Ch49
Percy led Tyson, Malcolm and Grover down another tunnel. The previous path they were on led them to Alcatraz where they helped a multi armed cyclops break free. Now they were back in the labyrinth on their journey.
"How are you feeling?" He asked Malcolm who eyed the walls around them carefully.
"To be honest nervous. Was it like this for you?" Malcolm asked.
He nodded. "It was. Trust me just go with it and don't think too hard about the details."
Malcolm gave him a small smile. "Thanks Percy. I'm glad I brought you along. As a child of Athena I sort of want to plan all the details."
"Oh yeah that reminds," he said as he reached into his bag and took out Annabeth's old baseball cap. "Here I've had this for a while you should take it."
Malcolm's eyes widened, "That's Annabeth's cap. How did you get it?"
"I honestly don't know the details but I have an educated guess," he said. That guess being that Luke may have planted it on him. "I figure you could use it more."
Malcolm looked at he cap and took. "Thanks. Our mother gave it to her, she was her pride and joy. It's a shame how my sister repaid her." Malcolm tried on the hat and quickly turned invisible before turning back.
"I put it to good use but I figure you can use it some more," He said smiling at him. While he did like the cap, he felt a bit wrong keeping it and figured a child of Athena would put it to better use.
"Thanks," Malcolm said smiling at him. "I know my mother has high hopes for me, I won't let her down."
"I'm sure you won't," he said looking at the walls.
"What did Athena mean by you know how to navigate the labyrinth?" Malcolm asked.
He shook his head. "I'm not sure to be honest. I honestly don't know, but I'm doing my best to try and think of what I know."
"Don't worry I'm sure you'll remember whatever it is," Malcolm said as he put the baseball cap into his bag.
"So what was Annabeth like?" he asked as they walked down the labyrinth. "I never knew her outside of being an enemy and the short time she taught me."
Malcolm sighed. "She was probably the brightest of us. Our mother had high hopes for her, we all did. She loved the camp and always dreamt of being called on a quest. She had her flaws too, she was kind of arrogant and wanted to prove herself the best at everything, well hubris is our the fatal flaw of all children of Athena but she really had a grand vision for her life."
"I see," he said as he remembered the few times they fought. "She always like the type to do what is right."
"We all thought that," Malcolm said softly. "Who would've thought that she would work with Luke and betray the gods." He detected anger in Malcom's voice.
"It hit us all hard," Grover muttered. "Chiron was depressed for a long time."
Malcolm sighed. "When the fallout of what happened occurred our mother got in trouble. She gave Annabeth that baseball cap and implications were made because she helped Luke escape. Our mother had to face the anger of Lord Zeus for Annabeth's actions and we her children faced the consequences also."
The son of Athena paused and swallowed a lump in his throat. "The thing is we didn't know at first that your dad forbade us in his domain. Not until the lake would through us out of the water and horses and pegasi avoided us or tried to throw us off their backs. We also faced the scorn of the other campers, especially since Annabeth was the golden girl and at times made enemies."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I know our parents don't get along but you guys shouldn't be punished for her. I promise if I can I'll try to convince my dad to not take his anger out on you both."
Malcolm smiled at him. "Thanks Percy I really hope we can complete this quest. I want to do it to restore our mother's honor and to make things right."
"I'm sure you'll do well. Annabeth's mistakes wasn't yours or your siblings," he said as they entered what appeared to be a large pastoral area with a sign that read Triple G Ranch.
He saw a man who was dressed like a cowboy in the distance. "Uh excuse me," he said. "By chance have you seen any other demigods pass through here?"
The man turned around his gaze tense. "The name's Eurytion. I have seen a few demigods pass through here but I recommend you all go back from where you came."
"Sorry but we really need to find these other demigods," he said.
Eurytion's face tensed up and a large figure appeared, he looked up at the imposing figure with three heads. Something about him looked very familiar, it may have been the piercing gaze or the dark hair. "What do we have here?" The man asked.
"Oh Geryon these demigods are looking for that guest," Eurytion said.
Geryon? He did his best to hide his surprise. Chris's son. Looking closer he could see the resemblance even if it were vague, Geryon was much more monstrous than his father in every sense of the word.
"Y-Yeah we are searching a demigod a female hunter and a boy in a leather coat," he said. "Have you seen them?"
Geryon smiled at him. "Why we have a girl who just stopped on by why don't you come and say hello."
He looked at Malcolm who appeared uneasy, "Don't worry we got this. We need to meet up with this demigod."
"Alright but lets do it quickly," Malcolm said with a tense expression on his face
Geryon led them through the ranch which was full of caged animals that did not look like they have been cleaned in a while. Chris warned me about him, we have to be alert. Still if Bianca or Nico were here he had to find them.
Geryon and Eurytion led him to a large house. "Missy you have some visitors," Geryon called out.
His eyed widened as Bianca di Angelo came out wearing a hunters outfit. "Percy!" She called out in surprise.
"If she the person we are looking for?" Malcolm asked.
He nodded. "Yeah one of them."
Bianca ran over and hugged him, "Thank gods I found. I still haven't found Nico yet."
"We're glad you are safe," he said as he introduced her to Malcolm.
Geryon looked at them both as if he were sizing them up, "Alright now why don't we take a small tour of the ranch while we talk about Mr. di Angelo."
"Where is he?" Bianca asked. "You said you knew where he was."
Eurytion avoided their gaze while Geryon smiled at them. "Why he was here not too long ago, come now we can discuss it on the tour."
Bianca looked nervous but nodded. "Fine we'll go."
They were escorted into a train car and were given a tour of the various caged animals who did not look happy. "You see we have a lot of clients here," Geryon said. "We supply meat and other specialties to a lot of clients."
"You've told me already," Bianca said rolling her eyes. "I'm looking for my brother Nico you said you saw him before?"
Eurytions stayed still while Geryon grinned. "Of course he bought a lot of stuff and even requested I get him something."
"Really what did he ask for?" Bianca asked quickly.
The train stopped and Geryon led them back to his house looking at all of them. "He asked for you my dear."
He gripped Riptide in his pocket. "I wouldn't do that," Geryon said. "I could take your heads right now if I wanted to. But you see Luke has a bounty on the heads of powerful demigods. I'm sure he'll pay a hefty price for you all."
Bianca drew her bow but Geryon quickly knocked it out of her hand. "Don't do that my dear you have a high bounty on your head."
"Wait," he said quickly. "What if we made a deal with you to get out of here? You like business don't you?"
Geryon looked at him, "I do. What do you have in mind?"
His heart raced as he thought of what he could do. "What if I clean your stables for you? They look pretty dirty, if I do it you let us go."
Geryon rubbed his chin contemplating the offer. "That sounds reasonable. But you have to do it yourself Percy Jackson. Go and clean those stables and I'll let you all go."
"Great," he said before turning to his friends. "I got this. I'll be right back."
"Be safe," Malcolm said.
With that he headed over to the horse stables which was covered in three layers of manure. Damn this place stinks.
The horses upon seeing him snapped their teeth at him, "We'll eat you give us your flesh."
Looks like this won't be easy. Usually horses loved him but he couldn't have them wanting to eat him now.
He looked over to the nearby river and quickly came up with an idea. "Oh no you don't," said a woman who appeared in the river. "I won't let you dirty my water by cleaning that place!"
He frowned but saw that she was clearly scared. "Fine but I need a way to clean it what do you suggest?"
The woman picked up some seashells and handed them to him. "These contain the essence of the sea, use them to bring forth water."
"Thanks," he said taking the seashells from her. These will be useful.
Putting some of them in his pocket he went over to the stable and broke some of the shells and through them on the ground. Water crackled and came out of the shells causing the horses to scream. Willing the water he pushed it around the stable causing the horses to scream as the poop was cleaned out of the stable.
"Great now for the hard part," he said as he headed back to the farm house. I know he is Chris's son and he warned me not to trust him but still I feel bad if this turns into a fight, though on the other hand I did kill his mom.
He entered the house only to find his friends bound and unconscious on the floor. Geryon and Eurytion sat at the head of the table. "Well I see that you are done," Geryon said with a wide grin. "But I'm afraid Luke put a big bounty on all of your heads. I'll be taking all of you to him in one piece."
"I figured you would do this," he said drawing his sword.
Geryon laughed as he got up, "Don't think you can beat me kid. Eurytion take care of him."
Eurytion frowned and shook his head. "I'm done doing your dirty work, do it yourself if you want to."
Geryon growled at Eurytion but drew his sword. "I'll take care of you later then."
He quickly ran outside as Geryon chased him. "Don't think I'll go easy on you because you know my dad," Geryon shouted as he bust the door to the ground. "I'd sell him out in a heart beat and he knows it!"
"Great then I won't regret doing this," he said as he broke the remaining shells on the ground causing water to form on the ground.
He willed the water to attack Geryon, the monster was knocked to the ground but quickly got up. "He told me about you," he said as he dodged Geryon's blade.
"Really? Don't tell me he has gotten soft since he turned mortal," Geryon sneered. "He was one of the most ferocious people I've ever met."
I don't doubt you but people can change. He landed a few blows on him but Geryon's wounds kept healing. Chris told me I have to take out all three of his hearts at the same time.
He blocked Geryon's sword and tried to counter attack but all of his wounds would just heal. I have to think of something quickly. He spotted a bow and arrow on the side of the porch and an idea came to him.
Willing the water he pushed Geryon to the ground with a small wave and quickly ran to get the bow and arrow. Oh Artemis and Apollo please guide my shot to take this monster down. He always sucked at archery but as soon as Geryon stood up he fired it, by a miracle of the gods it flew directly through Geryon and managed to pierce all three of his hearts.
Geryon moaned in pain as he disintegrated into golden dust. Sorry Chris. He sighed as he went into the house.
Eurytion looked at him and smiled, "Thanks. He was a real pain in the ass, sorry for hurting your friends."
"No problem," he said as he undid his friends from their bindings.
Bianca moaned as she got up. "Sorry they caught us."
"Don't worry I killed Geryon," he said as he helped Malcolm and Grover up.
"Well I think we should get out of here," Malcolm said strapping his sword to his side. "We need to get to Hephaestus's forge."
"Hephaestus? I know how to get to him," Eurytion said. "I helped him out a few times and he gave me a way to track him."
"Sounds good," he said turning to Eurytion. "Have you seen Bianca's brother or not?"
Eurytion sighed and nodded. "He came here a while ago with Luke. They paid Geryon a lot to capture you all."
"Nico," Bianca said softly.
"Don't worry we'll find him," he said firmly. "Come with us to Hephaestus I'm sure you'll find him along the way."
Bianca looked at him and nodded, "Thanks." She then turned to Eurytion, "If you can get us to Hephaestus then we'll leave as soon as we can."
"Sounds like a plan," Eurytion said. "Rest here for the night, you all can leave tomorrow if you want."
That night he dreamt of that woman again. She lay battered and beaten on the ground, blood coated her face and body. "Y-You bastard," she spat. Her body was covered in blood and cuts, she did not go down softly
"I'll give you anything for what I did," his father said softly. He was taken aback by the sadness and regret in his father's voice. "Anything please. I didn't intend to go this far."
The woman glared a murderous gaze at him. "Make me a man so this will never happen to me again."
"So it shall be," His father said softly
