AN 7/17/15: I hope you enjoy this chapter, I felt like I had an evil grin the whole time while writing. It was fun to write. Have a good weekend and comment what you think!
The sun was sinking behind the Rockies by the time we arrived at the water park. Judging from the sign, it was once called Waterland, but now some of the letters were missing. We soon found our way over the padlocked, barbed wire fence and started working our way through the park. It would have been a lot easier just to shadow travel the few inch distance required to get inside the park past the fence, but instead I had to climb with Percy and Annabeth.
The shadows were growing longer as we walked through the park and I found it somewhat comforting. They would provide nice cover and an emergency exit if the need arose. We passed several attractions, all of which just made the whole place scream 90's teenager.
What put me off was that there was no activity anywhere throughout the park. There were no monsters that I could detect, not even any little critters. I kept trying to feel around for movement in the shadows everything came out fuzzy, no clear signal. I needed to heighten that skill to where it used to be, it was like I was partly blind trying to tell my surroundings. It was frustrating, not having all the abilities I used to have and being forced to redevelop them. Once was hard enough.
After we restocked at a souvenir shop (which by the way I had no clue as to why there was still merchandise around if the place is closed), we continued. I still had this growing feeling like something was going to happen despite the brief reprieve new clothes brought us. It was like the whole park was holding its breath.
Just as Annabeth was explaining the story of Ares and Aphrodite in the golden net, thus leading to them to meet in out-of-the-way places, we found what we were looking for. The sign read:
THRILL RIDE O'LOVE: This Is Not Your Parents' Tunnel Of Love!
Grover crept toward the edge of the basin. All around it were little bronze Cupid statues standing guard, and two at the main entrance that were bigger than the others. They stood at attention, wings spread and bows at the ready. At the opposite side of the pool was the entrance tunnel. We all peaked over the edge to see a pink-and-white two-seater boat with a little canopy over the seats that, littered with little painted on hearts. In the left seat was what we came for: Ares's shield.
"This is too easy," Percy stated and I nodded in agreement. "So we just walk down there and get it?"
Suddenly it was like a ping on a radar came up through the shadows. Something was nearby.
Annabeth was busy running her fingers along the base of the nearest Cupid statue. "There is a Greek letter carved here," She said. "Eta. I wonder.." But I wasn't paying attention. I started walking toward what looked like the remains of a merchants stand. It was hard to tell what it was, or even if it was big or small, but something was indeed at the stand. Then as I took another step closer a couple of rats came streaking out from under the stand, squeaking in terror.
Why would they be running away like that? What are they running from? The I saw something on the faded and torn fabric shade covering the stand. Eta. Then it hit me, Annabeth had mentioned something about an Eta being on the statue. I ran back to where Grover was.
"Where are Percy and Annabeth?" He pointed down at the basin. I stole a glance at the base of the nearest statue and there was indeed the same letter on it just like with the stand.
"Grover, not good, it has to be a trap. There was another Eta. Too many coincidences to just be coincidences." I rushed out. "Percy, wait!" I called as I ran to the edge of the basin, taking out my sword. It was too late, the sound of a million gears grinding erupted once Percy touched the shield, like the whole area was a machine. It is exactly that, idiot!
All around me Cupid statues were little bronze arrows flying from the cupid's bows to across the pool, little cords trailing from the ends of them. It was forming a net of cables and I had to stumble back to avoid being skewered by one.
"Guys!" Grover yelled. I started hacking at the cables but with no luck, the net was too strong. Grover was trying to hold open a spot for the two of them to get out from but the cables kept twisting around his hands.
The heads of the Cupid statues all popped open to reveal video cameras. Spotlights rose up all around the pool, shining their blinding light at us. "Live to Olympus in one minute.. Fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight," I had just been about to break out my stygian iron blades to see if they had any effect on the cables, but if we were going to be aired to Olympus I couldn't take the risk. My face alone might be recognized, Athena never forgot a face. I pulled the cap I had picked up at the shop we raided tighter over my head, trying to obstruct my face from the cameras.
"Hephaestus! I'm so stupid!" I heard Annabeth scream. This was not the time to think about the rarity of a child of Athena saying they were stupid. "Eta is H. He made this trap to catch his wife with Ares. Now we're going to be broadcast to Olympus and look like absolute fools!" They had almost made it to the rim of the pool when the rows of mirrors along the sides opened to reveal an army of thousands of tiny metallic spiders. So that's what the rats were running from. Annabeth screamed, the spiders' little pincer mouths were clacking and they swarmed. "Spiders!" She yelled. "Sp-spp-aaah!"
I found myself cursing rapidly under my breath in Greek, it was an old habit to prevent my mother from understanding what I was saying. Of course this had to happen. We can't just have one peaceful thing. Apparently that was too much to ask for. Ares had set us up and now Percy and Annabeth were being assaulted by tiny automatons.
"Grover, we have to do something! These cables won't break!" I yelled over to him, slamming my blade down against the base of the cables yet again, trying to pry up their anchors.
Percy had managed to get Annabeth and himself back to the boat but they were being overwhelmed. Annabeth was completely locked down, frozen in fear and panic. They just had to be spiders.
"Thirty, twenty-nine," called out the loud speaker.
"We know already!" I yelled back in frustration. Grover was hovering above the pool in his flying sneakers, still trying in vain to untangle the net. I turned my attention to the bronze statues. If I could disable them somehow then we might have a chance. I ran up to the nearest statue, one of the bigger ones at the entrance, and climbed up onto the pedestal it was standing on. I tried to knock out the camera or the bow but once I made the first swing the statue grew hot and the arm holding the bow swung around and hit me off. I landed on the asphalt with a grunt. That hadn't worked out like I had hoped. Leave it to Hephaestus to make the Cupids have a defense mechanism.
"Fifteen, fourteen," I saw Percy's face brighten up as if he had an idea as I scrambled back to my feet.
"Grover! Get into that booth! Find the 'on' switch!"
"But-"
"Do it!" I dashed for the booth as Grover flew over but then I heard something behind me. It was like a clanking of metal hitting metal. As Grover started rapidly switching levers and pressing buttons I turned around to see the statue I had tried to attack climbing off its pedestal.
"Shit.."
"Five, four-" It loaded its bow again, taking aim at me.
"Two, one, zero!" Water exploded from the pipes as the arrow flew. Torrents of water swept up the metal spiders and flooded the pool as I dove to the side to avoid being hit with the arrow.
"That is one angry looking metal baby face." I muttered to myself, then I yelled to Grover. "Grover! We have company! You help Percy and Annabeth, I'll take baby-face!" Grover turned to see what I was talking about and I caught his face turn pale, but he nodded. I dodged another arrow as I saw the boat swirling around the basin, faster and faster in a whirlpool. The frilly canopy had been torn off the boat by now too. I could hear them screaming and then I heard them enter the tunnel, their screams echoing.
"Grover! Get to the exit and help them, they won't be able to stop!"
"Got it!" He jumped out of the booth yelling "Maia!", and he took flight. Half of the little Cupid statue cameras were aimed at me, the rest at the tunnel and Grover. I turned away from another arrow, deflecting it from cutting into my arm with my sword. I ran at the baby Cupid, weaving between arrows or deflecting them as I approached. The camera on its head was focused in on my movements, probably airing to Olympus in split-screen.
Once I got within striking distance of the metal baby it swung at me with its bow. We exchanged like that for a few blows before I used my momentum to turn around and continue my strike into its side, hoping to throw the bow from its hands. Just as I was about to land the hit the Cupid's metal wing blocked the sword's path which resulted in a resonating clang.
I saw Percy and Annabeth's boat come flying out of the end of the tunnel in the distance and then I saw the locked gates in their path. I silently willed Grover to catch them once I saw them go flying into the air. I kicked at the statue and sent it skidding a little ways back.
"Hey, baby-face! The show is over there!" I pointed to where Grover had managed to intercept Percy and Annabeth's flight path and the Cupid surprisingly turned to the exit of the ride, its camera zooming in on their flight. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover crashed into one of those photo boards. I ran past the Cupid statue I had been fighting, readjusting my cap. As I came up to them they were just pulling Grover's head out of where 'Noo-Noo The Friendly Whale's face would be. The panic from earlier was draining slightly now that they weren't trapped on a boat heading toward being shredded like paper.
I turned back to the basin to see the statue I had been fighting drifting down onto its pedestal and settle in.
"You guys sprain anything?" I asked once we caught our breaths. They shook their heads no. The water level was still going down and the Cupid statues were still filming, spotlights in our faces. The boat Percy and Annabeth had ridden was in smashed pieces against the gate.
"Show's over! Thank you! Goodnight!" Percy called out to the cameras. The cameras actually turned back to their original positions and the spotlights were gone. The park was now very dark and quiet, minus the trickle of water still coming from the ride. "We need to have a little chat with Ares."
The big oaf was waiting for us in the diner parking lot. I kept tightening and loosening my grip on the hilt of my sword as we approached. I wanted so badly to just go and attack Ares, but that would be suicide.
"Well, well, you didn't get yourself killed."
"You knew it was a trap."
Ares gave us a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV."
Percy shoved the shield at Ares. "You're a jerk." My breath paused, sure he was about to vaporize us or something. Ares grabbed his shield, spun it in the air and it morphed into a bulletproof vest, which he slung across his back.
"See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas." The truck had a sign on the side, reverse printed saying:
KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT
Warning: Live Animals
"You're kidding." Percy said flatly. Ares snapped his fingers and the side door of the truck unlatched.
"Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job." He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it over. I peered inside when Percy opened it to see some fresh clothes for the four of us, some cash, a pouch of drachmas, and some Oreos.
"I don't want your lousy-"
"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving Percy his best 'Shush before you get us all killed' look. "Thanks a lot." I saw Percy grit his teeth. He reluctantly put the backpack over his shoulder. It looked as if he wanted to do something that would get us in big trouble so I put my hand on his shoulder and gave my head a small shake, giving him a warning look. Chill, Percy. Just wait for him to leave. He gave me a slight nod of acknowledgement.
"You owe me one more thing." Percy cut in before Ares could leave, trying to keep his voice level. "You promised me information about my mother."
"You sure you can handle it?" He readjusted his shotgun holster. "She's not dead."
Percy looked unsteady so I firmed my grip on his shoulder to give support. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis. Not death. She's being kept."
"Kept, why?"
"You need to study war, punk. Hostages. You take somebody to control someone else." I narrowed my eyes. A concept in which I was very familiar with.
"Nobody's controlling me."
Ares just laughed. "Oh yeah? See you around, kid."
Of course Percy couldn't just let him go without getting in one last dig. "You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues." I stepped on his foot harshly.
Behind his sunglasses fire glowed and a hot wind blew past us. "We'll meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you fight, watch your back." He revved his engine again and took off down the street.
"That was not smart, Percy." Annabeth said.
"Not smart at all." I agreed.
"I don't care."
"You don't want a god as your enemy. Especially not that god."
"Yeah, Percy. You can't just let his aura mess with you like that. You could have gotten us all killed before the quest was completed. We have to make it through this for Sally, too." I said, sending a meaningful look. He looked down at his feet.
"Hey, guys," Grover said suddenly. "I hate to interrupt, but.." He pointed toward the diner. Two men were paying at the register. Both had on Kindness International uniforms. "If we're taking the Zoo Express, we need to hurry."
We made our way across the street and climbed into the truck, making sure to close the door behind us. The first thing that hit me was the stink, it was like the world's biggest litter pan held within this place. It was dark until Percy uncapped Riptide, the blade casting a faint bronze light over the miserable scene. I drew out my sword to help visibility too . The cages of these animals were in extremely poor condition.
There was a zebra, a male albino lion, and some type of antelope. The lion had a stack of turnips inside its cage and the other two had trays of meat. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum and the antelope had a silver birthday balloon tied to one of its horns. The lion was pacing around on soiled blankets in a space that was way too small for the big cat, panting all the while. Flies were buzzing around his pink eyes and his ribs were painfully visible.
"This is kindness?" Grover raged. "Humane zoo transport?" He probably would have gone back outside to beat up the drivers with his reed pipes but the truck's engine roared to life. The trailer started shaking and we started moving so we were forced to sit down. We huddled in a corner on some feed sacks, trying our best to ignore the smell, heat, and flies. Grover talked with the animals but they just stared at him sadly. Annabeth wanted to break them free now but we pointed out that that plan wouldn't do us much good at the moment. We would have to wait to free them.
Percy busied himself by refilling the animals' water and swapped their food to what they were supposed to be as I munched on a small piece of ambrosia from my pack. The burn from the Chimera had healed but it was just the pesky cuts from that hellhound. They were taking forever to heal and I wanted to try to conserve the godly food for a true emergency. Grover managed to calm down the antelope enough for Annabeth to cut the balloon from the animal. She wanted to do the same for the zebra but that would have been too risky with the bouncing of the trailer. We had Grover tell them we would help them more in the morning, then settled in for the night.
Grover curled up on a turnip sack, how that was comfortable I didn't know but I didn't question it. Annabeth opened the bag of Oreos and ate one halfheartedly. She offered me one but I passed, I had never really been a big fan of Oreos. Give me a good old-fashioned homemade cookie any day. After that I slumped against the side of the trailer, using my backpack as a pillow. I unbuckled my sword belt and set it and the sword to my side. It was already June fourteenth, the solstice was a week away. Hopefully we wouldn't hit any major roadblocks.
I still wasn't sure what to think of the quest, the plan to confront my father about the bolt. I honestly didn't think he had it. It made me wonder why he sent the Furies after the quest group like he did unless he was a part of this grand scheme somehow. Maybe something happened to him too? That would explain why Alecto and her sisters had asked where it was. So maybe another theft? I wouldn't put it past my father to not mention a theft to the Olympians, they wouldn't really care, except maybe Hestia, but she wasn't an Olympian. I had closed my eyes for a couple of minutes or so before I heard my name.
"Allison?" Annabeth asked. She sounded a bit apprehensive. I opened my eyes.
"Yeah?"
"I've been thinking-why does it seem like you have experience with all this stuff? Like, being a demigod. You jumped right into this whole thing head first it seems. I mean, you were able to get rid of the Chimera and Echidna at the Arch once Percy had to jump. You were confident you could help on the quest when you convinced us to let you join. And I saw the way you moved while fighting in Capture the Flag, it showed experience. It wasn't one on one, but you were able to take them down." She shifted her feet a bit.
"Look, Ares said something earlier.. it may be unrelated, but do you remember how he said that it was a dangerous world? He said you should know, why is that?" She fidgeted. "He could be talking about the Chimera and the Minotaur, but that doesn't seem quite right, given how he said that."
"I'm betting on the monsters." I said, trying to sway her thought process. "And I with the Ares kids, I don't know how I did it, it just felt natural."
She nodded, pensive. "Do you and Chiron know each other? Aside from him just being your old Latin teacher, that is. You act familiar with him, not like a teacher-student relationship. Some of your comments once Percy left to see the Oracle, they gave me the impression that you already know a lot about this stuff. You seemed pretty emotional."
"Oh yeah, I remember that. What was that all about anyway? I still don't get it, but you were scary." Grover put in, jumping at the chance. I restrained myself from cursing aloud, of course this had to come back and bite me.
"Guys," But Annabeth was on a roll.
"I've heard you mumbling sometimes in your sleep. The name Nick comes up a lot. You asked Chiron if he.. if he wanted to get another camper killed. Did-"
"Annabeth, I am going to bed. You should too." I said as I took a deep breath. It had just been a matter of time until she ended up bringing this up. It was clear she had been thinking about it for a while now. This was the first time we've been all alone in a relatively secure, not public place.
"Chiron gave you those weapons, right? They used to belong to a former student?"
"Annabeth..."
"Did this Nick person die on a quest or something? Was he a friend?"
"Enough! I am not talking about this." My voice cracked slightly, then I exhaled a long breath. "Look, I'm sorry, but I'm tired. Goodnight." I finally said. I didn't want to have any more complicated questions thrown at me when we were trapped in a stinky Zoo transport truck. I scooted further away from the group, toward the antelope, and covered myself with a blanket despite the heat. I knew they still had questions, and would probably talk about it more once I was asleep, but I just wanted out at the moment.
They cautiously changed the subject, the boys not quite grasping fully what Annabeth was asking, but the tension was still in the air. They ventured into talking about Annabeth's story and Thalia. I stayed quiet and pretended to be asleep. Soon I heard Grover's breathing even out, a sure sign that he was most likely asleep. Percy and Annabeth talked about her camp beads and college ring. The last thing I remember before finally falling asleep was her saying she would stick by him.
In my dream I was looking in on scenes. It started off with a falling sensation, then the voice came. The same cold, evil voice from my previous dreams.
"Deception upon deception." The voice from the pit mused. "Excellent."
"Truly, my lord, you are well-named the Crooked One." The other's voice said. The Crooked one? I could only remember one figure with that name. Then it hit me and I felt a cold cluster of ice had formed in my chest. No, it can't be. If he's trying to rise.. no. There can't be another war, there can't be. He should be scattered into a million pieces in Tartarus, I need to tell Chiron. Then a moment of realization. That explains the scythe I saw with the Fates. My stomach dropped.
The other voice continued speaking. "But was it really necessary? I could have brought you what I stole directly-"
"You?" The voice said in scorn. "You have already shown your limits. You would have failed me completely had I not intervened."
"But, my lord-"
"Peace, little servant. Our six months have bought us much. Zeus's anger has grown. Another pawn has been added to the table and Poseidon has played his most desperate card. Now we shall use that against him. We have the other child to use if that fails- her past makes her complicated but I believe she will be of use to us. I had not predicted her presence after I got that weak-minded fool to finish her years ago, but we might be able to take advantage of her return. Shortly you shall have the reward you wish, and your revenge. As soon as both items are delivered into my hands.. but wait. They are here."
Someone else is seeing this with me? Then I thought it must be Percy, he was dreaming the same thing as me. Oh gods, if he connected what that thing had said about me..
"What?" The invisible servant suddenly sounded tense. That voice, it sounds familiar. "You summoned them my lord?"
"No." The full force of the voice was now washing itself over me, trapping my dream self in place. "Blast his father's blood-he is too changeable, too unpredictable. The boy brought himself here, and the girl has a fluid mind, she has seen much and has strong ties to the boy. She followed."
"Impossible!" The servant said in shock. Then I started to make out a figure that looked like Percy. He was looking around to see who else was here.
"For a weakling such as yourself, perhaps," The voice said. Then it's cold power turned to me. "So.. you wish to dream of your quest, half-bloods? I feel some background would be beneficial. Why don't you see who you put all your trust into really is, boy?"
The scene changed. I saw memories from all my missions, the liberations I had gone on, the battles, the time Nick and I had been captured. One interaction I had with a half-brother of mine came into focus right before we fought. "Would you kill to save a life?" He had taunted. At the time it didn't seem as big, but that had haunted me ever since Chester and even those mortal guards he had in particular. But I had really killed Chester. Yeah, he may have been trying to kill me and Nick, so were the guards and my half-brother, but Chester's death especially just seemed so.. raw. It had been either Nick or him. I had to choose between two lives; which to save, which to end.
I saw bits of my journey with Nick to camp when we first discovered our parentage. When we met Chester for the first time and how he had helped us. We had trusted him, back then. Chester had been on a mission and we crossed paths. He gave us the knowledge we needed to make it the rest of the way to safety.
I saw that last battle again, but this time Percy was witnessing it too, looking in on the memory. I was able to see his face too, and when I made my final choice it hurt me the most. It was like I had betrayed him, that I would never have the same relationship with him again. I don't think he fully understood what he was seeing, but I could tell he understood enough for those feelings to form.
The scene changed again. I was in a vast black marble throne room with bronze floors. Mount. Othrys, the Titan stronghold. I felt as if I had goose bumps. The empty central throne was made from bones fused together. That part didn't really phase me, I had seen enough of the Underworld for that not to have an effect.
No, what got me was the scene at the foot of the dais. There were four people, just like my earlier dream. My loved ones, but the fourth this time was Percy. His body was chained up and he looked beat while the others laid there with him, all of them dead on the bronze floor before the throne. I tried to go to them but I was stuck in place. Dark figures formed around me that flashed with gold. I heard the cries of all who had met me in battle and anguished calls of the voices of the people I cared about. I was shoved down onto a throne that lay in the middle of bodies. Bodies of people I knew. The figures draped me with acidic like heavy cloths, the weight like sheets of lead, and put a golden wreath of laurels that smoked with poison on my head, eating into my scalp.
Hail, the conquering heroine. The voice from the pit laughed mockingly, enjoying taunting me. The voice who was trying to raise from Tartarus: Kronos, king of the Titans.