He hesitated, unwilling to push more than he already had, but then he decided to go all in. “I would be very interested in meeting your brother, and I’m happy to admit that it is for both professional and possibly personal reasons. It would be as wrong of me to ignore my nature as it would be for you.”
“I appreciate your honesty, and I will take your suggestion on board.” Artemis nodded. “We can reschedule this meeting until a time when Apollo can be present as well.” Her eyes narrowed. “While I don’t think for a second that placing someone in your path who you might find favorable on a personal basis will sway the outcome of any business meeting, you are correct in that I would feel more comfortable with another person in the roomwhen negotiating with you. It would also be beneficial to Apollo to see how such negotiations are conducted. Perhaps he’ll learn something useful. Shall we say tomorrow morning at ten?”
You’re not pimping out your brother, then. That’s good to know.“I understand and look forward to seeing you both then,” Titus said.
Chapter Five
Still boosted by his time with the musicians at the youth center the day before, Apollo decided to walk into the office the following morning. On foot, the trip would take more than an hour, but Apollo had always been known for his athleticism, and a bit of a walk wasn’t going to do him any harm. Letting Becky know that his car wouldn’t be needed, Apollo sauntered into town.
He’d decided against wearing the suit Artemis preferred to see him in. He could always zap up a new outfit when he got to the office. But for the purposes of being out and about, an anonymous and casual person taking a walk, Apollo opted for jeans, sneakers, and a white T-shirt. He loved the classic look – the ones that never went out of style.
Other things Apollo appreciated about living on Earth were the difference in the air temperatures, the seasons, and the way whole communities blossomed as if overnight. He had always appreciated it when small villages and townships had grown in times of old.
While the cities now were bigger and more widespread than he could have ever imagined, there was still something satisfying in seeing people working, thriving, succeeding. Walking among the shops and offices, he could believe for a moment that he had a part in its growth, or at least was considered a part of the population that made it happen.
There was also so much to see. For Apollo, just the simple act of window shopping always filled him with a sense of adventure. He could feel inspired by the way a grocery shop showcased the latest tinned goods on offer or the different colors in clothes displayed on mannequins in stores.
He could tell, just by looking in the different windows, if the person creating the display was just shoving goods out for people to see, or if they’d actually put some artistic thought into the display as a whole.The muse works in so many ways,Apollo thought as he stopped in front of a window displaying handmade items.So much talent.
There was a lot of traffic, which Apollo expected. Even though it was early, people seemed driven to get to work all at the same time, so the streets were congested with cars, and the pavements were filling with people. Apollo never let the hustle and bustle bother him. He wasn’t in a hurry and was content to walk at his own pace.
It’s not like I’m going to be hurrying just to get another lecture from my sister,he thought, stopping to enjoy another window display. It was men’s suits this time, and Apollo tilted his head, memorizing the details of one particular three-piece in a lovely shade of sage green.That would look good with my hair coloring.He imagined himself in that color and style, quietly smirking as he realized his office outfit had been picked for the day.
Shortly before nine, Apollo popped into the coffee shop that was only two blocks from Orion Industries. It was busy, much like it was most of the day, although Roger took the time to smile and wink at him as he handed over Apollo’s large black coffee. Another decadence Apollo adored. The secret sauce, at least in Apollo’s mind, was that Roger treated him no differently than any of his other customers, and that alone helped Apollo feel like he belonged.
Arriving at the office, Apollo noted Janice’s desk was empty – she was probably getting her daily orders from his sister. But that meant there was no one to notice when Apollo ducked into asupply closet, changed his clothes, and translocated to his office with one thought, his coffee still in hand.
There was a pile of messages placed very precisely in the middle of his desk. Ignoring them, Apollo sat in his chair, swiveling in it so that his feet could rest on the corner of his curved desk, and he had an unobstructed view out of his window.My favorite time of the day.
The sounds of the city were completely cut off. Apollo had no idea why. It probably had something to do with the double-pane window. But he could see the city coming to life as businesses opened up and people went about their day.
I don’t even know why I come in here.The thought flittered through his mind. Apollo knew on a logical level that having something to do each day was probably the only thing that stopped a god, or anyone really, from going stir crazy, although that didn’t explain why he’d agreed to go into business with Artemis.
He thought about some of his kin – some mated with new families of their own, like his father or Uncle Hades. Others, like his mother, Hermes, and Dionysius, kept themselves busy in other ways. Artemis’s foray into business was something new for her, and Apollo wondered if it had anything to do with Athena considering a takeover of Olympus before Ares, of all people, advised her not to.We really are a dysfunctional lot,he snickered into his cup.
Taking another sip of his coffee, Apollo let his mind roam, focusing on Artemis and the business. Despite what he’d said to his sister the day before, Apollo did have visions – prophecies, as she called them. He just didn’t want his sister to use him for that alone. Letting his eyes wander across his view – the only good thing about being in an office, in his opinion – Apollo realized hesaw Artemis’s business dealings as decidedly self-serving for all of the blurb that was written on the website.
Apollo only knew what was written because Artemis insisted that he give his approval on that as well, which was something else Apollo didn’t understand.She could be looking for a scapegoat if the business fails,he reasoned. That was a definite possibility. He didn’t know the first thing about business. In his opinion, he didn’t need to. The arts, music, advances in medicine, and people in general interested him far more than facts and figures, deals and mergers.
Sighing loudly, Apollo sipped the last of his coffee.I’ll put in a couple of hours just so I can say I’ve been here, and then I’ll head off and find something else to do,he decided. He could use his time to find out if there were any gallery openings that could be fun to pop into.If I go as Ace, then he might be able to give them a hand.
/~/~/~/~/
It was just before ten, and while he hadn’t touched his messages, Apollo was thinking it was time to leave. He’d decided he’d go home first and use his viewing stone to scope out the addresses of the art galleries he’d written down. Shoving that piece of paper in his pocket, Apollo was just about to stand up when there was a tap on his door.
Darn it. Not fast enough.“Come in,” he called out. The door opened, but it wasn’t Artemis, it was Rose, one of Artemis’s maidens who served as her personal assistant. She was carrying a tray of refreshments.
“I didn’t order anything,” Apollo said, his eyes narrowing as he noted there were three cups on the tray.
“Ms. Artemis has insisted that you sit in on a meeting with her,” Rose said, as she bent over to put the tray on his desk. Therewas a sudden noise at the door, something between a growl and a snarl. As Apollo looked up, he saw Artemis striding into his office, accompanied by…Titus Haverland!
“What have you done?” Apollo yelled as he met the man’s shocked eyes. Reacting quickly, he used a sweep of his magic to close the door and then froze the scene so that Titus and Rose were like statues in his room. Rose was still holding the tray above the desk, but Apollo couldn’t afford to feel sorry for the uncomfortable position she was in.
Artemis, of course, wasn’t affected. She never was by his power.
“Do you have any idea what you have done?” Any good cheer from his morning walk and coffee was gone. “I told you I wasn’t going to meet Titus Haverland. I made it very plain to you that I would not meet Titus Haverland. You were meant to be meeting with him yesterday afternoon. Yet you’ve brought him into my office this morning like an offering? What are you doing?”
“It’s a simple business meeting,” Artemis said. “I honestly don’t understand why you’re so upset about this. I explained it all to you yesterday. Titus Haverland owns Titus Industries, the business I want to secure for transport.”
