THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH Percy Jackson ... - No one's invited.

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“I found the Hundred-Handed One as I came through the maze,” Daedalus explained. “It seems he had
the same idea, to come help, but he was lost. And so we fell in together. We both came to make
amends.”
“Yay!”Tyson jumped up and down.“Briares! I knew you would come!”
“I did not know,” the Hundred-Handed One said. “But you reminded me who I am, Cyclops. You are
the hero.”
Tyson blushed, but I patted him on the back. “I knew that a long time ago,” I said. “But, Daedalus…the
Titan army is still down there. Even without the string, they’ll be back. They’ll find a way sooner or later,
with Kronos leading them.”
Daedalus sheathed his sword. “You are right. As long as the Labyrinth is here, your enemies can use it.
Which is why the Labyrinth cannot continue. ”
Annabeth stared at him. “But you said the Labyrinth is tied to your life force! As long as you’re alive—”
“Yes, my young architect,” Daedalus agreed. “When I die, the Labyrinth will die as well. And so I have
a present for you.”
He slung a leather satchel off his back, unzipped it, and produced a sleek silver laptop computer—one
of the ones I’d seen in the workshop. On the lid was the blue symbol ?.
“My work is here,” he said. “It’s all I managed to save from the fire. Notes on projects I never started.
Some of my favorite designs. I couldn’t develop these over the last few millennia. I did not dare reveal
my work to the mortal world. But perhaps you will find it interesting.”
He handed the computer to Annabeth, who stared at it like it was solid gold. “You’re giving me this? But
this is priceless! This is worth…I don’t even know how much!”
“Small compensation for the way I have acted,” Daedalus said. “You were right, Annabeth, about
children of Athena. We should be wise, and I was not. Someday you will be a greater architect than I
ever was. Take my ideas and improve them. It is the least I can do before I pass on.”
“Whoa,” I said. “Pass on? But you can’t just kill yourself. That’s wrong.”
He shook his head. “Not as wrong as hiding from my crimes for two thousand years. Genius does not
excuse evil, Percy. My time has come. I must face my punishment.”
“You won’t get a fair trial,” Annabeth said. “The spirit of Minos sits in judgment—”
“I will take what comes,” he said. “And trust in the justice of the Underworld, such as it is. That is all we
can do, isn’t it?”
He looked straight at Nico, andNico’s face darkened.
“Yes,” he said.
“Will you take my soul for ransom, then?” Daedalus asked. “You could use it to reclaim your sister.”