𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 ― p. jackson ² ✓

trois

The doors slid open. Belle climbed out behind Katie. She locked eyes with Percy, who had Mrs. O'Leary with him, and gave him a small smile. All of the other forty campers filed out of their vans as well. Chiron was the last one to climb out. Since he was sitting in his magic wheelchair, he used the handicap lift.

Belle shifted uncomfortably. There weren't many of them to fight, if that was what Percy wanted, but it was a large group of Half-Bloods in one place. They were sure to attract a lot of monsters.

She suddenly frowned. Belle walked up to Percy with Annabeth following her. Annabeth was dressed in the same black camouflage she was, and had her Celestial Bronze knife strapped to her arm and was also carrying her laptop bag.

Belle raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" he questioned.

She studied his face that she knew well, but something about him seemed different. "Like you're just seeing me for the first time."

Percy realized why. When had jumped in the Styx River, Belle's melodious laugh and the vision of her getting him down from a high tree branch with her plant powers was what had pulled him out of the River Styx.

"Sorry. It's, uh, nothing." Percy turned to the group. "Thanks for coming, everybody. Chiron, after you."

Chiron shook his head. "I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."

"But you're our leader," Percy argued.

The Centaur smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother Centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader."

Belle smiled and grabbed Percy's hand, giving it a tight squeeze. It seemed to give him courage.

Percy took a deep breath. "Okay, like I told Annabeth and Belle on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap. We've got to get an audience with Zeus and convince him to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."

He then asked Argus to watch Mrs. O'Leary. Neither of them looked happy about it.

Chiron shook Percy's free hand. "You'll do well, Percy. Just remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses."

Belle's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Sometimes Chiron could be reassuring, but other times the things he said just didn't make anyone feel better. Percy merely nodded and tried to give him a confident smile.

"Let's go," Percy told all of them.

The group of Demigods marched into the Empire State Building. A security guard sat behind the desk in the lobby, completely invested in his copy of New Moon. Belle could appreciate his choice of book even though she had never personally read the Twilight series herself.

He glanced up when he heard their armor clanking against their weapons. "School group? We're about to close up."

"No," Percy denied. "Six-hundredth floor."