Annabeth Chase and the Titan's Curse

Chapter 9 - I don't have a clue what's going on

The next time I woke up, I was in the back of a car. This time my wrists were bound together in front of me by handcuffs and my ankles were similarly bound. I was lying stretched across the back seat so my head and feet were both pressed against the doors.

By the look of the shiny smooth leather, I was in a somewhat nice car. Not that I could tell by having my face squashed against the seat.

I managed to wriggle myself upright so I was sitting in the middle of back and looking out the front window. Immediately I wished I'd stayed down.

Thorn was driving the car, back in human form and with a cap pulled over his face, probably to hide his mismatched eyes. His military uniform had been swapped with a black jacket and his shoulders were straight backed.

He hadn't seemed to notice that I was awake yet and there was no one in the passenger seat either. I had an opportunity to escape, if I decided to take it.

Quickly I scanned the car. I was never real good at identifying cars, so the best I could say was that it looked expensive and was big, like some sort of done-up Jeep. Looking out for the window, I could see that we were driving on the highway, passing other cars as Thorn sped along. I couldn't recognize where exactly we were though. Not only because we were going so fast but also because there were no distinct geographical or landmarks that I could see.

The only way out was jumping out of the door. But that way was also practically suicide. Either I'd been killed from the impact of jumping from a fast moving vehicle, or I'd be squashed by incoming traffic. Still, it was better than whatever torture awaited for me wherever we were going.

I had no doubt also that Thorn and whoever he was working for needed me. Why else would I still be alive? Monsters had it drummed into their heads to kill demigods on sight, not capture. So whoever was running this had something important in mind for me. And I was not going to be apart of it, especially if it could bring down Olympus.

Keeping my eye warily on Thorn's head, I shifted cautiously to the left door, making as little sound as I could. He didn't seem to hear or see me, so I kept shifting until I was right against the door. Almost unable to believe that I was going to escape so easily, I reached for the door handle with my bound hands only to hear a click within the door.

My heart sunk as I pulled on the handle and found it locked. Looking up, I saw Thorn watching me in the rear view mirror, a cruel smile on his face.

"Did you really think you could escape?" he sneered.

I sunk back defeated in my seat. "What do you want with me?"

"Nothing. If it was up to me, you'd be dead."

"So obviously you're a minor monster, slave to another one who has power."

Thorn's mismatched eyes narrowed, but he didn't bite. "There are powers at work beyond you and I, little demigod. The Great Stirring is underway. It cannot be stopped."

"Is that meant to frighten me?" I asked, frowning at him. "If it is, it's a poor attempt." Despite my bravado, I felt a sliver of worry stab my heart. Whatever it was, the Great Stirring didn't sound all too good. I had to get out of here now more than ever.

"You may be brave now, demigod, but that will change when you meet the General. He has plans for you, plans that would make you wish I'd killed you." He smiled cruelly at me through the rear view mirror.

"Who is the General?" I asked. "And what does he want with me?"

Thorn made a tsk tsk sound. "Now, now, that would be telling wouldn't it?"

I sighed, frustrated. If my wrists weren't bound, I'd cross my arms over my chest. "Can you at least tell me where we are going, so I can prepare for whatever awful fate awaits me?"

Thorn's smile seemed to widen. "Oh, you're going to like where we're going. It's closer to home."

I looked at him, confused, but he wouldn't say any more. Deciding that I needed as much strength as possible to face whatever it was that was coming, I lay back down with the intention of going to sleep, but it didn't exactly turn out that way. I was plunged straight into a dream.

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I dreamed that a young auburn haired girl crouched at the bottom of a cliff, her silvery eyes fixed on the ground. She wore a silver parka with the hood pushed back and silver pants with big boots. A quiver hung over her shoulder and a silver bow was in one hand while the other rested lightly on the ground. Her brow was creased in a frown as she scanned for something.

"What do you smell?" she asked suddenly.

A long and narrow dog appeared by her side, it's sleek fur the colour of moonlight as it sniffed around where the girl was kneeling. Then it's head shot up and looked off into the distance, one paw cocked up.

"I agree," the girl said. "This is no ordinary chase. I must catch this creature before it is too late. I fear that the girl is already dead but there is a chance she is not."

The dog let out a low whine as it looked at its mistress.

"Peace, Orion. I vowed that I would protect all maidens and slay all creatures. It is my duty. But mine alone. You must remain behind. This is my hunt."

The dog whined again, looking upset. The girl patted it's head.

"Return to Zeus and tell him what has happened. Perhaps now he will listen to sense and make the correct decision at the winter solstice. Go, my friend, and leave this creature to me."

The dog bowed to the girl, who I now recognized as Artemis, goddess of the hunt, before it dived into a pool of moonlight and disappeared. The goddess suddenly turned to me, her eyes fixed on me. I could actually feel her gaze and knew she could see me too.

"Do not fear, young maiden," she told me, her young voice holding the wisdom of her true age. "I will free you and kill your captor."

I tried to tell her no, that it was a trap, but my mouth wouldn't work. I could only watch helplessly as she turned and ran, moving faster than human could until she had disappeared from sight.