Percy Jackson: Ancient Greek Demigod

Chapter 24

When they reached Denver, they got off the train and Perseus led them to a shady spot behind a gas station. "I suggest you contact your camp about the progress of your quest," Perseus said sagely. "However, don't mention me, only Chiron knows I'm alive, and I suspect your camp director doesn't know, and I would like to keep it that way."

"Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because I defeated an Olympian, Zeus probably thinks I am too powerful, and will want to kill me. Apollo told the council I wasn't dead, and that he had to use his godly form to kill me, but if they find out I coerced him to say that, they will definitely kill me," Perseus said grimly.

"How are we going to contact camp?" Max asked stupidly.

Annabeth sighed as Perseus turned to his brother. "We are going to IM them," Perseus replied happily. Max had a blank look on his face. "Maximus, please don't tell me you don't know what an IM is." Max shook his head. "What do they teach you at that camp?" Perseus asked to himself. "Anyways, an IM, or Iris Message, is a way to contact people using a rainbow or some mist and a drachma. That is how your mother contacted me before she disappeared."

Perseus fished a drachma out from his pockets and gave it to Annabeth before waving his hand and making mist appear, causing Annabeth to look at him in shock. "What? My mother is a water goddess and I am over 2,000 years old. Don't you think I had time to practice my abilities?" Annabeth looked at the demigod, before looking towards the mist.

"O goddess, accept out offering," Annabeth said as she threw the drachma into the rainbow in the mist, which disappeared in a golden shimmer.

"Half-Blood Hill," Annabeth requested. After a moment, strawberry fields appeared, and the questers could see the Long Island Sound in the backdrop. The three questers stood in the middle of the IM, while Perseus stood to the side unseen, yet still being able to see everything.

Perseus saw a blonde kid in an orange shirt holding a bronze sword. "Luke!" Max called.

The blonde kid, Luke, turned around and gave the group a crooked smile. "Hey guys. You alright?"

Perseus chuckled as Annabeth smoothed her hair and straightened her shirt. "We're...we're fine," she stammered, and Perseus had to cover his mouth from laughing at the red 12 year old. "Where's Chiron?"

Luke's crooked grin faded. "There's been some problems. The Zeus-Poseidon standoff was leaked, and fights breaking out. It's like the Trojan War again, campers are taking sides."

Perseus shook his head at the older boy's words. He knew it was nothing like the Trojan War, but he kept his mouth shut.

"So, what's your status?" Luke asked.

"Nothing much has happened," Maximus said as Annabeth and Grover went to check out a disturbance at the gas station. "Someone visited me in the form of my mother in the Mississippi River, they told me to take a detour to Santa Monica." Perseus' eyes shot open. A Naiad visited Maximus. He really needed to chat with his brother. He zoned out as Maximus told Luke about the rest of the quest, hoping his brother wasn't stupid and would mention him.

Luke sighed. "I wish I was there. I haven't been on a quest in a while, and I can't help you from here at all. However, it has to be Hades who stole the bolt. He could have been invisible using the Helm. I know gods can't steal other symbols of power, but he was there at the Winter Solstice meeting. Who else could sneak into the throne room?"

There was silence before Luke spoke again. "I didn't mean Annabeth with her Yankees hat," Luke protested weakly. "She's like a sister to me, she would never..."

Perseus chuckled, wondering how Annabeth would react to that description.

"What was that? Who just laughed?" Luke asked.