Free New Olympus Saga (Book 3): Apocalypse Dance by C.J. Carella
Authors: C.J. Carella
other lesser men and women were given far more power than they could safely handle. The results plague us to this day, and the situation is growing worse.
“I was already growing concerned when Daedalus Smith contacted me. His access to the world’s demographic data was better than mine. He confirmed my fears: the number of Neolympians is growing at an increasing pace, even more so in terms of sheer power. More so-called Type Threes like you and I are being created with every passing year. The destruction these new, often insane superhumans can cause is incalculable. Mr. Smith predicted that in less than a decade from now, human civilization will collapse under the stress. Perhaps sooner. An insane Neolympian wielding enough power to defeat all comers and commit genocide on a planetary scale could rise up at any second.”
Christine said.
“… be happy to show you the charts and graphs if you would like,” the Iron Tsar was saying. I shut up so I could listen in.
“No, I believe you. So what’s your plan?”
“We need to gain access to the Source and stop this insane random process wherein anybody can one day wake up with the power of a god. Daedalus Smith is ready to arrange a war between Neolympians, and eventually between Neolympians and all of humanity, in an effort to curb the number of super-beings in the planet, by the simple expedient of killing them in job lots; that plan is no more than a stopgap at best, however. If need be, I was prepared to use the Outsider’s energies to contain the Source before it destroyed us all. Your father had a better plan, one that has a much greater chance of success.”
“Me. I’m the plan, right? I can link to the Source and stop it from giving superpowers to random peeps.”
“Yes. However, you have the capability, but neither the maturity nor the experience to avoid being corrupted by the process. Therefore, you must grant that access to someone other than yourself.”
“Let me guess. You nominate yourself for job. And I guess Daedalus nominates himself. Were you guys going to share the grand prize?”
“That was our arrangement, although I don’t think Smith has the inner strength needed for the job. The man is too treacherous, and he is too fond of making deals with the Outsiders. He has even tried to make use of Mr. Night, knowing full well the loathsome creature’s designs for our species. Still, better the two of us take over the Source than to have its power spread around until we are at the mercy of the least stable among us. Daedalus is due to arrive in a day. He has a number of devices designed to break your will, to turn you into a mindless husk that will do anything we ask. I’d rather you willingly surrender your burden to me. It will spare you from a great deal of suffering and a fate worse than death.”
I replied.
“I was already growing concerned when Daedalus Smith contacted me. His access to the world’s demographic data was better than mine. He confirmed my fears: the number of Neolympians is growing at an increasing pace, even more so in terms of sheer power. More so-called Type Threes like you and I are being created with every passing year. The destruction these new, often insane superhumans can cause is incalculable. Mr. Smith predicted that in less than a decade from now, human civilization will collapse under the stress. Perhaps sooner. An insane Neolympian wielding enough power to defeat all comers and commit genocide on a planetary scale could rise up at any second.”
“… be happy to show you the charts and graphs if you would like,” the Iron Tsar was saying. I shut up so I could listen in.
“No, I believe you. So what’s your plan?”
“We need to gain access to the Source and stop this insane random process wherein anybody can one day wake up with the power of a god. Daedalus Smith is ready to arrange a war between Neolympians, and eventually between Neolympians and all of humanity, in an effort to curb the number of super-beings in the planet, by the simple expedient of killing them in job lots; that plan is no more than a stopgap at best, however. If need be, I was prepared to use the Outsider’s energies to contain the Source before it destroyed us all. Your father had a better plan, one that has a much greater chance of success.”
“Me. I’m the plan, right? I can link to the Source and stop it from giving superpowers to random peeps.”
“Yes. However, you have the capability, but neither the maturity nor the experience to avoid being corrupted by the process. Therefore, you must grant that access to someone other than yourself.”
“Let me guess. You nominate yourself for job. And I guess Daedalus nominates himself. Were you guys going to share the grand prize?”
“That was our arrangement, although I don’t think Smith has the inner strength needed for the job. The man is too treacherous, and he is too fond of making deals with the Outsiders. He has even tried to make use of Mr. Night, knowing full well the loathsome creature’s designs for our species. Still, better the two of us take over the Source than to have its power spread around until we are at the mercy of the least stable among us. Daedalus is due to arrive in a day. He has a number of devices designed to break your will, to turn you into a mindless husk that will do anything we ask. I’d rather you willingly surrender your burden to me. It will spare you from a great deal of suffering and a fate worse than death.”
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