The fields of corn below him seemed endless and vast. He wondered if they ever end. The way they moved mimicked eternal waves of grain. The way fields waved at him  seemed familiar. It looked like the ocean.

While Percy was looking down at the corn, Jason kept his eyes on the road. They were flying over it, but if they were to lose sight of the road, they may get lost in the never ending sea of corn. It felt like there was no civilization for miles. Jason and Percy wanted to stop and let Blackjack have some water and rest. It was going to get dark anyway.

Summer was swiftly turning to fall and the corn would be harvested. Percy's eyes trailed to horizon as the sky began to turn yellow. Jason hoped they'd find a place to stop soon. Some place with food, bathrooms, and running water- Jason was itching for a hot shower.

The sky was getting darker. Jason squinted to see. He wondered if he would have to stop and camp out in the middle of the road. He prayed to any god he could think of for a safe place to camp. As if someone had heard his prayers, in the distance he saw a tiny speck of a building.

"Minnie's Motel" the rusted sign read.

The motel was sketchy but Jason wasn't expecting a five star resort in the middle of a cornfield. This would do nicely. Blackjack dipped down.

It was a motel of chipping yellow paint and broken AC. The receptionist slid over their key over the chipped and faded counter. She smiled, showing her unerving yellow teeth. Percy smiled back, but it looked more like a grimace.

The room they booked was quaint with old paint and 70's-esque decor. Jason stared at the cracked ceiling in the unsettling quiet. His demigod senses were spinning, picking up every sound and taking note of every movement. There was something not quite right about the motel that made his stomach sit weird. Maybe it was the atrocious decor. Maybe it was the receptionist. Maybe it was the fact that the motel was in the middle of nowhere.

Even with a thousand worries running through his mind, Jason fell into a fitful sleep.

3:43 a.m.

Jason heard something stirring. It was Percy on the other bed. He was mumbling incoherently in his sleep. Jason frowned at the dark silhouette of his friend. Percy was moving, body tossing and turning.

"Oh no..."

Jason hoisted himself up to a setting position, the cool warm, humid air clinging to his skin. He shook Percy's shoulder lightly. "Percy, wake up, Percy,"

Percy groaned and mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I almost... got it,"

Percy's eyes fluttered open. "Jason?"

"Hey,"

"I... Sorry, did I wake you?" Percy pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"No. Well, yeah, but it's okay. Was it a nightmare?" Their eyes pierced through darkness like beacons.

"Yeah. I think I've had this one before. I was laying on my back in the water, looking at the stars... and then," Jason listened intently. Percy's ears perked as he heard rustling. He wrote it off as the corn ruffling in the wind. "As soon as I was going to grab one, they fell down. When they fell down, I stopped floating. It was... scary. The water filled my lungs and I couldn't breathe under the water anymore."

The two sat in silence again, listening to the rustling corn and eachother's breathing. They heard a thump.

Their muscles stiffened, their hands have instantly found their way, hovering over their weapons.

Thump

Thump

Thump

Percy wasn't sure if it was thumping of a possible enemy or the thumpibg of his own racing heart he was hearing.

Crash.

Both Jason and Percy leapt to their feet, their swords drawn.

The door crashed down.

The shadowy figure heaved and puffed. Its head hardly fit through the door. Percy recognized the sihllouette of the figure. He inhaled sharply.

"The Minotaur," Percy whispered.

Everything happened at once. The Minotaur charged with a deafening roar. Jason flew up out of the way and bumped his head on the roof of the room. Percy dove to his right. The Minotaur crashed into the wall and caused a massive hole in it.

A perfect oppertunity. The Minotaur was down, slowly picking itself up from the rubble. Jason was still blinded by pain from hitting his head.

Percy got up and charged, ready to turn the monster into dust.

Thwack! The Minotaur's arm slammed into Percy, throwing him back. He landed painfully on the rough carpet of the motel room.

Jason recovered but the Minotaur seemed to have forgotten about him. He was advancing towards Percy. Jason's sword sliced at his back. The Minotaur roared in pain, but it wasn't enough to kill him.

Jason flew back as the Minotaur turned around to throw a couch at Jason. Jason was swiping whatever he could from the room to throw at the monster's face to distract him and buy Percy time.

Percy was struggling to his feet shakily. With the last of his strength, he advanced towards the monster and stabbed him in the back. The Minotaur crumbled into dust.

Percy staggered towards Jason, rubbing his aching shoulder. His face was weary and bruised. "Oh my gods, I think that's the third time I've had to kill that dude," Percy groaned before collapsing in Jason's arms.

"That's what heroes do," Jason mumbled in his ear.

"Fuck me sideways with a chainsaw. I've been doing this shit since I was 11? How am I not dead yet?" Percy asked.

"Let's go," Jason said. He helped Percy on Blackjack and climbed on as well. Percy wrapped his arms around Jason's waist and leaned on his back.

Jason froze at Percy's warmth but slowly relaxed. It was nice to be held by someone again. And, Jason decided, it was even nicer that it was Percy Jackson.

"Let's go, Blackjack," Jason whispered.

Blackjack whinnied and took off into the sun rise in a fluid motion.