━━━speedy gonzales
.・゜゜・───・゜゜・
Cal woke up lying against soft sheets on top of a hard surface. Lying there and staring up at the empty ceiling, there was a moment of peace, where the would wasn't trying to kill her. Literally.
Her back felt stiff, but her headache was gone. She sat up and rolled her shoulders, noticing her bracelets were still on. Her face felt clean and soft, her hands clean. She rubbed at the crusties in the corners of her eyes. Standing across from her was an Amazon with short voluminous hair and an oval face.
"I like your hair," Callahan said, her tongue being too loose to stop. The Amazon's head snapped up from her shoes, and she immediately smiled. After a moment of staring at each other, she cleared her throat.
"I'm Liliana." She stepped forward. "You must be confused."
Cal nodded, wary of the girl as she approached her. "Where am I?"
"You're in the medbay at Amazon headquarters." She stood in front of her. "Hylla told me to bring you to the holding cells as soon as you wake up."
Cal nodded, wobbling slightly when she stood up. She almost fell, but Liliana stepped forward and grabbed her elbow, steadying her.
"I'm so sorry about this"
Cal shrugged in response and pulled on her boots. The doors led to a huge caver full of pulleys and conveyor belts pulling packages of all sizes in different directions. The cold made her shiver.
"Uhh" She swallowed, "what did you guys give me?"
Liliana looked up and smiled, "Oh, just some medicine from Asclepius."
"Who?" Cal asked.
Lilliana laughed, "Oh, my dad! He's the Greek god of medicine." She reached up and raised her eyebrows, asking a silent question. Cal nodded, and Liliana rested the back of her hand on Cal's forehead.
She grinned. "You should be all good, sweetie!"
Cal blushed and nodded, tongue-tied.
"Callahan!" Percy darted forward, his hands reaching through the bars of his cell, toward her. "Are you ok?"
Cal stepped toward him and nodded, letting his hands cup her cheeks. She pressed her lips to the middle of his palm. "I'm okay. I promise."
Percy looked back around her at Liliana and nodded in thanks. Liliana shrugged. She stepped forward and pulled a card off of her shirt, putting a finger to her lips as she swiped it through the lock on Percy's cage. The door swung open and Percy darted forward, grabbing Callahan's wrist and dragging her into him, the door swinging shut behind her. Her senses were flooded with Percy; saltwater and something only him.
"Gods, don't ever do that again." He whispered into her hair.
Cal smiled softly and nodded into his neck, "I'll try not to."
Percy's breath puffed against her ear.
She pulled back and turned around, Percy's arms wrapped around her waist, face tucked into the crook of her neck.
She smiled at Liliana, "thank you."
Liliana nodded, "you guys are so cute! I couldn't keep you apart even if I tried."
Behind her Percy pulled his face out of the crook of her neck, looking up at Liliana. "Do you-" he cleared his throat "do you know what happened to her?"
Liliana smiled softly, "it was her memories trying to breakthrough. They didn't like being suppressed, so they had enough and took matters into their own hands. I gave you some medicine and you should be fine now. They'll be coming back gradually."
Percy nodded at her in thanks. Liliana smiled, waved, and left. The minute she was gone, Percy pulled on Cal's waist and twirled her around, cupping her face once she faced him. Cal reached up and softly grabbed his wrists.
"I'm ok. I promise." Percy nodded in response and tugged her back into his chest. Looking over his shoulder, Cal made eye-contact with Frank. They smiled at each other.
Percy hadn't let go of her since she entered his cage. She was resting against his chest, listening to the rise and fall. She felt sleepy, her eyes drooping. She snapped awake when the sound of feet on metal came near them, Kenzie and Hazel rounding the corner. There was something in the way Kenzie called for the Amazons guarding them that made Cal's heart beat a little faster. She couldn't hear what the two were talking about, but she watched as their two guards walked over as Kenzie left. She watched as Hazel flattened herself to the floor, and she watched as avalanches of jewelry washed over the catwalk. She let out a laugh, shooting up, her body coiled like a snake ready to strike. Percy was standing behind her, gobsmacked.
Hazel jogged over carrying two Amazon cards, rushing to unlock their prison doors.
"Hazel, that was..amazing" Cal breathed as the doors popped open.
Frank nodded vehemently beside her, "yeah that was...wow--"
"Remind me to never wear jewelry again," Percy said behind her. Cal smiled.
"Except this." Hazel tossed him his necklace. "Our weapons and supplies are at the end of the catwalk. We should hurry. Pretty soon—" Alarms began wailing throughout the cavern.
"Yeah," she said, "that'll happen. Let's go!"
The first part of the escape was easy. They retrieved their things with no problem, then started climbing down the ladder. Every time Amazons swarmed beneath them, demanding their surrender, Hazel made a crate of jewelry explode, burying their enemies in a Niagara Falls of gold and silver. When they got to the bottom of the ladder, they found a scene that looked like Mardi Gras Armageddon—Amazons trapped up to their necks in bead necklaces, several more upside down in a mountain of amethyst earrings, and a battle forklift buried in silver charm bracelets.
"You, Hazel Levesque," Frank said, "are entirely freaking incredible."
Hazel looked like she wanted to kiss him. Cal smiled, breathless. They ran back to the throne room. They stumbled across one Amazon who must've been loyal to Hylla. As soon as she saw the escapees, she turned away like they were invisible. Percy started to ask,
"What the—"
"Some of them want us to escape," Hazel said. "I'll explain later."
The second Amazon they met wasn't so friendly. She was dressed in full armor, blocking the throne-room entrance. She spun her spear with lightning speed, but this time Percy was ready. He drew Riptide and stepped into battle. As the Amazon jabbed at him, he sidestepped, cut her spear shaft in half, and slammed the hilt of his sword against her helmet. The guard crumpled.
"Mars Almighty," Frank said. "How did you—that wasn't any Roman technique!"
Percy grinned. "The graecus has some moves, my friend. After you." He grabbed Cal's hand again.
They ran into the throne room. As promised, Hylla and her guards had cleared out. Hazel dashed over to Arion's cage and swiped an Amazon card across the lock. Instantly the stallion burst forth, rearing in triumph. Percy, Frank, and Callahan stumbled backward.
"Um...is that thing tame?" Frank said. The horse whinnied angrily.
"I don't think so," Percy guessed. "He just said, 'I will trample you to death, silly Chinese Canadian baby man.'"
Cal giggled.
"You speak horse?" Hazel asked.
"'Baby man'?" Frank spluttered.
"Speaking to horses is a Poseidon thing," Percy said. "Uh, I mean a Neptune thing."
"Then you and Arion should get along fine," Hazel said. "He's a son of Neptune too."
Percy turned pale. "Excuse me?"
If they hadn't been in such a bad situation, Percy's expression might have made Hazel laugh. Callahan did, reaching toward Arion but stopping when Percy put a hand on her arm.
"The point is, he's fast. He can get us out of here." Frank did not look thrilled. "Three of us can't fit on one horse, can we? We'll fall off, or slow him down, or—" Arion whinnied again.
"Ouch," Percy said. "Frank, the horse says you're a—you know, actually, I'm not going to translate that. Anyway, he says there's a chariot in the warehouse, and he's willing to pull it."
"There!" someone yelled from the back of the throne room. A dozen Amazons charged in, followed by males in orange jumpsuits. When they saw Arion, they backed up quickly and headed for the battle forklifts.
Hazel vaulted onto Arion's back. She grinned down at her friends. "I remember seeing that chariot. Follow me, guys!"
She galloped into the larger cavern and scattered a crowd of males. Percy knocked out an Amazon. Frank swept two more off their feet with his spear. Cal twirled her swords. Hazel could feel Arion straining to run. He wanted to go full speed, but he needed more room. They had to make it outside. Hazel bowled into a patrol of Amazons, who scattered in terror at the sight of the horse. For once, Hazel's spatha felt exactly the right length. She swung it at everyone who came within reach. No Amazon dared challenge her.
The three of them ran after her. Finally, they reached the chariot. Arion stopped by the yoke, and Percy set to work with the reins and harness.
"You've done this before?" Frank asked. Percy didn't need to answer. His hands flew. In no time the chariot was ready.
He jumped aboard with Cal and yelled, "Frank, come on! Hazel, go!"
A battle cry went up behind them. A full army of Amazons stormed into the warehouse. Otrera herself stood astride a battle forklift, her silver hair flowing as she swung her mounted crossbow toward the chariot.
"Stop them!" she yelled. Hazel spurred Arion. They raced across the cavern, weaving around pallets and forklifts. An arrow whizzed past Hazel's head. Something exploded behind her, but she didn't look back.
"The stairs!" Frank yelled. "No way this horse can pull a chariot up that many flights of—OH MY GODS!"
Thankfully the stairs were wide enough for the chariot because Arion didn't even slow down. He shot up the steps with the chariot rattling and groaning. Hazel glanced back a few times to make sure Frank, Percy, and Cal hadn't fallen off. Their knuckles were white on the sides of the chariot, their teeth chattering like windup Halloween skulls. Finally, they reached the lobby. Arion crashed through the main doors into the plaza and scattered a bunch of guys in business suits. Hazel felt the tension in Arion's rib cage. The fresh air was making him crazy to run, but Hazel pulled back on his reins.
"Ella!" Hazel shouted at the sky. "Where are you? We have to leave!"
For a horrible second, she was afraid the harpy might be too far away to hear. She might be lost, or captured by the Amazons. Behind them, a battle forklift clattered up the stairs and roared through the lobby, a mob of Amazons behind it.
"Surrender!" Otrera screamed. The forklift raised its razor-sharp tines.
"Ella!" Hazel cried desperately. In a flash of red feathers, Ella landed in the chariot. "Ella is here. Amazons are pointy. Go now."
"Hold on!" Hazel warned. She leaned forward and said, "Arion, run!"
The world seemed to elongate. Sunlight bent around them. Arion shot away from the Amazons and sped through downtown Seattle. Hazel glanced back and saw a line of smoking pavement where Arion's hooves had touched the ground. He thundered toward the docks, leaping over cars, barreling through intersections.
Hazel screamed at the top of her lungs, but it was a scream of delight. Behind her, Callahan whooped. For the first time in Hazel's life—in her two lives—she felt absolutely unstoppable. Arion reached the water and leaped straight off the docks. Hazel's ears popped. She heard a roar that she later realized was a sonic boom, and Arion tore over Puget Sound, seawater turning to steam in his wake as the skyline of Seattle receded behind them.
━━━speedy gonzales
.・゜゜・───・゜゜・