The girls chatted all the way to the meeting place. Jessica was awake but pretended to be asleep to get more information.
"..and so when he gives us more power, we will kick their goody two shoes asses. See who daddy is proud of them," Erato said with a bit of triumph to her voice.
"This is going to be so much fun although, I do feel kinda sorry for them," Ate thumbed toward the back seat.
"Well, sacrifices ya know," Erato shrugged. Jessica pursed her lips and decided it was time to call in a favor. Slipping her cell phone out of her bra where she hid it before leaving the house, she hit redial and hoped her friend on the other end would get the message.
**
Coreen's cell phone rang three times before she picked it up.
"Hello?" she yawned. She listened, eyes still closed and mouth somewhat slack, "Helllooo…???" she asked again with agitation. After a few more seconds, she glanced at her phone and realized it was the young girl she'd befriended, Jessica. Listening closer, she realized Jessica was in trouble.
"Jessica, if you can hear me, I'll be there, hang in there okay?" Coreen snapped her phone shut and dialed Vicki. Coreen knew Jessica's story, had tried to encourage her to go home and when she refused, she decided to help her, mentor her somewhat. Working for Vicki taught Coreen to have a backup plan and that plan was for Jessica to call, day or night, if she was ever in trouble.
"And, if you can't talk, just hold the phone open and I'll know you're in trouble, my boss Vicki can always help us, "Coreen told Jessica.
"Come on Vicki, pick up, please, come on…" Coreen bit her lip and tapped her fingers.
"Hello?" Vicki's voice finally said.
"OH thank God! It's me," Coreen said unnecessarily.
"Really." Vicki answered dryly and shook her head.
Coreen began to babble and Vicki told her to slow down. After listening to her story, Vicki knew everything was connected.
"Coreen, go to Mike, give him your phone and let him trace that last call from her cell phone's last ping, quickly. I will call ahead, thanks.." Vicki paused and added, "Coreen?"
"Yeah?"
"Great job," Vicki could feel her little assistant beaming from the other end of the line.
"Gee, thanks," she offered.
Vicki hung up, dialed Mike and then turned to Henry and Zeus.
"If our kid ever acts like this, I will ground them for life," Vicki shook her head.
Zeus threw his head back and laughed, "Good luck with that!"
Across town, Aphrodite was fuming. She lost her powers, lost her new little project and her head was pounding.
"I'm going to make those two pay!," she paced Jessica's old house. She had nowhere else to go and figured it was the safest place for now. Although she didn't want to, she decided she had to call her father. He was so relieved to hear her voice, he restrained from yelling or lecturing.
"Daddy?" Aphrodite asked with a quiver in her voice.
"Yes my darling?"
"Hurry," she covered the mouthpiece and whispered. Before she hung up, Zeus was in the room beside her. The old woman passed out from the shock of seeing a man appear out of thin air in her home.
"Will she be okay?" Aphrodite asked.
"She'll be fine," Zeus hugged his daughter tightly.
"I'm sorry, I've learned my lesson," she told him.
"That's what you said last time my dear," he reminded her.
"I'm afraid it's bad this time daddy," she told him with tears in her eyes, "and it's my fault."
"No sweetie, it's not your fault, they have made their own choices. They will pay for their actions. You were truly trying to make the world a better place, albeit the hard way but.." he sighed.
Zeus returned her power and they were back at Henry's condo in a flash.
"Henry, if you are that soft, I'll kick your ass," Vicki told him when Zeus returned with Aphrodite.
"Me? What about you?"
"Huh, don't you worry about that," Vicki tsked.
"We must hurry," Zeus said.
"No shit Sherlock, I'm waiting on a …" Vicki's cell ring, "Phone call, here it is." She waved her phone and smiled.
"Thanks Mike, meet us there?" she paused, "Mike, this is most likely your runaway, it's in your best interest and won't raise red flags as to why you were tracing cell pings." Vicki nodded and smirked, Mike agreed to meet them there.
"Come on, warehouse district," Vicki grabbed a jacket.
"Whoa, whoa, Vicki you are not getting into any physical altercations," Henry ordered.
"Are you new here?" Vicki stared at him in disbelief.
"No," he responded.
"Good, then you will note I don't do orders well nor am I an invalid," Vicki started out the door again.
"Please, I don't' want anything to happen to you or our baby," Henry was pleading.
Vicki turned to hug him and lay her head on his chest, "Henry, I won't put your son or daughter in danger, what makes you think I would?" she looked up at him.
Henry looked at Vicki and shook his head, "Just stay close…"
