Free Aphrodite's Secret by Julie Kenner Page A

would use a different base, and Jason had to find it. To do that, he would need help.
    After a few dozen laps that seemed to take just as many years, he was strong enough to transform and ascended in a rush to the pool’s surface. He swarm with swift, sure strokes to the edge of the pool. Glancing quickly around for Zoë, he didn’t see her. He could use her help, but at the moment he didn’t have time to search for her.
    Frustrated, he climbed out, then raced toward the staff stairs. Along the way, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. His own clothes had sunk to the bottom of the pool, and there wasn’t time to retrieve them. He might be half-naked, but he needed to get this mission underway. He needed to find his son.
    Directive 827B prohibited him from being part of the formal Council mission that would surely come of this kidnapping, but he’d argue about that later. All that mattered now was getting Davy back, and if he had to tattoo an SOS on his butt to get the Council’s attention, to let them know what had transpired, then that’s what he intended to do. First, though, he’d try the more direct approach of contacting Dispatch on his holo-pager.
    He needed satellite surveillance. He needed intelligence. He needed whatever the heck anybody at headquarters could think of to ascertain where Hieronymous had taken his son. Once they figured that out,
then
Jason would figure out a way to worm himself into the mission.
    When he reached the top of the platform, Jason slowed down long enough to look for his Propulsion Cloak and the holo-pager tucked into its pocket. It wasn’t anywhere to be found. He remembered then that it was on the other side of the barrier, on the ground near the holding pool.
Well, hell.
    He backtracked, heading toward the stairs, when Zoë stepped out in front of him.
    “Thank Zeus,” he said, his arm outstretched. “Pass me your holo-pager.”
    In one swift motion, the other Protector snapped a pair of golden binder cuffs on his wrist, twisted him around, and hooked his other wrist behind his back. “Zoë, no. I—”
    “You lousy, stinking traitor,” she said, her voice low and ominous. She glared at him as Deena ran up behind her. “I don’t know why you came back, but I’m glad you did.” She sucked in a breath, anger burning in her eyes. “Where’s Davy?”
    Jason shook his head, his annoyance building. Yes, the shifter looked like him, but dammit, he hadn’t taken his own son!
    “He can’t be too far,” Deena said. “This one wasn’t gone long before you caught him.”
    “Is Davy in the park?” Zoë asked. “Where?”
    Jason blinked, struggling to push words out from behind his red-hot anger. “You don’t understa—”
    “Aw, we don’t understand,” she mocked.
    “Davy’s my so—”
    “I said don’t move!”
    Jason took five deep breaths, trying to calm down. He couldn’t blame Zoë for being angry and confused, but he also didn’t have time to argue. He needed to convince her, and he opened his mouth, not sure what magic words would bring her over to his side but willing to jump right in and start pleading. He didn’t get a word out, though, because the backup he’d requested arrived in the form of a lone Protector who swooped from the sky, his emerald-green Propulsion Cloak marking his status as newly trained and assigned to the field.
    “Officer Boreas reporting as requested.” The young protector turned awe-filled eyes upon Zoë— apparently, Jason saw, her bit of celebrity had some cachet among the younger Protectors on beat duty.
    Jason grimaced. Officer Boring here didn’t seem the type inclined to think for himself. Great. The last thing Jason needed was an overeager Protector fresh from the Olympus training facility looking to score points with the Council.
    Zoë ran her fingers through her hair, the only crack in her cool facade. “Take charge of the suspect,” she directed, nodding to the officer.
    Boring did, first