Alex Rider: Luck of the Goddess

The Call... From Across the Ocean... At the End of the World

Annabeth was freaking out. That was something she didn't do often.

She wasn't sure why calling the Son of Apollo was on her to-do list; Simon Shaw wasn't a particularly outstanding demigod. It was just as well his number was listed in the Camp-Half Blood phone book. Or that he had a phone. Annabeth could have IMed him—sure—but she didn't want to cause a scene. She didn't know Shaw very well or what he'd be doing.

In fact, if it wasn't for the knowledge that he was rich and the accent, she wouldn't have remembered him at all. No offense to Simon, of course.

However, he was in a unique position. Possibly. Last she'd heard he'd been going to a school in Cario. It was close enough.

She wasn't about to question her judgment.

Simon picked up after the third ring.

"Hey, Annabeth... you know... now isn't really a good time." Annabeth didn't think too much about Simon knowing it was her. Instead, she focused on the sound of the echo of the wind howling in the background.

"What are you doing?"

"Flying?" He didn't sound so sure.

"On what?"

"On a Pegasus."

Annabeth shook her head to clear her thoughts. They could discuss pegasus in Egypt some other time. "Where are you right now?"

"The South of France." Annabeth let her thoughts wander a moment to imagine the amazing architecture there but quickly lasered back in on the conversation.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Egypt at school?"

"School is overrated," but the way he said it indicated it was some sort of inside joke.

"Do you know what happened?"

"Happened where?"

Annabeth sighed. She needed to have a talk with the Apollo Cabin about keeping their brother in the loop.

"Three demigods showed at camp—all over the age of thirteen—unclaimed." Annabeth paused, expecting Simon to ask a question, but all she heard was the wind.

"It would seem that the Roman pantheon coexists with ours. The three demigods ended up rescuing Hera," Annabeth spat out the name in disgust. "And, on top of all that, Gaea is rising up from the Earth, and the Prophecy of Seven has begun."

"I suppose that's a bit of a problem. But Is that all? I'm a little busy right now." Simon's voice sounded strained. He was agitated. Why?

"I'm trying to warn you, Simon. It's no longer safe for demigods to cross the Atlantic. You're stuck in Eastern Hemisphere. I need you to find Alex Rider as well."

She heard a sort of... fumbled over the phone. What was that? "Are you alright, Simon?"

"Well... sort of... why are you asking? Isn't he supposed to be in San Francisco?"

Apollo was the god of truth; his kids were terrible liars.

"He's in Europe, and you're not very good at keeping secrets. You know where Alex Rider is."

"Why would you think that?" Simon's voice squeaked. Really terrible liar.

"You're a son of Apollo, Simon—drop the act."

Annabeth could picture Simon pulling at his hair and running a hand down his face as he sighed in defeat. 

"Simon, I don't understand something. If you know where Alex Rider is, why didn't he tell you what was going on?"