I woke up with a start. I looked over at Percy to see him awake.
"Nightmares?" he asked me. I nodded. "Yeah, I had one too. Is that Grover talking to a pink poodle?" I followed Percy's gaze to see what he was looking at, to see Grover talking to a pink poodle.
"Grover, why are you talking to a pink poodle?" I asked him.
"This poodle is our ticket west," Grover replied.
"You can talk to poodles?" Percy asked him.
"Satyr powers be nice," Grover shot him a look. "Gladiola this is Percy and Val. Percy and Val, meet Gladiola the poodle."
"Hello Gladiola," I smiled and went over to pet the poodle.
"I'm not saying hi to a poodle," Percy said.
"Percy, I said hi to the poodle," Annabeth said. "You say hi to the poodle."
"Yeah Percy, don't be mean," I said. The poodle growled at Percy.
"Okay Okay, hello Gladiola," Percy said. I laughed at the look on his face.
Then Grover explained how he came across Gladiola in the woods. The poodle had run away from a rich family who'd posted $200 reward for his return. He didn't want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.
"How'd Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.
"He read the signs," he said.
"Oh, yeah."
"So the plan is," Annabeth explained. "We get money and we buy tickets to Los Angeles."
"Not another bus," I said.
"Nope," Annabeth replied, as she pointed towards a train track. "There is an Amtrak station half a mile away. The westbound train leaves at noon."
After we turned in Gladiola, we bought tickets and then got on the train. Then we spent the next two days, heading west. We passed through hills, and trees, and rivers, and lakes.
Percy's name and picture were splattered over the front pages of the newspapers.
The picture caption read:
Twelve year old Percy Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of his mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where he assaulted several elderly women. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene. Based on eyewitness accounts, police believe the boy maybe traveling with three companions. His stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, has offered a cash reward for information leading to his capture.
"Don't worry, mortal police will never be able to find us," Annabeth reassured him.
It was now night time, and we all tried to doze off in our sleeps. I tried to fall asleep, but I couldn't so I just stared out of the window.
Then after a while, Percy woke up. "Can't sleep?" he asked me. I shook my head. Then it was quiet for a while until Annabeth spoke up.
"Who wants your help?" Annabeth asked Percy.
"What do you mean?"
"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled 'I won't help you," who wants your help?"
Percy told Annabeth and I about the dream he just had about an evil voice from a pit. I frowned.
"That doesn't sound like hades," Annabeth said. "Hades always appears on a black throne and he never laughs."
"He offered my mother in trade. Who else would do that?"
"Why would he ask you to bring him the lightning bolt, if he already has it? Percy, you can't barter with Hades. He's deceitful, greedy, and heartless."
"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.
"Hey guys, you know the gods' symbols of powers?" Percy asked us.
"Yeah, why?" Annabeth replied.
"Hades-"
"You mean our friend downstairs," Grover interrupted him.
"Right. Um, doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"
"Yeah, the helm of darkness," Annabeth replied.
"It allows him to become darkness and melt into a shadow and pass through walls," I explained. "He can't be seen or heard or touched."
"How do we know he's not here watching us?" Percy asked.
"We don't," Grover replied.
Then we got into a tiny elevator car that took us to the top of the Arch. A fat lady with a chihuahua sat in the car with us. Then we started going up, inside the Arch.
"No parents?" the lady asked us.
"They are below," Annabeth replied. "They didn't want to come with us because they are afraid of heights."
"Aw poor things," the lady said. The chihuahua started growling. "Sonny, behave!"
"Sonny?" Percy asked. "That's his name?"
"No," the lady replied.
Then we got to the top of the Arch and walked around. There were rows of windows that looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. Annabeth kept talking about structural supports. She would've stayed up here for hours, but unfortunately, the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few months.
We walked towards the exit and Annabeth and Grover got into the elevator. Percy and I would've got in but unfortunately, it was full so the park ranger told us to wait for the next one.
"We can wait with you," Annabeth said to us.
"No, you guys go ahead," I replied. "Percy and I will see you guys at the bottom."
Grover and Annabeth looked nervous but then let the doors slide shut. Then the car disappeared down the ramp.
The only people that were left, was Percy and I, a little boy and his parents and, the lady with her chihuahua.
The chihuahua started jumping up and down and yapping at Percy and I.
"Now now, Sonny," the lady said. "This isn't a good time. There are all these nice people around."
The chihuahua bared his teeth at Percy and I.
"Well, if you insist, son," the lady said.
"Did you just call that chihuahua, your son?" Percy asked her. Something was wrong.
"Actually, it's a chimera," the lady said, as she pulled up her sleeves revealing that her skin was scaly and green.
Then the chihuahua barked louder, as it grew into a Chimera. I stared at the Chimera. I didn't have time to draw kymatismo, because Percy and I was 10 feet away from it and it could easily lunge, as soon as we moved.
"Hello Percy and Valentina Jackson," The snake lady hissed. "I am the Mother of monsters, Echidna."
"That sounds like an anteater," Percy said.
She howled. "I hate it when people say that. For that I will destroy you and your sister, Percy Jackson."
The chimera charged at Percy. He managed to leap aside, and dodge the bite. Then the chimera came towards me, and I jumped out of the way. Percy uncapped his sword and ran to the other side of the deck.
"Hey!" he yelled at the Chimera, and it turned and ran towards him. I quickly drew Kymatismo just as the chimera opened his mouth and shot a column of flames straight at Percy.
"Percy!" I screamed as he dove through the explosion, and the carpet burst into flames. "Hey Chihuahua, I'm right here!" Then the chimera turned around and ran towards me and lunged. I barely managed to jump out of the way as it's claw scratched my arm. I cried out in pain.
"Val!" Percy yelled to me. "Come on, hurry." The chimera shot another column of flames at me and I dove out of the way, and ran to where Percy was standing. There was a ragged hole in the side of the Arch, with melted metal steaming around the edges. Then as the Chimera turned around Percy slashed at its neck. The blade sparked harmlessly off it's collar. Then the serpent tail turned around and sank its' teeth into Percy's ankle.
"Percy!" I screamed at him, as he tried to jab riptide into the chimera's mouth, but the serpent's tail wrapped around his ankle and pulled him off balance. Percy backed into the hole in the wall, as he reached over and pulled me along with him. I turned around looking into the hole to see the river underneath. Then Percy stepped to the edge of the hole. I leaned over to whisper into Percy's ear. "Percy we have to jump."
He looked down at the river underneath him. "Jump? But-"
"Percy, it'll be okay, we're the kids of the sea god," I whispered.
"If you two are the kids of Poseidon, then you wouldn't fear the water," Echidna said. "Jump, Percy and Valentina Jackson. Show me that the water will not harm you."
I reached over and took Percy's hand in mine, squeezing it. "Come on Percy. It'll be okay." Then just as the chimera shot another column of flames towards Percy and I, we jumped from the hole, while holding hands, and fell towards the river. Then we hit the water, and then settled at the bottom of the river. I stood up looking around.
"Thank you father," I heard Percy speaking and I turned around and looked at him. He caught me looking at him and then he ran towards me hugging me tightly. "Val! We're okay. But why did Poseidon save us? I feel so ashamed, and what about those people that were in the arch with us? I'm no hero."
"It's okay, Percy, you can't be a hero all the time," I said, as I pulled away from him. I saw his sword laying five feet away from where we were standing. I walked over to and bent down to pick it up. Then I walked back to Percy and held the sword out to him.
"Thanks, Val," he took it from me, then he looked around. "Where are you?!"
I looked at him, confused. "Percy, what-" He looked across my shoulder.
"Mom?" I turned around to see a woman, the color of the water, a ghost in the current, floating just above the sword.
"No, I'm only a messenger," she spoke. "Though your mother's fate isn't as hopeless as you think it is. Go to the beach in Santa Monica before you descend into the underworld. It is your father's will, Percy and Val. I cannot stay long. The river is too foul for my presence."
"What-" I was confused.
"Go, both of you," she slowly began to disappear.