the greek gods

They moved to one of the back rooms of the pub, a couple more people joined, they were also part of the mission. Two men and a women. Alright introduce yourselves Cade draped his arm casually over Ren’s shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the assembled group of candidates. With a sly grin, he said, “You probably all know Ren from the posters.” He let out a loud laugh, the sound reverberating in the tense silence. Ren forced a weak smile in return, her unease visible despite her efforts to mask it.

The first to step forward was a buff man who looked to be in his thirties, he was sporting a thick mustache that gave him an air of rugged authority. “I’m Wes,” he introduced himself in a deep, raspy voice. His stance radiated confidence, his muscular frame seeming ready for action.

Next to him was a strikingly beautiful woman. Her wavy blonde hair fell over her shoulders, her piercing blue eyes accentuated by perfectly applied kohl. Her outfit was both elegant and provocative, emphasizing her curves. She strode directly up to Ren, pulling her into a surprisingly warm hug before whispering in her ear, “I think we’re going to become very good friends.” As she pulled back, she smiled a dazzling, practiced expression. “I’m Juno,” she said, her tone smooth and hypnotizing. Ren blinked, momentarily flustered, but quickly shook off the odd sensation.

The last member of the group lingered in the background, his presence shadowy and enigmatic. His shoulder-length black hair was partially tied back into a loose bun, and his dark, baggy clothes lent him an unapproachable air. His sharp eyes roamed over Ren, appraising her with an grimacing expression before his lips tugged into a faint frown. “So, you’re the saboteur,” he said, his tone lingering between accusation and intrigue.

Cade immediately stepped forward in Ren’s defense. “You know she didn’t do it, Yuki. I’ve already explained.”

Yuki waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” His intense gaze remained on Ren as a wry smile played across his lips. “I’m Yuki. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Ren replied cautiously, her wariness evident.

Cade clapped his hands together to draw everyone’s attention. “Now that we all know each other, let’s talk strategy.”

He launched into an explanation of their roles for the mission. Ren, as the spy, would infiltrate the prison and handle the rescue. Juno, with her knack for gathering secrets and her connections to the Mechanists, would act as the distraction. Wes was the backup, the tank and bodyguard. Lastly, Yuki, who was said to be the best sniper in all of Nivara, would provide long-range support.

“Now,” Cade added, “we need code names. Just a precaution, in case someone overhears us calling each other by name.”

“Is that really necessary?” Juno asked, crossing her arms skeptically.

“It is,” Cade said firmly. “Better safe than sorry.”

“Let’s use Greek gods,” Ren suggested, her voice steady. Greek mythology had always been a quiet passion of hers, though no one else knew it.

Cade raised a brow. “Greek gods, huh? Alright, any preferences?” He looked around at the group.

Juno spoke first. “I’ll be Aphrodite.” She winked and flipped her hair with a self-assured smirk.

“Of course you will,” Yuki muttered, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Juno shot him a playful glare before turning back to Cade.

“And you?” Cade asked, nodding toward Wes.

Wes took a moment to think before replying. “Kratos. The god of strength.”

“Good choice,” Cade said approvingly before shifting his attention to Yuki. “What about you?”

“Artemis,” Yuki replied smoothly. “God of the hunt.”

Cade gave him a satisfied nod, then turned to Ren. “And you?”

Ren straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin with quiet resolve. “I’ve known my favorite Greek god since I was seven. I’m Hades, the god of death.”

The group fell silent for a moment, their eyes fixed on her in surprise. Ren met their gazes unflinchingly, daring them to challenge her choice.

Cade clapped his hands together, breaking the momentary silence after Ren's bold declaration. “Alright then,” he said with a grin. “If we’re sticking with Greek gods, I guess it’s only fitting I take Zeus.”

“Of course you’d pick Zeus,” Yuki remarked dryly, smirking as he crossed his arms.

Cade chuckled, unbothered by the jab. “Leader of the gods, master of lightning, the whole deal, it suits me, don’t you think?” He shot a cheeky grin at the group, clearly reveling in his choice.

Juno rolled her eyes but smiled, a hint of amusement in her expression. “Typical.”

“Now that we’ve got our code names,” Cade continued, “let’s get back to business.”

Cade leaned over the table, spreading out a rough map of the city. His finger traced a line leading up to the upper rings, where the Mechanists held their captives. “Here’s the deal,” he began, his voice firm and commanding. “We need to make it up to the upper rings without drawing attention. Security’s tight, but I’ve patrolled the area. I know where the blind spots are. If we stick to the plan, we can slip in unnoticed.”

He turned his gaze to Juno. “You’re up first. Your job is to dig up intel on everything inside the prison. You’ve got the connections, use them. Get the guard rotations, the internal layout, the works. I don’t care how you do it; just get us the information we need.”

Juno smirked and gave a confident nod. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got a few friends who owe me favors.”

Ren couldn’t help but feel a flicker of curiosity. Juno’s ease with infiltrating the Mechanists and her ability to extract their secrets was impressive, and mysterious. But Ren bit back the questions that rose in her mind, deciding now wasn’t the time to pry.

Cade’s focus shifted to Yuki. “You’ll set up here.” He tapped the map on a building directly across from the prison. “Long-range support. Keep an eye on everything and cover Ren if she needs it.”

Yuki leaned back in his chair, his expression cool and unreadable. “Got it. If anyone so much as twitches wrong, they’re done.”

Cade nodded in approval before turning to Wes. “You’re Ren’s backup. If things go sideways, you’re going in to get her out. No hesitation.”

Wes’s thick arms crossed over his chest, and he gave a single nod. “Understood.”

Finally, Cade’s eyes settled on Ren. His tone softened, but his words carried weight. “Ren, you’ve got the most important job. You’re going into the prison. You’re the one who’s going to get my sister and her kids out.”

The mention of children caused a pit to form in Ren’s stomach. Kids. They arrested children. How could anyone be that cruel? What could they have possibly done to deserve this? She forced herself to focus, nodding as she absorbed the gravity of her task.

Cade suddenly slammed his hands on the table, jolting everyone from their thoughts. “So, everyone clear on the plan?” His sharp eyes scanned the room, locking onto each of them in turn.

A chorus of nods followed.

“We’ve got 24 hours,” Cade said, his voice dropping into a determined growl. “We leave tomorrow night.” He turned back to Juno. “You know what to do tonight.”

Juno flashed a sly smile. “Consider it done.”

“Good,” Cade said, his tone final. “Get a good night’s sleep, everyone. You’re going to need all the strength you can muster for tomorrow.”