Deceptions.

Looking at their shocked faces, Howard rolled his eyes, "Don't be so surprised will you?"

"Why are you so calm about this?" Steve said feeling betrayed, he had poured his heart out to the guy not too long ago and now he was being told that Arthur had betrayed them.

"It was clear wasn't it?" Howard said, "Ares, is the god of war, of course, he's going to play such strategies. I mean that's the one thing he's best at. So I've been prepared for some betrayals and in fact, it's quite surprising that there seems to be only one."

"How can you be so sure?" Artemis came closer as she looked at the screen, Howard was working with.

"You remember the time he disappeared before we took the picture?" Howard said as they nodded, "He had gone away someway far for no reason at all, I found it extremely suspicious but I let it go, but now that as you could see Ares and he are together now."

"Wait, I mean how does it work, what are you doing?" Artemis got more and more confused and so was everyone.

"Because I may have put a tracking device on all of you." Howard said, "And it helps me know where you are all the time, no matter which part of the world you're in."

"You did what?"

"It was actually really hard than you'd expect considering the fact that the concept of the internet and like doesn't even exist so I had to build my own personalized version-"

"I think she's asking when and how you did it, you dweeb" Victor cut of Howard before he could go on a full rant about his invention.

"Oh, it's pretty easy," Howard said pulling a little device out of Artemis collar, the device was so small that it would barely be noticed if hidden in a good spot. "I placed this thing in all of you and this is what helps the magic happen. I hope you all understand, after all, it was necessary. "

"I see." Sameer and Steve who were spies understood the precaution Howard had and they had no problem with it, especially considering the fact that it did help drag the mole out.

"So, you placed this on Ares as well?"

"Yes." Howard said, "It's a fresh technology with a concept only belonging to me, so as far as I know Ares shouldn't suspect a thing but he might sooner or later so we have to watch out for that. But even if he does, he would have no idea what it is or what it does, so there's not a lot to worry about."

"So do you know where Ares is right now?" Diana asked

"He just moved to our next destination," Howard said checking the screen, "Probably doing something with Ludendorff. Remember, Ares, is a God who feeds on war, anger, and violence."

"So the stronger the chaos, the more powerful he becomes." Diana said, "He's planning on using those bombs."

"Easier said than done," Howard said, "Unless he himself begins loading off those bombs he'd be of no help. So at max, we have less than 15 hrs before they can take action. And I don't think this will be his only strategy."

"What do you mean?"

"He just jumped to Russia now, so we can be sure he has backup plans." Howard said, "This is finally getting fun."

"Fun?"

"Of course, it is fun." Howard stood up throwing away his blanket not having a care in the world about him being in the nude, "The show is coming to an end, after all that, you did this and I did that BS, it's finally the time to see who really wins. 15 hours, in 15 hours the fate of this world is going to be decided."

"How about putting on some clothes first?"

"I am the finest human specimen you'd ever see. I am basically perfect in every way so I have no need to be ashamed about anything," Howard said as he looked at their expression screaming they don't believe him, "It's true, I've researched about it, even my professor back in Harvard would wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. If she's alive at least, she should be in her 80's by now."

"So what's the plan?" James and Victor who were unaffected by Howard's words as they have seen it and heard it probably a thousand times before said with zero to no interest.

"Well, the plan is simple." Howard said looking at Diana, "Ares wants chaos, we give it to him."

-----------------------------------------------

"Fuck, where is everyone?" Arthur came back to the village as he looked around here and there but there wasn't even a single soul he could see.

"Psst"

Arthur suddenly turned back when he heard whispers coming from nowhere.

"Psst, here you idiot."

Arthur this time looked around again when he saw something shine in the distance as he headed closer to find a graphic image that made him puke in an instant.

"Get the bloody sword out of my heart you idiot." The person who was none another Howard complained as he was completely impaled with Artemis sword through the wall.

Arthur gulped as he looked around for help but saw no one. Seeing Howard's judging glare, he looked away from Howard who was spitting blood non-stop as he grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it as hard as he could but the sword wouldn't budge at all.

"Fuck, it seems it won't work." Howard said coughing up blood, "You see that bag over there bring it to me."

"What's going on here?" Arthur asked as Howard sighed,

"It seems we've been compromised." Howard said, "I think Ares has gotten into their head somehow and they all started fighting against me. Luckily, I regenerate but when I woke up I was impaled to the wall with this shit."

"Ares was here?"

"Obviously, why did you think I had the whole village evacuate?" Howard said, "I am guessing when I was dealing with the missiles Ares managed to manipulate them somehow."

"Are you sure? I mean it's a whole group against you?" Arthur said with uncertainty.

"It's all he-said-she-said right now and it's complete chaos." Howard sighed, "Maybe I should have never lied, but this mistake has proved to be very fatal as it broke all of our trust. If you want me to give you a sure answer I don't have one but one thing is for certain, it's up to you and me for stopping this charade, so do you trust me?"

Arthur stayed put for a while and without any other word went for his bag and came back towards him.