War Journal, July 3rd, 2001

After two long years waiting, two years' worth of training, my patience has finally paid off. I met my father for the very first time, Brutal, crude and crass by the standards of modern society but brutally honest, which is more than I can say for most of the Olympians. I certainly prefer him over the shapeshifting rapist, or his 'favourite daughter.' For his visit father gave me a quest, I swear it's like Christmas came early. But I have two objectives for this quest, the first it to complete it fully and the second which is equally important is to ensure that those I bring with me also make it back safely. Father has given me the chance I've been hoping for. The prestige of my siblings and our father now rests on my shoulders. I can't afford to fail; failure is not an option. I will succeed on this quest or die in the attempt.

After Argus dropped them off, the trio of demigods took a bus to the airport. The plane taking them to San Antonio was an Airbus A320 which was rapidly growing in popularity with the American airlines. As they boarded George noticed a symbol on the tailfin, he had become far too accustomed to seeing. A golden triangle in a purple field.

George hated flying, or rather to be more specific he hated flying on these planes. He only ever flown once, and it left him drained. The atrocious food was edible but that was the least of his worries. Any chance of sleep often commits suicide in the cramped confines of his seat. Considering he was taught sleep outside that's saying something. But most of all it was unbearably b-o-r-i-n-g. While he could keep his mind occupied with his books, it did nothing for his physical state.

"You seemed eager to learn how to ride a pegasus, yet here we are in the air and you look like you want to be back on the ground?" Allison noted as they took their seats.

"On a pegasus, I'm the pilot," George pointed out, "and sitting on one of them if far more comfortable than this," he gestured to the seating.

Allison looked around and nodded, "fair enough."

The flight was 6 hours, yet it felt like forever. So, he took note of the passengers around him looking closely at them to see if any were monsters in disguise. Thankfully none seemed to be present, but he did notice an attractive young couple sneaking into one of the restrooms. George made a note to avoid that particular cubicle and warned Luke and Allison to do the same. Allison was confused, but Luke quickly caught on.

"Mile High Club?" He asked, and shook his head when George nodded.

If there was one silver lining, the flight was without incident, there were no monsters or great storms. Once they landed in San Antonio safely, the trio collected their baggage and exited the airport. They decided to look for a place to eat, at this point anything was better than the plane gruel.

"No McDonalds," George said firmly, "their burgers make me sick."

They took a taxi to a part of the city George knew well, there was a string of various fast-food joints, flanking either side of the freeway. Burger Town, Chicken Little's, Druscilla's Deli, Sulla's Pizzaria, Santa Anna's Grill, Valdez Bean Cafe, Jack Frost Dairy and Blue Bamboo. George knew them, everyone. Relatively new to the industry, while nowhere near as famous or widespread as some of the big shots. They were rising quickly, buying out minor fast-food chains while also seizing locations from local Mom-and-Pop Diners. Along with another one, Captain Ahab's Lighthouse, these chains were all owned by a conglomerate called Thessaly Meals. At the corner of each of their logos was small purple circle with a triangle inside.

"See anything you like?" George asked his companions as they looked around, eventually, they decided on Chicken Little's. Once they got their order, all three kids practically dug in like it was a last meal.

"Not as good as Popeye's, " Allison noted, "but still better than KFC."

"Ahh yes," Luke remembered, "you're from Louisiana, right?"

Allison nodded, "Papa is a witchdoctor in New Orleans."

"Does he do any magic?" George asked.

Allison's hands shot up and with a grin began waving her fingers as if to cast a spell, "Oo-ee, oo-ah-ah, ting-tang, walla-walla bing-bang." She then lowered her hands and winked. "Only if you count fortune telling and herbal remedies. But he's usually participating in local jazz funerals."

"Most of these resteraunts tend to ride that line," George replied to her first comment, "the ones owned by Thessaly Meals are often just above the middle.

"So where do we go from here?" Luke asked taking a bite of drumstick.

"I'll call Sensei after we eat, being a Texas native, so I reckon he might know."

"Careful," Luke warned, "monsters are attracted to electronics."

George nodded, "I'll use a payphone." He leaned in closer, "listen, I know how dangerous these quests can be, so I don't wish to sacrifice yourselves over it."

"What are you saying?" Luke asked in a mixture of both perplexation and worry.

George frowned, "if I fall, save yourselves, don't throw away your lives unnecessarily over my failure." Luke regarded him for a moment before slowly nodding reluctantly.

"George," a voice the boy in question recognized rang out.

George turned to see four boys of Luke's age approach their booth. George's eyes widened in recognition, "Robert?" George stood up and clasped arms with the leader of the group who had spoken.

As he shook hands with the others. the last one said, "where the hell have you been? You never write you never call, it's almost like you don't care."

"I sent letters Paul," George insisted, "Not my fault you jackanapes can't read."

"Woah," Robert winced when he noticed the eyepatch and scars, "What happened there?"

George shrugged, "a crazy old she-bear, she had some long claws."

"Ehhhhgggghhh," one of the boys winced, "that looks painful."

George smiled tightly, "you have no idea Derek, anyway, it's good to see you all again."

"You too George," Robert said with a smile and sighed. "How long has it been? Two? Three years?"

"Give or take," George said as he looked him over, "I trust you've been keeping up with your training in Sensei's absence."

"Sensei would give us 100 pushups on our knuckles for a month if we didn't." Robert replied, "Will you come back to us? Competition has gotten stale since you left." Then his eye caught George's companions. "Friends of yours?"

George snapped out of it and turned to his companions, "I'm sorry, where are my manners. These are my friends from Camp, Luke Castellan and Allison Facilier." He then gestured to the group of boys, "Luke and Allison, these are fellow students of my stepfather. Robert Lawrence, Derek Westbrook, James Ramirez and Paul Jackson.

Derek shrugged, "well if George considers you a friend you must have done something right, he doesn't trust easily." He held out his hand to Luke who shook it. Derek held the hand for a moment before withdrawing it. "hmm, you've got the hands of a fighter kid. Maybe we can have a friendly sparr."

Luke declined with a wave of his hand, "I can handle a blade better than most but I'm afraid I won't be much of an opponent in a fistfight."

"Don't worry grasshoppa," George grinned moving his lips in imitation of bad dubbing, "I'll make a Kung Fu masta of you yet." He turned back to his classmates, "as for your offer, I'm afraid I must decline. My father gave me an assignment and I can't make a detour until it's done."

Derek chuckled, "same George we know and love," he shrugged, "anything we can do to help?"

George thought for a moment, though it was unlikely, it was worth a shot, "I don't suppose any of you know a place called Triple G Ranch."

Three of them shook their heads, but James' face darkened, his ground his teeth and his fists were pale from clenching so hard. "Triple...G?" His voice slow and strained.

"Ring a bell?" George asked. James nodded and George offered him a seat. Once he sat down James told his tale

"Ten years ago, my family was one of the richest landowners in Calhoun. But my father decided it was time to sell. But he was screwed out of the deal by the owners of Triple G." James sighed, "my family had everything, and because of them we lost it all." He then bowed his head, "But that wasn't even the worst of it. A year later my older brother Andy, tried to confront them. The police found him two weeks later washed up on a lake, so horribly mangled we almost didn't recognize him. It was too much for my old man and I found him in his study, feet dangling." James looked up his eyes hard, "what business do you have with Triple G?"

"I'm going to beat the shit out of the ranch-hand and steal their prize horses. Though my big issue is, I don't know where it is."

James was filled with resolve, "I can guide you there, if it means hurting those people, I'll be more than happy to help."

George nodded, "works for me, that will save me a lot of time."

Robert shrugged, "well if James is going, I might as well come to."

"Count me in," Derek spoke up.

"Me too," Paul added.

George frowned, 'this will make things difficult.' "I'm not sure that's a good idea, we don't know what kind of security that place has, and from what my father tells me, Triple G breeds some real vicious livestock."

Derek chuckled, "have you forgotten George, we got guns for that."

"I know," George replied, "that's what concerns me. I don't want to have to go to your mothers telling them why their darling boys won't be coming home for supper." He turned to James, "especially you James, you're all Linda has left to her."

James' face softened and turned to the rest, "he's right, I've studied them as best I could. Triple G only serves a select cliental and have more guards that Calhoun has law enforcement. Killing the merchandise of said clients could attract unnecessary attention on our families."

George's eyes widened and nudged Robert's arm. He looked at the younger boy who gave him the slightest nudge behind him. Robert discreetly took a look and saw two boys at the cashier brandishing a gun in his jacket. He gestured to the others who took a seat at a nearby booth.

"The place is getting robbed," George whispered to Luke and Allison, "Let's keep our eyes on our food. ' The two demigods nodded tensely and did their best to ignore the situation.

As the two boys occupied the cashier another boy walked behind the counter into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he came out with a fourth boy, and after taking some bags seemingly filled with food the boys headed out."

Luke leaned towards George, "Shouldn't we have stopped it?"

George shook his head, "their fates are already sealed."

After finishing their meal, the group said their farewells, "are you sure you don't want us to tag along?" Derek asked.

James nodded, "a smaller group would attract less attention anyway."

Paul nodded reluctantly, "alright then, if you're sure, but we'll be there if you need us."

With James' help the four took a greyhound Port Lavaca, and from their it was a long walk to the Ramirez family ranch, or rather the area where Ramirez ranch use to be. When they got there Ramirez stared in disbelief at the sight. "What did they do to my family's ranch," James gasped in horror and anger.

The Ramirez Ranch had hosted cattle, now it seemed that the cattle had been replaced with sheep that were peacefully grazing. Nearby a number of trucks were stopped and ranch hands were rounding up a number of sheep and loading them into the trailers.

"Looks like they traded stock," George said grimly.

James made to climb over the fence, but Luke and George grabbed him and pulled him away. James looked at George who was shaking his head and pointed to something. A racoon had slipped under the fence and was now walking among the herd of sheep. Many stopped grazing and regarded the intruder for a moment before they lunged at it. The racoon scrambled to slip away and evaded some of the before finding itself in the jaws of one of them. It pinned the racoon to the ground and the others started tearing it apart.

James gaped at what he just witnessed, "what kind of maniac raises carnivorous sheep," he said aloud, "for that matter who in their right mind would buy such animals."

"Like you said," George pointed out, "very special clients, ones that are willing to pay a ridiculous amount for those."

"Indeed," Luke added, "so let's try to stay away from the fence and off the menu."

George nodded, "we'll wait until nightfall," he decided, "we can find our prize without the guards noticing." He rubbed his chin, "now the question is where will we stay for the wait."

"Right idea," a voice said, the four turned weapons drawn to see a boy in his mid-teens standing behind them. his camo clothing snuggly hugged his frame under a forest green hooded cloak, and his face was covered in a balaclava and shades. A staff was in his hand with a bow and arrow slung over his shoulder and two hunting knives strapped to his waist.

"Who are you?" George demanded, his grip on his swords tightening.

The Stranger laughed and said in a voice that sounded far older than his appearance made him seem, "at ease George Grant, I'm not your enemy." He

George cocked his eyebrow, "how do you know me?"

"I'm familiar with most residents of Camp Half Blood, seeing as I helped many of them get there."

Luke's eyes widened, 'You, you're the one Chiron once spoke of, The Ranger, Robin."

"The one who hunts monsters yet is hunted in turn?" Allison wondered in awe.

Robin nodded, "regrettably yes, though I bear them no ill."

"If they're trying to kill you, why don't you fight back?" George asked.

"My fight is not with them," Robin replied, "besides, their mistress would turn me into a frog if they caught me."

"What is your business here," George asked cautiously. While additional help would normally be welcome. It could also weaken his credibility in the success of his quest.

As if knowing George's thoughts Robin raised his hand, "I'm don't intend to interfere with your quest. I'm on one myself, it just happens to cross paths with yours." He turned to James, "if you wish to get revenge on them you can help me."

"So long as we hurt them as much as we can I don't care what I have to do," James determined.

Robin led the group to his camp where they would rest until night, Allison put a spell on the campfire so no one on the ranch could see it once night hit.

At about 10 PM, they headed out and Allison cast a spell on the guards that had them basically oblivious to their existence. "Beware, Forswear, in the distance you will stare."

Once the guards were taken care of, they started navigating their way through the maze of corrals where different animals were held. In addition to the carnivorous sheep, there were man-eating horses, flesh-eating hogs, scared cattle, forest bulls, giant scorpions, and near the heart of the ranch were a set of stables that housed what looked like half-rooster and half-horse.

"What are those things?" Allison gaped.

"Those are why I'm here," Robin replied, "Hippalektryons."

"Some oversized roosters?" James asked, seeing only that in the mist.

Robin frowned, "this particular species of Rooster is believed to be extinct." He explained in a way a mortal can understand. But Triple G Ranch holds the very last ones remaining. They only lay one egg a year and the Master uses them for Omelets.

James raised his eyebrows, "that better be one hell of an omelets."

So it will be our task to liberate them."

"And this will hurt the Owner of Triple G?" James wondered with uncertainty.

Robin nodded, "Triple G spend generations collecting them, freeing them will undo centuries of work."

James' eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a grin. "Very well, I'm in, tell me what I can do."

While James and Robin made their own plans, the original trio made their way to a different stable. Allison put the posted guards into a trance allowing them to sneak inside. They entered to see rows upon rows of stalls and from each stall short burst of flames were seen.

Several Dozen, chestnut mustangs with fiery red manes, steel hooves and glowing golden eyes. George marveled at the sight, feeling like a child at the pet store. 'Where have these guys been all my life.' he thought. Those Rodeo broncos had nothing on these magnificent steeds.

As he walked along the aisles taking note of every horse they passed. One caught his eye at the end. This one was different; its coat was blood red, and its mane was black. Unlike the other stalls, the door of this one was reinforced with iron bars. It neighed and kicked violently against the walls and door of its stall in a furious bid to get free. Above hit was a nameplate that read 'Old Red'. George grinned knowing which one he now wanted.

"Okay," Luke said, "now that we have found what we're looking for, how will we get them all to camp?"

As he said this, a sinister chuckle was heard, "oh you kids won't need to worry about that."