Hey guys, long time no see! No words can express how truly sorry I am for taking such a LONG time to write this chapter. The homework was just too much and it's still piling! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter. :)

Percy

Phew, the pulling-water-out-of-the-Nile thing sure was exhausting. The pain in his gut had been nearly too painful to bear, but he pushed it still. Then, when he saw how flustered and helpless the people looked floundering in the water, Percy knew they wouldn't survive unless he did something.

So he did something and created the enormous bubble they were in now. True, at first, Percy doubted that it would actually work, because he had never done such a big one before. But it worked, thank the gods.

"Percy." Annabeth's cautious voice startled him from his train of thoughts.

"Look."
Percy looked at the crowd gathering around. "No…" Carter's anguished voice could be heard as Percy tried to make his way through (It was extremely difficult, because it was too crowded and also because they were all wet and Percy wanted to avoid them because he was completely dry).

Then, Percy saw the man. He looked dead and didn't seem like he was breathing. Sadie and Carter were next to him, kneeling. This must be their uncle, Percy thought. Annabeth followed him and she knelt next to him. She touched his neck.

Her eyes widened, "He's not dead." She felt for his pulse again. "He has a very weak pulse. He must get help now." She looked around, as if expecting help, but no one in the crowd offered.

Percy watched as Carter and Sadie's eyes were filled with a little hope. "Maybe I can do a healing spell." Sadie said.

"No, let us." A new voice came. Percy spun around. A man and five others were behind him, separated from the crowd. "We believe him. Unlike others, we do not deny the truth when it is in our face." He glared to the crowd, as if he meant them.

Murmurs rose and protests came. "Trust a Kane?" One of them yelled. "He probably brought this to us, messing with the gods!"

The man looked outraged, "Do you think he's stupid? A Kane he may be, but he is the most powerful magician we know! DO you think he would free the serpent and then waste his energy saving us? Think, my fellow brethren!" He snapped. Percy didn't understand much of the argument, but he knew the decibels of the noise were getting a little out of control. "Please, let's take this outside later." Percy called. "The bubble is fragile and if it should break, we're all doomed. So please keep it down." He tried to keep his tone light, but serious as well.

The ruckus quietened, but someone spoke up, "And who are you? Why are we in this accursed bubble? Is this some sort of dark art?" The crowd roared again.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Does this harmless little thing look like dark arts to you? I'm Percy Jackson and I'm trying to help you. Unless of course, you don't want that, I'll break this bubble and we'll drown together." He made his voice as threatening as possible, but he knew they were just scared. If he himself has woken up after being a statue for several days to be greeted by a huge wave of icy cold water and then be saved by a boy and an enormous bubble, he would probably freak out too.

The crowd murmured again, but there was no reply. So Percy took his chance to add, "We'll be out of here soon. So your questions can wait till then. For now, we're safe."

"Please, save him." Sadie pleading voice made Percy turn. The man who spoke before nodded to his companions and got next to Amos. "He casted a time spell and he opened a portal for both of us to escape. I think it was too much for him." Sadie said. One of the man's companion looked up after examining Amos. "Yes, child, he is greatly deprived of energy. He has used up nearly all of his own resources. I don't know…" She sounded doubtful.

"But we must help him!" Carter burst. "We can't just watch him…"
Percy knew he daren't say the word- die. "Can't you like transfer energy or something?" It sounded silly to Percy, but Sadie's eyes lit up a little. "That reminds me… Do you think we can use his secret name to heal him?" She asked the woman. The woman gave it a thought, "I think they usually use a wax figurine, but perhaps it's possible. Anyone got a wax figurine for healing?" She turned to her friends, who scrambled to look in their bags.

"What's a secret name?" Percy blurted, out of curiosity.

"It's like your identity. It's you and your life, summed up into one word." Carter looked up at Percy from his kneeling position.

"Here." The woman handed Sadie a figurine. It was crudely done, but Percy could make out the shape of a man with no legs. "It's unfinished, but it's the best we can do at this moment. Do you want to do it? Because I have a companion here who can." The woman asked Sadie.

"No, I'll do it." She answered strongly. Percy supposed that if your secret name was really your identity and stuff, Sadie wouldn't want to just hand her uncle's name over to a stranger. She sat by her uncle and put a hand on his forehead.

Percy wondered what she was doing. Then, suddenly, sunlight shone through the bubble. They had reached the shore. The bubble bumped along the gentle waves near the shore.

"Here we go." Percy said, as he saw the familiar outline of the beach. He snapped his fingers and the bubble popped. It was a rather loud sound. Some people screamed as they fell into the shallow waters of the ocean, but Percy wasn't worried. It was so shallow it barely reached past his ankles. On the other side, Percy was careful as he made a water cushion under Amos, Sadie and Carter.

"Miami beach?" Annabeth stood next to him, smiling. Percy held her hand, "All weird things end up here." He said, echoing what Chiron had told him a few years back.

Sadie had been closing her eyes for a long time now. Her uncle was twitching and Sadie's eyebrows creased. "Come on, Amos. Don't resist me. I need to heal you."

The woman from before came splashing next to them. "Ha-tep." She spoke as she put her hand on his chest. Nothing significant happen, but Percy thought Amos seemed to relax and didn't twitch as much.

Everyone around him had gone ashore. Piper and Jason, both wet, approached him. "Man, don't do that again." Percy gave him a light punch as he remembered how everyone was yelling his name and no answer came for a moment.

"Do what?" Jason pretended to rub his shoulder.

"I thought you were dead." Percy was surprised at the warm look in Jason's eyes. They had known each other for less than two days but they seemed like old friends. Maybe we have more in common than I thought. Percy smiled.

"How can we get to you know where? The nome place?" Piper spoke. Carter's head snapped up. "Wait here." He walked into the shallow waters and closed his eyes. Percy watched anxiously and suddenly out of the blue, a boat appeared on the waves. It didn't look like much, but it surprised Percy. "You never told me you were a water kind of guy?" he commented. Carter grinned, "Well, we Kanes are unique. We can summon a boat at any time. It's a long story." he said. Percy looked at the reed boat. It was red and there were two torches burning at the front of it. Percy thought it looked eerie in the afternoon sun, bobbing in the open sea.

"We need to get on. But I don't know how many will come with me. We need their help." Carter sounded desperate. Percy knew the feeling of not being able to rally enough people to help when your loved ones are in danger. The feeling of that helplessness sucked.

"You are the only one who can convince them." Percy put his hand on Carter's shoulder, but Carter shook his head, "I don't know. They are too blinded with their hatred to my family to help us." His bitter tone made Percy wondered what his family crime was that was so unforgivable. But there was no time.

"You have to make them see sense. It will be the end of the world if we really need their help but don't get it. You have to try, Carter. Go on." Percy tried to sound more confident than he felt. Carter hesitated and looked at Sadie who was still crouched by Amos. His eyebrows furrowed. "I will do it."

Percy stared at the crowd which had gathered by the shore. They seemed to be glaring at Carter and waiting for an explanation.

Carter took a deep breath.

"Um. Yeah, guys. I know you are all waiting for an explanation. But my friends here don't mean you any harm. They are here to help us. To help us defeat Apophis." Carter started to edge closer to the scattered crowd as he spoke. A man approached him. "You keep saying we should help you. But how do we know that you can be trusted? Who are your friends? Are they monsters?" His voice was challenging but his quivering voice made Percy surprised.

Are they scared of us?

Carter was silent for a moment, but Percy could tell that he was trying hard not to lash out at that jerk. "No. They helped us and saved us, in case you forgot. And we are not on Apophis' side, I can assure you that. I am on your side, the side of the gods." This brought on an uproar from the crowds.

"We do not consider ourselves with the gods!" The man roared.

"But we need to the gods to help if we want to kill Apophis!" Carter snapped.

Everyone glared and Percy felt the tension. Uh oh.

Then, things got worse.

Sirens blared and Percy's head whipped around automatically. He hated those sirens. His many years of adventures with Annabeth told him this: When you hear sirens, RUN.

So, naturally everyone started panicking. "Come on!" Carter took the opportunity. Smart kid. "I have a boat. We gotta get on now!" The crowd looked from him to the oncoming police cars. They were more than one police car and they were closing in real fast. No way of escape.

"Come on!" Carter said, louder. Nobody wanted to fight with the police, so they all scrambled towards the boat. Somehow, the small reed boat was able to fit them all. Percy helped carry Amos to the boat along with Carter and Sadie.

"Come on!" Sadie said. Percy willed the waves to take them away. They moved painfully slow at first but soon increased speed. After several minutes, they could no longer see the shore. Everyone looked relieved. They must have had bad encounters with police.

"Let me." Carter said. "I can guide this boat back to the Nome, I think." He closed his eyes. Percy stopped the waves from propelling the boat, but he wondered how Carter was going to steer the boat.

Somehow, and Percy wasn't sure how it happened, but soon, the blue sky and the sea disappeared and they were in a blackish sort of world. They were on black murky water, moving fast, but not going anywhere. There was slithering noises and strange, whispery sounds. There was fog all around, making the place cold and chilly. Annabeth tightened her fingers around his arm. Nobody said anything, but Percy knew they didn't like the place.

It seemed to last for several minutes only. Suddenly, the noises and fog dissipated and the sunlight shone brighter than before. They were on a river, gliding along slowly.
"That was tougher than I thought." Carter wiped some sweat off his brow. He looked pale, but he smiled as he stared at something coming up by the river. It was a huge warehouse and it was surrounded by scraps and piles of metal junk. Percy thought it look odd, standing by the river.

"Everyone." Carter turned to address the crowd. "Welcome to the Twenty-First Nome in Brooklyn."

This chapter is a little short, but I would appreciate your reviews! So press the button below and tell me how this chapter was! I will try to update faster this time! :)