Pyramid Scheme by Dave Freer and Eric Flint

She pointed at Jerry. “You’ve particularly got to look after him. Because, in case you haven’t worked it out, Dr. Lukacs is the only one who knows this mythology stuff. If anyone can work out a way home, he can. Or don’t you want to get back?”

The pig at the foot of the tree snorted.

“The pig seems to think you’re right,” said Lamont dryly.

McKenna shook his head. “Look, we were trying to provide you with cover to get away . . . ”

“She’s right, Mac,” Cruz rumbled. “If that pig had taken you out, that would have left me to try and look after these guys. We’ve got to get our mindset into ‘run first and fight when we haven’t any damn choice.’ It’s different ’cause we’re dealing with civilians.”

“And if that pig had mauled you, we’d have been worse off,” said Liz quietly. “Look, I lost my cool. But seriously, try listening to me, okay?”

McKenna took a deep breath. The pig stood on its hind legs and snorted at the tree. That helped to format his reply. “Yes, ma’am.”

She grinned. It transformed her face, making her look like the kind of trouble she’d undoubtedly been at fifteen. Jailbait. “That’s a good boy,” she cooed.

The pig squinted up at her and snorted again. As if, again, it thought she was right.

Jerry took a deep breath. He hated telling anyone what to do. But somebody had to. “We need some sort of plan of campaign. Circe’s ‘castle of dressed stone’ is in here . . . somewhere. If I remember rightly, there was also a crag, but most of the island is low-lying. Odysseus caught sight of the smoke from her castle from the top of the crag.”

“So we need to find the crag,” said Cruz.

“Which is virtually impossible from down here in the forest,” grumbled Liz.

“Well, maybe we could see it from the top of a tree,” suggested McKenna.

Liz smiled nastily. “Up you go then, Corporal. We’ve got lots of time to kill until Mister Piggy loses interest in us after the little holes you made in his hide.”

* * *

Salinas spoke his phrase of Classical Greek. Odysseus seemed . . . surprised. John Salinas said it again, smiling and patting his chest. The Achaeans seemed amazed. He was reassured. He felt sure that he’d made the right decision, although it would have been pleasant to have that long-haired translator around to confirm it.

At least the Achaeans knew where they were going. This forest was confusing. He was nearly exhausted when, at last, they came out in front of a fortresslike building of painstakingly fitted dry stone. It was set in a soft meadow—and guarded by wild beasts.

Salinas nearly turned and ran. That . . . that must be a wolf. And a leopard . . . And lions. They were coming forward. His bowels turned to jelly, as the creatures ran up to Odysseus. For a moment he was too terrified to even run. Then the prince cuffed them aside, and beckoned to Salinas. Warily, the police lieutenant followed as Odysseus pounded on the polished metal doors.

The doors were flung open. A woman with lustrous hip-length hair stood in the doorway. She looked anything but delighted to see them. John Salinas decided it was time to try his Greek phrase again. After all, they’d be glad to have him. He could show them such a lot.

He was quite right. She was obviously pleased. She sat him down on a settee and then brought him food and a bowl of wine. It was a weird sort of porridge-like stuff, but he was starving. And the red wine, if sweet, was really nicer than the Cabernet Sauvignon he pretended to like for social purposes.

He made a bit of a pig of himself.

18

Alias Allium.

The view from the crag top proved that they were on an island.

Just like the Doc said it was, thought Cruz. He was quietly but enormously relieved to find that the absentminded-looking professor had known what he was talking about—again. The tough sergeant was developing a genuine respect for Jerry Lukacs.