Kenneth sat in the middle of the throne room, his fists bound closed with leather and his arms tied behind him. His head was forced still with a random cone Hephaestus had lying around. His feet were tied together and his knees were forced straight by to boards so they couldn't bend. He had several bindings to keep him immobilized.
"Was all of this really necessary?" Dionysus mumbled, raising an eyebrow at the restraints. "Yes. If he were to even sneeze, he'd probably be able to topple Olympus." Hephaestus informed his brother.
Percy was still Clockwork, no one had yet suggested otherwise, and Percy nearly settled in the possibility that they were just rushing to rescue a machine. Maybe Hephaestus fed them a lie like the prices of getting materials for a whole new robotic assistant were expensive or something.
Then Percy remembered that the Demigod Council hadn't stopped looking at him since he'd got back.
"What you're telling us, is that Adrien is experimenting on demigods and amplifying their powers for... what reason?" Athena asked, for once as puzzled as everyone else in the room.
"I have reason to believe that they are just testing how much their bodies can take. From what I can tell, not all of their subjects are being amplified. But I'm sure Mr. Jackson knows more than I do." Percy said.
Piper nodded. "I can question him," Piper stated. Kenneth let out a bark of a laugh, the cruelest sound he could make with the restraints. "I've built up a resistance to Du Vel's charmspeak so there's is nothing you can do that--" Kenneth gritted his teeth as he was forced to shut his mouth. Percy stood with his hand slightly raised and balled up into a loose fist.
So while Kenneth can push through Percy's power, he has to be aware of when it's happening.
"Thank you, Mrs. Grace, but I think you shouldn't be the one to ask. Lady Aphrodite, if you would?"
"Of course, Clockwork," Aphrodite told him. "I'll be asking questions about the children, so call Will," Percy instructed. Hephaestus obeyed Percy, and the image of a tired Will appeared.
Percy released his hold on Kenneth. "You think that just because you're a god that you can do better than he? He will--" "Silence." Aphrodite stated, and the words died in Kenneth's throat. The whole throne room fell into an uncomfortable silence as Aphrodite's commanded affected everyone else. Except, of course, Percy. "My Lady, would it be possible to ask him these questions--" "Kenneth, answer Clockwork's questions clearly and truthfully," Aphrodite said.
"I don't know anyone named Clockwork."
"He has the strength to even attempt to resist Aphrodite's charmspeak," Katie whispered. "He's not strong enough to not listen though. That's all that matters really." Travis whispered back.
Percy took off his helmet, and anyone who doubted Clockwork was Percy had their doubts relieved as the tired demigod looked at his estranged son.
"Let's try that again," Percy said. "Kenneth, answer Percy's questions clearly and truthfully." Aphrodite pressed.
"Yes, ma'am," Kenneth answered, completely under Aphrodite's control.
"Where is Adrien?"
"I don't know."
"What's Adrien's plan?"
"Tomorrow, he planned on taking his daughter to the beach, and maybe have donuts lat--"
"Let me rephrase that. What's Adrien's plan for the Twenty?"
"To use us as weapons against the Olympians."
"Expand on that please."
"One was an activator. His death activated explosives."
"Bombs. Actual bombs?" Hephaestus pondered.
"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.