•as the world caves in•

•we have a nice old story time on a zoo truck•

"Well, well," Ares said as we came up to the diner. "You didn't get yourself killed."

"You knew it was a trap," Percy said.

"Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV."

Percy shoved his shield at him. "You're a jerk."

I held my breath. Percy has some sort of death wish I swear.

"See that truck over there?" Ares pointed to some eighteen wheeler across the street from us. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A, with one stop in Vegas."

I frowned as I read the back. Kindness International: Humane Zoo Transport. Warning: Live Wild Animals.

"You're kidding."

Ares snapped his fingers and the back opened. "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."

He tossed a blue backpack to Percy. I looked inside to see money, drachmas, a bag of double stuffed Oreos, and some clothes.

"I don't want your lousy—"

"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover cut him off. "Thanks a lot."

I looked in the diner to see the waitress who had served us and another employee snapping a picture of us.

Yay, we're gonna be in the paper again.

"You owe me one more thing," Percy said. "You promised me information about my mother."

I was kind of hoping he forgot about that.

"You sure you can handle the news?" Ares started his motorcycle. "She's not dead."

What.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis. Not death. She's being kept."

"Kept. Why?"

"You need to study war, punk. Hostages. You take somebody to control somebody else."

"Nobody's controlling me."

Ares laughed. "Oh yeah? See you around, kid."

"You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues."

It's official, Percy Jackson has a death wish.

"We'll meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you're in a fight, watch your back."

With that he revved his Harley and went down the street.

"That's not smart, Percy." I said.

"I don't care."

"You don't want a god as your enemy." Annabeth sighed. "Especially not that god."

"Hey guys," Grover said. "I hate to interrupt, but..."

He pointed to the diner. Two men were paying their check in identical black coveralls with a white lover on their backs that matched the one from our ride.

"If we're taking the zoo express, we need to hurry."

I didn't really want to be taking some smelly zoo truck, but we had no other choice. We ran across the street, went in the truck and closed the door.

I was devastated at the scene.

Three wild animals who looked miserable.

A zebra with gum in its hair.