Free Omega by Lizzy Ford

or spilled beer on me without
apologizing.
    I went with Niko into the house – and almost
gagged at the cigarette smoke fogging up the air. I sneezed then
coughed.
    “ Knock it off,” Niko said
and grabbed a fistful of my shirt, hauling me through a living room
and down a narrow hallway. He released me outside a door and turned
to face me. “Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t make eye contact. Don’t
leave this spot. Got it?”
    I grimaced, not at all happy at breathing
air that felt like it was choking me.
    “ Hey. You got it?” He
pushed one shoulder against the wall.
    He wore an expression that warned me we
weren’t in a place he considered friendly. His muscular frame was
tense once more, and an icky feeling slid through me. I knew
nothing of this man, and Herakles would say that no one with a
shred of honor would go merc.
    What if he was here to sell me out?
    “ Yeah. I got it,” I said
and tugged free. “Just be quick.”
    Niko knocked on the door beside us and
opened it without waiting for someone to answer. He walked in and
grinned widely at whoever was inside.
    The door closed behind him. I lingered for
all of ten seconds before deciding I really didn’t want to be
around criminals and had no reason to trust a man who said he was
going to sell me if the priests didn’t pay him.
    Which he claimed they hadn’t.
    The barrage on my senses here made my skin
crawl. I returned the way we had come and stepped out onto the back
porch, waving away the last of the smoke. The stench here was muted
compared to the inside of the trailer. I gazed around briefly
before deciding I’d rather take my chances alone than stay
here.
    I wove back through the armed drunks and
druggies towards the car and paused at the end of the sidewalk
before the driveway.
    A figure in a hood and cloak stood leaning
against the driver’s side of the car. He didn’t seem to be armed,
and he made no move towards me. Unable to make out facial features
or anything about the person, I hesitated to confront someone in
this place where everyone was armed. But I did move a little closer
and peered at him.
    “ That’s, um, our car,” I
said awkwardly.
    No response. No movement. I felt him
watching me.
    “ Hey! What’d I tell you!”
Niko belted from the direction of the house.
    “ Great.” I rolled my eyes
and turned. “I couldn’t breathe in there!”
    “ Get your ass back
here.”
    “ Are you gonna let this
guy steal your car?” I pointed over my shoulder and then
turned.
    The hooded figure was gone.
    “ The smoke is getting to
you. Hurry up so we can leave.” The screen door slammed closed
behind Niko.
    I walked around the car and searched the
night visually for the figure before finally doing what Herakles
told me no one ever does. I looked up.
    The hooded figure had scaled the tree behind
the gravel parking area and was clinging to it.
    “ Just, uh, don’t steal our
car,” I said and then turned away to obey Niko before he yelled at
me again. “I mean, the car. It’s already been stolen once tonight.”
    This time I covered my nose and mouth with
my t-shirt when I entered the disgusting lair of Niko’s criminal
friends. He waited for me in the hallway.
    “ Knock it off, Lisa,” he
grumbled and yanked my shirt off my nose.
    “ This place is
disgusting,” I complained.
    Niko got into my space until I took a step
back. “You may not like these people, but they’re going to help us.
So stop acting like a child and pretend to be grateful they aren’t
asking questions,” he snapped quietly enough for only me to
hear.
    I felt bad after that. He was right. I
didn’t want to be here, but if they could help me get into DC where
I could find Herakles … “Sorry,” I murmured.
    “ Good. Now go.” He pushed
me towards the door cracked halfway open.
    I entered with some trepidation, not certain
what I’d find. It resembled what I imagined a criminal’s hangout
looked like, only with more guns and beer. The guy working at