Chapter 50

50

“This is so freaking exciting,” Athena said. They were parked in the street around the corner from Ajax’s safehouse.

Persephone had a hell of a time sneaking off the Estate, but the guards were far more interested about people trying to break in than one small slip of a woman sneaking out through the back kitchen exit. There had been fewer guards on duty, too. Most of them were with Hades to deal with the mysterious shipment.

Persephone had waited for Benito, the guard on outer perimeter duty to turn the corner and then she’d fled toward the woods and past the fence into the public park beyond. She hadn’t stopped running until she reached the meet up point with Athena.

“The cops are ready, too?” Athena asked. “Is there like some signal?” It had taken hours to set everything up, for Pete to get the SWAT team in place, and the sun was low in the sky now.

Persephone’s racing heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest but she managed to keep her voice somewhat calm as she answered.

“I’ll give a verbal signal, and yes, they’re here, they’re just hidden.” She didn’t know where they were either. Pete said his team would be waiting nearby, and for once she trusted him—only because it was in his self-interest to work with her. Him looking out for number one, that she could rely on.

“And the wire, you’re sure it’s hidden?”

Persephone swallowed and nodded.

That had been Pete’s stipulation. He still wasn’t impressed with her ‘so-called detective work’—his words—so the only way he’d agree to help was if she wore a wire and either caught something damning on tape or saw something inside the safehouse she was sure would let them throw the book at the notorious mobster and rumored human trafficker, Ajax Wagner.

Luckily the technology had gotten far better than what was usually shown on TV. When Persephone and Athena met with Pete half an hour ago, he’d easily attached a button camera to the button of her jeans and slid a barrette into her hair that doubled as a microphone. No clumsy wires necessary.

And now here they were.

A big part of Persephone wanted to turn tail and run away but she wouldn’t give into it. Everything was in place. She had back up. And she was far too valuable an asset for Ajax to hurt her…at least that was what she was counting on. She’d planned as much as she could.

Now there was nothing left to do but jump.

She got out of the car before Athena could say anything else. She quickly turned the corner and started towards Ajax’s safe house. She imagined the house had been cute once, before age and uncaring owners took their toll. Beyond an old iron gate, a concrete walk led to the door. Pieces of the siding hung askew. The windows stared like huge, empty eyes.

She phoned Ajax as she approached, arms up. She kept her distance, though. She was sure she was in range of their guns, but she also knew she was far more valuable to Ajax alive than dead. At least she really, really hoped so.

Ajax picked up right away. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“New rules. You send Aphrodite and Eurydice out, and in exchange, you get me as a hostage.”

Silence.

Persephone was impatient now that it had come down to it. “Stop with the bullshit because we both know it’s what you were planning all along—to snatch me. What’s five million compared to having collateral against the infamous Hades Ubeli? Now send them out or I’m in the wind. There’s an SUV parked around the corner, one block down. Once Aphrodite and Eurydice are both safe in the SUV, I’ll come inside.”

“You think I’m a fool? That I’m just going to give up my bargaining chips?” He gave an ugly laugh.

Persephone ground her teeth together. They were people, not bargaining chips.

“If you don’t send them out, how do I even know you have them? I’m not going to stand out here exposed like this for long. Either you take the deal or I walk.” Persephone channeled Hades and made her voice ice.

There was some shuffling on the other end of the phone, then Ajax’s voice again. “Fine. I’ll send out one. As a show of good faith.” His voice was mocking. “But I don’t release the other one until you come in.”

Persephone’s heart hammered. It wasn’t a good deal. Persephone wanted both girls safe and out of that house before she stepped in. Who knew what would happen when the SWAT team stormed the house? Bullets might fly. Persephone would be expecting it but whoever was left inside wouldn’t.

But Persephone knew it was all she’d get out of Ajax.

“Send her out,” she commanded, “and have the second girl ready to send right when I come in.” She hung up the phone before he could reply and stood, back straight, shoulders out, staring down the front door.

Nothing happened.

For long, long minutes, nothing happened.

Shit. Oh shit, what if he called her bluff? What if she’d miscalculated and?—

The door opened and Aphrodite stumbled out.

Persephone hurried forward. Aphrodite rushed to meet her with big unsteady steps and frantic eyes.

“Persephone, what are you doing?—”

but Persephone just shook her head. Aphrodite looked terrible. Her eye was so swollen and bloodied and her clothes were ripped and?—

Persephone couldn’t think about all that it meant. She just grabbed Aphrodite by the forearms so she’d look her in the eye. “There’s a car around the corner. Over there.” Persephone gestured with her eyes and Aphrodite’s gaze followed. “Get in and tell Athena to drive. Don’t look back.”

Aphrodite was shaking her head, fat tears falling down her cheeks. “Persephone, you can’t go in there. You can’t?—”

Persephone dropped Aphrodite’s arms and ordered, “Go,” in her harshest voice.

Then she turned back to the house and strode straight for the door. Behind her, she heard Aphrodite’s footsteps running away. Good girl.

Ajax met Persephone at the door. His potbelly was barely contained by the sweat-stained wife beater undershirt he had on.

“Where’s Eurydice?” Persephone demanded. “The deal was for both of them.”

The mobster smirked. “Eurydice is going to need a little help getting out of bed.” He stuck his cigar in his mouth and spoke around it. “She’s…not well. Come on in.” He moved back from the door to make space for her.

Persephone took a deep breath and then wished she hadn’t—Ajax’s cigar plus the inside of the house altogether smelled rancid and turned her stomach. But still, she stepped into the house, turning in a 360 as she did so to give the cops a view of the place after she was in. She didn’t immediately see anything incriminating but she was only standing in the foyer.

“Check her,” Ajax said and two guys came forward.

She gritted her teeth as the two meat-handed thugs frisked her, lingering far longer than was necessary between her thighs and squeezing as they brushed down her chest.

“That’s enough.” She yanked back when the shorter, squat one went for another pass. “I don’t have anything on me.” She went to slide her phone into her pocket but Ajax shook his head at her.

“Ah ah,” he said. “Hand it over.”

Persephone’s jaw locked but she handed the phone to him, eyes tracking it as he slid it into the front pocket of his black slacks.

“Now, where’s Eurydice?”

Ajax smiled. “Like I said, she’s indisposed at the moment.”

Persephone stepped forward but the two thugs grabbed her by her arms. She fought against them. “Where is she?”

Because she’d just had a terrible thought. Ajax trafficked in women. What if he wasn’t using Eurydice for leverage against Orpheus at all? What if the reason he wasn’t producing her was because she wasn’t here? He’d considered Eurydice his girl and she tried to get away, to get out, by marrying Orpheus. Just how angry had that made him?

“I swear, if you’ve done something to her or shipped her off somewhere?—”

“So dramatic,” Ajax laughed. “You want to see her, fine.”

He motioned the men holding Persephone to lead her upstairs. The squat one kept hold of her as the other released her. Squatty dragged her up the stairs but he needn’t have bothered. Maybe it was foolish to hurry deeper into this filthy den but she needed to see Eurydice with her own two eyes. After everything, she needed to see that the girl was okay.

And Pete should still be listening. They’d agreed on a safe word. No matter what, if Persephone mentioned the Fates, his team was supposed to come in with guns blazing.

It stank even worse upstairs but when they passed one of the bedrooms, Persephone looked inside and saw a skinny man with greasy hair hunched over a computer that was connected to several screens. Whatever was on that hard drive could be useful to Pete. Persephone made sure to pause with her button camera pointed in the man’s direction before Squatty yanked her forward again.

Now she just needed to find Eurydice and get them both the hell out of here.

“Do you know what the little birdies have been talking about all month?” Ajax’s voice startled Persephone, it came from so close behind her. Persephone stepped forward to get away from him, continuing down the hallway and looking in each room she passed.

Ajax went on as if she was an active participant in the conversation.

“The shipment. A very special shipment. One of a kind.”

Persephone forced herself not to react.

“And my guys, we caught a few of them birdies yesterday, locked ‘em in a cage and made ‘em sing.” A short pause. His man had grabbed hold of her and was holding her still while footsteps sounded on the grimy hardwood behind her, no doubt Ajax huffing up the stairs. “And you wanna know what they said?”

Ajax came around her and spoke, his foul breath right in her face. “They said the delivery was going down tonight.”

Persephone jerked back from his oily face and bad breath. She glared him down icily. “Where’s Eurydice? How long have you had her?”

To her surprise, Ajax answered. “Since Orpheus’s little hissy fit that nearly cost me the concert deal.”

Persephone just stared at him. “You wouldn’t have been out the money.”

“You heard Hades. I’d lose access. Access to Elysium, access to his home, access to his whole little world.”

“Why do you hate him so much?”

“He took everything from me.” Ajax stopped at a door and pushed it open. Dim light spilled out into the hall.

Persephone held her sleeve in front of her face to block the smell as she entered the room. It must have once been a child’s room, painted a cheery yellow.

Now the walls were faded and stained, covered in shadows cast by a small lamp by a bed. Trash had collected in the corners of the room. The room seemed cold, and empty, except for a young woman lying on a thin mattress.

“Eurydice,” Persephone breathed as she ran over to her. The woman had shadows under her eyes and lank, dirty hair. Her high classic cheekbones now looked skeletal and her beautiful skin had turned grey and sallow. Her eyes fluttered open, then closed again weakly.

“Oh gods.” Persephone sank beside the bed to feel the woman’s forehead. It was cold to the touch. She checked Eurydice’s pulse next, noting the fresh track marks on the woman’s arm.

Persephone turned accusing eyes to Ajax. “What did you do to her?”

“Gave her a little hit.” He shrugged. “Then a little more. After that, she did it to herself.”

Persephone noted the restraints hanging off the bed. They’d tied her down and forced the poison into her veins. Persephone felt sick to her stomach. Had they even fed her? “We need to get her out of here. She could be dying.”

“First you deliver.”

Persephone looked up in confusion but saw him holding out her phone.

“Call him,” Ajax ordered.

Well past fear, she felt surprisingly calm. “The Fates curse you for what you’ve done,” she spat. This evil bastard would rot for all his sins. He’d admitted on tape to kidnapping Eurydice and Persephone felt sure the computer would give even more evidence against him. Plus Aphrodite’s testimony.

Any second the SWAT team would come breaking down the door.

“Oh, on the contrary. I think the Fates are smiling on me. After all, they brought you to my door. And you are going to lead me straight to your husband and the cargo ship full of product that’s going to shift the tide of this war.”

Persephone glared at him, letting all of her hatred shine through. Just you wait. You’ll get everything that’s coming to you.

Any minute now.

Any minute…

Persephone glanced around and listened hard.

Silence.

What the hell was taking them so long? Did Pete not hear her? Or was the mic not working? They’d checked and rechecked it. She fought the rising panic clawing up her throat

But only Ajax’s chuckle filled the silence. “What, nothing to say for once? That’s fine.”

He reached over and grabbed her hand, wrenching her forefinger to cover the fingerprint lock that unlocked her phone. “All I really need you to do is scream.”

Ajax pulled the phone back and search through her contacts once it was unlocked. He pushed Hades’s phone number and it dialed.

No! It was never supposed to go this far. No matter what had happened last night, that shipment meant everything to Hades?—

Hades didn’t pick up though and it went to voicemail. Persephone felt a jolt of emotion go through her as she heard Hades’s gravelly voice start, “This is Hades Ubeli?—”

Ajax hung up and dialed again impatiently. It went to voicemail and he beeped past the voice message.

“Ubeli. Call me now,” he intoned, looking at Persephone. “I have something you want.” He hung up, still looking at her. “You’re an idiot, you know? Giving yourself up for this druggie.”

Then he slammed the door on his way out and left Persephone standing beside the bed.

“The Fates help us,” she whispered, and then said it louder, over and over, “Fates, help us. Please, Fates, we need you now,” as she crouched to check on Eurydice.

When Persephone touched her clammy skin, Eurydice opened cracked lips and whimpered.

“Eurydice, shh. Orpheus sent me. We’re going to get you out.” She squeezed the woman’s hand gently. “I’m going to get you out.”

“O-Orpheus?” Eurydice rasped out, crusted and unfocused eyes dragging down to meet Persephone’s.

Persephone nodded even as tears squeezed out of her own eyes. “Yes. Orpheus loves you. He sent me to help you. We’re going to get you out of here.”

Behind her, the door knob turned; she jumped but it was only Ajax coming back.

He held the phone out. Hades’s voice came from far away.

“Persephone. Persephone! Are you ok?”

Persephone couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope at hearing his voice even though she knew it meant she’d screwed up everything so terribly. For whatever reason, the SWAT team wasn’t coming. “Hades, I’m here. I’m ok,” Persephone barely answered before Ajax put the phone back to his ear.

“Proof of life, as requested. We’ll meet you at the docks. I know Poseidon is delivering the shipment tonight. Tell your men to sit tight. My own will take over the heavy lifting. The drugs for your wife, that’s the deal.”

Persephone heard her husband’s voice raised in anger just before Ajax bellowed, “I’m in charge here.” He pulled out a gun. With a shriek, Persephone ducked her head as he pointed it towards the bed and fired.

What had he—? Her head snapped up and she looked at Eurydice.

“No!” Persephone sobbed. “No.”

Blood soaked slowly through Eurydice’s thin shirt. Persephone pressed her hands to Eurydice’s chest, moaning. “Please, no.”

“One hour, capisce? No tricks.” Ajax shut the door hard enough to make the lamp rattle.

Persephone almost didn’t hear him. She pressed down as the blood ran faster, watching Eurydice’s breathing slow.

The beautiful girl choked once and was still. Her eyes were glassy, staring just like Ashley’s. Lifeless.

“I’m so sorry,” Persephone whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Ajax’s thugs came for her a few minutes later, pulling her bodily up from the floor. They marched her to the door. One of them stopped to take a picture of the dead woman. He followed Persephone and his fellow thug into the hall, cackling. “Sent it to Orpheus. Let’s see how well he plays now, the little prick.”

Persephone let out an animal, guttural cry of fury. How could they be so callous? Her hair had come undone and hung messily over her face. She pushed it back, then realized her hands were sticky with blood from the wrists down, and all she was doing was smearing Eurydice’s blood around her temples.

“Stop dawdling,” Ajax barked.

He’d put on a shirt and coat like he was a civilized man but Persephone knew better now. He was a monster. He glanced once more at her phone, then dropped it into his coat pocket.

“We’ve got a date with the docks. Time to make a trade.”