Reagan had never really been held hostage before, but she was certain that hostages weren't generally treated like this. The group strolled along a path led by Eurytion, who casually held his club up against his shoulder as his two-headed hound, Orthus, trotted in and out of bushes here and there. It was hotter down here then in San Francisco, the heat radiating in waves off the dirt path they continued to travel by. Her favorite part of the walk was when she spotted a fenced area with horses that breathed out fire through their nostrils when one of them whinnied at them as they passed by. She was too caught up in her thoughts about Nico to pay too much attention to the exotic creatures or the conversations going on around her, though. Why was he here anyways?
The group approached a house perched atop a hill, and Annabeth cried out with glee: "Wow! It looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright!"
Reagan blinked, looking up from the worn path to gaze at the house in front of them. It seemed pretty normal, and in her eyes it even resembled The Big House back at camp, which made her feel a little nostalgic. They hiked up the hill and stopped at the porch steps, Eurytion a step above them and gazing down at the half-bloods with disdain.
"No drawing weapons, no fighting, and don't make any comments about the boss's appearance," he warned. "Don't break these rules."
"Why?" Percy asked. "What does he look like?"
But like right on cue, a new voice boomed from the porch front door: "Welcome to Triple G Ranch."
Reagan bit back any comments she had at the sight of this man. He was like Janus, except in reverse. The man had one head with a pencil thin mustache, like most generic villains. Except the lower her eyes roamed, the stranger he looked. He had a chest, but with two other chests connected to it. Supporting him was a pair of massive legs with very large Levi overalls pulled up.
"Say hello to Mr. Geryon," the cowhand Eurytion introduced.
However, Reagan was too busy focusing on the middle chest to notice the glass doors swinging open from behind.
"Geryon, I won't wait-"
The voice halted as the owner spotted the newest arrivals, and out stepped a frail but dangerous looking Nico di Angelo from behind the three chested man. Without hesitating, the small Demigod unsheathed his sword, and Reagan's body shuddered involuntarily at the sight of the dark metal weapon that she had dreamed about. A pain ghosted in her gut, and for a split second it felt like she was back in the Labyrinth in her nightmare, and Nico was pulling the blade from her stomach. She doubled over, clutching at an invisible wound.
Annabeth let out an almost inaudible gasp. "Reagan? Is it the poison?!"
The blonde reached over, helping the Italian girl straighten up. Her hands were gentle as they groped for Reagan, one hand firmly grasping her shoulder as the other grabbed her forearm to steady her. Nico stared suspiciously.
"Poison...?" His voice was inquisitive, but the blade stayed steadily in the air and ready to lunge at them.
Geryon snarled. "Put that thing away, Mr. di Angelo. I ain't gonna have my guests killin' each other."
"They let my sister die!" Nico argued, visibly trembling with rage. "They're here to kill me!"
Reagan stiffened and touched the ring on her finger cautiously. "We're not here to kill you, Nico," she said slowly. "I didn't want Bianca to-"
"Don't speak her name!" Nico shouted. "You're not even worthy enough to speak about her!"
"Mr. di Angelo, put that ugly sword away before I make Eurytion take it from you," Geryon growled.
Eurytion sighed like this whole event was just a bother to him. But he lifted his spiked club and Orthus growled hungrily at his feet. When was the last time that beast ate? Nico hesitated as the man towered over him, then eventually sheathed his sword and glared at Reagan venomously.
"Don't come near me, Reagan," he threatened dangerously. "Or I'll summon help, and you don't want to see them."
She thought of the chattering undead corpses that chased them across the country a year ago, and nodded slowly. "I can believe that."
Nico was thinner and paler then before, and Reagan wondered how long it's been since the last time he ate something.
Geryon patted Nico's shoulder. "Now that we're all friends here, I want to give y'all a tour of my ranch."
Compared to this, Reagan preferred the dark cells within Alcatraz at San Francisco. Sitting in this cow-mobile was torture. The vehicle was a long truck painted like a black and white cow, with rows of benches in it. Geryon sat in the drivers seat ecstatically. Nico sat on the far back, while Eurytion sat behind him with his hound. Having nowhere else to really sit; Grover, Reagan, Annabeth, and Percy sat in the middle.
Geryon showed them all the exotic animals that he took care of, but all Reagan could think about was Nico. Her mind was racing with all of these thoughts. He was so vengeful now, and Reagan knew for a fact that if Eurytion and Geryon wasn't here, he'd have summoned help and they'd all be knee deep in skeletons. She needed to speak to him. To apologize endlessly about what happened to his sister. What if she explained that she was dying anyways; a life for a life. All Reagan wanted was to get Nico back; the little boy who loved Mythomagic like crazy and thought everything was cool.
An awful smell wafted up into her nose, shaking Reagan from her train of thoughts. It was repulsive, and when her gaze lifted from her hands and wandered to the culprit, she realized what it was coming from. There was a fenced area the size of a football field next to a green river, with tons of horses milling around in crud. By crud, it was clearly horse crap. There was at least a solid foot of poop caking the ground that the horses stepped on endlessly.
Nico gagged. "What is that?!"
"My prized herd!" Geryon exclaimed. "Well, actually, they belong to Aegas, but I take care of them for a nice monthly fee. Aren't they lovely?"
"They're disgusting!" Annabeth said.
"Lots of poop," Tyson observed.
"How can you keep them like this?!" Grover cried.
Regan was wrinkling her nose in disgust. "It's like I'm by the East River back home during the summer."
"Y'all are getting on my nerves," Geryon said as they continued to drive. "They're flesh eating horses, see? They like these conditions."
"Plus, you're too cheap to get the stables cleaned," Eurytion mumbled from under his hat on the back of the cow mobile.
"Quiet!" Geryon snapped angrily. "All right. Perhaps the stables do need a good cleaning. Perhaps I do get a little nauseous whenever the wind blows a certain way. But so what?" He smirked greedily. "My clients pay either way."
"What clients?" Percy demanded.
Reagan's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she felt for her ring without thinking. "Kronos is your client, right?"
Geryon shrugged, a weird sight since he had three pairs of shoulders to shrug. "And what if he is?" he challenged while stopping the cow mobile and turning to look at them. "I am a businessman, and Kronos is my client. I will sell him what I can."
Sighing, the three-bodied man climbed out of the cow mobile and strolled towards the horse stable, apparently enjoying the poop infested view of the landscape. Nico scowled and scrambled from his seat and stormed after the rancher. Eurytion, not as tired as they originally thought, climbed out of the bus and lumbered after Nico, his club ready.
"I came here for business, Geryon. And you haven't given me an answer yet." Nico scowled.
Geryon hummed thoughtfully and examined a cactus, his left hand scratching his middle chest. "You'll get your deal."
"My ghost told me that you could help. That you could guide us to the soul we need."
Reagan frowned in confusion and stood up dumbly. "I thought you wanted my soul."
Nico's head whipped around and looked at her like she was crazy. "You?! Bianca's soul is worth a thousand more then yours!" He returned his attention to Geryon. "Can you help or not?"
"I imagine I could," Geryon answered. "Where is your ghost friend, by the way?"
The boy looked uneasy. "He has issues manifesting in direct sunlight. But he's here somewhere."
Geryon smiled. "I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things become...difficult."
"Minos?!" Percy cried in disbelief. "You mean that evil king? He's the one giving you advice?"
"That's none of your business!" Nico snapped. He looked at the three-chested man. "And what do you mean by difficult?"
Geryon sighed. "Well, you see Nico- can I call you Nico?"
"No."
"Well you see, Nico, Luke Castellan is paying good money for half-bloods. Even more so for powerful ones. If he were to find out your little secret, I'm sure he'd pay immensely for you."
Nico pulled out his sword, but Eurytion knocked it out of his grasp. Percy tried to stand up, but Orthus pounced onto his lap, growling menacingly.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Geryon warned. "Or Mr. Jackson will get throat torn out. Now if you will, Eurytion, secure Nico."
"Do I have to?" Eurytion sighed.
"Yes, you fool!"
Sighing with boredom, Eurytion lifted Nico up like he was a sack.
"And detain that sword, too." Geryon scowled with distaste. "If there's nothing I hate more, it's Stygian Iron."
Eurytion picked up the sword, careful not to touch the blade.
Geryon smiled smugly. "Now, lets all return to my home. We'll have lunch while I send an Iris message to the Titan Army. Once I hand Nico over, y'all will be free to continue your quest. I don't interfere with quests. Besides, I've been paid to give you safe passage through my ranch."
"Who paid you?" Annabeth questioned.
"Nevermind that," the rancher said dismissively. "Lets be off, shall we?"