Devil With Benefits (Gods & Guardians)

The city is walled off and reinforced by armed guards. We wait for hours, watching as Humvees pour in and out of the chain-link fence openings. A few commercial vehicles are allowed inside, but all outside citizens are turned away.

The radio blares: "Worldwide power outages have been reported as the EU negotiates with Russia..."

The lights flicker on and off. The subways sit at a halt. I have never seen the city so empty before.

Nobody wants to acknowledge the truth.

I turn off the news and lean back against the seat, soak in whatever sun that hits the windows. How could it all get so bad so fast, I wonder? But that's how these things happen. If only people knew the truth. If only they could see.

"We need to find a way to get in," Heimdall says.

Raven pulls out of her identification badge. "This will get us inside," she promises.

My hand latches onto her thigh, impossible to let go. I don’t want her to be a hero because that could mean losing her.

“We don’t know that,” I say. “They’re probably all in direct contact with Lucifer."

“These people are wielding full-on semi-automatics,” Loki says.

“It does make one worry,” Heimdall adds.

Raven is not one to ask for permission, and it’s part of why I’m attracted to her in the first place. Without warning, she opens the car door, slams it, and winks.

"This requires a woman's touch," she says.

Toward the gates. Toward the guards. Toward her possible death.

We all watch intently, but I’m the only one sweating this hard. My stomach is a wreck, and my heart is pained to no end, but I have to respect her move on this.

I have to accept her for who she is because, according to Odin, she plays a huge part in all of this.

“Is she stupid? She’s going to get herself killed,” Loki says.

“She’s not stupid,” I say. “She might be our only ticket inside.”

As Raven talks to a few officers in the front, Heimdall sighs and drives the vehicle into the short line of cars. We stick out like a sore thumb.

“Come on. Come on,” I repeat. “Let her inside…”

She bats an eye and flaunts her body, adjusting her cleavage.

The militarized police swarm around her, eyeing every single inch of her like disgusting hyenas. I can’t fathom what is going on in their minds, but their wicked grins make me think that it can’t be wholesome thoughts.

It's a little hard for me to watch. I actually get jealous.

“In about two seconds, I’m going up there,” I say.

“Calm down. We can't do anything rash,” Heimdall says as he clamors his teeth together with anxiety.

Loki stares ahead. "All we can do is wait."

Raven points to the old Honda Civic, and the soldiers react accordingly. Two of them stroll toward the vehicle. Their fingers tightly tug against the triggers of the assault rifles.

All I can think is that this is where it all ends. A few gods try to save the world, but they failed to get inside the fortified entrance. What a sad, pathetic story.

They meet our window.

Tap, tap, tap on the glass.