A/N: The ninth chapter :) We are nearing the end of the second arc. Stakes are high and there will be consequences.

Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO characters.

A shout out to "child of artimes" who was kind enough to leave a review: I'm sorry that my story confuses you. But based on your review I take it that you've only read chapter 1, which in all fairness is basically an introductory chapter. Things become clearer in later chapters. But to be sure: Sam is a son of Hecate with Suzan being his camp counselor and half-sibling, Sarah is his adoptive sister and Jesse is his current girlfriend. Too bad you don't like the story, but it is what it is.


Chapter 9: Trinity

Hours passed and Harley got reports from the others. Percy was doing slightly better, so was Hazel. Leo seemed to have less frequent outbursts. Only Annabeth and Sam weren't showing any responses to the treatment.

'How's he doing?' asked Lou as she walked in.

'Physically he's doing fine, but it's the mumbling that has me worried. This is what I've been able to figure out.' Harley showed her a notebook.

'"Dad", "I got an A", "Why don't I have a mom?", "Special camp". Those last two are about his demigod heritage. That are things he couldn't have asked his father,' said Lou.

The two stared at a silent Sam. Harley played around with Sam's deck of cards.

Suddenly the door was thrown open and Will barged in. 'Harley, we need you in room 1.'

'Lou, keep him focussed on the cards, I'll be back.'

The two medics rushed to the room and found Annabeth Chase crashing, her heartbeat steadily dropping, whilst her temperature was spiking. Medics were pushing in meds whilst Poseidon held a teary eyed Athena.

Harley took over command and stared at Annabeth. 'Come on Chase, you're not dying today.'

Annabeth seized up and rasped Percy's name followed by a whispered Arachne. Harley held her down while Will checked her vitals. Tears streamed down her face.

Harley took a step back and stared at Percy who was screaming in his mask. Aphrodite was staring at him too. Was the goddess crying?

'Move!' said Harley as she released the brakes and pushed Annabeth's bed against Percy's. The sea water moved in the tank. 'Get her arm into one of the gloves.' Danny did that and guided her arm to Percy's. Her hand gripped his and squeezed.

'Annabeth, listen to my voice,' said Will. 'You are not facing off against Arachne, or Tartarus. You are holding Percy's hand. Open your eyes and see for yourself.'

'Hey Chase,' said Harley. 'Your plans are nothing compared to what I've seen Malcolm design for New Athens. I think we ought to give him the credit for it. You'd still be mentioned, but more likely as a footnote.'

Annabeth stirred and opened her eyes. She called out to Percy as she squeezed his hand.

'What are you saying?' asked Athena.

'Hubris is a bitch, isn't it, Annie?' continued Harley breathing in Annabeth's face. 'You'd work so hard, but you wouldn't be remembered. Percy would leave you for Rachel, and what you be then? A failed architect with a penchant for owls.'

'Screw you, Joanne,' coughed Annabeth. 'I'll design the greatest city that you've ever seen and you won't be allowed in it. Gods, my head hurts. How's Percy?'

'Annabeth, are you alright?' asked Will checking her vitals.

'Yeah, but I could do with an aspirin,' replied the daughter of Athena. 'Why is Percy lying in a tank filled with water?'

'That's a long story, but it seems he's doing better now that you are too.'

Percy turned his head and stared at Annabeth with a smile. He squeezed her hand.


He was standing on the streets. Thunder and lightning rolled through the sky. The Empire State Building was encircled by dark clouds. Sam looked down and saw a layer of snow and wriggled his toes. All ten of them.

'Without them, you could've lived a normal life,' said the dark figure standing next to him. She smiled.

'I know, but that didn't happen. They took him from me, they have taken so much from me.'

'You are not the first nor the last. They forced demigod to fight their battles for centuries, nearly destroying the world twice. Both Greek and Roman gods must be stopped. For their children's sake.'

'You tried to kill them too,' replied the demigod. 'I've heard the story about how Percy and Annabeth escaped Nyx, goddess of the Night, the First of the Protogenoi.' Sam smiled.

'They tricked me. In a fair fight I could've wiped them off the face of the earth,' said Nyx with a growl.

'And now they have beaten you again. They broke free from your influence and you can't touch them anymore.'

Nyx laughed as smoke and ash from the wreckage of the cars floated through the air. 'I've been planning this for a while, dear Sam. They haven't won yet.'

'I take it that you're thinking about Typhon who has been raging? He's that storm, right? With some of the gods busy with the demigods, Olympus is quite vulnerable.'

'You're smarter than you look, Sam,' spoke the goddess. 'But not smart enough, I will have my vengeance one way or the other. There are more ways than one to hurt someone.' Nyx waved her hand and Sam was shown an image. It was his house. The door was blown open and suddenly Sarah came into view, pencil clasped in her hand like a dagger.

'You won't be able to save them.'


Hazel recovered after Hecate and Pluto talked to her about her past sacrifices. Frank talked about their future together and was finally able to snap her out of the control by giving her a kiss like Sleeping Beauty. Franks show of love made Hecate and Pluto lift the curse that had plagued her since birth. After an hour of solid rest, Hazel was no longer spewing up ores and dirt, although it took her a while to clean off the dirt from her spatha.

Leo snapped out of her control as Calypso and Piper played into his fears of being the seventh wheel. They acknowledged that he was an essential part of their lives. It was a miniature Festus that had awakened him by biting his finger after which Leo swore in Spanish.

The only one who was still trapped in the enemies clutches was Sam. The mages and friends had tried everything, from his axes to playing cards, but nothing snapped him out of the shrouds of Mist.

'I don't know why it isn't working, it did for the others,' said Harley as she took his vitals again. 'They've all healed because they overcame their flaws. Love helped as well.'

'I can't get a hold of Anne-Marie or Sarah,' said Suzan. 'I'll try again later.' The mages had gathered in his room.

'You are not allowed to die,' said Lou as tears filled her eyes. 'You just can't give up.'

'Stop it,' whined Sam suddenly. 'Just stop it.'

'Sam?' asked John.

'If you hurt her, I will eradicate you,' he growled. 'Get out of my head, my father is dead and buried. Lou, if you can hear this, check up on Sarah. No, don't please don't. Dad, I'm sorry, it was my fault. I'm sorry I couldn't save you.' Tears streamed down his face. Magical energy was being released into the room.

'He's charging magic,' said Jade. 'We need to do something.'

'Suzan, call Sarah again,' said Hecate. 'Mages, get everybody out of here. I'll contain the outburst if necessary. Harley, go.' The goddess of magic tried staring the medic down.

'No. My patient, my temple. My responsibility.' Harley checked his pupils.

'Then you stay,' replied the goddess as she started drawing protective sigils.


The Seven had all gathered in Percy and Annabeth's room. Four of them were still strapped to an IV stand. The elder mages had joined them as did Reyna and Nico.

'How's he doing?' asked Annabeth.

'They don't know,' said Lou. 'He's seeing things.'

'What do we do now?' asked Nico.

'We go after whoever is after us,' said Poseidon. 'That storm is not natural.'

Before Athena could respond, two Iris messages appeared in the room.

'Annabeth,' spoke Frederick Chase. He was sitting in near darkness. Soft cries could be heard from the background. 'Are you alright?'

'Dad?' replied Annabeth. 'I am fine. Is something wrong?'

'Please deposit another drachma for five minutes,' said a voice out of nowhere.

Jason quickly threw a coin at the message.

'Percy, oh gods, are you alright?' asked a woman who had long brown hair and pretty blue eyes. In her hands she clasped a bronze dagger.

'Sally?' asked Poseidon.

'Frederick,' said Athena.

'No time to talk,' said Frederick. 'Some monsters attacked us at home. Not sure what it is, but it's looking for us. We're hiding in the attic. Annabeth, Athena, I love you both.'

'Don't say that,' said Athena.

'Describe the monster dad,' said Annabeth.

'White skin, ruby eyes, I think one of them had donkey legs. Women.'

'Empousai,' said Athena. 'Hecate's monsters.' The goddess stared at the mages.

'Mom did not send them, she has been here since all of this happened,' said Lou defiantly.

'Frederick?' asked Sally. 'Are you also under attack?'

'Mom, are you okay?' asked Percy. They heard faint wailing in the background.

'Please deposited more drachma's…' People threw coins at the images.

'We were at the park and suddenly lightning struck the tree next to us,' said Sally. 'The storm seems to be following us. Percy, I've spotted cyclops in the city.'

'Where are you?' asked the son of Poseidon.

'East side of Central Park.'

'Hang tight, we will be there in a second.'

The door flew open and Harley and Suzan barged in. 'Sam charged himself with magic,' gasped Harley. 'He disappeared in a flash.'

'Neither Sarah or Anne-Marie are responding,' added Suzan.

Hecate appeared in the room. 'I can get you there.'

'Let's go,' said Athena and Poseidon in unison as Percy and Annabeth climbed out of bed.

'You can't go out there,' said Harley as she tried grabbing them.

'Yes we can,' replied Percy uncapping Riptide.

Hecate nodded and in an instant Harley found herself standing in a near empty room beside Hazel, Frank, and Leo

'Let's get you two back to bed,' sighed Harley.


They arrived at Central Park. Poseidon had changed himself in a vagrant, while Percy, Jason and Nico grabbed their weapons. Quickly they scanned the area. Smoke was coming from a couple of trees, while winds were picking up.

'Go,' said Poseidon.

The four of them ran towards the smoke. The first monsters appeared as they spotted Sally defending Paul and Estelle with her dagger. A small cyclops stood before her, flanked by four Scythian dracaena.

The thunder rumbled and a bolt of lightning nearly touched Nico. Jason deflected the next one as Nico and Percy advanced and killed the dracaena with swift slashes. Poseidon simply picked up the cyclops and transformed him in bubbles who floated away.

'Mom, are you okay?' asked Percy as he recapped Riptide and hugged his mother.

'I am now,' replied Sally. 'Thanks for coming.'

'Percy? Oh thank god,' said Paul Blofis as he shielded Estelle. He stared at Poseidon. 'Thank you.'

'The pleasure is all mine,' said the sea god.

Meanwhile at the house of Frederick Chase, Athena and the girls drew their weapons. As they arrived in the kitchen, they made sure they were not being ambushed. Voices were heard.

'They can't be far,' said a voice. 'The old man had a dagger in his hands so he know how to defend himself, but those boys and woman are ours.'

'They are not here,' said another. 'Have we checked all the floors?'

'They are still here,' said the third. 'I smell the boys.'

Annabeth gripped her blade and quickly moved towards the voices, pursued by her mother and friends.

'Hey ugly,' said Piper as she saw the first one. 'Care for a snack?' Piper taunted the empousa by twirling her blade.

The one closest to her jumped from the stairs towards. In mid-flight she vanished in gold dust as an arrow embedded itself in her neck. The goddess of Warfare nocked another arrow and fired it coming out of her cover, but the two remaining empousai dodged the projectile by jumping to cover.

The second one created a fireball and threw it at Reyna who had come out of protection to join Piper, but it was deflected by the daughter of Bellona and the woman was killed by a dagger thrown by Annabeth.

'Drop your weapons,' commanded the third.

Reluctantly the girls dropped their weapons.

'Number four step forward.'

Gracefully Athena stepped forward. In the moment of confusion by the empousa, the goddess pierced her heart with the spear she carried. The monster vanished in a storm of owl feathers.

'Bobby, Matthew,' yelled Annabeth going up the stairs.

The girls were greeted by a hysteric Helen and twins and Frederick who still carried Annabeth's old dagger.

'Thank the gods,' said Frederick with a weary smile.


They appeared at the broken front door. Splinters of painted wood had been scattered on the steps and in the hallway. The scent of burnt flesh hung in the air.

The four mages armed themselves before entering the house. Piles of dust filled with arrows were scattered in the hallway. A broken door creaked as John pushed it open with his sword. More piles of dust. A golden dagger and sword laid among rubble. Magic filled the air.

Broken furniture was pierced with arrows. A cyclops with a pencil in his eye vanished with a wail. They found him holding her in his arms. His cloak was still smouldering. Traces of fire lined the walls. Anne-Marie was lying on the remains of a couch, while Sam held an unconscious Sarah in his arms.

The two adults had defensive wounds on their arms and legs. Ryan Parker had been stabbed straight through the chest by at least two blades. Anne-Marie still clasped the bow in her hand while her face was contorted in pain. A wound in her abdomen was already festering.

'Sam,' spoke Hecate. 'Give Sarah to me, we have to get her to camp.'

'I wasn't fast enough,' said Sam as he recoiled from his mother's gesture. Tears streamed from his eyes. 'I could've saved them.'

'You couldn't,' said Suzan as she held his shoulders. 'Nobody could've.'

John and Lou had summoned sheets to cover the bodies. Sam slumped against the couch as Hecate grabbed Sarah from his hands. Suzan hugged her brother as he cried among the rubble of the living room.