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xxxiii<br />
Leo<br />
TYPICAL.<br />
Just as Leo finished his modifications, a big storm goddess came along and smacked <strong>the</strong> grommets<br />
right out <strong>of</strong> his ship.<br />
After <strong>the</strong>ir encounter with Kymopo-what’s-her-name, <strong>the</strong> Argo II limped through <strong>the</strong> Aegean, too<br />
damaged to fly, too slow to outrun monsters. They fought hungry sea serpents about every hour. They<br />
attracted schools <strong>of</strong> curious fish. At one point <strong>the</strong>y got stuck on a rock, and Percy and Jason had to get<br />
out and push.<br />
The wheezing sound <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> engine made Leo want to cry. Over <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> three long days, he<br />
finally got <strong>the</strong> ship more or less back to working order just as <strong>the</strong>y made port at <strong>the</strong> island <strong>of</strong><br />
Mykonos, which probably meant it was time for <strong>the</strong>m to get bashed to pieces again.<br />
Percy and Annabeth went ashore to scout while Leo stayed on <strong>the</strong> quarterdeck, fine-tuning <strong>the</strong><br />
control console. He was so engrossed in <strong>the</strong> wiring that he didn’t notice <strong>the</strong> landing party was back<br />
until Percy said, ‘Hey, man. Gelato.’<br />
Instantly, Leo’s day got better. The whole crew sat on deck, without a storm or a monster attack to<br />
worry about for <strong>the</strong> first time in days, and ate ice cream. Well, except for Frank, who was lactose<br />
intolerant. He got an apple.<br />
The day was hot and windy. The sea glittered with chop, but Leo had fixed <strong>the</strong> stabilizers well<br />
enough that Hazel didn’t look too seasick.<br />
Curving <strong>of</strong>f to <strong>the</strong>ir starboard side was <strong>the</strong> town <strong>of</strong> Mykonos – a collection <strong>of</strong> white stucco<br />
buildings with blue ro<strong>of</strong>s, blue windows and blue doors.<br />
‘We saw <strong>the</strong>se pelicans walking around town,’ Percy reported. ‘Like, just going through <strong>the</strong> shops,<br />
stopping at <strong>the</strong> bars.’<br />
Hazel frowned. ‘Monsters in disguise?’<br />
‘No,’ Annabeth said, laughing, ‘just regular old pelicans. They’re <strong>the</strong> town mascots or something.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>re’s a “Little Italy” section <strong>of</strong> town. That’s why <strong>the</strong> gelato is so good.’<br />
‘Europe is messed up.’ Leo shook his head. ‘First we go to Rome for Spanish steps. Then we go to<br />
Greece for Italian ice cream.’<br />
But he couldn’t argue with <strong>the</strong> gelato. He ate his double chocolate delight and tried to imagine that<br />
he and his friends were just chilling on a vacation. Which made him wish Calypso was with him,<br />
which made him wish <strong>the</strong> war was over and everybody was alive … which made him sad. It was 30<br />
July. Less than forty-eight hours until G-Day, when Gaia, <strong>the</strong> Princess <strong>of</strong> Potty Sludge, would awaken<br />
in all her dirt-faced glory.