"I'm sorry." Cleo whispered as she crept into the library with Percy, Annabeth, and the Kanes.
She clutched Carter's sleeve. "I was deciphering the activation spell and...oh I'm so sorry."
The smoke slowly cleared and settled as everyone looked on tensely and coughed.
"Well...he doesn't look dangerous." Sadie offered.
Standing before them was a tall young man with coppery skin, kohl-lined eyes and a shaved head with a single jet-black ponytail. He wore a skirt and there was a collar around his neck.
Percy didn't agree with Sadie's optimism. He drew Riptide and pointed it at the man.
"Everyone...get away." he said urgently.
"What?" Carter asked. He instinctively pulled out his kopesh.
"Back away now." Percy hissed. "I think he's one of those shabby things, but..."
"Shabti." Carter corrected.
"Whatever. The point is..."
Suddenly, the man opened his eyes and they all backed away in alarm.
The shabti scanned the room and his eyes fell on Carter who gulped.
Almost quicker than they could see, he pounced, snatched Carter's kopesh from his hands and ran for the door.
"Stop it!" Carter yelled as they pursued it. But the golem was too fast.
Julian and a college aged initiate dove for the front doors but it was out before the could reach them.
"After it!" Carter called, racing for the doors, Percy, Annabeth and Sadie on his heels.
As they dashed out of the library a girl with choppy hair down to her ears and magician's robes walked down the stairs.
"Carter...?" she asked uncertainly. "What's going on?"
Carter kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Zia! Gotta go, be back soon, sorry!"
He dashed out, Percy and Annabeth as well as Walt and Sadie on his heels.
"We have to hurry." Carter said. "That's a warrior shabti if I ever saw one."
"Warrior shabti?" a female voice repeated, bemused. They looked up to see Zia running along with them. "That's what was in the scroll?"
"Yeah" Sadie agreed "And it's one of Setne's toys so you can assume everyone's in danger."
They chased the shabti to Central Park. They caught up to it just in time to see it raise Carter's kopesh, stalking a little boy eating ice cream with his back turned.
Zia threw a fireball in the golem's direction and Walt summoned one of his camel charms to get the boy out of the way.
"You okay?" Walt asked, helping him from the camel.
"Uh huh..." he nodded.
Percy drew Riptide and slashed at it but the Greek blade wasn't suited for fighting the curved Egyptian sword. The shabti deftly hooked his arm around the blade and made him drop Riptide. It jumped away, across the lawns and into the city again.
Vaguely they could see him on the top of a building far away.
"He got away..." Zia muttered.
Percy paled. "I...I know that building. It's my building. My mom's in there!"
A few minutes later they were at the Jacksons' door and Percy was fumbling for his key.
"Is she home?" Annabeth asked urgently.
"She should be...oh man...oh man..." Percy murmured as he dug out his key.
As he put the key in the lock the door swung open and a middle aged woman with graying brown hair and a pleasant smile greeted them.
"Percy! Annabeth! You're home early!" Sally smiled. "Who are your friends?"
Carter stuck out his hand and Sally shook it.
"Hello, ma'am. My name's Carter Kane. This is my sister Sadie and our friends Walt and Zia. We're friends of your son. He's helping us with a...problem."
"Mom" Percy began "Have you seen anyone...weird?"
"Weird how, sweetie?"
"Weird like he belongs in a museum. Weird like...like that guy." he finished, trailing off.
Behind his mother, the shabti was looking straight at him from the hallway. They locked eyes for a second before Percy screamed "Down!" tackling his mother to the ground.
At the same time, the Shabti bolted out the door and down the steps.
Percy helped Sally to her feet.
"What...was that?" she gasped.
"Long story." Percy said "What's important is that it's gone now."
After making sure his mother was alright, they all ran after it.
"Man, I'm getting tired of this thing" Percy panted.
"That's okay" Sadie huffed. "It's stopping."
Sure enough, the shabti came to a halt and stood at attention at the loading bay of a large abandoned warehouse.
"Abandoned warehouse" Sadie muttered crossly "That always ends well, doesn't it?"
"Why I chose it, doll."
An oily voice came from the warehouse and soon a side door opened. A man in early old age with slick hair, a goatee, and a red tailored suit emerged.
"Setne" Sadie growled.
Another figure came out of the shadows and took off the hood of the white robes he was wearing to show spiky black hair and a scar.
"Dante" Carter muttered.
Setne laughed.
"I see you know my new...associate." he observed. "That's good. Because we have some business to discuss."
A/N: Setne is so fun to write. I hope you liked it and thank you for reading/reviewing!
