Pegasus and the New Olympians: Pegasus: Book Three

  ‘What happened to the real Tornado Warning?’ Emily asked.

  ‘There couldn’t be two in case we were found out. So I had him destroyed.’

  Emily’s hand went up to her mouth. ‘You killed him?’

  Rip shrugged. ‘Hey, this is horse racing. I did what I had to do.’

  Agent T sat back on his haunches. ‘That was a grave mistake. What did your cousin tell you about the foal?’

  Rip shook his head. ‘Nothing. I was just told to race him and to keep him coloured grey. That I did. And he is one amazing racehorse. Tornado Warning is the fastest horse in the world.’

  ‘He’s the fastest because he isn’t really a horse. He’s a clone of Pegasus!’ Emily shot. ‘Didn’t you ever wonder about the bandages? Didn’t you care that they cut off his wings!’

  Rip held up his hand. ‘Hey, I didn’t know nothing about that. I just thought he’d had shoulder surgery.’

  ‘Yes!’ Emily cried. ‘To cut off his wings!’

  Her raised voice caused Tornado Warning to whinny and pound the ground furiously. His eyes went wild.

  ‘Keep that monster back!’ Rip cried.

  Emily left Pegasus and stepped up to Tornado. ‘Easy boy. I’m sorry I raised my voice.’ At her touch, Tornado Warning calmed. He even let Pegasus move closer.

  She looked back at Pegasus. ‘See, Pegs, you don’t have to fight him. He’s fine.’

  Emily stood between the two stallions with one hand resting on each of their wings. Beneath her fingers, Tornado was calm. But she could feel Pegasus trembling. He wasn’t happy with the attention she was giving the clone.

  ‘Where did your cousin get the foal?’ Joel asked.

  ‘I swear I don’t know,’ Rip said. ‘He’s an agent with the Central Research Unit. I had no idea he was working with horses.’

  ‘The CRU.’ Agent T nodded and looked back at Emily and the others. ‘That explains everything. If his cousin was working on the clone project, he’d know just how powerful Pegasus was and how powerful the clone could be. If he has a high rank, it wouldn’t be impossible to smuggle a very young foal out of a facility. A clone like that could make a fortune.’

  ‘He has,’ Rip said. ‘We’ve made millions from Tornado. Especially after the Triple Crown win. When he goes out to stud, there is no telling what we could make.’

  Pegasus’s ears went back and he whinnied angrily. He pawed the ground furiously, causing Tornado to shy back and open his wings menacingly.

  ‘Easy, Tornado,’ Emily calmed. ‘Pegs, please. We get you’re angry. But you can’t upset Tornado. There’s no telling what he’ll do.’

  ‘Can he understand us?’ Rip asked as his wide eyes watched Pegasus.

  ‘Yes,’ Joel said. ‘And he’s furious that you were putting his clone out to stud.’

  ‘I didn’t know he was a clone!’ Rip insisted. ‘I just thought he was a horse!’

  Agent T reached out and squeezed the man’s wounded legs. ‘Where can we find your cousin?’

  ‘I – I – I don’t know how to reach him. He works at Area 51!’

  ‘Oh God, this gets worse by the moment.’ Agent T started to pace and combed his fingers through his long hair.

  ‘Isn’t Area 51 where they develop all the new military aircraft?’ Joel asked.

  Agent T nodded. ‘Yes, it’s an air force base. But it also holds the country’s largest CRU facility. That’s where we have been keeping all the debris from the Roswell alien crash. That facility has the highest security of all the US locations because it’s got the most developed laboratories. Governors Island was an open theme park and the facility at Tuxedo was a children’s playground compared to it.’

  ‘Where is it?’ Emily asked.

  ‘The Nevada desert,’ Agent T said. ‘At a dried-up lakebed, Groom Lake. It’s a good hundred miles from Vegas. I’ve only been there once and that was more than enough. I couldn’t wait to leave it. For as bad as we were at Governors, they are much worse there.’

  ‘So could they be the ones creating the clones?’ Emily asked.

  Agent T nodded. ‘Most likely. I should have thought of that first. The laboratories at Area 51 would be the best equipped to create and manage the clones.’

  ‘They aren’t managing them that well if the clones keep escaping,’ Joel said.

  ‘I’ve got to get in there and see just how many clones they’ve created,’ Agent T mused. ‘Maybe I can stop this before it goes too far.’

  ‘You mean we’ve got to get in there,’ Emily corrected.

  Agent T shook his head. ‘Not the Olympians here and especially not you. You have powers far too dangerous for them to get hold of. This all started when the CRU captured Olympians. What might they achieve if they caught hold of you?’

  Alexis shook her head. ‘No one is going there, especially the Flame of Olympus. We did not come here to enter a CRU facility. Our mission was to see Tornado Warning and then return. We have done that. Here is Tornado Warning. We now know he has been created from Pegasus by the CRU. Our mission is complete. We must now return to Olympus and report our findings to Jupiter.’

  ‘No!’ Emily cried. ‘If we do that, Jupiter will destroy the Earth.’

  ‘This world’s fate is already sealed,’ Alexis said darkly. ‘The CRU decided it the moment they created Tornado Warning.’

  ‘There must be another way!’ Agent T insisted. ‘It can’t end like this. Please, Alexis, let me try to get in there and save my world.’

  Emily was stunned to see Agent T begging the Sphinx. He was always so tough and hard, even around her. Now there was genuine fear and desperation in his eyes. ‘I was with the CRU for almost twenty years. Look how I have changed. We all can. Please, you must let me try.’

  ‘I am truly sorry for you, Tom,’ Alexis said. ‘But nothing can save this world. The CRU have committed an unforgivable crime. It is my duty to return to Olympus and tell Jupiter the truth.’

  11

  A hush fell over the stables. Emily looked at the shocked faces around her. She continued to stroke both winged stallions as she collected her thoughts.

  Tornado remained oblivious to the danger he was facing, but Pegasus knew. He nickered softly and pressed his face to Emily. Chrysaor’s head was bowed and he was pawing the ground.

  Finally she spoke. ‘I won’t go back.’

  Everyone turned to her.

  This was it, the moment of choice. For days, Emily had wrestled with the dilemma. What would she do if it came down to a choice between Olympus and Earth? Faced with the terrible decision, Emily made her choice. She would choose her world over Olympus.

  ‘You can’t change my mind,’ she continued. ‘If Jupiter decides to destroy this world, he’s going to have to destroy me with it.’

  Pegasus nickered and looked at her in shock.

  ‘I’m sorry, Pegs. You know how much I love Olympus, and you know I would do anything to protect it. But I love this world too. I came from here. I can’t let Jupiter destroy it just because a few people have done something really stupid.’

  Joel and Paelen stood beside Emily. Chrysaor took up a position next to Pegasus. They crossed their arms and stood defiantly before the Sphinx.

  Alexis glared at the group. ‘You are all being unreasonable. We told Diana, Pluto and Steve that we would be right back. We have been here too long already and our presence in Olympus will be missed. We must return and report our findings.’

  ‘Go back if you must, Alexis,’ Emily said. ‘But I won’t let Jupiter destroy this world without a fight.’

  Alexis huffed and her tail swished the air. ‘Would you please speak with her?’ she told Pegasus. ‘Tell her this must happen. These humans must be punished for what they have done.’

  Emily looked at Pegasus. The time had come for him to make his choice as well. Would he stay with her? Or would he side with Olympus? She knew how tough this must be for him. But as she watched his eyes closely, she saw no hesitation. Pegasus moved closer to Emily and st
ood beside her. He nickered at Alexis.

  ‘You also, Pegasus?’ the Sphinx said in disbelief. ‘You would betray your own people for this world? They have sinned against you most! Tornado Warning was created from your stolen blood. Do you not want vengeance for that crime?’

  Emily’s heart flushed with emotion for the stallion. Pegasus was going to stand with her, no matter what. She pressed herself to his side and faced the Sphinx.

  ‘Please, Alexis, help us,’ she continued. ‘This doesn’t have to turn into a battle. I have the power to destroy Area 51 if I must.’ Emily looked at her friends. ‘We all do. But maybe it won’t come to that. Maybe we can stop everything and save this world.’

  Alexis looked at the group standing with Emily, ready to fight for the world. Her eyes found Pegasus. ‘Is it really true, Pegasus and Chrysaor, sons of Neptune? You will turn your back on your people for this place?’

  Several long nickers and squeals confirmed their decision. ‘They both agree they are not turning their back on Olympus,’ Paelen whispered to Emily and Joel. ‘Pegasus believes we can stop this before it goes too far.’

  ‘Is that your final decision?’ Alexis asked.

  Pegasus nodded his head and pounded the ground.

  The Sphinx started to pace before the group. Her wings were fluttering and her tail swished back and forth. ‘This is bad,’ she said softly to herself. She kept looking at Emily. ‘Very, very bad indeed.’

  She sighed heavily and sat down.

  ‘So be it.’

  Emily’s heart was in her throat. ‘Are you going back to Olympus to tell Jupiter?’

  The Sphinx sighed again. ‘I should. But I promised Diana I would be your guardian. I would fail in that duty if I were to abandon you here to face Jupiter’s wrath alone. Like it or not, I must remain to keep you safe.’

  ‘Thank you!’ Emily cried as she ran forward and hugged the Sphinx tightly.

  ‘Do not thank me, Emily,’ Alexis said gruffly. ‘I have sided with you against my better judgement. I have a feeling I will live to regret it.’

  The sun was up fully before they were ready to leave. As more and more workers arrived on the ranch, they were marched into the stallion barn. All the workers including Rip Russell were now locked into two large horse stalls. Alexis kept watch and warned the workers what would happen if they made a move against them.

  Outside the stallion barn, Earl and Agent T hooked up a large four-horse trailer to a brand-new white pick-up truck. Agent T was still insisting that the safest thing for everyone would be for Emily to use her powers to destroy the racehorse.

  Emily refused. They would take Tornado Warning with them to keep him from being turned out to stud. After feeding him a breakfast of sugary foods and heavy tranquillizers, the winged racehorse was bridled and Emily led him into the first box in the trailer.

  ‘Now, what are we going to do with all the men? They’re going to tell the police as soon as we leave,’ Joel said as he closed and secured the back door to the horse trailer.

  ‘Maybe I can convince them not to,’ Emily suggested. ‘Especially if we explain what’s at stake.’ She walked towards the barn.

  ‘It would be more effective to kill them,’ Alexis purred. ‘But we can try your way first if you insist.’ She followed Emily back into the stallion barn to see to the workers who had been locked in the stalls.

  With Pegasus and Alexis standing outside the stall, Emily entered the one holding Rip Russell and several of his men. She tried to reason with him, explaining that if the police were called and they were captured, the leader of Olympus would destroy the world. But she could see in his face that after all he had seen and heard, he didn’t care. All Rip could see was them taking away his only means of making money. That and his brand-new truck and trailer.

  Shaking her head in defeat, Emily turned to leave the stall. But as she did, Alexis cried a warning.

  ‘You’re not taking my horse!’ Rip shouted.

  Emily turned back in time to see him order his men, ‘Grab her!’

  Rip lunged forward and knocked Emily to the ground as his men surrounded her just as Alexis flashed into the stall. Those that followed Rip’s orders were soon to learn just how strong, fast and lethal the Sphinx of Olympus truly was.

  Rip Russell was the first to feel her wrath as Alexis tore him off Emily. Unhinging her jaw, her eyes went black as she drew her teeth. She barked at Emily. ‘Close your eyes!’

  Doing as instructed, Emily put her hands over her face. She heard screams filling the air around her, mixed with the sound of Alexis roaring as the Sphinx defended her against the attacking men.

  Emily curled into a tight ball and tried to block out the terrible sounds. Moments later, she sensed movement. Reaching out her hand, Emily felt Pegasus’s front legs before her. His back legs were behind her while his wings were hanging down the sides. She realized he was standing over her and protecting her with his whole body.

  Moments later, Emily heard Earl and Agent T running into the stall.

  ‘Emily, are you all right?’ Earl said.

  She nodded. Emily started to remove her hands, but Earl stopped her. ‘Keep your eyes shut; you don’t want to see this.’ He helped her climb out from under the stallion.

  ‘Pegasus, take her out of her,’ Agent T ordered. ‘And keep the others out as well. We’ll take care of this.’

  Earl guided Emily out of the stall and hoisted her up on to Pegasus’s back. ‘Go on ahead. We’ll be out in a moment.’

  As the stallion carried her out of the stable, she could hear the horses screaming and kicking their stall doors. When they reached the outside, Pegasus nickered softly.

  ‘I’m OK, Pegs,’ Emily said shakily as she slid off his back.

  ‘Em, what happened in there?’ Joel said. He ran up to her and looked at the blood on her clothes. ‘Are you hurt?’

  Emily shook her head and looked at herself in shock. ‘It’s not my blood. It’s theirs. After everything they heard and saw, Rip Russell still didn’t want us to take Tornado Warning away. He and his men attacked me.’

  ‘What did you do?’ Paelen asked.

  ‘Nothing,’ Emily said. ‘I didn’t have time. Alexis did it all. She told me to close my eyes and she dealt with it. It all happened so fast.’

  Paelen shivered. ‘That is the Sphinx. When she is on your side, you cannot have a better ally. Oppose her and it is at your peril.’

  Earl emerged from the stallion stable. He leaned heavily against the side, struggling to stand up.

  ‘Earl,’ Emily cried as she and the others approached him. ‘Are you all right?’

  He shook his head. ‘I ain’t never seen nothin’ like it. The darn fools. Didn’t they realize what would happen if they tried anythin’? We warned ’em. We warned ’em all.’

  ‘Did Alexis get everyone?’ Paelen asked.

  He shook his head. ‘Don’t think so. I saw a couple huddled in the corner of the stall. It looked like they hadn’t moved.’

  Pegasus nickered and Paelen said, ‘Alexis would only go after those men attacking you. If some stayed back, she would leave them unharmed.’

  Earl nodded. ‘She left the others in the second stall alone too. It’s just the ones going after Emily that she got.’ Earl’s face turned a darker shade of green. ‘I’ll be fine in a minute,’ he said. ‘You kids get ready to go and I’ll meet you at the truck.’

  ‘C’mon,’ Joel said softly as he led Emily towards the vehicles. ‘Get yourself changed and then we can leave here.’

  12

  Hours later, Emily was standing in the trailer beside Pegasus as it was towed across the desert towards Nevada. Chrysaor and Alexis were in an open stall behind them. Tornado Warning was locked in the rear stall, now calm and still from the tranquillizers. Joel and Paelen were up front in the four-seater pick-up truck with Earl and Agent T.

  Emily hadn’t said a word all journey. Alexis had emerged from the stallion barn soaking wet after being hosed down by A
gent T. No one but Pegasus, Earl and the ex-CRU agent had seen what the Sphinx had done and not one word was spoken about it.

  As Alexis dozed peacefully in the clean, dry straw of the trailer, there was no sign of the monster she had become.

  Beside her, Pegasus nickered. Emily gazed into his warm brown eyes and saw the vision of the two of them soaring together in the open skies over Olympus. There was no violence, no blood. Just the sense of peace and joy they shared whenever they were alone together.

  ‘I hope we can do that again some day, Pegs,’ Emily said softly as she stroked his soft muzzle. She turned and looked out the barred trailer window. The air that blew across her face was dry and blisteringly hot. Though Olympus was warm, it never became uncomfortable. The oppressive heat only made Emily feel worse.

  She sat down in the straw and leaned against the wall. She was achingly tired. Pegasus bent down and licked her face. He neighed softly.

  ‘He suggests you get some rest,’ Alexis translated without opening her eyes. ‘We have a difficult time ahead of us and you will need it.’

  Emily wanted to comment on the difficult time they’d just been through, but thought better of it. The Sphinx was on their side, but barely. It wouldn’t take much to drive her back to Olympus and Jupiter.

  She lay down in the soft straw at Pegasus’s feet. She worried about the time ahead and she worried about what the men from the stables would tell the police. Alexis had warned them if they told the truth she would return. But would that be enough to stop them?

  Despite her worries, the gentle rocking of the trailer and the sweet smell from the fresh straw lulled Emily into a deeply troubled sleep.

  ‘Look at that! I must see this place for myself !’

  Emily awoke to see a golden lion’s underbelly standing over her. The Sphinx’s front paws were up on the barred window frame as she and Pegasus peered out.

  ‘What is this place?’ Alexis asked breathlessly.