JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙣

Warren's father was waiting for them in the diner parking lot. Ares looked at her and nodded.

"Good to see you didn't get yourself killed, kiddo," he said.

"You knew it was a trap!" Percy accused.

Ares gave him a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of kids. You looked good on TV."

"Dad!" Warren shouted. "We could have died!"

"Yeah, but you didn't."

"You're a jerk," Percy said, shoving the bronze shield into Ares's arms.

Annabeth and Grover caught their breath.

Ares took the shield in his hands and spun it in the air, the metal instantly melted into a bulletproof vest. The god shrugged it on and pointed to an eighteen wheeler across the street from the diner.

It had a sign on the back, which Warren could read only because it was reverse-printed white on black, a good combination for dyslexia: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.

"See that truck over there?" he asked her. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas."

Warren felt her stomach drop. "Vegas?" she asked.

"Yeah, figured you could say hi to your mom for me on the way."

"Tell her yourself," Warren said. "I don't want to see her."

"Whatever, kid."

Ares snapped his fingers and the back door to the truck unlatched and sprang open. He then turned to Percy. "Here's a little something for doing the job."

He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to the boy. Inside were fresh clothes for all of them, twenty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, and a bag of Double Stuff Oreos.

Percy said, "I don't want your lousy—"

"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving Percy his best red-alert warning look. "Thank you very much."

Percy grit his teeth and slung the backpack over his shoulder. Ares looked him up and down and then looked at Warren.

"I don't like your little boyfriend."

She felt her face heat immediately. "Ew, no! He is not my boyfriend."

"Good." Ares scoffed. "Keep it that way."

Percy looked back at the diner, desperate to avoid eye contact with the god of war or his daughter. He felt embarrassed and slightly insulted.

The diner was nearly empty. The waitress who'd served them dinner was watching nervously out the window, like she was afraid Ares might hurt them. She dragged the fry cook out from the kitchen to see. She said something to him. He nodded, held up a little disposable camera and snapped a picture of the group.