"What happened?!?" Robertson, red faced and temple vein throbbing, walked up and down the line of injured men like a drill instructor inspecting greenhorns. The blood spattered group stood, eyes cast downward, shuffling their feet. "Are you trying to tell me that a . . .a woman did this to you?!? A woman?!!?"

"She . . .she wasn’t just a woman, sir. It’s like she was . . .possessed or something."

"Shut up!" Robertson screamed, slapping the unfortunate’s face, splitting his lip even further. "Get the fuck outta my sight, you pansy piece of shit! All of you, get the fuck outta here!!".

Hanging their heads in manly shame, the quartet turned and shuffled out of the house cradling their various injuries.

Claiborne stepped up to the irate Robertson, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "Go back into that town and take care of her personally, Mr. Robertson."

"With pleasure, Reverend."

As he watched his security chief walk resolutely away, Claiborne felt a peculiar tingling under the skin of his scalp, something he associated, especially lately, with the presence of God in his mind. He shuddered in spiritual ecstasy, trying to interpret his Holy Father’s commands. "Robertson. Wait a moment, if you please."

"Yes, Reverend?"

"I believe I’ll accompany you on your journey. I want to see this woman for myself."

"Sir? I don’t think that’s wise, sir. This woman is very dangerous."

"I have the utmost faith in you to protect me, Mr. Robertson."

"Sir . . .I don’t . . . ."

"Mr. Robertson, did you ever hear the saying: ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’?"

"Yes, but . . . ."

"This woman may be a perversion of nature, Mr. Robertson, but she may also be exactly what we need."

"Sir . . . ."

Claiborne smiled, coldly. "Don’t argue with me, Mr. Robertson," he said mildly.

Robertson sighed. "Yes, sir."

*******

Xena sat with one hip thrust casually against a quietly rotting split-rail fence, her hands clasped together over one muscled thigh. She watched as the black car came closer and closer, bearing two passengers who were staring back at her, unreadable expressions on their faces. She didn’t move a muscle as the car pulled to a slow stop a few feet from her and the two men exited, Robertson with a hand immediately to the pistol strapped to his hip.

Claiborne exited the car in a more leisurely manner, openly studying the woman before him. He felt a queer mix of fascination coupled with revulsion, compelled by her magnetic beauty at the same time he was repulsed by her obvious perversity. He licked lips dry from the heat as his eyes crawled over her body. "I’m given to understand you had an . . .altercation . . .with some of my men earlier today."

"That’s right."

"Would you care to explain why you felt compelled to do such a thing?"

An ebony eyebrow hid behind raven bangs. "Let’s just say I have a problem with women being abused."

"Abused? Care to elaborate?" Claiborne contrived to look innocent.

"Don’t play coy, Reverend Claiborne. It doesn’t suit you."

The minister smiled. "So, you know my name."

"I do."

"Then you must know I’m a man of God and would never condone the abuse of women."

"Your men say differently."

"If what you say is true, they were acting against my orders, believe me."

Xena snorted and rolled her eyes. Slowly, gracefully, she rose to her full height, her long arms hanging loose at her sides.

Robertson grasped his gun more firmly, ready to draw it at a second’s notice.

The warrior’s expressive eyebrow rose again as she looked from Robertson to Claiborne, a smirk curling her lips.

Returning the smirk, Claiborne turned his head to his security chief. "This conversation no longer concerns you, Mr. Robertson. Wait for me in the car."

"But, sir . . . ."

"Do it, Mr. Robertson."

After a long moment, glaring narrow eyed at the tall warrior, Robertson spun on his heel and retreated to the black sedan, slipping inside and slamming the door behind him.

Claiborne turned back to Xena, his false smile broadening. "He thinks to be my protector," the minister explained. "A bit overzealous at times, true, but one does one’s best with the materials at hand." He continued his study of the tall beauty before him, the clamoring in his head, much louder since he’d stepped from the car, distracting him as he tried to make sense of the words humming just under his conscious thought. "I’m afraid I’m at a bit of a disadvantage. You obviously know who I am, but I have no idea who you are."

Saying nothing, Xena smiled enigmatically at him.

"Your name, perhaps?"

"Xena."

The clamoring in his skull reached an all time high for loudness, almost drowning out any other thought in the minister’s head. He raised his hand to his skull, rubbing the area above his eyebrow, forcing the discordant humming back down. "You’re an intriguing woman, Xena," he said, drawing the name out and tasting it, savoring it. "I could find use for you in my organization."

"And what organization is that, Reverend Claiborne?"

"Why, the spreading of God’s word to those less fortunate, of course."

"And why would you need someone like me," Xena stated dryly.

"The Lord’s Truth isn’t always easy to hear, Xena. Especially by those whose ears are closed by Satan. People like that would rather harm the messenger than hear the message."

The warrior’s smirk widened. "Trouble in the chapel, Reverend?"

"Something like that," Claiborne allowed. He smiled. "You look like someone who enjoys a good fight." He paused, looking the woman over and considering his list of enticements. "I could offer you a very generous salary."

"Money means very little to me, Reverend Claiborne."

"What does mean something to you, Xena? Whiskey? I hear your people are very fond of the drink, am I right?"" At the warrior’s stony glare, he went on. "Good food? The company of handsome men? Beautiful women?" Claiborne resisted the urge to fidget as the pale eyes lanced through him. "What, then? What can I offer you?"

Xena appeared to consider the question. "Leave this town alone," she remarked after a moment.

Claiborne cocked his head. "Say again?"

"This town, these people. Leave them alone. Keep your men away from here."

"But I require supplies; food and the like."

"You can go to Yuma for those things. They have a much better selection anyway."

"So . . . .you’re willing to join me if I agree to stay away from this town, is that it?"

"Perhaps."

The minister smiled inwardly. Women were so predictable. Offer them a king’s ransom and they only asked for desires of the heart. So predictably emotional. He allowed the smile to bloom on his lips. "Very well then. We have a deal. Your services in exchange for this town’s happiness. Will that do?"

"It will."

"Wonderful! Well then, would you come with me, please?"

"If it’s all the same to you, Reverend, I’d rather take my own car."

"No problem, Xena. No problem at all. I’ll meet you back at the ranch then, alright?"

The warrior nodded. "Alright."

With a final smile, Claiborne turned from the tall woman and returned to his car. Opening the door, he slipped inside, bestowing a smirking grin on his companion. "Women are like sheep, Mr. Robertson. Offer them something trivial and meaningless and they follow you to the slaughter. Drive on, if you please."

"Yes, sir."

Xena watched as the car disappeared from her sight. She was overcome with a feeling of unease and she squinted in the bright sunlight. Her instincts were telling her that something wasn’t right, but for the life of her, she couldn’t tell what it was. But there was a feeling of déjà vu that brought up the hair on the back of her neck to painful attention. Shaking her head and scowling, the warrior got into her own car, started it up, and headed out of town.

*******

Claiborne escorted Xena and Robertson into the main house, stopping before the closed door to his study. The minister appeared to be deep in thought, fingering his thin lips, before turning to the warrior and smiling. "Well, Xena, since our arrangement precludes me from obtaining supplies in your newly protected town, I’ll give you your first job. Take two men and go into Yuma. Gather enough supplies to last us two weeks at the least. Think of it as preparing for a siege." Dismissing her with a look, he turned to his security chief. "Come with me, Mr. Robertson. We need to talk."

Xena stood in the hallway after Claiborne and Robertson disappeared into the minister’s study, elegant brows knitted in thought. Her innate danger sense was fairly screaming a warning much too loud for her to ignore, even if she wanted to. Which she didn’t. After another moment, she shook her head pensively and strode down the long, darkened hallway, slipping into a private bathroom. She fingered the underside of her thick silver bracelet. "Gabrielle, if you’re not somewhere where you can talk freely, get there. I need to speak to you."

After several moments, the bard’s voice sounded warmly in her ear. "I’m in a bathroom stall. Not much for privacy, but I’m alone, for now at least. What’s up?"

"Trouble. I’m in, by the way."

"You are? Where?" Gabrielle’s melodious voice sounded higher with excitement.

"The ranch house. Nice bathroom."

The bard laughed. "I talked to you from there once. I particularly liked the padded commode seat."

"More information than I wanted to know, Gabrielle."

Laughter was heard again, comforting in Xena’s ear. "Oh, please. I was just relaxing." A minute hesitation. "You said trouble. What’s going on?"

"I’m not sure yet, but something tells me there’s more here than meets the eye. I’m off on a mission to Yuma, but I really don’t want to take my eyes off Claiborne. There’s something about this man that’s very disturbing."

"I could have told you that without looking, Xena."

"No. Beyond that. Something that I can’t quite grab a hold of. Is there any way you can keep a discrete eye on him for me?"

Gabrielle sighed. "I wish I could, but we’re locked in."

"You’re what?"

"Locked in. Claiborne’s goons came to us this morning and told us that we couldn’t leave the barracks. They brought in some breakfast and pretty much left us alone since then. Do you have any idea what’s going on?"

"I might. It looks like my attempts at intimidation were more successful than I’d hoped. Still, there’s definitely something else going on. I just wish I knew what it was."

"Well, I'm stuck in my room trying to keep the younger girls calm. They're afraid we're being invaded or something. I could try and figure a way out of here if you need me to though."

"No, that's alright. You're doing enough just trying to keep the panic level to a minimum. I'll have to figure something else out."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"Nope. Just be ready to move fast if I come for you, alright?"

"That I can do."

"Good. I’ll see you soon."

"Looking forward to it. Be careful."

"I will. Bye."

Breaking the connection, Xena opened the bathroom door and eased back into the hallway. The house was still and silent as a grave as the warrior ran over her options. Her sensitive hearing could just make out the muter murmurings going on behind Claiborne’s study door. When no better plan came to mind, Xena contented herself with simply waiting to see what would pan out. With no one but the two secluded men knowing about her orders to drive to Yuma, Xena was confident her insubordination wouldn’t be noticed until it was too late. A smile covered her shadowed face as she pressed back against the dark paneling, still as death.

*******

It was almost two hours later when Robertson entered the dusk-darkened hallway, his eyes slowly adjusting to the muted lighting. Confident of his orders, the burly security chief decided to make a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve his bladder before his long night of searching. He’d almost made it to the door when he was stopped by a strong forearm wrapped around his neck and a callused hand clamped over his mouth. His feet went out from under him and the security chief found himself dragged into the bathroom with an ease he’d never thought possible. When the door was closed and locked behind him, a low, velvet voice sounded in his ear. "It’s time you and I had a little talk."

The hand and arm were removed from his body but before he had a chance to scream or lash out, sharp fingers dug into his neck and his knees gave out, dumping him onto the cool tiled floor of the bathroom, his head spinning, his limbs paralyzed. The dark figure of Xena stepped into his vision, towering over his kneeling form, hands on her hips and a smirk playing tag with her lips. "I’ve just cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You’ve got thirty seconds to tell me Claiborne’s plans or you’re dead."

Robertson tried to move, to struggle, but it was of no use. He couldn’t move any muscle below his neck. A trail of blood exited his nose, coating his lips and slipping into his mouth. He choked on the coppery taste. "Wha—" he rasped, "what do you want to know?"

"What are Claiborne’s plans for tonight? What did he ask you to do?"

"Unnn . . . .the sacrifice! He wants me to go out and get another man to sacrifice to the Lord!"

"Sacrifice? I thought Christians didn’t believe in blood sacrifices."

"They . . .they don’t! But Reverend Claiborne says . . .says it’s a Covenant with Christ! Please . . .let me loose! I can’t breathe!"

"Not just yet." Crossing her arms over her chest, Xena smiled coldly down at Robertson. "Where do you take the victim once you’ve captured him?"

"The . . .the west! Five miles in the desert. An altar. . . . take the victim there . . . . . . . swear!"

"Perfect," Xena purred, baring her teeth at the terrified man. Reaching down, she reversed the pinch, then applied a hard shot to the side of his head, sending Robertson down into blissful unconsciousness. Reaching up, she tore the right sleeve from her shirt, using it to bind the security chief’s hands behind his back. The other sleeve was used to gag the unconscious man. Opening the bathroom door slightly, the warrior peered out into the hallway, which was abandoned. Grunting in satisfaction, she lifted the bound man over one broad shoulder and made her way out of the house with him.

After looking around the silent, darkened courtyard, Xena carried her burden out onto the compound grounds, eyes darting around with quiet intensity. A sound off to her left and she whirled quickly, almost overbalancing with the weight of Robertson across her shoulders.

"Who are you?" a young, white faced man demanded, reaching for his gun. "What are you doing?"

"This man is sick. I’m taking him to the infirmary."

The guard looked at the unconscious and obviously trussed and gagged Robertson. "He’s not sick. You’re . . . ." His words faded to nothing as a boot to the head robbed the man of all thought.

Rolling her eyes, Xena readjusted Robertson’s weight and squatted down to grab a handful of the second man’s shirt, pulling him along behind her as she made her way to the motor pool. Stopping at one of the large, black vans, the warrior laid both burdens down and reached into Robertson’s pocket for the ring of keys she could hear jangling. With a smile of triumph, Xena pulled the large ring out, quickly flipping through the keys until she found the one she wanted. Stepping to the rear of the van, she opened the large doors, lifted the unconscious guard and threw him inside. She closed and locked the door, then went around to the passenger’s side, unlocking that door and opening it wide. Then, picking Robertson up easily, she thrust him onto the bench seat in the van, reaching across his waist to belt him upright in the seat.

Her task complete, the warrior crossed over to the driver’s side and slipped into the roomy comfort of the van, keying the ignition and starting the engine. Robertson’s head lolled sickly to one side, blood continuing to flow in a sluggish stream from his nose. Xena noticed a burlap sack lying on the floor of the passenger’s seat and, bending over, she picked it up and thrust it over the security guard’s head.

Satisfied, Xena gunned the engine and started toward the exit of the compound, waving at the guards to open the gate. Saluting, two men did as she bade, waving her through the large iron gate and barring it behind her. Xena smirked, then headed out for the open road, content to wile an hour or two away by driving the almost deserted highway between the compound and Yuma. Robertson woke up once during the somewhat aimless journey, but could do little more than take a deep breath to scream through his gag when he was belted back into unconsciousness, courtesy of the Warrior Princess. "Ya just aren’t having a good day, are you?" A low laugh rumbled through the van’s cabin.

After an hour had gone by, the night sky taking on the look of a jeweled tapestry, the warrior turned the van around and headed back toward the compound, skirting the main enclosure to take a wheel-rutted path that led off to the left, her headlights leading the way.

The terrain became rockier as Xena drove in a westerly direction, one hand on Robertson as his limp body kept trying to collapse against the dashboard despite the restraint of this seatbelt. She breasted a small hill and a mesa came into view; a crude altar set almost in the exact center of the clearing. The chantry was nothing more than a few crude wooden planks set between two large boulders.

Claiborne stood slightly off to the left in a posture of waiting, dressed in pristine white robes, a golden mantle around his neck and hanging below his knees. A sliver knife glinted in the light cast by the van. Xena’s pale eyes flashed as well as she pulled the van to a slow stop a short distance from the minister and his altar.

The tick of a slowly cooling engine was the only sound in the clearing for long moments. Then, opening the door, Xena eased her long frame from the van, walking to the front of the vehicle and leaning against the grille, one foot casually on the bumper. She smiled.

Claiborne whirled toward the warrior, knife raised in his hand. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "Where is Robertson?"

Xena moued her lips in mock sympathy. "He has a headache."

Switching the knife to his left hand, the minister reached under his robes and brought out a large pistol with his right, pointing it directly at the tall, beautiful woman who stood unafraid before him. "Stay where your, Xena. I’m warning you. I won’t hesitate to kill you."

The warrior held her empty hands up. "Relax. I brought your sacrifice for ya." A sneer curled her full lips.

"Sacrifice? What are you talking about."

"Well, poor Mr. Robertson was indisposed, so I took his place. It is what you asked for, isn’t it? A sacrifice to mark the coming of your Holy War?"

Claiborne narrowed his eyes, his grip on the gun tightening. "I don’t know what game you’re trying to play, Xena, but . . . ."

"Oh, it’s no game, Reverend Claiborne." Her sneer broadened. "Would you like to see what I’ve brought you?"

Claiborne’s eyes darted from the warrior to the van. He could easily see the hooded, slumped figure in the passenger’s seat. "This had better not be a trick, woman."

Xena simply smiled at him.

"Alright then, open the door and take him out. Slowly. I won’t hesitate to take your head off if you try anything stupid."

Striding to the passenger’s side, Xena keyed open the door, unbelted Robertson, and bore him up easily in her strong arms. "One sacrificial lamb, as ordered. Where would you like me to put it?"

Claiborne gestured with his gun. "On the altar." His eyes bugged at the sight of a woman carrying the dead weight of a man easily across the ground and laying him on the altar without even grunting. "Now back away slowly and stand by his head, you perversion of nature. I want you where I can see you at all times."

Xena back away, her hands again upraised. "Anything you say, Reverend."

Satisfied, for the moment, with the woman’s apparent docility, Claiborne reholstered his gun, then gripped the ceremonial knife in both hands, raising it high. His head tilted toward the heavens, crazed eyes searching. "Oh Holy Father, your humble servant offers you the blood of your enemy as a Covenant, binding his spirit to your Greatness in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please accept this sacrifice and let its blood wash clean the stains of my sins. Give me strength to fight the Darkness of Satan and Glorify Your Holy Name. Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I do this deed." His gaze turned to the waiting warrior. "Remove the hood from his head. Let the defiler know how it is to face the wrath of the One True God."

"With pleasure." Reaching out, Xena snatched the hood from Claiborne’s victim, her teeth flashing in an unholy grin.

Robertson’s eyes bugged out at the sight of a knife heading swiftly for his chest, then rolled up in his head, exposing bloodshot whites as he fainted dead away.

Xena barked out a laugh as Claiborne’s knife came to an abrupt halt a hairsbreadth from the unprotected breast of his ‘victim’. His head turned in her direction, eyes wide with shock, teeth bared in a vicious snarl. "You Godless heathen son of a bitch!"

Kicking out, Xena casually parted Claiborne with his weapon, then stopped his enraged advance with a thrust of her fingers to his neck. I think I’ve set a new record in pinch interrogations, she thought as the crazed minister slumped to the ground, still snarling. The warrior squatted in front of Claiborne, head cocked, elbows resting casually on her thighs. "Now then. You were saying?"

Claiborne’s insane snarling abruptly cut off as a change came over him. Xena’s skin began to crawl as gooseflesh erupted over every inch of her flesh, jutting her nipples to rigid, painful attention as the fine hair on her arms and the back of her neck quickly followed suit. Her eyes narrowed. The minister’s eyes seemed to be lit from within by an unholy fire. He smiled suddenly. "Well played, my dear," he complimented in flawless Greek.

The pattern of her interior warnings clicked into place and Xena bared her teeth. A part of her was shocked, but another, much larger and more pragmatic part, accepted the seeming inevitability of the event. "Ares," she purred.

"I’m glad to see that three thousand years hasn’t dulled that razor sharp intellect, Xena." His eyes roamed slowly over Xena’s body. "To say nothing of your other, more . . .pleasurable . . .assets." His smile widened as he licked his lips, tasting the blood rolling from Claiborne’s nose and moaning softly. "You’re still as beautiful as ever, my dear."

"So you’re the one who’s been behind all this," Xena replied, ignoring the erotic stare of her tormentor.

"Oh no. Much as I’d like to, I can’t take all the credit for this one, Xena. Claiborne was fruitier than a fig tree long before I came into the picture. His hatred just made it that much easier for me to use some of my more . . .persuasive tactics, if you will."

"Get to the point, Ares. Why are you here."

"The point? Well the point, my dear Xena, is that I know that your beloved little Gabrielle is back in your life. And, even better, I know why she’s back."

Xena glared narrow-eyed at Claiborne/Ares, giving away nothing.

"I know where the ambrosia is, Xena. And while you’re stuck here, talking to me, several of my men are nosing around a certain area of Greece just wait waiting to get their hands on the food of the gods. And they will. They’ll be the first in an all new race of Immortal warriors who’ll rule the world in my name." Ares’ deep laugh rolled over the desert, followed quickly by the howling of hundreds of coyotes drawn to the war god’s dark call. "And you know what the best part is, Xena? There isn’t a thing you can do to stop them."

Ares began to choke as Claiborne’s body overcame even the temporary sustenance of a god, shutting down rapidly. "Looks like my time’s up here, my dear warrior. We’ll be talking again, though. Soon." With a final laugh, Ares departed, leaving Claiborne’s dead body to fall forward onto the ground.

Xena stared at the body for a long moment in shock, Ares’ threats playing again and again in her mind. Snarling, she jumped to her feet and ran to the van without a backward glance. Slipping inside, she started the engine and raced back the way she’d come, pulling out her phone and dialing quickly.

"Yuma Police Department. What’s your emergency."

"I need to speak to Chief Halloran. This is Xena. It’s important."

"Of course, Ma’am. I’ll put you through right away."

There was a short pause, then a new voice came on the line. "Halloran here, Xena. What’s up?"

"It’s done. About five miles to the west of the compound, you’ll find Robertson and Claiborne’s body. Robertson’s the one trussed up on the altar."

"Body? Altar? What’s going on?"

"I don’t have time to explain right now, Chief. Looks like Claiborne might have had a stroke. I’ll have the full report sent out to you as soon as I can. The bodies of the victims are about twelve miles to the north of the compound, lying in shallow graves. Apparently, they were used as blood sacrifices. Just get your men out to the compound. They aren’t expecting you."

"You’ll explain this all to me eventually, right?"

"Promise, Chief. Just get out here."

"Alright. Thanks, Xena."

"No problem." Cutting the connection, Xena swiftly dialed again. "Nigel, it’s me."

"Xena! I was just getting ready to ring you up. There are some interesting developments on the satellite." The melodious tones of the Englishman sounded excitedly over the line.

"I figured as much. What’s going on?" Xena swerved quickly to avoid a mule deer that had wandered out onto the rutted track, almost losing her grip on the phone. "Say again?"

"There’s a group of people about thirty miles to the west of the area you asked me to keep watch over."

"What are they doing?"

"It’s difficult to tell. The bloody satellite feed keeps cutting out on me."

"Are they getting any closer to the actual site?"

"No. They seem to be milling about for the most part. Wish I could be more specific."

"Alright. Keep an eye on it and call me the second something starts to move."

"Will do, Xena."

"Thanks, Nigel."

"Right."

Cutting the connection again, Xena dialed for a third time. "C’mon, Jarrod," she muttered as the phone rang and rang. "Get the hell outta bed and answer the damn phone."

"Jarrod here."

"Jarrod, it’s me. I need you to do me a favor."

"Bluu jicho! How is everything?"

"Done on this end, but I’ve got an emergency I need to tend to. I need you to get me tickets out on the first available flight to Athens."

"Athens, Georgia?"

"No. Greece."

"Home? What’s going on, my friend?"

"I can’t explain now, Jarrod. Just get me those tickets."

"Which airport?"

"Whichever has an earlier flight, but I’m a lot closer to San Diego than I am to Sky Harbor. Get two." She thought quickly. "And call Manuel and let him know that we won’t be home for awhile. If his sons can’t take care of the horses, get my vet to do it, alright?"

"Sure, my friend. I’ll take care of it. Call you back with the flight, ok?"

"Thanks, Jarrod." Pressing the ‘end’ button, Xena tossed the phone on the passenger’s seat and put both hands on the wheel, pressing down on the gas pedal and careening toward the compound which was just becoming visible.

When the barred gate came into view, the warrior sounded the horn, thanking the gods for idiotic guards as the gate immediately opened and she shot the van through the slowly widening entrance without slowing, nearly running over the men in her haste. Coming to a tire-shredding halt in front of the single women’s barracks, Xena leapt from the cab, whirling the large ring of keys and finding, by feel alone, the one that unlocked the barracks’ doors.

Only then did she slow down, not wanting to cause a panic. She crept inside, using the subdued hallway lighting to identify the women sleeping in their beds. At the entrance to the fourth room on the left, the warrior spotted the telltale shock of red/gold hair she was seeking and slipped quietly inside, striding quickly up to Gabrielle’s bed and squatting beside it. One hand gripped Gabrielle’s warm shoulder as the other clamped softly over her mouth. "Gabrielle," she whispered urgently, "Gabrielle, it’s me. Wake up."

Green eyes popped open and the half-asleep bard started to fight against her captivity.

"Don’t struggle," Xena whispered. "It’s just me. I’m gonna take my hand away, but you need to be quiet alright?"

At Gabrielle’s nod, the warrior removed her hand. The bard beamed. "Xena!" Throwing her arms out, she brought her lover close in a fervent hug.

Xena returned the hug enthusiastically, if briefly. Pulling away, she pinned Gabrielle with a stare. "We need to get out of here. Quickly."

"Why? Is it over? What happened?"

"Shhh. Yes, it’s over. Claiborne is dead and the police are on their way in. We need to leave. Now. Get your things and get ready. We don’t have any time to lose."

Gabrielle struggled to sit up. "I don’t understand. If everything’s over, why the hurry?" Her eyes narrowed. "You didn’t . . . ."

Xena cut her off. "It isn’t anything like that. Please, there’s no time to explain right now. Gabrielle, we have to leave."

Pushing the warrior out of the way, Gabrielle gathered her bedclothes and rose up from the bed. "Alright, alright. I’m going already," she grumbled, scratching as she prepared to pull the starchy nightgown over her head. Then she paused. "Xena, when the police come, do you think Claiborne’s men will fight?"

"I doubt it. C’mon, Gabrielle." Raising to her feet, Xena began to gather her lover’s belongings hastily.

The bard put a restraining arm on the warrior’s broad shoulder. "Wait a minute, Xena. This is important. Is there any chance of a fight?"

Xena sighed in frustration. "I don’t know, Gabrielle. Why?"

"Xena, there are a lot of innocent people here. If there’s going to be a fight, they won’t be safe."

"They’ll be locked in the barracks, Gabrielle. They’ll be safe."

"Can you be sure? One hundred percent positive?"

"Well . . .no."

"My point exactly. We need to do something."

"Gabrielle, what we need to do is get out of here. Now!"

The stubborn bard dug in her heels. She crossed her arms over her chest, green eyes lancing into her partner’s pale blues. "Xena, there are innocent women in here who could be in danger. You know it. I know it. So, unless we can figure out a plan to help them, you might as well go on by yourself because I’ll be staying here."

After a long, tense moment of silence, Xena capitulated. "Alright, Gabrielle. What do you have in mind."

The bard grinned in triumph. "There are five teens that I’ve been talking to. Their parents sent them here to ‘straighten them out’. If you let them come with us, I’ll be a lot more comfortable with the whole thing."

Xena nodded once. "Fine. Just hurry."

"Great!" Striding over to A.J.’s bed, Gabrielle shook the teen awake, steadying the young woman as she startled at the abrupt awakening. "A.J., it’s Gabrielle. I’m leaving. If you want to come, hurry up and get ready."

Grinning widely, A.J. leapt from her bed, yanking her nightgown over her head quickly. Within seconds, she was fully dressed. "You don’t have to ask me twice."

Xena looked on, head cocked, a slight smile playing over her lips.

A.J.’s eyes widened as she looked over at the shadowed figure, than back to Gabrielle. "That Xena?"

Gabrielle grinned. "Yup."

"Too cool." She looked back at the bard. "What’s next?"

"Do you think the others would want to come with us?"

"Is Claiborne a raving lunatic with delusions of grandeur?" A.J. struck a pose, her eyes twinkling with mirth as she grinned rakishly.

"I’ll take that as a ‘yes’."

"Be right back."

Xena was silent as Gabrielle quickly changed and picked up her handbag. The bard turned to her lover. "There’s something you’re not telling me."

"I’ll explain . . . ."

"Later. Yeah, I know." Reaching up, she pulled Xena’s head down. "You just better." Their lips met in a loving kiss. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Their lips met once more, briefly, then the warrior kissed Gabrielle’s nose before releasing her just as the five teens entered the room, their eyes glowing with excitement.

"Are we really blowing this joint?" Lisa asked, grinning.

"Keep quiet," Xena hissed. "We don’t want to wake anyone else."

The red haired teen looked from Xena to Gabrielle. "Who’s the Amazon?"

A.J. elbowed her shorter friend in the ribs. "Quiet, you idiot. That’s Xena."

Lisa looked back at the impatiently waiting warrior, assessing her head to toe. "So that’s Xena, huh? Awesome."

"Look," the warrior replied, "we need to leave now. Just follow me and for Gaia’s sake, don’t make any noise. Understand?"

Xena left the room, Gabrielle close behind. Lisa turned to A.J. "Who’s Gaia?"

The blonde teen shrugged. "Beats me."

The group moved quietly down the short hallway toward the door. Within feet of the exit, the way was blocked by the cadaverously thin form of Adella Samuels. "Where do ladies think you’re going?" she asked, hands on her hips. "And who are you?" she added, looking up at the warrior.
"What’s going on here?" Her voice became louder as she dropped into an awkward combat stance. "I’ll have you know I’m a Master in the martial ar . . . ."

Xena’s fist ended Adella’s commentary on her ability to defend herself. Muted cheers sounded behind the warrior as she flung open the door and ushered the young women safely outside before turning and locking the door once again. "The rest of them should be safe in here no matter what happens," the warrior observed, turning to lead the group over to the motor pool.

She quickly unlocked and opened the sedan’s doors, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the engine as the others situated themselves within. Gabrielle sat next to Xena, with AJ to her right. The other three filled the long back seat. Hitting the gas, Xena raced the car to the compound’s exit, rolling down the window. "Open the gate!" she yelled.

"No one’s allowed to leave the compound!" one of the guards returned, hefting his weapon. "Reverend Claiborne’s orders!"

Xena’s eyes scanned the interior of the car. "Can any of you drive?"

"I just got my license," AJ said.

"Good. I’m gonna take care of the guards. Crawl over Gabrielle and get in the driver’s seat. When I give the signal, get out of here as fast as you can."

"What about you?"

"I’ll be fine. Just do as I say. The rest of you, get down and stay there." Opening the door, Xena exited the car, strolling casually over to the guards, eyeing their drawn weapons with a smirk. "Evening boys."

"Who . . .who are you?" the first guard stammered.

"A friend. Now, are you gonna be a gentleman and open the gate for me?"

"No one leaves the compound," the guard reiterated just in case Xena hadn’t heard him the first time.

"Alright." Closing the distance between them, Xena grabbed the rifle by its muzzle and yanked it out of the stunned man’s hands. She could hear the approaching sirens still in the distance. Using the weapon as a club, she swung at the man’s body, launching him into the air to collide with the second guard, sending both of them sprawling. Dropping the gun, Xena ran to the gate, unlocked it and swung it open. "Now! Move!!"

At Xena’s shout, AJ slammed her foot down on the gas pedal, fishtailing the car as she shot out of the gate, the rear of the car rapping solidly against the cement post as it passed.

The guards scrambled back to their feet, going for their fallen weapons as Xena followed the car out of the compound. Shots rang out as the warrior ran quickly, then leapt for the vehicle, landing face down on the trunk and grabbing the sides of the roof for support as her body swung from side to side. Bullets whistled over her head and she ducked flat, making herself as small a target as possible.

A lucky shot bored into her ankle, snapping it cleanly. The car hit a deep rut and the warrior’s foot smacked smartly against the chrome bumper, almost causing Xena to black out as pain lanced through her body. She clamped her teeth against the scream that threatened to erupt, instead focusing all her concentration on staying awake and on the car.

A second bullet slammed into her right forearm and she released her iron grip on the car’s roof. At that moment, AJ made a sharp right turn and the warrior flew from the vehicle, hitting the ground face down and rolling along the rough gravel of the desert hardpan, groaning hoarsely in pain as the rocks raked against her unprotected skin. She finally came to a stop belly first and remained there, temporarily stunned and trying hard to retain conscious thought against the agony blooming behind her tightly clenched eyelids.

"Stop the car!" Gabrielle screamed. "Xena!!"

AJ used both feet to jam on the brakes, causing the car to skid, swerving in the loose gravel. It spun in a full, looping turn before finally coming to a shuddering, rocking stop, the brakes squealing out their protest. The passengers were thrown about like toys inside the sedan, screaming, soft bodies impacting hard on doorframes and seatbacks.

The bard jumped out of the car before it had stopped moving, sprinting toward the form of her unmoving lover. "Xena!!"

"Gabrielle," the warrior groaned weakly, "go back."

"Like hell I will!"

"Gabrielle . . . ."

The bard dropped to the ground as bullets whined past her head, crawling against the rough ground toward her lover. A clump of sand exploded near her right hand and Gabrielle pulled back for a split second, then resumed her desperate crawl to her wounded partner. "Xena!"

"Gabrielle. . . ."

The sound of sirens came closer and the desert was suddenly bathed in flashing red and blue lights as lines of patrol cars sped over the final hill before reaching the compound. Gunfire ceased and Gabrielle leapt to her feet and sprinted the final distance separating her from Xena, who was struggling to her feet. The bard skidded to a stop as she grabbed Xena’s arm. "Are you alright? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Got shot," the warrior ground out as she gently removed Gabrielle’s hand from her wounded arm. "The girls alright?"

"They’re fine. Where are you hurt?" Gabrielle looked the warrior over carefully, assessing, noticing the pallor of pain on her lover’s face.

"My ankle and arm."

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah. Let’s go."

The bard drew Xena’s good arm over her shoulder and wrapped one arm around her partner’s trim waist, accepting some of Xena’s weight gratefully as the two hobbled back to the waiting car.

AJ jumped out of the car as they approached, rushing to help Gabrielle get Xena into the driver’s seat, a look of profound awe stamped boldly over her features. After the warrior was safely ensconced in the car, the other two crossed to the passenger’s side, Gabrielle slipping in first, followed by AJ.

"Wow," Lisa babbled from the back seat, "didja see that? Man, it’s like you’re Wonder Woman or something! That was so fuckin’ cool, man!"

Xena silenced the young woman with a glare into the rearview mirror.

"Um . . .bad joke, huh? Sorry."

"Don’t even go there," Gabrielle warned, turning back around and placing a gentle hand on her partner’s thigh. "You alright?"

"Yeah, let’s just get outta here." Wincing with the pain of her bones reknitting, Xena slammed the gas pedal to the floor and sped the car down the desert hardpan and onto the highway, leaving the lights, sirens and Claiborne’s compound behind them, her mind already racing over the much larger problems to come.

*******

By the time the women arrived in front of Rosa’s café, Xena was fully healed, thankful that the darkness and excitement had hidden the worst of her injuries from the perceptive teens. An explanation right now was definitely something the warrior had no time for. "Stay here," Xena ordered as she exited the car. "I’ll be right back."

From her long days of observation, the warrior knew that Rosa lived directly across the street from the café, next to the abandoned shack she’d been using as a temporary shelter. Stepping onto the weathered porch, the warrior rose one fist to knock, only to have the door thrown open and a smiling Rosa come out to meet her. "Xena! Is good news?"

Xena nodded. "Yes, Rosa. The danger’s over. But I have some unexpected guests." Stepping aside, the warrior gestured to the car and its occupants. "Some young women who were sent to the compound against their will. We got them out, but an emergency’s come up and I can’t take them home. Would you be able to make sure they’re safe for me?"

"Of course, of course!" Rosa bustled past Xena and walked over to the car, pulling open one of the rear doors. "Welcome. Please, come. I will open up the cafe. You must be hungry and thirsty, no?" The jovial woman ushered the teens from the car and led them into the comfort of the café, smiling, talking and putting them at their ease.

Xena sighed and leaned against the car in relief when her phone rang. "Yeah?"

"Bluu jicho, it’s Jarrod. I’ve got your tickets. There’s a flight leaving from San Diego for JFK in three hours. You’ll have a two hour layover, then a flight out to Hellinikon International in Athens. Sound doable?"

"Perfect. Thank you, my friend."

"Any time, Xena. Your tickets will be waiting for you at the gate. Safe journey."

"Thanks. Talk to you soon." Closing the phone, Xena looked up as Gabrielle exited the café, a satisfied smile lighting the bard’s face. "All taken care of?"

"All set," Gabrielle replied. "Three of the girls are gonna call their parents in the morning, but AJ and Lisa are going to think about things before making any decisions. Rosa’s willing to put them up until they decide what to do." She smiled. "Despite the danger, I’m glad I went there, Xena. Growing up with that kind of ignorance and hatred all around them is never a good thing. Those girls needed to know there was a life outside the castle walls their parents built up around them."

"If anyone could do that, Gabrielle, it would be you. Ya did alright."

The bard beamed with pleasure. "Thanks!"

"Now let’s go."

The smile turned to a scowl. "Are you going to explain what’s going on?"

"As soon as we’re on our way."

Gabrielle slid into the car with alacrity, slamming the door shut and belting herself in. Xena slid in at a more leisurely pace, smirking slightly as the green stare of the bard bore holes through her profile. They sped away from the town in silence and hit the highway before Gabrielle had had enough. "I’m waiting."

Xena waited a moment longer. "Ares says he knows where the Ambrosia is," she said finally.

"Wha-at?" Gabrielle clamped her hand hard around Xena’s bicep. "Would you mind repeating that?"

"You heard me."

"I know I heard you. I’m just not sure if I believe you. Xena, what’s going on?"

"Ares was using Claiborne’s insanity to get to me. I followed Claiborne to his little outdoor abattoir and when he came at me with a knife, I pinched him. Ares took over and told me that he knew you were back and he knew why you came. I checked with Nigel and he confirms that there is a group of people less than thirty miles from the site of the ambrosia."

"You’re kidding me. Please tell me you’re kidding me."

"It’s no joke. Ares is after the ambrosia and we’ve got to stop him. Jarrod got us some tickets to Greece and we’re headed to San Diego airport."

"By the gods," Gabrielle breathed.

"One god, anyway."

"Are you sure Ares knows exactly where the ambrosia is? Could those people being there just be a coincidence?"

"It could be, but I’m not willing to take that chance."

"Well, Ares could be using you to show him the exact location, you know. Maybe he only has a general idea of where it’s hidden and figures if he can get you concerned enough, you’ll lead him right to it."

"That thought has occurred to me, believe me. Nigel is keeping a close eye on the situation. Regardless, there’s nothing we can do till we get to Athens, so there’s no use worrying about it now."

"True," the bard allowed, "but worrying’s one of those things I’m particularly good at."

Xena smiled fondly at her lover. "Far be it for me to take away one of your many skills."

That earned her a half hearted slap to the arm as the sedan continued down into the darkness.

*******

By the time Xena pulled the battered sedan into long term parking and collected her ticket, dawn had painted a rosy ribbon across the eastern sky. After a trip to the trunk to grab their one small carry on bag, Xena opened the passenger’s side door and helped a sleepy Gabrielle from the car, herding her onto the waiting trolley.

The smell of jet fuel was strong as they came closer to the sprawling airport. The bard watched in wide-eyed, gape-jawed awe as they passed the huge transcontinental jets, their attendant workers scurrying around them like industrious bees to a hive.

The roaring sound of jet engines coming to life rivaled, to Gabrielle’s uncomprehending mind, the worst of Zeus’ temper tantrums in the heavens and the overwhelmed bard spent the short ride from long term parking to the terminal with her fingers sunk deeply into the big muscle of Xena’s thigh.

The tram finally came to a stop outside the entrance to the terminal and, after prying her lover away from her flesh, the warrior guided Gabrielle into the overcrowded airport, stopping at one of the many video monitors to check the progress of their departing flight. Armed with the correct gate and time information, Xena grabbed onto Gabrielle’s arm and started off down the long maze of corridors, adroitly avoiding collisions with the many harried travelers who shared her space. Thinking quickly, she made a brief stop at one of the many shops to pick up some Dramamine for the flight, then continued on.

They headed toward the concourse, coming quickly upon airport security and the metal detectors. Xena dumped her carryon and Gabrielle’s handbag on the X-ray belt, then removed her wallet, silver bracelets, keys and change and put it in the bowl. Then she gently urged the bard in front of her. "It’s fine. Just walk through that portal."

"If you say so," Gabrielle said, doubtfully eyeing the metal detector. As she stepped through, a siren sounded and lights flashed. The bard jumped. "What happened?"

A blue suited security guard grasped Gabrielle’s arm. "Come with me, Miss."

Gabrielle yanked away. "Hey! What do you think you’re doing?"

Seeing the commotion, Xena quickly slipped through the portal safely to arrive at her companion’s side. "Relax. You just set off the metal detector. Do you have any metal on?"

"Like I would know???"

The security guard led the two women off to the side and grabbed his wand. "Put your arms out to the sides like this, please, Ma’am," he requested, demonstrating.

Scowling, Gabrielle did as he requested, trying not to flinch as he drew the wand around her body slowly. The instrument chittered excitedly as it hovered around her neck. Gabrielle jumped again.

"Would you please remove your necklace, Ma’am?"

"With pleasure." Reaching up, the bard unclasped the necklace and handed it to the guard, who looked it over carefully. Nodding, he handed the piece back to her. "Must have been the metal in the chain, Ma’am."

"No, that’s alright. You can keep it."

"Ma’am?"

"I’ll take it," Xena replied, retrieving the necklace. She then acknowledged the summons of the agent at the X-ray machine to open her carryon and turn on her laptop and phone for inspection.

The first guard gently led Gabrielle back to the metal detector portal. "If you’ll just step through again, Ma’am, we’ll make sure everything’s ok."

Nodding, the bard stepped through the portal a second time. Again, the lights flashed and the siren sounded. "What now?" she wailed.

Xena whirled as Gabrielle was once again led off to the side. Snapping her laptop and phone closed, she stuffed them back into the case as she again went to the bard’s side. "What’s going on?"

The guard grunted as he again waved the wand over Gabrielle’s impatient form. When he neared her head, the instrument chittered again, loudly. The guard stepped back. "Do you have a metal plate in your head, Ma’am?"

"I feel like I’ve been hit with one. Does that count?"

Xena stepped closer, eyeing Gabrielle significantly. "It’s her hearing aid, officer. She’s as deaf as a stone without it."

"Would you please remove it, Ma’am?"

"Remove what?"

Xena jerked her head. "Your . . .hearing . . .aid," she ground out.

"My . . .ohhhhh." Tilting her head to the side, she removed the receiver in her ear. "I forgot it was in there," she said, sweetly. "There ya go."

The guard looked carefully at the flesh colored button. "I’ve never seen one quite like this before."

Gabrielle was silenced by Xena’s sharp glare. Light dawned. "I’m sorry?" she said in an overloud voice. "You’re gonna have to speak up some. I can’t hear a word you’re saying."

"I SAID . . . ." The guard shot a look to his supervisor, who eyed the gathering crowd. The supervisor shrugged and nodded. The guard handed the microphone cum hearing aid back to Gabrielle. "Here you go, Ma’am. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Huh?"

Xena stepped in and smoothly took the device from the guard’s fingers, deftly reinserting it into her lover’s ear canal.

"Much better!" Gabrielle shouted, then modulated her tone. "Much better. Thanks."

The three turned to look at the nonplussed security supervisor. After a moment, he rolled his eyes and waved the two women on. Xena grabbed their baggage in one hand, Gabrielle’s arm in the other, and headed away from the security area, breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief.

"Moving roads," Gabrielle breathed as they stood on the ‘people mover’ which sped them to their destination. "Xena, do you believe this? By the gods what I wouldn’t have paid to have one of these things back home! Oh! Excuse me." Gabrielle whirled as a harried man, loaded down with luggage, bumped her from behind. Her movement caused her to bar the advance of a family of four, knocking the small suitcase from the youngest girl’s hand. "Oh, I’m sorry. Let me help you with that." Bending over to pick up the case, she knocked a smartly-dressed business woman into the rail, causing the woman’s briefcase to go flying out into the stationary corridor.

A strong hand threaded through the increasingly irate crowd, latching onto the sleeve of Gabrielle’s blouse and yanking her to the safety of the side rail. "Stay!" Xena commanded before reaching out to grab the small suitcase and giving it back to the now crying little girl. Then she vaulted the rail, grabbed the briefcase, vaulted back on to the moving sidewalk, handed it to the snarling power-suited women and returned to Gabrielle’s side.

"Ya know, Xena, these things should come with instructions," Gabrielle observed from her safe spot.

"They do. Look." Pointing, Xena showed the bard the ‘rules of the road’ for the moving sidewalks.

"Oh." The bard flushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Guess I missed those."

"It’s alright. Just stay right here with me and don’t go wandering off, alright?"

"Oh, alright." Folding her arms and leaning against the moving rail, the bard contented herself with people watching.

When they finally arrived at the gate, the passengers were starting to board. Xena approached the desk and received the tickets from the boarding agent after showing proper identification. Then she and Gabrielle went to the rear of a long line snaking into the seating area as the passengers slowly disappeared into the bowels of the plane.

Finally, they walked down the twisting connecting ramp and boarded the plane, greeted by a smiling flight attendant who showed them to their seats in the mostly empty first class area. "Hey," Gabrielle grinned, sliding down into the plush leather seat, "not too shabby." She stretched out comfortably, belting herself into the seat without being prompted. "I think I’m gonna like this flying stuff."

Xena stowed her carryon under the seat and extracted the box of Dramamine from her pocket. Punching out two pills from their protective foil wrapper, she handed them to her friend together with a cup of water she appropriated from the cabin attendant. "Here, swallow these."

"What are they?"

"Think of them as sleeping herbs."

"No way, Xena. No thanks. Forget it. I wanna enjoy this experience."

"Gabrielle, you get seasick at the drop of a dinar and you’re afraid of heights. Not a good combination for flying."

"But Xena . . . ."

"Gabrielle, please. Just trust me on this one, alright?"

After a long moment, the bard huffed out an annoyed sigh and took the pills and water from Xena’s hand. "You’re gonna owe me big time for this, warrior."

"Just put it on my tab."

Making a face as she swallowed the bitter pills, Gabrielle handed the empty cup back to the warrior, crossing her arms over her chest and slumping back against the seat, peering out the window.

Shaking her dark head, Xena eased a pillow behind the head of her sulking soulmate, then covered the bard’s body with a blanket, all the while keeping her silence. After another moment, she gently placed her hand under the blanket, coaxing Gabrielle’s clenched fist open and threading their fingers together. The skin of the bard’s hand was sweaty and chilled, belying her seeming nonchalance. "It’ll be alright," Xena whispered, clenching her lover’s hand tenderly. "We’ll be on our way pretty soon."

Gabrielle’s head rolled on the seatback until her jade eyes met Xena’s. The slight smile on her lips couldn’t erase the tinge of fear in her eyes. "Sorry about being so stubborn," she replied in a low voice.

The warrior gave her lover a cherished half grin. "I’m not. I need you around to keep me on my toes, right?"

The bard’s grin widened, wrinkling her nose in a way that Xena particularly loved. A tug on her hand and the warrior lowered her face so their foreheads touched lovingly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

A gently cleared throat interrupted the tender scene and the two pulled back, looking up to see a smiling flight attendant staring down at them. "We’re almost ready to begin pre-flight instructions. Is there anything I can get for you before then?"

Xena looked to Gabrielle who shook her head. "Nothing right now, thank you," the warrior replied.

Smiling and nodding, the attendant made her way down the short aisle, leaving the two to their peace. Remembering something, Xena reached up and gently urged the microphone from Gabrielle’s ear canal. She returned the bard’s look. "When we get up in the air, the pressure’s gonna build up in your ears. Try to yawn or swallow a lot to compensate for it, alright?"

Gabrielle looked at her lover doubtfully. "If you say so."

"I do."

The sound of a microphone being turned on returned both women’s attentions to the front of the first class cabin where the head flight attendant was preparing to go into the pre-flight instructions. Having heard the rhetoric more times than she cared to count, Xena tuned out the woman’s droning voice, looking out the window as Gabrielle listened attentively. When the plane began to back out of its slot, the bard’s hand clamped convulsively around Xena’s and remained there, trembling slightly. Her blonde head edged to the side to rest against the warrior’s broad shoulder. Green eyes turned beseechingly to her partner’s face.

"It’ll be alright," Xena murmured, her thumb gently caressing the back of the bard’s tightly clenching hand.

"Is it too late to back out?"

"Afraid so."

The huge plane crawled slowly forward until it taxied onto the runway, first in line for takeoff. A low, cycling roar vibrated through the craft. "What was that?" Gabrielle yelped quietly.

"The pilot’s just powering up the engines. Relax."

"You relax. I’m doing just fine being scared to death, thank you. And how long is it gonna take before these herb things work, anyway?"

"A little while longer. Your body’s fighting it too hard right now." Xena’s voice dropped in pitch. "Get ready, here we go."

The plane seemed to pause for a long moment, gathering up the energy needed to change it from an earth-bound construct to a soaring beast of flight. It started down the runway, slowly at first but picking up speed at a phenomenal rate. Gabrielle wrenched her hand out of Xena’s comforting clasp, sinking her short nails into the muscled flesh of the warrior’s forearm, leaving bloodless, but painful half moons in the smooth skin beneath her fingers. The bard’s face was pale and sweating, her green eyes wide and rolling. Her lips moved soundlessly.

Xena did her best to comfort her beloved friend, cradling the blonde head on her shoulder and rubbing her back soothingly, murmuring nonsense words in a calm voice.

The plane finally left the ground, turning almost immediately into an unfortunately steep angle upwards. Gabrielle screamed into Xena’s shoulder as the pressure forced her back into her seat, trapping the warrior’s arm behind her back. "I don’t wanna do this anymore, Xena," Gabrielle wailed softly. "Can you please tell them to turn around? Please?"

"Shhhh. It’s gonna be fine, Gabrielle. You’ll see."

"I won’t see anything because I’ll be dead by then, Xena. Tell them to turn this beast around right now. I want to get off." The plane chose that moment to hit a pocket of turbulence and the bard screamed again. "Now, Xena. I’m not kidding. Right now."

The warrior gently unclasped the death grip Gabrielle had on her arm after freeing her other arm from behind the bard’s back. Cupping her lover’s face between her hands, Xena looked intently into the frightened jade eyes. "Everything is going to be fine, Gabrielle," the warrior said succinctly. "Can you feel that? We’re beginning to level off already."

Closing her eyes, the bard breathed deeply through her nose. After a moment, she nodded, relaxing just the slightest bit. "Yes, I can feel it."

"Good. Now just take some calming breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Right, just like that." Xena smiled at her companion. "Feel any better?"

Gabrielle smiled shakily. "Yeah. A little." Some color returned to her cheeks as her body slowly stopped trembling. She relaxed back into the thick padded comfort of the seat, breathing out a long sigh of relief. Before Xena could stop her, she rolled her head toward the window. The color drained back out instantly. "Ooooo, I shouldn’t have done that. Noooo, I shouldn’t have done that. Big mistake. Big big mistake." A greenish pallor spread over her face.

Xena quickly grabbed an ‘airsick’ bag with one hand while jabbing at Gabrielle’s wrist with the other. She looked on, not sure which one would win out. For a long time, the matter looked to be a toss-up, but finally, the bard removed her hand from her mouth and swallowed the bile that had flooded her throat when she noticed just how far away from the safety of the earth they really were. "I’m better now. I think."

Nodding, Xena thrust the paper bag into Gabrielle’s hands, folding the young woman’s fingers securely over it.

"What’s this for?"

Xena smirked. "Let’s just say that carpeting isn’t as easy to clean as a ship’s deck."

"Gotcha." The bard clenched the bag tightly to her chest as Xena’s long arm snaked out and snapped the window shade shut. Gabrielle yawned, wincing as the pressure released in her ears. She yawned again, her eyelids slipping to half mast. "I think those herbs of yours are starting to work," she mumbled.

"Good. Try and get some sleep. I’ll wake you once we’ve landed."

"’kay." Snuggling down in the comfortable seat, Gabrielle tucked her fists under her chin and slowly slipped into the realm of Morpheus.

Blowing out a held breath, Xena laid her head back against the thick padding, eyes staring forward to the blank wall in the front of the cabin. Her own belly was tied up in knots at the thought of what would face them once they landed in Greece. Home, she thought, snorting softly in derision. Greece hasn’t been my home in three thousand years. Why now? Why do I care? Turning her head so her eyes could take in the blonde vision before her, the warrior sighed again. Because it’s the right thing to do. And she knows it. Oh, Gabrielle . . . .

Closing her eyes, the warrior turned her thoughts to the difficulties ahead. For all the doomsaying by both Gabrielle and Ares himself, the war god wasn’t the largest of her worries. Theologically speaking, Ares was a small fish in an even smaller pond. Even at the very height of his power, he commanded less than a fraction of the followers who now worshiped the remote gods of the eastern and western civilizations. Even in his heyday, he was never anything more than a spoiled child who used his own little corner of the world as a playpen and the humans upon it as toys he could manipulate and discard at a whim.

Unlike the ‘modern’ gods of east and west, who existed even after entire nations of their followers had been wiped from the earth, when the playground of Ares and the Olympians was conquered, the once mighty gods faded quietly into nothingness, possessing neither the strength nor the fortitude needed to sustain a plausibility with those who would pay them homage. Their followers turned to better and brighter gods and the Olympians went the way of the dinosaur.

Xena very much doubted that the intervening thirty centuries had matured Ares into a god who would be able to command the worship of especially the western soul, though, to be honest, he did have one very large advantage over the Judeo-Christian god who dominated that area of the world. Ares was a personal and physical god, able to be seen, touched and spoken to. His powers, small though they were, were easily perceived. To a western mind, thirsty for the tangible, it could be a powerful inducement. If he regained the strength to appear again to his followers. And that, at present, was a very big ‘if’. But if it were to happen, the petulant, immature Ares of old would drop a nuclear warhead from the heavens just to see the mushroom cloud as it blossomed over once fertile fields, caring not that he had just rendered those same fields uninhabitable for eons to come.

Ambrosia was the wild card in all this scheming. It effectively leveled the playing field, bringing Ares and his Olympian cohorts up to the level of the gods of current east/west thought. But it could also prove to be his downfall. Contrary to what the war god said on that mesa in Arizona, consumption of ambrosia by a living being would not bring about ‘mere’ immortality. Callisto and Velasca were proof of that. No, ambrosia made gods of the living, gods with massive powers and one huge advantage over their Olympian counterparts. Unlike Ares and his ilk, a god created by ambrosia needed no believers to exist in the physical realm. He could appear and disappear at will, destroy with a mere thought, then retire elsewhere to enjoy the fruits of his bloody labors. Such a god would not need to continue to be beholden to Ares or any other god. Indeed, with his advantages, it would be an easy thing for the newly created god to simply defeat his mentor and take the mantle of god of war for himself. None of the Olympians would be safe from such a youngling god’s machinations.

That said, why was Ares so keen on getting his followers to the ambrosia’s final resting place? Why give your underlings the seeds to your own destruction? What was truly behind Ares’ scheming? Was Xena to be used as a pawn to reach and destroy the food of the gods before anyone else could get to it? If so, what interest, beyond the familial, did Hades have in all this? Doubtless his rule of the underworld’s denizens would be safe from the conspiracies of a modern god. Or did Ares have some type of hold over his men; a hold so strong that even godhood wouldn’t sway their loyalty to him? Was the ambrosia merely his tool for world domination, as Hades claimed and Ares himself verified?

Wincing slightly, Xena brought her fingers up to her temples, attempting to massage away an impending headache. She felt as if she were being asked to put a puzzle together blindfolded, with half the pieces missing and the remaining pieces a confused jumble of other puzzles, some as yet unnamed. With a grunt of frustration, the warrior calmed her thoughts, centering herself into a deep meditative state where she could work the knots within tangles this mission presented her.

*******

The low whine of landing gear being lowered rose Xena from her meditation. She stretched her cramped frame as she turned to look at her lover who was still asleep in the same position she’d been in five hours earlier. The warrior contemplated waking the bard, then discarded the thought, choosing instead to let her sleep through the landing, which, at times, could be at least as harrowing as the take-off.

Instead she waited, contenting herself with looking out the opposite window, watching the ground come close then sheer away as the plane made a graceful turn on its approach to the runway. A gentle bump and they were on the ground again. The plane taxied down the runway, then threaded through the incredibly busy tarmac, heading for its assigned gate. "Gabrielle, it’s time to get up."

Mumbling incoherently, the bard nuzzled further into the muscled shoulder she was using for a pillow.

"C’mon, Gabrielle, we need to get going."

Green eyes opened sleepily. "Are we home already?" she asked muzzily.

"No, not yet. We just landed in New York. We have to catch the next plane, so you need to wake up."

"Does that mean I have to go through that whole ‘going up in the air’ thing again?"

"’Fraid so."

"Drat." Stretching, Gabrielle rubbed her eyes, then smoothed the hair out of her face. "Couldn’t you have just let me sleep through it?"

"Not unless you wanted me to carry you through the airport."

The look on the bard’s face told Xena that she thought that was an incredibly good idea. Xena shook her head, quashing the idea as the plane rolled to a gentle stop and the ‘fasten seatbelts’ sign turned off. Unbuckling her restraint, the tall warrior stood carefully, ducking to avoid the low ceiling, then stepped out into the aisle, carryon case in hand. Gabrielle followed, grumbling and yawning; scowling as the release of pressure lanced through her ear canals.

Both women ducked through the plane’s hatch, neither sparing more than a glance at the chipper attendant who thanked them for flying and wished them well. Exiting into the seating area of their particular arrival gate, Xena stopped to get her bearings. Gabrielle bumped to her from behind, almost dropping her handbag as she let out another jaw cracking yawn. The Dramamine had thrown the bard for a loop and she found herself unable to shake its effects. Xena steadied her from behind, then brought her forward, steadying the slightly tipsy bard with hands to both shoulders. "You alright?"

"Well, I can’t feel my feet right now and my eyes feel like they’ve got a desert in them, but other than that, I’m great."

"You’re gonna have to stay awake a little longer, I’m afraid. Lucky for us, our next flight is departing from this terminal and not somewhere else. We need to head through Customs, then get to the gate. We’ll pick up something for you to eat on the way. You slept through lunch."

"That’s ok," Gabrielle demurred. "I’m not very hungry."

"Be that as it may," Xena responded, guiding her partner through the crowded hallways, "you need to get something in your stomach. C’mon."

The two women plunged into the bowels of the terminal, dodging travelers, porters, flight crew, security personnel and a myriad of other people making up the morass of humanity through which they slogged. The trip through Customs was quick and painless; Nigel’s forged documents passing their test with flying colors. Xena slipped into one of the many food vendors lining the wide corridors and bought a bagel, orange juice and some tea for Gabrielle before proceeding on to their departing gate and settling her partner in a well-worn chair with her food.

Gabrielle chewed and sipped mechanically, hardly tasting the fare as her eyes conspired to close against her will. "I don’t know what was in those pills of yours, Xena, but I don’t think I ever want to try them again. I can’t seem to stay awake."

"The effects should wear off by the time we get to Athens. You won’t need ‘em after that."

The bard smiled sleepily. "Home. It’s going to be wonderful seeing it again."

Xena’s dark brows knitted. "Gabrielle, Greece has changed a great deal from what you remember."

"I know that, Xena. And I also know that I probably won’t like the changes very much. But . . . it’s home, you know? No matter what it looks like now, it’s still home. That will never change."

The warrior looked as if she were going to say something else, then thought better of it, instead sinking down into a chair next to her lover, staring out the window as the planes came and went. Before too long, their flight was called to board and Xena woke her gently dozing partner, guiding her past the counter, down the connecting ramp and into the wide plush leather of first class seating. Gabrielle was out again as soon as her seatbelt was fastened, saving her from the terrors of take off this time around. Xena relaxed back into her seat as well, barely noticing when the huge plane taxied down the runway and zoomed into the air in an explosion of power.

Several hours later, the aircraft eased into the arrival gate, shutting down its massive engines and opening its portals to free the debarking passengers. Gabrielle appeared to be much more alert when Xena woke her for the second time and was able to step into the terminal of Hellinikon International Airport under her own power. She stopped and stood still as she entered into the terminal proper, a large smile overspreading her face. The sight of people rushing here and there, looking enough like people she’d known in her lifetime to be their kin, the smells of Greek food simmering on grills and the sounds of her native tongue, changed a good deal, yes, but still understandable, set her heart beating faster in her chest. Home! her mind shouted joyously. I’m finally home! A huge part of her wanted to rush through the airport just so she could get outside into the Grecian sunshine and kiss the ground. Much as she loved America, or at least those parts of it that she’d seen, Greece was what she longed for when she dreamed of wide open spaces in the deepest part of the night.

Smiling slightly, Xena guided Gabrielle through the twisting corridors toward the sunlight streaming through the large glass doors. The bard’s stomach growled loudly, protesting its emptiness, as they passed the food vendors, but Xena kept walking, steering her partner past the many temptations in her haste to be gone from the rushing crowds that closed in on her. Given Ares’ warning, any one of these seemingly innocuous people could be a threat and her instincts slammed into a state of high alert, tingling through her already coiled body almost painfully.

Finally the glass doors parted before her and she stepped out into the brightness of the day with a breath of profound relief as space, what there was of it in the large city, opened up around her. Setting her sights on the long row of parked cabs and their attendant, shouting drivers, the warrior took a few long strides toward the curb before noticing that Gabrielle wasn’t with her. Quickly she turned, dark hair fanning like a bullfighter’s cape over one shoulder, to view her lover, stopped again and staring at the sights around her. She strode back to her lover, gently grabbing her arm and guiding her from her place at the center of the exit so other people could get by. "Gabrielle?" she queried softly. "Gabrielle?"

"By the gods." Gabrielle stared, unblinking, at the tall buildings towering over her, their blank faces staring out over the land like blind, uncaring sentinels. "What happened?"

"Caesar happened," Xena answered wryly. "It pretty much went downhill from there."

"I don’t believe it." The gentle bard was holding tears back by sheer strength of will. "This is Athens?" Closing her eyes, she tried to picture the metropolis as it once was; lively, colorful, large, but much less imposing, less rushed and crowded. Try as she might, the image just wouldn’t come, overwhelmed as she was by the stink of diesel fumes and honking car horns. "I think I’m gonna be sick," she said in a trembling voice.

Grasping her partner’s arm again, Xena led her down to the curb and into the back of one of the bright yellow taxis lining the street. "Grande Bretagne Hotel, please," she said, her Greek fluid and modern.

"Yes, Ma’am. Right away."

The taxi pulled away from the curb as Gabrielle looked out the window, tears now tracing gentle trails down her cheeks. Though Xena had done her best to warn her, Gabrielle couldn’t believe the changes until she’d seen them for herself. Whatever she was looking for in her dreams, this modern, sprawling, crowded and noisy city wasn’t it. She turned to look at her lover, noting the sympathetic and compassionate expression on the warrior’s dark features. "Poteidia?" she asked softly, dreading the answer. "Amphipolis?"

"Both gone."

"No."

Xena grasped Gabrielle’s chilled hand, chafing the silken skin with her thumb. "Only the big cities survived. And even those were forever changed." Lifting her free hand, the warrior directed her partner’s gaze toward the remains of the Acropolis. The bard took in that half-shadowed image and clutched it to her heart jealously, trying to reconcile her memories with the new reality she was being forced to face. How could such beauty and vitality stand in ruins now? How could such imposing monuments of grace and wisdom fall so easily to ruin, conquered by man’s insane need to stamp his own image on the land? If Gabrielle had one consolation, it was that, one day, these tall, ugly structures too would stand in mute, crumbling decay when another thought to impose his vision of a better world on them. She sighed sadly, finally closing her eyes to the images.

In a very short time, the taxi drove onto Syntagma square and pulled up before another imposing structure built of cement and glass, the Grande Bretagne Hotel. Paying the driver, Xena stepped out of the yellow sedan, holding the door as Gabrielle slowly exited. Slamming the door, the warrior smiled crookedly at her partner. "C’mon. It looks better from the inside."

The two women entered the grand atrium of the hotel and Gabrielle stared on, fascinated and awed by the majesty of the place. Graceful veined marble and antiques tastefully decorated the massive interior, breathing fresh hope into the beleaguered bard. Her contemplation of the hotel’s interior beauty was cut short by the sound of her partner’s name ringing through the cavernous room. A short, round man with a cap of curly black hair, a thick moustache and an impeccably tailored suit came from behind the massive registration desk, a huge beaming smile on his face and his arms outstretched. He gathered the smiling warrior into an embrace, lifting to his toes to plant a noisy kiss on both cheeks.

"Hello, Stanos," Xena said, her low voice amused.

"Xena! How wonderful to see you again! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? My Katherine will be so sorry she wasn’t here to welcome you!"

"It was a last minute decision, Stanos. I didn’t have time to warn you."

The short man smiled impishly. "Katherine will be so jealous, my friend, that I have you all to myself." His dark eyes twinkled with mirth.

Gabrielle looked on, perplexed. She could understand only about every third word of what was being said, but she gathered that Xena and this ebullient man were old friends.

Sensing her lover’s discomfort, Xena clasped her hand, drawing the bard forward for Stanos to notice. "Stanos, allow me to introduce Gabrielle. Gabrielle, this is Stanos."

The man beamed again, clasping Gabrielle’s hands gently and placing a chaste kiss on either cheek. "Welcome, Gabrielle. I am honored to have you here. Your beauty graces this humble establishment."

That, the bard understood and she smiled. "Thank you. I’m honored to be here."

Stanos cocked his head, his thick brows drawing together when he heard the young woman’s rather archaic use of the language and her thick accent. Then, as if a light dawned over his head, his eyes widened. He looked over at Xena. "Gab . . .not the Gabrielle? The bard?" Xena’s answering smile was all the man needed before he gathered the nonplused bard up in a crushing bearhug, nearly lifting her off her feet in his joy. He babbled so quickly into her ear that the bard was at a complete loss.

When he finally released the bard, she staggered back, gasping for her lost breath. She shot a look to her tall partner, green eyes wide and questioning. Smiling, Xena took pity on her friend. "Stanos is . . .a big fan of yours. I’ve allowed him to keep some of your scrolls here as museum pieces and he thinks your work puts Homer’s to shame. For him, it’s like meeting your greatest hero in the flesh."

Gabrielle nodded. She knew that particular feeling very well indeed. "Then he knows . . .about me?"

"He knows about both of us, yes."

She turned back to Stanos, smiling. "Thank you," she said again, simply.

"Please," he said, bowing, "please allow me to show you to your suite."

The bard gaped in awe as they walked down marble lined hallways, the impossibly high ceilings gracefully arched above them. Tasteful and totally Greek antiques peeked out from every niche, filling the young woman with the sense of home she’d been missing since stepping from the airport.

Finally they approached their suite and Stanos opened the door, bowing both women in with a grand flourish. Gabrielle stepped inside, grinning in appreciation. The room was breathtaking, opulent and massive. Its huge windows displayed a panoramic view, centered on the Acropolis in the near distance. The four-postered bed, canopied in the finest of spun linen, looked large enough to house an entire Amazonian war party. Antiques much older than the ones in the hotel proper tastefully decorated the room. Statues of bronze shared space with immaculately preserved clay pots which, in turn, shared space with ancient weaponry and marble artworks. A large desk made up of dark, shining wood, stood near the windows. A leather couch and matching leather chairs sat further off, near a huge, marble lined fireplace whose mantle was decorated with yet more priceless antiques. Gabrielle breathed out a contented sigh, well and truly impressed.

"You must be tired from your travels. Is there anything I can get for you before I leave you to your privacy?" Stanos asked.

"If you could have some dinner sent up to the room, I think that’s all we’ll need for now."

"It will be my pleasure, Xena." With a bow and a last awe-struck glance at Gabrielle, Stanos left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

It took all of the warrior’s will-power not to break out into a laugh when an excited whoop was heard echoing down the massive hallway. Her mirth was stilled when she found herself with a chest-full of happy bard nuzzling against her. "Thank you," Gabrielle whispered against her chest. "This is beautiful."

"I’m glad you like it."

"Oh, I do. Very much." The bard reached up to plant a gentle kiss on the full lips of her lover, then pulled away. "Where’s the bathroom? I think a nice hot bath is in order right about now."

"That way," Xena said, indicating the direction with a nod of her head. "Take your time. I need to write up a report for the police and make a few phone calls. Dinner will be up in a bit."

"Good." Gabrielle wandered toward the closed door Xena indicated, opening it and stepping into the bathroom. The warrior’s grin widened knowingly as she heard her partner’s surprised gasp. "By all the gods on Olympus. Xena, you have to come in here and look at this tub! You could fit an entire Athenian circus troupe in here and still have room left over!"

Rolling her eyes, Xena decided to humor her lover and so stepped into the bathroom, gazing at the huge marble sunken tub that so caught Gabrielle’s attention. "Yup. Looks just like it did last time I was here," she teased.

"The last time . . .wait a minute. You’ve been here before?"

"How do you think Stanos knows me so well?"

Gabrielle cocked her head. "Well, you’ve got a point there," she conceded. "He puts you in the same suite every time?"

"Well, that would make sense. Since I own it." Blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

"You own it?"

"Yessss."

Continued...Part 5

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