Chapter Two: I learn how to call on the hose

Now, I haven't had a lot of experience with kidnapping (ok none before this. I just watched it happen on TV) but I think that most people don't take you to your house. After practically ripping off our arms to get to the parking lot, Percy quickly asked Dad to find the car and take us to our house. "I just hope we aren't too late," he told Annabeth in a worried voice. She nodded in agreement. They still hadn't told Dad and me what was going on, so we just made confused looks to each other.

After driving as quickly as possible without breaking any traffic laws, we got home and ran inside. Percy locked the door and started closing blinds and curtains all around. Annabeth was pacing the floor and glancing anxiously at Percy and me. Dad was shaking his leg and watching the randomness ensue.

"I think we are safe for now. It will be worse once she knows, but for now we are ok," he told Annabeth.

"Are you sure, Seaweed Brain? We need to figure out how to get her and her father to safe places preferably without anything getting in our way. If she knows, then we lose that small window of opportunity. Could we get him to your mom's house and tell them on the way? Or even once we get there? We are too far away to get her to Camp to be spilling the beans now. We'll draw enough attention as is."

"You have a good point, but they are going to be resistant to leaving if they don't know what is happening. Time isn't on our side if they won't come. We are running late enough without anymore disruptions."

"Call your mom. Maybe she could meet us somewhere, like that one beach you like. Montauk."

"That might not be a bad place to do it. That way she can get him out of there and we can get to Camp much faster. I'll call her and you call Camp. Do you have a drachma or do you need one?"

"I've got some. I just need to find the hose. Lissa, can you show me where your garden hose is?"

"Sure…." What a way to find myself back in the middle of this weird situation.

"Good. While we are outside, Percy, talk to you mom and talk to him. Tell him everything." With that, she pushed me out the door.

I led Annabeth outside to the hose and she grabbed the end, put it in my hand, and turned on the water. After moving the gentle stream until it made a small rainbow, she pulled out a large gold coin. She threw it in the water and said, "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. Chiron, please."

All of a sudden, the water started talking to her. The voice was male and deep and said, "Annabeth? What's going on?" I thought I had gone nuts. Then she started talking back.

"Chiron, we found her and we need you to send Argus to Montauk beach to meet us. She is going to be very confused, but we felt it would be safest this way. Sally is going to meet us there as well and take her dad with her, just to be on the safe side."

"Good call. Are you sure this is the right girl?'

"She causes destruction and like golden delicious apples. What do you think?"

"It sounds like this is the right girl. Get to Montauk as fast as you can and be careful."

"Bye Chiron." She ran her hand through the water and turned off the hose. She turned to me as if she just remembered I was here.

"I don't know what the heck you and your nut job boyfriend are planning to do with Dad and me, but I am not going anywhere without any answers. So I highly suggest you and him start explaining, starting with why you and my hose just had a conversation." I was done just standing by without speaking up for myself.

"I'll answer the hose question, but all the rest will have to wait. I just talked to someone at my summer camp through an Iris-Message. The goddess Iris sometimes carries messages for people like us if we make a monetary offering to her and a rainbow." She looked at me, daring me to doubt her.

I did.

"Umm… do I need to call an asylum? Do you have these delusions often?"

"Honey, she is telling the truth and we need to go with them and quickly. When the time is right, they will explain everything to you, but they can't right now. If you don't trust them, trust me," Dad said to me as he and Percy walked towards us.

"Why should I? This whole thing is nuts!" I exclaimed.

"You should because they can tell you anything you want to know about your mom. Anything I can't or won't tell you," he said sadly.

"Tell me her name and I'll come along," I said to Annabeth, doubting they knew anything.

"Her name is Eris."

We jumped into the car and drove off.