Paintshark Part 18

They danced in the centre of the main hall, the glamour girls swayed and gyrated to the music, and well aware of the attention they were receiving from the other males, the girls danced on.

Aphrodite glided onto the dance floor and was glad she decided to come; she secretly wanted to do something after the Sabrina business but she still expected her phone to ring again tonight.

She had even gone late night shopping to take her mind off it and had bought a new pair of black knee high boots which she wore tonight and as she twisted and pivoted to the music, her heels held firm in the middle of the hall. Aphrodite's heels were high and occasionally there was a flash of awkwardness as some steps were harder to perfect when you're on stilt-like shoes, but still Aphrodite was attracting more attention than the models a she was a beautiful blond-haired centre of attention...and she loved it, Aphrodite beamed a tremendous smile and pushed her long blond hair back over her ears, feeling the left ear lobe which had a sparkling gorgeous earring in it as did the right, her arms were still covered as the hair on them had grown even thicker.

Her phone vibrated from within her bag and she answered it, putting a finger in her other ear to make a half-hearted attempt to block out the noise, making sure that n.o.body saw her arms, she had to shout. "YEAH, I AM GLAD I CAME, THANKS FOR PERSUADING ME." She felt her ear again. "AND THANKS FOR GETTING ME THESE GORGEOUS EARRINGS, PARDON? WHAT? YOU'VE BROUGHT HER HERE? OK...WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? OK, I'LL DO IT...SAME RATES AS BEFORE...HEY I GAVE YOU SABRINA AND SHE WAS MY FRIEND...OK....SPEAK TO YOU SOON...ANDa"

Before she could utter any words, champagne was sprayed all over her and the dancing girls; they shrieked as everyone in the room just started pouring wine over each other's heads and wasting expensive bottles of champagne, until the floor was soaking wet and the girls in heels were sliding all over it, but still they continued to dance in this fury of spent alcohol.

Big Man cut a forlorn figure in the corner of the room; usually he was a great host with two models on each arm; he'd bounce around the halls like a man half his age, cracking joke after joke with his sycophants.

But since the destruction of his stadium and the fires that bought an end to his studios, the weight of the world was on his shoulders and he had bought it on himself.

His mansion was nowhere near the area and this party was meant to celebrate the season finale for the game show, but thanks to the girl, Kimberley...there would not be another series, not for a while anyway.

He had cameras everywhere in his mansion too, but very rarely did he film any shows there.

Apollo entered the hall with Dandridge in tow and Big Man watched their every move as they sidestepped the drunken revellers to speak to him.

"Boss, the prison transport to Gommerstall is ready to leave now, we have the scheduled pick-up of the prisoners you know about and we've acquired some new ones just added to the list, what's the score with the stadium?"

"You were there, you saw what happened, the little b.i.t.c.h freak has ruined me, I didn't have any insurance on the arena so I'm screwed."

A fly buzzed in Apollo's ear and it swished it away. "No insurance, Boss? What were you thinking?"

"I thought it was S.E.P, so that's why I didn't pay it."

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "S.E.P?"

"Somebody Else's Problem, anyway so I'm skint, can we change the subject please?"

Dandridge stepped in. "Do we have to send this transport, Sir? Can't we just let everybody out and give them a clean slate?"

Big Man made a little sound of irritation. "Listen, I've lost everything thanks to those super-powered kids, no game shows, no studios. Nothing. And do you know why? Because I didn't give them any respect, those kids are the most powerful creatures I've seen in my life, I made them and they've ruined me, but I want them to play again, I want them to be a part of the games again, which they will.

Take them to Gommerstall Prison, throw them in with those useless teachers, send them far away from here and keep an eye on them Apollo, don't let them escape...Not yet anyway, because by the time they do escape, which they will...Olympia will be very different." Big Man raised his voice in sarcasm, "Do you think you can handle guarding a bunch of no-mark teachers?"

Apollo shrugged his shoulders. "I'm working on it, Boss, just leave it to me, they won't get past me."

"Oh they will get past you, Apollo, and they will defeat you, that's what I'm counting on, when the time is right and the wheels are in motion they will come home so just get it sorted, Apollo, whatever it takes."

The sudden upsurge in Big Man's voice surprised him.

"Whatever it takes, Boss."

Big Man wasn't finished. "Lock up every single teacher, I don't want n.o.body learning nothing."

Dandridge thought, that doesn't sound good, literally.

The yellow teeth of Apollo came to the fore once more. "With pleasure, Boss."

Ca.s.sandra woke up, still dazed and very confused, her head hurt and as she shifted herself from the double bed she found herself laying in, her sides ached more than her head. It was a plush and very lavish bedroom, quite big with a huge chandelier hanging above where she had been sleeping. Lavish curtains hung from the many windows, they were drawn so it was still night time. Her clothes were different, better than her last ones. Somebody had changed her clothes.

Ca.s.sandra painfully swung her legs from beneath the covers and stepped from the bed, still holding her head, she looked up to the huge ceiling and screamed. "WILL PEOPLE PLEASE STOP KNOCKING ME OUT!"

She felt woozy again and fell backwards onto the bed which was when she heard the door handle click. She lifted her head wearily and saw a familiar face walk in carrying a tray of tea and biscuits.

"Wakey wakey, sleepy head."

Ca.s.sandra shot up immediately when she saw who was carrying the tray.

"APHRODITE, WHAT THE h.e.l.l ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Aphrodite carried on walking towards the bed. "SHH-shh, you've got to rest, Ca.s.sandra, you've taken a big knock to the head and you must take it easy, I've got some cocoa and some custard creams for you."

"p.i.s.s off," Ca.s.sandra snapped.

Aphrodite set the tray on the bedside table.

"I SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, APHRODITE?" Ca.s.sandra knocked the tray off the side. "ANSWER ME!"

"I take it you're not a custard cream fan? I think we've got some Hobn.o.bs somewhere, you really don't remember do you? You were hit by my daddy's car after school, you were knocked out so we took you back to my house, I know we should have gone to a hospital, but I thought you'd like to see a friendly face when you wake up, remember?"

Ca.s.sandra's body relaxed slightly. "Remember what? How'd I get here? I can remember the house by the side of the road."

Her voice began to trail off as thought about her ordeal. "The house with the cannibal and the cannababies, they tried to kill me, THEY TRIED TO EAT ME, BUT I BLEW HIM UP WITH MY DRAGON FACE AND ESCAPED."

Aphrodite rolled her eyes and looked away, smiling. "Dragon face? Right..."

"G.o.d DAMM IT I'M NOT MAKING THIS STUFF UP, OK YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, FINE I'LL SHOW YOU, BUT..." She paused for breath and carried on. "You may not like what you're going to see."

Aphrodite was unperturbed as Ca.s.sandra closed her eyes and concentrated, her head shuddering and fists clenched tightly, but there was no change, she tried again and broke wind.

"Oh that's nasty" quipped Aphrodite.

"THIS IS NOT HAPPENING TO ME. Look, I went to a rave the other night, either something in the water or something we drunk, it knocked us out and then when we came to, we had powers."

"Rave, you say? Ok," Aphrodite said, pulling down her sleeve.

"I was at my job after school in the Chicken Shack."

Aphrodite b.u.t.ted in. "Do they still have that two for one deal on chicken strips?"

"Yeah, wait...are you listening to me?"

"Defo, babe."

Ca.s.sandra reacted angrily. "WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING ME SERIOUSLY? AND DON'T SAY *DEFO', IT'S DEFINATE I HATE PEOPLE WHO SAY *DEFO'."

She calmed down. "Anyway, like I was saying I was at work and then suddenly my face changed into a red lizard thing and then Kimberley turned up and we were arrested, taken by the Network and forced to play in the game show."

Aphrodite bent down to pick up the biscuits and cocoa mugs from the floor, taking a bite from one of the custard creams. "So has Kimberley got powers too?"

Ca.s.sandra perked up, thinking Aphrodite was finally taking her seriously. "Yeah, she can get really hot, she heated up the local swimming baths."

Aphrodite waved her half-eaten biscuit at her, crumbs falling from her mouth. "Put yourself in my shoes, babe, you accidentally get run over and you're out cold all night, you come to and start talking about turning into lizards and super powers? What do you expect me to believe? You've obviously taken a nasty b.u.mp to the head and you've been dreaming about this whole *Network' kidnapping you, it's not real, sweetheart, you're imagining the whole thing, there is no game, you're just talking rubbish, listen to me."

Ca.s.sandra cupped her hand to her ear. "If you listen really closely you'll hear the familiar sound of no-one caring." Aphrodite stood up. "Fine, come with me and I'll show you that you're making the whole thing up." She reached for Ca.s.sandra's hand.

"Come on." Ca.s.sandra didn't move. "I said come on"

Ca.s.sandra took her hand and grimaced in pain as she got up from the bed, the two girls left the room and headed down a corridor, Ca.s.sandra limped as she took in the beauty of Aphrodite's house.

"So your dad ran me over, eh?"

A clap of thunder made both girls jump before Aphrodite replied. "Yeah, he's really sorry about that, you just ran out into the middle of the road."

Ca.s.sandra fell silent briefly. "I really don't remember, are you sure?"

Aphrodite was growing tired. "Yes, I told you already, just come with me and we'll get you checked out properly, I'll take you to the hospital myself, just stop with this stupid *Game show' rubbish, ok?"

Ca.s.sandra finally realised that they weren't the only ones in the house, she could hear the sounds of loud music and people chattering at the other side of the house.

"You having some sort of party?" Aphrodite grinned. "Yeah, just having a few friends over, end of term type thing."

Two scantily clad models burst out from a door in front of the girls, giggling with a bottle of champagne between them, running in front they disappeared down the corridor spilling the champagne as they went.

Ca.s.sandra c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Some party."

"I only throw the best, you would know that if I actually liked you."

Ca.s.sandra smiled and pointed to Aphrodite's head. "Nice earrings you've got there."

"You think so? Thanks babes."

"I had some exactly the same though...where did you get them?"

"Listen these are not your earrings, these were a gift from somebody very special and I got them tonight, ok?"

Aphrodite took them out and gave them to her.

"Try them on."

Ca.s.sandra took them and placed them in her own ears.

Aphrodite pulled at Ca.s.sandra's hand. "Come on, let's dance."

Looking particularly tired Ca.s.sandra slumped against the corridor wall and tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "No, I just want to go to the hospital if you don't mind?"

Aphrodite wasn't listening as she started dancing, wriggling her hips and pouting her beautifully formed lips, she took a bottle of champagne from another model, and swigged greedily from the bottle.

She stepped up her dance routine as she gyrated her way around the statue-like Ca.s.sandra, whooping and laughing, twirling around her increasingly embarra.s.sed and frustrated cla.s.smate.

"COME ON, Ca.s.sANDRA, LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!"

Aphrodite whooped a cry of enjoyment and danced further down the corridor, more and more guests flitted in and out of the doors, staggering drunkenly and hugging Aphrodite.

Ca.s.sandra grew more and more uneasy. "Can we please just go to the hospital?"

"In a minute babes, let's have some fun first."

Aphrodite led Ca.s.sandra away from the heart of the party and through some dark corridors and down steep staircases, even though the sounds of happiness and debauchery were far away, she still danced to imaginary music, swirling in a tipsy haze. They came to a huge double door. Aphrodite, with her back to the door put a hand on Ca.s.sandra's shoulder, breathless from dancing and unblinking, she stared right into the weary eyes of her houseguest.

"You'll be fine after we go through this door, Babes."

Ca.s.sandra was growing impatient. "Can you drive me home please?"

"Once we get past this door, Babe, you're going to go on a ride you'll never forget." Her voice contained some menace now but not enough to now sway Ca.s.sandra from entering, which she did whilst trying to find an irritating itch on her left leg. Aphrodite blew her a kiss as she went in second. The room was in total darkness and Ca.s.sandra yawned lazily as she walked in.

"Any chance of some light here?"

Aphrodite pulled away abruptly and kept her distance, she reached for the light switch and flicked it on. Ca.s.sandra was confused as her eyes grew accustomed to the light she was met with the sight of at least thirty guards, armed with laser pistols, bow and arrows and miniature crossbows attached to their wrists. Apollo stood there, he hadn't left for Gommerstall yet, he had one more pa.s.senger to pick up, still injured from his ordeal in the arena, he looked tired and dishevelled but knew he had a job to do, he pointed his flame thrower square on the head of Ca.s.sandra.

Ca.s.sandra whispered, "Oh my G.o.d! Aphrodite, what the h.e.l.l is happening?"

The wannabe socialite didn't hesitate in answering with enthusiasm.

"Babe, you were so freaking right...you're sooo still in the game... "

Ca.s.sandra's breathing became faster and her face changed into one of hate. "YOU b.i.t.c.h!"

Aphrodite's tone was cool. "Sounds familiar." She watched as the colour began to drain from Ca.s.sandra's face. "Sorry Babe, but business is business and you are very, very profitable. After your shenanigans with Streaky, Big Man wants you alive and well. Apparently he's sending all of the *Freaks' to Gommerstall Prison while he works on another project and rebuilds his studio."

Ca.s.sandra's eyes squinted in anger. "You work for Big Man?"

"Of course I do, Babe, I'm like an informant, gra.s.s, sneak, rat, whatever you want to call it.

I saw you at the rave the other night and I'm the one who had you picked up by the Network, I knew where you and Kimberley would be at that time and I even got that little *Nerd' thrown in there too a result."

"WHERE IS KIMBERLEY?"

Apollo arched his back. "I wouldn't worry about her."

"IF YOU'VE HURT HER..."

He kept the flamethrower aimed at her head. "Bet my flame's bigger than yours, freak."

She calmed down and concentrated back on Aphrodite. "You were at the rave? Then you must have powers too," Ca.s.sandra said.