CHAPTER XXIII:The Rangers With The Dead Stares.

The inside of the van was lit up with red and blue lights like splashes of bright neon paint. A man stepped out from an old white SUV with scratched paint, and small dents. Not the best squad car in the police force probably, but it served it's purpose for scaring the hell out of drivers.

A man stepped out of the driver's side door, he wore a Texas State Trooper uniform which was topped off with a ragged cowboy hat. He walked to the driver side window, and Seth rolled it down.

"Hello sir, you mind explaining to me what y'all are doing out here?" The Ranger said his voice heavy with a southern accent.

"Just out for a drive sir." Seth said.

"Ok, license and registration por favor." He said.

Adam searched the glove compartment, and I saw another police officer step out of the police car from the passenger side door. He wore the same uniform as the man at the driver side window.

"Gonzales! We got four in the back!" The second man called out taking a flashlight out.

"Check it out Martinez. Make sure there's no illegals." Gonzales called back.

Martinez did as ordered, and opened the back. He ordered us all out, and stood us on the side of the road. As he gave orders I noticed his hair and eyes were off. His hair seemed the be, almost glowing, but I shrugged it off as the lights. However, his eyes seemed to be grey and clouded over. Like a film was over them, but I shrugged it off as well not thinking to much of it. I had just woken up after all.

Martinez seemed to be, almost entranced, as he gave orders and moved. Penny was first in the line.

"Name, residence, and identification." Martinez asked.

"Penny White. My residence is New York, New York." She said holding up a small plastic card, that she had pulled from her pocket earlier.

"Ok." The Ranger said moving on to Mino.

"Theseus King. New York, New York." He said also holding a small plastic card.

I sighed slightly, pulling out my ID card which didn't have my original eye and hair color. I remember my school had to change the background, and take extra time printing it because of it.

The Ranger moved on to Olivia who was tapping her foot trying to remember her story. Certain demigods that lived with their parents were given a fake address just in case they were stopped by an officer. It didn't happened often (thank gods), but it happened enough to need the IDs with fake addresses.

"Olivia Neptune...Honolulu, Hawaii." She said hesitantly, double checking her ID.

"You're really far from home, all of you are." The Ranger said coming up to me, "How about you?" he asked.

"Mary Riley. Los Angeles, California." I said holding my ID card up.

The rangers trance seemed to break, and he did a double take on what I said.

"Wait, Mary Riley? The Riley murders Mary Riley?" The Ranger asked.

I froze, as I heard a loud thud, and saw the ranger Gonzales on the ground knocked out. Seth stepped out of the car, and threw a shield at Martinez knocking him out in.

"GET IN!" Seth yelled as he got in the car again.

Everyone got into the van as Seth floored it, and drove off the second we closed the back doors.

"Hey Seth?! What was that about?!" I asked shocked.

"Well, two years ago the LAPD found moms body at home. They opened an investigation, and didn't find us. They made manhunts, and a national news segment looking for us. After the second year they gave up after searching all of LA, and getting absolutely no leads." Seth answered continuing his drive.

The rest of the ride was as quiet as a cold tomb. No one said a word, and the only audible sounds was the hum of the engine and Adam practicing on his lyre. I saw fields upon fields out the back window. The Texas sun was starting to rise giving everything a beautiful orange hue at the first hours.

Seth pulled over, and I saw some stone markers out in a grass field with little around.

"Ready Adam?" Olivia asked from the back of the van.

Adam nodded happily, and practically jumped out of the van. The rest of us slowly got out and followed. All the way to the stone markers in this deserted field.

As we walked to the stones, I saw broken grave markers, and weathered down tombstones. The dead's presence was strong here, which is probably why after the Underworld moved closer to Hades and the school, the path of Orpheus came all the way out on this deserted graveyard in Marfa, Texas.