I wish the taxi would take us all the way to the top. But, of course, no luck. The whole way, the cab lurches and makes grinding sounds as it climbs. Halfway up, we find the ranger station closed, and a chain blocking the way.
"Far as I can go." The cabbie apologizes. "You sure about this? Gonna be a long walk back, and my car's acting funny. I can't wait for you."
"We're sure." Leo frowns, getting out of the cab.
I get out too, and see the wheels of the cab are sinking into the road like quicksand. No wonder the car is having a hard time. The road is hard packed dirt. No way it should be soft. But our shoes slowly sink if we don't move. I get chills down my spine. She knows we're here, and she's messing with us.
I watch as Leo pays the cabbie. He had a little counter on his dashboard that showed how much we owe. First time in a cab, check! The view from the mountain is pretty amazing. The whole inland valley is a patchwork of towns, suburbs, shops, schools. People living their normal mortal lives, blissfully unaware. A part of me is jealous.
"That's Concord." Jason points north. "Walnut Creek below us. To the south, Danville, past those hills. And that way..." He points to a ridge of golden hills clouded by fog. "That's Berkley Hills. The East Bay. Past that, San Francisco."
"Jason?" Piper asks. "You remember something? You've been here?"
"Yes...no." He looks upset. "It just seems important."
"That's Titan land." Hedge nods toward the west. "Bad place, Jason. Trust me, this is as close to 'Frisco as we want to get."
Jason stares uneasily at the landscape.
"Hey, guys." Leo interrupts. "Let's keep moving."
I notice my sandals are being sucked up into the dirt.
"Gaea is stronger here." Hedge grumbles. He pops off his shoes to reveal his hooves again, and hands the shoes to Leo. "Keep those for me Valdez. They're nice."
Leo snorts. "Yes, sir, Coach. Would you like them polished?"
"That's varsity thinking, Valdez." Hedge nods. "But first, we'd better hike up this mountain while we still can."
"How do we know where the giant is?" Piper asks.
Jason points toward the peak. There's a plume of smoke drifting across the summit. "Smoke equals fire. We'd better hurry."
I'm in good shape. I spend my days running around outside, training, hammering, chasing dragons, capturing flags, and generally exercising. But hiking a mountain while the earth tries to swallow me? That's rough.
Everyone seems to be struggling. Piper makes little grunts with every step. Leo rolls up his sleeves and is sweating profusely, nervously building something with tiny gears and levers he pulls out of his belt.
By the time we reach the crest of the mountain, we've become the most fashionably dressed, sweaty, dirty heroes ever. Leo's hands are once again covered in machine grease, but I like them better that way. It suits him.
Jason crouches behind a wall of rock, and gestures for us to do the same. Piper has to pull Coach Hedge down.
"I don't want to get my outfit dirty!" He complains.
"Shhhhh!" Piper insists.
Just over the ridge where we're hiding is a depression about the size of the amphitheater, where the giant has set up camp.
Trees have been cut down to make an enormous purple bonfire. The outer ridge of the clearing is littered with extra logs and construction equipment. I don't know why it's there. The giant in the clearing definitely could not fit inside.
