Here We Go Again: Chapter Two
"You want me to what?" I asked Hermes. Had he seriously just asked me what I though he did? "You're crazy if you think I'm going to the underworld to get your stupid son who's probably going to try and destroy you again. Don't you ever learn from your mistakes?"
"I thought you would understand, considering that you voted yes…" He looked down at the ground. I'd seen this crap before, the sympathy vote. He's trying to get you to feel sorry for him I scolded myself but it's working… I replied to myself wearily.
"Even if I said yes, and I'm not saying I am, how do you expect me to do that? I'm not you I can't go wherever I please."
"Have you ever heard of Orpheus, sister?" I nodded trying not to slap him. I hated when the gods called me things like that, sister, daughter, step-daughter (That was my least favorite, stupid Hera.), etc. "He was in love with his wife, Euredice, and they had planned to get married. Until, one day, Euredice tragically fell into a snake pit and died. Orpheus was so crushed, he made a plan to bring her back from the dead. He constructed his own passageway to the Underworld, with the beautiful music he played on his Lyre." Suddenly, with a flash of gold an ancient looking Lyre appeared in Hermes hand.
"Is that-?" I began but he cut me off
"Yes, it's the exact Lyre Orpheus used. He played beautiful music on it while he walked to the underworld. He approached my uncle, Hades, and played a beautiful, yet sorrowful, song for him. Hades was so touch he gave Orpheus a chance to gain Euredice back. Orpheus had to return to the world of the living, and trust that Euredice was following behind him. But, if Orpheus turned around to see Euredice, she would be dragged back to the Underworld. Orpheus almost made it back to the world of the living, but right as he saw the light he couldn't take it anymore, and turned around just in time to see Euredice be dragged back down to the underworld." Hermes looked sad, and I wondered if Orpheus or Euredice was a child of his.
"So…" I began "You want me to do what Orpheus did. Go to the Underworld, play music for Hades, and try to bring Luke back to the world of the living?" I wasn't even sure if it was possible for me to do that, but I knew I had to give it a shot. "I'll help you, but how do you expect me to 'touch' Hades with my music? I don't think he's into the kind of music I write." I thought about all the Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Adele, and all the other iTunes hits I'd written. I just couldn't picture Hades sitting in the Underworld watching the entire dead walk through the horrible place listening to Katy's I Kissed a Girl.
"Oh thank you sister," Hermes replied with such a relief I thought he might've died of happiness. "I will give you this, but you must play Hades a beautiful song, or you will never have a chance. And please, don't our father or any of the other gods, I'm not sure they would appreciate what were doing." He handed me the lyre.
"Yeah well, if it would please the other gods I wouldn't be doing this." I muttered as I walked home to find YouTube videos on how to play the lyre.
The next day I woke up excited, why I don't know. I took a long shower and dried my hair straight, then went to my closet to find something suitable to wear in the underworld. I put on a pair of dark black skinny jeans, a white lacy tank top, long black cardigan, and my high tops. I slowly put the knives in my shoes, grabbed my scarf and keys, and headed for the doorway.
The drive to Central Park wasn't too far, but because of all the morning traffic it still took forever. People always think I'm crazy because I have my own car that I drive, and don't have a chauffer or anything crazy like that. I get enough attention as it is, and I really don't want anymore because I was dumb enough to ride in a limo a block long. I parked my car, put on sunglasses and headed for my meeting spot. I spotted Grover, Percy, and Nico sitting on a bench at the far end of the park and began walking towards them. When the saw me, they stood up to greet me.
"Hi" Grover said nervously. He's always been afraid of me. I guess it has something to do with Thalia threatening him.
"Hey" I sighed "Ready to get this over with?" I asked they all nodded nervously. Why did I intimidate people so much?
"Why do you need our help again?" Percy asked, getting over the intimidation.
"Well, you I don't particularly need but they brought you along so I'll just have to deal with you. I just need Grover to open a passageway to the Underworld and I need Nico to get me past the guards." Grover began playing a song on his pipes and within a minute there was a dark and rocky staircase in front of us.
"Why do you have to go to the Underworld so badly again?" Nico half complained, half asked.
"I already told you," I replied frustrated. "I have to do a favor for Hermes." I was hoping they would fall for that, but of course they decided to get smart right at that moment.
"Can't he do it himself? I mean, isn't he the only god who can go to the Underworld and back whenever he wants?" Percy questioned. Damn, why did his girlfriend have to be so smart?
"Just stay here with Grover, Nico and I am going to the Underworld." Nico started to protest, but I dragged him through the passage before he got a chance. Once we where out of site of the others, Nico asked me another freaking question. Gods, can't the kid just shut up? I mean, I love him, but seriously.
"I know what you're doing." He said in a 'ha-ha I figured you out' kind of tone.
"Oh really? And what might that be?" I asked not showing any of the nervousness that began building up inside me.
"As soon as you said you were doing something for Hermes, I knew what you meant; you're going to try and bring Luke back to the world of the living aren't you?" He smirked. "It won't work you know, the gods learn from their mistakes, Hades won't fall for that trick twice.
"Oh really?" I questioned again "Right, that's why they decided to vote on whether to bring Luke back themselves, to see if he would help them this time." I muttered.
"Don't talk like that, not here." Nico whispered looking around as if the boogie man was about to jump out at him.
"Why not? Luke might've lost, but he was right. The gods are ignorant and naive, but hey nobody ever said that was a bad thing." He began to argue but I cut him off, "Nico, I'm about to do the stupidest thing I'll ever do in my life, that could easily get me killed. SO, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like some peace and quite before I have to listen to two idiotic boys bicker. I smiled when their was no reply and began thinking about the first time I really met Luke…
I was in my house in Hollywood, listening to my iPod while cooking lunch when the doorbell rang. I went to answer it, and a tall good looking blonde was standing on my porch. He stared at me, then at a piece of paper in his hand, then back at me again. I stared at him like, 'are you going to do something or should I slam the door in your face?' but before I could, he grabbed me and dragged me outside to a big black car in the driveway. I didn't protest, because I knew I'd get a chance to kick his ass later, and I didn't want to miss it. He practically threw me in the back of the car and sat down next to me, buckling the seatbelt.
"Really. You just kidnapped someone, and you're worried about your fucking seatbelt?" I shouted. Then some person in the seat behind me grabbed my arm and stuck a needle in my arm, and I was out like a light.
When I woke up, I was strapped to a chair by my arm and legs, and I was pissed. I screamed as loud as I could, and the blonde dude woke up from the chair he was in with a start. I giggled, because it was funny as hell.
"Um hi." I said trying not to laugh at his bed head and dazed expression "Can you let me go? I have lunch with a friend today, I think." I didn't know what day it was, but I was assuming it was the day after he kidnapped me.
"Are you Heidi Jones, daughter of Zeus?" He asked me, beginning to finally wake up.
"Depends on who's asking." I replied.
"Luke Castellan, son of Hermes." He said Hermes as if it were a poisonous word, if there was such a thing. "I should probably explain all this shouldn't I?" I nodded and he began "You're in San Francisco, on Mount Othrys in an interrogation room."
"Interrogation room?"
"Well, if you really are a daughter of Zeus, then I'm sure you know plenty of useful information. So start talking." I stared at him like he was an idiot, and he stared back.
"Seriously? Come on just tell me important stuff so I don't have to torture you." He whined. I kept staring. "Fine" He untied me and dragged me into a room across the hall. It looked the same, with two wooden chairs, a table and white walls, except this one also had a huge bucket full of water on the table. He grabbed my collar, forcing me to stand over the bucket. "Talk" He said sternly. I was still trying to figure out how the kid with bed head had now become some strict torturer, when he dunked my head under the water. The water was freezing, but it felt good I keep my eyes closed and for a good minute, was able to hold my breath. He pulled me up, expecting me to gasp for air, or start spilling out information I didn't have. But I wasn't that weak, I just stared at him and he sighed, dunking my head back underwater. We repeated this about three more times before I finally decided enough was enough. The fifth time he pulled my head up out of the water (After being under for about three minutes, thank gods I'm a singer) I kept my eyes closed, making it look like I had passed out.
"Oh my gods.." I heard him gasp. He gently set me down in a chair, and then put his hand on my neck, checking my pulse. A tingly feeling shot through his hand to my entire body, but I didn't have enough time to enjoy it. I jumped up from the chair, and punched his face. He collapsed on the floor, unconscious and I ran as fast as I could.
A tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality, and I turned to see Nico staring at me.
"Uhm Heidi," He said
"Yeah?"
"We're here."
AN: Okay so I tried to make a cliffhanger, but I'm not sure if it worked or not. I'm reeeaaalllyyy sorry I haven't updated in forever and sorry for any mistakes in my spelling or grammar in this chapter. My computer is being dumb and won't let me fix some mistakes I made so I'll try to fix it later. I don't want to be one of those people that harass you to review, but I really would appreciate it. Thanks Pretty Covered In Blood for writing this story's first review though! The tenth reviewer will get a sneak peek at the next chapter, it might be chapter three, or chapter twenty-six it all depends on you people. Also, I wouldn't mind a flame or two either (Whatever that is) I think mean comments on it about how it sucks or why are better than the 'OMG this is sooooo good! Review' kind, so if you do review, put SOME thought into it. Okay bye!
