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‘Huh.’ Leo scowled. ‘Well, I hadn’t thought <strong>of</strong> that. But think mechanical. Frank, Hazel … where<br />
did we see concentric circles like that before?’<br />
‘The laboratory under Rome,’ Frank said.<br />
‘The Archimedes lock on <strong>the</strong> door,’ Hazel recalled. ‘It had rings within rings.’<br />
Percy snorted. ‘You’re telling me that’s a massive stone lock? It’s, like, fifty feet in diameter.’<br />
‘Leo might be right,’ Annabeth said. ‘In ancient times, <strong>the</strong> temple <strong>of</strong> Asclepius was like <strong>the</strong> General<br />
Hospital <strong>of</strong> Greece. Everybody came here for <strong>the</strong> best healing. Aboveground, it was <strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> a<br />
major city, but supposedly <strong>the</strong> real action happened belowground. That’s where <strong>the</strong> high priests had<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir intensive-care super-magical-type compound, accessed by a secret passage.’<br />
Percy scratched his ear. ‘So, if that big round thing is <strong>the</strong> lock, how do we get <strong>the</strong> key?’<br />
‘Way ahead <strong>of</strong> you, Aquaman,’ Leo said.<br />
‘Okay, do not call me Aquaman. That’s even worse than water boy.’<br />
Leo turned to Jason and Piper. ‘You guys remember <strong>the</strong> giant Archimedes grabber arm I told you I<br />
was building?’<br />
Jason raised an eyebrow. ‘I thought you were kidding.’<br />
‘Oh, my friend, I never kid about giant grabber arms!’ Leo rubbed his hands in anticipation. ‘It’s<br />
time to go fishing for prizes!’<br />
Compared to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r modifications Leo had made to <strong>the</strong> ship, <strong>the</strong> grabber arm was a piece <strong>of</strong> cake.<br />
Originally, Archimedes had designed it to pluck enemy ships out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> water. Now Leo found ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
use for it.<br />
He opened <strong>the</strong> hull’s forward access vent and extended <strong>the</strong> arm, guided by <strong>the</strong> console monitor and<br />
Jason, who flew outside, yelling directions.<br />
‘Left!’ Jason called. ‘A couple <strong>of</strong> inches – yeah! Okay, down. Keep it coming. You’re good.’<br />
Using his trackpad and turntable controls, Leo opened <strong>the</strong> claw. Its prongs settled around <strong>the</strong><br />
grooves in <strong>the</strong> circular stone structure below. He checked <strong>the</strong> aerial stabilizers and <strong>the</strong> monitor’s<br />
video feed.<br />
‘Okay, little buddy.’ Leo patted <strong>the</strong> Archimedes sphere embedded in <strong>the</strong> helm. ‘This is all you.’<br />
He activated <strong>the</strong> sphere.<br />
The grabber arm began to turn like a corkscrew. It rotated <strong>the</strong> outer ring <strong>of</strong> stone, which ground and<br />
rumbled but thankfully didn’t shatter. Then <strong>the</strong> claw detached, fixed itself around <strong>the</strong> second stone<br />
ring and turned it in <strong>the</strong> opposite direction.<br />
Standing next to him at <strong>the</strong> monitor, Piper kissed him on <strong>the</strong> cheek. ‘It’s working. Leo, you’re<br />
amazing.’<br />
Leo grinned. He was about to make a comment about his own awesomeness, <strong>the</strong>n he remembered<br />
<strong>the</strong> plan he had worked out with Hazel and Frank – and <strong>the</strong> fact that he might never see Piper again<br />
after tomorrow. The joke sort <strong>of</strong> died in his throat. ‘Yeah, well … thanks, Beauty Queen.’<br />
Below <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong> last stone ring turned and settled with a deep pneumatic hiss. The entire fifty-foot<br />
pedestal telescoped downward into a spiral staircase.<br />
Hazel exhaled. ‘Leo, even from up here, I’m sensing bad stuff at <strong>the</strong> bottom <strong>of</strong> those stairs.