"Are you done with that damn story yet?"
Jaison looked up from his computer screen. "Can't rush perfection," he said simply.
"It's already old news! Brady's already in Florida! Were you waiting for him to win another fucking ring?"
"It works well with the headline I was going for," Jaison said. "Goat leaves Boston, starts ring collection in Florida."
"Here's a headline for you," his boss snapped. "Dumbass Ginger uses the newspaper he used to work for as a blanket!"
Jaison frowned. "It's a little wordy," he said.
"Finish it, O'Malley!"
His boss stormed away, and Jaison sighed. "Breaking news," he muttered. "The Tribune is a joke." He looked up as two men came through the elevator. They looked around dumbly until their gazes met Jaison's.
"Oh, look," Jaison muttered. "Twins." He watched with disdain as they approached his desk.
"You're Jaison," one of them said to him.
Jaison raised a brow. "Look," he started. "I don't care what kinda weird shit you got into. I'm a sports writer. You want Jess back there." He thrust a thumb over his shoulder.
"He's a sports writer," the second said.
"A sports writer," the first confirmed with a nod.
Jaison hesitated. "You guys are freaking me out," he said. "Go away."
"We're here to see you," the first said.
"Obviously he doesn't want to see us," the second said.
Jaison hesitated. "Why? Did Smith put you up to this?"
"Apollo sent us."
"We're Gemini."
"I'm sorry," Jaison started. "Did you say Apollo and Gemini?" He laughed. "What, do you want a horoscope or something?"
"You will be presented with a life changing opportunity today," the first said.
"We're your life changing opportunity today," the second added.
"I am a Gemini," Jaison said to himself. His brows furrowed. "Are you stalking me or something?"
"Yes!"
"No!"
Jaison's brow raised. "What do you want? I'm very busy."
The first leaned over to look at his computer screen. Jaison was in the midst of a game of Solitaire.
"Clearly."
"We told you. Apollo sent us. We need your help."
"Apollo who?" Jaison asked.
"The God."
Jaison snorted. "Oh, Christ. Did you escape the mental hospital or something?" He picked up the phone on his desk. "What are your names again?"
"Gemini."
"Do you have any ID on you?"
"No," they said in unison.
"Where are you from?"
"Space."
Jaison stared at them longer than intended. He cleared his throat, then raised a brow. "What?"
"We're here to ask for your help."
"Can we talk in private?"
Jaison hesitated. "Alright," he said slowly, then got to his feet. He pulled his jacket off of his chair, throwing his arms in as he walked across the office. The twin men followed silently, and Jaison glanced over his shoulder, hesitant to see them following. They followed wordlessly out into the parking garage where Jaison finally stopped, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets.
"Okay. You got me out here. Are you gonna kill me now?"
One grinned, the other frowned.
"Depends how difficult you make things," said the first.
"Of course not," said the second.
"Right," Jaison started. "So, where's your friend, Apollo?"
"He sent us to talk to you."
"We're doing the hard work for him."
"Why doesn't he talk to me himself?" Jaison asked.
"Gods," they said in unison.
Jaison rolled his eyes. "Right, of course." He sighed. "What do you want, anyway?"
"We need your help."
"With the gigantes."
"The what?" Jaison asked.
"The gigantes."
"Human-like creatures created by Gaia to attack the gods."
"This is a waste of my time," Jaison muttered.
"Is it?" they asked in unison.
Jaison raised a brow. "You guys are wicked freaky," he said, then shrugged a shoulder. "But, yeah, I have nothing better to do. So, what, do you want a story or something? 'Cuz I don't really do that."
"We need your help."
"The gigantes can only be defeated by a mortal."
"Twelve mortals have been chosen by the gods."
"You are one of the twelve."
"We are your Ouranos."
"We are here to protect you and help you find and defeat the gigantes."
Jaison's eyes had widened, and he stared at them with uncertainty. "What… the fuck… are you smoking?" He glanced quickly around the parking garage. "Look. Keep your damn drugs away from me, alright?"
"It's the truth. You must believe us."
"How can we convince you?"
"Dudes, you can't," Jaison said. "Now, I gotta get back."
"As long as we're around -"
"You will have use of a specific ability."
"Ability?"
"To see into the future," they said in unison.
Jaison pretended to ponder this for a moment. "The future, huh? How does that work?"
"Not by will."
"It can be willed."
"You must be good."
"He's good."
It seemed the twins were arguing with one another, now.
"Maybe if he practices."
"It's easy. We'll teach him."
"It takes time."
"It won't."
"Well, let's just try it and see, huh?" Jaison said, interrupting them.
They turned to him, one grinning, one frowning.
"Okay," they said in different tones.
"This doesn't involve drugs, does it?"
"Focus your energy on one specific thing," one explained.
"Like the gigantes," the other said.
Jaison sighed. "What about them?"
"You must find them."
"There are many, likely all over the world."
"Sure, that sounds easy," Jaison muttered.
"Close your eyes."
"Focus on the future."
"Focus on the gigante."
"Focus on what you want to see."
Jaison sighed. He closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened one eye slightly, but Gemini had not moved, still staring at him.
"Close them!"
His eye closed again.
"Concentrate."
This had to be Jess's doing. Friends of hers, probably.
"Focus."
If she wasn't hot, he would kick her ass for this.
"On the future."
Maybe he could turn this around on her to get her back.
"Hey!"
But before he could open his eyes, he was being shoved backwards. His back slammed against the concrete wall of the garage and he yelped and glared angrily at Gemini.
"You're not focusing."
"I am!"
They each pressed a palm against his forehead, and his world went dark.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
A bright light flashed suddenly, and he winced.
Focus.
The world shook under his feet, like an earthquake.
Focus.
Water crashed down into an empty sort of warehouse. Jaison could see two people, male and female. Before them stood a giant.
His eyes opened. He was on the ground, looking up at the Gemini twins.
"What the -"
"What did you see?" they asked in unison.
Jaison stared at them, speechless for a moment. "Uh," he started, and he cleared his throat. "Two people. And a giant."
"Where?"
"New York." How did he know that? "Freya and Jerric."
Gemini looked at one another.
"Taurus?" asked one.
The other nodded. "Pisces."
They turned back to Jerric.
"We can find them."
"They will need your help."
Jaison got to his feet. "Wait. Who were those two people?"
"Mortals like you."
"Two of The Twelve."
"The Twelve?" Jaison asked.
"Twelve mortals chosen by the gods to help defeat the gigante."
"The gigante can only be defeated by mortals."
"Right. Of course."
"You saw them yourself."
"Are you convinced now?"
"What do you want me to do?" Jaison asked.
"Find them.
"Find the other eleven."
"Save Olympus from falling."
"Save the world."
"The world, huh?" He shook his head. "Look, this has been fun… I don't really know what kinda drug you gave me, but I'm done with this game of yours."
"No game."
"You're not convinced."
Jaison sighed. "You are persistent. Alright. I'll do whatever you want until you're satisfied with this prank."
"You'll come with us?"
"Sure."
They grinned.
"We'll find Pisces."
"We'll find you again when it is time to go."
"You may be gone a long time."
"You should take care of things now."
"Sure thing," Jaison said. He rolled his eyes, then stepped around the twins. "Later."
*****
It had been a few days since he had seen Gemini, and when he did, they were waiting in front of his apartment building.
"I thought you were bored of this prank," Jaison said in a defeated tone.
"We found Pisces."
"We're going to Pennsylvania."
"What? That's like a six hour drive. And I don't have a car!"
"Take a bus."
"Take a train."
"Oh, sure. I guess I'll have to pay for your tickets, too?"
"We do not carry currency."
"We can meet you there."
"I don't think so," Jaison said. "No way am I letting you ship me to Amish-ville alone. You started this. You're coming with me."
"Okay!"
"But our way is quicker…"
When Jaison woke up that morning, he did not expect to be taking a bus with two complete strangers - and weirdos, at that - to Pennsylvania. He hadn't even told his boss he was leaving, still convinced it was all some elaborate prank. Taking nothing more than his phone and wallet, he was suddenly six hours from home. By the end of the day, he would come to realize that he would not be returning for some time.