Theo's POV
We finally stopped in a room full of waterfalls. The floor was one big pit, ringed by a slippery stone walkway. Around us, on all four walls, water tumbled from huge pipes. The water spilled down into the pit, and even when I shined a light, I couldn't see the bottom.
Briares slumped against the wall. He scooped up water in a dozen hands and washed his face.
Briares: This pit goes straight to Tartarus. I should jump in and save you trouble.
Annabeth: Don't talk that way. You can come back to camp with us. You can help us prepare. You know more about fighting Titans than anybody.
Briares: I have nothing to offer. I have lost everything.
Tyson: What about your brothers? The other two must stand tall as mountains! We can take you to them.
Briares' expression morphed to something even sadder: his grieving face.
Briares: They are no more. They faded.
The waterfalls thundered. Tyson stared into the pit and blinked tears out of his eye.
Percy: What exactly do you mean, they faded? I thought monsters were immortal, like the gods.
Grover: Percy, even immortality has limits. Sometimes...sometimes monsters get forgotten and they lose their will to stay immortal.
Looking at Grover's face, I wondered if he was thinking of Pan. I remembered something Medusa had told us once: how her sisters, the other two gorgons, had passed on and left her alone. Then last year Apollo said something about the old god Helios disappearing and leaving him with the duties of the sun god. I'd never thought about it too much, but now, looking at Briares, I realized how terrible it would be to be so old—thousands and thousands of years old—and totally alone.
Briares: I must go.
Tyson: Kronos' army will invade camp. We need help.
Briares: I cannot, Cyclops.
Tyson: You are strong.
Briares: Not anymore.
Theo: Hey.
I grabbed one of his arms and pulled him aside, where the roar of the water would hide our words.
Theo: We need you, man. In case you haven't noticed, Tyson believes in you. He stuck his neck out for you.
I told him about everything—Luke's invasion plan, the Labyrinth entrance at camp, Daedalus' workshop, Kronos's golden coffin.
Briares: (shakes his head) cannot, demigod. I do not have a finger gun to win this game.
To prove his point, he made one hundred finger guns.
Theo: Maybe that's why monsters fade. Maybe it's not about what the mortals believe. Maybe it's because you give up on yourself.
His pure brown eyes regarded me. His face morphed into an expression I recognized—shame. Then he turned and trudged off down the corridor until he was lost in the shadows.
Tyson sobbed.
Grover: It's okay.
Grover hesitantly patted his shoulder, which must've taken all his courage.
Tyson: It's not okay, goat boy. He was my hero.
I wanted to make him feel better, but I wasn't sure what to say.
Finally, Annabeth stood and shouldered her backpack.
Annabeth: Come on, guys. This pit is making me nervous. Let's find a better place to camp for the night.
Timeskip
We settled in a corridor made of huge marble blocks. It looked like it could've been part of a Greek tomb, with bronze torch holders fastened to the walls. It had to be an older part of the maze, and Annabeth decided this was a good sign.
Annabeth: We must be close to Daedalus' workshop. Get some rest, everybody. We'll keep going in the morning.
Grover: How do we know when it's morning?
Annabeth: Just rest.
Grover didn't need to be told twice. He pulled a heap of straw out of his pack, ate some of it, made a pillow out of the rest, and was snoring in no time. Tyson took longer getting to sleep. He tinkered with some metal scraps from his building kit for a while, but whatever he was making, he wasn't happy with it. He kept disassembling the pieces.
Percy sat next to Tyson and talked with him for a while, but Tyson was not in the mood for a conversation. He let out a heavy sigh before closing his eye and falling asleep. Percy just sighed before lying down and sleeping as well.
I sighed, feeling bad for Tyson, which Zoe noticed as she put her hand on my shoulder.
Zoe: I am sure he will be fine, Theo.
Theo: I know. It's just that...The way Tyson reacted...It kind of reminded me of how I reacted when Eric died.
Zoe: I know. I felt the same when Bianca died.
Theo: (sighs) Us demigods never have it easy, do we?
Zoe: No, we do not. I don't believe we ever will. Especially since Kronos may rise at any given moment.
I just nodded as I looked at Annabeth, who was keeping watch. If Kronos does come back, it'll mean war...I may not know much about war, but what I do know is that nobody wins. Both sides always lose one way or another.
Theo: You should get some rest, Zoe.
Zoe: As should you.
Theo: I will in a bit.
Zoe nodded before lying down. I picked up my bedroll and dragged it over to where Annabeth was sitting before sitting down next to her.
Annabeth: You should sleep.
Theo: In a bit. You doing alright?
Annabeth: Sure. First day leading the quest. Just great.
Theo: We'll get there. We'll find the workshop before Luke does.
She brushed her hair out of her face. She had a smudge of dirt on her chin, and I imagined what she must've looked like when she was little, wandering around the country with Thalia and Luke. Once she'd saved them from the mansion of the evil Cyclops when she was only seven. Even when she looked scared, like now, I knew she had a lot of guts.
Annabeth: I just wish the quest was logical. I mean, we're traveling but we have no idea where we'll end up. How can you walk from New York to California in a day?
Theo: Space isn't the same in the maze. I mean, I walked from Austin to Long Island in three days.
Annabeth: I know. It's just...Theo, I was kidding myself. All that planning and reading, I don't have a clue where we're going.
Theo: You're doing great. Besides, we never know what we're doing. We just improvise and hope for the best. It's been working out so far. Remember Circe's island?
Annabeth: (snorts) You made a cute guinea pig.
I chuckled. It wasn't a particularly happy memory, but I found myself smiling a bit because of the fact that Annabeth managed to recognize me as a guinea pig once she got a good look at me. Sure, I ended up getting a small concussion from repeatedly slamming my head against the glass of the cage in an attempt to get Annabeth's attention, but it worked.
Theo: And Waterland, how you got us thrown off that ride?
Annabeth: (smirks) I remember that being your fault.
Theo: (chuckles) Let's agree to disagree. You see my point, right? It'll be fine.
She smiled, which I was glad to see, but the smile faded quickly.
Annabeth: Theo, what did Hera mean when she said you knew the way to get through the maze?
Theo: Honestly, I have no idea.
Annabeth: You'd tell me if you did?
Theo: Of course. Maybe...
Annabeth: Maybe what?
Theo: Maybe if you told me the last line of the prophecy, it would help.
Annabeth: Not here. Not in the dark.
Theo: What about the choice Janus mentioned? Hera said—
Annabeth: Stop!
I was taken aback by the way she snapped at me. Then she took a shaky breath.
Annabeth: I'm sorry, Theo. I'm just stressed. But I don't...I've got to think about it.
We sat in silence, listening to strange creaks and groans in the maze, the echo of stones grinding together as tunnels changed, grew, and expanded. The dark made me think about my encounter with Nico di Angelo, and suddenly I realized something.
Theo: Nico is down here somewhere. That's how he disappeared from camp. He found the Labyrinth. I'm willing to bet that he wants to avenge his sister by...killing me and Percy.
Annabeth was quiet for a long time.
Annabeth: Theo, I hope you're wrong. But if you're right...
She stared at the flashlight beam, casting a dim circle on the stone wall. I had a feeling she was thinking about her prophecy. I'd never seen her look more tired.
Theo: How about I take first watch? I'll wake you if anything happens.
Annabeth looked like she wanted to protest, but she just nodded, gave me a peck on the cheek, slumped into her bedroll, and closed her eyes.
I spent the next couple of hours staring into the darkness, keeping an eye out for anything that may come out of it.
While I was keeping watch, I found myself deep in thought.
I was scared for Theo. I don't know what spirit Nico was listening to that would get him to send me to Texas near an entrance to the Labyrinth. Was he hoping that I'd find it and wind up get stuck in here long enough for something to get me killed? If so, then it almost worked.
I'm hoping that I could find Nico soon. Maybe I could talk some sense into him and get him to stop listening to the spirit. But what if he doesn't care? What if Nico was too caught up in his rage that he wouldn't listen to what I had to say? Am I going to have to...?
No. I can't do that. I had to try to get him to see reason. For Bianca's sake.
Suddenly, I found myself thinking about Thalia. It's been six months since my mother had made her Lieutenant of her Hunters. Thalia did say that her becoming a Hunter felt right for her, like that was where she belonged. I felt happy for her when she told me that. She hadn't felt at peace for almost a decade since she ran away. She spent four years running across the country where she met Luke and Annabeth, then she was a pine tree for six years after she sacrificed her life for them and Grover. In the six months that she spent in Camp Half-Blood after she woke up, she never felt like she belonged until the winter solstice.
I wonder where she is right now.
I looked at my watch and realized that my shift was over. I got over and walked over to Zoe. I knelt down and gently shook her shoulder, causing her to slowly stir awake.
Zoe: What?
Theo: It's your turn.
Zoe nodded as she rubbed her eyes before sitting up.
I walked back to my bedroll and lied down before closing my eyes.
Timeskip
There was no morning in the maze, but once everyone woke up and had a fabulous breakfast of granola bars and juice boxes, we kept traveling.
The old stone tunnels changed to dirt with cedar beams, like a gold mine or something. Annabeth started getting agitated.
Annabeth: This isn't right. It should still be stone.
We came to a cave where stalactites hung low from the ceiling. In the center of the dirt floor was a rectangular pit, like a grave.
Grover: (shivers) It smells like the Underworld in here.
Then I saw something glinting at the edge of the pit—a foil wrapper. I shined my flashlight into the hole and saw a half-chewed cheeseburger floating in brown carbonated muck.
Percy: Nico. He was summoning the dead again.
Tyson: Ghosts were here. I don't like ghosts.
Theo: We need to find him.
I don't know why, but standing at the edge of that pit gave me a sense of urgency. Nico was close, I could feel it. I couldn't let him wander around down here, alone except for the dead.
Percy must've had the same thought that I had because he started running.
Zoe: Percy!
I ducked into a tunnel and saw light up ahead. By the time Annabeth, Tyson, Zoe, Grover, and I caught up with Percy, I was staring at daylight streaming through a set of bars above my head. We were under a steel grate made out of metal pipes. I could see trees and blue sky.
Percy: Where are we?
Then a shadow fell across the grate and a cow stared down at me. It looked like a normal cow except with a weird color—bright red, like a cherry. I didn't know cows came in that color.
The cow mooed, put one hoof tentatively on the bars, then backed away.
Grover: It's a cattle guard.
Percy: A what?
Grover: They put them at the gates of ranches so cows can't get out. They can't walk on them.
Percy: How do you know that?
Grover: Believe me, if you had hooves, you'd know about cattle guards. They're annoying!
Theo: Wait. (turns to Annabeth) Didn't Hera say something about a ranch? We need to check it out. Nico might be there.
Annabeth: Alright. But how do we get out?
Tyson solved that problem by hitting the cattle guard with both hands. It popped off and went flying out of sight. We heard a CLANG! and a startled Moo! Tyson blushed.
Tyson: Sorry, cow!
Then he gave us a boost out of the tunnel.
We were on a ranch, all right. Rolling hills stretched to the horizon, dotted with oak trees, cacti, and boulders. A barbed wire fence ran from the gate in either direction. Cherry-colored cows roamed around, grazing on clumps of grass.
Theo: Red cattle. The cattle of the sun.
Percy: What?
Theo: They're sacred to my uncle.
Percy: Holy cows?
Theo: Uh...pretty much. But what are they doing—
Grover: Wait. Listen.
At first, everything seemed quiet...but then I heard it: the distant baying of dogs. The sound got louder. Then the underbrush rustled, and two dogs broke through. Except it wasn't two dogs. It was one dog with two heads. It looked like a greyhound, long and snaky and sleek brown, but its neck V'd into two heads, both of them snapping and snarling and generally not very glad to see us.
Tyson: Bad Janus dog!
Grover: (raised a hand in greeting) Arf!
The two-headed dog bared its teeth. I guess it wasn't impressed that Grover could speak animal. Then its master lumbered out of the woods, and I realized the dog was the least of our problems.
He was a huge guy with stark white hair, a straw cowboy hat, and a braided white beard— kind of like Father Time if Father Time went redneck and got totally jacked. He was wearing jeans, a DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS T-shirt, and a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off so you could see his muscles. On his right bicep was a crossed-swords tattoo. He held a wooden club about the size of a nuclear warhead, with six-inch spikes bristling at the business end.
Man: Heel, Orthus.
The dog growled at us once more, just to make his feelings clear, just to make his feelings clear, then circled back to his master's feet. The man looked us up and down, keeping his club ready.
Man: What've we got here? Cattle rustlers?
Annabeth: Just travelers. We're on a quest.
Man: Half-bloods, eh?
Percy: How did you—
Annabeth: I'm Annabeth, daughter of Athena. This is Percy, son of Poseidon. Theo, son of Artemis. Zoe, daughter of Pleione. Grover the satyr. Tyson the—
Eurytion: Cyclops. Yes, I can see that. And I know half-bloods because I am one, sonny. I'm Eurytion, the cowherd for this here ranch. Son of Ares. You came through the Labyrinth like the other one, I reckon.
Theo: Other one? You mean Nico di Angelo?
Eurytion: We get a load of visitors from the Labyrinth. Not many ever leave.
Percy: Wow. I feel welcome.
The cowherd glanced bend him like someone was watching. Then he lowered his voice.
Eurytion: I'm only going to say this once, demigods. Get back in the maze now. Before it's too late.
Annabeth: We're not leaving. Not until we see this other demigod. Please.
Eurytion: (grunts) Then you leave me no choice, missy. I've got to take you to the boss.
I didn't feel like we were hostages or anything. Eurytion walked alongside us with his club across his shoulder. Orthus the two-headed dog growled a lot and sniffed at Grover's legs and shot into the bushes once in a while to chase animals, but Eurytion kept him more or less under control.
We walked down a dirt path that seemed to go on forever. It must've been close to a hundred degrees, which was a shock after San Francisco. Heat shimmered off the ground. Insects buzzed in the trees. Before we'd gone very far, I was sweating like crazy. Flies swarmed us. Every so often we'd see a pen full of red cows or even stranger animals. Once we passed a corral where the fence was coated in asbestos. Inside, a herd of fire-breathing horses milled around. The hay in their feeding trough was on fire. The ground smoked around their feet, but the horses seemed tame enough. One big stallion looked at me and whinnied, columns of red flame billowing out his nostrils. I wondered if it hurt his sinuses.
Theo: What are they for?
Eurytion: We raise animals for lots of clients. Apollo, Diomedes, and...others.
Theo: Yeah? Like who?
Eurytion: No more questions.
Finally, we came out of the woods. Perched on a hill above us was a big ranch house—all white stone and wood and big windows.
Annabeth: It looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright!
I guess she was talking about some architectural thing. To me, it just looked like the kind of place where a few demigods could get into serious trouble. We hiked up the hill.
Eurytion: Don't break the rules. No fighting. No drawing weapons. And don't make any comments about the boss's appearance.
Percy: Why? What does he look like?
???: Welcome to the Triple G Ranch.
The man on the porch had a normal head, which was a relief. His face was weathered and brown from years in the sun. He had slick black hair and a black pencil mustache like villains have in old movies. He smiled at us, but the smile wasn't friendly; more amused, like Oh boy, more people to torture!
I didn't ponder that very long, though, because then I noticed his body...or bodies. He had three of them. Now you'd think I would've gotten used to weird anatomy after Janus and Briares, but this guy was three complete people. His neck connected to the middle chest like normal, but he had two more chests, one to either side, connected at the shoulders, with a few inches between. His left arm grew out of his left chest, and the same on the right, so he had two arms, but four armpits, if that makes any sense. The chests all connected into one enormous torso, with two regular but very beefy legs, and he wore the most oversized pair of Levis I'd ever seen. His chests each wore a different color Western shirt—green, yellow, red, like a stoplight. I wondered how he dressed the middle chest since it had no arms.
Eurytion: Say Hello to Mr. Geryon.
Percy: Hi. Nice chests—uh, ranch! Nice ranch you have.
This fucking guy, I swear.
Before the three-bodied man could respond, Nico di Angelo came out of the glass doors onto the porch.
Nico: Geryon, I won't wait for—
He froze when he saw us. Then he drew his sword. The blade was short, sharp, and dark as midnight.
I instinctively stood in between him and the others and activated my shield.
Geryon: Put that away, Mr. di Angelo. I ain't gonna have my guests killin' each other. (turns to Theo) You too, Mr. Miller.
Nico: But that's—
Geryon: Percy Jackson, Theo Miller, Annabeth Chase, Zoe Nightshade, and a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know.
Grover: Monster friends?
Tyson: That man is wearing three shirts.
He said that as if he just noticed.
Nico: They let my sister die! They're here to kill me!
Percy: Nico, we're not here to kill you. What happened to Bianca was—
Nico: Don't speak her name! You're not worthy to even talk about her!
Zoe: Wait a minute. (points at Geryon) How do you know our names?
Geryon: (winks) I make it my business to keep informed, darlin'. Everybody pops into the ranch from time to time. Everyone needs something from ole Geryon. Now, Mr. di Angelo, put that ugly sword away before I have Eurytion take it from you. (turns to Theo) And I suggest putting that shield of yours away as well, Mr. Miller.
Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his spiked club. At his feet, Orthus growled.
Nico hesitated. He looked thinner and paler than he had when I last saw him. I wondered if he'd eaten in the last week. His black clothes were dusty from traveling in the Labyrinth, and his dark eyes were full of hate. He was too young to look so angry. I still remember him as the cheerful little kid who played with Mythomagic cards.
Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword.
Nico: If either of you come near me, Percy, Theo, I'll summon help. You don't want to meet my helpers, I promise.
I deactivated my shield and looked at Percy, who nodded, and then I looked back at Nico.
Theo: We believe you.
Geryon patted Nico's shoulder.
Geryon: There, we've all made nice. Now come along, folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch.
Geryon had a trolley thing—like one of those kiddie trains that take you around zoos. It was painted black and white in a cowhide pattern. The driver's car had a set of longhorns stuck to the hood, and the horn sounded like a cowbell. I figured maybe this was how he tortured people. He embarrassed them to death riding around in the moo-mobile.
Nico sat in the very back, probably so he could keep an eye on us. Eurytion crawled in next to him with his spiked club and pulled his cowboy hat over his eyes like he was going to take a nap. Orthus jumped in the front seat next to Geryon and began barking happily in two-part harmony.
Annabeth, Tyson, Grover, Zoe, Percy, and I took the middle two cars.
Geryon: We have a huge operation! Horses and cattle mostly, but all sorts of exotic varieties, too.
We came over a hill.
Zoe: (gasps) Hippalektryons? I thought they were extinct!
At the bottom of the hill was a fenced-in pasture with a dozen of the weirdest animals I'd ever seen. Each had the front half of a horse and the back half of a rooster. Their rear feet were huge yellow claws. They had feathery tails and red wings. As I watched, two of them got into a fight over a pile of seeds. They reared up on their wings at each other until the smaller one galloped away, its rear bird legs putting a little hop in its step.
Tyson: Rooster ponies! Do they lay eggs?
Geryon: (grins) Once a year. Very much in demand for omelets!
Annabeth: That's horrible! They must be an endangered species!
Geryon: Gold is gold, darling. And you haven't tasted the omelets.
Grover: That's not right.
I nodded my head in agreement. There's gotta be an Olympian Endangered Species Act or something.
But Geryon just kept narrating the tour.
Geryon: Now, over here, we have our fire-breathing horses, which you may have seen on your way in. They're bred for war, naturally.
Percy: What war?
Geryon: Oh, whichever one comes along. And over yonder, of course, are our prize red cows.
Sure enough, hundreds of cherry-colored cattle were grazing the side of the hill.
Grover: So many.
Geryon: Yes, well, Apollo is too busy to see them, so he subcontracts to us. We breed them vigorously because there's such a demand.
Zoe: Demand for what?
Geryon: Meat, of course! Armies have to eat.
I'm sorry, WHAT THE FUCK?!
Grover: You kill the sacred cows of the sun god for hamburger meat? That's against the ancient laws!
Geryon: Oh, don't get so worked up, satyr. They're just animals.
Grover: Just animals!
Geryon: Yes, and if Apollo cared, I'm sure he would tell us.
Percy: (mutters) If he knew.
I'll have to tell Apollo about this when I see him again because there is no way would he actually be okay with this shit.
Nico: I don't care about any of this, Geryon. We had business to discuss, and this wasn't it!
Geryon: All in good time, Mr. di Angelo. Look over here; some of my exotic game.
The next field was ringed in barbed wire. The whole area was crawling with giant scorpions.
Percy: Triple G Ranch. Your mark was on the crates at camp. Quintus got his scorpions from you.
Geryon: Quintus...Short gray hair, muscular, swordsman?
Percy: Yeah.
Geryon: Never heard of him. Now, over here are my prize stables! You must see them.
I didn't need to see them, because as soon as we got within three hundred yards, I 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—and when I say muck, I mean horse shit. It was the most disgusting thing I'd ever seen, like a poop blizzard had come through and dumped four feet of the stuff overnight. The horses were really gross from wading through it, and the stables were just as bad. It reeked like you would not believe—worse than the garbage boats on the East River.
Nico: (gags) What is that?
Geryon: My stables! Well, actually they belong to Aegas, but we watch over them for a small monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?
Annabeth: They're disgusting.
Tyson: Lots of poop.
Grover: How can you keep animals like that?
Geryon: Y'all getting on my nerves. These are flesh-eating horses, see? They like these conditions.
Eurytion: (under his breath) Plus, you're too cheap to have them cleaned.
Geryon: Quiet! Alright, 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.
Perc& Theo: What clients?
Geryon: 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.
Annabeth: You're a monster.
Geryon stopped the moo-mobile and turned to look at her.
Geryon: What gave it away? Was it the three bodies?
Grover: You have to let these animals go! It's not right!
Zoe: And those so-called clients you keep mentioning...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 he was doing the wave all by himself.
Geryon: 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 hills and all, except for the quagmire of horse muck.
Zoe leaned over to me.
Zoe: You must alert Apollo of this when you get the chance. I don't think there is any possibly any chance that he is actually okay with this.
Theo: Oh, I know. And I'm telling him, first chance I get.
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.
Nico: I came here for business, Geryon. And you haven't answered me.
Geryon: Mmm.
Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle chest.
Geryon: Yes, you'll get a deal, alright.
Nico: My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need.
Percy: Wait a second. I thought either Theo or I was the soul you wanted.
Nico looked at Percy as if he was out of his mind.
Nico: You? Why would I want either of you? Bianca's soul is worth a thousand of both of yours! (turns to Geryon) Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?
Geryon: Oh, I imagine I could. Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?
Nico looked uneasy.
Nico: He can't form in broad daylight. It's hard for him. But he's around somewhere.
Geryon: (smiles) I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get...difficult.
Percy: You mean that evil king? That's the ghost who's been giving you advice?
Nico: It's none of your business, Percy! (turns to Geryon) And what do you mean about things getting difficult?
Geryon: (sighs) Well, you see, Nico—can I call you Nico?
Nico: No.
Geryon: You see, Nico, Luke Castellan is offering very good money for half-bloods. Especially powerful half-bloods. And I'm sure when he learns your little secret, who you really are, he'll pay very, very well indeed.
Nico drew his sword, but Eurytion knocked it out of his hand. Before Percy could get up, Orthus pounced on his chest and growled, his faces an inch away from his.
Geryon: I would stay in the car, all of you. Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson's throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Nico.
The cowherd spit into the grass.
Eurytion: Do I have to?
Geryon: Yes, you fool!
Eurytion looked bored, but he wrapped one huge arm around Nico and lifted him up like a wrestler.
Geryon: Pick up the sword, too. There's nothing I hate worse than Stygian Iron.
Eurytion picked up the sword, careful not to touch the blade.
Geryon: Now, we've had the tour. Let's go back to the lodge, have some lunch, and send an Iris message to our friends in the Titan army.
Annabeth: You son of a bitch!
Geryon: (smiles) Don't worry, my dear. Once I've delivered Mr. di Angelo, you and your party can go. I don't interfere with quests. Besides, I've been paid well to give you safe passage, which does not, I'm afraid, include Mr. di Angelo.
Annabeth: Paid by whom? What do you mean?
I've got a good idea as to whom...
Geryon: Never you mind, darlin'. Let's be off, shall we?
Percy: Wait.
Orthus growled.
Percy: Geryon, you said you're a businessman. Make me a deal.
Geryon: What sort of deal? Do you have gold?
Percy: I've got something better. Barter.
Geryon: But Mr. Jackson, you've got nothing.
Eurytion: You could have him clean the stables.
Percy: I'll do it! If I fail, you get all of us. Trade us all to Luke for gold.
Geryon: Assuming the horses don't eat you.
Percy: Either way, you get my friends. But if I succeed, you've got to let all of us go, including Nico.
Nico: NO! Don't do me any favors, Percy. I don't want your help!
Geryon: (chuckles) Percy Jackson, those stables haven't been cleaned in a thousand years...though it's true I might be able to sell more stable space if all that poop was cleared away.
Percy: So, what have you got to lose?
Geryon: Alright, I'll accept your offer, but you have to get it done by sunset. If you fail, your friends get sold, and I get rich.
Percy: Deal.
Geryon: (nods) I'm going to take your friends with me, back to the lodge. We'll wait for you there.
Eurytion gave Percy a funny look. It might have been sympathy. He whistled, and the dog jumped off Percy and onto Annabeth's lap. She yelped. I knew that the rest of us could never try anything as long as Annabeth was hostage.
Percy got out of the car.
Theo: I hope you know what you're doing, Seaweed Brain.
Percy: Yeah. Me, too.
Geryon got behind the driver's wheel. Eurytion hauled Nico into the backseat.
Geryon: Sunset. No later.
He laughed at Percy once more, sounded his cowbell horn, and the moo-mobile rumbled off down the trail.