𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 • PERCY JACKSON

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟕: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋

"You sure you can handle the news?" Ares asked, starting his motorcycle. "She's not dead."

Percy's jaw dropped, "What do you mean?"

"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis. Not death. She's being kept."

"Kept? Why?"

"You need to study war, punk. Hostages. You take somebody to control somebody else."

Percy frowned, "Nobody's controlling me."

Ares laughed. "Oh yeah? See you around, kid."

Percy clenched his fist, "You're pretty smug, lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues."

Eris' eyes widened, "Pe-Percy you-"

Ares' fiery gaze turned to her and Eris fell silent with a small whimper. "Shut it, wimp," he snarled at Eris before to Percy. "We'll meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you're in a fight watch your back." He roared his Harley road off down the street.

"That was not smart, Percy," Annabeth said.

"I don't care," Percy replied.

"You don't want a god as your enemy. Especially a God like that."

"Hey, guys," Grover said, "I hate to interrupt but..." He pointed to the dinner. At the register the last two costumers were paying their bill, two men in identical overalls. On the back of their overalls it read: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL

   "If we're taking the zoo express," Grover said, "we need to hurry."

  They ran across the street and climbed in the back of the big rig, closing the door behind them. The minute the door closed Eris gagged at the harsh smell that filled her nose. It was hard to resist throwing up right then and there.

   Percy uncapped Riptide to bring light into the truck, it casted a bronze light over the dark trunk and Eris was met with a horrifying sight.

In front of her sat three dirty sad looking zoo animals in the most filthy cage she'd ever seen. In the cage sat a Zebra, a albino lion, and a antelope. Her eyes teared up at the sight of the Zebra's matted mane while the antelope had a old birthday party ballon tied to its horns. The lion looked fine but it kept pacing back and forth in its cage that was far too small and breathing too harshly from the hot air. The lion had flies buzzing around and his ribs were showing.

Eris covered her mouth, "Oh, my gods," she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears.

"This is kindness?" Grover yelled, "Humane Zoo Transport?" He looked so angry Eris wouldn't have been surprised if he stormed out of the truck to beat the crap out of the two drivers but just then the Truck's engine roared into life and the truck began to shaking forcing them to sit down.

They huddled into a corner on mildewed feed stacks. As Grover went up and started to talk to the animals Eris curled up into a ball and tucked her head between her knees.

   "This is terrible," Annabeth said, gesturing to the animals, "I say we should just break them out and free them now."