Major clues about Monique’s baby!
Week Eighteen:
October 31st through November 6, 2025
Hermes is summoned to Apollo’s New Mycenae clinic Saturday, November 1.
Annoyed that Apollo will not accept his assertion that absolutely nothing is out of order with the security system of The Power’s detention cell, he’s surprised that Elle, Goddess of Childbirth, and psychological counselor Jim Smith have also been called to the meeting. Apollo informs the team of a crisis that he believes is rooted in The Power. Jim speaks first, about The Power’s seeming repossession of its former keeper, Stella, above whom a dark aura hovers. Elle reports next, on the supernatural force she encountered while examining an unnamed pregnant woman. Hermes thinks guiltily of Monique, whom he’s been avoiding; regarding security, he says “Nothing to report.”
Apollo asks the team two questions:
First, are Stella’s dark aura and the supernatural force in the woman’s womb related?
Second, is The Power intelligent enough to conceal the fact that it’s escaped from its cell?
Jim and Elle will report any new observations of Stella and the pregnant woman; Hermes leaves the meeting sobered, knowing he’s missed something in his security review and determined to double down on monitoring. Waller has outclassed him with his “Green World Works” platform, and reprobate Pan is a recognized hero in the War on Hunger. Compared to them, for all his recent failures Hermes feels as if “Loser” should be tattooed on his forehead.
Jim visits Stella in the Olympus Rest commons room Monday, November 3. As usual, she is kicking his butt at Stratego! , his go-to analytical tool. But this time he loses on purpose.
“Long live red!” she cries in triumph.
“And blue dead again,” he responds, “without a son and heir.”
“That’s what they all think,” Stella says in a deeper voice than her own, the dark aura roiling above her head. “But you’ll see. You’ll all see.”
Wednesday, November 5, Elle, briefed on Jim’s encounter with Stella, examines Monique. In less than two weeks, the baby has grown larger by half. She tries again to coax Monique into revealing the father’s identity. Monique cryptically answers “It might be one of his experiments. He likes to invent things.” Elle presses for more.
“The baby’s father, he’s- -” Monique breaks off in a scream and writhes violently. “Mine!” she cries in a voice so deep it shakes the examining room. “Mine!”
Evidence points to The Power as the father of Monique’s baby. But is there more to reveal?
Find out fast at:
https://www.susandmatley.com/beyond-big-g-city/
