CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
—stupid dam

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  —LEAVING the desert was difficult; they all felt as if they were abandoning Bianca in her resting place. Surprisingly, it had been Zoë who whipped them into gear, saying the young di Angelo would be disappointed if they failed their quest in saving the goddess because of her death because, "A Hunter is loyal to Artemis before anything else."

  No one argued with her as she left the giant's side, head held high.

  When they had reached the highway before, it was completely deserted and quiet. Now though, there was a lonely pickup truck sitting idle on the side of the road. Judith was prepared to try and hot wire it, but the keys were sitting in the front seat with a Cloudcroft keychain — specifically the one Judith had stolen from the tourist shop. She patted down her pockets to realize she didn't have it anymore. They all knew some god out there was looking out for them; it was a small comfort in the somber atmosphere.

  The ride was silent, apart from Grover's occasional sniffles. Percy did his best to comfort his friend, but he ultimately made it worse by saying it should have been him to go in the giant instead. Judith had given him the extra silent treatment after that comment. He was willing to risk himself for anyone over anything and Judith hated it. Stupid, loyal hero with no sense of self-preservation.

  They arrived at the end of the road just as they ran out of gas, conveniently. They all climbed out of the truck, Thalia kicking the side of her door with her foot with a huff. "Great. What now?"

  They all looked around. It was desert for miles in every direction except for the canyon right next to them.

  "There's a path," Grover said. "We could get to the river."

  They all looked over the edge, Thalia taking extra care to hold onto Judith's jacket sleeve with a vice grip as she did so. The canyon was just high enough to make her fear for her life. The path that Grover pointed out was just a sliver, less than a foot wide.

  "That's a goat path," Percy said bluntly.

  "So?" The satyr asked, not understanding their blank stares.

  "The rest of us aren't goats."

  "We can make it," Grover said with confidence, though as he noticed Thalia's hold on Judith, he wavered. "I think."

  Judith narrowed her eyes. "Only if you carry me." Grover shook his head and refused. "Then we keep walking upstream." Grover didn't argue after that, her words sounding very final and very much not up for debate.

  They followed the river about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but they all pitched in to leave a donation on the desk as they took two boats.

  "We need to go upstream," Zoë said. "The rapids are too swift."

  "Leave that to me," Percy said and they all put the canoes in the water.

  Judith took a boat with Thalia and Grover while Percy took the one with Zoë. Surprisingly, the Hunter put up no fight over that arrangement. Judith guessed that she was either in no mood to fight over something so petty, or that she really was starting to release her preconceived notions about the boy.

  They all watched as naiads helped them drift upstream. Judith raised an eyebrow at a few, curious as to why they were helping them when she caught most of their eyes gazing at Percy in the next boat over with fluttering eyelashes and deep purple cheeks. If possible, Judith's already sour mood turned worse.

  She ignored the sudden shift in her head as they drifted to a stop, coming up on a dam.

  "Hoover Dam," Thalia stated. "It's huge." Judith whistled at sheer volume of it.

  "Seven hundred feet tall," Percy said.

  "Built in the 1930s," Judith added.

  "Five million cubic acres of water," Thalia said.

  Grover sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

  Zoë stared at the group with concerned eyes. "How do you know all that?"

  "Annabeth," They all chimed. "She liked architecture," Percy continued.

  "She was nuts about monuments," Thalia said.

  "Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled. "So annoying."

  "She'd kill to be here right now," Judith finished and they all nodded at her conclusion.

  "We should go up there," Percy decided. "For her sake. Just to say we've been."

  "You are mad," Zoë countered. "But that's where the road is." She pointed to a huge parking garage next to the top of the dam. "And so, sightseeing it is."

  They had to walk around for almost an hour before finding a path that led up to the road on the east side of the river. Luckily, this one was at least two feet wide, but Thalia still made sure to keep a firm hold on Judith's hood from behind.

  Once they'd straggled up to the top, they were blasted with biting wind. On one side of the dam, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like a cliff and Judith could almost feel herself choke as the daughter of Zeus yanked her away from the edge.

  In a ploy to escape the drop-off, Thalia pointed to the building across the way. "There's a snack bar in the visitor center," she said.

  "You've been here before?" Percy asked.

  "Once. To see the guardians." She then pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. A couple people shuffled about, snapping pictures as they marveled over them.

  "They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Thalia said. "A gift from Athena."

They watched a few tourists step up to the statues' feet before turning away with victorious grins.

  "What are they doing?" Percy asked.

  "Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck."

  Judith cringed. "Do you know how many diseases could be on those things?" The other two snickered at her disgust.

  "Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoë suggested. "We should eat while we can." Judith tried to hide her laugh behind her hand.

  Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"

  Zoë blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"

  "Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."

  Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."

  "Don't forget about the dam gift shop," Judith said cheekily, biting her cheek so hard to stop her snorts.

  Maybe it was the fact that they were so tired and strung out emotionally, but they started to crack up. Zoë just looked at them. "I do not understand."

  "I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.

  "And..." Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt."

  Percy busted out laughing but the smile was wiped off his face in an instant as he peeked his head like he was listening to something. Grover had stopped laughing too. He was looking around, confused. "Did I just hear a cow?"

  "A dam cow?" Thalia laughed. Judith didn't question the weird remark, only focusing on the concerned faces of Percy and Grover.

  "No," Grover said. "I'm serious."

  Zoë listened. "I hear nothing."

  Thalia and Judith looked at the satyr and Percy. "You guys okay?"

  "Yeah," Percy said. "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in."

  "What's wrong?" Judith asked.

  "Nothing," Percy said. "I ... I just need a minute. To think."

  Judith looked him up and down skeptically but rolled her eyes and turned around to head into the visitor center. If he wanted to act all weird again, she wouldn't stop him. She'd already tried and failed.

  Thalia caught on to her miffed mood and approached her. "What's up?"

  Judith examined a pamphlet, reading over facts she already knew from Annabeth. "Nothing. Percy's just being stupid."

  Thalia smirked. "Isn't he always?"

  Judith let a smile crack on her lips. "I guess."

  "He'll come around," she went to pat a hand on Judith's shoulder but the daughter of Ares knew it was coming and moved her shoulder out of the way before she could. Thalia paid it no mind and walked off.

  Judith wandered for another moment before deciding Percy was taking too long and walked back out the doors to check for him. She couldn't see the orange shirt, the dark hair, or the Nemean lion coat that he'd resorted to tying around his waist. He was gone. She would not be surprised if he found some sort of trouble to get into in his absence. "Ugh, idiot."

  Grover came up behind her. "Come on, we're getting food."

  Judith took one last look out the doors before choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The four of them sat down at a round table with some sandwiches and bottled vitamin waters. Judith was mid-chew when Percy ran up to their table. "We need to leave," he gasped, "now!"

  "But we just got our food!" Thalia cried and stuffed a bite in her face.

  Zoë looked around. "He's right! Look!"

  They all spun in a circle to see every direction was blocked by the skeleton warriors. "Elevator!" Grover yelled and then raced to the doors, but they opened up to reveal three more of the warriors.

  "Burrito fight!" Grover yelled and threw his whole burrito at the closest skeleton. Judith didn't have anything to throw but she knew her sword would work efficiently enough. Judith successfully made three of them combust into flames with the flick of her sword, briefly wondering what the mortals were seeing in the food court. She looked around and saw them hiding beneath tables, probably thinking it was just some teenage food fight that they'd gotten caught up in.

  The group took their chance to race outside

  "What now?" Grover asked.

  There were no answers, no ideas. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction and they ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put their backs to the mountain, cornering them.

  The skeletons surged forward menacingly, making a crescent formation around them. Their brethren from the cafe were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They drew batons and advanced.

  "Four against eleven," Zoë muttered. "And only one of us can kill them." Judith hefted her sword higher, knowing she could attempt to take them all out, but it would be a sad attempt.

  "It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling.

  Judith took a stance further ahead of the group, but faltered at Percy's voice. "Whoa," He said. "Their toes really are bright."

  "Percy!" Thalia said. "This isn't the time."

  "Thalia," Percy said instead. "Pray to your dad."

  She glared at him. "He never answers."

  "Just this once," he pleaded. "Ask for help. I think ... I think the statues can give us some luck."

  One of the skeletons took their first shot and Judith whacked it away with her sword. She knew if any of them shot at the same time, they'd be doomed.

  "Do it!" Judith yelled.

  "No!" Thalia said. "He won't answer me."

  "This time is different!" Percy called.

  "Who says?"

  He hesitated. "Athena, I think."

  "Try it," Grover pleaded.

  Judith could hear silence after that and hoped that whatever plan Percy was thinking of worked.

  But nothing happened.

  The skeletons closed in. Percy raised Riptide to defend himself. Thalia held up her shield. Zoë pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head. And Judith snarled at the nearest skeleton.

  A shadow fell over them. Judith looked up for only a moment to see a flash of bronze swing down and swipe at five of the skeletons, sweeping them aside. The other skeletons took this as their signal and opened fire. The bronze angels stepped in front of the teenagers and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road.

  "Man, it feels good to stand up!" the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty and he coughed.

  "Will ya look at my toes?" the other said. "Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?"

  The skeletons were reforming each second that went by and everyone started to notice except for the angels.

  "Trouble!" Percy reminded them.

  "Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.

  Both angels looked down at her. "Zeus's kid? Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked.

  "Please!"

  The angels looked at each other and shrugged, like it wasn't a life or death situation for the teenagers.

  "Could use a stretch," one decided.

  With that, one angel picked up Percy and Judith while the other one picked up Zoë, Thalia, and Grover. Judith latched onto the celestial metal with all her strength and tried her best to fasten her sword back as her belt at the same time.

  "Having issues?" Percy chuckled as he just clicked Riptide into a pen with ease.

  "Shut up, Percy," Judith grumbled as she finally got her belt clicked in place.

  The angels wasted no time in getting them to San Francisco. It only took a few hours, but Judith was lightheaded after the first 30 minutes. She was pretty sure Grover barfed at one point, but she wasn't able to look over her shoulder to check on him, not that she really wanted to see his green cheeks anyway. By Zoë and Thalia's groans of disgust, she knew it was for the best that she didn't.

  Percy had fallen asleep at some point and Judith smirked at the drool coming out of his mouth that just splayed across his cheeks because of the wind.

  "Where you guys want to land?" Hank asked, waking up Percy.

  Judith admired the view of the large city. It was foggy but still clear enough to see the Golden Gate Bridge over the bay. They knew they would have to find a spot with little mortal activity, just to avoid a commotion.

  "There," Zoë suggested, her hand pointed in a pretty secluded part of the city. "By the Embarcadero Building."

  "Good thinking," Chuck said. "Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons."

  Everyone glanced at him oddly. "Kidding," he said. "Sheesh, can't statues have a sense of humor?"

  The group landed and bid their farewells to the angels as they took off again. Judith looked around, expecting something to attack them because San Francisco was supposed to be teeming with monsters. But nothing happened.

  "What's our first plan of action?" Percy asked.

  "We can't really do anything until we get some sort of trail ..." Thalia said.

  "And the monster was supposed to give us the trail," Judith concluded.

  "We must find out what this monster is, then," Zoë said.

  "But how?" Percy asked.

  "Wait, who did Apollo say to talk to? That night on the train?" She asked him, trying to recall the name.

  Percy's eyes lit up. "Nereus."

  "Old Man of the Sea," Judith confirmed.

  "I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?"

  Zoë made a crinkled face. "Old Nereus, eh?"

  "You know him?" Thalia asked.

  "My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never very hard to find. Just follow the smell."

  "What do you mean?" Percy asked.

  "Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

  Well, she didn't really show them immediately. She led them to a Goodwill drop box and gestured to it. Judith almost grinned as Zoë said they needed to dress Percy up to make him look homeless. A few minutes later, Percy was outfitted in a ragged flannel and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat.

  Judith clapped her hands and held them in front of her smirk. "Oh, this is golden." Percy glared at her for her dig, but even he found it slightly comical.

   "Oh, yeah," Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, "you look completely inconspicuous now."

  Zoë nodded with satisfaction. "A typical male vagrant."

  "Thanks a lot," Percy grumbled. "Why am I doing this again?"

  "I told thee. To blend in."

  She led the way back down to the waterfront. After a long time spent searching the docks, Zoë finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

  "He will be down there somewhere," Zoë said. "He never travels very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day."

  "How do I know which one is him?"

  "Sneak up," she said. "Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell ... different."

  "Great. And once I find him?"

  "Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster."

  "We've got your back," Thalia said. She picked a lint ball of of Percy's back and gagged. "Eww. On second thought ... I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you." Grover gave him a big thumbs-up.

  Percy rolled his eyes. "I guess I'll need both hands, huh?" He held up his Nemean Lion jacket and debated a moment before handing it to Judith.

  She slowly slipped it on, not exactly loving the style, but she knew Thalia wouldn't wear it for her fashion interests ran deeper than Judith's, Grover couldn't even look at the monster's pelt without grimacing, and Zoë had already rejected the offer once before. It had to be her to wear it. "Don't worry, I'll protect it for you, Barnacle Breath."

  Percy nodded and walked down the docks away from the group. Well, he took his act quite seriously and stumbled around like he was about to pass out and Judith couldn't help but chimp down on her cheek in amusement. They all watched as he sneakily sniffed each guy he passed. Eventually, Percy seemed to find Nereus.

  At least, Judith really hoped it was Nereus and not some harmless old dude.

  Because Percy tackled him to the ground and held on tight.

  The rest of the half-bloods started to dash over before realizing Percy and Nereus went off the edge into the bay in a wrestling match.

  Judith supposed now was as good a time as any to see if the son of Poseidon could drown.

NOTES;

HMM, NOT SURE ABOUT THIS ONE. VERY PLOT ORIENTED

edited : 07 / 19 / 2020