They landed on a docked ship, one barely large enough to hold the statue's weight. Percy sprang into action, taking control of the vessel, sending it away from the dock and into motion, out of the harbor to the vast Atlantic Ocean.
"Orion will be fast behind us, so I'm getting us into my father's element where I'll have the advantage," he explained. "This also gets us out of Gaia's reach."
Coach Hedge nodded, turning to dig into his pack. "Have some Gatorade," he ordered Hazel. "You're looking pale."
Hazel grimaced. "All the jumps are taking a heavier toll on me than I thought they would," she admitted, taking the bottle. "I'm going to go lie down soon. Are we staying on the ship until we get to Camp?"
"Yeah," Percy nodded. "I thought that it would be for the best. I've called in some reinforcements too. Or, well, I've had someone stationed here waiting for us."
"Is that my cue?" a voice spoke from the hatch that led to below deck.
"Centurion Zhang, I trained you well," Percy grinned, turning to face his friend.
"High praise from the praetor," laughed Frank, smiling. His smile dropped upon seeing Hazel's pale look. "You should go lie down, Hazel. The shadow traveling must have taken too much out of you. You shouldn't take any more jumps," he insisted, walking over to her. "Here, I'll help you down."
Hazel waved him off. "I can still walk on my own, Frank. I'll be fine."
"Alright, alright," he laughed, moving to open the hatch. "I'll go down first then."
Her eyes softened at his worry. "You are such a mother hen," she sighed, but made no attempt to argue further as she followed him down.
"You should rest too, Coach," Percy suggested. "I can take first watch."
"And you'll come wake me in a few hours?" Percy opened his mouth to agree, only for the satyr to continue, "and you won't be an idiotic self-sacrificing hero and stay up until you collapse? A few hours means five, or even six, Jackson. Not twelve."
Percy blinked. "Well-"
Hedge gave him a look.
"Alright, alright," he acquiesced. "I'll grab Frank," he flicked his eyes up to the sun in it's noon position, "when the sun sets. You've been running yourself ragged too, just like Hazel."
"You better, kid," Hedge sternly pointed at him, before heading down.
Percy settled himself down on the hard fiberglass deck in the shade, and let his sword rest beside him.
Closing his eyes, he continued guiding the ship towards its destination and waited.
There had been a reason why he had so quickly agreed to Hedge's time. He knew that Orion would catch up to them soon enough, in the span of a few hours. Less than seven hours at the very least.
He detected faint disturbances to the surface of the ocean after four hours. Percy stood, sword in hand.
"Bold indeed for you to challenge a son of Neptune in the sea," he shouted at Orion's approaching form.
"You can't kill me, Praetor," Orion sneered. "Even with all your power over the oceans, you still lack a god to finish the job."
"Does he, though?" a voice spoke up. Appearing from the ocean depths was a merman with two tails. In his hand lay his namesake.
"Triton," Percy greeted with a nod.
"Perseus," the god returned.
Orion paled. "You… what are you doing here?" he bellowed.
"My father made a request of me. I decided it was worth listening to," Triton cooly returned. "We will bring glory to the seas with your death, giant."
"You were a fool to follow us here, Orion," Percy smirked. "You've now walked to your death."
Orion started to back away from them. "This won't be the last time you've heard of me, Perseus Jackson," he spat.
"Oh? And where do you think you're going?" Triton said, brandishing his trident.
The ocean around Orion moved and trapped the giant up to his shoulders, freezing in place.
Percy jumped into the ocean, propelling himself forward and up until he was face to face with the giant. Up close, he could see the stark fear and fury on his face.
"Send my regards to the Pit, won't you? I'm sure daddy dearest will be proud of your failure," he mocked, before cutting Orion's head off. Triton released his hold on the water, and the two of them watched as it dropped below the depths.
"A sacrifice for both our father and you, my lord," Percy stated, from his position on top of the waves. "Thank you for your help."
Triton nodded in return. "Good luck on the rest of your quest, Perseus."
The god disappeared back into the waves as Percy watched on.
Upon making it back to the ship, he went down below decks to the room where everyone else was gathered as they rested.
"I took care of Orion," he explained to Hedge and Frank. Hazel was still out cold on one of the two cots they had. "My brother came to help."
"Your bro- oh, Lord Triton," Frank realized. "Then it should be smooth sailing from now on?"
He gave Frank a look. "Yes, Triton, and don't say things like that, Frank. You should know better."
Frank rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright I take it back. My turn for watch then?"
"And actually call us for backup if there's something, Zhang," Hedge gave him a stern look.
"Hey I had a plan," Percy laughed.
Frank stared at him incredulously. "It hinged on there being a god there. Without there being a real confirmation that the god would actually show up."
"It worked out," he shrugged. "I see no issue."
Frank kept staring at him, before sighing and getting up from where he was seated. "You are impossible," he said as he left the room shaking his head. "And yes, Coach, I'll call, unlike a certain someone."
Coach looked at him, a 'see?' clear on his face.
Percy gave him an unrepentant grin, and laid down on the second cot, closing his eyes.