Alright, the last two chapters put our two big heroes both in what absolutely should be their last fight, but then, why would I kill off the cover guy before the final book? Of course, everyone else is still up for debate. Not even that talking sword is safe…
Jacob's POV
I struggled in vain against the weight and strength of Medusa, but it was utterly pointless. I slackened my neck and let my head hit the street, hard. Too hard in fact. I rolled my head from side to side, quickly figuring out my head was resting not on pavement, but on a manhole cover.
Eyes still squeezed shut and Medusa still on top of me, I gave a frantic attempt at getting sewage water to obey my will. The manhole cover rumbled slightly for a half a second, and then both me and Medusa were catapulted into the air by a geyser of sewer water.
I hit the pavement hard enough to disorient myself, but at least I didn't have a monster sitting on me contemplating the best way to kill me. As the stench of "used" water filled my nostrils, I felt my stomach involuntarily constrict and suddenly I was vomiting all over the street. I let go of Miz and felt my shield slide off my arm as I let my stomach empty its contents.
I thought that was it, but just before I could grab my weapon and shield, my stomach decided it wasn't quite done after all and gave another heave. I said hi to my lunch once again, and the smells of vomit and full toilet mixed into a wonderful aroma that filled my nostrils to the brim.
I opened my eyes and searched around my immediate area for my gear, finding my shield easily enough. Miz was buried ever so slightly in the muck nearby, and I was honestly tempted to just leave him there. But, fighting without a sword isn't a good idea, so I gingerly removed my sword from the water that wasn't a good color.
Well…that couldn't have been more disgusting. Miz complained.
"Hey, at least you can't smell it," I told him, getting back up.
I rose back up to my feet, extremely grateful my powers protected me from getting wet. It made it a lot easier to get back to the matters at hand. As I scanned around a full three-hundred and sixty degrees around, I couldn't see where Medusa had gone.
I felt a thud against pavement travel through the street, coming from behind me. I spun sword drawn, heard a girlish shriek, and a voice hiss, "Careful Jackson. Another swing like that, and I might be forced to break her neck."
"What?" I asked confused and with my eyes still closed.
"Take a peek and find out," she taunted.
There was a muffled scream before a girl's voice gasped for air and shouted, "No!"
That really tempted me to open my eyes. Who was making that girl? But before I could decide what to do, there was another scream and Medusa's full weight crushed against me. My sword and shield went flying out of my grasp, and I fell to the ground.
Medusa's claw scratched against my armor, leaving a deep gash but not reaching flesh. I grabbed that wrist before she could pull it back. I gave the best punch to the face I could muster, and Medusa let out a hiss of anger.
I felt talon stab into my leg and cursed, but managed to grab that wrist too. Medusa struggled and cursed my name, trying to break my grip. But I was just as determined not to let her use those talons again.
Hang on kid! I'm coming! Miz assured.
I was about to remind him he was an inanimate object, but Medusa let out a cry of pain and something plopped down on my face with a splat before rolling off to the side. A female voice gave a grunt of effort, and something struck my armor.
Safe to look now, Smart One. Hurry up before this mortal accidentally cuts your head off.
My eyes opened just in time to see my own sword being brought down straight at my face. My hands shot out, and I caught the sword between my palms just before it could hit. Holding my trusty talking weapon was a terrified mortal girl with her eyes squeezed shut. When she couldn't pull back the sword easily, she gave a hard tug, trying to yank it from my grasp.
"Hey, hey!" I shouted, getting her attention. She stopped pulling, and her eyes went from tightly squeezed to lightly shut.
"Take it easy," I said softly, trying to calm her down. "Just stay calm. Open your eyes."
Her eyelids slowly peeked open, as if she was still unsure whether looking at me would turn her to stone. She blinked, looking directly at me with her green eyes as if looking for something. Her head tilted slightly to one side, like she was curious or she was thinking. I briefly wondered if I had something in my teeth, but she cut my guessing short when she said, "It's you."
"Right, it's me," I said, not sure what she was saying. I have a near perfect memory, and while the brown-haired girl standing was striking me as familiar, I could say without any doubt I hadn't seen her in a while. Besides, the world had a lot of green-eyed brunettes, and I'd been on the receiving end of their thrown rocks several times for a variety of demigod hating reasons.
"No, it's you, the boy from my old school," she said, as if that was supposed to explain everything. "You saved me that day the Minotaur attacked."
That last statement however, was all my brain needed. "Rae," I said, giving her name with perfect recall. Her eyes widened just a little in surprise.
"You remember my name?" she asked. "But how—"
"I have a good memory," I interrupted. "And, that's one day I remember with perfect clarity."
How could I have forgotten? The trembling in the ground I felt just before the Minotaur had burst in, turning every piece of furniture that got in his way to splinters. The day when I'd met Miz, learned I was a demigod, and came to camp. And, now that I called that particular memory up, I remembered Rae too.
Trapped under a fallen bookcase, trying to escape before she got killed in the crossfire between me and the Minotaur. She'd been struggling with everything she'd had, but I knew she'd never get herself free. It was three years ago, but I remembered it all so clearly. At ten years old I was fighting monsters and saving innocents. Now I'm thirteen, and I've fought a monster and been saved by an innocent.
"I guess we're even now," I said, which got a raised eyebrow in response.
"I saved you, you saved me," I clarified.
"Oh, right," she said. She glanced down at the sword in her hand and, in an embarrassed tone, said, "Um, this is yours."
I took Miz from her and shrank him down to a pen before pocketing him. "Thanks"
"Well, I'd better get going," I said, turning to leave. I got about to steps when she asked me, "Where you headed?"
I stopped, turned, and told her. "Home."
"You mean the training camp that used to sell those strawberries?" she asked.
"We still sell those," I said. "But nobody buys them anymore. Mortals have…thing against us."
"Well…I'm a mortal," she said, taking a few steps closer, "and I don't have anything against you."
"You sure?" I asked, suspicious more than anything else. "You're looking at the kid who sank the Golden Gate Bridge. 'For no logical reason'." I quoted the news reporter to emphasize my utter frustration over the event.
"Other than it was the quickest way to kill that sea monster which would've destroyed the entire city, you mean?" she asked. I recognized that quote too, but it wasn't from the Burt Williams show.
"Some mortals like to hear the demigod side of the story too," she said. "And besides, Half-Blood TV is part of basic cable."
"A mortal that doesn't hate me," I said, "now there's something new."
"How could anyone hate you? You're a hero," she protested.
As if to prove her wrong, someone got brave enough to come out of their hiding spot, spotted me and Rae, and started shouting like a maniac.
"Get away from her you freak!" he shouted. He charged forward, fists clenched. He probably felt like a big hero, going to save a girl from a half-human freak of nature that could do no good. I sidestepped his charge and tripped him with a leg sweep.
All I can say is, big mistake.
"Hey freakshow!" someone else cursed. "You like beating up humans? You think just because you're different you can push us around?"
Well, if that wasn't hypocritical, I don't know what is.
"Cut it out!" Rae defended. "He tries to help you people and this is how you repay him?"
"Rae, don't," I warned, but it was too late. The angry mob was already forming.
"She's defending him!" someone said.
"Traitor!" another accused.
A crowd was gathering, and Rae and I were suddenly boxed in on all sides by some very angry, very hurt, very biased mortals with attitude.
"My cousin died on the bridge you sank hero!"
"You'll face charges from the New York Times for what you did to our office!"
"My children can't go to school anymore, because it was destroyed by you!"
The sea of complaints, accusations, insults, and the like flooded me. Some people who were close enough spat. Others threw shoes. And I just stood there and took it, because the last thing I needed was for me to defend myself and be labeled a menace again.
Would anyone believe me if I said this whole Rae/Jacob thing couldn't possibly go anywhere? I mean sure, she's cute, she's the only mortal who's ever looked past the fact that he's not human, and the preview left some tantalizing hints but hey, no big. I am evil, aren't I?
