Champion of Love

Do You Have 3000 Attack Points?!

Percy had to explain to Annabeth and Grover an edited version of his dream. Basically, Hades wanted them to pick up his two demigod children that he'd been hiding from Zeus for several years to keep them safe. Annabeth was suspicious of it, but telling her the part about the bolt and his helm redirected her attention and Percy gave a mental sigh of relief.

Grover met his eyes and Percy gave him a look: I'll tell you the real version later.

"But why would he want the bolt if he has it? And why is his helm missing?" Annabeth stressed. "It doesn't make any sense!"

"Well, we're definitely missing a puzzle piece or two if Hades doesn't have the bolt and he's missing his symbol of power too! Someone is definitely playing games." Percy said.

"So now both Zeus and Hades think you've stolen their symbols of power? What's next, Poseidon loses his trident and assumes you've stolen that too?!" Annabeth griped. Percy understood the frustration.

"Well, it's not like we can just leave Hades' kids sitting in a McDonald's and then go to his place and ask him what he means when he asks me for the bolt and his helm, Annabeth!" Percy told her. "That's not fair to those kids."

"That's not what I was saying! But even so, those are Underworld children, Percy! They could be dangerous! There aren't any Big Three Kids around for a reason!"

"Yeah, because the gods are trying to prevent things from happening when they know damn well it never ends well! Making a promise like that is just asking for trouble! And he said they were around our age! I don't think Hades would have his young children trained to be heroes like I was, Annabeth." Percy argued.

"Guys, come on, we have to get off." Grover interrupted them.

They made their way off the train. They hadn't
eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas. They also hadn't taken showers since they were at Camp Half-Blood, and Percy found himself missing Aphrodite's Claiming Blessing. He was sure he smelled worse than both his companions after taking a dip in the Mississippi and his clothes were torn and dirty and crusty by now. His hair was a rat's nest and he didn't even want to attempt brushing it. He'd probably need more than just soap to get rid of the layer of grime and overall filth that had built up on his skin, possibly a sugar scrub.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," Annabeth suggested once they'd left the train station. "I want to tell him about everything that we've learned since yesterday."

Percy grabbed her wrist and she turned to look at him questioningly.

"We can't tell him about the kids." Percy said.

She furrowed her brow. "Why not? It's important."

"If it has nothing to do with the actual quest, we don't have to tell. Please, Annabeth. They're just kids like us." Percy insisted.

Annabeth sighed in frustration and jerked her arm away. "Fine! I won't say anything about the children of the underworld. But if anything bad happens to us and we fail this quest because if them, I get bragging rights for the rest of eternity when we get to Elysium." She caved. Percy smiled at her.

They wandered through downtown for about half an hour before they found a cat wash. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere they
turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at them, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city. Percy decide she didn't like being surrounded by land on all sides.

Finally they found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. They veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping their eyes open for patrol cars. They were three adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his coffee would figure they were up to no good.