"Why are you here, son of Poseidon?" Medusa asked, gripping him by the throat.
"We need to find a pearl so I can rescue my mother from Hades," Percy said.
"That is all?"
Unable to nod, Percy said, "That's all. I'm not a hero. I just want to help my mom."
Medusa considered that. And let go of him. "What will you offer in return? In trade for the pearl? One of your companions?"
Not my friends! "What about a shield? One given to me by a demigod friend of mine."
"I accept." The Underworld's hazards are sufficient I can afford magnamity. Medusa slid her sunglasses back to cover her eyes. "We shall make exchange, then you may recover your sword once I have left."
Percy nodded.
The truck crashed into the lair only after Medusa had departed – either for deeper into her lair, or for elsewhere…the travelers neither knew nor cared.
Yet.
…a little later…
"What possible reason could you have for this appearance before Our august council?" Athena demanded of Medusa here in Olympus.
In answer, Medusa held the Lightning Bolt aloft. "For my pound of flesh," she answered.
"You want Athena for your prisoner?" Zeus inquired.
Athena looked at Zeus wariliy. You would, wouldn't you? And the tactician of her knew that it was a lesser cost than an Olympian war.
Poseidon wondered if the intended pound was from Him not revenging against Athena for what She had done to Medusa.
"What do you desire?" asked Aphrodite, who wanted only to avoid a War between gods.