Unfortunately for Carlos, he's at the front of the group when the god of the Underworld stops in front of them.
Hades holds out one pale hand and they all take a subconscious step back, wary of any possible deals.
"The name's Hades. Hi, how you doin'?" he says.
As Carlos tries to figure out how to politely reject a handshake from the king of the Underworld, the man laughs and drops the offered hand.
"I'm joking. I'm joking," he claims with a slick grin.
They all exchange nervous looks while Hayden watches in amusement.
"I'm not looking to make a deal," Hades continues. "Look at you. You don't have anything to offer me. Well, you've got one thing. Hey, just let me know if you're ever tired of that soul of yours, yeah? I'd be happy to take it off your hands. Seriously. Just ecstatic."
He says it all very quickly and leaves Carlos with the vague feeling that he's about to agree to buy something he had no intention of getting and can't afford.
Hayden rolls his eyes. "Dad, we don't need any more souls down here. The judgement line's already full enough," he reminds him.
Hades groans and closes his eyes as he starts to rub at his temples. "Ugh, don't remind me. So much paperwork!" He sighs and opens his eyes, dropping his hands with a nonchalant shrug. "Ah, well, what did I expect? I'm a businessman. Paperwork comes with the job. 'Course, I didn't really choose the job. It just kinda got pushed on me by Lightning Boy up there," he says as he gestures vaguely upward with a particular finger.
Hayden snorts derisively. "Well, it's not like Zeus could handle it. He's got clouds for brains," he drawls with a smirk.
Hades gives him an identical smirk back. "This kid," he says as he wraps one arm around his son's shoulders and pinches his cheek mockingly. "I tell you, he makes me prouder every day. Really. It just- it brings a tear to my eye. It really does." He wipes away a fake tear as Hayden slips out from under his arm.
"Alright. Alright," Hayden mutters. "Enough of that."
The others just stare, not sure how to handle the god of the Underworld acting like, well, like a dad.
"So," Hades says, locking his fingers together and pointing at them with both index fingers, "you four have got yourselves into a bit of a situation, hm? Need Hayden here to bail you out?"
They trade glances, trying to decide who has to respond.
"Right, uh, Lord Hades," Evie finally says, her tone hesitant.
"Oh, I like that," he drawls, glancing over at his son with a smirk. "They've got manners, how nice." He turns back to them. "Sit. Sit," he says, reclaiming his own seat. "We've got things to discuss."
They all nervously take seats, well, except for Hayden who sprawls in the seat to his father's left, boots kicked up on the table like usual. He takes that particular seat like it's second nature to him and they know, especially after seeing the throne room, that Persephone must always place herself on Hades' right.
It occurs to them, for maybe the first time, just how dangerous the little family can likely be.
Hades snaps his fingers and a tray holding several wine glasses along with a bottle of dark red wine appears on the table. He pours himself a glass and sends them a slightly twisted grin.
"Help yourselves," he offers.
None of them move, all fully aware of what happens to those who eat or drink from the Underworld.
"Knock it off, Dad," Hayden says with a smirk. He looks completely amused by his father's antics.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hades says, completely insincere. "Do you not drink?" He snaps again and the wine is replaced with a bottle of pomegranate juice.
This time, Hayden rolls his eyes, a smirk still lingering on his lips, and waves his hand. Instantly, the juice disappears, and they can't help but trade startled glances at the casual display of power.
His father sighs and takes a sip of his wine. "Ruin all my fun," he mutters under his breath. "Get it from your mother." He glances over at Hayden. "You get the feet on my furniture from her too," he adds with a pointed look.
Hayden sends him a smile and doesn't move.
"Look, Lord Hades," Mal says, "we need Hayden to come topside a little early so he can help us get Ben back."
"Uh-huh. Uh-huh," Hades nods. "I know that. What I don't quite know yet, and this is very important so listen up, is what's in it for me?"
"For- for you?" Carlos asks.
"Yes. Your hearing is excellent. Congratulations," he says sarcastically.
"How is the situation up there supposed to benefit you?" Evie asks in confusion.
Hades raises both eyebrows at her. "Ah, well, that's what I'm asking isn't it?"
"You guys aren't asking the right question," Hayden tells them.
It's Jay that does, recognizing the gleam in Hades' golden eyes. "What do you want?" he asks.
Hades takes a slow sip of his wine. "Now we're getting somewhere," he tells them. "See, here's the thing: what I want is, well, it's actually a very long list starting with my wife and kid for more than six months a year and ending somewhere around my dear little brother tripping over his own toga and falling down a very long flight of stairs."
He looks at them with a smirk. "I'm talking top of Olympus to the ground long," he clarifies as Hayden chuckles from his seat. "But," he continues, "I don't quite think you four are capable of getting me those things and, hey, I'm not unreasonable. So, here's what I want from you: I want that little royal council," he sneers the words in the same way Hayden always does, "completely revamped."
There are a few seconds of silence as they all stare at him in surprise.
"You- you want the council revamped?" Evie asks.
He sighs dramatically and glances over at Hayden. "Is there an echo in here? Sheesh. What is with you guys and repeating what I say?" he asks them. "It's my own voice I like the sound of, okay? Not the words."
"Why would you want that?" Carlos asks.
Hades looks at them, completely serious. "Because I don't like the way those little meetings have been going," he says. "I'm tired of watching my kid stand in front of them and say everything right and still get nowhere just because he's my son."
All four of them wince at the reminder, once again, that they all left Hayden to fight the Auradonian system on his own.
"Not to mention," Hayden drawls, "the whole corrupt-council-that-ignores-everything-you-say-or-just-discredits-it thing kinda hits a sore spot with him." His father scowls at him and Hayden just grins, waving his hand so that a bottle appears on the table in front of him.
Hades watches, aghast, glass of blood red wine in hand, as his son grabs the bottle of homemade rum and takes a swig.
"At least use a glass," he tells him.
Hayden, with no visible hesitation, reaches for one of his father's very nice crystal wine glasses and pours himself a couple of fingers worth.
Hades just sighs. "My own son, drinking pirate's rum when there's a perfectly good bottle of Greek wine available," he laments. He points one long and bony finger in Hayden's direction. "You spend too much time with that pirate of yours," he says.
Evie looks over at him. "You don't have a problem with Hayden and Harry?" she asks curiously.
Hades looks almost offended by the insinuation. "What? You think I'm gonna dictate who my kid can be with? Do I look like Demeter to you?" he asks. He holds up one hand. "Look, I'm a lot of things. I'm a fair ruler. I'm charming. I'm a good-looking guy. I mean, hey," he gestures over at Hayden, "where do you think the kid gets it, huh? Well, the hair, that's all his mother but, you know, the rest of him, that's me." He shakes his head. "Point is, I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a hypocrite."
Hayden's smile softens at that, looking pleased as he sips from his glass. Mal shakes her head and gets the conversation back on track.
"The council," she says clearly, looking right at Hades. "That's all we have to do, and Hayden can come help us?"
"That's all," Hades nods. "He can help you, you know, provided he wants to. I mean, it's a god's choice to help the mortals or not. Always has been."
"I'll help," Hayden confirms. "I've got nothing better to do and I want that barrier opened and, well, I've got a pirate to see."
Evie resists the urge to coo at the slight blush on his cheeks at the last reason.
"This isn't a deal, right?" Carlos speaks up. "I mean, if things somehow don't work out, you don't get our souls, do you?"
Hades gives him that slick grin. "Eventually," he says. "I mean, I get all souls at some point. But, no, not in the sense you're asking. This is not an official deal. It's a little more, ah, under the table than that, a cash only kinda thing, if you catch my drift."
They all look relieved at that.
"Ask," Hayden says suddenly, looking right at Mal. She looks back at him, startled. "Ask," he repeats. "I know you want to."
She takes a deep breath. "What exactly happens when you claim a soul? If a deal falls through?"
Father and son exchange a long look.
"Any number of things," Hayden finally answers. "Once we've claimed it, that soul is ours to do with what we will. Of course, we have our standard. We really only change things up in very special circumstances."
"What's the standard?" Jay asks.
"Eternal servitude," Hayden says simply.
Evie nervously twists her hands. "Like, just a palace servant or...?"
"Eternal servitude," he repeats. "No rest. No breaks. No larger purpose than to do our bidding. For. Eternity."
His golden eyes are intense in a way that makes the four mortals in the room distinctly uncomfortable. It's not all that often that they're truly reminded their friend is the child of two gods, that, for all the Isle's barrier has left him mostly mortal, he's still a godling.
"So, Ben...?" Mal doesn't finish her question. The answer is clear enough already. "Right," she breathes. "Well, we'll just have to complete the deal," she says, green eyes full of determination.
"Right," Hades says, standing abruptly and snapping his fingers so his glass and those still on the table, including Hayden's to his displeasure, all disappear. "You five have got to get back topside so you can handle this whole..." he gestures vaguely with one hand, "situation."
"How are we getting back?" Hayden asks with one eyebrow raised. "Usual staircase?"
Hades snaps again. "Use your necklace," he says. "Your little friends here now have a temporary immunity to hellfire." He holds up one finger. "Temporarily. As in, one trip." He shrugs. "As long as you're all touching it'll drop you back on the Isle."
"Thank you, Lord Hades," Evie tells him as they all group up, waiting for Hayden so they can leave.
Hades just waves her off, crossing over to his son and dropping both hands on his shoulders. He looks at him for a long moment, golden eyes locked with their mirror image, before-
"Knock 'em dead, kid."
Four people sigh and roll their eyes at the pun while Hades and Hayden just share a smirk.
Hayden slinks over to the four of them and pulls his necklace out of his shirt as Hades starts off toward the doorway that leads into the palace. He stops when he gets there, looking down, and their attention is drawn when they hear the barely audible but clearly nervous voices of Pain and Panic.
The words are too indistinct for them to make out, but they obviously upset the god.
"What!" Hades yells, hair flaring and burning bright red. It lasts a couple of seconds before he brings both hands up to run over his hair, calming the flames. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm cool. I'm fine," he mutters, stalking into the palace with his minions scampering at his heels.
Mal sends Hayden a smirk. "You've gotta be kidding me," she says. Evie giggles behind her hand while Jay and Carlos both snicker.
"Shut up," Hayden tells her. "Just shut up," he repeats when she opens her mouth anyway.
She holds both hands up in surrender. "Alright. Alright. I just think it must be interesting to already see your future so clearly," she tells him.
Hayden glares at her, not nearly as amused as the rest of them seem to be. "Grab on," he snaps.
They all place a hand on his arms and, in a flash of bright hellfire, disappear from the Underworld.