Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

In Both Worlds

Act II — Heart of the Ocean

Part VII — So don't just sit there slack-jawed, buggy-eyed, I'm here to answer all your mid-day prayers.

On the shore of Miami, they all collapsed exhausted.

"We're alive," said Grover. "I can't believe this."

"How did you know the 'Nobody' thing would get to him?" Andy asked Anthony who was still clutching the Fleece.

"Oh, that," he laughed. "Odysseus did that to him centuries ago. Poked him in the eye with a large hot stick. I figured he'd still have a grudge."

"Genius," Andy complimented him.

"Oh, get a room, you two," Clarisse said, getting up. She marched away and when she returned she had a newspaper in her hands. "It's been ten days," she informed them.

"What? That's impossible."

"Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Anthony assumed. "We have to get the Fleece back tonight."

"Now that's impossible," Clarisse complained. "This is all your fault, Jackson. If you hadn't interfered—"

"Her fault?" Anthony boasted. "You've been doing everything wrong ever since—"

"She couldn't even kill the goddamn monster!"

"Hey," Andy interrupted them. "I think you're right, Clarisse."

"I am?"

"She is?"

"I'm sorry I've ruined your quest," Andy apologized. "And I'm sorry I couldn't kill Polyphemus. But... But what exactly did the Oracle say to you?"

She recited, "You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone. You shall find what you seek and make it your own. But despair for your life entombed within stone. And fail without friends, to fly home alone."

"Bad," Grover mumbled, but Andy smiled, having her thoughts confirmed.

"Does anybody have any cash?" she asked. Tyson pulled out a bag full of money that Hermes had included in their supplies. "How—?"

"I thought it was a feed bag for Rainbow," he shrugged.

Andy handed Clarisse the cash. "Go to the airport. Take the Fleece home. Save the camp." Anthony and Clarisse looked stunned as Andy took the Fleece from one and gave it to the other.

"You'd let me—"

"It's your quest! Besides, I can't fly. Zeus would kill me. And you heard the prophecy, you must take it home alone."

Clarisse nodded, decided. "You can count on me. I won't fail," she said before turning to find a cab.

"Andy," Anthony said, "that was so—"

"Generous?" offered Grover.

"Dumb," Anthony finished. "You're betting all our lives that Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back tonight?"

"It is her quest," Andy said. "Everybody deserves a chance."

"Andy is nice," Tyson said.

"Andy is too nice," Anthony grumbled, but Andy saw that deep down he was a little impressed.

Then there was a sword at Andy's throat.

"Hello, beautiful," greeted Luke. His bear-man thugs appeared, one grabbed Anthony and Grover, the other went for Tyson who knocked him down. "Tell the thing to back off, Andy," Luke said. "Or Oreius will bash your friends' heads together."