitlessly.

After Jay finally got to the truck, Harry drove the team to the New Olympia mall where everyone had their own places to go, Neil to the cosmetics store, Odie to electronics, and the rest of the guys to the sports store. Atlanta was in the music store browsing for CD's while she listened to Theresa speak her mind.

"I just don't get it." Theresa continued, half talking to Atlanta and half talking to herself. "Does he think I'm not strong enough? If he does then he's being a major sexist, am I right?"

Atlanta put her shopping on pause as she side glanced at Theresa.

"Let me get this straight, you're mad at Jay for not hitting you?"

"Exactly."

Atlanta could only shake her head in her pessimistic nature.

"You might want to rethink your pet peeves; I'd hate to think what you'll do to him when he doesn't insult you." Atlanta said with thick sarcasm.

Theresa glared at her friend.

"You know what I mean. I'm just as strong as Jay and I'm going to prove it."

"Sounds to me like you're trying to impress him."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Cause you have a crush on him." Atlanta said under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"Cousin Rave's rush of sin, found it." Atlanta covered up as she picked up a CD.

As she walked towards the counter, Theresa could only follow in puzzlement as the conversation suddenly died in mid-sentence.

The gang met up an hour later and made their way back to the truck. As they were about to leave a periled scream filled the air, grabbing Jay's attention. With his heroic instinct instantly responding, Jay ran toward the source of the cry, with the rest following closely.

Jay turned the street corner and entered the mouth of an open alleyway to see an elderly woman being ravaged by a pickpocket. Jay immediately noticed that the woman was blind by noticing her sunglasses and her cane on the ground.

"Get away you ill mannered twit!" she screamed as she tried her best to fight him.

The thief slapped the bag of groceries from her hands and snagged her purse. In a flash the man ran down the alleyway. Without thinking twice, Jay sprinted towards the thief and easily outran him as tackled him to the ground. The man didn't put much of a fight as he let go of the purse and continued his escape. Jay decided to let the crook go as he walked back to the woman with the purse in hand.

The old lady was back on her feet with her cane back in her hand as she tried to determine what had just happened.

"Who's there?" she asked unnerved.

"It's alright; I got your purse back." Jay said with reassurance.

"Oh no, my groceries." The woman grieved as she set her cane on the empty bag.

Without an invitation, Jay started to gather up the scattered food, he gestured for the others to come and help as well, to which they all abided. Within a few short seconds all the woman's groceries were back in her bag and in her arms.

"There you go miss." Jay said full heartedly.

"Why thank you." The woman said weakly. "It's nice to know there are at least seven helpful children in these barbaric times."

Jay's expression went suspicious.

"Wait, how did you know there were seven of us? I'm the only one who said anything."

The old lady dropped her once innocent character as she swung her cane, smacking Jay dead on his neck sending him toppling back. Theresa moved quickly to pull Jay back onto his feet as the rest observed the woman rise up into the air. Her elderly cackle transformed into a lyrical chortle as the rest of her body morphed into her true form.

"Who the heck are you?" Harry interrogate strongly.

Without answering, Circe let loose a series of energy blasts at the teens, forcing them to dive for cover.

"Who is this psycho?" Atlanta questioned in displeasure as she hid behind a dumpster.

"Well I can tell you this much, she a good shot for a blind person." Neil said air headedly.

All the others rolled their eyes in irritation.

"Jay? What do you think?" Theresa asked.

"I'll tell you what I think." Archie said boldly as he stood up from his cover. "She's picking a fight and I'm going to end it."

Archie pulled out his Hephaestus whip and charged at the hostile woman.

"Archie!" Atlanta yelled out in hopes to halt his actions.

As her words fell on deaf ears she quickly followed with her crossbow ready for fire.

Archie moved with fast agility as he avoided Circe's energy bolts before swinging his whip at her. Unfortunately it was to no avail as she simply elevated herself higher at harms way.

"Foolish boy!" she said sinisterly as she waved her hand toward Archie. "Your weapon is useless against me."

Within an instant, Archie's whip changed into a deadly viper. Archie let out a yelp of surprise as the snake lashed towards Atlanta, sinking its venomous fangs into her shoulder.

"Atlanta!" Archie shouted in anxiety.

Atlanta collapsed to the ground with a moan of pain as she seemed to exit consciousness.

"That's it, everyone advance." Jay ordered as he extended the blade on his xiphos.

As the five teens moved towards the evil sorceress, Circe had just dealt a powerful blast of energy at Archie, sending him toppling back into a building wall.

Harry ran full speed toward Circe with is first clenched and ready.

"AHHHHH!" he yelled aggressively as he swung to make contact.

Harry's yell was brought to a premature end as his fist was caught in Circe's hand like it was as weak as a newborn's. Harry was to awestruck to even react as Circe lifted him up and hurled him over her shoulder to land painfully on Archie.

"Get on all sides!" Jay ordered to his remaining teammates.

In a flash Jay, Theresa, Odie and Neil surrounded the villain ready to attack. With an unnerving half smile, Circe tackled Neil and roll around scrap. As the two scuffled Circe morphed her appearance to look exactly like Neil. Finally the two stood up in momentary halt of action, but now it was impossible to tell the difference.

"Oh great." Theresa said with frustration. "Which ones the real Neil?"

"I am!" They both said at once.

"You are not!" one said.

"Am too! You copycat!" the other snapped back.

"Takes one to know one!"

"Okay, we need to ask them something that only the real Neil would know." Odie said as he looked between them.

Jay instantly knew the question.

"When Cronus tried to stop the world from spinning, how did Odie figure out the solution?"

One of the Neil's instantly spoke out.

"That's easy, I was the solution. My gorgeous reflect inspired him to do… a bunch of science stuff that saved the world. I mean, how could you blame him? My good looks inspire everyone."

"Only Neil is that vain." Theresa said as she advanced on the other.

With a quick swing Theresa brought the nunchucks hard across the other Neil's stomach making him crouch over in a groan. Theresa finished up with a double fisted strike on the upper back to send him to the ground.

Before Theresa could bask in her achievement she heard the familiar laughter of Circe behind her and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see a blast of energy fly out of, the believed to be Neil's, hand and scorch her back. The imposter returned to her previous form with a satisfied grin on her face.

Without allowing Jay time to react Circe backhanded him across the face, sending him several feet back. With six down and one to go, the sorceress leapt forward and wrapped her hand around Odie's unprotected neck. Odie could only gag and swing his feet unproductively as he dangled a foot above the ground.

Circe continued to stare coldheartedly at the teen until a sudden twinge of recognition captured her. Her expression went tender as she brought Odie's face closer to hers.

"Odysseus?" She asked pensively in disbelief.

Her moment was interrupted as a sharp sting in her side forced her to drop her captive victim. Clutching her wound Circe looked furiously across the way to see Atlanta sitting up feebly with her crossbow still pointing at her. Atlanta let out a deep breath of antagonism before collapsing once again.

"Everyone fallback!" Jay said loudly as he pulled Odie away from Circe.

The others managed to regain themselves enough to run away, Harry pulled Atlanta over his shoulder as he ran past.

Circe hesitated in response and lost her opportunity to stop them as they vanished from sight. Circe had a new focus of anger towards Cronus that she planned to take up with him immediately, so she disappeared within a moment.