7 comments/ 6313 views/ 5 favorites Lesser Gods Ch. 14-16 By: CatBrown Fourteen The first thing Zoe felt upon awakening was a pounding headache, followed quickly by extreme nausea. She was lying on her back and the bag was still over her head. She was sure she was going to be sick, so she rolled on her side and pulled off the hood, emptying the little in her stomach onto the floor. She noticed with disinterest, between heaves, that the floor was bare concrete, and there wasn't much light in the room. She hung there after finishing vomiting to get a feel for her surroundings. From what she could see from this vantage point, between her strands of falling hair, she was on a camp bunk, against a wall, in what appeared to be an unremarkable, two-car, suburban garage. She lifted up slowly until she was propped on her left elbow on the bunk. A huge man was seated beside the door into the house, staring at her but making no move toward her. She wasn't feeling very threatened, given the averageness of her surroundings, so she tried sitting up, but got dizzy and rested back on her elbow again. The double garage door was closed, and the little bit of light in the room was coming from a spotlight above and outside that door. No cars were in the garage, but there was a tool bench and some shelves filled with boxes. She did a double-take on the workbench. The tools weren't your regular car-care/household tools. There were things that looked like machetes, and knives of every length. There were tools that reminded her of the things she'd seen in museum displays of old-time barber-surgeon implements, and some torture devices she was sure she had seen when she toured the Tower of London. So much for average and non-threatening. Suddenly a voice boomed from the other side of the door beside the man. He sat up straighter and looked off in the distance with a blank face. The door opened and a tall, slim, muscular man of about fifty looked through. The light from inside hit Zoe in the eyes, forcing her to shield them with her right hand. The man laughed, an unpleasant sound, and flipped a switch beside him. The offending light went out, but other lights still illuminated enough that she could see the man was smiling. "Our guest is awake," he said, sounding excited, "but that smell is awful! Hasad! Clean that up!" he said, waving the man beside the door toward her puddle of vomit. The man immediately hurried forward, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. He bent in front of her, slowing just enough to leer in her face for a split second, before scooping up the vomit and backing away. "Come, my dear. There's no reason we should have our meeting in the garage! Come inside. Can I get you anything? A drink perhaps, or a toothbrush maybe," the slim man enthused at her, waving her toward himself. Zoe stood cautiously as the man waited expectantly. She weighed her chances of rushing him and then heading for a door, but as she took a tentative step, realized she'd be lucky to make it into the house if she tried to move faster than a walk. She took a few steps, then hesitated, not knowing what to expect. "Well, come on, Zoe! I'm not a patient man. I've waited a long time for this meeting," he said, "Oh, you must think I'm rude, I haven't introduced myself! You can call me Z. I only let my friends call me Z. Do your friends ever call you Z? I'm sure we'll be great friends." She continued to walk slowly toward the doorway. He seemed to get disgusted waiting for her, and with a "Hmph," turned and headed inside ahead of her. She followed, closing the door as she entered a typical development dining/kitchen/family room. She turned the direction Z had turned, and saw him through a door that stood in the middle of the family room. The door shouldn't be there, and the room beyond it absolutely shouldn't be where it was. She glanced out the French doors off the dining area, only to see two huge men with big guns flanking the doors. Another large man stepped through that doorway that shouldn't be, into the family room, and started toward her. She took a couple of steps away from him, only to have this new guy take her arm in his massive paw and pull her through the door that shouldn't be. This room was not typical. Z had walked to the head of a table and seated himself in a chair that looked more like a throne. He waved to the seat next to him, and Zoe's escort deposited her, none-too-gently, into it. The table was covered with more food than a regiment could eat, and there were more than a dozen men seated at the table, eating or pawing the scantily clad young women and men who wandered about the room. Other couples, and in some case three or four people, were strewn across sofas and cushions around the perimeter of the room in various states of undress. Zoe's eyes were riveted to a group engaged in chain sex. A man stood being sucked by a woman on all fours who was being pounded from behind by another man who was likewise being had from behind. Zoe had some limited sexual experience, and had seen some things in alleys she wished she hadn't seen, but this was by far the most blatant act she had ever seen, and involving more people than she had ever imagined. When the man receiving the blow-job finished, a new woman tucked her bum up to the face of the woman in the chain and was immediately accepted into the chain. "Ah, you are interested in our playroom," Z said with glee. "You may join as soon as you give me what I want." Zoe snapped her head around. "NO!" She nearly shrieked, "I mean, no, thank you. I was just...just...surprised." "As I was saying," Z ignored Zoe's distress, "I'm so glad we are finally getting to meet. I've known about you for weeks, yet no one seemed able to find you. Stupid employees, never thought to look you up in the white pages. It's so hard to get good help. Anyway, we finally located you and that sweet neighbor of yours helped us get you away from that tiresome bodyguard. Of course, she didn't know she was helping us, but that doesn't matter," Z went on, "Now we can discuss the plans I have for you." Zoe just stared at him. "You don't say much, but that's all right, since I'm sure what you do say will prove very valuable to us. You see, I know you are a powerful oracle, and I plan to make you a deal you can't refuse, mostly because if you do refuse it, I have ways to make you work for me that are far less pleasant," he sneered at her, fangs glinting in the candle light. Zoe had forgotten about praying since coming home. She prayed now for God to reveal himself, and preferably twenty or thirty of Grey's best men as well. In the meantime, she felt saying little was her safest bet, so she simply smiled demurely at Z, hoping his ADHD would send him off on some other tangent. She also tried to read him, but just as she suspected, he was too strong for her. "There you go! Trying to read me is probably not the best use of your gift, but it is confirmation of your power. I actually felt pressure, not the tickle other supposed oracles caused when they tried to read me. You have real potential!" Z turned abruptly and said something in a tongue Zoe didn't understand to one of the men walking by. "We shall try a better test of your powers." He picked up a goblet and drank deeply before grabbing a passing young woman and pulling her into his lap, groping her and biting her ear in a way that looked quite painful, though the glassy-eyed girl laughed and stroked his arm as if she was enjoying herself. Z looked up and said to Zoe, "If you like one, any one, feel free. They are here for your pleasure," then he went back to groping and biting the woman in his lap. He paused when he heard a door close, and shoved her out of his lap without ceremony to jump up and stand beside Zoe. A man was being dragged across the room toward them. His head hung down, filthy hair hanging over his face. He was shackled wrist and ankle, and didn't seem to have the strength to fight the two large men half carrying him. Z was practically hopping up and down in his excitement. Zoe cringed away from him, wondering what she would do if the man was someone she recognized. He was dropped directly in front of Z, who spun Zoe's chair around to face the prostrate man. "Lift his face," Z demanded. Zoe held her breath as one of the guards grabbed a handful of dark hair and yanked the man's head back. She let the air escape in a small sigh as she realized she had never seen him before. Still, he caused her heart to ache in sympathy. He had cuts and bruises all over his face that had not been treated, and he looked like he had been wallowing in his own filth for several days. One cut on his cheek was black in the center and oozed puss down his neck. "This is a traitor," Z said, "I need for you to read him, to tell me what his plans were." Zoe didn't know what to do. She looked at the man and felt only pity for him. She let the visions come, but all she saw were more beatings, and eventually his death. What could she tell Z? "I can only see what is likely to happen. He is here, so all I see are more beatings. I can't look into the past, nor read intentions," she said in a small, quiet voice. Z turned on her, hand raised. She flinched down in her seat, but the hit never came. She peeked up at him. He had lowered his hand to his chin and seemed to be thinking. "What," he said, "if I tell him I'm releasing him?" "You would have to mean it, or the future won't change," she answered, shrinking down again. Z began to pace. "This is harder than I thought it would be. Maybe he isn't a good test of your powers," he turned to the guards and muttered in that strange language again. They grabbed the prisoner and started dragging him away. "Hectar, come here!" he demanded toward one of the couches. A half-clad man got up and came over. He went down onto one knee, head bent, in front of Z. Z grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. "Read him!" he demanded. The man looked surprised, but said nothing. Zoe saw images as lewd as the ones from Jason's head, as well as violent clashes. She saw Z laughing as the man, Hectar, was whipped. She didn't know what Z wanted, so she shrugged at him. "Tell me what you see!" ordered Z. "Sex, violence, a beating...I don't know what you want," she responded, nearly in tears. Z threw Hectar to the side and screamed for Abigail. A Woman Zoe hadn't noticed got up from the far end of the table and came in front of Z where she too dropped to one knee, then looked up, directly at Zoe. This woman had the dark features of someone from the middle east, and the beauty and bearing of a queen. Looking into the woman's mind, Zoe saw Abigail standing aside, looking on as two groups of exceptionally large men fought viciously. She watched as Abigail pocketed something and turned away. Zoe saw Abigail standing behind Z at this very table as she pulled a dagger from her pocket and imbedded it into Z's throat. She saw him collapse to the floor, choking on his own blood, pulling at the dagger handle, unable to remove it. She shook away the vision and looked with physical eyes at the woman before her. Abigail looked back at Zoe with clear eyes and no fear. Zoe wasn't sure which of them was more evil. This might be a trick to get her to lie, so they could beat her and force her to work for them through less pleasant means, or it might be the real future, in which case lying might lead to her release. That was unlikely, but still, it held more potential than telling Z the truth did. "I see a violent battle between two groups of men, and I see a celebration banquet here," which was not a lie, it just wasn't the entire truth. Abigail smiled ever so slightly. Z seemed bored and called for another crew member. This continued for the next hour, with Zoe seeing every form of depravity and violence in image after image. She felt sick to her stomach in a way quite different from when she awoke in the garage. Finally, Z seemed satisfied that her powers were short-range at best, and gave another order in that foreign tongue that caused a guard to lead her to a room off the hall. The room contained a bed, and a small bathroom off to the side. There was no other door, and no window. Zoe lay on the bed and prayed again for God to get her out of here. She wondered if her distress was strong enough for Grey to feel it, wherever he was from here. She wished she had stayed at his mansion, but realized her headstrong behavior had gotten her into this, even with all the warnings of Grey, Enrique, Travis, and even that other guy, Lloyd, who had no reason what-so-ever to lie or exaggerate to her. They were all right. It was dangerous for her to be away from Grey, and this is what she got for needing her space. She felt as if she would never be able to sleep, so maybe it was the drugs still in her system from her kidnapping, or the exhaustion caused by fear, but for whatever reason, she dozed off. A noise made her jump. The light was off in the room, so she couldn't tell if someone was there. She held perfectly still, barely breathing. She heard a shuffling step, then felt hands on her. She started to squirm away, but the hands clamped her in place. While one hand held her firmly across the hips, another pulled at her shirt, lifting it above her bra and molesting her breasts as she pushed at it to no effect. The weight of a body climbed on top of her and foul breath wafted in her face. The hands began to undo the button of her jeans. She screamed and began to fight in earnest, but that just seemed to make her assailant more excited. He had her pants and underwear to her knees and she could tell from his movements he was removing his own clothing. She screamed again and redoubled her efforts to get away from him. She felt a pressure at her lower lips and nearly fainted in revulsion. He was going to rape her and she was powerless to prevent it. Suddenly her attacker let out an "ooof" and stopped moving. She shoved as hard as she could and he rolled off of her and hit the floor with a thud. She quickly jumped out the other side of the bed, feeling a warm, sticky liquid smear her hand as she pushed herself off the bed. She pulled up her pants and closed the button and zipper, just as a hand brushed her arm. "Get away from me," she screamed. "Shh," whispered someone working to disguise his or her voice, "I've come to help you escape, but you have to be quiet!" Zoe had no idea who this was, but it was the best chance she had at the moment, so she whispered, "Okay, what should I do?" "Come with me," the voice said, touching her hand. She followed the person in front of her as best she could through the pitch dark of her room, then through the semi-dark hall, and out a well hidden door in the opposite wall. Once outside, she saw that they were on an estate similar to Grey's, and apparently just as secluded. Her rescuer led her along the house, sticking to the shadows, until they were at the point closest to the gates at the end of the driveway. It was still a long way to go, and well lit for the first twenty of thirty yards. The hooded figure asked, "Ready to run for it?" Zoe nodded and they started to run. Immediately a yell rang out and people emerged from the building. Zoe ran so hard she thought her heart would explode. They were never going to make it to those gates, and even if they did, then what? They ran in darkness for the last hundred yards. Zoe felt her pursuers hot on her heals and remembered her nightmares. This was it. They were so close she could feel their footfalls. They cleared the gate and her rescuer grabbed her hand. She was about to ask how they were going to get away when the scenery changed abruptly and she recognized she was back in her neighborhood, standing behind a Burger King. Her rescuer dropped her hand and whispered, "They will find you in a few seconds," and disappeared.   Fifteen Zoe immediately looked for her pursuers and started to run toward home. Why would her rescuer take her here and then just leave her to be recaptured? After only taking a few steps, Travis came around the corner of the building, followed by Grey, Enrique, and several people she didn't know. Enrique immediately gathered her into his arms, thanking God in a mixture of English and Spanish. The others looked relieved for a moment, followed by alertness as they formed a circle around her, Enrique, and Grey. Grey put one arm around her and Enrique, and grabbed Travis with the other, and they were transported to Grey's front hall. Enrique backed up to look her over, talking at such a speed, and in such a mixture of languages, that she had no clear idea of what he was saying. Grey touched Enrique's shoulder and said, "Let's give her a chance to tell us if she's all right." Enrique stopped chattering and looked her in the eye. "You're bloody! Did they hurt you?" "No," Zoe said, "they didn't do anything to me, unless you include drugging me, making me see horrible visions, and trying to rape me, but no, I'm fine. This isn't my blood." "Rape!" Enrique shouted. "Attempted," Zoe assured, "My rescuer must have stabbed him, 'cause this is his blood, and he quit really suddenly." "Your rescuer?" Grey asked, looking confused. "Yeah. I thought you must have sent him... or her, because they showed up in my room just in time to prevent the rape, got me out of the building and off the property, then transported me right to you," Zoe explained, "they even knew you'd be coming around that corner any second." "It wasn't one of mine," Grey said, mystified. "Well, I never would have made it out without him... or her," Zoe stated with absolute assurance. Grey looked thoughtful. "I wonder who it could have been." Zoe thought of the only person in Z's mansion who might be working against him, "Maybe it was Abigail. She plans to kill Z sometime soon, after she gets some kind of dagger at a big fight." "Abigail?" Grey asked in surprise, paused, then continued, "And he's calling himself "Z" these days?" He shook his head, then walked up to Zoe and put his hands on her arms, "I'm so glad you are safe. I was beginning to think we had lost you forever," and he pulled her into an embrace. Zoe felt safe in his arms, and didn't want the hug to end, but suddenly it registered what Grey had just said. "Why would you think that I was gone forever? It's not even morning yet?" Grey pulled back enough to look at her, but didn't let go, "You've been gone three days. We didn't have a clue where they had taken you, and none of our sources could tell us anything. The only reason we were there when you showed up is that we were combing the area yet again for any remnants of power use. They took you without using any special abilities, so we have had nothing to trace." "Three days?" Zoe asked in wonder, "How can it have been three days? I woke up in suburbia not long after they took me, I was with Z for maybe two hours, then I fell asleep briefly. That doesn't add up." "They must have been drugging you, either to keep you asleep, or to make you forget the time you were with them," Grey postulated, "either way, you probably need food and rest. Men, let's give her some time to recuperate," and he let go of her to turn her to go up the stairs. "I feel fine," she assured him, but he urged her up the stairs all the same. Enrique said, "I'll get a tray of food and bring it up." Grey just nodded and continued to lead her up the stairs. When he got her into her room, he shut the door and turned back to her. She noticed that he looked haggard, and she reached up to touch his face, he grabbed her hand and held it against his cheek. "I'm sorry, Grey. You knew it wasn't safe, but I insisted. You were right," she said, eyes tearing up. He wrapped both arms around her and held her tightly. "I'm so glad you're back," he whispered raggedly into her hair, "I was so worried. Please don't ever do that to me again." Lesser Gods Ch. 14-16 She was crying now, so her voice cracked as she answered, "I am so sorry, Grey. I was so scared, and all I could think was how I owed you an apology. I really thought you exaggerated the risk, but I was wrong. I'll listen to you now, I promise." He didn't move, he didn't say anything, and she savored the warmth and security of being in his arms. She felt a gentle push on her mind, like someone knocking on the door, asking permission to enter. She opened the door of her mind and he entered. He shared his fear, his worry, his relief. Then he shared how much he loved her, and let visions flow of them together that were beautiful beyond words. He asked her, silently, if she had feelings for him, or if it was Enrique she preferred. She didn't answer in her mind, or with her voice, instead she pulled his head aside slightly and kissed him, hesitantly at first, then with warmth, then with passion. The visions flooded her mind, but she didn't take notice. All she knew was the feel of the man in her arms. A knock at the door caused them both to jump, and Zoe giggled slightly in embarrassment. Grey moved away and Zoe opened the door. Enrique entered with a tray of food, saying, "I thought you'd be in bed already." Zoe chanced a quick glance at Grey and then blushed at the direction of her thoughts. "I brought some of everything because I didn't know what you might like. Climb into bed and I'll put the tray across you," Enrique continued, unaware of anything amiss. Zoe obediently climbed in the bed and accepted the tray. She looked at Enrique with a deep sadness. He was a very sweet man, and she liked him a lot, she just didn't feel about him they way she did Grey. Enrique was gabbing away, not seeming prone toward leaving. Grey focused a look on him and suddenly Enrique felt he was needed downstairs. Zoe "tsked" Grey as soon as Enrique was gone. "You planted a suggestion, didn't you," she asked. "Did you want him here? I can call him back," Grey asked, feinting toward the door. "No," she answered, and he came back to the bed. "I just can't believe you used your powers that way. You should be ashamed," she said lightly, smiling and reaching for his hand. "I will have to tell him soon. Unless you want to erase his memories and make it easier on everyone?" "You know I can't do that. I can tell him, if you'd like," Grey offered, sitting on the side of the bed. "No, that's my job," she said, "I never meant for all that to happen in the first place, so it's my place to clean up my mess. I hope he isn't too hurt." "He will be," Grey said simply, then continued at her confused look, "how could he not? He'll have lost the most amazing woman he ever met." "To the most amazing man he's ever known," Zoe finished for him. "You know he idolizes you, they all do." Grey cocked an eyebrow at her and she thought better of her statement, "wrong word. He loves and respects you...immensely." With regret, Grey answered, "I know he does. I want to feel bad about taking you away, but I just can't." He reached out a hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, then traced her jaw with his fingertips. She closed her eyes to savor the tingle that his touch left behind. "You must be tired," he said, misinterpreting her closed eyes, "I should let you eat something, then you should rest." "I'm fine, Grey," she said, smiling, "I really just want to sit with you and talk. There's so much I want to know about you, and even more importantly right now, is there any way we can figure out what happened to the time I lost?" Grey pondered a moment, then suggested, "I can search your memories for anything deeply sublimated, or traces of anything erased," he paused before saying, "It would mean I'd know everything in your head. Nothing would remain hidden." "Wow," Zoe answered, a little stunned, "I really want to know what happened while I was there. I think we all need to know that. I'm just not sure I can handle complete disclosure." "I can drop things I find as soon as I see they aren't what we are looking for, but that means I still see them, if only in bits and pieces," he explained, "and I can't make any promises..." "I understand, you'd try to give me some privacy," Zoe hesitated, "But no one wants their entire life laid out before someone, especially someone they hope to have respect them." "If it makes you feel any better," Grey said, looking at the floor, "I already know just about everything you've ever done. Remember, we kept close tabs on you as your grew up. I don't know your every thought, but knowing nearly your every action is pretty close." He finally looked up at her, "And I respect you." Zoe's face held a combination of embarrassment, accusation, and horror. In a small, strangled voice she said, "You know everything I've ever done? Every lie I've told, every line I've crossed?" "Yes," Grey responded, looking deeply into her eyes, trying to reassure her. "I need to process that," she continued in that strangled voice. He reached out to take her hand, but she pulled it away and sat back against the pillows, eyes to the ceiling. She was doing a quick review of her adult life, the things she would hope Grey didn't know about her quickly surpassed the things she wanted to share with him, but he apparently knew them all! "And I still love you, Zoe. All people make mistakes. We all sin," he said, seeming to read her mind, even though she knew he didn't. "But how could you," she asked, "how could you love me knowing I had my mom committed against her will by lying to the authorities? How could you love me knowing I gave myself to a man I didn't love to buy a sense of security? How could anyone?" she was starting to cry. Grey moved the tray and gathered her into his arms, where she felt stiff and unyielding, but didn't actively resist him. "Zoe, I've lived a very long time. I've seen more of human nature than anyone but God and a handful of angels. No one knows more about the convoluted paths that lives can take than I do," he forced her to look him in the eye, "I understand the weaknesses that lead to those kinds of decisions. You did what you felt you needed to do in that time and place. I can't fault you for those decisions, given what you had to work with. God forgives easily, but forgiving yourself is much harder. I harbor no ill will toward you or anyone who is just trying to survive the best they can. Evil is not in the action, so much as the intention, and you have never intended evil, I know that much!" "How do you know that?" she cried, "I'm not even sure why I did some of the things I've done. I rationalize that I did things for the right reasons, but sometimes I did things because it was easy, or at least easier than the alternative, even when I knew the alternative was more honorable, more honest. I've been a pretty awful person at times: as I think about it, most times, even." She swiped at her tears and Grey handed her some tissues which she used to hide her face from him. Mumbling through the tissues, she continued, "And you're so honorable, so respectable, an angel for Pete's sake!" "And so are you," he said gently. "You are chosen to do the work of God, just as I am, but you can't do that until you clear your mind, your heart, of the guilt for things in your past. Ask, and forgiveness is yours, but then you have to actually let them go. I will never speak of them again. Can you do the same?" "It's not that easy," Zoe put down her hand and looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "I can't look at you without thinking you know about my darkest moments, even if you never speak of them. I'm so ashamed!" "God seeks your repentance, never your shame. I certainly don't want you to feel shame. Give me time to prove to you that who you used to be is of no importance," he said earnestly, "I love you now, and you in the future. The past is over." She looked into his eyes and saw no condemnation. How could he be so understanding? "I believe you," she whispered, and smiled weakly. "I think we need to find out what they did to me, with me, during those missing days. If you can bear what you'll find in there, my mind is yours." He took both her hands in his and continued to gaze into her eyes. She felt him touch her mind, then gently slip inside. He filled her with peace and she smiled. He was always so kind. She could feel him poking around, and suddenly she looked startled and said, "Wait!" "What is it," he asked inside her head, concern showing on his face. "I want to tell you something before you find it and wonder why I did it," she hurried to explain, "when everything was so confusing I built a room and put all the visions of you, all the confusing emotions, and more than a few daydreams into it. I put a lock on the door, thinking I could think more clearly without all of that messing with me. So when you find that room, it was just something I tried to feel more in control, not because I didn't love the images as much as you did." "I understand. I'll leave the room alone, unless I can't find anything anywhere else. It's your prerogative how you deal with your fore-knowledge of us." "But I don't want to leave it there!" she exclaimed quickly, "I want to open the room and examine every bit of it, with you," she paused, "after this other is finished." His feelings in her mind were so warm, so loving, she never wanted him to leave. He continued to poke around, pulling up memories from her childhood, some making her smile, others not so pleasant. He bumped into some dark times in her life, quickly moving on. He touched the memories of Chris, and she flinched. He moved on, again sending her waves of peace. This unbelievable, and at times almost unbearable, intimacy lasted for close to an hour before she felt him sigh an "Aha". "What did you find?" she asked, trying to see past the fog he had been pouring through for several minutes. "They have someone with more power than I've ever encountered to have hidden these memories so deep from you," he said in his physical voice. She opened her eyes and saw a worried expression on his face. "Can you get to them, read them?" she asked. "Not quite," he answered, but somehow she knew there was more to it. "There's something you can do, I can tell, you just don't want to do it." "Sometimes I think you are the mind reader," he smiled at her, but the smile turned sad. "So what is it we have to do to get at those memories?" she pushed. "I think they drugged you to lower your natural defenses to mind probing, then they sublimated your memories," he explained, pausing, "And I'm afraid the drugs they used might be very addictive. The enemy has been known to use that technique, getting someone hooked on drugs, to keep them under their control. The worst part is, if we want to get to those memories, we will have to give you more of the drugs." Zoe felt a wave of shock, and fear, pass through her. Her mother had abused drugs and alcohol, and she knew first-hand how destructive drugs could be. Using an addictive substance on her was like inflicting her worst nightmare on her. She felt violated. "Wouldn't I be experiencing withdrawal symptoms by now if they had drugged me?" she asked logically. "I've been flooding your system with serotonin and dopamine to calm you. That would mask the symptoms. We need to take some blood and urine samples right away, so we can identify the drug," he said, standing up. "I'll be right back," and he disappeared. Drugs! Zoe hated illicit drugs, and now she had them in her body, she was going to start craving them as soon as the effects of Grey's work waned. This was horrible. And Grey had said they would need to give her more drugs to access those missing memories. Grey popped back into the room. He sat and took her hand. "I have people getting supplies. We'll get the samples and run the tests and know what you were given within the hour. I want you to let me know if you start feeling any symptoms. I can keep the worst of the withdrawal at bay for you." "Are you sure they used drugs on me?" she asked, hoping he was wrong. "I am. What I could pull from those deep recesses of your mind looked like drug-induced fusions of reality and fantasy," he answered with compassion. "Any ideas what they gave me?" she queried. "I would bet on some kind of hypnotic, and something to remove your inhibitions," he answered, "but the tests will tell us specifically." He gathered her into his arms before she could ask any more questions. She was on the verge of tears, but his strength helped keep her together. A knock at the door forced him to let her go. He called, "Come in." A woman in scrubs walked in. She smiled reassuringly at Zoe as she set down a tray on her dresser. "Come with me," she said as she went toward the bathroom. Zoe got up and followed her to the bathroom. After giving her that specimen, Zoe laid back in the bed to have her blood drawn. That complete, the nurse left the room with the specimens and Grey once again gathered Zoe into his arms and held her. "It's going to be all right," he said, rocking her like a child, "We'll get through this." "I don't want to be an addict, Grey. I saw drugs eat away at my mother until there was nothing left, and I saw them destroy the lives of addicts and their families, over and over." "It won't be like that for you," he assured her, "Just like I've prevented the withdrawal since you've been back, I can get you through the rest. It won't be like the people you saw on the streets and in the clinics. You weren't given the drugs for very long, just a few days, so you might not even have become dependent yet. Don't worry." She couldn't help but worry. ***** Zoe woke up alone in her room. The sun was shining brightly outside her window, but her mood was dark and ominous. She rolled out of bed and started for the hall, but someone knocked just as she got to the door. She opened it. Travis stood stiff and uncomfortable in the hall. "You look about how I feel," Zoe said, hesitating, then continuing into the hall. "I guess that means bad news, huh?" "Grey just asked me to get you and bring you down to the library," he answered noncommittally. "And you can read him like a book, can't you? You already know what is going to happen. You've seen it, too," she went on as she walked to the stairs. She could hear voices from the library all the way up there. As she neared the library door, she could tell it was Enrique who was shouting, dropping in and out of Spanish as he did when he was upset. She walked in without trying to figure out what he was upset about, figuring she already had a good idea. "Did you rest well?" Grey asked as soon as she was framed in the doorway. "Of course. I always rest well when you help," she said, with more accusation in her voice than she intended. "I thought it better than worrying," he responded, "I'm sorry I didn't ask you first." Now she felt bad. "No, I'm not cross at you, I'm just cross. I'm sorry." Enrique had been quiet so far, but he was pacing and red-faced. Now he burst in, "Don't do it, Zoe. All you could have told them would be what you know about me, and Travis, and they probably knew that already. It's not worth taking the drugs!" "So my results are back?" she asked as calmly as she could. "Yes," said Grey, "It seems they needed quite a lot to get whatever it is they wanted from you." "So what's in me, what are we dealing with?" she asked, dreading the answer. "Ecstasy, methamphetamine, secanol, versed, and a new designer drug based off of the date rape drug Rohypnal. They are in amounts from insignificant to near-overdose. I'm not sure how you are behaving normally with so much still in you," Grey said with concern. "I feel ok. I have a headache, but I get those when I sleep during the daytime. I don't feel like I have a bunch of drugs in me," Zoe responded, walking to the sofa and sitting down. Enrique came immediately to sit beside her. "Don't take any more. We don't need to know what happened. It will only upset you and the drugs aren't safe," he said, grabbing her hand and holding it in both of his. Zoe couldn't help thinking he might not be so concerned for her well-being if he knew what she was going to have to tell him soon. Instead she squeezed his hands and said, "I do think we need to know what I did or told them during those three days I'm missing. If Grey thinks the way to find that out is to take more of the drugs, then that is what I'll do." Enrique turned toward Grey and started to say something, but Grey held up his hand and Enrique stopped. Grey said, "We have discussed this all we can. There is no other way to get to those memories. Zoe has stated her desire to continue with the plan, so that is what we will do." Enrique looked as if he would like to punch Grey, but instead he turned pleading eyes back on Zoe. She squeezed his hand again and stood up, walking in front of the desk Grey stood behind. "When do we get started?" she asked. Looking directly into her eyes he said gently, "The sooner the better I think." Zoe felt tears threaten to start and swallowed twice before saying, "Then let's get started."   Sixteen "All right, the X should be in your system now, so I'm going to start the amphetamine drip. I'll titrate it to the dose needed to free the memories, while monitoring your vital signs. Grey, let us know if the fog lifts, or if you see any untoward reactions," the doctor explained after starting the IV. "Zoe, are you ready?" Grey asked. "As ready as I'll ever be to have someone pump drugs in my system while someone else mines my brain for information." Zoe responded, trying to smile. "We don't have to do this," Grey said, "if you don't want to. We can get by without knowing." "No. I think it's important to know," Zoe said with conviction. "Go ahead, doctor. I'm coming in now, Zoe," Grey said, taking her hand. Then in her mind he continued, "as I pull those memories out, you will need to speak what we see. If there is something you want to edit for the others, that's fine. You have control of what they hear." "Thank you, Grey," she answered in her head, "Have I mentioned I love you?" "As a matter of fact, you haven't," he continued, to her alone. "I'm really looking forward to hearing that." "You just did," she said. "I mean out loud, face-to-face," he responded, sending her an image of a kiss. Zoe felt herself blush. She hoped the people watching would just think it was a reaction to the drugs she was starting to feel course through her body. She really hated the drug part, but it was comforting to have Grey with her through it. She saw the fog that had shrouded the memories earlier. She felt Grey prodding at them. For a few minutes she was lost in the fog, seeing nothing, then images started to clarify. She began to speak what she saw. "Z offered me food and drink. There was so much on the table, but it sickened me even to look at it. He was pushing me to have some wine, but I refused. That's when he had them tie me to the chair and started injecting me with different things." "You refused his first temptation, Zoe. That shows your strength," Grey said in her mind. She continued out loud, "When the drugs didn't work right away, they injected more. He started bringing people in front of me, and asking me to read them. Most of them just showed me depravity and violence, but some were clearer. I saw a battle that Travis, Enrique, Francis, and Genevieve were all at. Z was leading his side, but I never saw Grey, so I don't know who was leading your, or rather, our, side. It was very dark, and I couldn't tell where it was. Our side was defeating theirs, it seemed, until Z held up something. Electricity seemed to emanate from it, and it started cutting down angels. I couldn't see what it was." Lesser Gods Ch. 14-16 She paused to take a few breaths." I didn't tell him about the object he held, only how the battle seemed to be going to our side. He demanded to know where it was, and I thought he meant where the battle was being fought, but when I said it was too dark to tell, he struck me and demanded to know where the Fist of Apollo was. I didn't understand at first, but that must have been what he held. I said I didn't see any fist. He put Abigail in front of me again. I read her earlier and didn't tell Z that she was planning on killing him. This time I saw her pocket the Fist, at that little battle in an alleyway. I saw her stab him, and he choked on his own blood, but this time I saw him pull the blade out and turn on her. Something had already changed the outcome. I didn't know what to tell him. I didn't want him to know she would find the Fist, and I didn't want to be the cause of him surviving her attack, but I didn't know what to say. My mind was getting so fuzzy from the drugs. I think I must have passed out at that point, because the next thing I remember is being doused with cold water. "He paraded more people in front of me, and everything repeated from different points of view. I told a few of them they would die, but Z hit me again each time, demanding I not say that any more. I think he was afraid they wouldn't fight if they knew they were going to die." She started to shake uncontrollable. Grey increased the soothing hormones, and the doctor cut back on the amphetamine drip. She calmed down and continued, "Z kept me awake a long time, refusing me food or water, demanding that I tell him where the fist is. I didn't actually know where it was, only who was going to find it, so I just kept saying 'I don't know' and that went on for a day at least. He must have called in a lot more of his people, because he started parading them past me, too. I just kept seeing the same stuff. "Z left for a while. Abigail brought me a bottle of water and released one of my hands. I read her and saw that I was safe for the near future and accepted the water. I started to ask her about her plans, but she shook her head, so I guess we were still being monitored. A young man wearing just a loin cloth brought in food and more wine. Abigail explained that Z was offering me his best, that I should accept the food, and the man. I refused to speak or even look at it, or him. She laughed at me. She told me it was pointless to resist him, that eventually I would have to accept, and then accepting would become easier and easier, not to mention more pleasurable. I kept my head down, and prayed for protection. "Z came back and when he saw I hadn't accepted his gifts, he started raging, breaking things, threatening me. He said awful things, things he would do to me, things he would let others do to me. Then suddenly he became formal and civil again. He even apologized. Then he told me the pleasures of working with him, how I could have the best of everything: food, possessions, any man or woman I wanted. I stayed quiet, and that seemed to infuriate him. He told someone to increase the dose of whatever they were giving me. I started to hallucinate, at least. I think I was hallucinating. It was horrible." She felt herself sob, and felt Grey calm her and squeeze her hand. She didn't think she needed to tell them the things she saw, the things she wasn't sure were really happening. Suddenly she saw a vision that caused her and Grey both to gasp. "What?" said Travis and Enrique together. "I saw myself," Zoe started, but wasn't sure she could complete the sentence. Suddenly Grey wasn't in her head, and the memories were a fog again. "Cut the drip," Grey said to the doctor. "Give her the Ativan. We need to move Zoe to a safe house, under triple guard." "What did she see?" Enrique demanded, standing menacingly over Grey. "She saw herself tied to a stake, beaten," Grey answered, turning to Zoe and gathering both her hands in his, "dead." "That's impossible! Grey, this property is the safest place on Earth. How do you know moving her isn't the reason she, she," Enrique couldn't finish his sentence. He sat down next to Zoe and put his arm around her, resting his forehead on the top of her head. "I don't know. I only know we have always been protected here, but somehow she saw herself back in their midst, and we need to do everything we can to prevent that." Grey leaned in close to Zoe, "Are you all right?" "I'm a little shaky. Grey, I'm scared," she said. Grey looked briefly at Enrique, then wrapped his arms around Zoe and touched her mind. She opened willingly to him. "I love you, and I'll protect you with my life, and the lives of every member of my army. Zoe, this won't come to pass, I promise," he said silently. Enrique seemed confused, but backed off, then turned to Travis and began making the necessary arrangements for a safe house. Turning back to Grey and Zoe, he said, "I think we need to discuss a comprehensive plan. We need the other colonels here." Grey pulled away from Zoe reluctantly. "I agree. Make it so." "I think we need to continue to look at the memories. There might be more," Zoe hesitated, "more information to be learned." Grey looked at the doctor who was holding a syringe, ready to inject. "Hold off on that," he said to the doctor, then looking at Zoe, "Are you sure you're up to it? We can wait." "I'd rather get it over with all at once," she answered, glancing at the IV, "and be done with the drugs forever." "All right. Enrique, continue to work on the safe house. Travis, get the colonels here and brief them. We will all meet in the conference room in one hour," Grey commanded. Then to the doctor, "resume the amphetamine drip," and to Zoe, "Ready?" She nodded and closed her eyes. He was there, filling her with peace. They looked at memories for most of the hour without finding anything new. None of the other members of Z's forces provided any visions of the scene they had seen earlier. Grey told the doctor to stop the drip and give the Ativan just before the meeting of the colonels was due to start. "We still need to look for more," Zoe said, "I think there should be at least one more day unaccounted for." "We will try again after the meeting, if you're up to it," Grey replied, "But we are needed upstairs now." "We? You want me to come?" Zoe asked. "Of course. This meeting is all about that vision, and your safety. You need to be involved," Grey reasoned, "Plus, I want to monitor your reaction to the drugs." "Oh," was all she said. She stood, and became dizzy. Grey took her arm and wrapped an arm behind her. She felt someone take her other arm and opened her eyes to find Enrique beside her, looking concerned. "I've got her," Enrique said to Grey, "you go ahead." Grey looked to Zoe who nodded, and he rushed out the library door. She smiled at Enrique and said, "I needed to talk to you anyway." "I thought you might. I sensed something had changed, and then Travis said a few things..." he trailed off, then very softly said, "You're in love with Grey." "I'm sorry, Enrique. I really like you, and I really want to be friends, but the visions of my future with Grey, plus the intimacy we've shared mining for these memories...I just couldn't deny my feelings," she explained. "And he obviously loves you," Enrique said with conviction. "I've never seen him brighten just by looking at someone before. I understand. I'm not happy about it, but I'm happy for both of you." "Thank you," Zoe responded. "Will you still teach me to ride? I have a blast with you and the horses." "Yeah," he said with a sly smile, "They really enjoy it too, so I guess I'm stuck." Zoe gave him a punch in the shoulder then tugged him toward the door.   ************************************************* Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to vote and comment!