The drive to Chartwright, Canada was the longest and most hellish one Jason has ever been on.
They crossed over the border the day after their encounter with Iris, at noon, and stopped at a dinner to plan the rest of the journey. He was halfway through his juicy cheeseburger when he turned to the window and stopped. About 15 yards away was a nightmare straight from Hades.
The red haired beast stood very tall on long legs. It's tail was about the size of Jason with a lean body to match. It's diamond shaped head held a pointed, black nose and dark, narrow eyes. Once it set it's sight onto Jason, it lowered itself down to a sprinting position, setting it's aim onto him.
"Um... Guys..."
"What?" Annabeth asked a she slurped his milkshake. She turned to the window and stopped. "Oh shit."
The creator pouched and dashed into there direction. It moved at ungodly speed, and before he even knew it, it was right outside there window. They barely had enough time to take cover on the floor when it blasted through the window.
The people inside panicked and ran out, screaming for help. Jason looked up to find the beast growling and snarling at the other people. He didn't realized how big the thing truly was till he was in that angle. He first thought it was a horse, but then realized it was a giant fox.
The beast looked at him again, and snarled at him. Jason barely had time the get out his coin and flip it into a sword before the thing was on top of him. It's front left pawn that was the size of a tire slammed down onto his chest. He would have gasped out in pain if all his air wasn't pushed out. He winced as the beast lowered it's head down to his face, baring off it's shape teeth and growling. It's eyes were the darkest of browns and they looked like death.
The beast dived it's head down to attack but Jason threw up his sword and used it to keep the beast's mouth wedged opened. Hot, stinky breath flowed down to his face as he winced again from the pain from his chest. He couldn't breath, his lungs being crushed and his ribs being broken. He was about to pass out. He could feel his body becoming weaker and his vision blurred.
The giant red beast onto of him suddenly flew across the room from behind. Jason inhaled as he focused on Annabeth's face. She took a quick look over of him before taking his hand and pulling him up.
"Come on!" Annabeth ordered. "We need to get out of here!"
"No argument here." Jason barely got out and they dashed off. They ran out of the dinner right when the car pulled up. The door was open with Hazel reaching out her arm for both of them. The two demigods flung theirselves in and shut the door as the beast smashed through the entree.
"GO!" He shouted out to Reyna who was driving. She stomped on the petal and the car raced out towards the road.
The three looked back and saw the beast follow them at great speed. Jason looked back and knew that Reyna was already going as fast as possible, swirling around in hopes of confusing it and throwing it off it's balance. The plan didn't work as the beast gain up on them.
Reyna then made a hard left turn, running off the road and onto the grassy field. Cars honked and people screamed when they did so. Jason didn't know what to do so he just on, trying to find a way away from the beast that had followed them the entire time. Reyna made another harsh turn and drove onto a small, rocky road into the woods.
Jason kept his eyes to the back window. The giant fox was not in the sight yet as they sped on. His blue eyes were glued to the small, bright opening they entered through. He flinched when the beast came into view, sliding on the rocks, tossing up dirt. Jason knew they were fucked. Reyna couldn't wiggle it off with trees everywhere and there was no more speed to increase. He felt Hazel stiffen beside him and Annabeth pull out her sword, ready to fight. Jason gripped his handle; he knew what would have to happen.
The beast stood at the opening, lowering it's head as it's growl could be heard over the roaring engine and the squeaky spinning of the tires.
"Reyna!" Jason called for her. She met his eyes in the review mirror and she nodded. She knew too, just like always.
The car slowed from it's rapid paste quickly, coming to a complete stop with all of them lunging a bit. They got out of the vehicle, weapons drawn. The beast made eye contact with him, those dark eyes filled with focus and rage, and Jason made sure he didn't blink the whole time.
"Annabeth," Jason called for her. "What do you know about this thing?"
"It's the Teumessian Fox." She informed him. "It's the vixen that's has never been caught."
"Brilliant." Jason stated in a dead tone.
The beast pranced forward, cutting down the 40 yards of space into 2 within seconds. The demigods were in a curl, prepared to fight. Jason stood in the middle along with Annabeth. The beast snarled at all of them, studying one at a time. His eyes landed on Jason and stayed there as he took hard stomps forward. He didn't break the glaring war as his heart beat banged inside his ears. He felt Annabeth and Hazel tense beside him as the beast came closer to him, only a foot and a half now. Jason kept his eyes contacted to it's, not blinking in the face of danger.
The beast gave out a dark growl that escalated into a throaty roar, before twisting it's body to the left and hopping over Reyna. The girl lunged at it before it jumped over her and escaped into the wilderness. They lost sight and sound of it the next second.
The four teens stayed in attack mode for a few second before declaring it clear and carefully loading back into the car and driving out of the woods.
Annabeth explained later on that the beast was the Teumessian Fox, which is meant to never be caught. In mythology, the fox was once prey of Laepa, the hound dog that was suppose to caught any target. The chase nearly destroyed Greece, which caused Zeus to turn both of them into stone and send them off to Hades for safe keeping. They didn't discuss the matter anymore after that.
They drove onward till they reach a stopping point in a small town. They settled into a small motel that was good enough for the night. They got one room with two beds; Jason shared with Hazel as Annabeth shared with Reyna.
The morning arrived and they headed out after a small breakfast. Jason took the position of driver again as the girls try to lighten the mood that weighted heavy in the car. He guessed it wasn't till yesterday when they realized how serious this all was.
They stopped for gas at a car wash near noon when they got the second reminder.
Jason was at the gas pump, watching the digits of the steadily increasing number change constantly. He bit his lip and decided to stop with half a gallon, just so they didn't get to low on the money they still had. He returned the pump till he caught sight of the most beautiful woman on the planet.
Across the parking lot, lazily using the water hose, was a tall girl with brunet hair elegantly tied back into a long, perfect braid. She wore shorts just a bit too short and an over sized t-shirt that could pass off as a gown to her, tucked into one of the sides of the shorts. She was bronze skinned with a drop of chocolate dipped into the mix.
Piper? Jason thought.
She stood beside her red Mustang, spreading the water over the hood. She held a soap soaked sponge in the other, raising it up and waving at him as she smiled at him with her perfect lips. That glow in her eyes that she had a week ago returned and Jason tried to attempted himself.
His beautiful girlfriend walked over to the front of the car and leaned over to wash the wet car...
"Jason!" Hazel snapped her fingers in front of his face. He flinched at it, but his eyes went straight back to Piper. She was no longer leaning over, just standing there with the hose. The view was still nice.
"What?" He asked.
"Why are you standing there with your mouth open?" She asked like he was an idiot.
Jason held up his hand to adjust to her. He noticed then that he was no longer holding the pump handle. He must have dropped it along with his jaw. "Who do you think?"
Hazel followed his aim, and winced when she found it.
"Her?"
Jason scowled. "Yes, her. It's my girlfriend afterall, who else would I look at?"
Hazel looked at him like he gone mad. "Jason, that's not Piper."
"Yes it is. How could it not be?"
By this time, Reyna had gotten into the debate. She looked over to Piper and winced like Hazel did. Jason was frustrated.
"More like how could it be..." Reyna mumbled under her breath.
"What are all of you gawking at?" Annabeth called out from beside Hazel. The younger girl pointed and Annabeth followed.
Her grey eyes grew wide. "Umm... Hazel, is there anything you can do with the mist to realize who that really is?"
"I don't think I can. I sense no disturbance. Why?"
Annabeth looked at Jason through the back window. He glared at her. He knew he was being stubborn and very stupid but he didn't care. He has been missing Piper more then he usually does, and he felt like he was being attacked.
"Jason," Annabeth said. "Looked at her really hard."
Jason turned and did. She was behind the car now for some reason. He looked straight into those beautiful forever changing colored eyes, feeling his stomach melt and his knees go weak yet again. But then, the image shifted, like a painting being dropped into a pool. Her dark hair flew out of the braid and turned into fiery flames. Her tan skin turned pale white, and her smile turned into an evil grin.
Jason also stumbled back when the new girl jumped into the car. Her long legs were no longer flawless, but messed up. One leg was a donkey's, hairy and hooted footed. The other was made of the actual bronze metal, formed into a prosthetic leg. On her feet were nasty looking slippers that look like a cat threw up on them.
The girl took the hose she was still holding and aimed it right at him. She smiled at him with a sweet grin, but he knew he was fucked.
"Jason, do you see it now?!" Reyna yelled at him, starting up the engine.
"Yeah."
"Then get in the fucking car!"
Jason did, sliding over the hood and jumping into the passenger seat before Greek fire came spouting out at them. Reyna reversed the car in great speed to avoid the blast. Jason could feel the heat through the window. He prayed that the gasoline in the tank didn't cause a fire.
They went as far as grassy area that surrounded the shop. The deathly green fire was no more then a few yards away from the front window when Reyna turned the car back into drive and turned right onto the road. They sped down the highway with the Greek fire now behind them. Hazel squeaked as Annabeth clawed onto his seat.
Reyna groaned as she stomped on to the petal, gaining speed as she did so. Jason looked back for her, acting as if he was the eyes at the back of her head. He kept ordering her to keep going. The fire was growing an inch closer with each second until it backed off and disappeared, fainting out into the sky into nothing.
Jason was about to sign with relief until Reyna beside him screamed. He turned forward in time to see her swerve out of the way before hitting the back side of a minivan. She swerved again to avoid running off another car off the road. She sped forward, in front of both of the cars that were honking at them.
"Slow down Reyna!" Annabeth cried out to her.
The Latina did, making the needle on the dashboard slowly fall to the lower numbers. The girl was breathing heavily. Jason realized they all were.
"What the fuck was that?" Reyna asked as she slowed down to the red light. Her knuckles were hire as she held onto the stirring wheel.
"Empusa." Annabeth breathed out. "She's the daughter of Hecate. Her name means "one-footed", which explains the fake leg. She's known in mythology to attract men to there ideal image of beauty and then eating alive. She feeds off of there flesh and blood."
Jason couldn't breath again as his jaw dropped from shock. "I almost went over and flirted with a man eating monster who I thought was my girlfriend..." Oh Gods, I'm so dead.
"Didn't need to know that, but yeah, basically." The blonde confirmed.
Jason let it go, but he caught Hazel and Reyna looking at each other while the younger demigod mouthed "flirting" while making air quotations.
"Please none of you tell Piper." Jason begged them all.
"We have bigger problems then your relationship right now." Reyna said as she drove on. "How is the man eater connected to Hades or the Underworld?"
"I don't think she is to be honest." Annabeth stated. "I don't really know that much about her."
"All I know is that, next time, Hazel pumping the gas." The group of friends laughed by the joke and drove on in mainly silence next 32 hours were like that as well.
Jason took back his driver seat after when they stopped for the pass night. They were running extremely low on money, to where they couldn't afford another night in a motel so they drove through the night. Reyna drove till about midnight and then traded with Jason so she could get some sleep. Jason could never sleep easily in a car anyway. Well, that was his excuse, he only liked being in a car if he was the one driving. He just felt nervous with anyone else behind the wheel, especially after the life saving yet life threading driving by Reyna earlier that day.
They finally arrived into the Cartwright city limit around three. The son of Zeus would have jumped with joy if he wasn't it a car filled with sound asleep girls. The plan was to get to Cartwright as fast as possible, without killing anyone on the way, and find a way to travel over the ocean to Iceland.
Jason couldn't help but miss the Argo II at the problem he held at hand. Most of all, he missed his good friend Leo. His crazy buddy would know what the group needed and, somehow in someway, pull it off.
Jason drove on into the surprising large coast city. He stopped within a few miles to get more gas. He was shivering in the coldness as he watched the numbers go up. He blow out a sign and caught sight of his foggy breath. Why did Canada have to be so cold?
He shoved his hand into his jacket's pockets and tried to jogged in place to get his blood flowing.
A tap from inside the car made him stop. The window rolled down to find a bleary eyed blonde with a mop of hazel colored curls in her lap.
"Good morning." Annabeth barely smiled at him before she let out a long, deep yawn. Hazel glanced up towards him with her eyes still closed.
"Did I wake you up?" Jason asked.
"Your chattering teeth did." She joked.
"Sorry." He started to jump. "It's so cold."
"Alaska was a lot colder." Hazel stated. "The sun's never out so no heat. Thank the Gods, we're not going there."
"Plot twist!" Reyna called from the front seat. "They're in Alaska."
Hazel snickered slightly. "You guys have fun with that."
Annabeth bursted into snickers that were soft at first and then escalated into a giggle attack.
Reyna looked at her through the review mirror. "It wasn't that funny, Chase. Calm down. You're too much this morning." She joked. Annabeth only laughed more.
Jason smiled and ended the number that was too high for his liking. He got in the car and drove on again. Hazel was sound asleep before he even pulled out of the parking lot, her head snuggled into the older girl's lap. Annabeth, who had her blonde hair messed up into a high bond, laid back into her seat and signed softly as she settled in and relaxed against the seat. Jason noticed Reyna staring at Annabeth a bit too long. Again.
He drove on, finding it easy to find the east side of the town. The roads were cleared and most of the lights were green, which was a bit odd, but he wasn't complaining.
Reyna stayed awake with him. She didn't speak much, mainly looking out the window. Jason assumed it was because she was still half asleep, which made sense. Who would be all bright eyed and happy if they were only running on about four hours of sleep, especially after a few rough days on the road.
"What are we doing again?" Reyna asked as she yawned.
Jason fought back his mouth, trying not to yawn himself. "We're going to find a place to park for the night so we can all sleep. Then, in the morning, we'll try to find something that will take us over to Iceland for cheap. Maybe an airplane or something. I don't know."
"It's worth a try." Reyna boosted him. "Maybe we can talk someone into letting us rent a plane."
"I wish Piper was here." Jason signed. "Her charmspeak would be really helpful."
"Yeah." Reyna nodded.
They went on like that for a few minutes till they found a mainly empty parking lot of a closed grocery store. He pulled in and parked, turning off the car, despite his personal need for heat.
He turned to Reyna and debated rather to ask her the million dollar question or not. Of course, he was taking a great risk asking so he had to be sneaky with it but he really wanted to know.
"So how's your..." He titled his head back in a small gesture. "Book?"
Reyna sat back and looked at his funny. She was judging him but she smiled anyway. "It's good." She nodded.
"That's good." He tapped his fingers on the wheel. "What do you like about it?" He asked shyly.
She smiled at him, and, now he might have been seeing things here, but he could have sworn she blushed. "It's a good story. It's interesting. The text it's written in is kinda difficult to read at times. Sometimes I have to read it over twice or so, but, you know, I like a challenge."
Jason nodded. Were they really have this conversation. "Okay. Night."
"Night." She leaned her head against the window.
He smiled at her before leaning back and closing his eyes.
It felt like ten seconds before he opened them again, due to shock.
He jumped in his seat when he heard the tap beside him. He blinked a few times before looking into the face of a very angry Canadian man. He didn't get a word out before the crazy guy starting yelling at him to get off his lot. It woke up the whole car and Jason knew he was in deep trouble.
"Okay! Sorry!" He started the car and practically bolted out of the lot.
"My Gods..." Annabeth breathed as she rubbed her eyes.
"That was a lovely alarm." Reyna sassed at him.
"Sorry." Jason said.
"What now?" Hazel sat up. Her hair was wild and sticking up on one side of her head. Jason only noticed because it blocked his view of his review mirror.
"We're going to go over to the docks and find a place that can hopefully get us to Iceland in someway for cheap. Or we can sneak on, whatever has to happens. There some snacks that will have to do for breakfast." Jason handed the back the bag they carried all the snacks in.
Jason drove on, circling the car as he made a turn on a small upward hill. He caught something out of the corner of his eye, and once he turned to face it, he almost died from the sight. Literally.
"Jason!" One of the girls screamed. His eyes snapped back to the road and saw that he was driving straight into the fence blocked off cliff. He swirled right to get back onto the road and made another turn to get onto a straight road.
"Jesus Christ." Annabeth held her hand to her chest.
"Jason, what the hell was that?" Hazel looked as if she wanted to smack him.
"We're going there." He stated firmly. "We have to."
If what he just saw was really real...
"If you see Piper in booty shorts again, I'm going to kick you." Reyna threaten him.
Jason drove on. The car soon drove down a short lane that came to a dead end. At the dead end stood a rather large shop made of metal walls and roofs, making him recall Cabin Bucker 9 from Camp Half-Blood. There were a few gas pumps in the small parking space and it, from his view, a deck that led out to the Atlantic Ocean. On the roof, hanging off the edge, was a white, red, and yellow sign that read:
Leroy and Cassidy's Auto Repair and Mechanical Inventions.
That set it off so bad, and he didn't know why.
A small part of his mind screamed out an answer, but he knew it was just his soul being hopeful and stupid.
It was impossible. Leo was dead. Calypso was forever held hostage on an invisible island. There was no way...
He pulled in and parked. The girls were checking out the place through the windows. Annabeth was the first to turn back to him.
"This place might have what we really need." She nodded. "Maybe some of his inventions..."
At first, Jason was lost. Then he recalls there next step in the quest. "Oh yeah. Um, yeah."
They all got out of the car. Jason led the group up to the entree that were glass doors. A small bell rung as they entered. They came upon a counter with a phone and calendar and all the office someone would need for a desk. In the far distance there was a loud sound of working parts, but it didn't over power the room. The only other sound that they clearly heard was the soft humming of a sweet soprano voice.
Jason looked at Reyna from the corner of his eye. The girl was looking back with the same question he was asking: Are you going to do this or should I?
Jason shook his head and went up to the counter. "Hello?"
The humming stopped and the sound of footstep replaced them. Reyna and Annabeth stood to his sides as a new woman came out of side room. She was tall, and had tan skin with cinnamon colored hair and a sweet smile that she flashed at them.
A pounding alarm went off inside his head. He feels like he knows this girl but not in a way he usually knew people. He felt like he knew he through someone else. He couldn't tell anyone anything about her but he knew her somehow. It sent shivers down his spine; the first sign.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She put down the papers she had in hand. "I didn't hear the bell. Hi, I'm Cassidy. What can I help you with?"
"Oh yes. Um..." Annabeth spoke up. "We were looking for something that we can use to travel over in Iceland with."
"Iceland?" She titled her head. Her ponytail swung behind her. "That's an interesting vacation spot."
"We have family up there." Annabeth shrugged casually. She lied smoothly, Jason considered, but he knew it wasn't good enough with Cassidy.
She titled her head the other way and narrowed her eyes at them. He would have been nervous if she wasn't smiling jokily. She leaned over the counter like he was about I tell them a secret.
"Are all of you demigods?" She asked them.
Jason tensed but kept his poker face. He knew the girls were doing the same. None of them spoke.
"I'll take that as a yes." Cassidy smiled. "Come on back with me." She waved them to come around the counter and follow her into the back room through the door.
Jason hesitated before heading after her. He took small steps till he passed through the door. He entered into a show case room with dozens of machines lined up along each wall. Tags and suckers with the features and prices stuck onto all if them; all of them being a different shape and form and color then the last.
He bit his lip again. Not only did they not have enough but the Cassidy girl was still giving him the déjà vu creeps.
"You guys are lucky." Cassidy walked in front of them. She wore jeans and a white t shirt. "Demigods get a discount up to 15% and all our machines are monster resistant. Over here is the Bronze Horse that can run just as fast as the real life Arian, and has hidden wing so it can fly like a real pegasus . It also comes in gold, if that's more your style."
Jason noticed that Reyna was eyeing the horse. He wasn't sure if she was seriously considering buying it or just admiring.
"Oh, and over here we have our 4 wheelers with the bulletproof front window and extra stronger tires. They're on sale now for half of the original price." She waved her hand over.
Jason knew none of this were helpful in anyway, but he didn't want to be rude. If she, by some grace and magic, was who he was figuring she was, he wanted to leave a good impression. He knew that sounded so stupid.
The caramel headed girl led them through another door out into the beck that he noticed before. "But I think these selections are more of what you need-"
Cassidy was cut off by the loud sound of machinable work that vibrated the wood under his feet. When it died down, Cassidy smiled at them in an apologetic way. Jason couldn't ignore the fear and sudden panic that bursted into her eyes.
"I'm sorry about that." She said. "That's my husband, Leroy, working on his latest project. His work shop is under the beck so he can be as loud as he needs to be." She glared down to the wood and stomped her foot hard. "Keep it down! I have friends here!"
Jason wasn't sure if he liked the way she said the word friend in such a causal yet enforced way. Like she was heavily hinting at something...
The man below shouted back something that he could barely hear or make out. Cassidy stomped again. "I heard that!"
She looked back at them and smiled. "Sorry about that. Now, back to what the matter is..." She waved her hand over again.
Out on the crystal blue water was a line of ships that went from smallest to largest. Jason almost stepped back in the shock. He felt like he was staring at different versions of the Argo II. It sent shivers down his spine and happy memories flashed before his eyes.
"All these ships are highly qualified for long distant sea travel but also for great for just vacation usages." Cassidy went on. "Oh, I'm sorry. I never asked for your names."
"Hazel." Her face stayed neutral.
"Annabeth." Her face somewhat flinched, but recovered quickly.
"Reyna." That didn't do much to her.
"Jason." Her eyebrows rose at that. She looked away, like she was processing that. She pursed her lips and that caused him to have a million more red flags shoot up inside his head.
"Okay, well, for the small party here, I would recommend that one." She pointed to the second largest one. "That is our Poseidon Model with five rooms and a private captain chamber with the automatic control over the sails and escape boats. It sends off different scents when it senses magical presence near by, just for extra protection, which cannot be back when you go onto a quest."
Jason tensed. They never mentioned that they were on a quest. She was just assuming they were heroes. He glanced down to the wood; he wondered if he really was just below his feet.
"Umm... Does that 15% still apply here?" Hazel asked.
Cassidy looked at all of them for a long second before speaking again. "Would you all like to go onto the deck?"
Jason nodded along with the girls. They followed her down the steps and onto the lower deck. Jason thought of making a run for it towards the workshop once he caught sight of the door. He was about to step back when Hazel took him by the elbow and pulled him forward with her. They looked at each other and she shook her head. At least he knew he wasn't the only one with that thought buzzing around in his mind.
They came up to the ship and climbed the ladder. Annabeth and Reyna went first, walking around on the deck of the ship while Hazel and Jason stayed down with Cassidy.
"How is it guys?" Jason called up to them.
"It's perfect." Annabeth answered him, leaning over the railing.
Jason wasn't sure if that was the answer they needed. He turned to Cassidy. "How much?"
"It's free."
That didn't make any sense and both Hazel and Jason tried to make her change her mind over the matter. They knew no auto shop owner would just give up a ship like it was not that big of a deal. But Cassidy was determined to not change her answer. She insisted it, and the demigods soon lost that battle when she handed them the receipt.
They faced there defend and headed back to the car to gather their belongings and moved it over to the ship. Jason had to retrained himself when he passed the door again; he almost lost.
He was on the deck, looking up to the girl who were walking around the ship. He wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but he guessed that he had to move on from it. Really, he didn't want to leave. Mainly because he wanted to see who was behind that damn door, but also because he never felt comfortable at sea. He was the son of the Sky God after all. His uncle didn't exactly like him, and being in his domain is a dangerous area to be in. He signed. Oh well.
He felt someone move near him. He glanced over to find it to be Cassidy.
"I wish all of you the best of luck." She said.
He smiled at her. "Thank you." He went over to the ladder and began to climb up onto the ship. When he was halfway, Cassidy called up to him. "Tell Piper that I said hello."
Jason stopped. He turned back to her, who was smiling like a lifetime friend. Like what she just said wasn't abnormal and impossible at all.
Jason, shocked in that moment, just stared and nodded before going on. If that didn't answer his theory then he didn't know anything anymore.
They smoothly drifted off. Annabeth was up in the captain chamber since she was the only one who knew anything about sailing. Reyna was down stairs checking out the place more since she wanted too and Jason wasn't going to stop her. Hazel was near the railing, hoping that she wasn't going to get so sea sick this time. Jason was standing at the front, looking out and praying to his father that they don't ship wreck.
He looked back to the shop they just left behind. They were about twenty yards, but Jason could still make out a new figure merging out onto the deck, coming along to stand beside Cassidy.
Jason ran over to the other side of the ship, ignoring Hazel's call for him. He got there and almost cried and relaxed all at once.
On the deck, a tall Mexican man stood beside Cassidy with his arm lovingly around her. His huge crocked grin was still visible for his position, since Jason saw it in his memory most days.
Leo and Calypso waved the ship goodbye, and Jason waved bye.
{...}
got ya.
I know you all were hoping for an update with Percy and Nico but I wanted to talk about the quest for a little bit just to be unfair to you all. Sorry, not sorry.
The next chapter will be back with Percy and Nico, so I'm not being that mean. I am excited to write this through. I hope it makes you guys happy, like I hope this chapter did. Thanks for reading.