Birthright (Forgotten Daughter part 2)

A Junkyard in the Desert

Ali watched as the door to the sleek limo opened and a large man wearing a leather duster and sunglasses stepped out. She reached for the hilt of her knife.

"What do you want Ares?" Zoe demanded.

Ali smirked. "Itching for the chance to fight me?"

The god of war looked at her like she was below him. "Hardly. If I had my way, I wouldn't be here at all." He focused on Percy. "My lady wants to talk to you." He gestured to the backseat of the limo.

Percy and Ali locked eyes. Ali subtly shook her head. He sighed and looked at Ares. "Fine." He walked towards the vehicle.

Ali grabbed him by the arm. "Are you sure?"

He met her gaze and nodded. "It'll be fine." He didn't sound super confident, but Ali let him go. He met her gaze one last time before ducking into the limo.

Ali and the others sat in the abandoned town, waiting for Percy to return. Ares stood near the door, obviously listening to the conversation going on in the car.

Ali leaned against an old taco place, which Ares had lit up like a firework, arms crossed over her chest. Zoe kept glaring at her for no apparent reason.

Finally, Ali snapped. "What's your problem?"

Grover and Bianca flinched.

"I don't know what thee are talking about." Zoe replied sternly.

Ali's fists clenched and she pushed off of the wall. "Yes you do."

Zoe stood to her feet. "Perhaps I do."

The two girls stared at each other like they wanted to wring each other's throats.

"Oh just do something already." Ares whined from his place by the car. "It was just getting interesting."

Both Ali and Zoe whirled their death glare on the god of war. "You stay out of this." They spat in unison.

Zoe huffed. "You were supposed to be a Hunter."

"I wasn't supposed to be anything." Ali tightened her fists. "No matter what you say, I'm not going to be what you, or the gods, or anyone wants me to be. I'm my own person."

Zoe narrowed her eyes. "It is the will of Artemis that thee become a Hunter. Even now, that is her wish."

Ali clenched her jaw. "I. Don't. Care. My place is at camp, not on the Hunt. I'm not a team player."

"Then why are you here?" Zoe challenged.

Ali got in the lieutenant's face. "Because someone I care about is in danger; and I take that very seriously. I'm not here for you, I'm not here for Artemis, I'm here for Percy and Annabeth."

Zoe's expression was hard as she backed off and lowered herself to the ground next to Bianca.

Soon after, the door to the limo opened and Percy stepped out of the car.

Ares got back in the limo and it disappeared down the highway.

Their group walked into a junkyard full of spare parts and discarded objects - the junkyard of the gods. They trudged over hills of metal crap.

Ali moved to walk next to Percy. "So, how was the goddess of love?" She shot him a knowing look.

He heaved a long breath. "Interesting."

She raised a questioning eyebrow.

He sighed, checking to be sure no one was listening. "I guess she's very intrigued by my love life."

She chuckled. "What love life?"

He looked offended.

She elbowed him. "I'm kidding. I'm sure a handsome guy like you has a line of girls just waiting for you to ask them on a date."

He met her gaze and smirked. "Did you just call me handsome?"

Ali felt her cheeks heat up and looked away, hoping Percy didn't notice. "Don't flatter yourself. All I'm saying is you're not ugly."

He scoffed. "Thanks a lot."

She smirked, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Look at this." Bianca handled a silver bow. She looked at Zoe. "It's a Hunter's bow."

Zoe nodded. "We cannot take it. Aphrodite warned us against it."

Bianca reluctantly dropped the bow and they continued.

Ali slid down a pile of junk and spotted a small shiny object. Bending down, she grabbed it. She uncurled her fingers and stared at the shard of clear stone in her palm. Her heart skipped a beat. It was a piece of Zeus' Stone. How had it gotten here? Her hand shook so hard that she dropped it and it disappeared among the mangled metal.

"Ali!" Percy called across the field of shrapnel.

She snapped out of her fear and followed the others across the junkyard.

As they crested the biggest hill yet, they could see the exit.

"Almost there." Percy observed.

"Don't speak too soon." Ali commented.

They maneuvered their way down the pile towards the open desert. They skirted a massive metal form and crept out of the junkyard through the gate.

Ali turned to smile at Percy, but froze when she noticed the metal form rising from the ground like a giant Greek soldier.

They all backed up a few steps.

"Di immortales." Ali gripped her bow and drew an arrow.

They were scattered across the edge of the junkyard. Their weapons were useless against the giant armored automaton. Grover was buried beneath some metal scrap; Zoe and Ali ended up side-by-side firing their arrows harmlessly at him. Bianca disappeared and Percy ran over to them.

"Where is Bianca?" Zoe asked.

Percy looked at the automaton as it started to jerk and pound its own head.

"She's inside?!" Ali was more jealous than worried. Why hadn't she thought of that?

Percy nodded curtly.

The robot began to creak and jerk, its joints separating. It was falling apart.

They bolted across the open land to get out of the way of the collapsing automaton.

When the dust cleared, everyone was accounted for... except Bianca. They searched the wreckage of the robot searching for any sign of her. They stopped as the sun was sinking towards the horizon.

Percy didn't want to stop, didn't want to give up, but the darkness made it almost impossible to see and they were all too tired to keep up the search.

"We should keep looking." Percy urged.

"No." Zoe faced the horizon. "We won't find her." She turned to meet Percy's gaze. "'One lost in the land without rain.'" She recited a line from the prophecy. "Bianca Di Angelo is gone."

A/N
Yay! Another chapter!
Random update: I've finished the Percy Jackson books!!!!!!! Now I just have to wait for The Lost Hero to come into our library again. 🙄
Anyway, hope you all are enjoying my story.
-Cheshire