invisible string | f. zhang

xxix. when in rome

They nod in agreement.

Coach Hedge grunts. "That'll give me time to eat the coconuts — I mean dig the coconuts out of our hull. Percy, Annabeth . . . I don't like you two going off on your own. Just remember: behave. If I hear about any funny business, I will ground you until the Styx freezes over."

"We'll be back soon," Percy promises, "Good luck, everyone."

He reaches over to ruffle Maribelle's hair, she glares at him but stands on her tip-toes to ruffle his back.

"Be safe," He tells her.

Maribelle nods, "You too. Three o'clock."

"Sure."

Leo lowers the gangplank, and Percy and Annabeth are the first off the ship.

     If Maribelle was normal, perhaps her first time being in Rome would go a little something like this: her and Frank waking up at the crack of dawn, putting on her most perfect floral sundress with her most perfect designer sunglasses and taking a stroll to a cute brunch place. At said brunch place she would enjoy a nice meal with a nice boy beside her, then they'd walk and see the sights and . . .

But, Maribelle had never been normal. Which is why instead of wearing a sundress she was in shorts, and instead of sunglasses she was armed with her knives. And instead of brunch, she was lost in the underground, and had been attacked by metal dudes.

However, Frank was still there so part of the fantasy remained.

"Sorry," Hazel says as they circle underneath Rome for the umpteenth time, "It's just . . . there's so much underground here, so many layers, it's overwhelming. Like standing in the middle of an orchestra and trying to concentrate on a single instrument. I'm going deaf."

As a result of this, they got a tour of Rome. Frank didn't seem to mind as he was holding Maribelle's hand as they trudged along. Maribelle was over it, she was sweating and people kept bumping into her and her heels were rubbing against her shoes.

"I never thought I'd get to see Rome," Hazel speaks up. "When I was alive, I mean the first time, Mussolini was in charge. We were at war."

"Mussolini?" Leo frowns, "Wasn't he like BFFs with Hitler?"

Hazel stares, "BFFs?"

"Never mind."

"I'd love to see the Trevi Fountain," Maribelle speaks up.

"There's a fountain on every block," Leo grumbles.

"Or the Spanish Steps," Hazel says.

"Why would you come to Italy to see Spanish steps?" Leo asks, "That's like going to China for Mexican food, isn't it?"

"You're hopeless," Hazel complains.

"So I've been told."

"Come on," Hazel continues, "I think we should go this way."

After walking forever, Hazel stops in front of what looks like a church. The main section had a big domed roof, the entrance had a triangular roof, typical Roman columns, and an inscription across the top: M. AGRIPPA something or other.

"Latin for get a grip," Leo speculates.

"This is our best bet. There should be a secret passage somewhere inside," Hazel says.

Tour groups mill around the steps. Guides held up colored placards with different numbers and lectured in dozens of languages like they were playing some kind of international bingo.

"This is the Pantheon. It was originally built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to the gods. After it burned down, Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it, and it's been standing for two thousand years. It's one of the best-preserved Roman buildings in the world."