Chapter 5: Into The Death

We'd made good time down the East Coast. I had split driving duties with Lou over the last day. I was napping in shotgun when I felt a tug on my shoulder. I cracked my eyes and was hit by the rush of muggy air coming through the vehicle.

"Just passed into Florida." Lou said.

"Sweet." I said. She pulled over at a small gas station and we refilled the van. It wasn't anything to write home about on the outside, just a plain white van. But inside were several crates of rifles. Surplus Vektor R4 rifles from South Africa, I had no clue where Mr. Lane had found them. There were also several new Glock pistols. Mr. Lane had said the job was a rush order, thus his faith was in us for the last leg to Mexico. He'd given us an address in Tampa to drive to where I would find Lobos. Part of me was wondering why he was in Florida, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Annabeth was not happy about the arrangement. She was stuck in the back seat with all our luggage. She was out stretching her legs while Lou fueled the van.

"How's it hangin'?" I asked. She had a pair of sunglasses on, it was around noon.

"Too hot for me." Annabeth said.

"Yeah, you get used to it." I said. Thailand wasn't exactly cool either.

"So, once we get to Mexico, what's the plan anyways?" she asked me, "I doubt we'll be able to keep the van."

"Nah, probably not." I said, "We could either steal a car or hitch a ride."

"We are not stealing a car!" she said.

"No, that wouldn't be ideal." I said, "It would probably get flagged at the border."

"Do you even have people in Mexico who could help us out?" Annabeth asked.

"Not really." I said, "But people are always going to the border. It shouldn't be hard to find a ride. I'd have sent my Mom's car to the border, but we'll need a ride back to New York." I told Mr. Lane to send it to LAX. Easy to blend it in with other cars and a high traffic area that we could lose ourselves in easily.

"So, you're winging it?" she said. Her lips pouted and her fists met her hips.

"Why do you always have to assume the worst?" I asked, "You have to take some risks if you want to go forward. Any tactician understands that."

She looked away from me, "I just don't want to risk my life on a half-measure." she said.

"Have some faith Annabeth. We've made it this far already." I said, "We'll be in California before you know it."

"Whatever." she said.

"Hey, sometimes you just have to enjoy the journey." I said, "The stakes are high for this quest. But that doesn't mean we can't at least try to find some enjoyment out of this."

Her face sank a little bit.

"Sorry, Percy." she said, "I'm just worried."

I smiled at her, "I am too."

"Heya, van's all filled up." Lou said from the other side of the hood. She tossed me the keys and we piled back in. I took the wheel, and we made good time down Interstate 95. I chose to avoid Jacksonville and around Gainesville I hopped on Interstate 15 towards Tampa and switched to US Route 301 to throw off anyone who might be trying to anticipate our moves.

We were passing through some swamplands. The windows were down and the night air, thick and soupy as it was, flowed over us. The AC in the van stopped working yesterday around Fayetteville, NC. On the radio was some song about Lawyers, Guns, and Money. Lord knows I could use the last two. And a stiff drink.

Lou was pondering something and was staring straight ahead. I was in a similar headspace, but she started chuckling at something. It went from a small patter into full guffaws.

"What's so funny?" I asked. Her laughter was contagious, I couldn't help but smile. I also noticed Annabeth perked up in the back seat.

"Did you just see that sign back there?" Lou gasped.

"No, what about it?" I asked.

"The place we're in… called Croom-A-Coochie!" she nearly shouted. It was so dumb I couldn't help but snort a bit.

"You've fucking lost it." I joked.

"This heat's killing what little brain cells I have left." she said, "You're gonna have to lean on Wise Girl back there."

"Hmph." Annabeth huffed. I could see in the rearview she didn't look frustrated. Maybe our nicknames were growing on her.

"Aw, this ain't nothing." I said.

"Sorry Pirate Boy, not everyone lived in the tropics all their life." Lou teased.

"Pirate Boy?" I questioned.

"Yep, that's you now." she said, "Pirate Boy."

I don't know how Lou can stand wearing black clothes all the time in heat like this. Even I was sweating. It was the day after we'd gotten into Tampa. We were waiting at the address for Lobos to show up, it was a Wal-Mart, easy enough crowd to blend into.

I was sitting in the driver's seat with the door hanging open and I was gazing idly at the cars coming in and out. Lou and Annabeth were sitting under a palm tree in the median in front of the van. My eyes kept wandering towards Lou's legs. She was making it very easy. A black pair of gym shorts, white highlights. A light showing of midriff below her t-shirt. Her fingers idly twiddling a lock of raven hair. Her bangs moseying in the sea breeze. Perfect blackened-blue eyes wandering towards the crystal sky above.

Good god.

I broke my eyes off and looked over to the other side of the van. I saw another car rolling up. It was a BMW, too nice to be a local. I checked the buckle on my gun belt and hopped down. I waved to the others and the car parked a few spaces away from us. I leaned up against the side of the van and waited.

Lobos got outside of the car and placed his cowboy hat on the roof. He was dressed up today. His bolo tie was polished, suit pressed, and shirt bleached.

"You going to a party vaquero?" I asked.

He smirked, "Something like that." Lobos said. He switched to Spanish, "Who are your friends?"

"They're cool." I said in English, "Just along for the ride right now."

"I see." Lobos said. He went around his car, and we spoke more closely.

"Everything's here from Mr. Lane." I said. I handed him a manifest that the arms dealer had given me.

"I'm sure you did your due diligence as a courier?" he asked, "I'd expect nothing less from the Lagoon crew."

"This is my own thing." I said, "But I still have my standards. Your stuff's all there."

"Good man." Lobos said. He took out his wallet and handed me a small note. "This is where the boat will be. Be there in an hour, you'll be able to slip out with the fishing and tour boats if you're quick. Ask for Eduardo, he should be expecting you."

"Excellent." I said, "We'd better get to it."

Lobos walked to his car and waved his hat in the air, "Enjoy the sun!" he said before getting in his car. I waved to the others, and we got into the van.

"Where are we going?" Annabeth asked.

"Looks like a boat rental place. Tourists love speedboats." I said.

"Lemme see the address." Lou said. I handed her the paper as I pulled out of the parking lot. "Yeah, I think I know where this is."

"Since when were you familiar with Tampa?" Annabeth asked.

"I came here with my dad a lot. The IndyCar season traditionally starts here. And I think this is close to a restaurant we went to a few times." Lou said.

Lou directed me towards the address. We crossed a giant sand bridge out of the city towards Clearwater. The place was really sunny, and the bright white sands clashed with the deep blue seas. Seagulls circled overhead, hunting for any loose food. The other cars around me on the road were full of smiling families and couples, windows down, music blaring into the dim humid heat.

"Damn, this is a good opportunity to get some tanning in." Lou muttered.

"I'm sure there'll be room on the boat for that." I said.

"I thought distracted driving was bad." Lou said slyly, "Distracted sailing's even worse."

I smirked, "Of course, how could I forget." I said. I heard Annabeth huff in the back.

"Aw c'mon Annabeth, you're almost as pale as me." Lou said playfully, "We could both use some sun."

"I have no interest." she said.

"Suit yourself." Lou said, "I can think of a certain someone back at Camp who'd really like it though."

"Stop." Annabeth said quickly.

"Let up Lou." I said, "We're almost in."

We reached the end of the bridge and entered Clearwater properly. Lou had me drive towards the beach. There were loads of tourists milling around. There were loads of cafés and beachwear shops filled to the brim. I could smell the sweet saltwater coming from the Gulf clearly now. I was dying to get out at sea again. We eventually pulled into the parking lot of a rental place that was well out of the way from the tourist hotspot. It wasn't busy at all, then again, the building looked like it had closed several years ago.

I told the other two to stay in the van and I went to the front door. I tried opening it but found it locked. I rapped on the wood and waited. The door eventually pulled open, and I saw a man standing in the shadows behind the lock-chain.

"Percy Jackson, Lobos sent me with a shipment." I said. I handed him the note Lobos had given me, and he looked it over.

"Alright, pull around back." the man said, "I'll raise the gate."

I nodded and went back to the van. I drove around the building towards the docks. A bright yellow traffic gate lifted. I parked up near an open garage door. Inside were several cartel members who lazed about. Some were playing cards, some were watching TV, some were talking about something. all were drinking, all were armed. I stepped out and met with one.

"I was told to ask for Eduardo?" I said in Spanish.

"That's me." he said. "Get your stuff out and we'll load the weapons."

"Gracias." I said. I turned back to the van as Eduardo whipped up the others. Eduardo took us over to a couch where we waited with our supplies.

"Sure is a nice place." Lou said optimistically.

"I've seen worse." I said.

"Are you sure we can trust these guys?" Annabeth asked cautiously, "They've been giving us weird looks."

"It's pretty typical." I said, "The cartels like to use people they know from back home. Technically we're outside their network. Without Lobos vouching we wouldn't be here."

"How long are we going to be here?" Annabeth asked.

"Not long, these guys are moving fast." I said. And I wasn't lying, I saw the guns as blurs in the men's hands. They were repacking them into the various nooks and crannies of the boat. I got up and looked a little closer. It looked like a Sabre 36 Express. Nice ride.

Lou joined me, "So, you think we can make it across the Gulf in this?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, easy-peasy." I said, "We won't even be near half capacity weight-wise with the guns and extra fuel. We can maintain a good average speed, hopefully twenty to twenty-five knots. Assuming the hours on the engine aren't too high we shouldn't have any trouble. And if we run into bad weather, this thing's a little over thirty feet long, no slouch when it gets rough."

I looked over at her and she smiled at me. I couldn't tell if she was legitimately interested or just liked to hear me talk.

"Maybe you could show me how to pilot this thing." she suggested, "You gotta sleep sometime after all."

"Ture, but I thought you were going to tan all the way there." I said.

"Percy Jackson there is a difference between tanning and getting cooked." Lou said, "How do you think I'll look all red like a lobster?"

"I thought you'd have a spell for that, Tinkerbell." I said.

"Tinkerbell?" Lou said, half laughing. "You've gotta up your game Pirate Boy."

"Alright Twinkle Toes." I replied. She just shook her head and went back over to Annabeth.

I walked down closer to the docks and found Eduardo again, he was overseeing the loading. Meaning not working but watching the others instead.

"Anything I should know?" I asked in Spanish.

"It should be smooth sailing." he said, "Weather is mostly clear for the next few days, your engines are modded to hell and back to be faster and more efficient. They'll be expecting you in Heroica Veracruz in three to four days, guy in charge is named Frank. Navigation is all set up too."

"What about Coast Guard and Federales?" I asked.

"Paid off, you shouldn't have anyone breathing down your neck." Eduardo said. One of the guys dropped a rifle as he finished, and he went off to scold him. I turned back to the girls and sat on the couch again.

"We'll be sailing to Veracruz, I think that's pretty close to Mexico City." I said.

"What's the plan when we get there?" Annabeth asked.

"Find a ride to the city and find transportation to the border." I said, "The fact we have cartel connections should help. We might need to help them with a task before they help us though."

"What kind of task?" Lou asked.

"Nothing too heavy." I said, "If we're clear on our intentions to get back up to the border, they might have us play drug mules. Gringos are a lot less suspicious to Border Patrol I'd bet."

Annabeth looked like she wanted to say something, but Eduardo hollered at us, the boat was ready to go. The three of us stepped aboard and the girls went down into the cabin and I did my pre-sail checks. I started up the engine and helped untie the lines to the dock. I waved at the cartel guys before heading inside the cockpit to man the helm.

The overall layout shared some fundamentals with the Lagoon, so I felt right at home. I assume there was also some Poseidon power going on too because the boat responded to my commands perfectly, and the current worked in my favor as well. All said, we were out into deep water within the hour, very good considering the traffic. I set the navigation system up and I pointed the boat onto our first bearing towards Mexico.

I sat back on the pilot's chair and opened one of the window panels. The sun was radiant on the white deck paint, the spray from the sea water set me at ease, I loved everything about the moment. If only I had the foresight to bring some rum. I could really go for a Mai Tai right about now.

I heard someone coming up from the cabin and Lou emerged. She had a towel hanging around her shoulders, a pair of black aviators, and a black two-piece swimsuit. I had to quickly compose myself.

"Told ya I was going to tan a bit." she said, "Not much space out front sadly." She was right, the front deck wasn't exactly made for laying down on.

"I can retract the overhang in the back for you." I said. Behind the cockpit was a small deck with a retractable couch and tables.

"Sweet." Lou said. She leaned in the doorway as the softshell roof retracted off the deck.

"What's Annabeth up to?" I asked.

"She's a bit seasick." she said, "Your dad and her mom don't get along after all."

"Poor thing." I said, "I guess she gets the big cabin bed then."

"She can have it." Lou said, "Mattress is hard, and pillows are all lumpy."

I looked back at her, "Sorry madam for the inadequate accommodations."

She balked and flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Why I must say this is the most dreadful vessel I have ever been on. You had better make it up to me Captain!"

I grinned, "I have plenty of ideas in mind m'lady."

Her shades slid down her nose a bit, and I could see in her eyes she got the message. She bit her bottom lip slightly and straightened up. Her chest stuck out some more, and I could feel my eyes wandering south. But steps came from the cabin, and I saw Annabeth's blonde hair emerge.

I turned to her and Lou went out to the deck. I won't lie, I felt a little angry. "What's up Annabeth?"

"Is there any way you could slow down?" she groaned.

"Not if we want to be a day late." I said. She gritted her teeth and placed a hand on her stomach.

"In the case of ablutions, liquids over side and solids in the toilet downstairs." I joked.

"Asshole." Annabeth said between gritted teeth.

It took us three days to reach Veracruz. They were peaceful, almost blissfully so. I spent most of my time at the wheel drinking in the sea air. Lou split her time between learning the controls and doing her best to distract me with her tanning. Annabeth spent most of her time in the galley reading. She had gotten over her seasickness after the first night but preferred not to be on deck. And I can't say I blamed her, the further south we sailed the warmer it got.

I was humming along to a Jimmy Buffet CD I'd found in a boom-box from the last crew when I saw land. The shores of Veracruz came over the horizon and I turned to the back deck. The door was held open, and Lou dozed off.

"Hey!" I said loudly. She shook herself awake and looked over at me. "Land ho!"

"Outstanding!" she said. She gathered up her towel and sketchbook and joined me at the helm.

"Should be in port in two hours." I said, "Better go get packed up."

"Aye, aye Captain." she said, "Oh, I finished my drawing by the way." I had almost forgotten about it. She'd been chipping away at it since DC.

It was a flat scene with me holding out a pistol against the Minotaur. Little snowflakes dusted the edge of the frame. The line work was rough, but I could tell that it was on purpose, it gave the drawing an edge, a tension that I could vividly remember from that fight. My eyes were thin and aggressive. The Minotaur's shoulders hunched over, and faint streams of steam trailed from its nostrils.

"This is amazing Lou." I said.

She grinned, "I'm glad you like it." She closed the book and went down to the cabin. I guided the boat into the harbor. The marina was sleepy, which surprised me a little bit. The commercial docks to the north were active, but I only saw two boats leaving from the private docks. The GPS pulled me into a dock that was overhung by a wide blue awning. It was attached to the back of a tiki restaurant, or at least that's what it looked like. To be fair, it was late morning, far away from dinner service.

I got the boat lined up with the dock and I got the first rope tied when a man came outside. He was well groomed with a pencil moustache and greased hair. He wore fine white clothes with dress boots, the main piece being a fine black and gold paisley vest.

I'm not sure if it was the way in which he carried himself, or if it was something else. But he felt very familiar to me, like he'd been living in Roanapur for decades and had done every evil deed you could've thought of. I cleared my mind and straightened up.

"Hola!" I said.

"You're with Mr. Lane I hope?" he asked me in Spanish.

"That's right. Glad we found the right spot." I replied, "I've got two passengers with me, they're cool."

"It's okay my friend." he said, "Get yourselves on shore and feel free to have a drink at the bar."

"Thanks." I said, "Percy Jackson by the way."

"Frank Perez." he replied. I got onto the dock and shook his hand. He gave a cab whistle, and two other guys stepped out and finished securing the boat. He stepped aboard and started lifting the panels where the guns were stashed. Lou and Annabeth joined me on land, and I guided them inside. Annabeth was a little wobbly. We sat at the bar and a senorita came by.

"Anything I can get you?" she asked in Spanish.

"A Mai Tai for me, water for her." I nodded to Annabeth on my left, who was dazed. I turned to Lou. "Anything you want?" I asked in English.

"Bitters and Coke for me." she said. The bartender nodded and went to fix our drinks.

"So, what now?" Lou asked.

"That guy in the vest looks like he's leading this show. He'll want to debrief us before we leave. Just to make sure everything is there." I said, "After that, I'll ask him about getting to Mexico City."

"Sounds like a plan, I guess." Lou said.

"It'll be fine." I said.

The bartender returned and placed our drinks down. I took a cursory sip of the drink and smiled at the sweet concoction.

"Don't tell me you're about to get drunk." Lou teased.

"I wish." I joked, "Just need to settle down a bit. We've moved a long way in less than a week."

"True that." Lou said before sipping her glass.

The back door opened, and Frank came through. He got behind the bar and placed his hands wide.

"Looks like everything is in order." he said calmly in English.

"Nothing but the best." I said.

"Lobos speaks very highly of your employer." Frank said, "Yet I wonder why you are here."

"Us three are travelling, and we have to be discreet." I said.

"And where might you be going, if you don't mind me asking?" he asked.

"For the time being, Mexico City." I said.

"I see, I see." Frank said. I only caught a glimpse, but the sicario swept the room for anyone else. The bartender was across the room wiping a table. Well out of earshot.

"Something the matter?" I asked. I sipped my drink.

"To clear the air." Frank said slowly, "I am a son of Hermes. I know you are all in the know. That gun belt is a nice trick with the Mist." Lou's face hardened and I thought I heard Annabeth choke a little.

"Go on." I said. Even if he was telling the truth, I was still wary.

"I have a job for three demigods such as yourselves." Frank said quietly. He leaned down on the bar, "I take it that you intend to go back to America at some point. If you help me retrieve an artifact, I can get you passage."

"Spill." I said. I set my now empty glass on the bar.

"A little while ago, I was transporting an artifact that I retrieved from a site in Guatemala back here to study. I was ambushed by a group of men who stole it off me. I want you to retrieve it." he said.

"Who were you working for?" I asked.

"Myself, I never found a group of other demigods to associate with. But I still try to learn when I can." Frank said.

"Okay." I said. Don't get me wrong, I thought this whole thing was off, but if a little B on some punks got us to the border, I'd be happy to oblige, "Who were the people who stole from you?"

"That's something I've been trying to figure out since it happened." he said, "All I know is that they have a base of operations in the main ruins of Tenochtitlan in Mexico City and they all had some sort of mark on their face. It looked like a dog, stylized as an Aztec symbol." Frank took a napkin and a pen. He doodled on it and turned the drawing towards us. Annabeth snatched it up immediately and started rifling through her backpack.

Frank chuckled, "Sucker for Aztec myths gringa?" She ignored him.

"Anyways, what is this artifact exactly?" I asked.

"The Heart of Copil." he said.

"Sounds important." Lou said.

"I'm not exactly sure what it's supposed to do. I must admit." Frank said, "But I felt a very strong aura coming from it. I wish to study it more."

"Understood." I said, "So, our objective is to infiltrate these dog-cultists or whatever and retrieve Copil's heart. Once you have it, you will get us to the border."

"That's the deal." Frank said.

I leaned back from the bar, "Do you mind giving us some time?" I asked.

"Of course." Frank said with a smile. He went towards the back door and whistled to the waitress, who followed. Once I was sure we were alone, I turned to the others.

"I think it's worth a shot." I said plainly. Annabeth was buried in a book and Lou looked straight at me.

"What kind of demigod just straight up says, 'I'm a son of Hermes?'" she said.

"I know, I don't like him either." I said, "He's got a slimy vibe, but it's a lead nonetheless."

"Interesting." Annabeth mumbled.

"Find something?" I asked her.

"This, it's an Itzcuintli symbol. That day was celebrated to honor the god of death... named, uh…" she paused, "I'm not even going to try and pronounce that." Lou and I chuckled, "Anyways, you can think of them as being like Hades. It also says that this symbol is a sign to be trustworthy, but not overly trusting of others."

"Can you dig up anything on this Copil guy?" I asked.

"Two secs." Annabeth said as she flipped to the index of her book. It didn't have a cover, so I wasn't sure what kind of source it was.

"Percy, I really don't like this guy." Lou said quietly, "Besides the cagey stuff with the job, he's just super creepy."

"He seems like any other cartel guy to me." I said calmly.

"No, you don't get it." she said, "He's been eyeing up me and Annabeth nonstop. Way more than the others in Tampa. I think he's holding back quite a lot."

"I understand." I said. I dealt with my fair share of creeps in Roanapur. With Revy's tutelage of course.

"If you really think this is the best way forward, I'll follow you. But I need you to have our backs." Lou said, shifting her eyes to Annabeth too.

"I'll be there." I said, "He's not the first creep I've had to deal with. Guys like him get a bullet if they actually try anything." Lou gave me a hopeful look as Annabeth spoke up again.

"Copil was a warrior and a demigod. His father was a king who rivaled the Mexica, who became the Aztecs. His mother…" she paused again at the name, "…was the goddess of snakes and other insects. His mother was dishonored by the Mexica. He went to fight them with other rival tribes but was killed by a priest. He was sacrificed and his heart was thrown into Lake Texcoco. The spot where his heart landed was where they established the capital city Tenochtitlan."

"That's good to know." I said.

"If this artifact is magical in some way," Lou began, "that would imply the existence of an Aztec pantheon, right?" I hid it, but I worried for a little bit. I hadn't told either of them that other gods were out there.

"Not necessarily." Annabeth said, "If enough people believe in something, it's bound to become real. Apart from the almighty, gods as we know them only exist because people believe in them. And that extends to artifacts too. Maybe enough people back then believed in the Heart, and it still hasn't lost enough faith to fade completely."

"Good to know." I said, "Annabeth, what's your read on this job?"

She hesitated, "A big part of me wants to do it just for the knowledge. But I don't like the circumstances." she said, "Do you think we can handle something like this?"

I thought for a moment.

"I think we can handle more than you think." I said, "My gut tells me that we should do it. My head says to proceed with caution."

"Then let's do just that." Annabeth said, "Lou?"

"Agreed." she said, "We'll do it, but we need to watch each other's backs."

Shortly after that Frank popped his head in.

"Any progress?" he asked.

"We'll do the gig." I said. I stood up as he entered the room fully. I shook his hand, and he went to get his car while we organized our luggage.

The drive over was uneventful, Frank turned out to be a poor conversationalist once he got what he wanted. I was sitting in shotgun for most of the drive and he seemed to be really on edge. Lou and Annabeth were quiet too. I could tell they didn't like this course of action. But it's not like we had many alternatives. At least the car was comfy, nowhere near my mom's Merc, but you can't go wrong with a Dodge Charger R/T.

As the sun set we reached an apartment he had in the City's historical district. There was a very good view of the ruins from the balcony. I was posted up there with a pair of binoculars looking at the defenses. Frank was beside me.

"They have a normal security detail from the looks of it." he said. I saw a standard setup. Chain linked fences surrounded the main ruins. It looked like a concave pit that held a few stone walls in a tight floorplan. Navigating the actual ruins would be harder than infiltrating them. They could have patrols everywhere among the stones.

"Where exactly do we need to go when we're inside these ruins?" I asked.

"You'll need to go to the center I believe." Frank said, "I've been watching their movements, and it seems that's where they're keeping the good stuff. I would've tried to infiltrate myself, but those walls are too tight for one man to cover."

"Likely excuse." I muttered, "Anyway, what's your role in all this?" I asked in a fuller voice.

"I will be outside with a car." Frank said, "I intend for everyone to get out alive after all."

Something told me that was a given. Not something you just say to say it. I glanced over at him, and he had a slight smirk on his face. I'd seen it many times from Eda. When something said was meant to straddle the line between truth and lies. I still didn't trust this guy.

"May as well get on with it." I said, "Moon's high enough for a quiet operation."

"Excellent." Frank said, "I assume you all have knives of some sort? Can't have the Federales interrupting."

"We'll be okay, just be ready to pick us up." I said.

"I'll be waiting at the Metropolitan Cathedral next door." Frank said.

I gathered the other two and we started walking towards the ruins, which were only a few blocks away. The streets were mostly clear, given it was about midnight. I led them to an alley which gave us a good hidden view of the front of the complex.

"I can use my cap." Annabeth said as we neared the ruins. She produced a ballcap from her backpack and put it on. She vanished out of thin air.

I turned to Lou, "You know, I thought your Mist bullshit was the top of the pile."

"I know right!" Lou said. She waved her hand in the spot where Annabeth had been standing but only found empty air.

"Boo!" a voice came from my right. I flinched slightly and saw Annabeth reappear.

She giggled and waved a beat-up Yankees hat at me, "Gift from my mom." she said.

"Nice." I said, "Let's head for the main gate over there." I pointed to a security checkpoint, it was left mostly unguarded, just a sleepy nightman looking at a magazine. The gate was a full panel of chain-link, no way we could all get over it discreetly. However, I sighted a loose section a few yards down the fence. Big enough for someone to fit if it was held up. I looked up and saw a security camera that was looking up and down the length of fence, we'd have to take it out first.

"Okay." I said, "Annabeth, you'll crawl under the fence over there where it's loose off the ground. Lou and I will lift it for you. Once you're in, deal with the guard. Knock him out, distract him, lure him away. Then, find the gate controls and open it just enough for Lou and I to slip through. We'll wipe the security footage and get in further."

"What about that camera?" Lou asked.

"I'll handle that before we start." I said. I looked around the alley we were in and found a nice-looking brick.

"How exactly do I deal with the guard?" Annabeth asked anxiously.

"Get creative." I said, "Or use that knife you have."

"Absolutely not Percy!" Annabeth complained.

"Then get creative." I said, "Just make sure other guards don't show up until we're long gone."

"Fine." Annabeth huffed. I told the girls to stay in the alley as I went out into the street.

I kept my head down and walked briskly, just like anyone up to no good would do back home. I walked past the gate from the opposite side of the street. The gate guard couldn't have cared less if he tried. I got parallel to the post that had the camera and dashed across the street. I chucked the brick straight up and hit on the mark. The camera fell limp, and I caught the brick before it hit the ground. I waved back to where I'd come from, and the girls dashed towards me along the same route I came from. The rifle on Lou's back wasn't discreet, but neither was the guard.

"Let's do this." I said. I took one end of the gap and Lou took the other. We pulled up as hard as we could, and Annabeth just barely managed to crawl under. She slipped her cap on and vanished.

I motioned towards the gatehouse, and we took cover below a window. Annabeth didn't take long to find a distraction. At the other end of the gatehouse she must have found a fire extinguisher. She pulled the pin, and I saw it hovering in midair. She used her knife to cut something and it started spraying everywhere. It flew backwards and clanged down on the street, well away from the gate.

The guard swore and raced out of the gatehouse and towards the mess. The gate cracked open slightly. I went first and Lou handed me her rifle before slipping in too. We rushed inside and we saw Annabeth typing away at a computer.

"Good job." I said, "We clear?"

"Cameras are off, hard drives wiped." Annabeth said, "I think at least."

"Good." I said.

"Guys!" Lou said quietly from the door. I could hear faint rambling in Spanish coming towards the door. I motioned for the girls to stack up at the doorway, I took the other side. I pulled out a knife, steel.

The guard opened the door and yawned as he came in. I quickly grabbed him in a chokehold and held the knife up to his face.

"Silencio." I said. I nodded to Lou, "Find a rag." She nodded and searched around.

"Who the fuck are you?' the guard asked in Spanish.

I kicked the back of his knees and laid him out, he leaned into me. I had all the leverage.

"Where's the Heart?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" the guard pleaded.

"The Heart of Copil. You stole it, we're here to collect." I growled. I bent him forward a lot, his back cracked unpleasantly.

"Fucking hell gringo, I don't know what you mean!" he groaned.

Annabeth seemed to catch the gist of the conversation and tapped his neck. I saw the dog symbol.

"You have the mark on your neck." I said, "Stop bullshitting me!"

"You'll die trying to find it, puta." the guard said.

"Try me." I said, "You think you're tough? I eat you motherfuckers for breakfast."

I put the point of my knife towards one of his eyes and made a slight cut on his eyebrow. He growled.

"You Latino fucks are some mean bastards. Chainsaws, beatdowns, or my personal favorite, one thousand cuts." I said slowly, "Or maybe I have my associates here hold you down while I shove a flashlight up your ass."

"Fuck you!" the guard spat. I made a slash down his face. He growled again.

"Just tell us where the Heart is, and you'll live to see another day amigo." I said.

"In the center of the ruins. Eat shit and die." the guard said.

"L, muzzle this fucker." I pulled back on his forehead. Lou opened his jaw and stuffed the rag in his mouth. I kept him pinned. She also had found some rope and began tying up the guard. We left him hogtied and locked inside the gatehouse. We climbed out of a window to get out.

"Nice work." I said, "Messier than I wanted it, but now we know where to go for sure." I could see Annabeth through the shadows, her face was grim. I need to be more careful with her going forward.

I led them down the road which sloped down into the ruins properly. We kept to the shadows and dodged the stray patrolling guards who lurked about. We reached the ruins themselves in short order. I led our stack with Annabeth in the middle and Lou at the rear. We crept among the walls of old stones and eventually came across a hut. It had two guards standing at the entrance.

I turned to direct the others, but I heard shouts in the distance.

"We're made!" Annabeth whispered.

"They just know someone's here." I said calmly, "We need to move fast. Lou, cover me."

I didn't wait for a response, and I darted from our cover towards the guards. They were on edge from the distant shouting, and they were ready for me. They fired shots and I ducked and weaved. I threw a haymaker at the first guard and felt his jaw break.

The second one turned, and I kicked him in the stomach. He bent over and I kneed him. His nose crunched. They were both on the ground in a daze. I waved over to the girls, and they rushed forward. I burst inside and found the room empty except for a few ammo crates and one desk with a scientist pissing his pants at the sight of us. In the center of the room was a pit with a rope ladder.

"Stay down asshole." I commanded to the man in Spanish. I pulled one of my Bastards and aimed it at him. "Is the Heart down there?"

"Si senior" he said shakily.

"L, you first, A follow behind. I'll cover you." I said.

"Stay safe." Lou said as she got onto the ladder, Rifle slung over her back. Annabeth followed shortly behind.

I heard more voices coming from outside. I went to draw my other pistol, but I found the movement painful. I was wearing a black shirt and hadn't noticed the bloodstains. One of the guards must've gotten me. I pushed the pain away and kept one gun on the scientist and one on the door. The voices had stopped, and I assumed they were getting ready for a breach.

I looked at one of the ammo crates and I saw a zip tie and a grenade. I grabbed the tie and threw it at the scientist.

"Tie your wrists." I commanded. The guy nodded shakily, and I think he really did piss his pants at this point.

Once he was tied I pulled the pin on the grenade and kept the lever depressed. I shoved it into the hands of the man.

"You let go, you die." I said, "Don't fuck with me."

His eyes were full of tears, and he fell to his knees in a panic.

I started going down the ladder, each rung got more and more painful. I afforded myself a brief pause. I felt around my abdomen. I touched the entry wound by accident and nearly lost my grip. My vision went white. Definitely hit something important.

I composed myself and started going down again. My head was getting light, and the ladder didn't seem to end.

Above I heard the breach happen. I heard shouting and a few gunshots.

The grenade went off as well and the explosion rocked the passage. I could feel the ropes giving way and I lost my grip.

Above me, I saw the walls of the hut cave in. And I started falling head-first.

In my Australian view I saw a ginormous cavern. A great underground lake, a flotilla supporting a city. In the middle a terrible pyramid, steps caked in gore. The peak illuminated by a great red fire. Its light coated the cavern, the buildings that went on for miles. As my eyes closed I felt my head hit the water.

X

Author's Note:

Apologies for the wait on this one. But you got a longer chapter in return, so all's right in the world. Life's just been busy for me lately and I've also been doing some work on original writings. Where that goes, who knows. Thanks for reading, I really do appreciate the time you take to read my story. And if you'd be so kind as to share some feedback with me, that would mean the world!

Side note, I'm playing it fast and loose with Aztec mythology. It's not something I'm very well versed in, but I think what I have planned will make for a fun story. And the Heart of Copil isn't a real mythical object from my understanding, I just need McGuffins like any other author does :)