"Now isn't this better?" Silver asked happily as they cruised along the highway. She glanced over to Ryker and frowned slightly in puzzlement. "Are you alright?"
"I don't feel so good." Ryker complained. His stomach felt like he had just swallowed a dozen live wasps. He had felt fine up until the very moment they had stolen the car. His head and vision were swimming and he felt like he was going to pass out, vomit, or both. His condition was not aided by the fact that Silver had taken some liberties with her driving. The car they were currently in, some sleek green thing, was the second vehicle that they had stolen. The first had been left wrapped around a telephone pole. Ryker had been forced to use two of his glasses of nectar to heal him and Silver from their injuries. The remaining glass was clutched in his hands, his stomach heaving as Silver switched lanes. "Why did I let you talk me into this?"
"Because we've already made it a couple hundred miles?" She suggested brightly. Her driving ability seemed to be getting better by the second. She sped up and swerved around several cars before speeding up again. Ryker didn't bother looking at the speedometer. He didn't want to know. "Come on, you have to admit that this is easier. You don't have to worry about monsters…. Just gas. Speaking of which…" Silver began to look for something.
Ryker closed his eyes and focused on not being sick. "Gas?" He asked in an attempt to take his mind off of the matter.
"Yeah, cars run on it." Silver said absentmindedly. "People get it from these places… ah! There's one!"
She jerked the wheel and several cars honked their horns loudly as she cut them off. Ryker groaned as the sudden motion set his stomach off again. "Please tell me we are done driving." He pleaded.
"Ha! Yeah, right. Actually, according to this thing we aren't even close." Silver tapped the small device that sat on the dashboard of the car. "They said this place was in the west, which doesn't make things very easy. I figure we should start in California and go on from there."
She pulled the car up to the store and turned off the engine. "Come on," She stepped out of the car. Ryker opened his own door and rolled out. He landed on his knees and instantly felt much better. His head still swum and the nausea wasn't completely gone, but he was definitely in better sorts. Silver seemed to be struggling not to laugh as he got woozily to his feet. "Thank the Gods that the bag Artemis gave you has money in it. You're going to need some food."
"Oh, are we buying a bow?" Ryker brightened considerably. The prospect of spending several hours in the woods hunting appealed greatly to him.
Silver was quick to disappoint him however. "No, we are going to get to Camp Jupiter as soon as possible. We are just grabbing some food here. Not very good for you, but it plays the part."
She led the way into the store and Ryker felt his motion sickness return. No one appeared to be in the store, not even a clerk, which Ryker found to be wrong. He dismissed the feeling however as he still was not an expert on human habits. Silver breezed around the store with ease, quickly filling a hand cart with everything that she thought they could possibly need. Ryker followed after her, his instincts screaming at him more and more with every step.
"Hello!" A pleasant voice called from somewhere in the back of the store. "Welcome to Bargain Mart! Is everything to your liking?"
"Everything is fine, thank you." Silver assured them. "We need gas too, should we pay here?"
"Cash or card…?" The clerk pushed out of the door that led to the back and Ryker instantly knew that his instincts had been correct. The clerk was not human. She had the upper torso of a woman but her bottom half was a snake. She was almost identical to the lamia in that regard with the exception that her hair seemed to be made of snakes. "Oh! I don't suppose one of you two are the demigod who is on a quest?"
"Would you believe me if I said no?" Silver asked hopefully.
"Probably not." The snake woman admitted. "Would you like to try a free sample of our new chicken nuggets before you die? They are on sale too!"
"Stheno!" A second snake woman slithered out of the back and glared daggers at Ryker and Silver. "I told you! Stop offering free samples to the people we are supposed to kill!"
"But if I don't, how will we get better business?" She asked, injured. "We need to advertise as much as we can, Euryale!"
"Never mind advertising!" Euryale snapped. "You can advertise as much as you want after we kill them."
Ryker silently pulled on his clawed gloves and looked back and forth between the snake women with an absolutely murderous expression. "I am really, really, really not in the mood for this." He warned them, flexing his hands. The metal of the claws made a metallic sound as they brushed against one another. "Do you realize how much driving sucks?"
"Feeling a bit motion sick?" Stheno asked sympathetically. "You know, I bet that some of our blood would heal you. You know, blood from the left side of our bodies-."
"Enough!" Euryale hissed, lunging forward and taking a swipe at Silver with her claws.
Silver leapt back with incredible reflexes and pulled Ryker with her. "Keep them busy!" She ordered. "I'm going to go fill up our car."
Ryker didn't answer. Silver darted out of the door, much to Euryale's annoyance. "Get back here!" She tried to slither around Ryker to give chase to Silver.
Ryker darted in close and closed one clawed hand around Euryale's head. Her skin smoked where the claws touched and she hissed in pain. She slashed at Ryker at the same time that Stheno tried to take advantage of him having his back exposed. Both of their attacks were for naught however. He jumped forward, not releasing his grip on Euryale's head, and yanked the gorgon's head back. His other hand went to her throat as she screamed. The sound was abruptly cut off when Ryker quite simply ripped her head from her body. The gorgon crumbled into a pile of dust leaving two vials behind filled with some unknown substance. Her head also remained, and Ryker tossed it at her companion. Stheno stared down at her sister's head for a long moment before looking back to Ryker.
"Now look what you've done." She said, chastising. "Now I can't offer you any free samples. We have a very strict no sample policy for people who kill us."
"Not interested." Ryker shook the ichor from his clawed gloves and warily advanced on Stheno.
When he was within a few feet she threw her plate of chicken nuggets at him and he batted it aside. She followed up the throw with a lunge at his throat. Ryker sidestepped the attack and raked his claws from her throat to a foot below where her human-half met her snake-half. She disintegrated without a sound, the same two vials on the ground. Ryker collected them and stored them in his pocket. He pursed his lips and grabbed one of the chicken nuggets that had landed on the store's counter. He popped it into his mouth as he left and shrugged. "Not bad." He commented to Silver as he rejoined her at the car.
"What?" She asked. "Done fueling by the way, guessing you are done in there?"
"They're dust." He confirmed. "Do we really have to use the car again?"
"You really hate car travel, don't you?" She asked.
"Yes." He grumbled.
Silver bit her lip and gazed at him thoughtfully. "Do you… do you mind if I try something?"
"That depends on what you have in mind." Ryker said warily.
"Get in the car." Silver told him, following her own advice. Once inside, she looked over at him and put her hands on either side of his face. "Look at me."
Ryker didn't have much choice in the matter as she forced him to by turning his head. "Okay, what are you…." His voice trailed off as he stared into her eyes.
Silver's eyes were different. A separate part of his mind told him that her eyes were those that she had as an owl. They were both captivating and hypnotic at the same time. Ryker felt himself slipping away before he even knew what was happening. In no time at all his vision had darkened and he was asleep.
He wasn't sure how long he had been out when Silver finally roused him from his sleep. "Hey!" She shoved his shoulder and Ryker was instantly wide awake.
He wished he wasn't. The car was stationary, but he still felt extremely queasy. "Where are we? How long was I out?"
"We're here… I think. And you have been asleep for three days." Silver added the last bit with somewhat of a guilty expression.
Ryker was instantly aware of his abdomen aching with hunger. "Why… what…?"
"I put you to sleep with a trick I learned for hunting prey." Silver tugged guiltily at her shirt. "I just thought… you were having a rough time… and I really didn't want to hear you complaining… so I let you sleep." She added the last bit with far too much enthusiasm for Ryker's liking.
He looked around the car and found a bag of rolls, which he scarfed down voraciously. His stomach now somewhat stilled, he looked around where they were parked. Silver had pulled up on what seemed to be the entrance to a maintenance tunnel, but Ryker saw no sign of what they would be looking for. "You said this is the place?" He asked, getting out of the car.
"See those up there?" Silver pointed up at the sky.
Ryker followed her indication and saw several eagles circling in the sky. He narrowed his eyes as he considered the birds. Either they were much closed than he thought they were or the birds were absolutely massive. "Eagles?" He asked.
"Yeah." Silver's form blurred and Ryker was treated to the sight of an owl garbed in Hunter's clothes. She struggled briefly in the material before freeing herself and flapping into the air. Eagles were a huge symbol for Rome. Those aren't normal eagles either. This has got to be where Camp Jupiter is.
"If you say so." Ryker was slightly unnerved by the transformation, but he said nothing when Silver came to rest on his shoulder. "Shall we?"
Maybe you should put your gloves on. She suggested. Just in case. By the way, you need another shower. You don't smell very good.
No one asked you, bird. Ryker growled. He winced when Silver bit his ear in response. Ouch!
He followed her suggestion however, pulling on his gloves and walking cautiously down the tunnel. It was dark, but nothing more hostile than an errant spider web blocked their passage. On the other side, Ryker stopped. Laid out before them in the distance was a massive town. Buildings and banners stretched out for what seemed like miles. Even from as far as he was, Ryker could clearly see people milling about going about their daily lives. Several bored-looking guards stood at what he knew to be the entrance to the camp. He started their way, uncertain of how to proceed. Any ideas on what I should say to them?
Hello? Silver offered. Her head was tucked under her wing as she cleaned her feathers. That seems to be where I would start.
Are you intentionally this infuriating? Ryker demanded. Or do you make a special effort just for me?
A little of both I think. She said after considering the question.
They were both so engaged in their argument that neither of them noticed as an eagle dropped out of the sky. They weren't aware of the attack until Ryker was knocked to the earth and Silver had been grabbed. She screeched in pain and Ryker saw blood bloom from where the eagles dug into her. His vision turned red and he ripped his gloves from his hand. He had summoned Artemis's bow before he had considered the wisdom of the action. The eagle was already several hundred yards away, but Ryker knew that the bow would reach. The guards at the entrance to the camp had now seen Ryker and their weapons had been drawn. They advanced on him just as Ryker unleashed the arrow at the eagle. It flew true and soon the bird had been reduced dust. Silver fluttered weakly to the ground landing only a few feet from the three guards. One of them raised his spear is if to jab it through her chest, and Ryker's rage bloomed even further. He didn't bother grabbing his gloves. Instead, he charged at them without a single weapon. The guards saw his approach and took their defensive stances. All three of them had been in the legion for more than two years. They were very proficient with their weapons and their teamwork was second to none. They never stood a chance. Ryker tore into them with all the savagery of a wolf. He did not kill them, but when all three of them had been dealt with none of them would be leaving the infirmary for over a month.
Only when the three guards were all on the ground did Ryker finally stop attacking. He turned his attention back to Silver and gently gathered her in his arms. He reached into his pocket for the last vial of nectar and gently poured it into her mouth, which wasn't easy with an owl's beak. He waited for a long moment on bated breath as he watched the nectar go to work. He only released the breath when Silver stirred in his arms. "Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.
Just fine. She answered. Would you mind putting me on your shoulder? I don't think I can fly right now.
Ryker did so, very gently, and then they turned back on the guards. One of them had managed to rise to his knees, but the bone that was sticking out of his arm seemed to be hindering him. Do you think you maybe overdid it? Silver asked curiously.
Ryker thought back to how the guard had been about to kill Silver out of hand and his expression darkened. They're lucky they are still breathing. He said savagely, kicking the upright guard in the chest. He hit the ground with a cry of pain and clutched his wounded arm.
I think we are in trouble. Silver remarked, nodding to the camp.
Evidently the scuffle had been seen by sentries and a large group of soldiers was now advancing on the entrance to the camp. They were led by a large man with a military haircut and a smaller girl with dark hair. The effects of using Artemis's bow hit him suddenly, driving the breath from his body. He was able to remain standing, only just, but his bow arm felt like it was on fire. "Oh, damn." He cursed. "That's not good."
Any ideas on how to talk your way out of this? Silver asked. By the way, my way of saying hello is much better than yours.