Haunted || Leo Valdez

72 - Anne Enjoys A Refreshing Piggy-Back Ride

The crew scattered for cover, except for Piper, who stood frozen in place, gaping at the arrow that had almost pierced her nose the hard way.

"Piper, duck!" Jason whispered harshly.

But no other missiles rained down.

Frank studied the angle of the bolt in the mast and pointed towards the top of the cliffs.

"Up there," he said. "Single shooter. See him?"

The sun was in her eyes, but Anne spotted a tiny figure standing at the top of the ledge. His bronze armor glinted.

"Who the heck is he?" Leo demanded. "Why is he firing at us?"

"Guys?" Piper's voice was thin and watery. "There's a note."

Anne hadn't seen it before, but a parchment scroll was tied to the arrow shaft. She wasn't sure why, but that made her angry. Hazel stormed over and untied it.

"Uh, Hazel?" Leo said. "You sure that's safe?"

She read the note out loud. "First line: Stand and deliver."

"What does that mean?" Coach Hedge complained. "We are standing. Well, crouching, anyway. And if that guy is expecting a pizza delivery, forget it!"

"There's more," Hazel said. "This is a robbery. Send three of your party to the top of the cliff with all your valuables. No more than two. Leave the magic horse. No flying. No tricks. Just climb."

"Climb what?" Henry asked.

Nico pointed. "There."

A narrow set of steps was carved into the cliff, leading to the top. The turtle, the dead-end channel, the cliff ... Anne got the feeling this was not the first time the letter writer had ambushed a ship here.

Hazel cleared her throat and kept reading aloud: "I do mean all your valuables. Otherwise my turtle and I will destroy you. You have five minutes."

"Use the catapults!" cried the coach.

"P.S." Hazel read, "don't even think about using your catapults."

"Curse it!" said the coach. "This guy is good."

"Is the note signed?" Rebecca asked.

Hazel shook her head.

Leo studied the cliff top and muttered under his breath. "That's not a good trajectory. Even if I could arm the catapult before that guy pincushioned us with arrows, I don't think I could make the shot. That's hundreds of feet, almost straight up."

"Yeah," Frank grumbled. "My bow is useless too. He's got a huge advantage, being above us like that. I couldn't reach him."

"Me, neither," Anne said. "And I've got a few hundred more years of experience than Frank."

"And, um..." Piper nudged the arrow that was stuck in the mast. "I have a feeling he's a good shot."

"Whaaaa?" Anne said. "Really? Whatever gave you that impres--"

"Anne," Rebecca said, "Please not right now."

"I don't think he meant to hit me," Piper continued, as if Anne hadn't even spoken (rude.). But if he did..."

She didn't need to elaborate. Whoever that robber was, he could hit a target from hundreds of feet away. He could shoot them all before they could react.

"I'll go," Hazel said. It was clear she hated the idea.

"Are you sure?" Anne asked.

Hazel nodded. "I think... I think Hecate set this up as some sort of twisted challenge. This is my test."