I turn over and I see nothing but a dirt path. A voice from behind me mutters something unintelligible. I turn and see Helen, eyes closed, with a pained expression. I get up and approach her.
Jessie turns and smiles at me. Anton is sound asleep and I have to admit, for a child of Athena, he's built like a child of Ares.
My thoughts are interrupted by the pangs of hunger within me and realize we haven't eaten anything in a long time.
When I examine Helen, I realize she's curled into fetal position but she's still sleeping. I place my hand on her forehead and the warmth leads me to determine she has a fever.
I tell Jessie and then ask if I can grab some food for the group. She hands me a wad of cash and I head to the nearest fast food place and pick up a meal.
Each sound I hear makes me turn wildly and reach for my sword. Each time it's a false alarm. I get the strange feeling that the monsters are holding back. Maybe they have something far worse in store. Maybe they went on vacation.
I get back and wake the group up. The sky is silver and overcast, the sun smoldering behind the clouds.
Helen sits up wearily and I have to help her eat. Her face is sheet white and her bruise sticks out like a sore thumb.
"Thank goodness Anton still has money," I say between bites.
Anton grins. "Athena always has resources for a plan."
He vaguely remembered some Empusa he fought and the memory of Karen getting captured. But when we pressed for details, he admitted things were too fuzzy. We decided to hold off on the questions.
As I feed Helen, she manages a smile. "How the tables have turned."
I chuckle and say, "It's about time."
"We should send Chiron an iris-message," she suggests.
I had completely forgotten about him. He sent us on this quest and he was stricken with grief over the fact that we had to go so soon.
Since Helen was a daughter of Iris, she was able to get the call going even without a drachma. Pretty soon, we were able to see the desk at which Mr. D sat, his face buried in his hand of cards. Chiron comes into view and we call his name. He looks around and turns towards us, surprised we had shown up.
"Jeremiah!" he exclaims.
"Jeremy's still alive?" Mr. D says in the background.
Chiron shoots him a dirty look and asks about our quest. We tell him what happened with our car and our group, mentioning the Giant and Anton's entry in our group.
He strokes his beard, his expression stony. "I would have thought Jim was more sensible. That is conduct uncharacteristic of any guardian satire." He muttered something about Jim changing after purchasing a sports car.
Then he looked up, surprised as if he had forgotten we were still there.
"Use your time wisely, my children. Please be careful," he warns.
Then his face lights up. "Jeremiah! I had forgotten. Your mother wrote some letters. They were initially mailed to the wrong address but we have a few of them. I'll be happy to show you them once you guys get back."
My heart jumps. My mother. Someone else I had forgotten. So she did care. And 'once you guys get back'. Chiron really had faith in us after all.
The image flickers and he wishes us good luck before it fades.
Helen winces and I remember how exhausted she was.
"I think we may have to spend a day or two without traveling. Helen isn't doing so well and my injuries haven't healed either," I say.
Anton becomes pensive and Jessie merely watches him. "If today is the 16th, we have five days left, including today. If I'm not mistaken, taking the train to a station in California would take about 26 hours, give or take a few for layovers etc. So if we left tomorrow, we would still have a few days to spare for unexpected scenarios," he says, matter of factly. "Props to you for determining Point Reyes was the location of interest."
Jessie blinks. "As long as we get there on time."
I spend the rest of that day practicing sword fighting under Anton's guidance. While we did that, Jessie went shopping. I told her to grab me a shirt too because the Harpies had torn my Naruto shirt a while back. Helen wasnt feeling all to well, so she just watched.
"Spread out your feet, it'll give you better traction and mobility," Anton says.
Anton isn't nearly as strict as Jim but he also isn't as proficient with the sword. He would mention subtleties that Jim would have overlooked so that was helpful. The sword was lighter than Jim's and it felt perfectly balanced. Apparently, it's called Riptide and it was a gift from Chiron. Chiron must have really taken a liking to Anton to be able to give away such a cool pen.
When we finished up, I sat down, folding my legs and bringing them to my chest. Anton seemed pleased that he could finally get a chance to work on his mini architecture project; he pulled out a four dimensional kit and began structuralizing ancient Greek theaters and monuments.
Helen was too dizzy to talk much so I kept to myself. I couldn't help but think back to the prophecy. The one line about being crossed at the sound of the ring. Chiron had said the oracle was intentionally ambiguous. Could it be a ringing bell or an actual engagement ring? And crossed? My heart felt like it meant betrayal but it hoped it meant something else. But how else does someone get crossed? A crossover in basketball?! The oracle had said only one of us would get crossed. So who would it be? And who would cross them?
I look over and see Helen slumped against a tree, her head tilted back, leaning against the trunk. Could Helen deceive us? My heart shatters at the thought of it and I immediately feel guilt at my cynicism. Helen had said someone had persuaded her, or influenced her rather, to join the quest. Other than that, she implied there were no strings attached. She had never lied to me. Or had She? Shut up, I think. She has never let me down, unlike a certain materialistic satyr. And Jessie. She had someone to save. Besides, she's too concerned about her nails to stab anyone in the back. And Anton. I watched him as he assembled pillars and placed columns on them. What would he have to gain by betraying us? He doesn't seem to care that we've used his money for clothes and food so he must not be materialistic. My head felt the convoluted theories tie together in knots, causing only grief.
Eventually, I just gave up and took a walk. I walked past Anton's monster warding circle. He had a ring of manure set around the perimeter of our camp to mask our scent. So far, it was working. I stepped out and continued, unsure where I was going but feeling a certain longing within me.
Eventually, I approach a hill and I see a figure looking in my direction. I feel a tug in my chest and everything begins to make sense. The man was adorned in a toga and in sandals with wings attached to them. I know this man, I think.
The wind gives me a reassuring push and I walk up the hill.
"Jeremiah, it has been a long time," the man says, and I want to cry tears of joy and sorrow at the same time. His solid blonde hair and gleaming brown eyes, the latter of which I inherited.
"Father," I croak.
"Come, my son," Hermes says, as he beckons for me to stand beside him.
I stand next to him and I feel his aura emanating. He puts his hand on my shoulder and I want to punch him and hug him at the same time.
"Where have you been all this time?" I ask, my voice tremulous, tears rolling down my cheek.
He looks at me with a twinge of sympathy and says, "I have always been with you."
I stop myself and look up at him again. How could he say that to me? What happened when I was attacked by the Manticore? What about the Giant? Then, slowly, it begins to dawn upon me: he was there.
"That calm I felt--it was you, wasn't it?" I ask, remembering how deft I was in my battles, how I had been able to run with a poisoned leg and slay the Manticore. How I was able to race past Lucas's football team. How I was able to go toe to toe with Anteaus and eventually outmaneuver him.
He smiles softly. "I couldn't be there in person but my gifts were always with you. My time is always limited, my responsibilities only growing. However, speaking of gifts..."
He extends his palm and the air above his hand glimmers and the luster materializes into soles, laces, and feathers. He holds a pair of converse sneakers with wings, flapping gently.
He looks at me with a knowing expression, like the one Anton wore when he knew Riptide would return to my pocket if I lost it. "You may be taunted for your origin but I don't have to define you. I've made mistakes in my life but you aren't bound by my actions nearly as much as you believe. Don't believe for a second that mediocrity is the norm for any child of Hermes."
Why was he telling me this? Was it because of what Lucas had said? Was it Anton's implication that a child of Hermes was nothing special?
I nod, feeling for once that I didn't get the short end of the straw. He places the sneakers into my hands.
"You will suffer my child but you must be strong. Don't allow anyone to learn of your gift yet. Also refrain from telling them about meeting me just yet. Give your mother my greeting, she always worries herself sick. Her gift has already reached her," he says, and smirks.
He then poises to take off.
Suffer how? And why can't I tell them anything yet? But...there was so much I wanted to ask him. So much I wanted to say.
"Wait," I say. "How will I be able to talk to you?"
"When you are tried by your struggles, you'll be able to find me. Or perhaps, a message will come to you," he explains. "I promise."
I look at him, with more reassurance now. He takes one last look at me and takes flight, his shoes guiding him. And when he gets a dozen or so yards away from me, his image fades and disappears.
I look at the shoes and place them in the bag Jessie bought me. I return to my group, feeling more confident than I had in a long time.
When I get back, not much has changed. Helen has dozed off, Anton is still playing his game and Jessie is applying eye liner meticulously, watching herself in her pocket mirror.
I begin sword fighting again, aiming to perfect my lunges and my form. I work all day.
Then we rest. During the night, we have one encounter with a belligerent cyclops, although, after a round of fighting, I'm able to scare him off. I dream about the sickly boy again. He tries to tell me something but his voice is inaudible.
The next day, Helen is still in no shape to get a move on. Nothing eventful happens apart from my training, Anton's game and Jessie's makeup session. Seriously, that girl must have an unlimited supply.
On the day of the 18th, we decide to set off. Helen is showing improvement but she has to use a walking stick to keep steady.
It's strange how much money Anton still has. Even after purchasing the train tickets and food, not to mention Jessie's spending spree the days before, he still has leftover money.
Once we're on the train, I turn to him and say, "You would have thought you were the son of the God of Finance, considering how much money you have," I joke.
He chuckles and returns to his virtual chess game.
The travel is long and boring. Where Helen would normally talk to me, there was only Jessie to flirt and offer small talk. Anton would occasionally explain some wonder of engineering like the Panama canal but I would zone out pretty soon. Man, I really wish Helen would recover. Not because I want someone to talk to--that would be a bonus of course--but because things aren't the same without her. She would have asked me where I went that day and she would have loved to hear about my meeting with my father. She always managed to get everyone involved, not giving herself enough credit. I wonder what battles she concealed in fear of worrying her teammates. I decided to ask her when she recovered.
Speaking of Helen, her bruise had healed quite a bit. That Ambrosia was working magic. She almost looked the way she normally did. However, we were a little low on Ambrosia. Another rough battle and we'll be out of cubes.
We arrive in California on the evening of the 19th. We are all worn out from travel so we decide to rest for the night. The good news is, Helen is back to normal, so she offers to take a night shift to watch for monsters. Selfless Helen. This time we have to choose an alleyway. Jessie was averse to the idea but we realized we didn't have much of a choice. We eat before we rest and the discomfort settles in. Tomorrow is the last day before summer. Tomorrow is when things go down. I have a hard time falling asleep but fatigue finally gets me.
I find myself in a dream. I stand beside Helen on a stone surface. We are both battered pretty badly as if we just fought a monster and then, without warning, the ground crumbles beneath us. We fall in slow motion and I reach out to her as I plummet down. She extends her hand and I grab it. We then float back to ground level and for some reason she starts shaking her head. I can't hear our conversation but from the looks of it, we are having a disagreement. Then, something steals our attention. Before I can turn to see what it is, I wake up.
I see Anton's grey eyes. "It's time for your shift," he says.
I get up, groggy, still feeling the weightlessness in my stomach. I watch for monsters but nothing happens. This really starts to get on my nerves. A decent fight would be more comforting because at least I know what they're up to. Idleness makes me nervous as if I know something is supposed to happen but nothing does.
Then, we set off for Point Reyes. Once we get out of the cab, we start walking. Helen and Jessie walk side by side and I notice the difference between the two. Where Jessie's face was glossy from makeup, Helen's face had a beauty mark near her rosy cheeks, all devoid of any makeup. Helen's hair wasn't in her typical twisted halo. She looked beautiful. Helen did have a new dress on, courtesy of Jessie, but it was a simple, long, light yellow tunic with sleeves. Just like her, it wasn't flambouyant or standoffish.
While we took a break from walking, I approached her. "How are you doing now?"
"Much better," she says, and smiles in gratitude.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to prot--" I start.
She puts her finger towards my lips, gesturing for me to be quiet.
"The past is the past. But. Thank you for always standing beside me. It means more to me than you know," she says.
I look at her, dumbfounded for a moment. "Oh, of course...I--I want nothing more than to be beside you." I know how I feel about her now.
Her eyes light up and she swallows as she makes an expression that is a mix of trying to smile and not to cry at the same time.
"The dress really suits you. It's simple and beautiful--just like you," I say, my hand rubbing the back of my head.
Her cheeks redden. "Jeremiah," she says, as she brushes her hair behind her ear, "remember when I said someone influenced me into joining the quest?"
"Yeah, why," I ask.
"Because Chiron asked me to join a quest and I told him I felt I would be of more use in the infirmary. He explained why he thought otherwise and he mentioned it was your quest. After thinking about that, I decided I would go," she explains.
I stare. She joined the quest because of me? Does she...did she feel the same way I did about her? It made sense.
"Helen. I want you to know that I care deeply about you and you mean a lot to me and..." I swallow. "And that I l--"
I'm cut off when Anton announces we have to leave.
Helen looks to me and I press my lips together. We exchange a look that means 'later.'
Anton sighs. "Karen, and everyone else. Its time."
He had already asked for the tourist attractions and the most sublime thing there was happened to be an estate where a wealthy old man lived. We headed there.
As soon as we got there, I knew it was the place. It was adorned with a massive portico, arches, columns, and a porte-cochère which beheld gleaming silver cars.
"Well, this is definitely sublimity in the land most sublime," I marvel.
"Oh baby," Jessie says.
Most of the group stays back and we follow the plan. Anton approaches the door and Helen aims her slingshot for coverfire. We didn't really have another long range weapon so we settled with that.
An old man wearing a tailcoat emerges and there is some muted conversation. The old man nods and then Anton gives us the signal.
We get out from hiding and approach the door. I feel a chill run down my spine. It seems like each bush has a pair of eyes watching us.
The old man, who I take to be the butler, must have bought Anton's sob story because he was alright with us coming in, disheveled as we were.
The butler, who looked a lot like Alfred, led us down the corridors. The inside was just as impressive as the exterior. There were carpets of brocade, massive chandeliers dangling, panes with paintings of people I didn't recognize and velvet sophas with fluffy cushions.
It was incredible--the sight of which made it difficult to remember the quest.
"Master B," the butler calls.
I almost choke. Master B? Master Bruce Wayne as in Batman?! Imagine that.
My hopes are quickly thrown out the window when a paunchy old man emerges from one of the rooms. There is some giggling from the room he came from and I realize the sounds come from multiple women. "What is it, Ragtin?" the paunchy man says in a thick Egyptian accent.
"Sir, there appear to be a few stray children who would like to spend the night here. I k--" Ragtin is cut off.
"Alright, alright, take them to some room upstairs to Maria," the paunchy man says, waving us off.
"As you wish," Ragtin says, and they exchange a look.
Instead of taking us upstairs, Ragtin takes us downstairs. We head down and I keep my hand on Riptide in my pocket, stepping closer to Helen. Helen takes my cue and keeps her slingshot in reach. I get a bad feeling about where this is heading.
When we get down, a maid approaches us and offers to take us to our rooms. The woman is startlingly attractive. Before I can protest, I realize we aren't the only guests the place is housing.
A roar makes me tremble and turn. Ragtin is now on all fours, the only thing is, he isn't human. He has morphed into a lion, except he has the head of a goat protruding out of him as well. His tail is now a serpent.
"That's not Alfred!" Iyell.