Indigo Eyes

Chapter 54

"Like F.D.R. Drive?" Percy asked and while everyone else remained worried, Cressida gave a small grin. Percy's ignorance would never fail to amuse her. Then again, it wasn't like she knew much about American presidents. Annabeth would though. And that thought killed her smile.

"Bianca," Zoë said. "F.D.R. was not the last president. That was about seventy years ago."

"That's impossible," Bianca said. "I... I'm not that old." She stared at her hands as if to make sure they weren't wrinkled.

Thalia's eyes turned sad. She knew what it was like to get pulled out of time for a while. "It's okay, Bianca. The important thing is you and Nico are safe. You made it out."

"But how?" Percy said. "We were only in there for an hour and we barely escaped. How could you have escaped after being there for so long?"

"I told you." Bianca looked about ready to cry. "A man came and said it was time to leave. And –"

"But who? Why did he do it?"

"Percy, let her breathe for a minute," Cressida said remembering all too well the feeling of being battered with questions you either didn't know the answers to or didn't want to give the answers to.

But before Bianca could answer, they were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere.

They grabbed their sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of them.

"Now what?" Cressida sighed.

The back door of the limo opened right next to Percy and before he could even blink, there was a sword at his throat. He backed up slowly as the owner of the sword got out of the car and the girls drew their weapons.

"Not so fast now, are you, punk?" Ares smiled cruelly.

"Ares," Percy growled and the war god glanced at his friends.

"At ease, people," he said before snapping his fingers and their weapons fell to the ground. "This is a friendly meeting." he dug the point of his blade a little further under Percy's chin. "Of course, I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."

"Don't," Percy said before Cressida could move, her rage probably doubled in the presence of Ares and the fact that her friend had a sword at his throat. "I'm fine, Cress," he said, hoping to give her a new thing to be annoyed about.

Ares regarded her with a smirk as if he was trying to decide if she was a threat and boy could she be a threat, especially if Ares made her angry enough.

"What lady?" Thalia asked, taking the god's attention off Cressida and onto her.

"Well, well. I heard you were back." He lowered his sword and pushed Percy away, Cressida jumping forward to catch him as he stumbled. "Thalia, daughter of Zeus,' Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company."

"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin towards Zoë and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes.'

"Like hell we're leaving him behind," Cressida spat, her hand still latched onto Percy's bicep and Ares seemed amused by it.

"Of course, you'd say that," he smirked and both Percy and Cressida were confused by it.

"We will not leave him alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoë said.

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."

Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"

"Go on," Percy told them. "I'll handle this."

"You heard the boy," Ares said. "He's big and strong. He's got things under control."

"You can handle it better with me. I'm not leaving," Cressida said, feet firmly planted in place and arms crossed over her chest as the others reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant, Thalia turning around a fair few times as she was tugged along by Grover.

"Wine Vine, I'm serious," Percy whispered through gritted teeth.

"So am I."

"It's cool," Ares said as he leaned against the limo, sword at his side. "No need for a lovers quarrel. She can stay, she just can't go in. She only wants to see you."

Cressida glared at the god of war before Percy called her attention back to him. "Just don't talk to him. Put your headphones in. Turn 'em up. Loud."

"I'll be fine," she promised as Ares regarded both of them with loathing and then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur. "Get inside, punk," he said. "And mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am."

And Cressida was left alone with the god of war as Percy got into the limo and the door was shut behind him.