PROLOGUE, SCENE TWO

Rachel stood watching this unfold from her bedroom window.

"Who are they?" she asked Percy when he came up.

He yanked off his hoodie and hung it on a coat peg jutting from her wall.

"They're evil, that's what," he grumbled.

"I guessed as much," said Rachel, biting her lip. "What sort of creature are they?"

Percy came to stand beside her. "They're Nephilim. They claim that they're descended from angels."

Alec and Jace were now sitting on a bench on the sidewalk across the street, taking turns peering through a pair of binoculars. Jace pointed at the window and his mouth moved, indicating speech. Alec threw back his head and laughed, sending his ski hat sliding off his head. Whatever Jace had said, Rachel doubted it was kind to her and her demigod boyfriend—her demigod friend, that is.

"Angels?" she repeated. "I thought they were more of a Jewish-Christian-Muslim type thing. How do they get along with the gods?"

"I don't rightly know," Percy admitted. "I was never into the theological philosophical part of all this. Some Apollo kids back at Camp host a Socratic discussion on the Big House Portico every week during the summer, but I never go. It bores me."

He stalked over to the other side of the room, where Rachel's computer sat asleep.

"The point is," he finished, "I don't believe the Nephilim have anything to do with angels, assuming such creatures exist. Angels are supposed to be all good, and those guys are all bad."

"Wait. Is that Alec and…what's his name…the dude who's in love with himself…?"

"Jace."
"Stupid name."

"Agreed."

"But didn't they help you and Travis and Connor kill that snake-lady who was terrorizing Broadway?"

"They did—only because they didn't have anything better to do. Sometimes I think they're worse than the monsters. I told you about the Flamethrower Incident, right?"

Rachel sat down on the beanbag chair in front of her computer and woke it up. "What about the so-called 'bird kids'? Are they evil too?"

Percy twisted his lip in thought.

Rachel could not deny that the Nephilim boys, Jace and Alec, were incredibly handsome. Percy was actually handsomer, but the rumor of his beauty never seemed to go before him like it did them. Why this might be was beyond her. She loved his shy smile, his self-depreciating sense of humor, how his ADHD made his fingers move almost constantly. She loved how his olive skin and jet-black hair made you assume he had brown eyes, but when he shook his long wavy bangs out of his face you could see his eyes were bright emerald green, green as the sea of Poseidon, his father. Perhaps what made him more attractive than them was that, while Alec and Jace were all too aware of their good looks, Percy had no idea he was cute.

If Annabeth keeps flip-flopping between you and that horrible Luke, she doesn't deserve you, honey, Rachel thought.

"I'm not sure about the Bird Kids," Percy said at last. "I know that last summer, when Annabeth and Grover and I entered the Labyrinth, we met them underground. I forget who insulted who first, but we got in a big fight. Max—the lead girl—nearly broke my arm. They might be ok, though. Maybe they thought we were evil. Why do you ask?"

Rachel double-clicked on the Google icon and scrolled through her bookmarks. "Here's why."

A page loaded with the title "Fang's Blog" at the top.

The latest entry, near the top of the page, had the title "Calling all half-bloods."

It included a video, probably taken on a built-in computer webcam. It showed a boy the same age as Percy and just as attractive—tanned, with shaggy black hair and incredibly dark eyes, dressed all in black. He appeared to be speaking from a hotel room.

"Hey," he said, looking earnestly at the camera. "Yo everyone, if you've been keeping up with my blog, you know that I have broken up with Max, and I have left my Flock.

"The world needs to be saved, and if Max and I stayed together, it wouldn't happen. We were way too much in love.

"I've already posted several videos asking for other mutant kids to contact me. Thank you everyone who has. If you haven't, do it soon. We don't have a whole lot of time.

"Right now, though, I'm asking someone else for help: the demigods. For those of you who don't know, the Greek gods live among us…and they have an awful lot of kids. Kids with superpowers. Kids who can save the world.

"Children of the gods, listen to me: I need your help. I know that I and my fellow mutants can't save the world by ourselves. Join us, and perhaps we can preserve this world for a few more centuries. If not—let's not think about that.

"I extend a special invitation to the most powerful half-bloods I know of: Thalia Grace, Jason Grace, Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Charles Beckendorf, Reyna Scarlatti, Annabeth Chase, and Luke Castellan. Contact me. We can work out a central location to meet and brainstorm.

"Changing the subject now, I have a lead on some scientists who used to be part of the School, but left because of what they term 'human and animal rights violations': Rebekah Waters and her husband, Patrick Blackwood. They live in Arizona. I think they'll help me get some answers about where me and my friends came from. Maybe they can help us bring down Itex from the inside.

"Fly on,

"Fang."

The video ended.

Percy and Rachel exchanged incredulous looks.

"He doesn't know about Luke," she whispered. "What if Luke—Kronos—decided to show up? That could be real bad."

"I can't decide which would be worse," Percy concurred, "Fang and Kronos joining forces, or Fang being on our side and getting killed by Kronos. Jason Grace died when he was a little boy, and I've never heard of any Reyna Scarlatti. Where's Fang getting his info? I'm not sure about this, Rachel. I'm not sure about anything anymore."

He hung his head. She laid her hand lightly on his shoulder.

He seemed so burdened lately, like someone who knew he would die soon. Not for the first time, Rachel wondered how she could ease his pain.

Selfishly, she also often wondered if he could ease her pain too. For so long now, she had suffered from these terrifying visions—

And there was something else she needed to tell him.

"Percy, you know the girl from Ireland who's my family's new…" (Rachel had never liked the word "servant"; it drove home just how rich and sheltered she was) "…new helper-outer person?"

"Yes. Her name is Juliet Butler and she's very pretty." He smiled at Rachel and fingered one of her ginger ringlets. "But I think you're prettier. What about her?"

"Um…she used to work for this big rich family back in Ireland…the Fowls…maybe you've heard of them…"

Alarm was starting to grow in his green eyes. "Fowl as in Artemis Fowl the Second?"

"Yes," Rachel whispered.

Percy stood up and paced the room. "Fowl's a criminal mastermind. He's held Irish and British demigods hostage, demanding money and information. I'm not sure that he works for Kronos, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. Why is Juliet here? Is she running away from him?"

"No, she just thinks she serves a better purpose here." Rachel paused, wondering how to word this delicately. "Actually, Percy, one reason Dad hired Juliet is that she's a top-grade martial artist. He…wants her to protect me from you."

"Why? Do I really look that…bad?"

"Yes!" she chuckled. "You're so dangerous, you make Fang and Jace and Alec look like pink Peeps bunnies in comparison. If I were a dad, I wouldn't trust you with my daughter for two minutes. I'd probably sic Juliet on you too."

"Well, she's not doing her job. I came in and she was watching some wrestling event on your giant flat-screen. She looked up when she heard me open the door. When she saw me she told me you were upstairs. I felt her looking at me strangely as I went up, but she didn't pursue me."

"She knows you don't mean any harm…and she thinks you're pretty hot. However, before you leave, maybe you should tell her who you are and what you're about. I'm sure she'll be able to help."

"Is she a half-blood?"

"She's a mortal like me. Celestial bronze passes right through her."

"Then what use would she be? I get that she's a black belt and whatever, but we've got several good fighters already."

Rachel got up, close enough to whisper. "Juliet has connections to the faerie world, Percy."

They looked out the window onto the street. Alec and Jace were gone—at least, they couldn't be seen, even by the keen eyes of Percy and Rachel.

"Connections to the faerie world?" Percy prompted.

"You know about faeries, then?"

"Of course. Pretty much every supposedly mythological character exists somewhere."

"So are unicorns real too?"

"Yep."

"Vampires? Werewolves?"

"Unfortunately. We half-bloods have to kill them sometimes."

"Zombies?"

"Yes. Their natural habitat is south of us, though."

"Undead mummies?"

"Jace and Alec think there aren't, but I'm not convinced. The Egyptian gods are real, and I'm sure they resurrect dried-up pharaohs to terrorize people on a regular basis."

Rachel giggled suddenly.

"What's funny about that?" Percy asked.

"I'm just picturing Jace and Alec and Alec's horrible sister Isabelle getting chased by a mummy through the sewer tunnels."

"I'll try to contact those Kane siblings and see if they can pull that off," he chuckled.

"Cool. Do you think—if Juliet and her friends were able to get the fey world on our side—that'd be a good thing, wouldn't it?"

"Depends. If they were truly on our side, that'd be great. But I wouldn't trust the faeries I've met as far as I could throw them."

Skillet's "Hero" started playing from a tinny speaker in Percy's hip pocket. He took out his cell phone and hit the answer button. "Hello? Hey! Everything okay?...ah. I'll be right down. See you there."

He hit the end button.

"Who was that?" Rachel asked.

"Beckendorf. He thinks he's had a breakthrough with the Greek fire, and he wants me to help him test it in the water. I'd better go."

"Well, good luck."

"Thanks. See you soon."

"Bye."

He yanked his hoodie back on. Then he pulled her close and hugged her. "I'm not gonna let anyone or anything hurt you, Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

Slowly they let go of each other, blushing, embarrassed to meet the other's gaze but afraid not to. Percy tucked a strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear. Then he turned and left the room.

Rachel stood at the window and waved him goodbye.

Although curiosity and worry about Fang's blog was eating her up, she figured she should probably get out of her room, away from the computer screen, away from the window the Nephilim boys had used to spy on her.

She came downstairs just in time to see George Blackwood rushing out of her dad's office.

"What's the matter, sir?" Juliet Butler asked as she pulled his coat off a hook and threw it around his shoulders.

Mr. Blackwood's eyes were huge and round in disbelief. It was a horrible sight for Rachel. He was her dad's business partner and golf buddy. She'd known him since she was a little girl. In all that time, she had never once seen him display any emotion.

"I just got the call from some nun in Arizona. My brother's house burned down, and he and his wife died. Now I've got to fly out to Indiana for his funeral. And my other brother and I have to decide who's gonna take the two kids."

"I'm so sorry, sir. How old are the children?"

"The girl is fifteen and the boy is twelve, or maybe it's the other way around. I hope Chris will take them. My teenage stepdaughter is more than trouble enough."

He rushed out the door. Rachel saw him stand on the curb and hail a taxi.

Against her will her eyes watered.

"Rachel, are you alright?" Juliet asked. "You look like you're about to cry."

Rachel rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. I used to be really good friends with George's stepdaughter, Amy. But since I met Percy and—and all this stuff started happening, we've grown apart. I don't know why or how it happened. But Amy hates me now. She'll make a face or a dirty finger sign if she sees me on the street now. So will Clary Fray. The Gaunt twins no longer trust me. I've completely lost touch with Mark Dimon and Bobby Pendragon. Simon Lewis doesn't even email me asking for band name suggestions anymore."

"How sad," Juliet responded. "I had some friends back in Ireland. It was very painful to leave them. But I can't imagine living in the same city and everything as your friends, and they're still so separate from you."

George Blackwood looked over his shoulder, quizzically, perhaps a bit worriedly, at something the girls couldn't see. Then he climbed into the cab and was driven away.

Rachel remembered the husband-and-wife geneticist team Fang "had a lead on." Wasn't the man's last name Blackwood?

This thing had just gotten even more convoluted.

She raised her eyes slowly from the black-and-white checkered tiles, feeling someone watching her.

A pair of dark blue eyes and a pair of yellow eyes, belonging to two handsome lads in black clothes standing on the front stoop and peering through the glass in the door.

When Jace caught Rachel's gaze he gave her that psycho smile that was known to give certain demigods nightmares.

"They're quite attractive, but they don't look very nice." Juliet observed. "Percy's friends?"

Rachel thought for a moment. "Let's call them Percy's frenemies."

Alec rang the doorbell primly.

"Shall I let them in?" Juliet asked.

Jace started making faces at Rachel.

She turned her face pointedly. "Yes. I think I know how to deal with them."