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He withdrew it quickly, with no delay as those nearby reached for their weapons the same as he had done. Zoe for her bow, Bianca for hers, Grover for a slingshot and finally, Thalia for her spear. Each of the five with their weapons in their hands pointed them at the source of the noise, where they expected something, anything, to come charging out at them. There was little visibility, the junkyard was packed, and so Percy figured that they'd have only seconds to react before whatever it was, attacked them. It was why, without thinking, the group of five formed a circle, loose as it was. So long as the new friend wasn't burrowing, nothing would get between them.
If there was something that somehow managed to get between the five of them, well, Percy knew it wouldn't last very long.
"Anything?" he asked in a whisper to his friends, the group of them all peering off into various directions. They tried their best to make sure none of them looked the same way, it wouldn't have been very helpful if they did.
"Nothing," Grover responded quietly, a shred of fear evident in his voice; the boy didn't think of himself as all that much of a fighter. He really did prefer the woods and nature as he quested for Pan's whereabouts.
Thalia grunted a negative, no elaboration or emotions evident save for frustration.
The two Hunters of Artemis remained quiet for a time, but when they did eventually respond, it was together. He wasn't sure how they coordinated that, but it was pretty impressive. Cool too, definitely cool.
"Zoe?" Percy asked as the minutes began to pass them by.
"I know not what might linger in this yard of junk," Zoe responded, her hesitance explained. "If we continue, we do so at our own risk. Beasts are predictable, they can be reasoned with, tamed or tracked with ease — these machines are abominations, an affront to nature. They are as your automobiles, only with minds of their own."
Well, that doesn't sound great.
Percy nodded to himself a few times, swallowed, and broke from the formation they'd formed when the noise had reached their ears. For the sake of Annabeth and Artemis both, they could not dill-dally as they currently were. Any lack of progress could see the Goddess or the Wise Girl in further peril or torture. The group needed bravery, and beyond that, somebody willing to get hurt if they wished to continue after Zoe's warning. Aphrodite's had already set them on edge, but it helped him too; she wanted to mess with his love life, so surely that meant he'd be fine, right?
"Halt, Jackson, we know not what b—" Zoe tried, her hand reaching out for him after a scant few seconds of hesitation as he moved past her. It was too late. He danced away from her, a bit of dust kicked up, and started right along the path they'd already been following.
"I'll lead the way. You four can save me when I eventually spring a trap, how's that sound?" Percy grinned when Zoe huffed. She might think this to be him doing something foolishly heroic, and maybe it was, he just wanted to get them all out of where they were and on the right path for their journey to rescue the two people who had already been in captivity for quite some time.
Artemis and Annabeth deserved to be rescued. It was the whole point of this venture. Hesitance had no place amongst them.
"Be careful," Grover whispered as the boy started to take a few steps after Percy, trepidation evident but loyalty to his friend allowed the boy to overcome it. Had they Annabeth, the third member of their trio, it would have been all they needed to complete this quickly and without any sort of issue.
Thalia made a noise of amusement as Percy started off, his pace slow but confident. Zoe seemed miffed, but for some strange reason unbeknownst to Percy, she didn't insult him this time around. Bianca was by her side, maybe that was the reason… it could just be the fact he'd taken a bullet for the latter girl. That might have won him some pity points from Zoe. Probably not, but that was the best explanation he could come up with, so that worked well enough for him.
"Nothing so far," Percy said after maybe a minute of walking. "This is actually a pretty nice walk, huh? The stars look beautiful, it's not like when you're in or near a city. You can actually see them for a change."
"They're beautiful," Bianca agreed.
"Each has a meaning, most are lost on youths of today," Zoe added cryptically. Those words weren't expanded upon either. The 'girl' remained silent while Percy thought of what else he could say.
He really did hate silence, especially when it dragged on during the tenser moments like the current one they found themselves in. Somehow, when there was silence, it made everything worse. At least when you talked, you could overcome that unbearable, creepy feeling that the place had. When everybody went silent and because he was in the front, it almost made Percy feel as if he were alone in the junkyard. If it wasn't for the occasional noise that they made behind him, he would have really believed he was.
"Stop," he whisper-yelled, his eyes catching movement as he nearly skidded to a halt from the fast pace of his walking.
There, ahead of them, were two vaguely humanoid-sized and shaped things walking. He didn't have a clue what they were, he hadn't ever seen something that looked like them before… except for in movies and tv shows. Star Wars and Star Trek — yeah, now that he thought about it and with help from the moonlight, the things looked like advanced robots built with a more ancient design in mind.
Percy was pretty impressed by what he saw while his friends drew a little closer, that circle forming impromptu and out of habit as they were forced face-to-face with objects they knew very little, if anything, about. Aphrodite's warning likely weighed heavily upon them just as it did on him. In that same light, however, he didn't really take everything she said at face value. It was hard to do just that; Aphrodite liked to love and her cabin did too, they weren't exactly fighters, wise prophets or anything like that.
Briefly, as he thought of the Goddess and the lack of aid her cabin often gave, a quick flash played throughout his mind. There was a woman, olive-skinned with dark hair and in a gown that assured him of her beauty, dancing around him with fleeting sounds of laughter and light-heartedness. When he blinked but once, it was gone, and those creatures were moving.
"What're they doing?"
He wasn't sure who would answer his question, but he asked it anyhow. There wasn't really a point to avoid doing so when the others might offer some sort of insight. Mainly, Zoe or Thalia. A few seconds later, it turned out that his question wasn't even all that needed. He watched with the others silently doing much the same behind him — save for Zoe who had turned on the balls of her feet to look back whence they had come for the sake of their safety — as the two automatons grabbed various pieces of scrap and collected them with a purpose.
It dawned on him as the group watched them sort, the two machines paying them no attention; they were scavenging from the junkyard. Maybe they needed to repair themselves, maybe they had begun to build new brothers and sisters for themselves. There were, in truth, a myriad of reasons that Percy's brain would gladly take and run with, but what mattered most was when the creatures saw them, they looked at one another and then… promptly ignored the group as they returned to their work. It made him let out a breath he hadn't recognised he'd been holding. Such was the degree of relief he felt.
"We can go past them," Percy said, perhaps with a bit more confidence than he should have necessarily had. He was just trusting his guts, and they usually didn't lead him wrong. He had to put a lot of emphasis on that usually though, just in case they did, this time, lead him astray.
"You're certain of that, are you?" Zoe queried, her voice and the distance therein conveying that she was still far to the rear with her bow in hand and an arrow partially knocked… he confirmed the last bit by shooting a little look over his shoulder at her.
"As certain as I can be, I guess," Percy answered with a shrug as he started forward, slow and with all the confidence in the world. Maybe the things were like some wild animals or dogs. If he didn't go overly fast and acted like he wasn't a threat to them, they'd let him walk on by with not one problem with his doing so. He could hope that was the case, and he did.
Percy was thirty feet from them; nothing happened. He moved, and then he was only twenty feet away from them; nothing happened, they continued to sort through the material they were gathering and examining. That distance shrank again, now but ten feet or less as he was directly between the two machines that sorted on either side of him. If they were going to attack, it would be then.
There was no sign of movement toward him, not even a glance his way as he continued right on past them. When he was another ten feet beyond them and from the area, they'd already sorted, he turned around and raised his arms at his companions as if to prove everything was fine. He saw Zoe's resolve harden as she stepped forward, her left arm weaving around Bianca in a protective manner. Thalia and Grover followed behind, the former now taking over the job of watching the rear as Zoe urged them onwards; her drive to save Artemis was the same as Percy's to save Annabeth.
Each had a person they cared about like family, more even, and to delay would see further pain in each of the two's minds, bodies and spirits. That was something neither he nor Zoe wished to be responsible for.
Eventually, and thanks to his guess proving true, the group bypassed the two machines and hurried away from them lest their 'minds' changed. They had made it past two bots, likely the ones that had caused the earlier noise that had startled them; all that meant to Percy was the fact that there could be more, many more. The junkyard was expansive and the various legs, arms and heads of different automatons were all the evidence he needed to assure him that there were plenty more creatures that could pop out and visit.
Riptide remained drawn and pointed forward as a result.
"Remember what Aphrodite said?" he asked his friends.
"There's dangerous stuff in here?" Bianca asked, the youngest and smallest of their group still firmly at Zoe's side with the pelt wrapped around her body. Percy had no regret that he'd given it to the sweet girl. "Or that we shouldn't take anything?"
"That," Percy said. "I don't like this place. It feels weird and after seeing those things sort through this junk, I'm guessing there's a curse if we try and steal from here. Make sure before we leave that we don't have anything in our shoes."
Thalia snorted. "You think a god would care about a screw?"
"They've been bothered by less in the past," was Percy's retort.
In response, Thalia shrugged and chuckled. Percy was happy she let it drop, and the group continued in much the same way that they originally had. There was silence and vigilance, caution and a hidden, underlying eagerness. They were primed for a fight, they had been for quite some time. The lack of sound or enemies visible to them set them on edge more than the skeletons with guns had; at least in the case of the latter, the group knew what to expect. There wasn't a hidden menace made from metal that could be waiting for them with one wrong step or a god's anger they'd risk by taking something from his junkyard.
"Looks like we're getting close to the end. Thank the gods," Grover said, the nervous lilt still in the boy's voice. There was a degree of happiness too, even if they weren't out quite yet.
Percy figured just seeing the way out would improve his friend's mood. He knew that it improved his. The Hunters had to be eager to get back to a place they felt more comfortable in too. Anywhere but being surrounded by artificial creatures and material.
"This felt really easy, didn't it?" Thalia asked, continuing the conversation so as to avoid that silence dropping on them as it'd been doing constantly in the junkyard. She seemed to hate it just as much as he did.
"It did," Percy agreed. "I would have thought we'd have to fight something. I guess not though, huh?"
"We are not yet out from this hall of scrap and the sentinels therein, Percy," Zoe warned as her grip around Bianca tightened. "You have not noticed, but there is much in here that would aid us were it in our possession. Perhaps there were even items you might enjoy for leisure — the place, meaning to or not, tempts those who pass through it. They see desires made by a master craftsman and can't contain themselves."
For some reason, 'contain' was emphasized by Zoe. He wasn't sure why that was or what she'd seen, but he figured if she were annoyed with him, she'd come out and say it. That meant it had to be one of the others, probably Thalia or Bianca; she'd be more straightforward with him or Grover.
Dang, Percy suddenly thought as the exit only drew closer. I didn't get the chance to look at anything. I missed everything that they saw… Annabeth is worth it. Zoe said it'd only be tempting anyways, so maybe I owe my Wise Girl. I'll tell her that later. Maybe. She might just tease me.
He didn't want to be teased. Well, he didn't want to, but he wouldn't say he wouldn't enjoy it if it meant having his friend back. Who knew, maybe Artemis would be pretty friendly with him too, right? It wasn't like he wouldn't try and help her. She was one of the best Goddesses as far as he was concerned.
"Well, that certainly looks convenient, doesn't it?" Thalia asked dryly as the group had finally left the Junkyard and looked at a truck that was simply parked very near to where they'd come out.
Nobody was near it, there was nothing special about it aside from the fact that it was fairly large, and the keys were in the ignition. The plate made it belong to Pennsylvania, and the thing was definitely large enough to fit all of their group. It did seem too good to be true though, especially when he noticed the cap on the back of the truck. Who knew what might be hidden under it?
"Should we go and take a look, Percy?" Thalia asked him before she asked the question to the rest of their companions. "Zoe? Bianca? Grover?"
Percy was definitely hesitant, but at the same time, what else were they going to do? Walk? That didn't seem like that would work, especially if the skeletons might still be after them, amongst other things. Not to mention, they still were working against the clock, so to say. If they walked, that would add hours upon hours to the time it took for them to reach the people they were meant to rescue.
He was pro-taking the truck. There wasn't another option that he could see.
"I say we check it out at the very least. The back's suspicious. I don't like that it's covered," Percy said.
Zoe nodded once. "I agree. With the automobile covered, we know not what might lay in wait for us should we take up the vehicle sans trepidation," the older girl looked over at Percy and offered a small secondary nod of approval. "You think right, Percy. It would do well if you and Thalia examined it — I will watch the rear with Bianca and Grover, and if it is a trap as we might suspect, it would not be one that ensnares us all."
Yeah, she was definitely right. If one or two of them were caught, that meant three or four were still free to handle whatever came after them; one of those people that were free could just rescue one of the others. That seemed like that made sense.
"I'll take the cabin since you seem so invested in the rear," Thalia snickered. Percy huffed in response, she wasn't remotely like Annabeth… but still, he supposed it was funny.
Gods, he really didn't want to open the trunk and take a look as to what might be inside that thing. For all he knew, there could be some of the skeletons waiting for him with more bullets. It hadn't felt good the first time and he knew it wouldn't feel good the next time it happened. Well, that was if he ever got shot again. It'd definitely made him far warier of guns.
"Caution, I would preach that you both not rush in your examinations," Zoe said, her words directed at Percy and Thalia equally. It was clear to all five that the two of them mentioned by the older Hunter were the bolder and more adventurous of the group. That was often helpful, but sometimes, when care was needed, it was a hindrance.
Now was probably one of those times considering Percy was in a rush and Thalia was typically pretty brash with whatever she did.
All the same, Percy nodded at the older girl.
He would be as careful as possible and at that same time, he would try to make quick work of his search. Percy walked forward with Thalia at his side, Riptide in his hand and a spear in hers. The latter moved to the driver's seat first, where she opened the door with the spear at the ready; there was nothing. Not one sign of a person, creature or the inhabitant of the truck.
Percy hoped it was a gift from some God rather than anything too nefarious; that was a word Annabeth had said a lot and one that he enjoyed quoting from her. He went on to watch her for another few seconds, ensuring that she was safe before he checked under the truck. As he suspected, there was nothing laying in wait for them under the bed of the vehicle. That meant he had to move on again, and with a sigh, he did just that. He moved to the back of the truck with his sword at the ready, and after a moment of hesitation in which he readied himself for anything that might be waiting for them, he ripped open the back of the truck and hefted his sword in a defensive manner.
There was nothing nefarious as he feared. In fact, there wasn't any proof that a person had been inside except for the items that were covered by a few blankets. Those blankets looked really warm, and the lack of dust was a bit worrying, but there was nothing alive… or, well, undead. All of that meant good things for Percy and his companions.
"What'd you find?"
Percy jumped and swung Riptide around at the source of the voice. He stopped after half a second, at the most, and huffed as he looked at the person who should have still been examining the cabin portion of the truck.
"Gods, Thalia," he said, folding his arms as he stowed away Riptide again. "That wasn't funny."
"It was from my perspective," she answered with a shrug and grin before her eyes peered past him. "So… are you going to remove the blankets to make sure it's nothing we have to be worried about? Those things could be explosives, you know, or something else that wouldn't be great."
Explosives? Please.
Percy looked at her, looked back at the blankets, and then he pulled the group of them away. It was easy since they rested on each other, and after a few seconds, as they settled on the open trunk bed and he bundled them up a bit, he smiled wide. The items came into view, and that was the reason for his happiness; there was food, a lot of it, along with drinks and other snacks or items of necessity that they might need.
Whoever had left this, Percy was now convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they had done so purposefully.
Maybe it was Apollo. He can't get involved himself, but it seems like something he'd do for his sister if we're the ones that are meant to go and save her.
"We should call the others over," Percy said, his eyes leaving the food and other equipment as they returned to Thalia. "We could all grab something to eat after a bit of driving just to give us a bit of extra time. I don't know about you, but I'm not a huge fan of cold canned goods."
Thalia scoffed. "I think I'll just eat some cookies and chips. Whoever packed all this for us left us medical stuff, sweets, soda, water… there's like a miniature corner store here. Think it was somebody we've met? The old man, maybe?"
Oh. Right. Definitely Apollo, then.
"Yeah, I'll thank him for us when we return to the camp. He's saved us a few times now, hasn't he?" Percy didn't wait for her to respond as he peeked around the truck and waved the others over.
Zoe sent Bianca and Grover first, and then she followed, her eyes hawkish as she looked around their surroundings. That trusty bow of hers stayed in her grasp with an arrow partially knocked. It was clear that she didn't totally trust whosoever had left this behind for them, but then again, it didn't seem like Zoe trusted many people at all. At least, not those she didn't know or considered outsiders.
"Percy, Thalia," Zoe said as they neared one another. "All is well? Thou are quiet, and when I glanced at your reactions here at the rear of the vehicle, I thought it queer. What lies within? Aid from our mystery benefactor?"
"You can ta—" Thalia started, but Percy did much the same and she huffed but allowed him. Knowing her, it was probably going to be something sarcastic anyways.
"There's food, drinks, medicine and just about anything else that we might want or need while we continue. I thought we could eat and change our clothes once we've driven a bit of a way away. You know, just to make sure we don't let our guard down here in a place that seems pretty… not great," Percy gestured around to make his point.
"I will drive the vehicle," she said.
Thalia made a noise of objection, but Zoe's resolve was steel-like.
"Since first these machines were made, I have driven them alongside my sisters. I know all there is to know and have had years of experience that predate even your grandparents," Zoe pointed at the passenger seat. "Percy, you will ride at my side and direct me as we drive — you know the area we seek, do you not?"
Thalia pouted, Percy nodded, and the group started off. They drove for nearly thirty minutes before, eventually, they stopped as Percy had suggested for a meal and change of clothing. It was very necessary.
"Are you going to hog all of the cookies there, Thalia?" Percy asked with a barely suppressed chuckle.
Around the girl was essentially a castle of Oreos, chips ahoy and other brands of sweets. She'd grabbed nearly half of the cookies, and in addition to that, other various sweets as well. When combined with the chips she had, he could only imagine how poor that diet actually was.
At least the others tried as best they could to eat healthily. He had grabbed some spinach from a can — he had fond memories of pop-eye — and some ravioli. The combination was strange, that was true, but he found them enjoyable. Maybe… maybe he had some chips and a package of snowballs too.
Thalia had tempted him, it wasn't his idea.
Bianca, meanwhile, aided Zoe in determining something the other girl would enjoy. For somebody as aged and experienced as her, it was strange to think that the youngest of their group who had lived a good deal of time in the past was the one aiding her. All the same, Percy was happy to see it. He loved when his friends or people he thought of as friends, got on well, especially when it was Bianca. She was one of the nicest, soft-spoken and sweetest people he knew.
He'd promised Niko to keep her safe, and if he was asked, he would promise her to look after Niko. It'd be a bit difficult at times, Percy knew that, but family and friends meant more to him than anything in the world, and he would move mountains if necessary to keep them safe and fulfil any promises he made.
"Can I?" Percy heard Grover ask. He didn't hear the response to the other boy's question, but he did hear him happily chomping on something metallic, so he figured he'd gotten one of the cans that were empty.
"Percy Jackson," it was Zoe, the other three were a bit further away.
He turned to look at the Hunter. Initially, she didn't even want to speak with him, but now and recently, she'd begun to pay him a bit more attention. Her tone was typically withdrawn and strange, with undernotes of stuff he couldn't begin to figure out, but he was just happy the earlier confrontational attitude she'd had towards him was gone. It made her prettier, and a better friend.
Percy wasn't dumb, he'd keep the prettier comment to himself. Artemis would get mad at him and if she didn't, Zoe would. Still, all the same, Zoe was a pretty girl and he'd be blind not to recognise that.
"Zoe?" he asked, smiling and rubbing his eyes when he realised he'd yet to respond and she was looking at him.
"Would you be agreeable if I joined th— you?" Zoe's eyes sought out the log beside his. "I wish to confer with you as the day draws to an end and the light of our lady shines upon us."
"Yeah, definitely. Feel free," Percy responded as he patted the spot beside him. It was a bit strange that Zoe wanted to join him, that wasn't typical for her even if they'd gotten along a lot better recently than historically. Either way though, he wasn't going to complain. He was pretty elated to think she'd go so far as to sit with him she went and asked for permission.
"My thanks, Percy Jackson," Zoe said to him with a slight dip of her head. "You did well today. I was out of my element as Bianca was, and the… Grover. It was strange being surrounded by so much machinery. Stranger too that Aphrodite and Ares took interest in you. The eyes of Gods are not without issue, as you know."
Percy nodded at that. He knew the truth of her words. "It was normal enough. My first quest was similar, but I'd say not as dangerous after getting shot," he rubbed at his shoulder and paused, the pain still lingering though the wound wasn't nearly as horrible thanks to the girl beside him and whatever healing she'd done on him. "I just wanted us to continue too, is all. We have to save Artemis and Annabeth, don't we?"
Zoe smiled softly, her eyes gazing up at the night sky. "We do, our Lady Artemis does much for the safety of those who will never know her beyond the 'myth' they think her to be. I know not of your Annabeth, but if she names you friend and you, her, I can only imagine her quality."
"Is that a compliment?" Percy asked with a grin on his face. He couldn't stop himself.
"Let it not go to your head, Percy. All brave heroes had a woman behind them, from the kings of old to the greatest Gods, they were seldom alone," Zoe turned to look at him, the epitome of decorum and fluidity in such a movement. "When you decide to rest, Percy Jackson, and cease your quests, I do so hope you do well for yourself. It is rare that heroes have happy endings."
"Good thing I'm not a hero then, just someone who cares for his friends," Percy pointed toward the can in her hand. "Figures."
"Figures?"
He laughed and nodded. "Figures," he repeated. "You like olives, but there's also that red thing they add to them. I sometimes toss away the olives just for those."
Zoe cocked her head at him, and a hesitant look of amusement — one that looked equal parts scandalous — settled upon her beautiful face. She looked around, and then back at him as she joked with him. "Monster."
Percy laughed more openly and with more force. He hadn't expected that from her, but he wouldn't complain. Zoe was pretty awesome.
Eventually, Zoe made her way back over to Bianca who seemed a bit put-out for one reason or another, he'd figure it out later, and he nodded at Grover, catching the other boy's attention. Percy needed to go and relieve himself a bit in the woods, his bladder was pretty full but he didn't want to go without telling any of his companions; Grover would be the least awkward, being another boy and all.
"Careful, Percy," Grover said cautiously, a nervous look on his face as he looked into the dark woods near them. "Yell if you need help, right? We'll be right to you as soon as we hear anything, promise."
"I will… yell, I mean. I won't need help, it's just the woods," Percy patted his friend on the shoulder and after a few seconds, he went off. Obviously, he wouldn't venture too far from his band of friends, but just far enough that he'd feel comfortable and out of sight from them.
Grover gave him a smile and went back to snacking, and thereafter Percy went off with a whistle. He felt refreshed after a good meal, a change of clothes and a nice conversation with Zoe. All of those combined made for a pretty good day.
After nearly thirty seconds of walking, Percy figured his slow pace and the area he found himself in would suffice. Little of the light from the night sky shone down upon him, and less of it illuminated the ground through the brush and bushes. He looked around, nature's beauty not remotely lost on him; he could appreciate it and all of the moving parts that went into it.
There was a crack of a branch or twig, and that sobered his errant thinking rapidly. It could be a monster, Thorn, anybody, in truth. If he was unlucky, somebody worse, like Ares again, or Aphrodite. Really, he preferred Ares to Aphrodite. At least the constantly angry God was easy to predict in his hatred and dislike for him.
Again, another crack, and this time from a completely opposite direction. Percy looked toward it as he'd done the first time, and this time, he managed to see something, if only barely. It was a limb covered in pants with a boot that moved behind a tree. He'd barely seen the slightest movement, but he reached for riptide all the same.
"Who's there?" he called out to the person.
There was no response.
Percy called out to the person again, Riptide now in the grip of both of his hands. Whoever it was, they wouldn't have good intentions if they were hiding and now, refusing to answer them. He had half a mind to go back to his friends, but if it were just two of them and there was no risk of his companions getting injured… no, that was stupid. Annabeth would get annoyed at him if he did that. She always preached caution and care.
Percy shook his head at himself and nodded, and slowly began to back peddle whence he'd come from. The sword in his hand was gripped tighter still. He wasn't nervous, he'd fought a lot of creatures and beings, and so far, there was nothing that had truly terrified him — no, he could get angry, very angry. Like when his mother had been attacked or when Grover and Annabeth were hurt.
"Come out," Percy called one last time. He hated tension and waiting for a fight. Whoever it was had to just come out and fight him, that was all. It wasn't much to ask for. "We can talk."
And maybe, if it was needed, they would fight. It wouldn't be the first time and he knew it wouldn't be the last.
After his words left him, he heard a series of cracks. There were dozens of them and they were all-encompassing. He knew then that his slow, methodical retreat as Annabeth would argue in favour of wouldn't work all that well. Not when he seemed to be outnumbered as much as he was.
So Percy did the only thing that he could. He turned and ran, and it was only after three steps, or five, or maybe less, he ran into something that knocked him to the ground; Riptide was lost to the forest floor in the process. He couldn't see it when he scrambled to open his eyes and scramble backwards. It was lost in a bush or covered by dirt and leaves. That was all he had to defend himself with, which meant that whoever he'd knocked to the ground before him likely had the advantage now… then again, they sort of already had if he'd been surrounded by their allies.
He rolled himself over and tried to bolt, but Percy felt hands cover his eyes and hold the back of his shirt. With his vision gone and after a few moments, seconds really, he felt more hands pulling at him and checking him, and finally, he lost all of his senses when a flash of pain stabbed at his head and he knew nothing more.
When Percy came to, he immediately felt rope wrapped tightly around his ankles and his wrists. Escape was impossible, he figured, and so he sagged slightly in his bonds. Whoever had come upon him in the woods had been pretty successful, though their silence in the woods hadn't been all that great. It was only thanks to the large group of them and the fact that he hadn't trusted himself that they'd got him — if he would have went with his gut instinct and fought as he should have, he could have won. He knew he could have won.
"Aren't you going to say anything now that you've caught me?" Percy called out to the emptiness; he couldn't see anything, so he liked to imagine his captors had them under a bridge or in a cave. The typical place that ugly monsters went with their handsome, daring and heroic captives.
"Nothing?" Percy called out again, thoroughly annoyed.
After a few seconds, the cloth tied around his eyes was tugged roughly away. What he came face to face with after that happened, was one of the skeletons sans a disguise. At least this time the thing didn't have a gun. That was the silver lining if there really could be one. Well, that and he'd been taken from the woods and it looked as if they were still in the woods. If there was any place that he could be found in, that would be it.
Bianca was a Hunter, and she alone, despite her newness, probably knew a thing or two about tracking. Zoe however, was the one he believed would be able to find him expediently and before the creatures killed him or took him wherever it was they were going to take him; it made sense that they had a new order if he wasn't dead yet.
Guess I should have yelled as Grover said, Percy thought with a huff as the skeletons made mocking laughter at him. Maybe they would have found me already. No, Gods, I should have just fought. That would have been the best bet for me. That's without a doubt… now I guess I just have to figure out how I make my escape from here. I don't think it'll be all that easy with this many of them. These things were pretty fast too.
Percy looked around the little area he found himself in. There were vehicles driving across the road in the darkness, it looked like a burst of traffic, and the skeletons were being cautious for some reason. He supposed their disguises might work, that much is true, but how would they explain away him being taken away in ropes?
At least that was a bit of good fortune. It would give the others time, a bit of it at the very least, and with how cautious and worrying Grover could be, after more than five minutes, he'd likely raise the alarm that something was wrong. He knew that Percy was only meant to be going off to take a leak, he'd told the other boy that, and he knew that it had to be well beyond that five-minute mark.
So maybe, just maybe, all Percy had to do was be a nuisance for a bit of time. And Gods, he could do that with ease.
"Hey," Percy called. He didn't yell out, he didn't want them to knock him out again or gag him, not since they were fairly close to that road, but he did want to get their attention. And he did. It wasn't all that hard. "That traffic will last an hour or so, you know. It's called six in the morning traffic since people are off to work — there was an old dirt road behind us that you guys missed. It'd be a lot quicker, believe me, and if you're wondering why I'm helping you, I changed my mind. I wanna speak with Thorn and join him, all I want in return is Annabeth at my side. We'd make great, uh, evil demi-gods. Yeah."
The skeletons looked at him, and each other, and made some motions. One of them shook their head and pointed at the road again. Percy didn't need them to speak or answer him to know what that meant. They were going to wait here. He would have liked them to head back to make it easier for his friends, but he couldn't win everything. Maybe, if he were lucky, they'd look away from him and he could try and move away. He'd have to crawl, of course, but that couldn't be too difficult… he hoped.
It shouldn't be, at the very least. He'd done more difficult things than that before, but it'd be a lot better if he had Riptide. That sword could easily cut through the rope that now bound him in place. Though he did recognise that would be a little hard to do since his wrists were forced together too, but he digressed. It wasn't like it would happen anyways.
He huffed. The ropes were pretty tight, which meant he couldn't really wiggle himself out from them. They were actually pretty close to painful, but he figured skeletons, especially these ones, didn't really know what pain was anymore. He was just lucky to still be alive. This was better than being shot.
Percy looked over his shoulder when a sudden urge to do so struck him. It was like a whisper, a very faint whisper, and one that only he apparently heard. When he did as he was 'told' to, he saw a figure moving between a bush and a tree, and it was covered in leaves with no discernable face that he could make out. Maybe it was another faction that wanted to take him, kill him or get involved in this crazy conflict.
There was a lot that had happened thus far on the quest, Gods above, and each time it only seemed to get crazier.
"Now!" came a sudden exclamation.
And then, chaos broke out as arrows were loosed and people charged forward. Upon closer examination of the leaf-covered people, they were familiar. Very familiar. There was Thalia and Zoe, and slightly behind them, Grover. Bianca was the one firing arrows, though those were more as a distraction than anything else. They just annoyed the skeletons, and that was all.
Thalia dove at two of the skeletons, her spear a blur while Zoe did much the same to the one that was right ahead of him. Neither made to rescue Percy, or they hadn't seemed to until he felt himself be pulled backwards. He fell to his back as a result, and the face he saw was terrifying and familiar; Grover could look pretty fierce, it turned out.
The boy smiled at him as he used a knife and cut the ropes that bound Percy's feet, and next, his wrists. In seconds, Percy was free and a familiar blade was returned to him; Riptide. With it in his grasp, he felt fine, more than fine; perfect now. They could stay and fight the skeletons off, and after a bit of time, and the creatures were sufficiently delayed, they could make the escape that he knew they had to make if they wanted to continue on their quest. He wasn't overly proud. Percy knew that it was necessary if they wanted everything to end up with a happy ending.
Zoe, however, had other ideas. "Percy is ours, we make for whence we came expediently!"
After that was said, Thalia growled and struck down a skeleton, the bones falling to the ground and immediately, it began to put itself back together. Zoe, meanwhile, aided Percy to his feet and ensured all was well, Grover did much the same. Once it was certain that Percy could move, Zoe grabbed him with a firm hand on his shoulder and led him away. She didn't waste any time and even as he stumbled after her, she kept her grip on his shoulder. Thalia brought up their rear, deflecting and counter-attacking any skeletons that grew near whilst Bianca and Grover led them out, the two running ahead a good way to grab… at ropes!
Percy couldn't believe it even as he witnessed it from his spot alongside Zoe as they raced past those two with ropes in their hands. Somehow, they had created traps, and as he looked over his shoulder, he saw them activate those traps as soon as Thalia made it over safely. It was within seconds of her doing so that Bianca and Grover each pulled on the rope, and as they did, traps struck out and from sheer momentum, stunned the skeletons and sent them sprawling; those were only those near to them, however. There were still more, so the group had to use those traps to make space.
And they did. The traps were not wasted, they had enough time to make it to their vehicle some distance away, and they did. Percy jumped into the truck with his companions, all of them scattering up and into the large vehicle as the shapes of the skeletons broke through the treeline.
He swallowed as they got closer… and closer… and then he sighed in relief when the truck roared to life and Zoe sped off, the tires screeching as they bolted forward with speed she hadn't used once thus far.
"We're safe," Bianca said, her tone more relaxed than he would have thought it would be given the circumstances; she was learning. He was happy she'd gotten to learn.
"You did it, Zoe!" Thalia practically yelled. "You did it! Our member that we lost, is back — that desert behind us and that old, sandy forest couldn't stop us!"
Oh, right. We were supposed to lose somebody… was that me? Was that it? Percy didn't know, but he knew what followed. One would fall by their father's hand. I remember, but will it be me?
He didn't think it'd be Grover, and even if they didn't know Bianca's father, he didn't think it would be hers — Zoe's either, probably. As far as Percy was concerned, this was him or Thalia. Either option was horrible.
"I am only glad that we managed to recover Percy. The quest is mine and were I to lose a member, it would be my failure, my loss, my fault. That is unacceptable to me, and I wish not for a loss to be had by any now that the bonds between us run deep," Zoe's eyes found his eyes, and for a fleeting moment, Percy thought he saw something that was searching in her gaze. Only for a moment. After a second or two, she broke off and returned her vision to the road before them as she slowed their speed down. "We are comrades-in-arms, and together, as we have seen, we are infallible."
"Just say we can't be beaten, we don't need those big, old words," Thalia teased, no genuine annoyance in her voice as she piped up at Zoe's vocabulary.
"Usage of larger words generally directly correlates to their intelligence by way of the book, and with my age, wisdom is no worry o'mine," Zoe returned, a rare jest from the typically professional-focused girl. "Percy. You are to lead us to the Hoover's dam now. When we are close, tell me, and if we need rest, we can. I wish not to push us, nor do I wish for the skeletons to come after us should we delay."
"With this speed, we should be safe for quite a while if we make a good bit of distance. Well, as long as we go a good way away. It could take us a few hours depending on traffic and what have you," Percy said, the map from the compartment before him taken out and opened; it was a tight fit, but not horrible enough that he couldn't accurately read the map.
Thalia grinned, he could see it in the rearview mirror. "If we wanted a second break, I wouldn't complain. There's still tons of food in the back… actually… yes! I can do it! Grover, Bianca, hold my legs so I can forward."
Percy then registered Thalia opening a window in the back of the truck and a second later, she reached an arm through it so she could grab snacks from the back. It was a pretty clever, funny idea. It convinced him that it was really smart when she pulled out plenty of food for everybody too. He opened and helped Zoe with the food she desired, though it earned him many a queer glance from the girl that wasn't accustomed to male help.
Finally, and a good deal of time later as the food was finished and their journey continued, for the most part, in silence, he registered Zoe speak a few final words before he fell into the comfort of sleep's embrace.
"I did not lose him."
He wasn't sure how she meant that, and he didn't think he was supposed to hear it.
"Are we close?"
Percy looked at the map and nodded after a few seconds of looking at the aforementioned item. Based on the signs they'd just seen, he figured they were very close to their destination. Maybe twenty or thirty minutes. It was a pretty straight shot, all in all, and if that was their destination, he could only imagine what was laying in wait for them. Thus far, not one location they'd gone to was without its own issue or set of issues. It wasn't unexpected, just bothersome and tedious, not to mention incredibly dangerous.
He really hadn't liked the fact that those skeletons had used guns. That wasn't very good for them, not remotely, but they had a level of hesitation enough that they wouldn't use them in crowds. If not for that hesitation, then there would most assuredly be more issues… Zoe could, as she'd shown, navigate them through a forest with ease but therein lay the problem. The skeletons could blend to a degree in crowds and make it hard to fight, much less interact with them, but if they tried to escape through the woods or what have you, where the group's leader felt comfortable…
"Very close, I think that's our turn coming up soon. From there, it's just regular roads to the dam instead of these interstates," Percy said, pointing ahead of where they were. Meanwhile, in the back of the cab of the truck, the other three, Thalia, Grover and Bianca, were napping.
Percy had wanted to catch a bit of rest himself, but he had to navigate for Zoe. Thalia could have done it too, but she'd done a bit more fighting than he had, and then she'd had a sugar crash after all the soda and sweets she'd eaten. It wasn't like he minded either, the thought of more time with Zoe where they could talk and get closer as friends weren't bad in the slightest.
The more he got to know about her, the more he wished she'd call him a friend and drop what remained of her constant vigilance around him. Gods, Percy still remembered how she'd cared for his wound after saving Bianca — a wound that even now, still lingered despite whatever magic she'd worked — and after, when he'd been 'lost' as she'd called it, she had been the one to grab him and urge him to flee from their skeletal would-be captors.
He couldn't believe that still, but her altruism outweighed her dislike for boys or men. Maybe it was just a case-by-case basis too. He didn't understand their dislike in the first place.
"You are deep in thought, Percy Jackson. Your visage conveys such emotions," Zoe looked at him for a second, her eyes dancing from the road to him, and back again. "If you so wish to lighten your heart, I am here and all ears. Counsel often alleviates concerns."
There's the old-fashioned way of speaking with those old or big words. She'd get on with Annabeth real well. I can tell.
"I'm just thinking. We've gone through a lot so far, so I can only imagine what else we have to do before we make it to Artemis and Annabeth. If it's harder than it's been so far, I'm nervous that we'll get more hurt than any of us have so far," Percy figured if anybody could build his spirits back up from the lowish point they were at, it'd be the girl that was far older than him.
"You have been courageous and showed a stunning willingness to sacrifice t— yourself. There is no great action one might do than that, but I do not wish it to be. You are the only wielder of 'Riptide' that has been worthy of it for so long a time, I am… proud to say so," Zoe's eyes looked at him, her face staying on the road; she looked like she was pretty deep in thought too. He didn't know what was going through her head.
"What about 'a Father's hand' — I know you all seemed to think I was the one that was lost near, or I guess still technically in the desert, but the other portion of that prophecy seems pretty certain. What could we really do? Fight a God?" Percy didn't like the sound of it unless it was Ares, but he knew regardless of who it was, it'd be a very hard fight to win.
Maybe Artemis and Annabeth, if this was after they saved them, could help. Artemis on their side could surely turn the tide. She was smart, and Annabeth was wise. Anybody of the Hunt would be experienced beyond belief.
"Prophecies need not be final to such a point," Zoe said unwaveringly, her tone certain and then she changed the subject, one hand pointing at an approaching sign. She seemed to wish to be past the subject they were currently discussing. "We are close to the dam."
"That damn, dam is already here? I wanted to sleep s'more," Thalia piped up. Zoe and Percy didn't continue their conversation, and neither knew just how long Thalia had been awake or how much she'd heard from the two as they spoke about a fairly sad subject.
Quests weren't always given happy endings. He'd heard that before, and he'd read as much through the history books. Happy endings… the Gods and Goddesses of the world didn't much appreciate those much. Not even Aphrodite, who tended to covet tragic love stories and difficult ones than those of ease and happiness.
"Rest will come to you when we are finished with the quest, and only then will it be especially well-earned, I assure you," Zoe said with a fleeting glance over her shoulder as the recently awakened Thalia munched on something. "Wake the others shortly, they should be ready when we exit the vehicle; it will be necessary to pack with the belongings in the rear."
Percy palmed Riptide. He just knew there would be a fight coming up, and this time, he would keep his friends safe. All of them.
Nothing would make them need to rescue him again.