𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 | "you're the worst of my crimes. you fell hard, I thought 'good riddance.'"
In which June Grace no longer wants
to be the second choice.
OR
In whic...
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012: Zoo Express [CONNOR]
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THE WAR GOD awaited them at the diner parking lot.
"Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed."
"You knew it was a trap," June said flatly.
Ares gave him a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled black-smith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV."
June handed him the shield.
"You're a jerk." Percy said.
Annabeth and Grover caught their breath.
Ares grabbed the shield and spun it in the air like pizza dough. It changed form, melting into a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.
"See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas."
The eighteen-wheeler had a sign on the back: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.
Percy blinked, "You're kidding."
Ares snapped his fingers. The back door of the truck unlatched. "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."
He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to Percy.
Inside were fresh clothes for all of them, twenty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, and a bag of Double Stuf Oreos. June loved oreos.
"I don't want your lousy-" Percy began, before being cut off by Grover.
"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving Percy a warning look. "Thanks a lot."
The waitress who'd served us dinner was watching nervously out the window, like she was afraid Ares might hurt us. 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 us.
"You owe me one more thing," Percy told Ares. "You promised me information about my mother."
"You sure you can handle the news?" He kick-started his motorcycle. "She's not dead."
