Page 37 of Medusa

I wonder if Hera knows he does this.

She found herself getting more into this fight compared to the last one and assumed it was because she knew one of the fighters. When it drew to a close and the fighters were bowing, the short man in the row ahead of her leaned over the skinny tall one.

She heard the short man say in a whiny tone, “Typhon, I’ve analyzed the McKellen brothers’ fights. They don’t make sense.”

The big man, the one she was scared of, replied, “Hush. Not here. Come on.” All three men got up and left via the main exit.

Maddie hurried after them, trying both to keep to the shadows and not look like she was following them. Fortunately, they were well ahead of her in the hallway. Their voices were quiet, but she caught a couple mumbles.

“—doesn’t make sense—”

“—strong or weak—”

“—too random—”

“—trying to say?” That was Typhon. He had paused to stare at his shorter companion and Maddie ducked into a hallway. Typhon sounded like he was about to explode.

“—saying that they randomly throw fights on purpose,” the small man whined.

There was a loud growl and then a thud. Maddie shuddered in her hallway, terrified to peek out to see what had made that noise.

“—back to the house,” Typhon said. “Our guest will—”

Maddie’s blood ran cold. They could only mean Jaden. There was no time to reach Chloe and get help. She’d have to trail them on her own. She swallowed hard.

I have no idea how to do this.

The voices in the hall got quieter as the men walked away. Maddie risked a glance and saw that they were almost at the door of the club. She waited until they’d left before hurrying down the hall after them. She passed a fist-sized hole in the wall and cringed. Typhon must be really strong to make a hole like that in solid concrete.

She nodded to the doorman, a Cyclops with one large brown eye in the middle of his forehead, and then paused before passing through the door. “Do you know how to get messages to the fighters quickly?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the Cyclops replied, gesturing over his shoulder where a black phone was concealed in a hole in the wall.

“Can you let Augustine McKellen know that I’m following a lead, please?” She didn’t wait for the Cyclops to answer before she was out the door and taking the steps outside two at a time, frantically looking both directions to try to find the three men.

They were walking quickly, nearing the end of the street furthest from the core of the Underworld.

Maddie kept to the shadows as much as she could, staying close to the sides of the buildings. It got easier when the storefronts changed to houses, as there were no neon lights illuminating her position.

The men turned a corner and she ran as fast as she could, glad that she was in good shape. When she got to the last house before the turn, she slowed and peered around the brick side, just in case the men were waiting for her.

She didn’t have to worry. They were still ahead of her, turning into the walkway of a small house that looked like it had seen better days on the other side of the street. She waited until they were inside before crossing the street herself and slipping into the backyard of the house directly across from her position.

The plan was to cut through the backyards of the next few houses to better sneak up on the house they had entered. She really wished she had backup.

As if in answer to her prayer, her phone buzzed against her leg and she pulled it out and answered it.

“Maddie?” Chloe’s voice was a welcome relief. “Augustine just called and said you had a lead? Where are you?”

“About to do something very stupid. Hurry and stop me.” Maddie gave her the address and then turned off her phone, continuing her way through the back gardens.

Hang on, Jaden.

I’m on my way.

CHAPTER10

Despite the awkwardposition of his body and the rumbling in his stomach, Jaden found himself dozing. He couldn’t support his full weight on his arms, so any time his body started to sag, the pain in his shoulders would jerk him awake.

---