Chapter 3

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Friday and Sorbo looked over Friday's notes in the animal cruelty case. The man in question was Streicher, had anger issues going at least as far back as high school. He was known to get into fights with teachers, students, and ar least one female student accused Streicher of raping her. Streicher spent a year in reform school because of this. After his release Streicher tried to join the army, but he didn't finish basic training. He was throw out for distributing racist literature and for assaulting at least two African-American soldiers. Streicher then worked at the dog pound, where he volunteered to gas the dogs who were sick or beyond the limit. When the boss discovered Streicher was personally strangling the dogs before gassing them, Streicher was fired and reported to the police. Before he could be questioned, Streicher destroyed the evidence, thus avoiding prosecution. Streicher's old boss remembered how he talked about his hatred of hippies, and seemed to like the ancient Greek god Ares. With all of this Sorbo and Friday went to Streicher's apartment to speak with him.

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Ares covertly followed Hercules and the mortal detective as they reviewed Friday's notes. Now that he knew who was killing people in his name, he wanted to see him first. Ares remembered the good old days when mortals worshiped him, and how he gave encouragement to some. Sometimes that meant talking to them directly, sometimes it meant more covert actions. Some warlords needed to see him as an invisible menacing figure. Today, he didn't have time to make himself out to be a big hulking figure, he went to Streicher's apartment directly. This apartment had a few idols, a small alter. There were a few pamplets from the KKK and similar groups lying around, and a swastika banner near Streicher's bed. This man seemed to be, for now at least, the only priest of this new religion. It was nothing like the great temples he once had, but it could be the start of a comeback.

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Streicher: Who the hell are you?

Ares: The same diety you worship.

Streicher: Ares, the great war god?

Ares: That's me.

Streicher: How may I serve you, oh great one?

Ares: I'm here to give you some help. You've probably heard of my annoying half-brother Hercules.

Streicher: I have heard he is a priest of your sister Aphrodite.

Ares: Not exactly, but he does share some of her views on peace and love. And you, have no problem with killing those hippies.

Streicher: They disgrace your legacy, I will kill them all for you.

Ares: One step at a time. Hercules and some mortal cop are coming to arrest you. Hercules still has the strength of a demigod, I want to level the playing field. This chalice, contains my blood. Drink it, and you will have great strength to defeat Hercules.

Streicher: It will be my great honor to murder your half brother.

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When Sorbo and Friday got to Streicher's apartment his eyes were red, Friday assumed he was high on drugs. Hercules had seen this before, and feared what this meant.

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Friday: Mr Streicher?

Streicher: Yes. Come in.

Friday: We'd like to ask you some questions.

Streicher: About that hippie girl I killed.

Friday: You admit to killing her?

Streicher: She deserved to die for her blasphemy about peace and love. And I will enjoy killing the son of Zeus here.

Friday: You think that I'm the son of Zeus?

Streicher: Not you. Your partner here is really Hercules, half brother of my great god Ares. Soon more will come to worship Ares, and he shall rule this world.

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Sgt Friday tried to arrest Streicher, but Streicher merely threw Friday against the wall. Hercules had tried to do things the modern way, but that was no longer an option. Sometimes brute force still had its place in the world. Hercules and Streicher fought, it was short and brutal. But even with the blood of Ares inside of him, Streicher wasn't nearly as strong as he seemed to think he was. Streicher was defeated and knocked unconsciouss. The blood of Ares would ware off within an hour or so, and Ares wouldn't bother to give more to a loser. But Hercules did fear that there would be others like Streicher, others Ares would use and manipulate.