mastermind - percy jackson

ix. stables

"Yeah."

"Never heard of him" Geryon said. "Now over here are my prize stables! You must see them."

Cassandra didn't need to see them, because as soon as they got within three hundred yards she started to smell them. Near the banks of a green river was a horse corral the size of a football field. Stables lined one side of it. About a hundred horses were milling around in the muck.

She gagged, holding her nose, "I'm going to throw up."

Even Nico gagged. "What is that?"

"My stables!" Geryon said. "Well, actually they belong to Aegas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"

"They're disgusting!" Annabeth said.

"Lots of poop" Tyson observed.

"How can you keep animals like that?" Grover cried.

"Y'all getting on my nerves" Geryon said. "These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions."

"Plus, you're too cheap to have them cleaned" Eurytion mumbled from under his hat.

"Quiet!" Geryon snapped. "All right, perhaps the stables are a bit challenging to clean. Perhaps they do make me nauseous when the wind blows the wrong way. But so what? My clients still pay me well."

"What clients?" Percy demaded.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many people will pay for a flesh-eating horse. They make great garbage disposals. Wonderful way to terrify your enemies. Great at birthday parties! We rent them out all the time."

"I want them to eat your flesh" Cassandra muttered, still holding her nose.

"You're a monster" Annabeth decided.

Geryon stopped the moo-mobile and turned to look at her. "What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?"

"You have to let these animals go" Grover said. "It's not right!"

"And the clients you keep talking about" Annabeth said. "You work for Kronos, don't you? You're supplying his army with horses, food, whatever they need."

Geryon shrugged, which was very weird since he had three sets of shoulders. It looked like was doing the wave all by himself. "I work for anyone with gold, young lady. I'm a businessman. And I sell them anything I have to offer."

He climbed out of the moo-mobile and strolled toward the stables as if enjoying the fresh air. It would've been a nice view, with the river and the trees and the hills and all, except for the quagmire of horse muck.

Nico got out of the back car and stormed over to Geryon. The cowherd Eurytion wasn't as sleepy as he looked. He hefted his club and walked after Nico.

"I came here for business, Geryon" Nico said. "And you haven't answered me."

"Mmm." Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle-chest. "Yes, you'll get a deal, all right."

"My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need."

"Wait a second" Percy said. "I thought Cassie was the soul you wanted."

Nico glanced between the two of them, like they were both crazy. "Her? Why would I want her? Bianca's soul is worth a thousand of hers! Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?"

"Ouch" Cassandra muttered.

"Oh, I imagine I could" The rancher said. "Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?"