Confrontation pt.2

"Um, where are we going?" Artemis asked awkwardly still not sure what was she feeling.

"He is here," Howard said seriously, "So I need you to look out for me."

Artemis's awkwardness faded away in an instant as she grabbed the hilt of her sword, "Are you sure?"

"He whispered in my bloody ear, so yes I am sure." Howard said, "Don't get too excited now. I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

"You'll stand outside and hide, and stop others from following me. If something goes wrong I'll call for you or send a signal, and you go get Diana and others." Howard said as he took out his gun checking his ammo, "I wish there was a bullet that could kill gods but this should do for now."

"What are you talking about?" Artemis said with her eyes wide open, "Since Ares has shown himself, we should take the war to him. We have everyone here ready, even Diana."

"Yeah, but it's not the right time," Howard said, "And Diana still needs a little more time before she can face off with Ares."

"And you are prepared with your stupid gun?"

"With bullets that explode, it's not enough to kill or even injure a god obviously but still should have some impact even if the other person is an immortal-divine freak of nature." Howard said, "And besides I am not really heading there with the intention to fight, I just want to have a conversation."

"And then what? Go there, and be manipulated? Are you out of your mind?" Artemis gave up, "What if he has a way to kill you? Ares has been around longer than you can think."

"I understand your concerns but I need to have this conversation." Howard said, "Something's been bugging me the moment I crashed into the Island and I need to figure things out. I need to know why Ares has been on my ass, why is he so interested in me, and since when."

"You're afraid that you might be under his control?" Artemis got a hint of the situation from Howard's angry expression.

"That's a small part of it but I am more afraid that things could be much worse than that," Howard said reminiscing his dark past that he buried away. "It's been eating me since the moment I realized Ares had his eyes on me. So please trust me on this one."

It was the first time she had seen Howard so serious but she couldn't deny her duty either. She had a job to do, an responsibility to serve and there was Howard, she was sent here with Diana with the idea that she would protect Howard in turn for his help with Ares. And within this short time, she had realized that this was what she wanted to do on her own accord. She wanted to travel the world more and stay by Howard's side, who was already voted as the only constant thing in her days to come.

"This will be the first and last time I'll be asking you to put your faith in me." Howard continued, "After this, it's your choice if you want to trust me or not. But at least let me prove myself to you. And prove yourself to me, that I can trust you not just today but in the future too."

"This one last time." Artemis sighed giving up, "But if I sense anything wrong, I am getting the others without your permission or signal and heading straight for you and Ares."

"Good enough," Howard said getting out of the back door as it started snowing outside, "Stay here and watch out."

Howard headed towards the abandoned building without looking back at Artemis. Not only was this important for his plan, but this was also a test for Artemis, a test to see if she could really be loyal to him or not, or will she just succumb to her sense of duty and go against his orders. He needed someone who could trust him and someone he could trust, not some justice warrior working on her own propaganda.

Walking inside the building at night was a different experience, the hallway was dark and cold. Each of his footsteps creaked loud enough to reach every part of the place. It was the most perfect place to shoot a horror movie, he thought to himself feeling the creeps.

"It's good to finally meet you, Howard." Ares's voice entered his ear the moment he walked into the only room that was lit. The room had a wooden table at the center with two chairs and the room being lit by the candle on top of the table.

"Oh you shouldn't have," Howard said with his signature wide smile as he sat at the opposite side of the table as Ares, "But a candlelight date, who would have thought the god of war could be so romantic."

"Glad to see that some people never change." Ares chuckled mockingly, "Humans think people change with time but who other than people like us to know that it's the idea that changes not the personality."

"I should be honored that I am being compared with a god-like yourself, but it still doesn't feel too right." Howard said, "By your words, you act as if we've met before and by your tolerance of me, I think you need something from me as well. So let's get to it shall we?"

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