The Search for Artemis - By P. D. Griffith Page 0,85

the middle, which looked like a pair of sealed lips awaiting the command to retract and allow one of the vehicles to ascend out of its open mouth.

The immensity of what Landon had been introduced to since breakfast flooded his consciousness. He was overwhelmed, more so than when he first came to the Gymnasium and learned he was psychokinetic. What was this place, really? How had this entire operation been functioning right under his nose without him ever realizing?

“Who funds all of this?” Landon asked himself in little more than whisper. And how does Riley not know about it? he added in this thoughts.

“Zeus may have told you some, but the Pantheon is a covert organization that works outside the government. We handle matters of national security that are too politically threatening for the actual military, and we operate independently through a shadow company, the Pallas Corporation. We’re funded through ‘government defense contracts’ in reference to the purchase of our ‘scientific advancements,’” Dr. Wells explained as if it was normal, everyday knowledge, but Landon just stared at him, bewildered.

“What you’re doing—it’s very exciting,” he continued. “You get to do things that no one else in the country can do, or is aware of. Unfortunately, should anything unexpected happen while on a mission, you wouldn’t be given any form of amnesty as a member of a government agency. No one below the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense has any idea of our existence.”

As Dr. Wells explained everything, Landon started to realize the severity of his decision. The Pantheon was truly fighting for the continued safety and freedom of millions of Americans, and now it was his job to carry out that mission.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

TRAINING

“We have one more place to see. Palaestra,” Dr. Wells called out to the lift after they both stepped onto the platform. “The Palaestra, in the subterranean level, is the private training facility for the Pantheon agents, and you’ll be spending the majority of your time in this area. It contains the agent locker rooms, a weight facility, private lounges, and . . .”

Dr. Wells continued his monologue as the lift passed through the Temple floor and descended into a large, multi-story cubic room. The walls and floor were covered in lighted white tiles, which made the entire room glow. As they overlooked the space, Landon tried to identify those who were busy training, but the ground was so bright, Landon had difficulty making out any detail, aside from their profiles. A female figure moved with acrobatic ease through an obstacle course erected along the entire left side of the room, her body breaking the light as she swung from bar to bar. Off to the right, three guys sparred. The largest of the three was dominating the other two. There was one other figure just visible in the back who looked to be floating. Landon could have sworn he was hovering at least three feet off the ground, but he couldn’t see a shadow to know for sure. Walking between the three stations, a man methodically and authoritatively shouted instructions. Landon recognized the voice as that of Dr. Brighton.

“Pantheon,” Dr. Wells shouted as the lift neared its destination, “gather ’round, please! I must introduce you to the newest addition to the team!”

The lift settled onto the Palaestra floor, and Dr. Wells marshaled Landon off the platform. Now Landon could see everything much more clearly. The light wasn’t nearly as blinding from ground level, and he watched in shock as the members of the Pantheon approached. He recognized all of them.

Landon’s heart beat faster in his chest when he saw that the three combatants were none other than Brock Holbrooke and Joshua and Jeremiah Crane. Brock slowly massaged his right forearm as he meandered toward Landon. He appeared far more muscular and menacing than usual, as the light from the floor cast deep shadows against the ridged contours of his body. The trio reached the lift first and fell into a single row facing Dr. Wells. Brock stood tall and rigid with his arms crossed over his chest and a subtle scowl on his face. The Crane twins, however, looked surprisingly excited to see Landon. Perhaps Landon hadn’t given them a fair shot due to their association with Brock.

The girl who had been swinging through the obstacle course turned out to be Alexandra Parker. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, which, when paired with her form-fitting training attire, gave her