Uncomfortable Silence

It didn't take them long to pack. Percy decided to leave the Minotaur horn in his cabin, which left him only an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for him. Y/N ran to her cabin and started packing her clothes and weapons (arrows and knives) in a hurry.

A girl in her cabin, Ruby, who was reading a book saw her and asked, "Wait, you're going? I thought...Annabeth was going?"

Y/N sighed and said, "Uh yeah, we...both are going."

"Thats-"

"-not safe, I know. But...I have questions that needs to be answered."

"Are you sure it's not because of the new boy?" Y/N glared at the brunette but she continued, "Hey, we all noticed how much you were spending time with him. Are you...like...feeling insecure? Because Annabeth is going?"

Y/N felt her heart stop for a moment. She never thought of it like that. But she shouldn't be bothered...even if they started liking each other...right? She knew there was some kind of weird tension the moment they started talking to each other. Yes, they did fight a lot but still..no one can deny the fact that there was some tension. Or maybe it was just because Annabeth says Athena and Poseidon dislike each other, so they also hate each other, but are actually friends? Okay, she realized that this was gonna take some time, so she quickly packed up her bag and walked out of her cabin.

"You're going too?" Another voice boomed. It was an undetermined kid too, namely Harris. "...honestly, I kind of...I guess we all kind of know why you want to go so we won't stop you." He smiled looking at her confused face, "Uh, just take care of yourself. You can be a bit clumsy. And uh-" He took off a silver necklace which had a half-moon symbol and gave it to her.

"Harris?" she took the necklace slowly from his hand, questioning his motive.

"Look, I've...lost my will to look for my real parent. But it's nice to see you get a chance. I just wanted," he blushed and brushed his hair back, "I wanted you to take this and remember all of us undetermined kids. Just...find your dad, ask for answers. If you get to see him, it would feel a bit better for all of us. Maybe it would just...give all of us some hope."

Y/N clutched the necklace and wore it, "I will do it!" She smiled and gave him a quick hug. Harris chuckled as he watched the girl run away with her backpack.

She arrived the camp store where the trio were waiting for her. Annabeth did not look happy. Ofcourse she planned for only three people, and that didn't include her. So she didn't really have anything to say to her. Y/N just hoped that she would try to forgive her for her rash decision later. Percy looked indifferent while Grover looked nervous. She couldn't pinpoint whether he was pissed with her too...uh they were pissed with her too.

The camp store loaned them one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. These coins were as big as Girl Scout cookies and had images of various Greek gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, but Olympians never used less than pure gold. The coins might come in handy for non-mortal transactions-whatever that meant.

Chiron gave the half-bloods each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if they were seriously hurt. It was god food, Chiron reminded them. It would cure them of almost any injury, but it was lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn them up, literally.

Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told had been a fourteenth-birthday present from her mom. She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she got bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve.

Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes.

They waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus.

[ TIME SKIP ]

Chiron was waiting for them in his wheelchair. Next to him stood the camp's head of security. He had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he was wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so one could only see extra peepers on his hands, face and neck.

"This is Argus," Chiron told, "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."

They heard footsteps behind them.

Luke came running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes.

"Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you."

Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around.

"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told Percy. "And I thought...um, maybe you could use these." He handed him the sneakers, which looked pretty normal.

Luke said, "Maia!"

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling Percy so much that he dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.

"Awesome!" Grover said.

Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turned sad.

Percy had been afraid that Luke might resent him for getting so much attention the last few days. But here he was giving him a magic gift.... It made him blush almost as much as Annabeth.

"Hey, man," Percy said, "Thanks."

"Listen, Percy..." Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just...kill some monsters for me, okay?"

They shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, patted Y/N on her back and then gave a good-bye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out.

After Luke was gone, Percy told her, "You're hyperventilating." Y/N chuckled lightly.

"Am not," Annabeth said.

"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"

"Oh...why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?"

She stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his car keys. Y/N couldn't help but think about it again - the weird atmosphere around them, ofcourse.

Percy picked up the flying shoes and had a sudden bad feeling. He looked at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

He shook his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air...that would not be wise for you."

Percy nodded, disappointed, but then got an idea. "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"

His eyes lit up. "Me?"

Pretty soon he'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy was ready for launch.

"Maia!" he shouted.

He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos.

"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"

"Aaaaa!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading toward the van.

Y/N rushed behind him, trying to catch him.

For the first time, the quest felt real. They were actually leaving Half-Blood Hill, heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone.

When they got to the bottom of the hill, they looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Chiron was now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur.

[ TIME SKIP ]

Argus drove them out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover sitting next to Y/N as if they were normal carpoolers, while Percy sat next to Argus. After six months at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seemed like a fantasy. Y/N found herself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parents' car, every billboard and shopping mall.

"So far so good," Percy told Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."

"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me."

She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives."

"Oh, forget it."

"Now, if she'd invented pizza-that I could understand."

"I said, forget it!"

In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the side of his neck winked at Percy.

Y/N shifted uncomfortably on her seat. She was aware that they were still not talking to her. Did she mess it up? No, she knew no amount of personal grudge should come in between when it comes to such an important quest. But she didn't expect Percy to be mad at her. She wanted to tag along to find her father, sure but...truthfully she was afraid to let all of her friends go away on such a dangerous quest. Ofcourse she knew she would be left out but she was mainly worried about them. She just wanted her healing abilities to work on them when they needed it.

Traffic slowed them down in Queens. By the time they got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.

Argus dropped them at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with Percy's picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

He ripped it down before the others could notice.

Argus unloaded their bags, made sure they got their bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch them as he pulled out of the parking lot.

The rain kept coming down.

They got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. Percy wasn't too bad but Y/N. She hit her head multiple times after which Annabeth decided in case of Y/N "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" doesn't apply, and it was better to keep it away from her. Y/N though was glad that they were finally talking to her. Maybe, she was just overthinking about it.

The game ended when Percy tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, the Hacky Sack disappeared-core, stem, and all.

Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but they were all too busy cracking up.

Finally the bus came. As they stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like he smelled his favorite school cafeteria delicacy-enchiladas.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

But he could tell it wasn't nothing. Percy started looking over his shoulder, too.

He was relieved when they finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. They stowed their backpacks. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.

As the last passengers got on, Annabeth clamped her hand onto his knee. "Percy."

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, and his heart skipped a beat.

It was Mrs. Dodds as Percy recognised. Older, more withered, but definitely the same evil face.

He scrunched down in his seat.

Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds-same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

Ofcourse Y/N wasn't dumb. When she noticed Annabeth stopped moving and held Percy she immediately knew something was wrong. Annabeth's face showed it all. She noticed the weird three ladies get in and she could recognise the vibe - something not mortal.

The bus pulled out of the station, and they headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," Percy said, trying to keep his voice from quivering. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"The what?" Y/N asked nervously.

"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, they were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

She thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof...?"

They hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third sister.

They all started coming down the aisle.

"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys-"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you."

"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"

"Just go, we know what to do!" Y/N said. Oh she didn't know what but the boy looked like he was about to cry. The least she wanted is to calm him down so their plan could run smoothly...yeah, it's gonna be hard.

Percy took the Yankees cap and put it on. When he looked down, his body wasn't there anymore.

He started creeping up the aisle. He managed to get up ten rows, then ducked into an empty seat just as the Furies walked past.

Mrs. Dodds stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at him. His heart was pounding.

Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going.

Percy was free. He made it to the front of the bus. They were almost through the Lincoln Tunnel now. He was about to press the emergency stop button when they heard hideous wailing from the back row.

The old ladies were not old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips.

The Furies surrounded Grover, Annabeth and Y/N, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?"

The other people on the bus were screaming, cowering in their seats. They saw something, all right.

"He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!"

The Furies raised their whips.

Annabeth drew her bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it. Y/N pulled her bow and arrow, just in case the knife in her pocket doesn't work.

The bus driver was distracted, trying to see what was going on in his rearview mirror.

Still invisible, Percy grabbed the wheel from him and jerked it to the left. Everybody howled as they were thrown to the right, and heard the sound of three Furies smashing against the windows.

"Hey!" the driver yelled. "Hey-whoa!"

They wrestled for the wheel. The bus slammed against the side of the tunnel, grinding metal, throwing sparks a mile behind us.

They careened out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm, people and monsters tossed around the bus, cars plowed aside like bowling pins.

Somehow the driver found an exit. They shot off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights, and ended up barreling down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York. There were woods to the left, the Hudson River to the right, and the driver seemed to be veering toward the river.

Another great idea: he hit the emergency brake.

The bus wailed, spun a full circle on the wet asphalt, and crashed into the trees. The emergency lights came on. The door flew open. The bus driver was the first one out, the passengers yelling as they stampeded after him. Percy stepped into the driver's seat and let them pass.

The Furies regained their balance. They lashed their whips at Annabeth while she waved her knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans. Y/N was already swinging the knife she kept in her pocket.

He looked at the open doorway. Percy was free to go, but he couldn't leave his friends. He took off the invisible cap and yelled, "Hey!"

The Furies turned, baring their yellow fangs at him, and the exit suddenly seemed like an excellent idea. Mrs. Dodds stalked up the aisle, just as she used to do in class, about to deliver his F- math test. Every time she flicked her whip, red flames danced along the barbed leather.

Her two ugly sisters hopped on top of the seats on either side of her and crawled toward him like huge nasty lizards.

"Perseus Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said, in an accent that was definitely from somewhere farther south than Georgia. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."

"I liked you better as a math teacher," he told her.

She growled.

Annabeth, Y/N and Grover moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening.

Percy took the ballpoint pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. Riptide elongated into a shimmering double-edged sword.

The Furies hesitated.

Mrs. Dodds had felt Riptide's blade before. She obviously didn't like seeing it again.

"Submit now," she hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."

"Nice try," he told her.

"Percy, look out!" Annabeth cried.

Mrs. Dodds lashed her whip around his sword hand while the Furies on the either side lunged at him.

He stuck the Fury on the left with the sword's hilt, sending her toppling backward into a seat. He turned and sliced the Fury on the right. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust. Annabeth got Mrs. Dodds in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the whip out of her hands, Y/N shot her bow at Mrs. Dodds which she aimed at her heart, but because she moved around too much, it struck on her shoulder instead. Along with a string of curses she also heard a deafening screech from it. Yes, it injured her, but the arrow was supposed to work like Percy's right? She was supposed to turn to dust but she didn't.

"Ow!" Grover yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"

Mrs. Dodds was trying to get Annabeth off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but Annabeth held on while Grover got Mrs. Dodds's legs tied up in her own whip. Finally they both shoved her backward into the aisle. Mrs. Dodds tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her bat wings, so she kept falling down.

"Zeus will destroy you!" she promised. "Hades will have your soul!"

Thunder shook the bus. The hair rose on the back of their neck.

"Get out!" Annabeth yelled. "Now!"

They rushed outside and found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!" A Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a camera snapped his photograph before Percy could recap his sword.

"Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our-"

BOOOOOM!

The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, but an angry wail from inside told them Mrs. Dodds was not yet dead.

"Run!" Annabeth said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

They plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind.

Y/N who was running confused, wondered if the gift from Chiron really worked. It was supposed to right? He wouldn't lie to her ofcourse. Was she not using it correctly?

Questions filled her mind, as the path before them had nothing but darkness ahead.