The helicopter landed. Louisa hadn't seen the point in running from it. Instead she had sat on the slope that ran down from the patio outside the swimming pool block.

She hadn't expected a fairly scrawny kid in a bright orange T-shirt with curly hair and elfish features to grin at her from the helicopter's controls. He landed the helicopter and the side door slid open.

Louisa nearly had a heart attack.

A boy about her age was having the same reaction.

Both of them had thick, raven hair and bright, sea green eyes, tanned skin and athletic builds.

"What's taking so long, Seaweed Brain?" A girl with curly, blonde hair like a princess's and stormy grey eyes pushed the boy out of the helicopter. The elf boy at the helicopter's controls laughed.

"That was harsh, Annabeth." The elf boy laughed.

"Someone had to do it." The blonde girl and the elf boy jumped down as the boy version of Louisa got to his feet, dusting himself down.

The blonde girl looked at Louisa and her eyes widened. "Right," She looked back at the boy she had pushed. "Sorry about that."

"For a daughter of Athena that wasn't very smart." Louisa got to her feet slowly. The elf boy noticed.

"You are a demigod right?" He asked. Louisa nodded slowly. The boy grinned from ear to ear and clapped excitedly. "We'll get along just great. Come on." He and his two friends, all in bright orange T-shirts clambered back onto the helicopter. Louisa didn't go with them.

The boy that looked like her stopped and looked back.

"It's either you come with fellow demigods or the hunters will come and get you."

"Hunters…" Louisa repeated quietly. Cold metal table or demigod… gang thing?

Demigod gang thing.

Louisa ran forward and jumped abroad. The elf boy beamed at her as Louisa's male counterpart pulled the door closed. "He can fly this right?"

"He's a son of Hephaestus. He knows what he's doing, right Leo?" Leo's hands were flying over the control as they took off. "Leo?"

"Huh?" Leo looked round, clearly having been dragged out of his own world. "Oh right, yeah." He smiled broadly and bowed formally to Louisa. "You're in the safe hands of Leo Valdez, ma'am."

"Leo…" The blonde girl warned.

"I know, I know, man the controls." Leo turned back to the controls and started humming the Power Ranger theme song. "Don't mind him; he's seriously ADHD, even for a demigod."

"Are all demigods ADHD then?"

"It help keeps you alive in battle."

"OK." Louisa looked at all of them. "Who are you people?"

"Well, you've already got Leo's approval-" Leo turned.

"That's a high honour!" He grinned.

"Controls, Valdez!" The blonde girl snapped, but Louisa could tell she was trying not to smile. "I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena." Annabeth held her hand out. Louisa shook it.

The boy that looked like Louisa held his hand out too.

"Percy Jackson." He said, Louisa shaking his hand. "Son of Poseidon."

"That's pretty neat." Louisa grinned. Percy relaxed slightly and returned the smile, but there was still a gleam of unease in his eyes. "What's the matter?" Louisa asked, dropping his hand. Percy didn't answer her, looking into her eyes as if searching for answers.

"It's 'cos you look freakishly alike." Leo piped up. Annabeth glared at him. Leo didn't even need to turn around to know Annabeth was glowering at him. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"Well, it ain't my fault."

"Louisa, what happened in the swimming pool?" Annabeth asked.

"Big monster thing."

"What happened exactly?" Louisa sighed and explained. They were all good listeners.

When Louisa mentioned controlling the water and turning it into ice before forcing the ice and monster to explode, Annabeth and Percy shared a look. "What?"

"Uh, that." Annabeth pointed up, her features suddenly bathed in a green glow. The whole helicopter was bathed in the glow.

Louisa looked up and saw the hologram of a trident floating above her head. She was still staring up at it after it had faded.

"So… I have a sister?" For some reason, Percy sounded hurt. And for some reason, this annoyed Louisa. She glared at him. Percy was surprised at first, but glared back.

Annabeth stepped between them.

"Percy, I know what you're thinking. Just… let me do something first." Annabeth looked at Louisa. "When's your birthday?"

"August 18th." Percy scowled. Annabeth ignored him.

"When were you born?"

"Nineteen ninety three." Percy's scowl deepened. Annabeth looked at him. "What's his problem?"

"You need to talk to your mom." Annabeth told him, ignoring Louisa.

Louisa didn't like being ignored, but they hit some turbulence and she ended up staggering back until she stood next to Leo. He grinned at her, clearly unaware of what was going on behind her.

"How'd ya know how ta fly this thing?"

"It's a son of Hephaestus thing." Leo noticed Louisa's confused expression and quickly explained a few children of Hephaestus skills. "I can also control fire, which is a rare thing amongst us Hephaestians."

"Hephaestians?"

"My name for the Hephaestus kids."

"Why's it so rare?"

"It's dangerous. The last Hephaestian to control fire, um, I think they did the fire of London, can't remember…"

"Right." Louisa said uncertainly. They hit another spot of turbulence. Leo quickly grabbed her hand and stopped her from tumbling over.

When the turbulence had passed, Leo hadn't let go of her hand. "Uh, fire boy?" He looked back round from wrestling with the helicopter's controls and realised he still had hold of her hand. His cheeks went pink and he quickly let go.

"Thank the gods Piper's not here…" He mumbled.

"Who's Piper?" Leo didn't answer, humming the Power Ranger theme song again, but this time with a hint of nervousness.

Louisa returned to Percy and Annabeth, who had wisely sat down and strapped themselves in. Louisa did likewise. "Right, what's goin' on?"

"Well, we've decided to talk to Percy's mom when we get to the safe zone."

"Safe zone?" Annabeth nodded, but didn't elaborate further. "How long will that take?"

"Well, if we're lucky, half an hour. But we're demigods and are obviously not lucky and have a military helicopter on our tail." Leo said, looking round for orders. "This one doesn't have any weapons, guys. It just flies."

"What kind of chopper doesn't have weapons?"

"The one we picked hurriedly." Leo replied, smiling sheepishly.

"Fair point." Annabeth sighed, slouching in her seat. Louisa noticed Annabeth's eyes dart from the son of Poseidon next to her to Louisa and back again. After a few seconds this annoyed Louisa.

"What?" She demanded.

"Don't take it personally, but it Percy's and your fault that we were found so quickly." Percy didn't seem as annoyed as Louisa. Before Louisa could protest, Annabeth explained. "You're children of Poseidon- a Big Three god. They're not supposed to have children. You're too dangerous, too powerful and attract a lot of attention. It used to be monster attention, but now its hunter attention."

"Hunters, as in demigod hunters, right?" Annabeth nodded. "Just checkin'."

The sound of bullets peppering the helicopter's hull made them jump.

"Leo!"

"I'm trying! There's not a lot I can do though!" Louisa unbuckled her straps and jumped to her feet.

"Turn it around!" She ordered. Leo paled.

"We'll be dead in seconds!"

"Just turn it round!"

"But-" Leo protested. Then he shook his head. "I'm not turning it around. We'll all be dead."

"Fine, I'll do it myself." Louisa pushed Leo out of the way with such force he fell over onto his backside. Louisa had figured out which one was the control stick after watching Leo fly the helicopter. It was nothing turning the helicopter around.

Leo leapt up and wrestled her for the controls.

"We'll all get shot! I'm not gonna let you do that!"

"I can get rid of them!"

"Do it without turning us round then!"

"I have ta see them!"

"I'm not risking everyone 'cos of you!" Someone grabbed Louisa from behind and pulled her away. Leo set the helicopter back on the straight and narrow path as more bullets thudded against the hull.

"Let me go!" Louisa shouted, squirming and fighting her new brother.

"Think about someone else before you do anything!" Percy retorted, tightening his hold on her. Louisa kicked backwards and accidently caught him where it would hurt most. Instantly, Percy dropped her and doubled over, groaning in pain.

Louisa had forgotten about Annabeth. The daughter of Athena stood between Louisa and Leo.

"Move it blondie!" Annabeth's eyes flared in anger and she drew her knife.

"Do not. Call me. Blondie."

"Very sorry. Blondie. Now move before those idiots hit an engine or somethin'." Leo looked round. Judging by the startled look in his eyes, he hadn't thought of that. It was either carry on flying and get shot out of the sky or turn the helicopter round, follow through with Louisa's plan (whatever it was) at the risk of being shot.

Annabeth glared at her, going through their predicament in her mind at the rate of a hundred miles an hour.

Percy groaned, rolling onto his front and pushing himself up.

Louisa couldn't believe that a supposed daughter of Athena was taking so long to come up with an answer. At this rate, they'd be falling out of the sky in no time.

Long chapter for you lot. Count yourselves lucky, I made this up on the spot with two chocolates and a bag of crisps.