Missing Pieces

Chapter 5

"What would you have done if it was your dad?"

"Easy, I'd leave him to rot," Annabeth said.

"You're....not serious?"
"He's resented me since the day I was born. He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back, because he was too busy with his mortal week. When I was five, he married a mortal woman and had mortal kids. His wife treated me like I was a freak, and never let me play with any of her kids. Whenever something bad happened, my stepmom and dad both looked at me, resentfully. Then, finally, I ran away."
"How old were you at the time?" he asked her.

"Seven," she replied.

"You were so young. You arrived at camp all alone?"
"No, she had me, and two other people," I said.

"How old were you?" Percy asked me.

"Same age as Annabeth," I replied.

"But why?" Percy asked. "And you told me that you never knew your mom?"

"My mom left me at an orphanage when I was a baby," I began. "And when I was five years old, I was adopted by a family, that was abusive towards me, and then two years later, I ran away and found Annabeth and two other people. And also guys, I haven't told you guys this yet but-" I told Percy and Annabeth about the dream I had the other night. The dream about a voice telling me that'd I find my mom and some answers. Percy had a big frown on his face.

"You know, I have this suspicion that you both might be related, not just on the god's side, but by blood as well," Annabeth said. "You both have the same Godly parent and the same last name, and you both look similar."

"Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing after Percy got claimed," I admitted. "Like there is just no way that we could just have the same last name and the same Godly parent, and not be related by blood. But of course, I could be wrong. I mean, I don't really remember what my mom looks like, since I was only a baby when she left me at an orphanage, and I don't know anything about her." I glanced down at the ground.

"Hey," Annabeth put her hand on my shoulder. "We'll figure it out."
"Yeah," Percy said. "After we get my mom back, I'll talk to her and get some answers. Because to be honest, my mom never mentioned anything about me having a sister, but she has always seemed like she was hiding something big from me. But now I think it's slowly making sense."

"Thanks, guys," I smiled.

Then we passed over the Mississippi River and into Saint Louis. Annabeth looked up at the Gateway Arch.

"I want to build something like that," Annabeth said. "Someday, I want to build the greatest monument to the gods. Something that'll last a thousand years." Annabeth always had this big dream, to be an architect.

Then we pulled into the Amtrak station. The intercom told us that we had a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.

Grover yawned and then opened his eyes.

Annabeth stood up. "Come on guys. Let's go see the gateway arch. This may be my only chance to ride to the top. You guys coming or staying?"
I glanced at Percy and Grover. "We're coming."

We got off the train and then headed towards the Gateway Arch. We walked through the underground museums, looking at covered wagons, and other junk from the 1800s, while Annabeth told us facts about the Arch. Then we went and stood in a line to get on the elevator.

"Do you smell anything?" I heard Percy whispered to Grover.

"Underground air always smells like monsters," he replied.