Free Hired Gun #4 by Julia Crane, A.J. Bennett Page A

from his lap, set it on the seat next to him, and stood up. “The Fates have quite the sense of humor don’t they?” 
    “After I finish with Thanatos, I’ll have a visit with those three little bitches.” 
    Benny laughed. “I wouldn’t advise that, my friend.” 
    “Your consul is duly noted.” Thorne’s voice was laced with sarcasm. “So how are we going to kill this asshole?” 
    “We’re not,” Benny stated flatly. 
    “Come again?” Thorne could hear the blood pounding in his ears. This was not what he’d wanted to hear. 
    Benny shook his head. “It’s impossible. Even for the two of us. The best we can hope for is to capture him and lock him away where he cannot escape.” 
    “There’s gotta be a way,” Thorne said impatiently. 
    “If there is, I don’t know it. What set him off anyway?”
    Thorne explained the details of how the moron Apollo killed off his family. 
    “Fucking Apollo, that asshole never knows when to stop.” Benny paused. “As you can see, even Apollo couldn’t kill him.” 
    Thorne wasn’t buying it. “Everyone can be killed. Even immortal gods. We’ve seen it happen again and again throughout history.”
    “Through your rage you’re missing the bigger picture, Thorne.”
    For the first time in his life he wanted to throttle Benny. “Well then, why don’t you enlighten me old wise one.” 
    A wry smile crossed Benny’s face. “Thanatos is already dead. He doesn’t just personify death. He is death.” 
    “So he’s what, a shade? I’ve seen him Benny. He’s as real as you and I.”
    Benny’s shoulder lifted. “I’m telling you he can’t be killed.” 
    Thorne’s mind was racing. How the hell do you kill the un-killable? 
    “Nike said if anyone had a chance it was me. What the hell did she mean by that? And she suggested your help. So if she said that, then there has to be a way. We just don’t know what it is yet.” 
    Looking pensive, Benny tapped his hand on the side of his leg. “Maybe so. Let me go back to The Realm and see what I can find out.” 
    That wasn’t a bad idea. “I might as well pay my father a visit, too.” Thorne blinked out and found himself once again back in his father’s study, only this time it was empty. Where the hell was his father?
    Fuck it . Thorne blew the doors open and sauntered through the halls of his old home. The ceilings were as massive as he recalled. Maids were scurrying about. One of the women caught his eye and she shook her head with a sigh. Malda, she thought he had come back to die. Or wreak havoc. She wasn’t too far from the truth. 
    Ordinarily he would take time to talk to one of the only servants who’d ever shown him kindness, but at the moment he had more pressing matters.
    “Father!” Thorne bellowed, knowing full well the rest of the gods and goddesses would hear him. He didn’t give two flying fucks. What’s the worst they could do? Kick him out? Thorne laughed to himself. Kill him? Not today.
    His father appeared before him, his face pale and his eyes sad. Perhaps when the day came his father would actually mourn his death. Or maybe he was just disappointed that his son had let him down once again. 
    “Now, now, Father. Don’t look so blue. I came to get some advice, talk strategies.”
    “What you’ve done is just sealed your own death, my son.” 
    Thorne smirked. “I don’t think so.” 
    “As you know, I must now take you to the Hall of Justice. There is no running from this. I can’t let you leave, Thorne.” 
    “Very well. That will save me time. Let’s get on with it.” 
    His father, Theseus, looked at him like he’d lost his damn mind. Maybe he had. 
    Lowering his voice, his father asked, “What has made you want to end your life?” as they continued to walk down the endless hallway. “I was hoping Earth would change you. Give you a purpose.” 
    “Oh, it has. And I don’t plan on dying anytime in the near future.” 
    “It’s unavoidable.”