Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Olympians
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47 next age !" " Go to Tartarus ," she said . Luke sighed . " A shame ." He picked up something that looked like a TV remote and pressed a red button . Within seconds the door of the stateroom opened and two uniformed crew members came in , armed with nightsticks . They had the same glassy-eyed look as the other mortals I ' d seen , but I had a feeling this wouldn ' t make them any less dangerous in a fight . " Ah , good , security ," Luke said , " I ' m afraid we have some stowaways ." " Yes , sir ," they said dreamily . Luke turned to Oreius . " It ' s time to feed the Aethiopian drakon . Take these fools below and show them how it ' s done ." Oreius grinned stupidly . " Hehe ! Hehe !" " Let me go , too ," Agrius grumbled . " My brother is worthless . That Cyclops —" " Is no threat ," Luke said . He glanced back at the golden casket , as if something were troubling him . " Agrius , stay here . We have important matters to discuss ." " But —" " Oreius , don ' t fail me . Stay in the hold to make sure the drakon is properly fed ." Oreius prodded us with his javelin and herded us out of the stateroom , followed by the two human security guards .
As I walked down the corridor with Oreius ' s javelin poking me in the back , I thought about what Luke had said — that the bear twins together were a match for Tyson ' s strength . But maybe separately ...
We exited the corridor amidships and walked across an open deck lined with lifeboats . I knew the ship well enough to realize this would be our last look at sunlight . Once we got to the other side , we ' d take the elevator down into the hold , and that would be it . I looked at Tyson and said , " Now ." Thank the gods , he understood . He turned and smacked Oreius thirty feet backward into the swimming pool , right into the middle of the zombie tourist family . " Ah !" the kids yelled in unison . " We are not having a blast in the pool !" One of the security guards drew his nightstick , but Annabeth knocked the wind out of him with a well-placed kick . The other guard ran for the nearest alarm box . " Stop him !" Annabeth yelled , but it was too late . Just before I banged him on head with a deck chair , he hit the alarm . Red lights flashed . Sirens wailed . " Lifeboat !" I yelled . We ran for the nearest one . By the time we got the cover off , monsters and more security men were swarming the deck , pushing aside tourists and waiters with trays of tropical drinks . A guy in Greek armor drew his sword and charged , but slipped in a puddle of piña colada . Laistrygonian archers assembled on the deck above us , notching arrows in their enormous bows . " How do you launch this thing ?" screamed Annabeth . A hellhound leaped at me , but Tyson slammed it aside with a fire extinguisher . " Get in !" I yelled . I uncapped Riptide and slashed the first volley of arrows out of the air . Any second we would be overwhelmed . The lifeboat was hanging over the side of the ship , high above the water . Annabeth and
Tyson were having no luck with the release pulley . I jumped in beside them . " Hold on !" I yelled , and I cut the ropes . A shower of arrows whistled over our heads as we free-fell toward the ocean .
Chapter Ten
We Hitch A Ride With Dead Confederates