Indigo Eyes

Chapter 6

The war god was already waiting for them in the diner parking lot. "Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed."

"You sent us so your cowardly ass wouldn't get nailed by that trap," Cressida accused and the fire burned behind Ares' eyes.

"Cressida," Grover warned.

"What? It's true! And my brothers aren't here," she said, knowing that Castor would definitely have something to say about her cussing like that, especially to a god.

"Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. You looked good on TV," Ares said with a wicked smirk.

"My father is the god of theatre, I always look good on TV," Cressida retorted as Percy shoved his shield at him.

"You're a jerk," he said, and Annabeth and Grover held their breaths, even though a jerk was nothing compared to Cressida calling him a cowardly ass. Ares spun the shield, and it changed form, morphing into a bulletproof vest that he slung across his back.

"See that truck over there?" he said as he pointed at an 18-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A with one stop in Vegas."

Even though Cressida was a little better with her dyslexia than the others, the words were reverse printed on the truck, making it much more difficult to discern, but eventually, she figured out that it read, kindness international: humane zoo transport. Warning: live wild animals.

"You're joking," Percy said and Ares simply snapped his fingers as the back door of the truck unlatched.

"Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job," he said as he tossed Percy a blue nylon backpack. Inside were fresh clothes for all of them, twenty buck cash, a pouch of golden drachmas and a bag of Double Stuffed Oreos.

"I don't want your lousy-"

"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, shooting Percy a warning look. "Thanks a lot."

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

"You sure you can handle the news?" Ares asked as he kick-started his motorcycle. "She's not dead."

Percy looked as if he was going to be sick. "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," Ares explained.

"Kept. Why?" Percy asked.

"She's a hostage, Percy," Cressida informed him and Ares seemed to grunt in approval.

"You take somebody to control somebody else," he added.

"Nobody's controlling me," Percy insisted but even Cressida could tell that wasn't true.

"Oh, yeah?" Ares laughed before he revved his engine. "See you around, kid."

Percy balled his fists. "You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from Cupid statues," he said and behind his sunglasses, Ares' eyes glowed with fire.

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

"Watch yours, Lord Ares," Cressida threatened and Ares only revved his Harley and roared down the street.

"Percy, Cressida, that wasn't smart," Annabeth said and the girl shrugged.

"I don't care," Percy said.