Percy Jackson and Maximum Ride

Chapter Eighteen: Awkward Talks and Mad Scientists

Chapter Eighteen: Awkward Talks and Mad Scientists

***Previously, on Percy Jackson and Maximum Ride***

I sighed and rested the cereal on the nightstand. Annabeth gently pried Thalia's hands off the bowl and cloth.

"Go to sleep, Thalia." she said. "Percy and I'll take care of Nico for while."

Thalia took one more look at Nico before agreeing softly, promising that she'd only be taking a twenty-minute nap and then she'd be back to continue caring for Nico. She then quietly slipped out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. I motioned for Annabeth to sit on the chair, stationed myself behind her, and steeled myself for a long day of helplessly watching Nico battle his demons.

***

***Perseus Jackson***

Annabeth and I took turns wetting Nico's head with the cool cloth, doing our best to keep his fever down. He tossed and turned for the better part of the night, and when he finally woke up I almost wished he hadn't.

He had been restless and was muttering in Italian. He furrowed his brow and cried out a few times. Annabeth and I had exchanged worried glances, and Annabeth cleaned Nico's sweaty face with the cloth, murmuring soothing sounds all the while. His cries grew steadily louder, until he bolted upright, screaming in pure, unadulterated terror.

Annabeth tried calming him down , but Nico was too far gone in his memory to notice, and he shrieked when she put his hands on him, shoved her away, and grabbed his sword with trembling hands. He pointed his Stygian blade at us, needing both hands to hold the blade he usually only ever needed one hand to wield. I gently nudged Annabeth out of the way and slowly approached Nico, my hands raised in the universal sign for 'I surrender'.

Tears were streaming down my cousin's face, but he kept his trembling sword pointed at me, even as I got closer. When I reached the bed, I slowly put my hand on the flat of the blade and gently lowered it, silently thanking the gods that he didn't resist or try to attack me. That would not have ended well. I then engulfed Nico in a warm hug. He stiffened, but finally leaned into it after a few tense moments. Annabeth came up behind him and gingerly hugged him with me. 

The door suddenly slammed open and the Flock and Thalia burst into the room. We all nearly jumped out of our skins and Nico practically flew out of our embrace. He stood on surprisingly steady legs beside the bed and recovered his sword.

"What the Hades is going on in here?!" Thalia exclaimed.

Nico cleared his throat and raised a raven eyebrow, and Thalia rolled her electric blue eyes.

"What the Styx is going on here. Happy now, Daddy's Boy?" she dryly amended.

It was Nico's turn to roll his eyes, but he did so with a small half-smile on his thin, pale lips. "I just had a nightmare, is all."

"Are you alright?" Thalia asked.

"Aw, you do care." Nico crooned. Thalia punched his arm and grabbed the bowl and the rag before leaving. Max stepped forward and addressed Nico.

"Look, Nico . . . what you did back there, for my Flock . . . well, it was pretty brave of you to take all of us when you knew what would happen if you exerted yourself so much, and I just wanted to thank you. So, uh, thanks."

Nico nodded in response and turned to put on his sheath.

"Good talk." Max muttered. She turned to leave, and her Flock filed out of the room behind her. Fang Nico a long, indecipherable look before following after his Flock.

Nudge was the only one who stayed behind. 

"So, yeah, like Max said, thank you sooo much for saving us. I mean, you didn't really have to - you don't even know us, really! -  but all of us more than just appreciate it, trust me. We won't forget this. Also, when you're ready, I wanna get you into something clean and a little less ragged. So just get your weapons and stuff and follow me!"  Nudge finally paused for breath and beamed at Nico, who looked incredibly uncomfortable and just a little bit lost. Nico finally grabbed the shirt he had been wearing before and and slung his sword sheath over his back. He slid his sword home before turning to us. He cleared his throat and looked at us awkwardly. 

"Um. Thanks."

"Anytime, man." I replied. Annabeth nodded her head in agreement.

Nico inclined his head and slipped quietly out behind Nudge without another word.

***Jeb Batchelder***

Jeb was furious. He glared down at the manila folder from which he had originally chosen the subjects. 

They had all escaped, and worse still, the real, actual experimenting hadn't even begun yet! All his colleagues had been able to do so far was record important data on most of the subjects.

Jeb was angry with the Erasers most of all. 

Well. The Eraser.

Jeb shook his head, as though to clear it of his thoughts.

'I only suspect Ari.' he reminded himself. 'I have no evidence that proves he ever did such a thing.'

And lucky for Ari, too.

Jeb sighed and shook his head again. It wasn't that he enjoyed hurting people; no, it was the exact opposite. But Jeb understood that the well-being of the majority trumps the well-being of a handful of individuals, however special they may be. If only Max could understand and accept that, too. His life would be so much easier. 

Jeb contemplated his next course of action. He needed his subjects back. But how would he get them this time? He very highly doubted that he'd be able to catch them off their guard again. So, he needed to set a different kind of trap. And to do that, he needed bait. He smiled, picked up the phone next to him, and gave an order to the his elite group of Erasers.

He would have his subjects back. All of them.

And this time, they wouldn't escape.