1: The Son of Ares

Dad

Percy was the one who fell, I could tell since he didn't come down and there's only one person around who would be desperate enough to try that stunt. He's a son of the sea god though, so he's probably fine unless he met something nasty underwater.

We go downstream to look for him and we finally see him walking towards us around a crowd of reporters and police talking about what had happened. "Percy!" Grover bleated out tackling Percy in a hug.

"We thought you'd gone to Hades the hard way." Grover says though honestly it would seem like the faster option.

"We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?" Annabeth asks exasperated.

"I sort of fell." Percy replies lamely.

"Percy! Six hundred and thirty feet?" She asks.

Then a woman comes nearby, being hysterical over an apparently fire breathing chihuahua what drug is she on? Though it is cleared up when Percy explains he was attacked in the arch by Echidna and a chimera.

"Whoa. We've got to get you to Santa Monica! You cant ignore a summons from your dad." Grover says.

"Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion fits the description of a young man wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. And the boy is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson." Is what I hear from a nearby news reporter.

We duck around the news van and slip into an alley. "First things first. We've got to get out of town." Percy says nervously looking back at the news reporters.

We manage to sneak back onto the train before it departs and the next day we make it to Denver where we have to get off. "Let's try to contact Chiron. I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit." Annabeth tells Percy.

"We can't use phones right?" Percy asks thinking what I'm thinking.

"I'm not talking about phones." Annabeth replies and I'm left wondering what are we going to do then send him a letter tied to a bird?

We follow after her walking downtown until we stop at an empty car wash and we try to keep out of sight since cops are pests. "What exactly are we doing?" Percy asks as Grover takes out a spray gun.

"It's seventy-five cents. I've only got two quarters left, Annabeth?" Grover asks.

"Don't look at me. The dining car wiped me out." Annabeth confesses that she used all her money on food.

I hand Grover a quarter reluctantly, I don't like handing anyone money. "Excellent. We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping." Grover explains practically nothing.

"What are you guys on about?" I ask confused.

"I-M'ing." Grover replies and I'm still lost, I'm not that old am I? I'm only nineteen.

"Instant messaging?" Percy asks unsure.

"Iris-messaging. The rainbow goddess Iris carries the messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods." Annabeth explains helpfully.

"You summon the goddess with the spray gun?" Percy asks and I almost chuckle, though I do crack a small smirk.

"Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow." Grover replies and sure enough a rainbow is made in the vapor mist.

"Drachma please." Annabeth asks as Percy hands one over.

"O goddess, accept our offering. Half-Blood Hill." Annabeth chants tossing the coin into the rainbow which disappears in a Golden shimmer.