I will be getting lots of hate after this chapter. I apologize, I had horrible writer's block.

Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO books, or... *sigh*... movie.

Starring Nico di Angelo
Guest Star of Bianca di Angelo

Nico wandered down the arcade of the Lotus Casino, searching for a game he had not yet played and was available for use.

He wasn't sure how long he and Bianca were going to stay there. It had been around four weeks, give or take a few days. And the people here were all different. Like the other day, he met some thirteen-year-old named Darrin who said everything was 'groovy'. Nico had no idea what that meant.

Oh, look, someone just got off their game. Nico walked over to it and began to play a new round.

A few minutes later a man walked up to him. He was dressed in a casual suit and completely unaffected by all the awesome things around him. "Mr. di Angelo?" he asked.

"Yes," he replied. "Who are you?"

"My name is none of your business," he replied. "I'm here for you and your sister. Where is she?"

"I'm not telling you," Nico replied. "I don't even know who you are."

The man remained unaffected. "Let's just say I'm an acquaintance of your father."

His father… Nico thought he should know who he was. It was on the tip of his tongue, but at the moment he had been roleplaying a wizard in some game called Harry Potter and had the highscore for Quidditch.

"Okay," he replied. "Bianca is in our room. She left about an hour ago to get some sleep." He saved his game under the name 'Nico dA' and led the man out of the arcade, out of the gaming room, through the casino D and waterpark G to reach the elevators that would take them to the rooms.

-o-O-o-

"You are no longer staying here."

"What?" Bianca demanded. "Why should we do whatever you tell us? We don't even know you. I don't trust you, and frankly, we like it here."

"But your father has given me orders to pick you up. If we do not leave immediately we may miss the time period…"

"What?"

"Never mind," said the man. "Just pack your things. We're leaving."

"No," said Bianca, remaining defiant.

The man studied her for a moment, and when he realized she wasn't going to budge he took her to the room next door to talk to her in private. Nico stared at the closed door for a minute, then took a look outside. He and Bianca had been at this hotel for several weeks, maybe even a month now, and during that time he hadn't stepped outside once. Maybe it was time to go.

After another minute the door opened and Bianca returned. "Nico," she said, "I don't want to go, but if you do then I'm fine with it. Your call."

Nico glanced out the window again, back at his sister, then back outside. It was such a beautiful day. He nodded once.

"We'll go," he said. "Kinda tired of this old hotel anyway."

She grinned. "Even the artificial ski slope?" she asked. Nico shrugged.

"Maybe," he said. "But hey! What city are we in? We don't even know? We should go see the sights for a day or something."

The man came out again. "So what's happening?" he asked.

Bianca nodded. "We're going with you," she told him.

He smiled. "Pack your things," he said.

-o-O-o-

As they were leaving an employee stopped them. "Are you sure you wish to leave so soon?" he asked. "We've just added seven new roller-coasters to amusement park E, only accessible by ultra-members such as yourselves."

Bianca shook her head. "We're okay," she replied. They were about to head back, when the man ushering them stepped forward to speak to the employee.

"Thank you so much for taking care of the children for these past… times," he said. Nico noticed how he regarded the other as if they had a history together.

"All the pleasure," replied the employee just as bitterly. "Tell the god I send him regards."

God? Nico wondered.

"Oh, I'll do you a favour by not," replied the man.

While the two men bickered in a polite manner, a waitress came around with a tray of biscuits. "Would you two like one?" she asked Bianca and Nico. Nico knew the hotel treats were the best as well as that he would never have another chance to try them, so they both accepted one.

The man escorting them away noticed them and yelled out, "No!" But they had already taken a bite.

Bianca blinked several times. "This is a really good cookie," she said.

"Children, we have to leave right away," said the man, grabbing Nico by the arm. Bianca cut him off.

"First of all, don't talk to us like that," she said. "And second, we're not leaving."

"Have you seen how awesome this place is?" Nico asked. "I hear they've added six new roller-coasters to park E."

"Seven," the employee corrected smugly. He grabbed a cookie for a passing-by waitress's tray and offered it to the di Angelos' usher. "Here. Have a treat."

The man took it but instead of eating it he threw it on the ground and stomped his foot on it. "Kids, we're leaving. Now."

"You're not the boss of us, you can't tell us what to do," Nico shot back.

The man glanced around quickly. Nico wondered what he was looking for. All there was around them were several drunken partiers and a car they were holding a contest for. (Some idiot and his friends the other day had ridden off in the first car. He had assumed it was for entertainment and they were going to return it, but they never came back.)

The whole thing took less than five seconds. The man pulled out something long and sharp—what?—and made a long slash mark through the side of the car. The employee swore in some ancient language, and Bianca and Nico were grabbed by the arms and hauled toward the door.

Three minutes later they were on the highway.

"Who are you!?" Bianca was shrieking. "Kidnapper! KIDNAPPER!"

A moment passed in silence. "Why?" the man asked cooly. "Everything is fine."

Suddenly a wave of calm overcame Nico. "What just happened?" he asked.

Bianca blinked several times. "I'm not sure… but I believe we were just escorted from our hotel by this nice man."

Nico wasn't sure, but he thought he heard the driver mutter, "Ah, good old Mist."

Yes, my writer's block was so bad I had to resort to the movie.

You can flame. I deserve it.