Guided by the prophecy of Dodona, Apollo, Leo Valdez, and Calypso arrive in Indianapolis on the back of Leo’s great bronze dragon Festus. After they disembark, Festus folds into a large bronze suitcase to avoid detection. Apollo and the others are surprised at how oblivious the mortals around them are to their presence. The reason is that the people are disguised blemmyae—monsters from Greek mythology who wear their faces on their chests. One of the blemmyae, who calls herself Nannette, tells Apollo she is arresting him in the name of the Triumvirate.

Blemmyae pour into the city square to attack Apollo and the others. Leo tries holding them off by shooting fireballs. (As the demigod son of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and metallurgy, Leo has power over fire and machines). Calypso and Apollo fight the blemmyae; Calypso’s hand and ankle get broken. An orange-colored headless ghost appears on the scene, beckoning the friends toward a plaza with a building that looks like a train station.

The ghost vanishes. Leo distracts the blemmyae so he can steal a nearby bulldozer for an escape. He manages to operate the bulldozer, and the group gets into the machine, but the blemmyae wreck it.