(IMPORTANT Author's Note: This Story takes place between Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian and The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero. Just right after Percy mysteriously disappears.)

Zach's P.O.V

"Where is Percy?" Annabeth asked sternly.

I kept quiet, which insanely hard considering she's asked me this question for about the 100th time in a row. She was really starting to get on my nerves. Besides, if I told the REAL reason I had just dragged her all the to the Underworld, she will NEVER leave me alone...maybe that's how Percy feels.

"Where the hell are we going? Do not tell me you got us lost!"
She was seriously starting to irritate me...
"Where's Percy? Where! You said he was here! Zach!"
Ignoring her is probably the best solution since; she's the daughter of Athena. Reason is on her side of the argument. But if I hear her voice one more time-"
"ZACH, ANSWER ME ALREADY!" She screamed on top of her lungs for all to hear.

Three hours in the Underworld with her...I lost my patience...

"Shut Up!" I yelled back at her.

Uggh, I didn't mean to say that. It just came out. I only had so much to keep up with her.

But I have to say Annabeth's expression was priceless! Annabeth's jaw dropped to her feet as soon as I blurted that response like she never thought I would. Seconds later, she smirked as if she was waiting for me to speak. I will never understand girls. Now, I'm in for it.

"Excuse me! You have NO right saying that to me. I can't believe you'd even say something like that to me. I'm just asking a simple question. Is Percy here or not?"
"No, he isn't. Now, if I could just have some peace and quiet for JUST A MINUTE!"

We kept our distance, but more than just a minute passed by as utter silence began to suffocate me. The Underworld is traumatizing as it is. I know this sounds stupid but, every second of every minute, I could actually feel the grip of death closing in on me.

Darkness is found everywhere. Shades roam around wherever, lost and never found. Cries and moans of grief filled the air. It's hard to describe exactly how the underworld looked like because it's all filled with smog and darkness. You get used to it but... I don't know how Nico lives here.

Plus illusions seem to fall into mind. At every turn, I see my mother, blink once and she's gone and I have to shake the icky feeling away. The Underworld in my perspective doesn't look REAL. I guess Annabeth feels the same way. I can't tell if she's fascinated or just plain paranoid. She always has this expression on her face. Whenever, I call it her "thinking face" and she'd just smile.

"Hey Zach..." Annabeth said solemnly loud. I took a deep breath, ready for the question that made her sound like a broken record, "Where are we?"

What she just asked didn't sound like her usual, "I'm going to kill you if you don't answer" question. It sounded as if she's genuinely didn't know. This is hard to believe from knowing her. I looked around to see what she meant. Then I saw it, to my left and Annabeth's left was a tower. A tower so high up it might be enough to reach up to the world above. I recognized it immediately.

"We're here..." I whispered with some reluctance and awe in my voice. Even Annabeth couldn't help but, to stare in awe too. She always wanted to be an architect, but looking at her face now, you can tell that even she's never seen this architectural beauty before. The tower was lined up with black bricks and reach up to the midnight dark blueish and greyish clouds above, clouding the red sky. Almost as high as the Empire State Building. Broken rocks and pebbles fell at the bottom

But this tower isn't your usual Rapunzel's Tower. This one floated above with guards that stand tall in silence with pride and anger at every corner. You could tell that you'd have to very stealthy NOT to get them to notice you. I could handle them but, I'm not sure if Anna Beth could. The tower was chained to the ground as if it wasn't held down in an anchor it would float upward towards nothingness. The most fascinating part is if you squint hard enough, you can almost see the window of craftsmanship above with mystic purple drapes concealing the inside. Of course, I knew what was on the inside. It's why I'm here.

Inside that tower was a treasure that cannot amount any amount of gold, silver, crystals, emeralds, sapphires, or any other precious jewels you see down here. Even the Olympians feared the power concealed in there. Which is why they trapped her. Inside that tower was my destination.

Before Annabeth blurted another word, I had to silence her or else we're doomed.

"Listen, you seriously need to quiet down, Annabeth. If you didn't realize it yet, we're still in the Underworld...lost. There I admitted it! Happy? Now if we ever want to see the light again, we can't let anyone hear us. All the ghosts think we're one of them. Don't let them think otherwise with your big outbursts of, 'Where's Percy?'" I whispered fast and quietly as the wind blew loud enough for the guards not to hear us. In all that tension, I couldn't help but snicker at my freakishly accurate impersonation of Annabeth's 'Where's Percy?' quote. It's hysterical, almost scary that I can do an accurate impression of her. That's what happens when you spend three hours roaming the Underworld with her.

"If the furies... let alone Hades find us. Well, let's just say I don't want to be in the hands of the ever so merciful Hades so; we absolutely can NOT afford that. Not now anyway... Got it?" I continuously whispered harshly to her.

"I know that! Besides none of shades know that were ...well alive. They think I'm just as lost as them. So, were safe for now as long as we don't attract the guards up there. Besides, now that I know that Percy isn't here, why'd you lie to me? " She stared at me as if she was ready to choke me and frankly I was ready for it.

"What exactly are we here for? You obviously dragged me here because you need my help. What's inside that tower? Where are we?" Annabeth whispered sharply.

"Uggh fine... There's something I need to tell you. But it's a secret, so please try to keep your mouth shut. It's something Nico told me the last time I saw him... He said ...he said he had an immortal sister, forgot her name and she's up in that tower. I was curious about the whole thing for days and I thought it would've been a piece of cake and well also, I can't ignore a cry of a maiden in distress. Can I?" I quickly explained then, smirked at ease.

"What...maiden in distress... Have you not seen me lately? And stop it with that whole Prince Charming look. It's scaring me." Annabeth said.

"What 'Prince Charming' look? This is my face." I shot back sarcastically, as Annabeth rolled her eyes as if I've been doing the look ever since I arrived at Camp Half-Blood. Okay, maybe I have... but only to the Aphrodite's cabin girls. Like I'll ever try to impress Annabeth.

(Just to get the conversation going faster in a play script form :)

Annabeth- Does Nico even know your here?

Zach- Hey, you're here too. Don't blame it all on me.

Annabeth- Don't try and change the subject! Does he?

Zach- No, not exactly, I thought I'd see him here to help me with this mission/quest thing but, I guess he went back to camp a little early.

Annabeth- So, you're telling me that we just escaped camp, our safe haven for demi-gods, to go on an unofficial quest to the Underworld with no meaning what so ever, and with no clue where Percy is just so you can flirt with some immortal goddess! Chiron is so going to kill us.

Zach- See, now you're getting this whole 'we' and 'us' thing, Yep, we're all in this together!

*Annabeths groans in disappointment and disgust*

Annabeth- Remind me to kill you when we get out of this mess.

Zach- Right after, I meet a certain immortal goddess, that is.

*puts on a Prince Charming devilish smile*

Annabeth- You're impossible!

Zach- Impossibly awesome, you mean.

Okay maybe I crossed the line... that time, but to tell you the truth I really needed her help on this mission. I'm always hearing about these supposedly amazing adventures she and Percy go on. I'm a little jealous. Considering, I just came to Half-Blood Camp right after a huge Second Titan War. I still cannot believe Percy refused the Gift of Immortality for some annoying girl. If I had that chance, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Perhaps, if I go on this quest, I can achieve Immortality one way or another.

Annabeth continued her argument before we side-tracked on another one, "Anyway, this stupid quest you made up, that's none of our business! Besides, she's Immortal. You're no match for her. "

"Yeah...but wouldn't an immortal goddess be able to escape that tower. She's trapped up there. Besides, aren't you the least curious about why she up there, or why we never heard of her. I thought the children of Athena crave for knowledge and discovery. I've been having these dreams. I don't know. I know it's stupid but..."

"Well, this 'discovery' will have to stay on the down low for a while because my only purpose/goal is to find Percy...Don't try to be the hero, Zach. A hero's fate is never really a happily ever after. I say we turn around and don't look back. What's the saying, 'Curiosity killed the cat'?"

"Would it help if I said she's been trapped for centuries even?"

End of Chapter One!

Sorry for so many questions not answered in this here Fan Fiction! It's my first one, so I have my doubts about it. Constructive criticism and comments would be nice since I want to be a writer when I grow up. I wrote this story during math class LOL I hope you like it! ~ XD Oh and for All those PercyXAnnabeth fans. Don't worry, Zach is no threat.