A/N Here we are at chapter 11! Thank you all for the lovely reviews... they do make me happy :-)
Right, let's get on with it then.
Please review.
Oh and I don't own Atlantis, although if I did...
"I don't like it," Hercules informed Pythagoras firmly, all but slamming a jug down on the table in his agitation.
The blonde mathematician sighed in exasperation. This was a conversation they had already had several times that morning – ever since Pythagoras had explained his idea for making Dakos pay.
"I know," he answered, "but it is the only plan we have. If you can think of something better then I will gladly listen to it."
Hercules glowered at him.
"Fine," he growled, "I'll talk to Meriones later. But do you actually think he's in any fit state to be doing this?" he added gesturing towards the balcony where their brunette companion had retreated after breakfast.
"No," Pythagoras admitted, "but I think he needs to do this. And would you rather risk him trying to go off on his own again? Besides even with Meriones' help – if he does agree to help – it will still take a couple of days for us to set everything up. That will at least give Jason a little more time."
Out on the balcony Jason rolled his eyes. If his friends didn't want him to hear what they were saying they really ought to learn to keep their voices down, he mused. He had come out onto the balcony a little while earlier to try to sort out his own jumbled thoughts. Much as he wanted to concentrate on Pythagoras' plan and his own need to deal with the merchant himself, his mind kept drifting back to the conversation he had had with his housemates earlier. Part of him simply could not understand why his friends still wanted him around after all the trouble he had caused over the months. He had been so sure that they would want him to leave after last night's argument and had barely slept all night thinking about it. Hercules had been so angry at him and he had to admit that the big man had probably had some justification for it, and yet this morning it was almost as if last night hadn't happened. Jason was utterly confused. He sighed.
"Are you alright?"
Jason nearly jumped out of his skin. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he had completely failed to hear Pythagoras come out to join him on the balcony.
"Yes," he answered, perhaps a bit too quickly.
Pythagoras regarded his friend seriously. Jason still seemed a bit subdued, his arms wrapped defensively around his middle, almost hugging himself. It was not the posture of someone who was particularly happy. The mathematician bit his lip and sat down beside his friend.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Jason cringed inwardly. He had hoped to have a little more time to pull himself together before speaking to either of his friends. Pythagoras in particular was likely to ask questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to answer.
"Of course," he scoffed trying to plaster the lopsided smile he usually hid behind in place. Fortunately he was saved from further questioning by the arrival of Hercules. The big man ambled out to the balcony with a cup of wine in one hand and a small bunch of grapes in the other.
"You didn't eat breakfast," he boomed, presenting Jason with the grapes.
"Hercules, I..." Jason began.
"The next words out of your mouth had better be 'thank you Hercules for being so thoughtful'," the big man said warningly. "Don't even try to tell me you're not hungry."
Jason sighed and rolled his eyes again. The truth was that his stomach had been in knots ever since last night and eating was the last thing he felt like doing. Still he didn't want to risk offending Hercules and having the big man finally washing his hands of him. Reluctantly he pulled a grape off the bunch and popped it into his mouth trying not to grimace as his stomach soured and twisted even further. Hercules scrutinised him and then nodded in satisfaction at his capitulation.
"Eat all of them," he admonished, "and we'll say no more about breakfast."
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Pythagoras asked.
"I needed to think," Jason shrugged. "Besides I was a bit cold and I figured the sun might warm me up."
Pythagoras frowned. The day was swelteringly hot.
"Cold?" he asked incredulously.
"Yeah," Jason responded. "I was cold all night – never really got warmed up after we got home. I'm warmer now though."
Hercules nodded thoughtfully.
"You need a bit more meat on your bones. Then you wouldn't feel the cold so much," he said solemnly. "That goes for both of you," he added gesturing towards Pythagoras.
"Me? What did I do?" the mathematician asked.
"You're too skinny the pair of you," Hercules stated gruffly looking between his companions.
The two boys exchanged an amused look before turning back to the big man.
"I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt either of you to be a bit fatter," Hercules said.
Pythagoras rolled his eyes, wisely choosing not to point out that there was rarely any extra food in the house with Hercules around. He turned towards Jason, an expectant look on his face.
"So what were you thinking about?" the blonde asked. He felt rather than saw Jason tense and a dozen questions sprang to his inquisitive mind.
"Nothing in particular," Jason answered, aiming for nonchalance and failing miserably.
Pythagoras raised an eyebrow and exchanged a meaningful look with Hercules.
"For a man not thinking about anything in particular you certainly seemed to be lost in thought," the big man said lightly.
Jason looked at him sharply. Hercules returned his gaze steadily until the young man flushed slightly and looked down at his hands feeling inexplicably abashed.
"I meant to ask earlier why you felt you should leave," Pythagoras said suddenly.
Jason shrugged.
"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time," he answered non-committally, hoping that Pythagoras would accept his answer at face value and drop the subject before they came too close to things he really didn't want to talk about.
Pythagoras frowned in confusion.
"I don't understand," he admitted.
"I think I do," Hercules rumbled almost angrily, looking hard at the boy. "Tell me," he added, "has anyone in your life ever actually stuck around for any length of time?"
Jason looked at the floor and shook his head mutely.
"So every time someone got angry at you they sent you away?" the big man pressed.
"It wasn't their fault," the boy all but whispered, not lifting his eyes from the floor, "I've never been the easiest person to deal with."
Pythagoras looked at his friend with a growing feeling of distress. Unable to restrain himself he slipped his arm around Jason's shoulders and squeezed tightly, hoping that the brunette would understand everything he couldn't manage to say as he tried to swallow past the lump that had suddenly grown in his throat. Jason looked up, startled at the touch. The look of horrified sympathy he saw in Pythagoras' blue eyes broke through the last of his defences and to his own horror he found himself perilously close to bursting into tears.
"Could we talk about something else please?" he all but begged, making one last ditch attempt to regain control of himself.
Pythagoras nodded and tried to smile, although he did not remove his arm from around Jason.
"Of course," he said.
Hercules turned away from them to look out over the street as he drained the cup in his hand. He was angry; angry with everyone who had ever hurt either of his boys. If he could get his hands on them now... He sighed, knowing that he could never change what had happened in either lad's past. What he could do, however, was get his hands on the damned merchant and when he did by the Gods he was going to make the man pay for everything he had done. Turning back towards the room, the big man found Jason watching him nervously and realised that with the boy's somewhat fragile emotional state he would have to temper his anger. Seeing that Jason had still not really eaten anything, Hercules looked pointedly at the grapes still clutched in the young man's hand. Jason followed his gaze and sighed, although he did start to slowly eat. His burly friend smiled.
"Right I'm off to negotiate with Meriones," he said.
"Try not to get too drunk," Pythagoras said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm surprised at you, Pythagoras. What would lead you to say such a thing?"
"The time you went to see Meriones and got so drunk you ended up naked on the roof," the mathematician shuddered.
"Or the time you fell in the fountain," Jason added, eyes alight with mischief. He took the last grape on the bunch and started to chew it slowly.
"The time we found you passed out in the goat pen..."
"Or the time you ended up sleeping it off under a rubbish heap..."
"Yes, yes," Hercules interrupted. "I have absolutely no intention of getting drunk today, however."
He was met by identical sceptical look from both his housemates.
"I'm not," he insisted.
The two boys grinned at each other. Hercules rolled his eyes at their banter, as Jason tried to stifle a yawn.
"How much sleep did you get last night?" the big man asked looking at the young man thoughtfully.
"Not much," Jason admitted, fighting down a wave of weariness.
"Time you had a nap then," Hercules proclaimed firmly. "You'll feel a lot better for it."
Jason smiled at his bulky friend's concern and nodded, too tired to argue for once. He pushed himself up and grabbed his crutches, hobbling over to his bedroom. As he entered the alcove he paused and looked back over his shoulder at his two friends, smiling and blinking sleepily.
"Goodnight," he said.
"Sleep well my friend," Pythagoras answered as he moved into the kitchen area and started to tidy up, mind already on other things.
Hercules paused in the doorway and looked back at the two boys before slipping out of the door to make the journey to see Meriones. He smiled. It was time to put an end to all this; time to start putting it all behind them.
Slipping once more into the cool darkness of the tavern, Hercules struggled to believe that it was less than a day since he had last been to see Meriones – so much seemed to have happened since then. In the middle of the working day there were few people gracing the bar with their presence but as expected Meriones was in his usual corner, conducting business and drinking in equal amounts. Hercules had to admit he was a little hazy on the details of what exactly Meriones did for a living. He certainly seemed to have a vast network of contacts and people who worked for him in a varying number of capacities. Whatever it was that he did, however, he was quite obviously extremely successful at it. He sat now surveying the room much as a king might survey his domain, a flagon of wine in one hand as he gave orders and did deals, gesticulating wildly with his free hand. As Hercules approached the table he looked up and beamed, standing and opening his arms expansively.
"Meriones," Hercules greeted his friend, reaching out and taking the other man's arm in a friendly clasp.
"Hercules," Meriones once again sounded genuinely pleased to see him. "You are visiting me twice in as many days. Can we get drunk together this time?"
Hercules sighed.
"There would be nothing I would like better," he said, "but I need your help again."
Meriones sat down, frowning slightly, and motioned with his hand for Hercules to do the same. With a negligent flip of his wrist he sent his underlings away, ensuring that he would have privacy to talk to his friend.
"What is it?" he asked.
"The merchant, Dakos," Hercules admitted. "I wish to teach him a lesson he will never forget."
"You want revenge for your boy," Meriones stated, probing Hercules with his eyes.
"I want justice," Hercules answered. "Dakos betrayed Jason; set him up to take the blame for his own crimes; left the boy to be tortured and killed. I cannot let him get away with it."
Meriones sighed.
"I cannot blame you," he admitted. "I think perhaps I would do the same if it were a friend of mine – especially a friend I was very fond of. But the merchant will not be easy to trap. He is wily and cunning. He is likely to be dangerous if you back him into a corner. He also has the biggest bodyguard you will ever see... although he has not been in Atlantis for many weeks. If you are going to strike it must be soon before the merchant has the chance to leave again – and before his bodyguard comes back."
"I know," Hercules said. "We have a plan. My friend Pythagoras thinks it will work. But we cannot put it into action alone. Dakos seemed to know who Jason was before he employed him, so he may recognise either Pythagoras or me as well. We need people he will not recognise. With your network of contacts... that is I hoped..."
Meriones reached out and grabbed Hercules' hand.
"How can I help, my friend?" he asked earnestly.
Pythagoras looked up from his work as the door of the house banged open and Hercules barged his way into the room. At least his bulky friend could still stand up, the mathematician noted clinically – which was generally somewhat unusual when he returned from visiting Meriones. In fact the big man seemed to be more or less sober – well more sober than usual anyway. The blonde looked at his friend quizzically.
"Meriones will help," Hercules boomed. "He's going to come around in a little while to work out the final details. He even offered the services of a couple of his lads to help us."
Pythagoras frowned.
"What does he want in return?" he asked slightly suspiciously.
"Nothing," Hercules answered. "We are old friends him and me – go back years. Grew up in the same streets. Of course he's been a bit more successful with money than me... but us hero types don't bother with financial matters."
Pythagoras restrained himself from laughing at Hercules' blatant untruth.
"Besides," the big man added, "he's never been all that fond of double-crossers. Meriones might be a lot of things but he does prize loyalty and friendship."
The blonde nodded.
"That is good," he said pleased that his plan was going well so far. He turned at a soft noise behind him and seeing Jason slowly making his way across the room towards them smiled in greeting. The brunette lad dropped down onto the bench next to him still blinking sleepily.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Hercules' friend, Meriones, has agreed to help us," Pythagoras told him. "He is coming over to see us later."
Jason grunted in response, not quite awake yet.
"Which reminds me," Pythagoras suddenly said, turning back towards Hercules, "Medusa asked us yesterday to tell you she would be coming over to visit as soon as she finishes work today." He paused, thinking. "She should be here soon," he finished brightly.
"Oh, why didn't you tell me sooner," Hercules said with barely concealed panic as he rushed into his room to try to smarten himself up.
Pythagoras grinned openly as he looked after the big man before turning and sharing a fondly amused look with Jason. Shaking his head he began to tidy away his parchments neatly. A gentle hand on his arm stopped him and he turned back to see Jason peering at one of the scrolls with a puzzled expression.
"That doesn't look like your usual work," the brunette commented.
Pythagoras smiled.
"It is not. I made some notes on what I had learned about the Ring of Gyges," he admitted.
"And?" Jason asked.
"And what?" Pythagoras was confused.
Jason resisted the urge to roll his eyes and slap his friend around the head.
"What did you find out about it?"
"Oh." Pythagoras sat back down at the bench, his face automatically dropping into the expression that Jason had privately dubbed his 'school teacher' look. "Well. A lot of what is written may well only be stories," he admitted, "even the existence of the Ring is a matter of some dispute."
"It's a fairy story that we tell children," Hercules interjected from inside his room.
"It is indeed a story that we are told as children," Pythagoras said apologetically.
"Well I haven't heard it," Jason said. "You both seem to forget that I didn't grow up in Atlantis."
"Of course," Pythagoras said. "The story goes that many years ago there lived a King of Lydia called Candaules who had a very beautiful wife, Tudo. There was a shepherd named Gyges who worked for the King, looking after his flocks and reporting back to the palace about the sheep. He wanted more than to just be a shepherd and fell in love with the Queen. One day when he was tending to his flock there was an earthquake while he was out in the fields and he noticed that a new cave had opened up in the rock face. Overcome with curiosity he went to investigate and discovered that the cave was actually a tomb. The tomb contained a bronze horse, which in turn held the remains of a man – some say a giant. The corpse had a golden ring on one of its fingers. Gyges took the ring as his own. He found that when he put it on he became invisible to all around him. He realised that this was his chance. The next time he visited the palace to make his report he put on the ring and while wearing it killed the King and seduced the Queen, taking control of the palace. To atone for what he had done he sent gifts to the Oracle at Delphi who declared that he was the true ruler of Lydia."
The mathematician paused and looked at his friend. Jason was listening with rapt attention, hazel eyes huge.
"It may just be a story," Pythagoras admitted. "No-one really knows for sure and certainly no-one knows what definitely happened to the ring. There have been rumours for years that it was stolen – that it has been stolen many times since the days of Gyges."
"It's no more than a bedtime story," Hercules asserted entering the room again, sniffing experimentally at his armpits and trying to straighten his hair.
"Ah but is it?" Pythagoras asked. "Many have written about it's magical properties. Many claim to have seen it."
They were saved from further argument by an insistent knock at the door. Hercules hurried over to open it, smiling broadly. On the other side of the door was Medusa. As she saw Hercules her face lit up with a brilliant smile.
"Hercules," she said warmly.
"Welcome my love," the big man responded, raising her hand to his lips. "I am very pleased to see you."
"I was beginning to think you no longer cared," Medusa said, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Never!" Hercules asserted. "For you are everything to me."
Medusa laughed lightly and stepped around him into the room. She smiled happily at Pythagoras then turned towards Jason, her eyes searching.
"You look better," she noted.
"I'm fine," the boy answered. He smiled at her sceptical look. "Well I'm getting there," he amended.
Medusa patted him on the shoulder before turning towards the fire.
"What would we like for supper?" she wondered.
"You do not have to do that," Pythagoras protested. "You have spent all day cooking and I am capable of providing supper for us all."
"Nonsense," Medusa stated. "I would enjoy it. Besides, Hercules can help me."
"Who me?" the big man asked.
"Yes," said Medusa firmly.
Hercules rolled his eyes but did as he was told, bending down to tend to the fire. Pythagoras smiled at the way Hercules and Medusa moved around each other – it was all so domestic; all so right; they seemed to fit with one another in ways that he had never seen Hercules achieve with anyone else. Gathering his parchments, he took them back into his room and returned with what appeared to be a small wooden box under his arm. He set it down on the table and opened it out to reveal that it was actually a painted board containing counters.
"It is a game called Tilia," he smiled in answer to Jason's questioning look. "I thought perhaps we could play... that is if you would like to learn. I rarely get the chance – Hercules prefers knucklebones or dice games."
"It looks a bit like backgammon," Jason murmured to himself.
"What is backgammon?" Pythagoras asked curiously.
"Just a game from where I grew up," the brunette answered, slightly guardedly. "It doesn't matter. Are you going to teach me how to play then?"
A short time later, Medusa looked up from her cooking to see the two boys deeply engrossed in their game. She smiled softly. A sudden knock at the door made them all jump slightly.
"That must be Meriones," Hercules proclaimed, rubbing his hands together as he made his way to the door and pulled it open.
"Hercules," Meriones boomed in his jolly manner. "I brought wine!"
Hercules grinned widely as he took the flagon from his friend and ushered the enormous man into the room.
"Pythagoras," Meriones greeted the mathematician, "it has been a very long time. And you must be Jason," he added turning to the young man.
"Hello," Jason responded slightly awkwardly.
"I know you," Meriones' eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You are the young man who beat the Lord Heptarian in the Pankration." A whole world of contempt laced his voice when he said Heptarian's name.
"I didn't actually win," Jason said quietly.
"You did not lose either. And anyone who manages to beat that arrogant fool cannot be bad."
"You are not fond of Heptarian then?" Pythagoras asked.
Meriones made an indelicate sound.
"He should have been drowned at birth," he said. "Any man who kills purely for pleasure is not worth my time. He struts around the streets abusing anyone who he imagines has insulted him – or just because he can. That is not a man."
"You'll get on well with Jason then," Hercules said. "He punched Heptarian the first time they met. Before he even knew who he was."
Meriones roared with laughter, his black beard waggling.
"I think you and I will be friends," he stated looking towards the brunette boy. "Come you must tell me the story." He sat himself down on a bench opposite Jason and helped himself to a cup of wine. As he did, Medusa came over to the table with a pan of food. Meriones looked at her appreciatively as Pythagoras hurried to fetch dishes and spoons.
"Who is this vision of beauty?" Meriones asked.
"This is Medusa, my beloved," Hercules answered putting an arm around the girl's waist possessively.
Meriones took Medusa's hand and kissed it charmingly.
"My dear," he said suavely, "if you ever tire of this old rogue..."
Hercules frowned.
"So," Pythagoras interjected quickly, seeing his burly friend start to glower, "you are willing to help us against Dakos."
"Eat first. Talk business later," Meriones answered, helping himself to a large portion of supper.
After they had all eaten their fill of Medusa's excellent food while Hercules and Meriones regaled them with tall tales of their misspent youths, Jason looked searchingly at Hercules' friend.
"Why are you willing to help us?" he asked pointedly.
Meriones sighed.
"You do not know me lad," he answered softly. "I am a legitimate businessman. I am also a liar, a drunkard, a cheat and a thief. But I have never betrayed anyone – never double-crossed anyone – and I despise people that do. The merchant is scum. Dangerous scum. And the sooner the city is rid of him the better for all of us. Besides, Hercules is an old friend. We go back too many years to count. And whatever else I am – whatever else I do – I value my friends. I will always try to help them when I can. He came and asked for my help," he nodded towards Hercules. "It will be my pleasure to be able to give it."
"What do you think of our plan?" Pythagoras asked.
"I think your plan is a good one," the enormous man said. "Although I think I may be able to make it a little better. The owner of the tavern where the merchant is staying is a business associate of mine. He owes me a few favours. I should be able to enlist his help with no trouble. I will also bring along a few of my boys for assistance."
"The only problem I can see is how we get to the Sacred Way," Hercules commented.
"You really mean how I get to the Sacred Way, don't you?" Jason sighed, rolling his eyes.
Hercules look unabashed.
"Well you're not going to be able to walk that far at the moment," he pointed out.
Much to his annoyance Jason couldn't really disagree with the big man given how tired just walking the couple of streets to the agora had made him yesterday. He sighed again in frustration.
"I think I may be able to help there too," Meriones said. "The nature of my business arrangement with the owner of the tavern involves the supply of fine wine to the establishment. I have carts travelling there at various times of day during the week. I will arrange for a delivery to take place tomorrow evening. All you need do is hitch a ride on the cart."
Pythagoras sighed with relief as the final problem he had been grappling with fell into place and smiled brightly as he realised that his plan actually looked like it was going to work. Meriones beamed at his palpable relief and produced a set of knucklebones from a pouch at his waist. He turned to Hercules.
"Care for a little wager?" he asked.
It was later, much later, when Hercules and Meriones stumbled out onto the balcony together, both a little worse for drink. The two boys and Medusa were still playing with Meriones' set of knucklebones at the table, talking and laughing loudly. It had not really come as a surprise that Jason had been good at a game which involved speed and dexterity, but what had surprised everyone was how equally skilled Pythagoras had proved to be given his apparent clumsiness normally. Hercules looked back at them fondly.
"Why are you really helping us?" he asked Meriones, for once managing to keep his voice quiet so that the occupants of the main room would not hear him.
Meriones looked at him acutely.
"I told the truth earlier," he said. "I do not like bullies or betrayers. The merchant is both. Believe me Hercules I do not wish such a man to be walking the streets of Atlantis much less doing business here. Plus you are my friend." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked back towards the kitchen area. "I like both those boys very much I think," he added.
Hercules smiled softly.
"They are both very easy to like," he said seriously.
"Your Jason is not as well as he is trying to pretend," Meriones commented.
"No."
"He will be the weak link in our chain," the enormous man noted. "Will he be able to hold up?"
Hercules laughed mirthlessly.
"You don't know Jason," he said. "He is the most stubborn, headstrong boy I have ever met. He'd sooner die than give in. He'll hold up if it kills him."
Meriones half smiled.
"Then, my friend," he said, "tomorrow we will make the merchant pay."