Mythlands: THE HEIST

Part Two: Five Days to Retirement

Written for the STORY CUBES WRITING CHALLENGE - JULY 23rd 2018

ROLL - 1. gorgon 2. footprint 3. market stand

FUTURE NOW

Icarus looked upwards into the rafters. 'I think if you stay two tiers above the rafter with the induction coil, you should be safe from the energy feedback.'

George followed his gaze. 'Your logic is sound good sir, but my magnificent device possesses it's own shielding. I will need to be aboard to start the engines. Miss Bunny and Miss Lochs can occupy the seating next to me. SC can sit on one of their laps and of course The Mirror will be within Miss Bunny's handbag. As for the others I would not advise taking their places on the floor, as they would indeed be exposed to a certainly fatal shock that we on the raised platform would be immune to.'

'In that case If Pegasus first take's Hare and the The Gingerbread Man up, with little Griffin to drop off by the machine, I shall at the same time fly you to your device and while Pegasus returns for the ladies and SC I shall bring up the goose and then we shall join the Rabbitz and Bambi in attacking the portal.'

'Word,' replied Pegasus.

'I wanna attack that fucking Mouse and his goons,' growled the Gingerbread Man.

Goldie shook her head. 'Geez ginge, I've flamin well told ya, if ya die here, that's it. We all need ta go back an shut this shit down.'

Icarus tuned them out and flexed his wings, as he prepared to lift George ... his mind returned to a simpler time....

GODLAND BORDERS - Over five years ago.

'Why you wanna go do a brother like dat?'

Officer Icarus shook his head at the horse. 'Pegasus, I've warned you how many times? Olympus PD is taking a hard line on narcotics.'

'S'jus a little weed officer. This here stop n search is wack, yo. Po po discriminatin' on the black man, yo.'

Icarus frowned. 'Pegasus, for the hundredth time, you're a winged white stallion and I'm not going to pander to your delusions anymore. But you're in luck - it's my last week so I'm going to get my partner Aello to write you up a warning. Next time she stops you, you'd better be clean, am I clear?'

The horse nodded. 'Fo real. Y'ou're ok Officer. Wings, bred'ren!' He raised his wings in salute.

Icarus sighed. 'We're not doing the winged solidarity thing either.'

A minute later Icarus turned to his partner. 'Let's get airborne, I want to get a good view of the market, see what we can see.'

The harpy nodded and smiled most attractively. Icurus briefly thought if they weren't partners and if he wasn't a happily married family man, they could have had something.

'Ok, let's get a big picture view ... where did foot patrol say they found the footprints?'

Aello pointed. 'Alleyway down there.'

He followed her pointed finger. 'That's not far from where they found the gorgon's body ... so, let's see, our perp could have been on that low rooftop ... hmmm, he was waiting for her so possibly premeditated.'

Aello floated downwards with him towards the roof. 'Her head was crushed, so we're talking monster or demigod here.'

They hovered just above and Icarus' keen eyes surveyed the scene. 'Not a demigod, not unless we know any here in Olympiad Borders with a seven foot reach. I'm thinking he reached down, popped her head like a grape and then he gets up ... hmmm, leaps down from there - a good fifteen foot, makes the prints in the alley and ... yes, gets on board a waiting wagon. So, possibly has an accomplice. Let's take a close look at that ledge.'

'I've got something ... a match for our footprint. Looks like your leaping theory is on the money Ick.'

The winged man flew towards the alley. 'Heavy duty footprints and look at these wheel marks, deep ruts ... our perp and his accomplice weighed a ton. I'm thinking some Asgardian trolls, contracted for a hit - one lays in wait and the second drives the getaway cart. Let's follow these, though I'll bet we find they head straight to the south gates and on towards the border. Shouldn't be hard to get an eye witness statement from the gate guards, then we check the entry manifest and see if they were dumb enough to log their place of origin.'

'Even if they didn't we should be able to track their progress through the boys in the seer department back in OPD. I'll just grab a soil sample from the second footprint and the wheel ruts. Another feather, heh, in your cap Ick.'

Icarus smiled. 'Tell you what, you take lead on this partner. I'm five days until retirement so a promotion won't do me any good.'

'You decided where you're going on that trip you've been talking about for ages?'

Icarus's features glazed over with anticipatory joy. 'Oceanus has a lake side property ... most beautiful spot you'll ever see. I'm planning on taking Antigone and the kids there for a few months, just us, alone with nature, out on our boat. Fishing with the kids, moonlight strolls along the shore ... I can't wait!'

FUTURE NOW

Icarus blinked as he snapped back to the now - several days after he'd been with Aello in the market, Olympus had been invaded by the forces of darkness - he'd tried to make it back to the city to find his family, but ... the memory stung. So he wiped it from his mind.

Have to concentrate on the mission, he muttered as he flew alongside Pegasus - they were attacking the Mouse's minions - Ariel had lit up the portal, the small cat was above, ready to drop the end of the coil and ...

Icarus sped towards the cat, suddenly aware that Griffin might not be fast enough to evade the energy surge and get back to the time machine.

Must ... see this ... through ... he thought as the air whipped around his body. Somewhere there would be an Icarus five days from retirement ... one that would get to see that lake with his family.

The end of the induction coil hit the portal - Icarus only just managed to grab the tabby ahead of the feedback surge - he flew higher and dropped the cat off safely above the energy.

Griffin J Cat's eyes widened in shock and horror as he saw one of the Mouse's minions fire something straight into Icarus' wings - the Mythical had time for one gasp of pain before he burned before the cat's startled eyes - then Icarus plummeted, but he was dead long before he hit the ground.

Below, the Hellzrabbitz, Pegasus and Bambi screamed their rage and attacked with renewed ferocity.

And Icarus lay dead ... still 'five days' from retirement.