The false-volcano secret base was empty. Not technically empty of course, it was full of nameless henchmen going about their business in gray jumpsuits, full of communications systems monitoring transmissions from spies hidden in all first-world governments, full of highly advanced weapons systems, the prize among which was the Weather Machine. But the base was missing a daughter, and that was all that had been occupying Demeter's mind for over a week. Demeter had focused all of her efforts on finding Persephone, but had found no trace of her. At this point it was quite clear to Demeter that her daughter had been kidnapped, though by whom was less clear. Had it been some secret government agency hoping to gain some advantage over Demeter? Trying to use her daughter as leverage? That was unlikely, Demeter had more eyes than Argus in those places and they had seen nothing. The only organizations that could hide Persephone from her were those of other evil geniuses, and it was as she was formulating a list in her mind about potentially vindictive rivals that one of her henchmen burst into her control room.
He stepped forward to her desk, attempting to compose himself. “We are receiving a transmission from Helios Ma'am. He has apparently heard of our situation and is offering his assistance.”
Demeter considered this for a moment as her henchman rushed out again. Helios was odd, without a doubt, floating over the world in his space station alone, processing data from his multitudes of satellites scanning every inch of the globe. She felt she could trust him though, Demeter knew he had not taken her daughter. In fact, because Persephone was not a shrinking ice cap, a swallow migration route, or an amorous couple on a secluded beach, Demeter doubted Helios cared about her daughter at all. She stood up and walked over to a screen on her wall. “Open communication” she said clearly and Helios' face flickered onto the screen.
“Hello Demeter, how are you?”
“Save it Helios, you know how I am, and you know I don't have much time.”
“Fair enough, I know who took your daughter. All I want in exchange for this information is enough money to repair one of the four thrusters on my Chariot.”
“Done” Demeter responded immediately. “Close communication” and Helios faded away. He was replaced by a video feed of a grassy park, and sitting in the middle of this park was Persephone, apparently talking with her friends. Demeter was so focused on her daughter that she barely noticed a slight movement of the ground next to her. Apparently Persephone noticed something wrong as well, as she stood up and began looking around. Suddenly a machine with a great drill on its nose burst from the ground beside Persephone. As she tried to run away, tripping over some dislodged earth, a hatch on the top of the machine opened and a man jumped out. He rushed over, picked up Persephone and carried her into the machine, which quickly disappeared back into the hole it had come from.
Hades, that lecherous old man. Demeter had seen how he looked at Persephone when the villains gathered together under the mantle of OLYMPIAN for one of Zeus' grand schemes. Persephone had always attracted attention, and always from the wrong people. Demeter often blamed herself for that though. If she had named her daughter “Pussy Galore” or “Octopussy” the secret agents would be falling over each other trying to get at her. So instead of well-dressed secret agents, who admittedly probably didn't have monogamous long-term relationships in mind, Persephone was trapped in the lair of some man who thought he was Dr. Frankenstein.
Zeus would have to hear about this. Demeter didn't like asking him for help, he could be exceedingly strange sometimes, but he liked to keep relations between the villains amicable at least. “Open communication: Zeus.”
A few moments later the majestic bearded face of Zeus appeared in front of her. “Let me guess,” he began, arrogantly “you found out who took your daughter and need me to get her back.”
“Hades... I don't want my daughter around him and all of his experiments with dead bodies.”
“My brother is a misunderstood man, I don't want a squabble between you two to disrupt my plans. I'll see what I can do.” Zeus vanished and Demeter was left standing alone in her control room. She sat back down and tried to take her mind off of the wait by developing a plot to genetically engineer corn crops, but it didn't do the job.
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Hermes arrived the next day, bringing Persephone with him. Demeter was extremely relieved to have her daughter back, but Hades had not returned her without making sure he had a contingency plan in effect. While keeping Persephone captive he had fed her pomegranate, the seeds of which he had ingeniously replaced with minuscule pills. The poison in the pills would be released in eight months at which point Persephone would need to return to him for the antidote. He had agreed to release her again after four months, new pills in her system. It was diabolical.
Demeter walked down to the office of the head of her weapons division. She wanted to know how much strain the Weather Machine would be under if it was in constant use for four months.
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