CH.28 The Plan

Ares was waiting for us back at the dinner with a smug face " well, well, you didn't get yourself killed" he said looking at us.

"you knew it was a trap," Percy said with anger laced in his voice.

"bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids, you looked good on tv," Ares said with a grin.

"you jerk," Percy said and shoved the shield at him.

Ares grabbed the shield and spun it in the air like pizza dough causing it to change shape into a bulletproof vest which he slung onto his back.

"See that truck over there," Ares said pointing to an eighteen wherever parked across the street from the dinner.

"that's your ride straight to L. A with one stop in Vegas," Ares said.

The eighteen-wheeler was an international zoo transporter, "you're kidding right" Percy said.

Ares snapped his fingers making the back door of the truck open " free wide to the west, punk, stop complaining, and here's a little something for the job" is said and slung a backpack towards Percy but I caught it before he got.

"Thanks," I said after looking inside.

After that I didn't wait for them and teleported inside the truck causing the rest of the group to follow me. " what's the bag" Percy asked me looking at the backpack.

"fresh clothes, twenty bucks, some drachmas, and a bag of double stuff Oreos," I said.

"here," I said tossing him the Oreos.

"I'm going to sleep," I said and entered the deeper part of the truck, at first the creatures were scared of me and even a lion was roaring at me but just one look was all it took for them to shut up and the truck to go quiet.

As I found somewhere dark enough I went to sleep, but I wasn't going to sleep, no I was trying to talk to hades.

'hades' I kept thinking as I was falling into the embrace of Hypnos and appearing in the dark abyss that is my mind,.

"Adrian," hades said appearing on his throne.

"sup," I said looking at him blankly.

"sigh, what did you want to talk about Adrian," he said sounding annoyed but less crazed than the last time that I talked to him.

"I've pretty much figured out what's going," I said.

"oh? what exactly do you mean," he asked.

"It was Ares who blamed you, he wanted to start a war with all the gods so he could get more powerful than Zeus's and most like try to take over, you know what any child of Zeus's would do," I said sounding bored.

"hmm, as much sense as that makes where does father tie into this" hades said.

"I've been thinking about that too and I've finally figured it out, Chrono's original plan was to use a person to steal the bolt and your helmet weakening you and Zeus while he would gain the power of both weapons, but Ares caught the thieve and Chronos had to improvise," I said.

"yes that makes sense, but where are the bolt and my helmet," he asked.

"I'm pretty sure that I have it," I said.

"what do you mean?" he asked.

"Ares made us go and get his shield and after he gave us a prize which I know he would not do, it was a backpack but it still feels like it's not a backpack at the same time, I don't know what it is, but I know I have the bolt and you're helmet," I said.

"he must have given you the sheath," hades said.

"ahh that makes sense for the next part of his plan, he was sending both of us into the underworld hoping you kill Percy and take the bolt which would start the war, and if I didn't figure out the plan sooner or later you would still be crazed and would have killed him," I said.

"yes I probably would," he said.

"Well anyways I just wanted to tell you were almost at L. A so prepare to receive us, we only have to stop at las Vegas," I said.

"wait! Las Vegas," hades said.

"Yeah, what's up," I said.

"sigh nothing," hades said and then left making a wake-up.

And I have to say that I woke up at the right time because Percy, Annabeth, and Grover choose the exact moment to realize all the animals.

"so you dint think it was a good idea to wake me up before planning something like this," I said appearing next to them as they were watching the animals leave causing them to yell.

"Nah!' Grover yelled and jumped.

"Adrian, sorry we kind of forgot you were here" Percy apologizes to me.

"it's fine, one of the quirks of being a child of hades, I can lower my presence the darker a place is," I said and looked at the animals leaving.

"is it a good idea to do that, I mean will they find a way back to the wild," I said.

"don't worry I placed a satyrs sanctuary on them," Grover said.

"meaning," Percy asked.

"meaning they reach the wild safely, they'll find shade, water, food whatever they need until they find a safe place to live" Grover explained.

"why can't you place a blessing like that on us," Percy asked.

"because it only works on wild things," Grover said.

"so it would only affect Percy," Annabeth said causing me to chuckle.

"hey!" Percy yelled.

"kidding comes on let's go," Annabeth said and started walking on the streets of las vegas.

It was the middle of the day and in Vegas, that means that it is a hundred and ten degrees easy, we were flying like fried chicken in the heat, well they were where I stay cool.

We passed the one Carlo and the MGM, we passed the pyramids, and finally, after a few hours of walking and possible wrong turns we ended up in front of a hotel and casino called the lotus.

"Hopefully it's not what I'm thinking," I said looking at the sign but my gut was telling me that I was right.