Percy POV
I had a million thoughts going through my head as we headed back to the beach house. Where's Annabeth? Who would do this? Who were they? The taxi ride to the beach house was filled with an eerie silence. I turned to the window and stared out into the night. I didn't know what time it was, but the streets were filled with groups of people, stumbling and laughing. The street lights passed us in a blur. The taxi came to a slow stop at a light. On the corner, I saw a girl with curly blond hair. Annabeth? I jumped up and leaned to get a closer look. She turned around, but it wasn't Annabeth. The girl had bright blue eyes and red lip stick. She looked like a freaking clown with how much make up she had on. That's definitely not Annabeth. Annabeth didn't need make up to be so stunning and beautiful. She's absolutely perfect without even trying. I sighed. I missed her. I felt like a part of me was missing. She has been a huge part of my life since I arrived at Camp. Since we were 12. 12! It seems like forever ago…
The taxi finally pulled up to the beach house. We filed out of the taxi. I pulled some cash out of my pocket and paid him, then got out of the car. As soon as I closed the door, the taxi sped off behind me.
Everyone's spirits were low. Jason was dragging his feet inside looking at the ground, followed by Leo who strangely had no humor left in him. He just followed Jason in silence. Frank walked next to Hazel silently.
Frank, Hazel and Leo headed upstairs. Jason and I stayed in the living room. Jason trudged over to the couch and sat down, putting his head in his hands. I started pacing, trying to think who did this and why. Nothing about this made sense. Where did Annabeth and Piper fit into this? Neither of them had many enemies, so who were they really after?
"Who could have done this? And why would they want Pipes? God it's all my fault." Jason said sadly. He was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. His voice cracked at Piper's name. Hurt and concern was painted all over his face. I felt a ping of guilty at how torn up he looked. He's lost so much; he can't lose Piper too. It'll tear him apart.
"Don't blame yourself. We'll get them back and whoever did this will pay." I clenched my fist. "But, we need to try to figure out who did this and why." We all had a long list of enemies; it could be anyone. But to kidnap Piper and Annabeth in a place with hundreds of people, they must have blended in. So that leaves..
The lights flashed then went out. "What was that?" Jason asked sitting up. He got up slowly. I turned towards him. A scream came from upstairs. We both turned and ran upstairs. Another scream. I stopped at Hazel and Annabeth's room.
"The scream came from in here." I said, I tried to open the door. "It's locked."
Jason pushed past me and pulled on the door himself. Nothing. He kicked it, but it didn't budge.
"NOOOOOOO!" someone from inside said.
I knocked on the door and yelled, "Frank! Hazel! What's going on? You guys okay?"
No reply. "We need to break down the door." Jason said. I nodded. We both took a couple steps back.
"Ready?" I nodded. "1… 2… 3!" he yelled. On 3 we both ran towards the door and it broke open. There was an eerie silence in the room. It was pitch black, so I couldn't see where anything or anyone was.
"Frank? Hazel?" I called out. I felt a prickly feeling on the back of my neck. Someone was here.
We both froze. The lights flickered back on. I scanned the room. I looked to see Frank sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. No one else.
"They- They took Hazel" He said in a shaky breath. I scanned the room again. One of the windows across the room was open.
Jason ran to the open window and looked both ways. I heard a low growl come from his mouth.
"What do you see, Jase?" I asked. Without answering, he jumped out the window and shot into the sky. Frank and I ran to the window to see him flying after someone flying on a Pegasus with a limp body hanging over it, which must be Hazel.
I heard footsteps behind me; I turned around to see Leo in the doorway.
"What happened?" He asked.
"No time! Come on!" I motioned for them to follow me. I sprinted out the door and down the hallway. I heard their footsteps treading behind mine. I heard Leo panicking, asking a million questions. Where's Hazel? Where's Jason? What's going on? My head started to throb.
"Are you always this annoying?" I yelled.
He smirked. "Yes, Thank you. I try very hard to be annoying."
It wasn't a compliment… I slide the glass door open. In the distance I saw Jason flying, like a blond superman, after a hooded figure on a Pegasus. I yelled his name, but he was too far to hear. That or he ignored me.. After a few seconds they disappeared into the pitch black sky. They could be anywhere now.
"Will someone please explain what happened? Where's Jason going? Who was that? Where's Hazel?" he asked franticly. I saw Frank snap when he mentioned Hazel.
"They took Hazel, okay?! It's all my fault!" His voice softened. "Right out of my hands."
He looked close to tears. His face was full of hurt and concern. He sat down shakily on a lawn chair that was on the balcony. Leo stood their shocked.
"No, no, no… Not her too." His face pale.
"Guys you have to keep it together! If we don't go after Jason they could get him too! Now get up!"
They both rose like they were in a trance.
"How do we even find them?" Frank said in a monotone voice. "We don't even know where they are."
"I have a friend who can help." I said. They both gave me a questioning look. I turned toward the beach and whistled.
"okay…" Leo said.
30 long, agonizing seconds later, Mrs. O'Leary jumps out of the shadows and onto me.
I heard Frank jump back and yelp. "it's okay guys. It's just Mrs. O'Leary. Hey girl, I missed you too." She continued to lick my face.
"WOOF!"
I pushed her off me and got up, wiping the sleeve of my jacket"Hey girl, can you help us?"
"WOOF!"
"I'm going to take that as a yes…" I looked around me. Luckily Jason's shirt was sitting on the table on the patio. I grabbed it and put held it out to Mrs. O'Leary. "We need to find Jason."
She lowered her nose and sniffed the shirt; she then paced in a circle. I turned to see if Leo and Frank were okay. Frank was standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. Leo was pacing in a circle looking at the ground mumbling to himself. I looked back to see Mrs. O'Leary lift her head and sniffed the air.
"WOOF! WOOF!" Leo and Frank turned to Mrs. O'Leary.
"You got him girl?"
"WOOF!"
I looked back at them. "Come on, get on." Frank took a step back.
"G-get on? On that thing?" Frank said pointing at Mrs. O'Leary. I glared at him.
"Hey, Mrs. O'Leary is a hellhound. Not a thing. She has feelings too. She is perfectly save."
"I think I'll just fly by you guys." Frank said shakily.
"You can't. We're going to shadow travel. It's quicker. We lost so much time arguing that it's the only way to catch up with Jason and find the others." There was an eerie silence. Frank merely nodded. I looked at Leo.
"Hey, Doggie express. I like it." He said shrugging. We all climbed on.
"Alright girl, let's go. For all new passengers, I will warn you know… I hope you're not scared of the dark and ghosts!" Frank opened his mouth to argue, but Mrs. O'Leary jumped through a shadow and we were off.
