Chapter 10: Evil Train

Packing was easy for Ben. He got a free drawstring bag from the camp store, a baggie of little yellow squares called ambrosia and a canteen of nectar from one of the Apollo kids, and packed up the little clothes he had. He strapped his sheathed blades to his back, slung his pack over his shoulder, and went to meet up with the others at the Big House. When he got there, Jason was already there, leaning up against the railing.

"Hey," Ben said as he stepped on the porch.

"Oh hey, you good to go?"

"Yeah. Got a few free supplies from an Apollo kid and my swords.

"Alrighty."

It wasn't long until Piper and Jacob showed up. Jacob had a nasty black eye.

"Clarisse was really ticked when she found out I was going on this quest." Jacob explained. "She said 'How dare you help him! He made me look weak!' Then she punched me"

"Harsh."

At that moment, Chiron came out of the Big House with the multi-eyed blonde guy. "I trust you four are ready?" They nodded their heads. "Good. Argus will drive you to Central Park. After that, the quest is entirely on you. May the Gods be with you."

It was about lunch time when the Argus dropped them off at Central Park. The four demigods decided west was their best guess. But they decided to stop at a café in Manhattan. They all ordered cheeseburgers and milkshakes. Jason paid for it with his own money and the ate in silence. Ben kept looking at Alicia's necklace between bites, hoping for a happier color. It was still the same dark orange.

"Don't worry Ben," Piper reassured him. "We'll save her." Ben instantly felt better. There was something in her voice that was soothing.

"Piper," Jason whined. "You were charmspeaking him."

"Oops. I wasn't trying."

Ben looked at Piper. "What's charmspeaking?"

"In a nutshell, I can make people do what I want or make them feel better in an instant." Ben decided to drop the matter and they finished their lunch. They asked their waitress for a map of New York. She got them one and they studied it.

"There's a train line here that can take us to Washington D.C.," Jason pointed out, "and from there we could find out a way to the Rockies."

"Wouldn't it be easier to fly?" Jacob countered.

"No." Ben said. "Percy told me that sons of Poseidon aren't safe in the air."

"But he was perfectly safe whenever the Argo II was in the air."

"But we don't have the Argo." Piper mentioned. "Leo is rebuilding Festus for his own reason."

"Who's Festus?" Ben asked.

"Not important. Point is, we either go by land or by water."

"Fine," Jacob huffed. "So train to D.C.?"

"Let's party." The four left the café and headed for the bus depot. Once there they purchased four tickets, Ben paying with some drachmas Percy gave him. The ticketer gave them a nod and slid the drachmas in his pocket. He pointed them to a farther platform. "That'll take you to Chicago."

They boarded the train and were led to the first class coach. Couches were lined along the wall, a mini fridge packed with soda, and a hot tub.

"Ten drachmas says this is a trap," Jacob muttered under his breath.

"No," Jason said in amazement. "I think Mercury-Hermes-is aiding us on our quest." He sat down on a couch and Piper sat down next to him. Ben relaxed on the opposite couch.

"Wake me up when something important happens," Ben stated, then drifted off to sleep.

Ben found himself in a courtyard with an extravagant castle on one side. Around the other three, a beautiful grass garden with "smaller than a boulder" sized rocks scattered about. He saw a middle aged man, not nearly as old looking as Chiron, and a slightly older version version of the young boy he saw last night. The man was wielding a straight sword and the young boy had a smaller set of the dao swords Ben had. The two swordsman were sparring, the old man obviously being the teacher. The child stayed on an offensive defense, attacking where he can, and blocking the older swordsmans attacks. The dream shifted and he saw two young men, one tanned and the other with a scar over his eye, dueling in a village square, the darker skinned one wielding hooked swords and the scarred guy with the same dao blades Ben has. The two clashed blades across the square, neither conceding.

Ben woke up and saw Jason conked out on the couch opposite of him. Jacob was on the couch next to him, and Piper was wearing a one-piece swimsuit in the hot tub.

"So Sleepyhead Number One wakes up," Piper teased. Ben looked out the car window and saw smoke stacks off in the distance. He asked where they were.

"En route for Detroit for fuel. Conductor said the tanks got low outside of Toledo. You wanna come in? The water's perfect."

"No thanks. I'm gonna explore the train cars." He slung his dao blades over his shoulder and headed for the other cars. He saw families, couples, and businessmen relaxing in their seats. He walked to the later cars and saw some things that made him question the goodness of this train. He saw a lot of creatures in cages, a large dog like the one from the Empire State Building, a fluttering monster that reminded Ben of an old lady, and a really big bronze bull. He heard the door at the end of the car open and he ducked behind a crate. He heard two gruff voices.

"This train idea was brilliant Gashthar," said one voice. "Those demigods have fallen right in to our hands."

"Yes," the other voice, Gashthar, agreed. "Once we get into Detroit, Ma Gasket will reward us greatly." He began chuckling before he abruptly stopped. "Do you smell it, Barthew?"

"Of course. A demigod is in here. The one with ancient royal blood." They began to lumber towards Ben, him unable to get away. He concentrated, looking for water. Nothing. He drew his dao blades and sprang into action. He sliced at one monster's knee and the other in the gut. Both doubled over, bellowing in pain. They were too tall, even when hunched over, for Ben to finish them off. He blasted fire at them, which only angered them even more.

"Foolish demigod," one said. "We are laistrygonians, giants of the north. You can't defeat us."

"Watch me." Ben rolled in between their legs and stabbed both monsters in the knee. The giants fell to their good knee and Ben went to stab them in the chest. The one who boasted at him looked back at Ben, gave him a pained grin, and smacked him against some boxes. His swords clattered away and the monsters stumbled towards him, stopping momentarily each time they took a step. Ben got out of the scattered crates and concentrated his fire powers at them. A blazing white flame shot at the laistrygonians, searing them into a burning gold powder. Ben was exhausted, but he managed to retrieve his swords and made his way back to his friends.