Read Online Pegasus and the Flame by Kate O'Hearn - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate O'Hearn
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had a fit. Things kind of went downhill from there.’
Emily’s ears were ringing. Everything her father said was shouting Olympus. Somehow, there was another Olympian in New York! She had to tell Joel as soon as she could.
‘What do you mean? What happened?’ Emily finally asked.
‘It seems one of the nurses called the CRU when she saw the results. Not long after that, several of their agents arrived at the hospital to collect him. But when I challenged them on it, they called my captain. I was immediately ordered back to the station and told to forget everything. As always, it’s all very Government hush, hush. I have no idea where they took him or what they plan to do with him. But from what we know of the CRU, I sure wouldn’t want to be in that kid’s shoes. Or winged sandals either, for that matter.’
7
Paelen was sitting up in bed in a secure hospital unit. Men in white coats were hooking up a lot of strange wires to him. Several were taped to his chest, while others were secured to his face and head. When he tried to rip them off, two men in white overalls rushed forward and caught hold of his hands to restrain him. But when Paelen proved too strong for them, more men arrived. They wrestled his hands down until he was finally handcuffed to the sides of the bed.
‘Where am I?’ Paelen demanded as he struggled against the steel cuffs clamped on his wrists. ‘What is this place? Why have you put me in chains?’
‘We ask the questions,’ said one of the men in overalls. ‘Not you. So just lie still for a moment while we finish hooking you up.’
‘I do not understand,’ Paelen said as he looked at the frightening array of machines being drawn up to the side of the bed. ‘What is hooking me up? What more are you doing to me?’
‘Just relax,’ said a doctor. ‘We’re not going to hurt you. This equipment will tell us a little bit more about you. It will record your heart rate and brain impulses. It will show me if you are very different from us.’
‘Of course I am different from you,’ Paelen said indignantly. ‘You are human and I, Olympian!’
The men in overalls raised their eyebrows at each other.
‘Olympian, huh?’ one of them said. ‘And I suppose you’re the great Zeus himself?’
‘If I were,’ Paelen asked, ‘would I receive better treatment?’
The man shrugged. ‘Maybe.’
‘Then I am he. Zeus,’ Paelen said quickly. ‘And as such, I demand you release me.’
‘Sorry Zeusie old boy, no can do,’ the man said once he was certain Paelen’s steel handcuffs were secure. ‘There are a lot of folks around here very interested in speaking to you. So just lie still and be patient. They’ll be with you soon.’
Seeing that his pleas were hopeless, Paelen lay back and became quiet. He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. All he had ever wanted was to get hold of Pegasus and be free. Free of Olympus and Jupiter with all his rules. Free of the Nirads and the war.
He never wanted to visit this world or meet any of its people. He’d heard countless stories about it when he was growing up. Of the strange people who lived here and how they worshipped the Olympians. But he’d never been curious about them or tempted to visit. They were just human. What could they possibly offer someone like him? But in following Pegasus here, he’d been struck by one of Jupiter’s lightning bolts and was now trapped.
It was bad enough waking in that strange place they called Belleview Hospital. But things had quickly gone from bad to worse when more men arrived to take him away. He had tried to fight them off, but his wounds were too great. Now here he was on this little island, enduring more horrors.
Paelen was helpless to stop them from stealing more of his precious blood. They’d cut off samples of his hair and shone their bright lights in his eyes until he could no longer see. He’d been studied like youngsters in Olympus study insects they find on the steps of
Emily’s ears were ringing. Everything her father said was shouting Olympus. Somehow, there was another Olympian in New York! She had to tell Joel as soon as she could.
‘What do you mean? What happened?’ Emily finally asked.
‘It seems one of the nurses called the CRU when she saw the results. Not long after that, several of their agents arrived at the hospital to collect him. But when I challenged them on it, they called my captain. I was immediately ordered back to the station and told to forget everything. As always, it’s all very Government hush, hush. I have no idea where they took him or what they plan to do with him. But from what we know of the CRU, I sure wouldn’t want to be in that kid’s shoes. Or winged sandals either, for that matter.’
7
Paelen was sitting up in bed in a secure hospital unit. Men in white coats were hooking up a lot of strange wires to him. Several were taped to his chest, while others were secured to his face and head. When he tried to rip them off, two men in white overalls rushed forward and caught hold of his hands to restrain him. But when Paelen proved too strong for them, more men arrived. They wrestled his hands down until he was finally handcuffed to the sides of the bed.
‘Where am I?’ Paelen demanded as he struggled against the steel cuffs clamped on his wrists. ‘What is this place? Why have you put me in chains?’
‘We ask the questions,’ said one of the men in overalls. ‘Not you. So just lie still for a moment while we finish hooking you up.’
‘I do not understand,’ Paelen said as he looked at the frightening array of machines being drawn up to the side of the bed. ‘What is hooking me up? What more are you doing to me?’
‘Just relax,’ said a doctor. ‘We’re not going to hurt you. This equipment will tell us a little bit more about you. It will record your heart rate and brain impulses. It will show me if you are very different from us.’
‘Of course I am different from you,’ Paelen said indignantly. ‘You are human and I, Olympian!’
The men in overalls raised their eyebrows at each other.
‘Olympian, huh?’ one of them said. ‘And I suppose you’re the great Zeus himself?’
‘If I were,’ Paelen asked, ‘would I receive better treatment?’
The man shrugged. ‘Maybe.’
‘Then I am he. Zeus,’ Paelen said quickly. ‘And as such, I demand you release me.’
‘Sorry Zeusie old boy, no can do,’ the man said once he was certain Paelen’s steel handcuffs were secure. ‘There are a lot of folks around here very interested in speaking to you. So just lie still and be patient. They’ll be with you soon.’
Seeing that his pleas were hopeless, Paelen lay back and became quiet. He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. All he had ever wanted was to get hold of Pegasus and be free. Free of Olympus and Jupiter with all his rules. Free of the Nirads and the war.
He never wanted to visit this world or meet any of its people. He’d heard countless stories about it when he was growing up. Of the strange people who lived here and how they worshipped the Olympians. But he’d never been curious about them or tempted to visit. They were just human. What could they possibly offer someone like him? But in following Pegasus here, he’d been struck by one of Jupiter’s lightning bolts and was now trapped.
It was bad enough waking in that strange place they called Belleview Hospital. But things had quickly gone from bad to worse when more men arrived to take him away. He had tried to fight them off, but his wounds were too great. Now here he was on this little island, enduring more horrors.
Paelen was helpless to stop them from stealing more of his precious blood. They’d cut off samples of his hair and shone their bright lights in his eyes until he could no longer see. He’d been studied like youngsters in Olympus study insects they find on the steps of
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