‘Yes, you told me. But where exactly is Olympus?’ the agent pressed. ‘How do you get there?’
‘I don’t know,’ Emily cried. ‘Please, can I see him?’
‘Not yet. You are still too ill to move.’
Emily hated to agree with him, but he was right. She really was feeling awful.
‘How long have we been here?’
‘Four days.’
‘What?’ she cried as she sucked in her breath.
‘I told you, Emily, you have been a very sick girl.’ Agent J went on, ‘You’ve got a raging infection. We actually thought we were going to lose you. But you’ve managed to come back from the brink of death. You’re a very determined young lady. So now, I’ll ask you again. What do you know of the flying horse? Why is he here?’
‘I told you he’s not a horse!’ Emily shot as she sat up angrily. But just as quickly she had to lie down again as the movement threatened to make her sick. ‘He is Pegasus,’ she said softly. ‘And he shouldn’t be here. You’ve got to let him and Diana go.’
‘Ah yes, Diana,’ Agent J said. ‘A very interesting woman indeed. Remarkably strong. She has managed to resist all our questions. Our scientists are still trying to figure out what she is.’
‘She’s the daughter of Jupiter,’ Emily said, growing angry. ‘That’s who she is. When he finds out what you’ve done to her and Pegasus, he’s going to be really mad!’
‘Jupiter, eh?’ Agent J said. ‘Well, if they really do come from Olympus as you claim, why hasn’t Jupiter come to see us already? What’s he waiting for? I would be more than happy to discuss his daughter with him.’
Emily stared into his cold, prying eyes. Something inside warned her to say nothing more. If after four days he still wanted questions answered, it meant her father and Joel hadn’t cooperated either. She quickly realized the more she said, the worse it would be for the others. She closed her eyes. ‘I don’t feel well. I’m so tired. Please, let me sleep.’
‘In a moment,’ Agent J said. ‘Just tell me why Pegasus and Diana are here.’
‘I don’t know,’ Emily insisted. ‘Why don’t you ask them yourself?’
Agent J shook his head angrily. ‘I did. Diana won’t speak to me and I would look like a fool if I tried talking to that horse.’
‘Pegasus isn’t a horse!’ Emily shouted. Her father had always taught her that violence wasn’t a solution. But at that moment, she really wanted to smack Agent J right in the mouth. ‘He’s an Olympian.’
‘Horse or not,’ Agent J said, ‘I want to know why they are here! You are going to tell me.’
‘I already told you, I don’t know why they are here. Just that you’ve got to let them go. They don’t belong in our world.’
‘What about Mercury?’ Agent J asked.
‘Mercury?’ Emily repeated, puzzled. ‘The planet?’
Agent J shook his head. ‘No, not the planet,’ he said irritably. ‘Mercury, the messenger of Olympus. He’s here as well. If their story is true, that makes at least three Olympians in my city. That doesn’t even take into consideration those creatures, whatever they are called.’
‘Nirads,’ Emily answered without thinking.
She realized her mistake at once. Agent J had tricked her into telling him more than she wanted.
‘Nirads,’ he repeated. ‘Why are they here?’
Emily didn’t want to answer any more of his questions. She was feeling too ill and making too many mistakes. Instead, she closed her eyes and lay back.
‘I want to see my father.’
‘Answer my question,’ Agent J pressed.
Emily said nothing. With her eyes still closed, Emily could hear his breathing. He was getting angry. Suddenly she felt a searing pain in her wounded leg. Howling in agony, she opened her eyes. A cruel smile hovered on Agent J’s lips as his hand pressed down on her raised leg. He was squeezing her wounds in a brutal grip.
‘Why are they here?’ he demanded. ‘Tell me!’
The pain was blinding. Emily had never known such agony. It stole the scream from her throat and drove the wind from her lungs. Stars appeared before her eyes as the sound of water rushed in her ears. A moment later she passed out.
23
Paelen kept his hand over his mouth as he peered through the vent above the girl’s bed. He knew the agent could be ruthless by his own interrogations. But he would never have imagined that Agent J could do that to a child.
As he travelled back through the vent, he was grateful that she had passed out. He doubted even he could have withstood that kind of pressure on a new wound. When this was over, Paelen promised himself that Agent J would discover that hurting the girl had been a grave mistake.