The Lightning Thief [Book One]

DOA Recording Studios.

Percy had cut his friends from their bonds, and the four had started to search the store. Reagan had made a smart comment about Annabeth being almost as tall as her now, which Annabeth responded with a firm, "shut up" and a faint blush of embarrassment on her face. They found a small amount of golden drachmas and mortal paper money. Reagan was searching through drawers before finding something interesting. On a brown piece of packing paper was an address, and the only reason she knew it was the Underworlds address was because it said so in small print.

"Found it."

They all looked at it curiously, and Percy took it and shoved it into his pocket while nodding. "Let's go."

<:::>

DOA Recording Studios looked like any other building in Los Angeles. Except next to the door was a sign saying. "NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING." Grover whimpered at this, but they all continued inside silently. The walls were a steel colored grey, with leather couches and chairs. There were security guards too. But the thing was, if you looked closely at anyone in there, their bodies shimmered and sometimes turned transparent, and you could see their bones underneath. The four kids walked through to a raised podium, where a man was standing and skimming through a magazine without really looking at it. Like he had looked through it twenty times before already. When they made their presence known, he finally looked up at them and frowned deeply while shaking his head sadly.

"I don't suppose you have coins for passage. Normally, with adults, you see, I could charge your American Express, or add the ferry price to your last cable bill. But with children ... alas, you never die prepared. Suppose you'll have to take a seat for a few centuries," he explained.

They glanced behind them at all the dead standing and waiting, for gods know how long.

"Uh no," Percy said while shaking his head quickly. "We were wondering if you could let us into the Underworld, uh Charon?" he asked, pronouncing it like Chiron

The sympathy left his eyes, and his nostrils flared with anger. "It's pronounced Chi-ron. Don't compare me to that old horse."

Before Percy could continue, Reagan interjected. She confidently walked up to the podium and leaned forward against it, arching an eyebrow curiously.

"Say, is that an Italian silk suit you're wearing?" she asked.

Charon's eyes lit up. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Perché io sono italiana. Vedi?" Reagan said fluently and casually.

The man's eyes lit up more if possible. "I do see!" he exclaimed.

Reagan nodded proudly. "I can hook you up with more suits just like that," she offered, then turned away and rummaged through Annabeth's backpack and pulled out a small pouch filled with golden drachmas. "Why, I can give you a number. Call that number and give them my name. Tell them that I said you can have some of the Italian silk suits," she explained, reaching up towards the podium.

Reagan tore off a slip of paper on the podium and grabbed a pen, scribbling a cellphone number and holding it up to Charon. His eyes glowed as he reached out to take the slip of paper, but she quickly snatched it out of his reach.

"Give us passage to the Underworld," she said in a more ordering tone of voice.

When he didn't respond, she hummed absently and began to set drachmas down in front of him, and didn't stop until there were two tall columns of golden drachmas piled in front of him. Charon licked his lips greedily, then finally relented.

"Fine, fine!" Charon growled, scooping up the golden drachmas and taking the phone number. "Follow me," he grumbled.

Charon walked to an elevator, keeping the spirits at bay who have been waiting to get into the Underworld for decades. "Get back!" he snapped. "Get back!"

When they were finally inside the elevator together, century old music started playing. Reagan felt a tug at the clothes on her shoulder, and she looked over and at Annabeth. The blonde's eyebrows were knitted together.

"You know Italian?"

Reagan smirked. "I am Italian, Annabeth," she corrected her.

Percy edged closer to them. "Thank gods you're here than," he muttered, glancing up at Charon.

Reagan shrugged. "I'm pretty good to have around sometimes."

Annabeth stared up at Reagan curiously, and for the first time ever she felt like she was finally starting to get to know the slightly older Demigod.