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The Lost Twins chapter 38 - Change the DJ

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Since Oromandus was not with them anymore, Eric was the one waiting for them at the airport in Ponta Delgada, and he appeared to be a good mode when he grabbed their bags and dumped them without further ceremonies in the trunk of the Mercedes.
"So how was Ukraine?" he enquired. "Still standing?"
"Mostly," Athena replied. "As to the rest of it, I plead 'not guilty'.'"
"I guessed as much," her adopted son replied with a smirk. "Strange how these things always seem to happen when you're around nevertheless."
"You're heaven sent," Artemis beamed when he took her valise.
"I am?" he flashed off a smile at her.

"Yes, my back really hurts." Artemis suddenly sounded crabby. "You know, eleven hours in the air and two dittos on the airports of Frankfurt and Lisbon do that to you. Especially if you're like me and not that used to flying. Not like Athena here, who seems to jet all over the world in a jiffy."
"Well, long flights tend to get to your back if you don't get up and move around now and then," Apollo replied. "After all, the man is not made for sitting still in an uncomfortable chair for hours."

"Remember, bro', that we're made for roaming the steppe in search of our game," Artemis scorned. "Killing what we wanted to eat. I recall how mother kept telling us that when we spent too many hours in front of the computer or the TV set as kids. However, we should have been given wings if we were meant to fly as well, don't you think so?"
"Well, we do have them," Athena cut in. "However not fasten to our backs or something. But another day I'll take you to the airfield and the two small planes I have parked there and I'll teach you how to fly!"

"Can you do that?" Artemis suddenly sounded joyous again.
"If you like," Athena replied. "I mean, I can give you the basics, where everything sits and so, but if you want a real license, you're gonna have to take an exam. And that I cannot give you. But I know where to get them, there are a few good schools here on the islands."
"I think my Portuguese has to be better before that," came the matter of fact reply.

¤*¤*¤*¤*¤

Eric returned them to Athena's and his home, where the lovely fragrances of an almost ready dinner were welcoming them as they opened the front door. Athena smiled briefly, her chef Imelda Danlian had outdone herself again. It was almost as if the old lady was psychic too, the way she always seemed to know when Athena and her guests were overly hungry and expected something special. Beaming proudly, Imelda showed Athena and the others into the dining room, where a table was set for four. Four, since Athena had previously called ahead and told Eric about the absence of Ao.

She had made venison, mashed potatoes and an impressive green salad, and selected a fitting wine of the everyday kind from Athena's large collection in the basement, and as they seated themselves, Athena could feel her stomach growling like an ancient beast. Her appetite was returning, and that pizza slice she had eaten on the Frankfurt Airport hadn't really been anything to write home about, so the chance of getting real food made her mouthwatering.

While dining they went over all the things that had taken place after the headset connection broke off in the Hotel Caruso. Eric and Artemis still didn't know that half of the story, therefore Athena and Apollo needed to elaborate the discussion they had with Eugene Chermount.

"And apparently the Unicorn factory he referred to is in Venice, or somewhere nearby," Athena said, finishing off her narration. Then she leaned back in her chair, full in her belly, slightly tipsy of the wine and finally very content.
"Okay. Great. So we're going to Venice?" Artemis said. She didn't look half as gleeful as when the discussions of Tokyo and Kiev had taken place. Then again, nobody really appreciates being shot at. And if Artemis feared more of the same was coming in Venice, there was no wonder she wasn't all for it.

"I'm not so sure about it," Athena answered skeptically. "You know, that's exactly what Chermount wants us to. What he's expecting us to. Remember, we played him fully in his hands in Ukraine. And I'm tired of dancing to that man's pipe now."

"So how about swapping the DJ," Apollo suggested and put down his cutlery beside the plate.
"What do you mean?" Athena asked.  
"So far Chermount has been playing the music and we've danced as if we wore those magic red shoes in the fairytale. And just as you said between Frankfurt and Lisbon, Athena, we've been played all the way. So how about me usurping the DJ both and putting on another record. And we'll have Chermount and Medusa entertaining us this time."

"Fine. I'm tired of being shot at," Artemis muttered. "That man Chermount has one screwed up mind. I should have known it was him, regardless of that quite a bit different appearance."
"What makes you say that?" Athena questioned, confused about her sister's finishing statement. "Have you met the man before, you mean?"
"No, I've only seen him in Apollo's mind, when we've been discussing him."
"Artemis, I've told you again and again..."

"No, wait, let me finish! He didn't look the slightest like that person when he approached me yesterday. That was an entirely different kind of man. No buffed-up army thug, but a spoilt rich brat. And apparently several years younger than one who could possibly have served together with you in the legion. No offence, bro, I'm the same age after all. But that lad looked like being in his early twenties!"

"Wait, Artemis," Apollo, replied baffled. "So you saw this 'thing' happen to him too? That change of appearance which Athena has been referring to? Now, why didn't I notice such a thing?"
"Maybe you were too pissed off at him to pay attention." Artemis considered ironically. "And maybe you didn't notice because you're a man and men only think of one thing at a time."
"Oh, stow it, Artemis!"
"Make me!"

Apollo rolled his eyes and gave up. Eric came into the conversation after the twins had stopped their short argument. However, he avoided questioning Artemis's statement about Apollo's thoughts.
"Did that bloke change appearance, you mean?"
"He sure did!" Artemis responded, finishing her wine. "Now, this might sound like crazy, but I also thought he looked quite a bit more buffed, just when he showed up by the bar, where I was sitting. But then he, well, changed. Became thinner and more gracious. Younger-looking, not a line upon his face, no indication of graying or receding in that mop of dark hair. First I thought I was imagining it. That it was that moonshine cat-pee that went for Martini in that place and a trick of the light which made me see things. But the more I think of it, the more certain am I becoming about what I saw back in that bar."

"There must be some kind of real explanation as to why Apollo didn't see what Artemis and I did," Athena added. "I'm sure we couldn't have imagined it all. Not both of us. If you ask me, I'm more than convinced that this Chermount is not a normal person."
"No shit." Apollo gave out a dry scoff.
"Yes, I believe he's enhanced in one way or another," Athena stated with self-assurance.
"He's a mind freak." Apollo went on.
"Now my dear brother, that deserves an award for being probably the smartest thing I've ever heard you say." Artemis whirred sarcastically.

Now it became clear to Athena what was really going on here. There were not one but two discussions going on at the same time. First the regular one, in which she and Eric were partaking as well, then a second one, inside of the minds of the twins. The idea of them possibly having a silent mind-to-mind argument seemed the only reasonable explanation Athena could think of when it came to their odd behaviour. They scowled at one another, periodically making faces or shaking their heads.

"Wait!" Eric finally piped up. "Didn't you say that Chermount was part of that grouping, well, what was it called?"
"The Illuminati?" Athena asked, then transferring the question over to Apollo.
"Not really," he took over the baton. "What I mean is that Eugene Chermount's father, Anselm Chermount was Illuminati. He passed away in the late nineties by the way. But the Illuminati has very little to do with what powers Eugene Chermount might have. No, I'm convinced that they're from an entirely different source."
"What?" Eric asked as if on a cue."
"The Nazis," Apollo went on, to the simultaneous gasp of the other three. "And while I believe most people know about the Nazis being involved in supernatural research, little is known what they really achieved. For instance they were said to have discovered the Morpheus syndrome."

"The what?" Artemis and Eric asked almost simultaneously.
"The Morpheus syndrome or the Morpheus mutation is a kind of alteration to the human DNA not much different from what our grandfather's research managed to acquire. However, it's an older and more unstable alteration, giving its receiver altered and enhanced functions, like healing powers and a better immune defense similar to ours. But the most prominent feature was the ability to alter its appearance. A true Morpheus can seemingly change its appearance almost completely, even alter the perceived gender."
"So that was what we saw?" Athena asked. "But it still does not explain why you saw nothing. If you're not immune in some way of course."

"I'll get to that," Apollo answered. "Add to that enhanced strengths and intellectual and mental capacity, and you have quite the super human. However it comes with certain side effects. As in a more tempered and unstable mode, shorter to anger and lesser trust in other people. Borderline psychopathic in some cases. But that was something which didn't bother the Germans that much at the time, as they planned to use these Morpheus superhumans as front soldiers, train them to do dangerous and dirty work. And if they then died in the line of fire, they were considered expendable. The best of them went undercover as spies and infiltrators, apparently a lot of them were around in places like Russia, France, the United Kingdom and on the Balkan Islet."

"But if these enhanced beings were so much smarter than the average Joe, wouldn't they see through this scheme," Eric asked. "And refuse to become the toys of the Nazis."
"I'm certain quite a few of them did," Apollo guessed. "And acted accordingly. But I suspect with their short temper, most of the Morpheus acted first and thought latter. Not all of course, and perhaps Anselm and Eugene Chermount are part of the latter group. The offspring to those who got out of the Nazi grip."

"If Eugene is, by any chance, even part a Morpheus, then it would make sense that his appearance 'changed' in front of you, girls," Apollo added. "Since the Morpheus shape changing ability is not really about changing its form but about affecting other people's perception, making them seeing things which aren't there. A trick of the light, as you called it, Artemis. As a matter of fact, Chermount doesn't really change, he only makes other people think he does. That explains for instance why you saw what I didn't see. My mind wasn't manipulated while yours were."

"But why fooling me and Athena and not you?" Artemis asked.
"That's one of the things still puzzling me," Apollo said. "Perhaps that was a part of a plan to saw confusion among us, making us unsure of what we had seen, and beginning to both doubt our perceptions and disagree with each other. A sure trick to saw spite between us."

"I'm not sure about what you're saying, when it comes to the Morpheus." Athena shook her head slowly. "I've studied the Nazi research as well. Including those beings. And I know that if Eugene Chermount was a true Morpheus, he would be able to fully change his appearance. To actually shape-shift. What happened with him were just a few tweaks on his appearance, like his eyes, build and apparent age. And his accent, as you pointed out, Apollo. But that can be faked. Any actor worth his or her name can fake an accent, isn't that correct, Artemis?" Not waiting for her sister's response, Athena went on. "Instead, mostly everything else, from colouring over gait and body language actually seemed to be similar to what Chermount actually looked like."

"I admit you're right," Apollo nodded his head. "I just don't see a reason for his behaviour. Your idea, Athena, sounds like a long shot. At least a long shot when it comes to the personality of Chermount, who always was more of the direct kind."
"Now, what kind of monster is he really?" Eric asked. "Do you think he's a genetic freak of some kind?"
"I'm not sure," Apollo made a face. "It's funny, actually. Because already back in the legion, when we used to be friends, I felt there was something strange about him. I thought he might have possibly been enhanced or changed in some other way. But I chose to disregard it as the overheated imagination of a young adventure-loving man. Or at least until I found out where his family really came from."

"France?" Eric said. "But the Nazis were German."
"True," Apollo nodded his head. "However, during the Whisky regime France, there were a lot of Nazis in place there, and they were performing a lot of murky things out in the rural. Including in the coast land outside Le Havre. And the Chermounts hail from Le Havre."

"I should have guessed," Athena murmured. "Normandy accent."
"So Chermount's near ancestors had their genes altered by the Nazis?" Erik asked. "Becoming Morphei, Morpheuses, what do you say?"
"Just Morpheus," Apollo added. "Besides, if Eugene was even a small part Morpheus, his father or mother would probably have to been one, since he's mostly human. The alteration tests were stopped right at the end of WWII, and Eugene was born in the seventies." Then he shifted thoughts. "Unless he was just a result of some other kind of freakish experiment."

That clicked something in Athena's memory.
"The experiments in the Japanese factory. The Minotaur, remember! He looked as though he'd been the result of some kind of genetic experiment gone wrong."

Artemis made a hushed cough, as if she suddenly became uncomfortable about something.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to go use the bathroom," she said, standing up.
"Fascinating. I'll alert the media!" Apollo replied in a heavily cynical reply.
"Go to hell, Apollo," Artemis hissed at her brother.
"Funny, seeing as I'm looking at the Devil itself."

"Oh, yeah, you are funny. You're so hilarious, I can't even get over how amused I am." Artemis replied flatly as she stomped irritably away from the room.
"Wow, my brain hurts." Apollo sighed.
"Agreed," Eric said. "I don't understand a single thing of what you guys are talking about right now." He stood from the table as well and started towards the upper floor. "So, I'll be crashing in front of my Xbox if you need me."

After he too had left, Apollo and Athena were alone. They split what was left in the final bottle of wine and Athena tried to think of something to say. Then she remembered that they had been talking about the ogres below her original home, just before they left for Ukraine, and she decided to bring the subject up.
"Apollo, you know the things that happened at Jasmin Manor in Terceira? Those ogres that wounded my leg?"
"Sure thing. "
"What do you make of it?"
"These need to be taken care of, Athena. Or else they might become a threat the municipals of Terceira. And in extent the whole Azores, perhaps a larger part than that."

"Then I think it's about time we do something about it," Athena said somberly. "Do you have any idea how to exterminate ogres?"
"I have a few, yes. So when do we go there?"
"How about the day after tomorrow, it's a Saturday, and none of the construction workers will be on location and begin wondering about what's going on. Besides, I do believe we all could need a day's rest."
"As a matter of fact, I'm going to need a few items to make this work, and they are not acquired in an ordinary supermercado. I'll have to make a trip to the nearest SIS office to get them, which is in Madrid, Spain. So let's make it next Saturday instead."
"Sounds like we have a plan," Athena replied.
The Lost Twins chapter 38 - Change the DJ

In another world slightly like ours, Zeus Olympias runs the secret organization which is really ruling the world from behind. However time has come when the job load has gone too heavy for him, his wife Hera and their troika consisting of Zeus' blood brother Poseidon, his sister Hestia and his old friend Demeter. Zeus will have to find new, powerful assistants in his job, put together a circle of twelve rulers. And he relies upon his daughter Athena to find his lost children, her siblings. A hunt that will take her across the world.
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