memory (hiatus)

Chapter 36: How To Avoid The Paparazzi

He reluctantly turned to the still kissing couple and said, "Um, guys?"

They both stopped kissing, saw the paparazzi charging towards them, and then Percy hit the breaks, and they were off. 

By the time they got back, it had stopped snowing, but the cobblestoned road was packed with the icy slush that crunched under their feet. They ended up in Leo's backyard, where he had set up a tent over the cream colored couches on their wooden patio. 

Frank set down a tray of hot chocolates and Hazel dropped large marshmallows in each one, somehow not getting the loose strands of her red sweater in the blue cups.

"Here you go," Piper said. She handed one to Jason and despite the cold, Jason felt warm inside for a moment. 

"So, we need to find where they're keeping my parents," Piper said abruptly. 

"And my mom," Annabeth added. 

"Um, and my stepmom," Jason said eventually. 

It wasn't that he hated Hera like Thalia, or disliked her like Percy and Annabeth, or loved her like his father(though that was doubtful). According to Thalia, he'd had a better relationship with her than most people, but he didn't really know her anymore, and he hadn't gotten the chance to get to know her. 

Annabeth sighed. "We're running out of leads, guys. Any new ones?"

Hazel shook her head. "I still haven't cracked the gas formula. It's impossible."

"I haven't seen Dakota all week, and he was the only Wolf that was confirmed," Jason said. 

"What about whoever we encountered in the hallways?" Piper said. "Do you remember what she looked like?"

Jason tried to remember... but all he remembered was a lot of pain, and then the awkward closet encounter. "Hm... not really. Was it really even a she?"

Piper looked confused. "I don't know, actually. I guess I assumed it was a girl, because I'm pretty sure it was a girl when we got back my dad."

Hazel nodded. "Yeah. Should we list everyone who is against us?"

"Gaia," Leo said. His eyes were bloodshot, likely from a lack of sleep, something they'd all felt. 

"Whoever that was in the hall," Piper said. 

"Enceladus, the girl from before, and.. um, Keto," Hazel said, counting off on her fingers. 

"Whoever knocked us out during school," Percy said. "I didn't really catch a good look at their faces."

"Dakota and Gwen.. um, and whoever else was in the wolves," Jason said. He still felt conflicted about it... for some reason. 

Annabeth sighed. "Okay, well, I'm sure that there are more. Has anybody gone through their files and found anything useful? I haven't, but I'm only about halfway through." 

"Honestly... I kinda forgot about the files," Jason admitted. 

"Yeah, same," Piper said. "With everything going on, I honestly don't know where they are anymore."

"Mine are in my room somewhere," Percy said. 

"Mine are at school," Frank said. "I left them in the newsroom the other day, but I'll grab them tomorrow."

Hazel tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think mine's in my house. Maybe Nico will know where they are?"

They all turned to Leo expectantly, as he was the only one who hadn't said anything about the files. Leo clearly wasn't paying attention though, from the partly wistful and partly something else that Jason couldn't put his finger on, gaze fixed on the snowflakes gently falling from the sky.