Percy, Thalia, and Nico were melting in the extreme heat. They passed tables filled with machine, and came across Hephaestus. Hephaestus looked up at them. "Yes?" Thalia explained what had happened, and told him about the strange bird. Hephaestus scratched his beard. "I used to have an apprentice. He loved experimenting on animals, and making machines. It sounds like he's behind this." Percy and Nico glanced at each other. "Who is he?" asked Nico right when Percy asked "Where is he?"
Hephaestus grumbled. "His name is Ignis." Thalia frowned, "fire in Latin." Hephaestus nodded. "Ignis was very cruel. He wasn't allowed into Camp Half-Blood, so I took him as an apprentice. Of course, back then he was Agnes. He changed his name. Now Iggy went looking for some trouble. I told Ignis, 'Iggy, don't look for trouble. Trouble's bad.' He just said, 'Call me Ig if you must. And this is revenge.' He snuck out late one night. That's the last I heard of him."
Nico rubbed his eyes. "So, Ignis wanted to destroy Camp Half-Blood by making indestructible birds." "But," cut in Thalia, "He couldn't them 100% indestructible. He made them so only we can defeat them." "And," added Percy, "Sent us on a wild goose chase while he destroyed Camp Half-Blood. But, wait. He has to have spies or something like that to inform him of where we are." Thalia sighed. "Seaweed Brain has a point." Percy glared at her. Thalia knew full well that only Annabeth was allowed to call Percy Seaweed Brain. Hephaestus turned back to them. "No, Ignis likes working alone, or with a boss. But this is his invention, so he's working alone." Nico spoke up, "So his base has to be somewhere near Camp Half-Blood, somewhere in Manhattan." Thalia looked at Hephaestus. "Anything else we should know?" "He's the son of Apollo. He can shoot arrows real well."
The gang raced towards Manhattan. They searched everywhere, but couldn't find him. Sitting on a street, they listened to a guy play the trombone. The music stopped, and they guy sat next to them. "Live music is much better than recorded." Percy absentmindedly nodded. He turned to look at the guy . . . who kind of looked like . . . Percy opened his mouth . . . "Apollo?" The guy nodded, "Heard you're looking for Agnes." "Ignis," corrected Nico. Apollo shrugged. "Ignis is mischievous, but I can get him for you. Just promise me one thing." "Yes," replied Thalia. "When you get him, bring him to Mount Olympus." They all nodded, and then departed.