Make it Happen

Chapter 26

"A bargain." Leo's fingers twitch, and he spots the wreck of a guitar nearby. "Yeah, absolutely." He strides over to the ruined pieces, pulling out random things and fiddling with them. "So the thing is, we're trapped here and we don't know what's happening, right? If you help us, we could write a ballad praising you and your actions and you'd be well known! We're pretty famous, you know." 
Apollo frowns. "I suppose that's possible, but it would be much easier to smite you." Leo inhales sharply, fingers moving as if on their own volition - attaching levers, fastening the broken bridge of the guitar to a metal funnel he found nearby. 
Then Apollo sighs, and Leo's heartbeat rises almost exponentially. His hands continue working on the project, and Apollo speaks. "What do you want? And what do I get out of it?"

Leo explains what he knows and what they want to do - find a way to escape. and the male nods thoughtfully. "I will give you this advice for free. You might be able to get out of this complex alive, but..." Apollo trails off, "what is that you have made?

The contraption that lays in Leo's hands surprises him. Layers of wires and the broken guitar strings crisscross inside of the funnel, like multiple sets of guitar strings. The bridge attaches to the metal funnel, in which rows of striking pins can be controlled by levers on a wooden base made from the broken pieces of the instrument. "Oh, this...?" Leo's mind races furiously, trying to think of what it could be.
A bargaining chip. The girl from earlier had told him to make a deal with Apollo.

"Um, well.. this is simply the most amazing instrument ever!" Leo makes up, adding in a charismatic grin and holding it up proudly.
"But how does it work?" Apollo asks. Leo glances down at the contraption and experimentally turns a lever, and his eyes widen at the clear sound that rises into the air. He flips more levers, slowly making out a song - a song from a distant memory, happiness long forgotten. By the time he finishes, Apollo stares in awe at the instrument. "I must have it. What is it called? What do you want for it?"
"I want you to tell me how we can get out of here."
Apollo hesitates, considering. After a few minutes, he sighs and nods. "All right."
They make the trade, and Apollo smiles down at the instrument in his hands. "I gave you the instrument, now tell me the details."
"Fine." Apollo launches into a detailed explanation about the building they are trapped in, and Leo finds himself hanging onto each little detail. As he finishes, Frank, Hazel, and the mysterious girl stride in. Leo smiles at them and they wait for the siblings to leave. "All right, here's the plan." The more he talks, the more shocked they look, but neither of them interrupt or question him. "It has to be this way," Leo explains, "Apollo confirmed it, and I found out that Apollo is the owner of this place's grandson." Frank and Hazel hesitate.
"I hate this plan," Frank voices.
"I despise it," Hazel adds.
"Come on, guys, think how I feel. But you know it's our best shot," Leo says quietly. After a while, they nod and the three of them head to the open door.
"Let's go, guys."

A/N: Double updates! I guess I'm trying to finish this asap since I procrastinate so much?
Anyway, hope y'all enjoy. References and quotes from The Blood of Olympus belong to Rick Riordan.

Lena