Setting Sun

Chapter 9

Andra felt quiet intimidated, sitting in the war room with her father at her side. The pair sat at the end of a long table, that stretched the length on the even longer room, filled with faces and monsters she had never even seen before. Marco sat to her immediate left, and was staring at her. Andra squirmed uncomfortably.

The room itself was quiet impressive. There were maps of the area, maps of the underworld, and on of Manhattan, with little orange flags representing the half-bloods who had fought during the second Titan war. Beautifully carved weapons hung below and above the maps, with plaques telling the reader why the weapon was important for the Titans in a fight against a demi-god or God.

Andra didn't really know where to look. To her left was Marco, and to her right was Stheno and Nico. The snake haired immortal had put on a black wrap around her head and a pair of black sunglasses, but she still gave everyone in the room chills. Nico's pretty chocolate brown eyes were glazed over, but other then that, he was unchanged. He didn't speak, but he looked at Stheno like she was the only woman in the world for him. Andra was disgusted.

Her father began to talk, but Andra wasn't really listening. Instead, while she followed her fathers lead and stared straight ahead, her mind wandered back to the underworld. She wished she was strong enough to go back in time, like her father was, and tell her younger self not to leave the other demi-gods alone in Tartarus. She was positive she could have stopped something. She took a deep breath and shook her head slightly. The noise hit her ears like a gun shot and she listened to her father bark orders to those sitting in the chairs along the tables.

"-rescue team coming. It's small, but strong. We have Conner Stoll. Son of Hermes. As far as I know, he is fast with a sword, good with speed, and had many attributes as his God father. Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus. Can use lightning as a power. Her shield wields the head of Medusa." Here, Stheno frowns. "Ms. Grace is skilled with a bow, as well as a spear and hunting knives. And last but not least, Ms. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. She is the Head Councilor and Camp Half-blood. She fights with small knives and daggers for the most part. We need to look out for these. For demi-gods, they are quite powerful."

"Is that all?" asked a monster a few seats down the table. He was big and hairy and kinda reminded Andra of a spider with a humanoid body.

"No," said Kronos, and Andra stiffened slightly. She felt Marco's eyes on her. "They are getting help. From someone inside these walls. From the Gods."

Andra's heat-beat quickened. Her chest pounded, and she crossed her arms across her chest to stop it. She took a few deep breaths and tried to look as shocked as everyone else sitting at the tables. Except for Marco, who wore a slight smile. Directed at Andra.

Andra shifted her gaze to her father. "How?" she asked shakily. "Who here would do that?" She held her breath, hoping she hadn't gone too far.

Marco smiled brightly, like a child who had learned to spell their own name. He turned to his master with ease and said, "Why don't you just go get the guards who stand in front of the basement. They would have seen someone go in to talk to the Gods."

Andra opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Kronos waved his hand and motioned to a monster to fetch the guards. They were brought back quickly. Kronos appraised them. "You three. Have you seen anyone down by the basement. Have you let anyone in? Fallen asleep?"

All heads were turned towards the three men, so no one but them saw Andra shake her subtly at them from behind her father. Please, she mouthed to them.

They looked to each other, just like they had the first time Andra had snuck in. "No, my Lord," said the one in the middle. "No one has come down there. And, my Lord, if one of us is asleep, the other two are awake, I can assure you that, my Lord."

While the other two continued talking to her father, Andra let out the breath she'd been holding in. Thank you, she mouthed to the guard in the middle, and he nodded slightly.

"Very well," boomed her father. "We will meet again tomorrow at noon. Marco, have your troops ready for attack on all sides. Stheno, gather some willing men, and position them in the surrounding woods. Council dismissed."

Kronos marched out of them room. Marco and Stheno, followed by Nico. The rest of the monsters and demi-gods turned bad filed out as well, talking between themselves like they were in high school. Andra rushed over to the three guards.

"Thank you so much," she said.

The guards smiled. The one in the middle smiled at her. He stuck out his hand. "Johnathon." His eyes were green and his hair was brown. The two others looked almost exactly the same. "And these are my brothers, Marcus and Samuel. You, my Lady, can call us John, Mark and Sam, if you wish."

Andra beamed at the three male dryads. They were tall, taller then she was, and thin in a way that seemed natural. Andra knew that they were the fun, son of Hermes type, but would be more so if not under the power of her father. "Well, Mark, John and Sam, you're free to call me Andra. But, if you insist, I will also go by Lady-left-in-Tartarus-by-the-Gods-but-I've-now-forgiven-them-and-am-trying-to-break-them-and-everyone-who-doesn't-want-to-be-here-out-Andra-Marquette. But most people say that's a bit of a mouthful."

The three brothers laughed. Then Sam looked at her. "You're trying to free the Gods?" he asked in a naturally loud voice.

"Why don't ya let the whole world know! Tone it down, buddy, this is kinda top secret," scolded Andra with a smile on her face. "Wait... are you alright with that, or will you be running to my father?"

The brothers broke out into grins. "Not on your life," said Mark. "Are you kidding? No offense to you, but your father is horrible. To us and to others."

Andra flushed. "I know what you mean. He can be a bit... difficult. That's why I'm trying to do this. Well, not the only reason," Andra trailed off.

"What?" the brothers immediately clambered on her, asking her questions.

Andra looked to each of the brothers, a trusting look in her eyes. "Can you three keep a secret?"

The daughter of Kronos felt like she should trust the boys, so she told them everything she had leaned over the past couple of days. Andra walked the boys down to the door and left them with a cheerful, "See you tonight!" When she returned to her room, Marco was waiting for her.

She sighed. "Hi. Can I help you?" she asked.

Marco smiled at her. "I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk with me? We might go outside again. I'd like to show you some of the aspects of the building your father might not of mentioned. I designed some of them myself."

Never gonna happen, thought Andra. She bit the inside of her cheek. She felt her cheeks redden as she said, "You know I'm not interested, right? I'm sorry."

Marco looked at her and laughed, so happily, Andra almost believed him to be sincere. "No, of course not. I just wanted to walk with you. I find you interesting, as a daughter of Kronos."

"That's flattering, but still, no, I'm sorry. I just... don't feel like it. Maybe later. I'm just not in the mood for going for a walk."

Marco nodded. "Understood. Hey, by the way, do you know a Cass Summers?"

"Yes," said Andra cautiously. The hairs on her back stood on end. "She was one of the demi-gods on a quest in the underworld. How do you know her name?"

"Lord Kronos spoke of her," said Marco, and Andra could tell that he was lying. "Cancer. Sad indeed. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and walked away.

Andra sighed. Him mentioning Cass was odd, but she didn't think about it. He's never gonna give up, is he? She asked herself as she pushed her key into the hole and turned in all the way around. The door swung open. Sticking the key in her pocket, she waltzed in. She had made plans with the boys to meet at midnight and converse with the Gods about the war and battle plans. It was only seven o'clock, so Andra showered, and changed, and had a little nap before waking up the the alarm she'd set. It sang quietly while she got up and rubbed sleep from her eyes.

Turning the alarm off, she crept over and opened the door. Using her regular routine, Andra raced down the stairs and turned down hallways like she was born in them. She reached the double doors panting and out of breath, but with a smile on her face.

"Hey guys," she said, lifting up her hand in greeting to the three of them.

"Hey," they replied.

"Let's go," commanded Andra, and John leaned over and unlocked the double doors.

"I'll stay watch," said Mark. "What should I say if anyone asks where John and Sam are?"

"Can trees get food poisoning?" asked Andra. Sam nodded. "There you go. Make it sound bad. Emphasize vomit. You'll be fine."

The three slunk in. Andra led the two boys to the door, and pushed it open, revealing the Gods. "Hello. This is John, and Sam. Mark's outside." Andra walked in casually, stepping over the feet and legs of the Gods. John and Sam closed the door, then stood nervously with their backs to it. "John, Sam... theses are the Gods."

The dryads nodded nervously, and Andra smiled at then before sitting down crossed-legged in what you could call the center of the Gods.

"Did you find anything out?" asked Zeus, being a leader, as always.

Respectfully, Andra turned to the King of the Gods. "A small bit, my Lord," said Andra.

Zeus held up his hand as much as he could. "Please, call us by our names. Now, really is not time for formalities. You two are welcome to as well," said the God, tilting his head to John and Sam. "Continue, Andromeda."

"Andra," corrected Andra. "But thank you for letting us call you your given name. Now, my father knows that someone has been coming in here and talking to you. I'm pretty sure it was Marco, I mean, Lord Aether, who tipped my father off. I know he knows. Just the way he looks at me."

"The primordials, as well as most immortals including demi-gods, Gods, and Titans have revealing eyes," said the gray eyed Goddess. "It expressed what they sometimes cannot say."

"Thank you Athena," said Andra, letting the word flow over her mouth like something exotic. It felt odd, to be greeting the Goddess so casually.

"Has Aether been talking to you?" asked Apollo. His eyes looked sunken in. Truth be told, the Gods looked bad. Andra could tell he had been thinking about Cass.

"He's been trying, Apollo. He mentioned Cass when he was talking to me earlier."

"What did he say," the God asked immediately, his blue eyes searching Andra's face for a shred of good news about his only daughter.

"Not much. He said my father talked about her to him, but I know for a fact that my father only told me because I asked about those who had been on the quest. I know he's lying. I just don't know why."

Poseidon glanced to Apollo. "That's not the pressing issue here. What's important is getting rid of your father," he said.

Apollo twisted around to see him. "You're just saying that because you know that killing Kronos will get your son back."

"I have one child. You have many," growled Poseidon. "If I lose Percy, I don't know what I would do, nor would Sally. Cass has no mother, you have plenty of other children."

Apollo's mouth dropped. He searched for words. "Are you saying my daughter isn't important enough? That it's alright if she dies?"

Poseidon shook his head madly. The other Gods, along with Andra and the boys watched on with interest and fear. "That's not what I meant, Apollo. You know that. But you don't know how much Percy means to me."

"You don't think Cass is important to me? I love all of my children equally, I will tell you that, but having to lie everyday to your only daughter who has cancer and doesn't even know it-" Apollo trailed off, tears in his eyes, but Poseidon didn't stop.

"He's sixteen! Only sixteen and he's already been the hero of a war! He's been to Tartarus!"

"So has Cass. And everyday I curse myself that I hadn't noticed the cancer earlier. I could of cured her but I was to damned busy being upset at her. She was only two and already I had put so much on her shoulders. I was so disappointed for her. I was never there for her! Do you know how that must feel for her?"

"Of course I do. Until Percy was twelve I had only laid eyes on him once! You saw her everyday until she was two years old. Why did you get to and none of us could?"

The eyes of the Gods watched as the unlikely Godly pair argued loudly, shouting and screaming at each other. Each of the Gods felt their own pair about their children fall into the fight as the Gods started yelling things that weren't even related to the one they were yelling at.

"I wish I could take that damned cancer and have it myself! Cass doesn't know how much I love her and I wish I could tell her!"

"I would rather stay in Tartarus for all eternity, then have Percy there. He's too young! And he doesn't even know how much he's done. And he might be gone and-"

Poseidon was cut off by a teary yell. "Stop!" said Andra. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were blotchy. Two lines of water ran down her face. "You both love your kids. Stop arguing about who loves them more. I think right now, Percy and Cass are the luckiest demi-gods in the world, having their parents love them so much to do anything for them and some half-bloods have dad who want to destroy these people and," Andra choked on her last few words. With her hands on her eyes, the daughter of Time sank to the floor and wept.

Finally moving from the door, Sam and John rushed to her, putting their long and lanky arms around her as the Gods looked at each other, embarrassed. Apollo and Poseidon wouldn't meet each others eyes. Andra pushed the arms of the boys off of her and sniffed loudly. She wiped at her eyes with the palms of her hands and sniffed again. Her tears were gone now, but her eyes were still tainted red. "I'm sorry," she muttered to her lap. She didn't look up. "I should go. I might not be back tomorrow night, maybe later." And then she ran out of the room.

Sam looked at each of the Gods, then followed her, as did John. They ran after her up to the stairs, and to her room, but her door locked in their faces.

Cass, to put it simply, felt amazing. The cancer seemed to have disappeared. The medicine from Hectate, it seemed, had worked. The night before, she had IM'd the Goddess to tell her the good news, and she had been just as happy. Zelus was coming to pick her up that night.

Cass had her plan mapped out in her head. She would get Zelus to bring her to the outskirts of the Titan base in Alaska, then find a way to sneak in. She would rescue Nico from Stheno, if he was there, and then find a way to free the Gods and capture Andra and Kronos until Annabeth, Thalia, and Conner made it there. She still had to work out a few kinks, but as Annabeth once said, plans were for suckers.

Because she had been feeling good, her brothers had let her sleep alone for the first time, but constantly reminding her that she could IM anytime of night if she felt sick or even slightly bad. But when they left after kissing her forehead goodnight, Cass didn't slip on her pajamas. She put jeans and a warm gray fleece sweater. A red knit hat was jammed over head and matching thin gloves went on her fingers. The note she'd wrote the night before was placed on her sheets. She snatched her bow from the chair opposite her bed and slung her quiver. With her combat boots on, and her jeans tucked safely inside them, she began to make her way across the infirmary.

"Where are you going Cass?" A voice came from her side. Cursing in ancient Greek under her breath, the fourteen-year-old turned to her left and looked into the face of Maggie Stone, a ten-year-old daughter of Aphrodite with full lips and shiny hair. "I thought you were sick."

Cass licked her chapped lips. "I was. I'm better now. It'll take to long to explain, but you'll find out tomorrow. Can you keep it a secret until then?"

Maggie nodded, her broken arm strapped to her chest. "Promise."

Cass leaned over, pecked her forehead, and then left the building. She had done it only three nights before, and, following the same routine, she executed it again.

She lept across the camp boundary. "Zelus?" she called softly to the forest, and the familiar black figure emerged from the woods. "What up?" she asked happily.

"I am fine. And you, Cassandra? The magic from Hectate has worked?"

Cass didn't even bother to correct him about her name. A huge grin was stretched across her face. "I feel great. Tell Lady Hectate thank you again."

"I will. Now. Where is it that you want me to take you?"

"The Titan Base in Alaska."

"Where in it?" asked Zelus without enthusiasm.

"You can take me in?" Cass asked, her eyes wide.

"I'm the God of dedication. If I wish, I can do anything."

Cass flushed. "Wow. Umm, could you take me to Andra Marquettes room?"

"Of course, Ms. Summers." Zelus held out his arm. Slowly, Cass reached out and grabbed the large muscle. There was a tug in her gut and she felt herself being twisted through time.

With a gasp, she landed in a large room. A big queen sized bed sat in the middle, and the place was clean and organized. But the biggest shock to Cass, was that she was not alone.

Ohhh, ahhh...be impressed by this chappie. Hoped you liked it. I like the little spat between Poseidon and Apollo. I based that part on Harry Potter, the seventh movie. "No, you don't know how this feels. Your parents are dead, you have no family!" Ohhh, gives me chills just writing it. Next chapter up before next week.