For those living in the UK, once more, I have another number. This one is PyromaniacValdez's bane, is really spiteful to her. So, if you would like to get one up on a bully here, leave a note in the review and I'll give the number.

"Old McDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o. And on that farm he had a pig, e-i-e-i-o. With an oink oink here and an oink oink there- oh, hello." Leo smiled at the small boy on the forest path, producing a handkerchief upon seeing the teary state of his small face. "What's the matter?" The little boy sniffed, mud in his blond hair. Leo wiped it out. "Are you lost?" He nodded, bottom lip trembling. "What's your name?"

"Martin."

"Well, Martin. I'm Leo. Where do you live?"

"I don't know."

"Where are your parents?"

"With the horses."

"And where are they?"

"With my parents." Leo mentally sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy task. Instead, he picked Martin up and sat him in Festus's saddle.

"Alright, buddy, we're going to ride to the nearest town and ask around. See if anyone knows you. You OK with that?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" Martin hung his head, tears making small patches on his dirty tunic. Leo's adopted Louisa-instincts kicked in and he drew his sword, tugging on the reins. Festus turned in a circle, right in the nick of time; an arrow cut through the air, narrowly missing Leo's head. "Martin, what is this?"

"They made me." The little boy cried. "They said they would kill Mummy and Daddy." Leo looped the reins around his wrist. Martin clung to his arm as men melted from the forest around them, armed to the teeth and armoured head to toe. Some were on horses, others on foot. One man in particular stood out, armour a splendid, shining even in the dim light, his sword in hand. He removed his helmet, revealing the true scarred nature beneath. Martin whimpered and dug his little fingers into Leo's flesh.

"What do you want?" He demanded, glaring Luke down.

"Simple, really." Luke smirked. "You."

"Hate to break this to you, but... you're not my type."

"Not in that way, you buffoon! And there was me thinking it was simple." Luke sighed and opened his mouth to begin the evil villain tirade Leo often enjoyed in novels, but...

"No, I know what you meant. You used Martin here to buy some time because you knew I'd stop to help. Then you were planning to ambush me, holding me hostage in exchange for his parents; that way you get at the Hephaestian and Atlantis kingdoms simultaneously and will probably try blackmail Louisa to marry you under the false promise of sparing my life. You'll take her dowry because Poseidon will have no choice but to give it to you and then you'll stage little 'accidents' for us both or have us publicly executed, whichever one floats your goat." Leo flicked a bit of dirt from his sword handle carefreely. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, this is the part where you all attack?" Luke's jaw was clenched irritably, a nerve ticking away in his temple. "In that case, I have a present from you." Leo reached into his saddlebag while keeping them all in sight. "Close your eyes." He breathed in Martin's ear. The boy did so. Leo hurled the sphere up and struck it with his sword, as though serving in a game of tennis. Almost instantly, the orb exploded, shrapnel and blinding flashes of multi-coloured light screaming and thundering down all around them. Festus reared, whinnying, and galloped off, barging through the other startled equestrians. Martin squealed fearfully and excitedly, gripping Leo's sleeve with one hand and the saddle with the other. "Faster, Festus! We have to get back to Lou!" The stallion whickered, like he knew this anyway.

Luke must have anticipated this too. His men were lined all throughout the forest, cantering after Leo as though their lives depended on it. Thinking about it in the midst of all this craziness, Leo figured that was probably true. As for Martin's parents, he had no idea. Luke could have hidden them anywhere, he could have even killed them already. His main focus was getting himself, Festus and Martin to safety.

Louisa stood impatiently at the docks, searching this way and that for any sign of Leo and his supposedly noble steed. Storm was already below deck, neighing longingly for her new found friend. Sailors and merchants bustled past, wives and children saying farewells to husbands and fathers. Drumming her fingers impatiently on the side of their ship, Louisa scanned the crowd one last time. She threw a small pouch of coins at the dockmaster, brought Storm up and went out to look. He was late for the rendevous; if he had stuck to the plan, however, he would have cut through the forest. Dangerous, yes, but they were running out of time. Sadly, more and more Titan spies were filtering into the everyday system. Even if one of them had overheard them talking, the whole plan could hit the fan.

She shoot off on Storm, yelling at those in her way. Storm helped ease matters by snorting and her own form of shouting angrily. It wasn't long until they were free of the busy streets and racing full-pelt into the forest.

They searched for half an hour. Louisa dismounted to look closer at a few things. Fresh blood lingered on tree trunks, dirt, bushes and roots; trampled foliage and snapped branches showed signs of a struggle. Hundreds of horse- and footprints littered the ground, levelling the mess. Examining the ground, Louisa focused on the impressions of the footprints. The weight distributed in the prints were more forward, leading her towards the edge of the clearing. A bush had been snagged with dark brown horse hair, most likely the tail. Louisa twirled it between her fingers, worrying that it was Festus's hair. Smaller footprints, a child's, were behind this bush, messy and criss-crossing all over the place, as though the child had been hopping about nervously. They had slipped in the mud there, on their way out from behind the bush.

"This way." Louisa told Storm. Storm followed carefully, ducking the branches and keeping close to her rider. Louisa followed the tracks for nearly an hour. She began to recognise her surroundings. Leo had definitely gone this way. That was his dagger. Louisa had had that specially crafted for him for his birthday, but had given it to him early for this specific trip.

Climbing back into the saddle, Louisa cursed.

Hermes had taken Leo.

Hermes could give him back. Alive.