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‘WHAT?’ Nike threw her mighty spear, but her aim was off with the rocking of the chariot. Her<br />
weapon skittered into the grass. Sadly, a new one appeared in her hands.<br />
She urged her horses to a full gallop. The trenches disappeared, leaving an open field, perfect for<br />
running down small Latino demigods.<br />
‘Hey!’ Frank yelled from across the stadium. ‘I want a participation award, too! Everybody wins!’<br />
He shot a well-aimed arrow that landed in the back of Nike’s chariot and began to burn. Nike<br />
ignored it. Her eyes were fixed on Leo.<br />
‘Percy … ?’ Leo’s voice sounded like a hamster’s squeak. From his tool belt, he fished out an<br />
Archimedes sphere and set the concentric circles to arm the device.<br />
Percy was still sparring with the last metal lady. Leo couldn’t wait.<br />
He threw the sphere in the chariot’s path. It hit the ground and burrowed in, but he needed Percy to<br />
spring the trap. If Nike sensed any threat, she apparently didn’t think much of it. She kept charging at<br />
Leo.<br />
The chariot was twenty feet from the grenade. Fifteen feet.<br />
‘Percy!’ Leo yelled. ‘Operation Water Balloon!’<br />
Unfortunately, Percy was a little busy getting smacked around. The Nikette thumped him backwards<br />
with the butt of her spear. She threw her wreath with such force it knocked Percy’s sword from his<br />
grip. Percy stumbled. The metallic lady moved in for the kill.<br />
Leo howled. He knew the distance was too far. He knew that if he didn’t jump out of the way now<br />
Nike would run him over. But that didn’t matter. His friends were about to be skewered. He thrust out<br />
his hand and shot a white-hot bolt of fire straight at the Nikette.<br />
It literally melted her face. The Nikette staggered, her spear still raised. Before she could regain<br />
her balance, Hazel thrust her spatha and impaled the metal lady through the chest. The Nikette<br />
crashed into the grass.<br />
Percy turned towards the victory goddess’s chariot. Just as those huge white horses were about to<br />
turn Leo into roadkill, the carriage passed over Leo’s sunken grenade, which exploded in a highpressure<br />
geyser. Water blasted upward, flipping the chariot – horses, carriage, goddess and all.<br />
Back in Houston, Leo used to live with his mom in an apartment right off the Gulf Freeway. He<br />
heard car crashes at least once a week, but this sound was worse – Celestial bronze crumpling, wood<br />
splintering, stallions screaming and a goddess wailing in two distinct voices, both of them very<br />
surprised.<br />
Hazel collapsed. Percy caught her. Frank ran towards them from across the field.<br />
Leo was on his own as the goddess Nike disentangled herself from the wreckage and rose to face<br />
him. Her braided hairdo now resembled a stepped-on cow pat. A laurel wreath was stuck around her<br />
left ankle. Her horses got to their hooves and galloped away in a panic, dragging the soaked, halfburning<br />
wreckage of the chariot behind them.<br />
‘YOU!’ Nike glared at Leo, her eyes hotter and brighter than her metal wings. ‘You dare?’<br />
Leo didn’t feel very courageous, but he forced a smile. ‘I know, right? I’m awesome! Do I win a<br />
leaf hat now?’<br />
‘You will die!’ The goddess raised her spear.
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