Chapter Nine:
L.A. was huge, especially considering they'd have to tear it apart with the places Ares had been.
"I don't think we should split up," Justin said. "There are monsters in big cities, and even dangerous humans in places like these. We'll start with the safest places he's been to keep ourselves alive. If they aren't there...well...Lord Ares needs his sword."
Arielle and Erik nodded, and Mara Anne grumbled, "We're going to kill ourselves over a sword."
They all managed small smiles. "Well, according to Ares's history, he went to three McDonalds on the east side of town, however, there are over a dozen in the small area we are to search. Also, he went to DisneyLand, a few different playgrounds, and then...well, I suppose you'd call it the 'ghetto'."
"He went and picked fights with the gangs in town?" asked Mara in a soft hiss.
"Yeah," Erik said, with a slight smirk. "Probably has to show them how much better he is."
"If it comes to going there, I have an idea," Mara Anne said suddenly, smiling intensely.
Arielle grinned too, her eyes shining with excitement. This was where she worked naturally-fighting and strategy. "Make sure to run it by me. We have to make sure nobody will get hurt."
Justin pulled out his bow from Lord Ares.
"Let's go to McDonalds," Erik said, cheerfully. "I'm hungry."
Mara rolled her eyes at him. "I don't like McDonalds."
"You crazy girl," Erik replied, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Come on."
They walked quietly a block, watching the cars speed through the highways. Erik tried to get a taxi, and they finally succeeded. They all stuffed in to the back seats, clutching backpacks and hiding swords.
"Where to, sir?" asked the taxi driver, addressing the question at Justin.
"McDonalds, please."
"Where...which one?"
"Any one, I don't care," Justin replied.
They got out of the taxi, and Erik took the lead in to the store.
"What are we doing, just looking?" asked Arielle curiously.
Erik, with a determined look on his face, walked casually to the lady serving. "I'm looking for a vest," he said, in a cool, arrogant tone. "I may have left it here a couple days ago."
The lady looked shocked to be addressed like this. "Well, sir...it might be here...but a couple days ago...er, it could have been stolen by someone."
"I would like my vest," Erik said, coldly. A perfect replica of the rude arrogance Ares would have displayed.
Mara Anne, Arielle, and Justin just looked at him in surprise while the woman awkwardly helped Erik look for the vest.
"I...I...Don't think it is here, sir," the lady stammered politely.
They walked out of the store, Erik ignoring the lady.
"Erik, we're looking for a sword," Mara said.
"I know," Erik replied, an edge to his voice. "Ares leaves his sword in vest form most of time. Remember, it can easily change forms in to a gun, sword, bulletproof vest, so on and so forth."
Mara Anne fell silent. She gave him a cautious look, and he caught her gaze, a small smile forming on his lips. He shrugged sadly. "I'm sorry; I didn't want to be mean to her."
"I know," Mara replied, quietly.
Erik gave her a kind smile. He sighed softly, reaching up to touch a sign above him. A worried look started to come to his face; panic, fear, and then horror and realization. His lower body started to disappear in a golden dust.
Mara screamed, and Arielle gripped Erik's hand, but they both erupted in to golden dust.
"Justin!" Mara cried.
He gripped her shoulders and looked at the sign curiously. "They both disappeared in gold dust," he hissed. "Demigods can't do that! Only monsters disappear and crumble to dust! What happened?"
"Look," she whispered, looking very pale.
The sign said in huge, clear letters: "ENTRANCE TO PLUTO, A SPACE MUSEUM FOR KIDS!"
"If you're wrong, Mara," Justin said warningly, hesitantly.
"But if I'm right," Mara replied grimly. "Than we've quite possibly found out where Erik and Arielle are. And maybe Ares's vest as well."
"It's dangerous!" exclaimed Justin.
Mara had a furious look in her bright eyes. "I don't care, Justin. Erik and I just made up. He is one of the most incredible people I know. I can't just leave this all behind and forget it. We must go to the Underworld."
"There's an entrance here in L.A." Justin sounded very reluctant. He took a deep breath. "We should go now."
"Charon," Mara said. "If we pay you extra, can we get a ride downstream?"
Charon pretended to look uninterested. "How much extra?"
Justin poured a bag of drachmas on the desk. "Is this enough?" he growled.
"It should be," considered Charon. "Go, get on."
The ride downstream was quiet. It was relatively bumpy and Justin began to look seasick, but they were dropped off just as quickly.
The dead sailed over to two different lines. Justin and Mara quietly made their way through.
"Annabeth told me she went by Cerberus with a plastic ball. Maybe..." Justin pulled out a larch beach ball from his backpack.
"Really? Why'd you bring a beach ball?" asked Mara.
"I dunno. Come on. It's worth a try."
They walked closer to Cerberus, who snarled, growled, and barked as they advanced. Justin's hand fumbled and sweated on the ball, and then he handed it to Mara. "Mara, look...can you do this?" Justin said.
Mara looked at him. Justin looked pale and sweaty and nervous. She had never seen him like that before. She took the ball from him and shouted at the huge dog, "Hey, Cerberus! Do you want to play?"
He barked, loudly, but not angrily. He sounded very excited. Mara walked up to him cautiously. "Sit!" she ordered. He whimpered and sat down carefully. She threw the ball.
"Fetch!"