Page 10 of Lovesick Gods (Lovesick #1)

Eventually, Andre said, “His eyes did that bug out thing they do. You know, with the blowfish face.” He mimicked John to a frightening degree of accuracy as he puffed out his cheeks, put his hands on his hips, and blew the air out slowly.

Danny choked back another laugh.

“We just said it was a tough fight,” Lynn said. “Though, Danny…”

“I know. I should tell him how I’ve been feeling. I’m just always so busy, when I do have time to talk to him it’s usually family night with Stella and Joey.”

Stella had been Danny’s sister ever since his parents adopted her after her family died in a robbery-gone-wrong.

His father had worked the case. Danny had already known her from school at the time, both of them in the same fourth grade class.

It was an easy transition to love her like family, nurtured for almost two decades.

Joey was different. Danny’s father had been fostering the teenager for the past six months, because the same explosion that took Danny’s mother had also taken Joey’s.

His mother had been an engineer at the power station.

John and Danny weren’t allowed to work the case, but Stella had ended up as Joey’s social worker.

It all hit so close to home—literally—so it had been a no-brainer to take Joey in rather than send a near-adult into the chaotic throng of the system.

The amazing thing was, Joey didn’t blame Zeus for his mother’s death. He worshipped Zeus, having no idea that his hero was also the man who moped around the house whenever he was home. Joey only blamed Thanatos for his tragedy.

Danny knew the blame was shared.

“I don’t want to bring everyone else down with my problems,” he said. “Joey already thinks I act like the world revolves around me. Admitting I’m falling apart won’t help.”

Lynn and Andre’s matching looks of concern hit Danny like a smack to the face.

“I’m not falling apart,” he said on reflex. “I’m not falling apart right now . I’m okay. Really. If I need to, I’ll talk to Dad and Stella. I promise. Now what else did you have to tell me?”

“Oh! Right!” Andre brightened, dashing over to Lynn’s desk, which was perpetually more organized than his own.

Danny followed and his attention was drawn to the glass window he’d nearly shattered last night.

They’d have to get it replaced eventually.

For now, the crack looked like a jagged scar, symbolizing everything inside of Danny that was broken.

He felt his smile waver as he stared at it but summoned the expression back when Andre held up the black suit they’d taken from Camo.

“I have some ideas about this suit. Our friend Camouflage is no slouch. This thing mimics his natural chameleon abilities like something out of a Metal Gear Solid game.”

Lynn stepped around Danny to take over. “Since his powers work the same way as an animal that can blend in with its surroundings, it only works on the surface of his skin.”

“Which explains the shaved head,” Danny nodded.

“And the suit,” Andre broke in, “is how he can use his powers to their fullest without having to walk around naked. Which, obviously, fortunate for us, but also unfortunate because…” He let the suit flop back onto the desk.

“It won’t work on just anyone.”

“We think we can fix that,” Lynn said. “The reflectors in the suit are an impressive piece of tech. We might be able to synthetically mimic Camo’s biochromes to create a stealth suit for you.”

“Camou flage ,” Andre corrected.

“Camou flage ,” Lynn imitated to exaggeration.

They all laughed.

“Great work, guys,” Danny said. “I’ll have my phone on me if you need anything. Still on for takeout and Heists tomorrow night?” he turned to Andre.

“You bet,” Andre said. “Cops won’t know what hit ‘em, son.” He swung his arm back for a hand slap, which they completed like clockwork—front, back, fist bump. But before Danny could head out of the morgue, Andre asked, “What did you decide, anyway? Hobby or… recreation ?” he waggled an eyebrow.

“Andre…” Lynn shook her head at him.

Danny couldn’t stifle his grin. “Bit of both? But it’ll definitely help me blow off steam. See you guys later.” He waved, feeling lighter with every step he took out of the precinct and into the cool evening air.

?

Virgil Laboratories wasn’t an obvious target for a theft, not unless someone was a mad scientist looking to build something bigger and badder than whatever they’d used to break into the facility.

But that was for small minds, limited thinkers.

There was more to a place like Virgil Labs than tech and chemicals for the sake of science; there was what the individual chemicals and parts could be sold for on the black market.

The place was a veritable fortress after several run-ins with Elementals and unexplained thefts over the years, but those losses had been meager, simple, nothing for too many stockholders to worry over.

This theft, however, would cause quite a stir and garner some significant funds for Olympus City’s newest criminal element.

Money was just the beginning. Pulling off a heist without leaving a trace, without a single shred of evidence, that was just to give the OCPD, the public, and any competing Elementals a taste of the new blood in town. The real goal was much bigger.

Thanatos had gone about things all wrong. If only he’d been able to show him .

The mob families had been thinned out, their neighborhoods left in shambles, and only a meager ten blocks belonged to Prometheus and his Titans.

Taking over the city in its current state would be a breeze once enough cash was collected, enough targets were hit, and it became clear to the police, to Prometheus, and especially to Zeus just who had the power and how things were going to go down from now on.

No alarms were tripped as room by room in Virgil Labs was infiltrated.

The cameras wouldn’t catch anything either other than a flicker before they went dark.

The desired loot would simply appear to have vanished.

It would be as if everything that was stolen had evaporated, and no one would know how or why until he made his entrance.

It was time for Olympus to witness the rise of Hades.