"Why would Piper do such a thing? She's not that kind of person!" Leo exclaimed. "Exactly! This means we need to go to Oaklahoma ourselves to find out," Annabeth replied. "Let's go, now. If not, we'll either be too late to save anyone, or either the kidnapper will lose interest in waiting for us and kill all the hostages. So hurry and let's leave," Annabeth said.

"That makes sense. Why do you and your mom have to be so smart?" Percy sulked. "That's like asking you why you and your dad have seaweed stuffed in your brains." Percy shut up. Leo was starting to tense. What if the kidnapper was going to kill all of them together with the hostages? he thought. He had watched tons of change-of-plans-at-the-last-second movies to know that this was likely to happen.

But he had no choice. He and his 'friends' had to go find out. They left Camp Jupiter and rushed to Festus, who lay unconscious. He was steaming and his wings were rusting.

"FESTUS!?!?!?! What happened, to you? No, no, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Leo hollered. The fire-breathing Minotaur had apparently followed Festus to Camp Jupiter and wrecked his whole body. Percy whipped up Riptide and plunged its blade into the monster's right thigh. The monster bellowed and screeched in pain. But it started to reform very quickly that Percy had little time to plan his next move.

"Percy! LOOK OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT!"

It was too late.

Percy crumpled.

And Annabeth broke down.