𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐂! percy jackson

xvi. The Most Courageous Female Warrior

━━ chapter sixteen
the most courageous female warrior

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

    ━━They confiscated Fiona's dagger, which she was not happy about. Marching down so many flights of stairs, she glared at the backs of the Amazons hoping for some Pluto power that would make them just burst into black flames, like whenever she killed monsters. But no, it didn't happen, which just made her mood worst. They emerged in a cavern so big it could have fit five Camp Jupiters. Stark fluorescent lights glowed down from the rock ceiling, conveyor belts wound through the room like waterslides carrying boxes in every direction, along with aisles of metal shelves that stretched out forever, all stacked high with crates of merchandise. Cranes hummed, robotic arms whirred━all of which folding cardboard boxes, packing shipments and taking things on and off the belts. Some shelves were so tall they were only accessible by ladders and catwalks, which ran across the ceiling like those in the theatre for stage lights. The only humans around━that Fiona could see━were some black-suited security women patrolling the catwalks, and some men in orange jumpsuits, like prison uniforms, driving forklifts through the aisles, delivering more pallets of boxes. The men wore iron collars around their necks.

    Hazel was livid, "You keep slaves?"

    "The men?" Kinzie snorted. "They're not slaves. They just know their place. Now, move."

    When Fiona gets her dagger back, Kinzie will be the first one she'll shank. They walked so far that her feet began to hurt, and then Kinzie just opened a second set of large double doors and led them into another cavern, just as big as the first.

     "What the━?" Fiona frowned. "Okay, I'm sure not even the Underworld is this big."

    Kinzie smiled, smug, "You admire our base of operations?" Fiona went to say no, she was just making a comment but was cut off, "Yes, our distribution system is worldwide. It took many years and most of our fortune to build. Now, finally, we're turning a profit. The mortals don't realise they are funding the Amazon kingdom. Soon, we'll be richer than any mortal nation. Then━when the weak mortals depend on us for everything━the revolution will begin!"

    "What are you going to do?" grumbled Frank. "Cancel free shipping?"

    A guard slammed the hilt of her sword into his gut. Percy tried to help him, but two more guards pushed him back at sword point.

    "You'll learn respect," said Kinzie. "It's males like you who have ruined the mortal world. The only harmonious society is one run by women. We are stronger, wiser━"

    "More humble," Percy muttered.

    The guards tried to hit him, but he ducked.

    "Stop it!" snapped Hazel, and surprisingly, the guards listened. "Hylla is going to judge us, right? So take us to her. We're wasting time."

     Kinzie nodded. "Perhaps you're right. We have more important problems. And time ... time is definitely an issue."

    "What do you mean?" asked Fiona.

    A guard grunted. "We could take them straight to Otrera. Might win her favour that way."

    "No!" snarled Kinzie. "I'd sooner wear an iron collar and drive a forklift. Hylla is queen."

    "Until tonight," grumbled another.

    Kinzie gripped her sword, and for a second, Fiona thought the Amazons would start fighting each other. But Kinzie got her anger under control and said, "Enough. Let's go."