Chapter 7

A New Mission

If someone would have told Ben he would go on a mission with two kids from ancient gods to stop his father from destroying the world, he would think they were drunk or something. But now, this very stupid sounding scenario was the scary truth. Ben met with Nico and Jason at the main building. „I already told Chiron that we will leave now.", Jason said. „But Argus can't drive us, he is in Camp Jupiter right now."

„I could Shadowtravel", Ben suggested.

„No", Nico said. „We need to travel several hundred miles to get to Miami, not a few hundred feet. Also, you will need your energy for when we get attacked."

„But how are we gonna get to Miami?", Jason asked. „We can't drive, Leo has Festus and we don't even have to consider walking."

„Who said that driving won't be possible", Nico smirked.

Moments later they sat in a limousine with an undead chauffour in the front seat. Ben was in the back with Nico and Jason sat next to the zombie.

„So your father gave you an undead zombie butler?", Ben asked.

„No", Nico said. „More like a zombie chauffour named Jusles-Albert who has a french accent. Oh, and he drives like an absolute maniac."

„Is this save then?", Jason stuttered.

„Well, he never crashed every time I drove with him."

„How often was that?"

„Like two or three times"

With these words Jules-Albert started the engine and shot across the thin roads that lead to Camp Half-Blood. Ben thougth about why they were driving away from the Camp. They were going on a most likely fatal mission without any real preparation. Jason, who seemed to read his mind turned around. „No worries, Ben. I know how scary your first mission can feel. Also, I packed some gear" He pulled out a backpack filled with Ambrosia and Nectar, Food, First-Aid-Gear, some flashlights , a bundle of Dollars and some gold coins.

„Lets just hope nobody falls into Tartaros and we're good.", Nico said, smiling. They saw a lot of monsters while driving, but they weren't attacked. That was until they arrived at Brooklyn where they were attacked by a few smaller monsters. They didn't hurt anyone, they just ran or flew against the car. A few made some scratches into the car, but exept for the occasional grunt from Jules-Albert they didn't even really care. They were coming close to Washington DC where they could spend the night. It was already dark outside when they still drove through a forest a few miles away from the city. Jules Albert also didn't drive as crazy as before as the streets were now empty. Everything went great until a flying pine tree crushed the front of the car. The car came to a stop and Jules-Albert immidiatly dissapeared into the ground. They heard Chirons voice from the shadows in the forest. „You three", he said. „Why don't you come over here?"

„Cyclopes", Jason said, grabbing his gladius. A tall figure emerged from the shadows, at least 20 metres high.

„That", Ncio stuttered. „Is the biggest Cyclops I have ever seen."

„I SMELL DEMIGODS!", The Cyclops shouted in a deep, graspy voice. Half a dozen more cyclopes walked out of the forest, all around about a stall as two big fridges.

„We have to take them one by one.", Jason said. „Cyclopes are pretty stupid, so this still is managable"

„I CAN HEAR YOU, HALF-BLOOD", the big Cyclops shouted. „I AM NOT STUPID!" As he said this he stomped in anger, crushing a smaller cyclops. „I AM THE MOST POWERFUL OF ALL CYCLOPES", he said. „MY NAME IS POLYPHEM!" Ben tried to think. He knew who Polyphem is. Then he remembered.

„Polyphem!", he shouted. Polyphem turned his gross, shapeless face to Ben. „Shouldn't you be on an island?" „I WAS", he said silently, what meant it only sounded like two jets starting right beside you. „BUT I CAN EAT MORE DEMIGODS IF I AM HERE!" He reached out to grab Jason, who flew up, immidiatly stabbing Polyphem's Eye. He roared in pain, hitting Jason ot of the air like a nasty fly. „NOT AGAIN!", he screamed. „MY EYE!" Polyphem fell, killing two more cyclopes. The last three now attacked, one of them using a small tree as a baseball bat. Nico started fighting with the one with the natural baseball bat, who swung around very violently. The other two approached Ben. He tried to get behind them to kill one of them. He eventially stabbed one, but instead of dissolving into yellow dust he turned black and started fighting the second cyclops, who did not expect to be backstabbed. Ben's Cyclops snapped his neck and then turned to dust himself. Nico, who just killed the cyclops attacking him looked at Ben. „How did you-"

„ARGH!" Polyphem screamed. They totally forgot about the giant cyclops still lying on the ground, who slowly turned to dust. His feet were already gone. „THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD OF ME!", he screamed. „WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

„Polyphem", Ben said, remembering how Percy told him that he was cursed by hundreds of monsters because they found out his name.

„I CURSE YOU, POLYPHEM!", Polyphem screamed. „WAIT!" and he fully dissolved. Nico burst into laugther whille Jason walked towards them. He only had a lot of branches in his hair, but looked fine. „What happened?"

„Polyphem wanted to curse Ben, so he asked for Ben's name, who just said Polyphem. So Polyphem cursed himself" Jason started laughing as well. „I told you, cyclopes are stupid."

They looked at the destroyed car on the street. Jason sat down on the driver's seat. He started the engine, which sounded like a dying walrus with a breathing disorder. „It's still working", he said. „So hop in guys"

„Do you even have a driver's license?", Nico asked as he closed his door.

„I played Mario Cart once.", Jason answered.

The next morning they drove further south towards Miami. They came across a mercedes parked on the side of a lonely street, doors opened with a key on the driver's seat. Seconds later, they sat in a mercedes cruising along the highway. „We cant just steal someones car", Ben said.

„It's for the greater good", Jason replied. „We're trying to save the world."

It was about noon, on an empty highway when they saw something wheird in the distance: A man and a woman standing in their lane, maybe a mile away from them. At first Ben thought that some people might have gone on the street acidentally, but the people were not moving out of the way and clearly looking right at them.

„What the-", Jason said and slammed the break. They and the mysterious strangers were now only about fifty feet away from each other. To make matters worse, the man wore greek bronze armour and a short greek sword and the woman a dress with a bronze chestplate and she was holding a spear. Not only that, they really did not look friendly.

The man made two steps forward and moved his hand: He wanted them to walk to him.