21st Century Odyssey

CHAPTER SIX(Josh)

Written by NovaEagle97

I throw my backpack in the trunk of my Dodge Ram, strapping my rifles down in the case I installed a few years ago.

"Josh," I hear Lee, my adoptive father walk towards me. I turn to look at him and he is holding a bundle. "When you showed up on our doorstep you had a letter and this bundle lying with you. The letter told us who your parents were and that we were to give this to you, unopened, when we felt the time was right. We feel that time has come." He holds the bundle reverently out to me and I see Karli, Lee's wife, standing on the steps. I slowly place a hand on the bundle and Lee lets go of it. I turn it and start looking at it. It's kind of small, about the size of a medium sized Tupperware container. Not that heavy, and no rattling. I pull out my knife, step back so my blood circle is clear, and slice a side open. The wrapping falls off to show a box,

"Oh, a box, I've always wanted one of these!" I chuckle, Lee gives a smile and Karli lets out a soft laugh. I slit the tape on the box, and close my knife. I look up at Lee, he nods at me and I open the box. "Oh, wow..." I breath, a diamond ring glitters in the sun, lying on top of white clothes. I place the box on the edges of my truck bed and take the ring out, starring as it shines with a cold beauty. I reach into the box and take out the clothes, a glittering white fighting garb. I put on the ring and the garb and look at myself.

"Very pretty." I hear Lee say. I smile at him,

"Shut up, this is a fighting garb not a dress!" I laugh with him, "though it does look like a dress, how do I look?" I say, striking a pose. The garb suddenly turns into a black trench coat, black shirt, and black cargo pants, all with red stripes on them. I quickly get out of the pose as Lee steps back, I hear Karli gasp and stumble.

"Okay, then." I shrug and say, "well, I had better get going." Lee nods and walks up to me. I hug him as Karli walks over and hugs both of us.

"Bye guys, I'll miss you." I whisper to them. "Goodbye son, go save the world!" Lee says with a sad smile. I smile and hug Karli, "As long as you promise to bake me a cake when I get back I'll come back." I say to her. She laughs and steps back. I open the trucks door and step in, starting it up and rolling down the windows.

"Bye Lee! By Karli! Love you!" I shout to them as I drive off, I hear them saying good bye and they love me also as I roll past the hunting land that I would, hopefully, come back to. I was driving through the town of Greenville, Alabama, when my truck gave up on me.

"Ah, man! Dang it." I say, pulling the truck over to the side of the road. It's a lonely road with a few houses around. I hop out and open the hood, steam and smoke pouring out. "Great...no coolant." I mutter. I reach into the bed of the truck and grab a water bottle. I'm about to pour it in the cooling tank when I hear a musical voice say,

"Water isn't going to help you cool your truck. Especially if you're planning on going any further." I look up and a girl is standing there, brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was beautiful!

"Umm... Hi. You any good with trucks?" She laughs and says,

"You could say that." She walks over and looks at the motor. "Coolant ran out, and I think the carburetors flooded." She says. I laugh, knowing that old excuse.

"My house is just down the road and I've got coolant." I nod, "Okay. My name is Josh by the way, Josh Newman." I tell her, using my adoptive parents last name.

"Miki, Miki Hansen." She replies, grabbing the water bottle and pouring it in the coolant tank. She hands it back and closes the hood.

"That should get you to my house, at least until we can get a coolant in it."

"Thanks," I tell her, I start to get in and turn to her, "hey, get in, I'll drive you there." Miki thinks about then shrugs.

"Okay." She hops in and I look at her. She notices and gives me a look, "What?" I shrug and start the car. It makes a grinding noise but starts. I wince and press on the gas. Two minutes later I pull up into her garage and a man walks out.

"That's my dad." She explains.

"Ah, okay." I step out and hold my hand out. "Mr. Hansen, my names Josh. My car ran out of coolant and your daughter told me I could use some of yours." He shakes my hand and looks me over. He nods and says,

"Miki, your friend called again. Says he wants to meet you by the basketball courts with important information." I hear her groan and wonder who this "friend" is.

"Tell him that I'm not meeting him! He's already told me all I need to know!" She asks her dad. I stop him as he starts to walk back into the house.

"Who is this guy? She doesn't seem to like him." He shakes his head.

"She doesn't. He made up this story about him being the 'Son of Poseidon' and he wants her to join him in 'Saving the World.'" He laughs and I smile, not because of how absurd it sounded but because I knew then that Miki was the daughter of Nike.

"Tell him that she'll meet him there. At three o'clock sharp. I'll take care of the rest." He nods, thanks me and heads inside. I walk over to Miki who is leaning over the motor. "Miki, Is this guy bothering you?" I ask her, noticing how she tenses up, probably wondering whether or not to tell me.

"Yes, he is. His name is Ben and he's been stalking me for a while." I nod and place my hand on her shoulder,

"He won't be after I talk to him. Where's the basketball court?" She looks up at me, hope in her eyes.

At three o'clock I turn my truck off, getting out and walking to the court. I see Ben, blue jacket and lots of bracelets. I bounce the basketball I brought and he turns to me.

"What are you doing here? You're not allowed on the courts!" He yells. I glance at him but don't move.

"I don't like the tone of your voice Benjamin Treaty. I also don't like you stalking my partner." He stops, dumbfounded.

"Who ARE you?" He asks in a whisper. I let go of the basketball and it bounces away, fire appearing in my   hands as I walk towards him. He smiles,

"A fire demigod? Ha! I'm the son of Poseidon! You can't touch me!" I smirk. Still walking towards him,

"Then lets play, shall we?" He crouches down, palms up, and launches at me. I close my eyes and crouch, feeling the water he is controlling and I freeze it. I hear the crackling of the ice and it stops as a small piece touches my forehead, feeling like the cold barrel of a gun. I step back and open my eyes to a very strange view. Ben was frozen in mid air, a wave of water in the middle of crashing over him and on to me. I unfreeze his face and start to laugh.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Ben yells, struggling to get free. I crouch down next to his face.

"I'm the guy that doesn't like it when creepy stuck up jerks like you stalk girls." I tell him. "I'm the guy that protects the world and needs Miki to be totally focused and not worried about some 'Son of Poseidon' stalking her." I get up in his face. "I'm the guy that'll beat the crap out of you and not bat an eyelash. Leave Miki alone, and don't come near her. Do you understand me?" I ask him. He glares at me and wouldn't answer. My eyes flare and I start to freeze his fingers, then thaw them, making them burn. He bite his lip and holds out for a while until,

"Aah! Stop! Okay! Okay, I'll stop!!" He yells. I stop and smile at him, patting his cheek,

"Good boy. Don't worry about getting free, Helios' fire will do that just fine." I tell him as I turn and walk back to the truck. I get in and close the door, then turn to Miki.

"Who are you?..." She asks me.

"My name is Josh Darkfire, son of Helios and Kione. And that guy won't be bothering you anymore." I say, turning on the truck and driving back to her house.