Monday, June 15, 2009

Year One: Opening Night


Author's disclaimer...Although I tend to write my stories in a more or less consecutive manner, there is a period of time unaccounted for between "In the beginning" and currently. Some of those adventures WERE written (and have been lost to time) while others were parts of role plays. But most of them STILL dealt with a somewhat experienced White Owl. So at the urging of a few of my readers (Thanks Knuckles and Sally) I decided to try a "Year One" Maxi series.
(Approximately six years ago)
. "Don't be a stranger now, Athena," growled Uncle Lukas.
"Yes, who will Markus and I annoy now?" laughed Jason. I smiled.
"I'm sure you'll find someone," I said. "Well maybe Markus will, but not you Jason." I shot him a little grin and Markus barked out a hearty laugh.
August ended quickly and the dig in Athens ended successfully. Except for the interruption of the September 13 terror ring, it had been a relatively productive and uneventful summer. I was almost convinced that my own "vision" had been just a delusion and as I settled into my seat in the Pan Hellas plane I eagerly thought of my return to my family.
Alex would be pestering my father to modernize and expand the Gold Line restaurants, and planning a wedding. Diana, my sister was going to Zenith University in the fall, on a full ride scholarship. Not in softball, though she excelled in that, but in engineering. I was suddenly homesick and eager to embrace everyone at home.
We cleared Athens airport and headed out over the Mediterranean, and I slipped my notes out of my bag. Even though the dig was Doctor Jones', it was my first dig as a doctoral student myself, and I was responsible for the illustrations and the interpretations there. I quickly finished the journals for June and July; opening up the August sketchbook. Looking out the window of the plane, I saw the sun setting far ahead of us and stretched.
Looking down into the book once more, I noticed a sketch I hadn't made. It portrayed a classical Greek battle helmet, with a proud woman's face beneath. Next to it was a sketch of the alabaster owl I had found in the sacred grove. The lines on the paper wavered, and the head suddenly took on a third dimension.
"I am Pallas Athena, goddess of Wisdom; and I have chosen you Athena Nikos to be my herald and voice to a world teetering on the brink of madness."
I slipped my glasses off my nose and rubbed the bridge. Surely I hadn't heard what I thought I heard.
"Why do you doubt Athena, namesake? Your aunt and your grandmother were not so reticent. I have called you, and you accepted my charge not thirty days ago. I would know of your plans for the gifts I have given..."
I ran my thoughts back to that day in the grove. If I remembered correctly, I was gifted with wisdom, with strength, with the ability to fly and an enhanced healing ability. But I hadn't begun to see how I could develop these gifts in Queen City, let alone to the world. My eyes landed on a magazine in the seat pocket ahead of me. On the cover was an image of a striking man, in a red and silver ensemble. The magazine named him Captain Valiant.
"A superhero?" I said, almost out loud. "Me?"
"And why not, daughter?" asked Athena. "It would be a means of heroism that would show prudence, judgment and offer you a platform for proclaiming wisdom."
I laughed out loud, prompting furtive stares from those seated around me. Blushing I smiled, "A funny comment in my notebook," I said. I turned back to the notebook, but the sketch of Athena's head was missing. I dug out a pencil and began sketching in a new sketch book.
If Athena needed an assistant, I figured, then I would prove worthy. At the end of the flight, I had a passable sketch made, even with a name I hoped would prove both heroic and honor my patron, White Owl.
The plane finally set down in Queen City (the airport for Queen City is across the river, closer to St. Matthew's, but that's another story) and as I cleared customs, I saw my father and sister waiting for me. Papa wrapped me in one of his big bearhugs and I smiled broadly as I smelled the scents of his restaurants in his hair and clothing.
Papa was the CEO of his own restaurant chain, Gold Line chili; but still managed to spend at least one day a week in the kitchens, cooking and sampling. It was a skill he'd passed on to Alex; though Alex was looking to be more modern in his approach to running the chain. Alex was 26, two years older than I was and as serious about life as a man twice his age. Father, (who coincidentally WAS twice Alex's age) was less serious about life; delighting in the presence of his family.
Diana, my sister was hugging me tightly too. "I held off for a couple days before going to Zenith, Theena," she said. "I couldn't bear to go off without seeing you, and Dad agreed." Diana had a taut athletic body that I envied. She was shorter than I was by two inches, and where I was dark with dark hair, Diana was a fair blonde. She'd taken more after my mother's family, and the English lines of that side of the family dominated my little sister. Diana was my father's special child, surviving the childbirth that had taken my mother.
"You shouldn't neglect your education for me, Diana," I scolded.
"Is not neglecting," said Papa. "Is postponing only a day. Tonight we are a family, and tomorrow, whoosh, off she go!" Though he had lived in Queen City since the sixties, Papa's English still sounded broken. It didn't matter, he was still successful, and in more ways than one. I smiled and tried to stop Papa from grabbing my big suitcase, but he made a big show of carrying it out of the terminal. Diana and I tagged behind, trying to catch up on so many things.
Dinner that night was for the family, though Alex brought Beth, his fiancee. I found her charming and knowledgeable. She was determined to keep Alex focused on things other than the bottom line too, and I found that satisfactory. They planned a wedding in April, barring any unforeseen circumstances. I was glad to see that Alex was smitten, and determined to keep Beth as a sister in law.
I yawned, realizing how tired I'd become on the flight home. After dessert, I excused myself and wandered upstairs to my bedroom. After Mama's death, Papa had done everything to keep his house, and succeeded beyond his wildest means. Gold Line took off wildly and Papa opened ten new stores in five years. Additionally though, he knew the value of his family, and made sure his employees had the same family benefits he did. As far as I could tell, none of us suffered much from lack of a mother.
My bedroom was in the back of the house, and I had a large window which overlooked the back yard . It also boasted an access to the roof, something I had taken advantage of on 0ccasion as a teenager. I was beginning to wonder if it might not serve some use now.
I climbed into bed and dropped off to a long, jet-lagged sleep.
"Wake up, Athena," called Papa from the bottom of the stair. Drowsily, I rubbed sleep from my eyes and sat up. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realized it was now Sunday and Papa was getting all of us ready for church. I sat up and hurried into the shower.
An hour and a half later, we were leaving the building at the church of St. George. St. George isn't the only Greek Orthodox church in Queen City, nor is it the biggest. But it was close to Papa's original home in the city, and it's nearness to Queen City University made it a favorite of students, professors and professionals all over the city. Father Timothy was shaking hands, his dark beard hanging long against his vestments. He beamed when he saw me. "Welcome back, Athena! We missed you over the summer. You'll have to speak to the congregation about your digs." I smiled and said I would.
"Do you want to go to Zenith?" asked Diana.
I shook my head, regretfully. "I would, but I really need to get some laundry started and unpack Diana. I'll be up to see you during the homecoming week though!"
"I'll hold you to that," she said. She got into the family Volvo wagon and Papa waved a cheerful goodbye.
Alex had gone out with Beth, so I had the house to myself. I really did do some laundry, but I was also going through my wardrobe, to see if there were some way to make my drawings come to life. I found an old workout leotard, in a soft ,white, jersey knit. I had a pair of tan boots, and found some leather gloves, to keep from leaving fingerprints. Finally, I found an old Halloween mask, and I spray painted it white, hoping it would do the trick.
Papa and Alex were both home by seven, and we ate a pizza as a family. Papa said Diana was happily settled in with her new room mate, and eagerly looking forward to classes starting the next day. Alex said that he and Beth had spent the afternoon watching the Cobra game first, then discussing houses, apartments, children and work.
"What about you, Theena?" asked Papa.
"Oh I stayed home and worked on my laundry. I also worked more on my notes for Doctor Jones' book. With any luck I can get a shared byline."
Alex laughed. "Like that could happen."
After supper, I excused myself and went back upstairs to work on my notes. Around 10 I heard Papa call up, "Good night Athena, don't stay up too late!" The house went dark around me and I knew that both Papa and Alex had gone to bed, knowing they had early days at work.
I cautiously assembled my new battle togs and slipped into the leotard. I affixed the mask to my face with spirit gum, not trusting the little black string. I took the mask off and cut the eye holes a bit bigger, so I could see better, then tried again. Slipping the boots and gloves on was easier.
I eased the window open, and slipped out onto the roof. "Here goes nothing," I said. I dove over the top and felt the exhilarating sense of freedom that flying brings. I leveled near the ground, then kicked upward and banked, leaving Sylvan for the downtown.
I flew past University Heights, pleased to see the campus was quiet. St. George loomed in the foreground and I landed on the rooftop for a minute. "I have no idea what I'm looking for," I said. I took comfort in being at the church though, and I prayed for wisdom to make good choices. Looking up I tuned in to the music and sounds of the night.
I flew over the campus toward the hospitals, where I spotted a young man leaving the hospital. Normally, this wouldn't have raised suspicions, but he was leaving via a window in the research labs. He dropped to the ground, paused for a moment, and picked up a briefcase. Looking around, he ambled happily toward the streets.
He hadn't counted on me. I swooped down, and flipped, hitting him in the back with my heavy boot. The man went sprawling, and the briefcase flipped out of his hand, clattering across the lawn.
"What the fu....nnnngggghhh!" said the young man as he swallowed a mouthful of fist. He lay unconscious on the ground and I wondered what to do with him. I hadn't brought any rope or other restraints and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to explain to a police officer why I was half dressed and wearing a mask.
I took the unconscious thief to the street and found a piece of cable from a construction sight across the street. I lashed him to the light--leaving him dangling, and as an afterthought, I stuck a note in his shirt pocket, identifying him as a thief and myself as White Owl. I hadn't kept myself to the shadows though, and I soon heard a command.
"Hey you! Stop!" I turned and saw a police officer stepping out of a black and white car. A spotlight was trained on me from the car, and I caught the steel blue glint of the police issued .357 .
"I can't stop tonight, officer," I said cheerfully. "I have to rescue a cat from a tree. But I have something for you." I tossed the briefcase at the cop, who dropped his gun and caught the case. I think he was surprised though, to see me fly up out of sight. I smiled at my early success and thought I was lucky enough for one night.
But as I headed for home, I spotted a pickup truck running along the Mill Creek. It was late, and there was minimal traffic. But as I watched, the truck pulled along side the creek and the driver got out with a large burlap sack. He looked to the left, then right, then he hefted the bag into the water. He ran back to the truck and gunned it. I thought about following him, but seeing the bag move in the water decided it for me.
I dove into the water bad came up with the bag. I shivered as I struggled with the knot, but was finally rewarded when the bag opened. Inside, I found a small white cat, soaked and shivering.
"You poor thing," I said. I picked her up and was rewarded by loud happy purrs. She nestled in my arm and I smiled. "I guess you need a home, huh?"
I launched myself gently into the air and a short time later was back on my rooftop. I pushed through gently and set the kitten on my bed. A few minutes later, we were both snuggled up and warm.
Papa laughed when he saw the kitten. "I see you're bringing home strays, daughter," he chuckled. "But cats can be good friends." And with that, Daisy found herself a home

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