Chapter Fifteen
I Figure Out the Hierarchy
When there are five people in a car containing enough weapons to defend a small forte, not enough beef jerky and only one radio, problems can arise. Noel found out pretty quickly what everyone’s position was in the group; it wasn’t hard to decipher, since they stuck to their roles like dedicated actors.
Gabriel was the leader. This Noel could have guessed anyway without seeing him in action; he was calm and cool, but if he ever lost it there was only one person who could calm him down and return everything to order.
This person was Constantine. If Gabriel seemed agitated or annoyed, lost his patience (which rarely happened) or was just too tired from driving, Constantine would take over. He was organized and not at all unhappy to step in, remember what they needed and who was especially sensitive to what. He was Gabriel’s right hand man, and Noel had been sure from the moment they met that he would do anything for Gabriel. On top of it, he looked out for Noel and filled her in on all the gaps of conversation, and didn’t leave her out. This she greatly appreciated.
The one Gabriel had to calm down the most was Stephan. The jokester and clown of the group, he often got into fights with Lola over petty things like the radio or last piece of maple fudge.
Lola didn’t need much supervision, but she wasn’t afraid of hitting Stephan violently over the head from the back seat or fighting for the right of being Radio Master. She was still prickly two hours into the drive, and wouldn’t even look at Noel – not that she particularly minded.
“How about we just don’t listen to the radio?” asked Constantine as Stephan and Lola’s voices began to rise higher and higher.
“Good idea.” Gabriel reached over to switch it off, and as the wailing voice of some African drummers stopped, so did the engine. Luckily they were on a country road empty of cars and all sings of life, and as the engine spluttered they came to a slow stop.
They all sat in silence for a few moments, looking at each other, wondering what to say.
“Was that supposed to happen?” asked Stephan hesitantly.
Lola hit him over the head “Yeah dip wad, we were meant to break down.”
“I was just asking!”
“I don’t care, it was a stupid question!”
“Well, you’re a stupid question!”
“Stephen, your brain patterns amaze me daily.”
“Oh yeah? I bet you eat nasty pills for breakfast.”
“Great comeback, stupid.”
“Don’t call me stupid, stupid!”
“I’ll call you whatever I want, you little-”
“HEY!” Gabriel shouted, and even though Noel wasn’t the one arguing, she felt guilty. The authority in Gabriel’s voice rung out over them, and everyone fell silent; it was as if Gabriel had put a spell on them, and Noel felt her old funny feeling return. She’d chalked up her funny feeling to Gabriel being a demigod, but she knew that now, so what was her Seer blood screaming at her?
Turning around in his seat, seatbelt still on, Gabriel looked over them with eyes that burned with influence. “Angel, stop looking at me like I’m scary. We’ve been over this. Stan, do we have any duct tape?”
Constantine shifted in his seat “Um, yeah, I think so.”
“Great.” Gabriel set his eyes on Stephan and Lola “If you two don’t shut up, I’ll tape your mouths closed. Stephan lets check the car. Lola, get yourself together and leave your attitude here when we leave. Got it?”
Everyone nodded, and while Stephan and Gabriel got out checking the car, Constantine rummaged in the back, trying to find the thermoses full of hot chocolate for when they got back inside the car. After a few moments, Gabriel leaned down by Noel’s window, right behind the driver’s seat.
“Angel, you get cars, right?” he asked.
She looked at him quizzically “Do I get them?”
“You know your way around an engine.”
Noel shrugged “A bit, yeah. My Grandpa was a mechanic.”
Stephan gawked at her “So your Grandpa taught you how to shoot and fix a car?”
“Um, yeah?”
“Get out here.” said Stephan as Gabriel opened her door “And you know Darcy, calling Noel Angel isn’t improving Little Miss Lola’s attitude.”
Gabriel shot Stephan a look “Shut up, Ballard. I can call Noel anything I like, Lola shouldn’t make it her business.”
“Actually,” Noel piped up “You can’t call me whatever you like.”
Rolling his eyes, Gabriel tugged her over to the car “You’ll get used to it Angel, don’t worry.”
“It’s kind of cute.” Said Stephan, leaning over the car “I mean, it’s not a very original nickname, but at least it’s not Princess or something like that.”
“Princess would not sit well with me.” Agreed Noel, eyes scanning the engine. Constantine and Lola were hidden behind the popped hood within the car, but they could hear the hushed voices of the cousins; the calm one of Constantine and the annoyed of Lola.
They looked over the car, and eventually Noel found out that the oil in the car was completely clogged with guck. Stephan was obviously furious and completely dumbfounded.
“I just changed the oil before you left for the North Gabriel, honest; I have no idea…I can’t believe…just our luck…Jen is going to kill us if we’re late, you know.”
“Who’s Jen?” Noel asked, offering Stephan a bucket to deposit the oily guck.
Gabriel leaned against the car and stuck his hand deep in his pockets, trying to warm up “She organizes the festival, all the web stuff; she’s a quad-god.”
“Quad-god?”
“One of her parents was a Demigod,” explained Gabriel “Her Mum was a daughter of Apollo, and she organized the support group, set up the website and sort of runs the NY Demigod show. Jen is about twenty-five now, and has taken on a lot of the business’ work load.”
As they helped Stephan change the oil Noel felt the little hairs on the back of her neck stand straight. This had happened only a few times before, but never so strongly; dizziness washed over her, and Noel grabbed hold of the car to steady herself.
“Whoa Angel, you okay?” Gabriel put a large hand on her shoulder, sending a ripple of vibrations through her; they were lovely compared to the feeling she’d just had, and put her own hand over his to keep it there. Warmth radiated through her, and the shoulder Gabriel was holding burned pleasantly. Noel couldn’t put her finger on what she had felt, but Gabriel’s touch was washing it out of her system.
“Just a bit dizzy.” She said shakily “I don’t know, I guess I haven’t had enough to drink.”
Stephan glanced over at her “Why don’t you head over to that house and ask for something to drink? I’m sure they’d let you – old ladies are nice.”
“What house?”
The boys pointed across the road where a small house painted completely in different shades of neon - Noel was positive hadn’t been there before. It gave her the heebie jeebies, and there was no way that she was going in there. And it had nothing to do with the decorating.
“I’ll pass.”
Stephan snorted “You scared of some old ladies, Noel? You can shoot down Stymphalian’s but can’t ask for a drink?”
Glaring at him, Noel pulled her hat down lower under her ears and trekked across the road. The driveway had two feet of snow, and Noel manoeuvred it like a toddler wearing shoes ten sizes too big. She could hear Stephan laughing at her from across the road, and detected a light chuckle from Gabriel.
“You are both knuckle heads.” She called over her shoulder, finally reaching the front porch and climbing the steps.
Ringing the doorbell, Noel waited patiently, but no one came. Shrugging, she turned to go, but just as she did the door opened. The old woman standing there was ancient looking, her skin hanging loosely off bones that practically creaked.
“Noel Lewis,” she said, voice sounding surprisingly smooth and articulate “We have been waiting. Please, do come in; there’s fresh pie, and we always like a taste tester.”
A/N: Oooooh! Noel's first encounter with a Greek thing that can talk.
Question: What would you like to see in the Christmas video? Questions, secrets - whatever. I'm not so good with tips, but I could try!
Please let me know; also, I was thinking of doing some sort of contest. I don't know.
Rose<3