Donald trained all day - sweat stained his shirt, as he pushed his muscles to the limit. Athena watched from a shadowed corner, her arms crossed, Silent and watchful. That evening they gathered in the underground base to go over the plan. Justin handed Donald a discreet earpiece
"This could work," Justin said, voice tense with excitement. "I'll set up temporary satellites to boast comms around the factory. Signals will be weak, but if it holds up, I can guide you."
Under the cover of night, Donald and Athena sneaked into the back of a supply truck. The vehicle rumbled down the dirt road, weaving between towering pines until it reached a heavily guarded compound deep in the forest beyond Stamford. As the truck slowed, DonGold felt a Cold knot settle in his stomach. He and Athena slipped out and climbed a tall oak tree for reconnaissance.
Through night-vision goggles, DonGold surveyed the compound below. A black limousine glided through ornate gates and well-dressed guests in tailored suits stepped out, disappearing past scanners and burly guards. Nearly a hundred sentries patrolled the perimeter. DonGold's jaw tightened. Who could afford such protection?
"I want to go in now," he said "Take them all on,"
"NO," Athena said firmly. "That's a mistake if we go loud, we'll waste time, drain power - and worst, whoever took my relics might escape while we are busy."
Donald exhaled, nodding reluctantly
"We need a distraction. Something subtle, something smart," Athena added
She raised her hand and called, in a single ancient note - clear as a Bell in the still night. Moments later a snowy owl descended silently onto her arm. She murmured a few words in the language of Olympus - Soft syllables that even DonGold couldn't hear. The owl launched into the darkness
"We're going natural," Donald said, a hint of a smile. "I like it."
The owl returned a few minutes later. Athena received the vision it brought and described the layout, a side entrance through the fence led to the upper storage level, that was their way in. The building had three floors - reception and lounge on the ground floor, production and storage on the next and executive offices on top.
"And the relics?" Donald asked
"They'll be in the secure, windowless room on the top floor. Reinforced, likely magic - protected," she replied
Donald tightened his hood and nodded "Let go."
But as they moved halfway through the fence -
"If it isn't DonGold," a voice purred from the shadows.
DonGold froze. That voice. He knew it too well.
Catman
No matter how quietly they would have moved. Catman would have still found them. His senses were too sharp, his claws too quick. His smile, too smug.
"Why can't we stay out of each other's business," Catman asked, stepping out from the dark.
"Maybe we're soulmates," DonGold said, then he and Athena came down from the fence ready to fight.
Behind Catman, a squad of highly skilled martial artists, armed gunmen, and - oddly enough - archers prepared to engage.
"Archers in 2025?" DonGold muttered under his breath. "Who even hires archers anymore?"
Athena and DonGold glanced at each other. "Go," DonGold said. "Get your relics, I'll handle them.
"I'm not leaving you," Athena snapped.
"You said it yourself. This could be a trap we two stay in, we lose. If one gets through - we win?
Reluctantly, she nodded and vanished in a shimmer of light
The battle outside erupted instantly.
Inside, Athena disguised herself as a domestic staff using a borrowed uniform. The original owner was tied up in the restroom. She slipped past unsuspecting guards, her breath short, her limbs heavy, using her powers draining her faster than expected.
She made it to the next floor before a guard stopped her
Looking at the label on her chest "Kim Sharp, you're not Kim Sharp," he answered pointing a gun
Others joined in, cornering her.
Her disguise was over
Within seconds, she knocked them out with divine precision. But each movement, each strike, took its toll. She was weakening fast.
Meanwhile, DonGold fought wave after wave, he dodged arrows, bullets, fists. He rolled, punched, kicked and flipped his way through. He had to think of something smart to take them all out, spotting a massive water tank, he commandeered a nearby tractor and rammed it - sending the flood barreling into the attackers except Catman who climbed up the fence.
Catman took his moment, beat him even though he tried to fight back but Catman was too athletic and he was too tired. Catman clawed him across the side, blood sprayed. DonGold groaned and fell to his knee.
"Say your prayers," Catman mocked, ready to strike his final blow
DonGold smirked, pulling a small bottle of dry gin from his pocket
"You're drinking?"
He downed it. Then a second, suddenly he stumbled - his movement disoriented, erratic
Catman laughed. "You've gone mad."
But then DonGold moved again - sloppy, unpredictable, untouchable.
The Drunken Master style
He twisted, rolled and swayed in strange angles that made him nearly impossible to hit. Catman lunged. DonGold swerved, kicked, elbowed. And finally knocked Catman out cold.
Inside, Athena entered the production room, her body arched. But she stood tall.
"Everyone, get out now " she screamed but no one listened. They ignored her, these people were held against their will. They were abducted and forced to work here, she could sense this with her weaning powers. "Listen," she called out. "You're not prisoners. You're people. You have minds. Hands. Voices. Will."
The factory workers stared in silence
"What do we want?" She screamed
"To be free!" came the reply
"What do we do about it?"
They ran
"Careful, Careful, Easy, Easy." She said to them as they ran like a charging herd. She made her way to the last floor encountering a few guards on the way and so did DonGold with help from Justin who communicated through the earpiece even with the weak connection but he lost connection completely when Justin was about to tell him how to open the reinforced door. Athena reached the door fist
She clenched her fist and with every ounce of strength in her
Boom. The reinforced door shattered
Inside, the factory leaders trembled. DonGold arrived and Athena was too weak to interrogate them so he took over
"Where are the relics?" He demanded
"Relics? I-I have Egyptian mummy hair," one man stammered.
"That's disturbing," DonGold said
He stepped forward, "where is the person in charge?"
They all pointed at one another
"I'm serious!" DonGold barked
Firmly, they turned to one man, He shook with fear. "Every other person out" he screamed at them and them and they went out
"Now, what is the name of your boss?" DonGold questioned him. "Mr."
He choked mid sentence. His face turned blue
"What's happening?" Athena yelled
DonGold caught him. "He's dead"
"No, check again!" She pleaded
He was gone
The stepped out of the room, only to find the others - guards, visitors, leaders - dead
Athena touched the air. Her voice lowered
"I sense it… Strong magic."