Page 20 of Taurus's Quest
“Meaning we’re facing a new threat, one that likely originates from outside this solar system.” Aries stood. “Capricorn and Zora, I want you to head to Athens. Find out everything you can about this Andreas. Go through his home. His office. Also, be sure to see if you can collect any of his remains for analysis.”
“On it, boss.” The pair left, and Aries turned to Aquarius next. “I want to know more about this asteroid and see if Tower has any old records that indicate what might have infected Andreas.”
“You think he caught something?” the other man asked.
“Maybe. We need to find out if he was born that way, tainted from contact with an artifact, or if something might have attached itself to use him as a conduit.”
“Like a parasite,” Aquarius murmured.
“Could have also been magic,” Sage added. “Perhaps he was compelled by a spell.”
Circe listened in disbelief as they all spoke seriously about Andreas being controlled by a bug or magic. At least they seemed to have moved past their theory about demonic possession.
When Aquarius left, she couldn’t help but blurt out, “Is this really happening?”
Aries nodded. “This is all very much real, and it appears you might have a pivotal role to play. I’d like to see your results with the Antikythera mechanism. You said you had a replica of it.”
“Yes, in my apartment.”
“Which might not be accessible if authorities were alerted to the explosion,” Aries mused aloud. “What if we could build you a new one?”
“Tower won’t be able to do that.” Sage shook her head. “Not only is the Antikythera mechanism too complex a machine, the replicated versions are lacking parts.”
“Even so, the device seemed to work,” Aries countered.
“Does it though? Part of my research was to see if they guessed correctly when recreating it,” Circe explained. “It’s very possible they didn’t, and the planets haven’t moved and the asteroid won’t hit.” Ignoring her gut, Circe downplayed her own conviction.
Aries frowned. “You wouldn’t be here if that were the case. You were brought to our attention for a reason.”
“My husband is right. You’re here because you’re the only one who sees the coming danger. I might not be seeing much since the baby’s birth, but I did get a flash. That asteroid is going to hit.”
“No, it won’t, because I’m going to stop it.” A firm declaration by Aries, immediately countered by a lisped, “You can’t, Uncy Aries.” A little girl entered, her solemn expression at odds with her cartoon-covered tracksuit.
“What do you mean, Olivia?” The big man moved from behind his desk and crouched to her height.
“The stars can’t see it, so they can’t stop it. Only the machine can.”
“What machine?”
The little girl pointed to Circe. “Her machine. She needs to make a new one with all the parts.”
“Me? I’m just an astronomer. I don’t know how to build anything,” Circe exclaimed.
“You won’t build it, silly.” The girl giggled. “But you can find the instructions. You and Uncy Taurus.”
“Where are these instructions?” Aries kept his tone soft.
“Hidden in the maze. But that’s not where the special rock is.”
“What rock?” Aries showed the patience of a saint as he drew answers.
Answers that Circe personally struggled with. Who was this little girl to tell them what they should do?
“The rock that got lost in the ocean. It used to be inside the machine. But now the bad people have it.” The girl’s lips turned down.
“What bad people?”
She shrugged. “I can’t see their faces. They wear hoods.” The child covered her face with her hands and peeked through her fingers. “Only, the bad man who hurt Uncy Taurus took his off.”
