Clockwork

36

"That is what I said, was it not?" Kenneth said.

"Does Aphrodite's charmspeak do anything for that sass?"

"Doubt it, he is his father's son."

Percy ignored the two voices that thought they couldn't be heard as he asked his next question.

"Where's the bomb?" Will asked urgently.

Kenneth let out a cruel chuckle, Aphrodite's control on him breaking for a second before it came back, effectively shutting him up.

"Where's the bomb isn't the question you need to be asking. It's who's the bomb."

"I'm confused." Leo pointed out.

Percy, for once, wasn't. "The children are rigged to explode, aren't they?" Percy inquired.

Kenneth let out a bark of a laugh.

"Click boom."

Percy didn't find that funny, but he ignored the comment.

"Is Adrien working with anyone-- Titans, gods, monsters?" Percy asked.

"That I know of, he works with mortals, scientists, demigods, legacies, but no immortal beings such as gods, Titans, or monsters," Kenneth stated.

"That you know of... Are you implying that he doesn't tell you everything? If you're not his right hand, who is?" Percy questioned.

"I don't know her, he keeps us separate. She was the one who helped attack the camp."

"Which bomb will go off first?" Percy asked.

He recalled Fourteen explaining their names when Percy had first met them.

It's a countdown from Twenty.

That would mean Kenneth would go, and then Nineteen would die, and then Eighteen--

"Two will be next. Then Three, then Four, then Five--" Kenneth started but Percy interrupted him. "Eventually, it will get to Twenty. Aren't you worried about that?" Percy asked.

"No, because when I die, I will die knowing I took down the gods, " Kenneth said.

"When do the bombs go off?" Percy asked.

Kenneth blinked, the glazed effect of Aphrodite's power cleared from his eyes as he looked at Percy with hatred. "Whenever they go off, I guess." He said.

Kenneth was back.

"Do you think you can charmspeak him again?" Percy asked, though he doubted it. Kenneth had a strange ability to work up an immunity to godly abilities, whether to Percy's hydrokinesis or charmspeak. He didn't know if that applied to Austin's musical healing, as that was what put his skull together when Percy threw his gun at him, but if it did, it would be a disadvantage for him.

"Answer me. When do the bombs go off?" Aphrodite said, her words highly concentrated with magic. "When do the bombs go off?" Kenneth said, mocking her.

"No, charmspeak doesn't work on this overgrown child," Aphrodite said. 

Percy remembered the last update he had gotten about the children. They had said Two was getting worse. Percy had a feeling that the 'slight warning' Adrien had sent to camp had something to do with this.

"How old is Two?" Percy asked Will.

The blond man shook his head in disbelief. "She's about 18 months at the most. A daughter of Tyche."

"She needs to get to a place that she can still be taken care of but it can still maintain a blast," Percy said.

"We can reinforce Lord Apollo's home," Thalia suggested.

"If there is a bomb implanted in her body, Hephaestus could help remove it so she wouldn't blow up," Malcolm added.

"Both of those are good. We should call Hecate, just in case this is magically induced. And Apollo's home has to be as strong as possible. We don't know how large the explosion can be." Percy said.

"Wow, you care more about this kid then you did me," Kenneth interjected.

"What, no battle plan for me? How come you just left me with my shit mother and Adrien? You began operating properly what, six or seven months after you died, but you still decided that leaving your ten-year-old son with the people who murdered you was a good idea?"

Percy listened to what he had to say and nodded. He didn't say anything verbally, he did a single nod towards Kenneth before turning away, for some reason finding it hard to look at him.

"Oh, so you can't even look at me now? Psh, of course." Kenneth said, rolling his eyes.

"Are you done?" Nico spat.

"Yeah, Nico's right. Everyone here has been through some shit, and frankly, we aren't finding you playing the victim amusing." Leo said.

"Will, ready Two to transfer to Apollo's palace," Percy said, putting his helmet back on and then turning to Kenneth.

"So... What to do with you?" He mumbled to himself.

And that's it! Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter!

Comment your thoughts! (Along with questions and concerns. If you want, characters will answer.)

Mkay, bye.