Chapter 5: Motivation and a Road Trip
Nico's POV:
I felt weak, empty. How could she just up and leave me? I heard a branch break, I turned around hoping it was her. That is when I realized that the one person I don't want to see was standing behind me. "My son, what are you so upset?" Hades said as he moved to stand in front of me. "Nothing is wrong with me but why do you care?" I asked. "You are my son, of course I care." Hades said. "You never once cared about me so don't start now" I yelled out. "If I were you, I would watch your tone with me Nicolas, cause I have something very precious to you in my palace." Hades said with a smirk. I was confuse by what my father had just said. I then realize what my father meant. Looking at him with such horror on his face, "Please tell me that you got a dog and not who I think you have" I began to say with fear. "Yes I have Ms. Roxanna Cruz," He said unfolding his palm showing Roxy in chains hanging from a wall with scares and bruises all over her face and body. I became very anger. How could the one person who truly didn't care for me do such a thing to what is dear to my heart. "If you want her back my son then come get her." Hades then said. Disappearing into the night, my father must have seen anger in my eyes for when I looked at him, I could truly see that this man was learning to become terrified of his own son.
Percy's POV:
I noticed that Nico ran from the lake back to his cabin passing me and Annabeth. We soon follow after him. I entered his cabin, "Nico?!" I yelled out. I saw Nico walk out of his room with a duffle bag over his shoulder. "Nico, where are you going?" I asked grabbing his shoulder. Turning around Nico had looked angry and hurt. Then all of a sudden, he fell to his knees and whispered, "He has her, he has the one person that I let close to my heart." He said. Me and Annabeth looked at each other with confusion in their eyes. Annabeth then turn to Nico and said, "What are you talking about?" Nico looked at us with anger and hurt in his eyes, "My father has Roxy in his palace, she has been hurt she is weak what more can I say" Nico said. We were shocked. Nico got back up and continued to walk out of his cabin. "What are you going to do Nico?" I asked hoping he wouldn't do something stupid. "Im going to go save Roxy and protector her with my life." Nico said. I sighed shook my head, knowing that Nico would do something that stupid. "Hey Nico," Annabeth said as Nico looked over his shoulder. "You are not going out there alone." She said as she walked off to her cabin. "Yeah dude, we are going to help you get our sister back." I said walking off to my cabin.
When I gather everything I needed, I was praying to Dad to help me and Nico find Roxy. I noticed that Annabeth was outside my cabin with Nico. I think Nico has fallen in love and with my sister too. I would have to do the brotherly thing and remind him not to hurt her. We follow Nico to outside the gates. "Nico, I am going to be a brother and remind you if you hurt her you have to not only deal with my dad but with me as well." I told him. Nico sighed and walked off to a bush outside of camp where he was hiding a Jeep. "Cool car Nico where in the world did you get that?" I asked. "Rich adopting stepdad." Nico said placing his duffle bag in the trunk. Me and Annabeth placed ours next to his.
Annabeth's POV:
I placed her bow and arrow as well in the trunk. "What do you guys think you are doing?" Nico said with anger. "You can't go there alone Nico, we told you that we were coming with you, it's too dangerous and Roxy will be very upset if you get hurt." I said. With that said, we all climbed into Nico's jeep. As Nico began driving, he looked like he was thinking hard. Percy and I noticed it and that Nico was emotionally stressed. "Ok Nico spill dude, what's on your mind?" Percy asked while I was trying to get comfortable in the back. "You really want to know what's on my mind?" Nico asked heading toward California. "Yes Nico I never seen you stress out about something or someone that was never important to you." Percy said. "Well for one your sister, I love her with every fiber in me, I can't stop thinking about her, I can't breathe knowing she is hurt and weak because she was trying to protect me from your parents, I want to save the one person I love Percy and I can't help but feel like I had failed her from the start." Nico said sighing. "Nico, I understand what you are going through," Percy said then he looked at me but this time I had my eyes closed to they don't know that I was listening in, "I love Annabeth with all my heart, and knowing if she was ever in danger I must protect her to the very end, I can't help but love her" He continue to say. Percy than looked back at Nico, "This is why I'm going to help you but you also must accept the help from the gods" He said. "No way Percy, I can't accept the help from the gods" Nico said.
Third Person's POV:
Nico started to yawn. Percy had just fallen asleep and Annabeth had not woken up. Nico started to nod off when all of a sudden someone honked their horn, waking up the trio. "Let's stop for the night Nico." Percy said with fear in his voice. Nico said "Agreed." The trio had just made it to the border line of Washington and Oregon. Nico had pulled over into a hotel and parked his car. Percy asked for a room with two queen beds. Once the room was paid for, the trio went to the room and Nico sat on the edge of his and sighed. Percy and Annabeth could see that he is blaming himself for Roxy being kidnapped. Percy and Annabeth laid down and fallen asleep right away, while they were sleeping, Nico was laying down and was looking at the ceiling. "I miss you Roxy I miss you so much." Nico said turning his body away from the window and let sleep consume him.