This is a work of gay-themed romantic fantasy. Some chapters (like this one) include graphic descriptions of sex, not all of which is between adults or consensual. If reading material of this nature upsets or offends you then do us both a favor and click away now. Nifty reaches a pretty-much worldwide audience and you know your laws better than I; if reading something like this would compromise either of us legally, please follow the above instructions. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my latest story.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Sailing With Zeus
DJ opened the door to find Brad "balls deep" in Hank McCaughey. "Whoa, dude!" the kid exclaimed. "We're supposed to go sailing with Zeus! Why aren't you getting ready?"
"Because," the newest Olympian replied, not pausing his slow, deep thrusting into Hank's eager hole, "we're supposed to go AFTER breakfast! Mr. Storm asked us to be at the docks around ten o'clock! It's barely after seven!"
"So--who's the big guy?" DJ asked. "I haven't seen him before! He's HAWT!"
"Kid, you're cute..." Hank told DJ, "but I don't do teeny-boppers! Come back when you're older!"
Brad had to smile. "Meet DJ van Daam, AKA Ganymede," he said. "He's fourteen going on four thousand minus a few decades! Maybe a few hundred years one way or another..."
"Hey, I'll be fifteen in August!" the reincarnated Ganymede protested.
"Man, that's fucked up!" Hank commented as DJ began to undress. "Whoa, kid, that's not gonna happen!"
"DJ--you need to ask before you decide to join a party already in progress!" Brad told him.
"Aww--dude! You're no fun!"
"I know," Brad replied with a wry smile. "Besides--don't you want to save yourself for Zeus later today?"
"I guess..."
"Run along then!" Brad told him. "Hank and I will be down for breakfast soon enough; once we've finished eating, I'll call us a Zephyr so we can ride down to the marina."
"Why don't you just translocate' us?" DJ asked. "You know everything, and you could pop' us right there!"
"Because, bucko," Brad replied, "on a Saturday in the middle of the summer holiday, the marina is going to be crowded with `Mundanes'! We don't need to cause talk and suspicion by popping up in the middle of a bunch of tourists! It's easier to take a Zephyr and avoid the hassle!"
"How come you don't have a car of your own?" the kid asked. "Thanks to your drawing account you can afford anything you want!"
"At some point I guess I'll have to get something," the newest Olympian told him. "I've been a little busy getting my new Godly powers under control and helping you, Dave, and Dennis! Even with all my powers, I can't be two places at the same time!"
"You need to hire a staff!"
Brad sighed. "It's on the list, DJ... Now--would you mind leaving us alone for a while? I'd really like to finish up here!"
"How are ye likin' Olympus Island so far, lad?" Dennis asked once Brad and Hank made it downstairs to join him and the other houseguests for breakfast. "I hope it's not troublin' ye o'er much?"
Hank smiled. "Being a lycanthrope, it wasn't that much of a stretch to find out magic was real and the ancient Gods walked among us--at least in some form..." he replied. "Brad and I talked a lot about Bonding' and what that would mean to me; in the end, we both pretty much decided that a Bond' with him really wouldn't serve either of us! We'll just be friends--with benefits!"
"Then would ye consider `Bondin' wi' me, lad?"
Again, the beefy brown-haired man smiled. "Make me an offer!" he replied. "I'm open to a `Bond', but, thanks to Brad, I want to make sure I get a good deal out of it! I'm representing myself right now, and I could use some help breaking through to the next level."
"I can help ye wi' that!" Dennis promised him.
"And I'll review the contract before you sign anything!" Brad assured him. "Dennis is a good guy, and my dad knows how to write an excellent contract, but I want to make sure you don't get screwed over. Dennis is also a good businessman, and I'd hate to see one of my friends locked into a bad long-term contract!"
Now it was Dennis's turn to smile. "No worries, lad, I'll treat tha `Beast' fairly! Are ye averse ta doin' porn?"
"Not really..." Hank replied after a bit of thought. "I don't suppose I could talk you into doing a scene with me, Brad?"
"Sorry, no," the newest Olympian was quick to reply. "As an entertainer, a bit of `infamy' would probably help boost your profile! Me, as a future businessman, it would turn off a lot of potential clients and make it harder for me to work as a general rule; ergo--no porn!"
"I'll do it!" DJ volunteered.
"NO!" came several voices from around the table.
"Buckaroo..." his Uncle Dave said, "you may have an old soul', but ya got a fourteen-year-old body! We get ya have--certain needs--an' I'm sure th' boys here will be happy t' see those needs r' met..." This statement brought a chorus of agreement from the satyrs. "Still, if ya plan t' be more `n' an Olympian pass-around cum dump--ya need t' think about y'rself an' what ya want outta life!"
"Plus, you've got your parents, grandparents, and the rest of your family to think about!" Brad put in. "Doing something like that would hurt them!"
"I don't care if it hurts my parents!" DJ said stubbornly.
"But I'll bet ye still care about yer van Daam grandparents," Dennis added, "an' at least some of yer aunts an' uncles."
"Plus, there's your sisters to think about!" Brad said.
"I guess..." the youngster replied. "Oh well--I'll just have to pretend to be a good boy and get my `itch' scratched privately!"
"So--any trouble from our `adventures' last night?" Dennis asked.
"Zeus had a LONG chat with Ra this morning," Brad replied. "Suffice it to say Ra isn't very happy with what I did to the Sheik and his bodyguards! Of course, he'll be even less happy when he finds out what they've been doing out in their desert hideaway, so I'm not worried!"
"What about the guy you sent into Putin's bedroom?" Hank asked.
"Chernobog isn't a fan of "Poots"; he actually thought it was funny," the young man replied. "He covered me--this once... I'm going to have to be careful I don't end up having to visit Russia, though, or I may find myself owing the `Black God' a favor! I probably should have thought of that before I zapped Murry there! Oh well--live and learn..."
"Chernobog?" Corey said. "Isn't that the Mercedes truck brand?"
"No, that's `Unimog'," Brad told him. "Chernobog is a Slavic Deity that got a lot of bad press! He's actually not all that bad of a guy--once you get to know him..."
Zeus's yacht, the Queen of Olympus, was a three-decked futuristic catamaran all in gleaming white with large expanses of dark smoked glass to let in the views. "Wow, that looks like something out of Star Trek!" DJ observed.
"It does," Brad agreed. "Add in the fact the craft has an onboard Fusion Power Sphere, its own AI, and multiple replicators, and you pretty much have the Enterprise!"
"All it needs is phasers!" DJ commented.
"There are phased-energy weapons built in," Brad told him. "If you look closely, you might even see the projectors around the top deck! The Queen of Olympus even has force shields! Pretty much every piece of ultratech OlympusCo has is incorporated in that craft."
"That is so cool!" DJ caught a glimpse of the new Zeus waving at the two younger men from the top deck. Today the CEO of OlympusCo and King of the Gods had ditched the usual designer suit and changed into some white shorts and a pilot shirt that looked like they could have come straight out of an episode of The Love Boat. He even had an officer's cap to complete the look, although he didn't wear the nearly knee-high socks with his white canvas shoes. The outfit hugged his muscular curves and didn't manage to look ridiculously retro. "Hey, Mr. Storm!" DJ called, waving frantically.
"Come aboard, boys!" the man replied, with his own wave. "Follow the lights; they'll lead you right to me!"
"This IS just like the Enterprise!" DJ said, half in awe. "I really need to get used to stuff like this on Olympus Island..."
"Me too!" Brad agreed. The newest Olympian would have loved to peek behind some of the doors as the pair made their way up first into the large, well-appointed main salon then up a spiral staircase to the
"Captain's Lounge" where Zeus, AKA Jonathan Storm, was waiting for them. "Permission to come aboard?" he said, throwing the Captain a jaunty salute.
"Granted!" DJ bounced into the older man's waiting embrace, and the two were soon in a long, deep, lip lock while Brad simply watched and waited for the two to decide if they would let each other go or rip their clothes off and start fucking right there.
Eventually, though, it was Zeus who broke the kiss and turned his attention to Brad. "It seems you were having adventures last night..." he observed. "I had a long talk with Amun-Ra. He was most unhappy about what you did to one of his favorites..."
"I suppose Ra didn't think to ask why I did it?"
"No," the older man replied. "Would you care to tell me?"
"Sheikh Mahmoud kidnapped me and two of Dionysus's satyrs from Sharkey's," the newest Olympian replied. "It seems Mahmoud has a thing for blond twinks and twunks; he likes to brutalize them, and, often as not, his victims end up dead! The Sheikh leaves it to Thoth to `dispose' of the bodies in the desert. I wasn't going to have that..."
Storm nodded. "No, the Pharaoh didn't see fit to mention that..." he observed. "I suppose you can prove it?"
"If I have to..." the newest Olympian replied. "I'm opposed to kidnapping and murder--especially when I'm the intended victim! You might want to let the Pharaoh know the Sheikh and his friends murdered nine young men; I doubt it'll make much difference to him, but he should know! Didn't Ares send you a report? He said he would..."
"It's probably buried somewhere in my `in box'..." the King of Olympus admitted. "I'll make sure to mention that if the Pharaoh decides to complain again,"
"You aren't going to demand some sort of retribution?" This genuinely shocked the reincarnated Ganymede. "I didn't think you'd allow the Egyptians to take a shot at one of your subjects!"
"I'm dancing on a wire here, boyo," Zeus told him. "One of Ra's associates' kidnapped some of my subjects--however inadvertently! Bradley slapped them back--in a most delightful way, if I do say so myself! The Pharaoh, or more likely one of his associates, will investigate, and what they got up to will come to light. Honor is satisfied that way, and our cold' war with the Egyptians doesn't escalate! Do you see what I mean, young man?"
"I guess..." But it was clear DJ didn't get it even if Brad did.
"So--are you boys ready to cast off?"
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Brad said with a smile. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"No," Storm replied. "The Queen is pretty well self-automated; once the dock crew unties us, we can weigh anchor and be on our way!"
"Where's DJ?" Zeus asked once he'd seen the yacht safely on it's way into the sound. "I'm surprised he isn't hanging all over me."
"Sorry," Brad said. "I sent him to your cabin to pick out the `perfect' swimsuit! I needed to talk to you a bit, and I wasn't sure when I'd get the chance with Ganymede around..."
"He does have quite the pull," the older man admitted. "You know you could have simply called my office, and we could have scheduled a chat..."
"Tried that," the newest Olympian replied a bit sourly. "Your secretary told me she could `fit me in' sometime in September! At least she offered to notify me if you had any cancelations--and nobody more important was ahead of me."
"I think I'm going to need to speak to my secretary!" Storm said, even as the sky started to cloud up a bit. "There are clearly some leftover rules my predecessor set in place that aren't benefiting me!"
"Ya THINK?" Brad couldn't resist a bit of snark.
Zeus chose to let this pass. "Now that you have my undivided attention, what do you need, young man?"
"I was talking with Prometheus..." Brad told him. "He had a foreshadowing of trouble. We need to start preparing so we're ahead of the curve."
"I see..." Storm shook his head, but the quickly gathering clouds began to dissipate. "I suppose my secretary blocked him as well?" Brad nodded. "OK--DEFINITELY talking with her! What's up?"
"Prometheus says the Chinese Deities will let slip a virus that causes a global pandemic," Brad said flatly. "The first American hotspot will be in Seattle..."
"Which puts Olympus Island square in the crosshairs!" Zeus said. "What do we need to do?"
"We'll need to send Hermes to Wuhan to get a sample of the disease," the newest Olympian told him. "Apollo and Asclepios will have to fast-track a vaccine, and we'll need to figure out a way to scan for the virus so the whole island doesn't get infected."
"Good points," the King of the Gods agreed. "Do we Olympians have to worry about catching the disease?"
"It's called COVID-19, and, no, we don't," Brad told him. "It wasn't designed as a weapon against us or our Bondsmen--but it's going to kill a LOT of `ordinary' American citizens--particularly older folks with pre-existing conditions! OlympusCo needs to start manufacturing masks, ventilators and personal protective equipment as well..."
"Why?" the King wanted to know.
"Because right now a lot of that stuff comes from China," the strawberry blond young man replied. "They'll keep it for themselves and buy from other countries so there will be a global shortage. The federal government isn't going to be much help here, so the states and private companies will have to take the lead! You might even end up getting invited to the White House for a photo op with the President!"
"Can't wait..." Zeus ran a hand through his lush salt-and-pepper hair. "Ah well--what can't be cured must be endured, I suppose! But, yes, we can do this. If we announce we're producing the items and start manufacturing and sales, we'll be ahead of the curve!"
"And our replicators can keep ahead of the demand!" Brad agreed.
"Good!" Storm said. "Bradley--thank you for sharing this with me! In future, I'll make sure you and Prometheus have access to me--and I want you to let me know when either of you spot something that could negatively impact the Island or OlympusCo!"
"I can do that..." Brad promised. "I'm sure Prometheus will as well--provided he isn't blocked."
"I'll see that doesn't happen again!"
"Thank you, Sir," Brad said. "A more-direct line to you will help head off future catastrophes."
"Agreed!" Zeus replied. "Since we're on the subject--we should probably discuss how you see yourself fitting into the OlympusCo `family', as it were..."
"Honestly, I hadn't really thought much past summer's end..." Brad admitted. "Right now I'm still helping Dennis, Dave, and DJ master their abilities and new roles--particularly the van Daams! Dennis, at least, had a nodding acquaintance with the Olympians before he was elevated, but Dave hardly knew anything! Ganymede's memories are so screwed up and frankly fragmented, most of them anyway, it's kind of like he's starting from square one as well."
"How do you think they are coming along?"
Brad thought for a minute, checking and cross-checking his experience with the van Daams. "Dave is doing pretty well..." he finally said. "He went to Prometheus and traded for knowledge he'd need to fill the role of a Doctor. I think he'll fit in; he comes from `common' stock, so I doubt he's going to go nuts with his new status and powers."
"And young DJ?"
"He's a teenager with virtually unlimited power," the newest Olympian replied bluntly. "He respects his Uncle Dave and likes Dennis; I think he's a bit in awe of me, but I don't push it. I'm hoping that with all of us as examples he'll be on an even keel by the time I have to go back to school this fall..."
"You do realize you don't NEED to go to college?" Zeus offered.
"With all due respect, Sir, I think I do..." Brad's answer was blunt, and it startled the Chief Executive of OlympusCo a bit. "I might have enough knowledge to teach every course at the university, but I lack the experience! Even if I just phone the course work in, I need to get it done; there are those who won't take me seriously because I don't have `letters' behind my name..."
Jonathan Storm raised an eyebrow. "I'm sensing a story there..." he said.
"I suppose you know I've been working on a way to synthesize a couple of different technologies at the Forge so we can re-grow missing limbs?" he said.
Zeus nodded. "Initially I wondered why we'd need to do that when we have Apollo and Asclepios on staff," he said. "Then I realized their healing factors take time and energy--which might be in short supply if something critical happens. How is that coming along?"
"Slowly," Brad admitted. "Between helping Dennis get a handle on his businesses and the van Daams settled into their new roles and teaching them how to use their powers, I just don't have as much time as I'd like! Not to mention all the stuff I'm supposed to be doing for myself, like selecting a Demesne and picking a Bond' color... Still and all, I've been able to put in a few hours a week at the Forge, and Hephaestus asked me to sit in on one of his Round Tables'."
"I'm guessing it didn't go well?"
"A lot of the engineers wondered why a `punk kid' was offering THEM advice on how to fix their issues," he said. "Hephaestus told them I had access to Prometheus's knowledge and they should listen, but that wasn't happening! I ended up working them around until one of them came up with exactly the same suggestion I'd made an hour earlier!"
"I suppose I can see why you'd want a degree..." the new Zeus allowed. "I trust it won't interfere with the work I have planned for you here."
Brad stiffened just a bit. "What work?" he said, his emotional temperature dropping. "Are you offering me a job, or do you just expect me to keep working for free?"
"If you've established a drawing account, you've already accepted the job as far as I'm concerned!" the King replied. "Every Olympian is expected to further the interests of the Island and OlympusCo--even new Gods!"
"Really?" Brad was starting to get angry. "What exactly does Aurora do?" he asked coldly. "How about Eos--and Ganymede for that matter? Or does warming the CEO's bed count as furthering the `interests' of the Island and OlympusCo!"
Jonathan Storm sighed. "I suppose I shouldn't have started an argument," he finally said. "Aurora and Eos don't actually have much in the way of powers or skills that could be useful. Yes, Eos makes little `crafty' things she sells at the Farmers' Market, but you are correct, OlympusCo gains nothing from any of the three you mentioned--other than the knowledge we can count on them to take up arms should the Island ever need them. You, on the other hand, have a very unique talent that could make you a major player in Olympus, provided you aren't too bull-headed to realize you've just been handed a golden opportunity!"
"I don't see indefinite indentured servitude as any sort of opportunity!"
"That's because you haven't heard my offer," the CEO replied calmly. "I'd like to set you up as a consultant; you've already proven that you are singularly qualified to help new Gods settle into their positions. Dave, Dennis and DJ have proven that! But there's so much more you could be doing! Thanks to the accident at the docks, you've shown you can manage a disaster and probably be a damned fine criminal investigator if your mind worked that way..."
"Hmm..." Brad did find this oddly intriguing. "Very likely I'd have to work backward since I could probably identify motive', means' and `opportunity', but then I'd have to find a way to prove it in court..."
"Indeed!" Zeus said. "You would also be invaluable assessing potential investment opportunities and business partnerships--and I could see you being very useful during negotiations as you picked up on what it would take to bring the other side around!"
"So, what are you offering?"
"A damn good salary and a seat on my advisory council for starters..." the King of the Gods replied. "I'll also fast-track the set-up of your Demesne and the consulting firm; I know you have a lot on your plate already, and I'll do all I can to help you get the firm up and running."
"How do you think the `senior' Olympians will react to me joining the council?" Brad asked.
"Po-Po won't take it well," Zeus replied. "I'm not sure about Hades--but he, at least, understands how valuable someone like you could be. I doubt Hera will object; she likes you! Ares and Athena do too--in fact Chief Mars was the one who suggested you join us. I don't see any of the others objecting, so I think we're good on that front. Oh--and I also intend to invite Prometheus."
"Good move that!" Brad agreed.
A few minutes after Brad and the King of Olympus finished their conversation, DJ came back out on deck wearing nothing but a smile, his smooth but lithely muscled and lanky boy body on full display. His creamy skin was hairless except for a few red hairs under his arms and a "burning bush" fanning out proudly over his long, thick uncut boy cock. DJ's hands and feet seemed slightly outsized for his frame, but Brad suspected the kid just needed to grow into them. He gave the two older men a lazy smile. "Didja miss me?" he asked.
"I thought you were going to pick out a bathing suit, boyo?" Storm said.
"I thought about it," the teenager replied. "I even ended up trying on a dozen different suits before deciding why mess with perfection?"
"Cheeky little monkey, aren't you?" Zeus said, giving the boy a long, hot look-over. DJ didn't respond, instead choosing to strike a pose that would have done a classical statue proud. It showed off everything to perfection, and it affected the older man in a clearly visible way. "Come here, boy," he growled. "Let me show you how much I've missed you!"
DJ made his way to the older man, who pulled him into a tight, passionate hug. The two men were soon kissing deeply, like long-lost lovers--which Brad supposed they were. "Ah--do you want me to give you two some privacy?" Brad asked. He felt a bit voyeuristic, like he was watching some intimacy best left alone.
"Stick around," the older man said. "I'll need you to open up DJ a bit before he takes my cock!"
"Uh..." Truth to tell, watching the two men kiss made Brad just a bit uncomfortable. Ganymede and Zeus had been lovers for literally thousands of years; they knew every inch of the other's body and how best to please one another. DJ, however, was fourteen years old and but recently lost his virginity, and he and Jonathan Storm had barely exchanged a hundred words Still, it was clear nothing he could say or do was going to derail this "love train", so Brad simply decided not to interfere and let their story run its course. At least this time around Zeus seemed willing to let Ganymede have an independent life of his own and let him be something more than a minor player in his own story.
DJ came up for air after another steamy kiss. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Aren't you happy for me?"
"I'm very happy for all of you!" Brad replied. "DJ--I'm glad you escaped a shitty home life, and I'm happy to know you've achieved such an excellent union with Ganymede. Zeus, I'm glad you got your favorite fuck buddy back in your life! That being said, I'm addressing both the Gods and their human hosts, you need to understand I don't have thousands of years of experience to come to terms with this! I'm brand new to the game, and it might take a little time for my emotions to catch up to your reality!"
"Who knew you could be so uptight?" DJ said dramatically. "You're what? Like twenty going on sixty, by cracky!"
"DJ--we need to let Bradley come to terms with everything in his own good time!" the newly-minted King of Olympus said wisely. "Brad isn't trying to push his agenda off on us, so we need to give him time and space to come to his own decision. I hope that will lead to acceptance, but if it doesn't, we have to learn to be OK with that as well..."
"I think I can make this work," Brad finally said. "Come here, DJ..." The naked teenager bounced over to where Brad stood and smiled. The newest Olympian reached for the kid's mouth and initiated a kiss; DJ responded with eagerness and a finesse no teenager even hoped to have. At first Brad was a bit taken aback, but he soon abandoned himself to enjoying the experience. DJ may have had a body that hadn't turned fifteen, but he clearly was no teenager--at least not where sex was concerned.
"Didja like that?" he asked, once he finally let Brad up for air.
"You could give sex lessons!" the newest Olympian told him.
"Hmm--maybe I'll become a sex therapist!" the naked teenager offered. "Or maybe just a sex surrogate!"
"Nah," Brad told him, "then it becomes too much like work! You don't want to get bored doing something you clearly enjoy and are so good at!"
"DJ--why don't you undress Bradley?" Storm suggested; the newest Olympian peeked over to find the King of the Gods had managed to lose all of his own clothing. He was sitting in an oversized lounge stroking a truly impressive cock. "I think I want to watch! This first round at least..."
DJ was nothing if not quick to follow his longtime lover's instructions. Brad cooperated by allowing him to pull his t-shirt over his head then watched as the teenager knelt before him to remove his shoes and peds. Once Brad's feet were properly bare, he reached up and removed the newest Olympian's khaki shorts and briefs. "Now, boyo--suck that cock!" Zeus ordered. "Show him how well I taught you!"
"Oh, I already knew that!" Brad panted. DJ was a talented and eager cock-sucker and soon had the strawberry blond boy at full erection. He chowed down for all his worth, easily swallowing Brad's ten inches without the slightest sign of distress. "Oh fuck!" he panted. "How does he do that?"
"Four thousand plus years of experience!" Zeus told him. "Yes, my boy! Suck that cock! Get our Brad so horny he won't be able to resist you!" The King of Olympus was certainly right in his statement; DJ sucked with wanton ardor and an expertise Brad couldn't hope to match. It wasn't long before the newest Olympian felt his orgasm bubbling up from inside and flooding the teenager's mouth with thick, white man-cream!
"Yum!" DJ exclaimed, licking his lips lasciviously. "Now--I want you to fuck me! I want you to fuck me hard, fast, and deep!"
"Do as he says!" Zeus ordered.
DJ threw himself onto an unoccupied lounge, spreading his legs wide and raising his hips so Brad could see the redhead's eager, winking hole that was already glistening with moist anticipation. Still, Brad found himself hesitating. For all Ganymede's thousands of years of sexual experience, DJ would forever be a virgin--no matter what pierced his tight ring, it would always be like the first time. It was Ganymede's blessing--and his curse. "Fuck me, damn it!" DJ panted. "I want your cock!"
Brad moved into position, carefully placing his still-hard rod at the redhead's tiny pink pucker. He pushed forward, and DJ cried out in pleasured pain as the young man breached his tight, ever-virgin outer ring. DJ was still incredibly tight but yielding as he slowly pushed forward until Brad's entire length was buried deep inside the teen's tight, grasping tunnel. DJ's talented anal muscles squeezed a rhythm on the hard invader plundering his ever-virgin ass. "Oh fuck, you're BIG!" DJ panted.
"You think that's big, wait `til Zeus shoves that monster of his up your shit chute!" Brad grunted. DJ was so tight it was almost uncomfortable, but his Godly ass-juices were the perfect lubricant--and unlike man-made stuff, it didn't wear away as he kept thrusting. Brad glanced over to see the King of Olympus stroking his truly gargantuan member in time to his own thrusting.
"Hmm..." DJ was looking over at his lover as well, his blue eyes hot with longing desire. "I can't wait for that to be inside me!" This comment was enough for Brad to realize he was just a warm-up act for the main event. He began fucking faster and harder into the teen's tightness. Brad gave the teen what he asked for: a hard, fast fuck that soon caused both men to orgasm in quick succession. "Wow, thanks, Brad!" the kid said. "Now--move along! I want big, bad John to fuck me!"
Brad sighed as Zeus moved in to take his place. He didn't stick around to watch the action; he already knew how this story was going to play out. First DJ would be a whimpering mass of quivering jelly as his older lover filled him up and fucked him with that truly regal rod of his. Later the two would be copulating like mad minks, but during the whole time he would be an unneeded third wheel. "Have fun, you two!" he said, grabbing his discarded clothing. "I'm going to grab a shower and maybe have some lunch..." The two didn't even see him depart.
Brad found an unlocked empty cabin and slipped inside. The décor was neutral, but the room was spacious, with plenty of room to move around. The attached bath, while not as grand as some shore-side rooms, was adequate to his needs, with a rain-head shower large enough to fit him (and probably another person should there be anyone he chose to invite). The water stayed hot and was plentiful, thanks to the onboard Water Mixer and Power Sphere. When he stepped out into the main cabin, the young man found his clothes freshly-laundered and laid out on the bed, waiting for him.
"Bradley, dear," said AIDIA, "once you've dressed--could you come up to the bridge? There's something I think you need to see..."
The young strawberry blond didn't waste time asking "what", he just dressed quickly and made his way to the bridge. "What is it, AIDIA?" he asked.
"We have a small craft trailing us aft and to starboard," the AI replied. "I've tried increasing speed to lose it, but that hasn't worked. The number on the craft and sail identifies it as one of the rental boats from the Olympus Island Marina; a craft that size shouldn't be able to keep up with the Queen of Olympus at full speed."
"Indeed!" Brad replied. The newest Olympian summoned a pair of binoculars and trained them on the small craft trailing them. It was indeed one of the Sabots available for rental at the marina. He saw it was piloted by a large, well-tanned, muscular blond with blue eyes in a tank top and pale denim cargo shorts. The single sailor seemed to know Brad was looking at him, because a broad, white-toothed smile split the sailor's face as he gave the boat a friendly wave. "What kind of readings are you getting from that boat?" he asked, switching into battle mode.
"I'm not getting anything out-of-the ordinary," the AI replied. "I find no indication of any kind of engine or weapons on board. That being said, I can find no explanation for how the ship is able to keep up with us."
"Please call the marina," Brad told the AI. "Find out who rented that boat!"
AIDIA did as directed. "The rental shop says the craft isn't supposed to be in use currently," the AI told him. "I asked them to check to see if the boat was there, and they found it missing."
"Thank you, AIDIA," Brad said, remembering to be polite to the ship's Artificial Intelligence. "Have you tried slowing this ship down?"
"I have," the AI replied. "The craft slows to keep pace with us.
Brad sighed. "I don't suppose there's any point in sending a drone over there..." he finally said.
"Frankly, no..." the AI replied. "It would simply show yet another of our capabilities; I won't be able to get any better data with the drone than I can from here. Furthermore, your sensory capabilities far outweigh mine."
"I'm not able to get anything!" Brad said. "I can see that guy over there, but I'm not able to pick up anything!"
"Like when Prometheus blocked you?"
The newest Olympian shook his head. "Then I KNEW I was being blocked!" he growled. "This time there's just--nothing--there! I can't trace him back any farther than when you told me about that ship!"
"Did you check with the Olympians to see if they know what's going on?"
The newest Olympian contacted first Prometheus, then Athena, followed by Hecate and Mnemosyne, but all four denied knowing anything, and Brad believed them. "That was a dry well..." he said after the last call.
"I'm sorry, Bradley," the AI replied. "Whoever was following us has disappeared."
"Damn!" the newest Olympian growled. "I can't follow him!"
"I guess that's just a mystery we'll have to leave for another day..." AIDIA offered. "I'm sorry, Bradley."
Zeus and Ganymede spent the afternoon screwing, and Brad left them to it. Instead he spent time reading and responding to emails, surfing the web, and checking up on his social media accounts. Finding nothing of any real interest, he ended up playing Gaslight Empire on the My Worlds ™ platform. The man got lost in the vast first-person steampunk adventure, just wandering around the city checking out all the amazing "retro-future" gadgets, until he ran into an avatar of another PC that looked surprisingly like the sailor that had briefly pursued the Queen of Olympus.
Brad then moved from the Gaslight Empire platform to Doc Sidhe, an Art Deco Dick Tracy city populated by humans and various of the Fey. This time it didn't take but a few minutes for the blond avatar of the sailor to find him. He made a quick jump through various versions of the Legion of Superheroes, but each time the avatar found him. Finally in Legion 21, a present-day version of the LSH, he decided to confront the individual only to find the avatar vanished away in the crowd, and there was nothing he could do with all his Godly powers and computer skills to find him. "Well, SHIT!" he growled.
"Dude, who peed in your Cheerios?" DJ asked, emerging from Zeus's cabin freshly showered and dressed.
"I hope you aren't angry with us, Bradley," Zeus said.
"Not at all!" Brad told him. "Honestly, this is pretty much what I expected when we came on this little adventure, with one critical exception..."
"And that would be...?" Zeus questioned.
The newest Olympian related his experience with the little sailboat that had managed to keep pace with the large motor yacht and what had happened while he was playing My Worlds ™.
"Wow, I thought nobody or nothing could hide from you!" DJ said. Even he was concerned about hearing the other young man's news.
"Certain Gods can..." Brad told him. "I imagine some magical types and some Metahumans could as well, but at least with those sorts I can pick SOMETHING up!"
"This isn't good!" Jonathan Storm said. "I suppose you'll just have to wait `til this individual either slips up or decides to make contact with you."
They had dinner on The Queen of Olympus and watched the sunset under the Eos Bridge then made their way back to the marina and docked in the twilight. "Thanks for taking us out!" DJ said.
"I look forward to doing this again!" Storm said. "Although next time I think we should invite someone Brad likes so he doesn't feel left out when we start fooling around."
"I'll call a Zephyr," Brad said.
"Can't we just translocate home!" DJ whined.
"I've already explained that," the newest Olympian sighed. "DJ--even at this hour there are plenty of Mundanes around the marina! We can't risk using our powers. We're going to have to behave like plain ordinary mortals for a little while! It's bad enough we came in on this giant, futuristic boat!"
"You're no fun!" DJ said again.
"Yeah, I know," Brad told him. "I'm used to hearing that..."
END CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I received a very nice note from "Jamaica" Dave who pointed out that I may have been geographically and culturally insensitive with my portrayal of Jean-Jacques back in Chapter Seven. In an attempt to broaden my "character palette" and explore new territory as a writer I inadvertently perpetrated racial and cultural stereotypes that may have offended some of my readers. To you, if you are still reading my work, I honestly and sincerely apologize: please know this came from a place of ignorance rather than trying to be denigrating. If I caused any upset or offense I will certainly do my best to avoid making those same mistakes in the future and I hope you will stick with me.
Shout out to "Aaron Jay" who paid me the greatest compliment by asking me if he could "borrow" my creations for his own story about the Norse Gods. I sort of told him "no" but said he could write his own story "inspired" by my creation (which, in fact, was inspired by a New Zealand TV show called The Almighty Johnsons (which is well-worth checking out on Netflix) not to mention the already-acknowledged Tripp Savidge who wrote Bacchus Springs.
Thanks to all of you who have written: sorry this installment took so long to reach press; the real world ate my face--and not in a good way. As always, questions, comments, suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. Drop me a line to HonableRonable@gmail.com or RonVenable@hotmail.com and I WILL reply. Stay safe all.
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