Here's chapter 10!

They rode along the Vegas strip. Up ahead, was Lotus Land, a glittering, glamorous, million-watt casino. It was designed as a huge neon flower, the petal lighting up and blinking. Cassie parked in the front and they all made their way to the entrance. Countless Lotus Land valets descended upon them.

"Welcome to Lotus Land." He took the car to park as the kids entered.

It was unlike any casino ever seen; a teenage paradise. In addition to the regular slots and casino games, there were hundreds of video games, everything from classic pac-man to dance-dance revolution. The place was filled with kids and teenagers. No parents or adults – save for employees. There's something odd about the kids... They were dressed in clothes and hairstyles from every decade, spanning the fifties through the nineties. But they still walked through the casino.

"Where would you hide a green pearl?" Percy asked just before an eager, too friendly bellhop rushed up to them. "Welcome to Lotus Land. Hope you've had a pleasant journey. Here's your room key."

But Percy pushed his hand away, "We're not staying. Just passing through."

The bellhop instead pushed the keys into Cassie's hand, his hand closing over hers and staying there, "It's complimentary. Room 4001. Take the elevator to the top." Cassie shook her head uncomfortably, "No, really-"

The persistent bellhop handed them each a green plastic card, "Your complimentary Lotus-Cash cards. Good for everything in the hotel and casino. Your expense accounts are unlimited and you never have to pay us back." With that he scurried away. They all exchanged puzzled glances. Percy looked at the room key in Cassie's hand, annoyed, "Think the guy could take a hint-"

A club waitress approached them, holding a tray of lotus flowers, "Flowers?" Percy took one and sniffed it. The waitress giggled, "They're edible." Slowly everyone took a bite of their flower. Overcome by the taste, Grover took a handful and shoved them in his mouth, and chewed, "Delicious."

In room 4001 later that night, the kids entered a palatial suite. It had three separate bedrooms, a bar stocked with candy, soda, and chips. A huge plasma TV, sunken lounge area filled with pillows and beanbag chairs, a huge indoor swimming pool. Cassie whistled, impressed. They all immediately started checking out the suite. Grover hit the bar, opening the refrigerator. It was filled with food, the inside appearing to go on for eternity.

Percy smiled at Cassie who blushed under his gaze, "What are you staring at?"

"You," Percy answered simply. He took her hand into his gently and started walking backwards to the bedroom. Cassie blushed deeply and followed...

Annabeth opened the closet of a different room. It was filled with the latest designer dresses and shoes. A young girl's dream. Annabeth was amazed and took out a dress, holding it against her body. "They're all my size."

Percy stood bare chested in front of another closet. It was filled with a variety of clothes, all his size; suits, jeans t-shirts, nikes... And a different closet filled with clothes for Cassie, who was changing into a purple and black cocktail dress with a tight bodice and whirly skirt. Percy threw on a blue-green shirt and smiled at her, pulling her in for a kiss.

Just then Annabeth, Grover and Bernice ran in. Annabeth grinned, "Let's go out tonight... have some fun."

Percy sighed, "Wish we could. But we're on a time-sensitive mission. Remember?"

Annabeth stuttered, "We are?... What mission?..."

Percy paused, having to think about it... he couldn't recall, "Good question. I can't remember. Grover, why are we here?"

The goat-man in question got a confused look on his face, "I don't know..." He shrugged, "To have fun?"

"Right," Percy said slowly then became excited, "Have fun. That's it. Okay. Let's have some fun."

Elsewhere, a disco ball spun, colored lights flashed. Dance music played. Dry ice mist covered the floor. The group enter looking stylish. Grover ditched the crutches and came in with his leather jacket and a red shirt with a black hat over his sunglasses covered eyes. Bernie wore a flowy blue blouse ad tight fitting skinny jeans. Annabeth wore a white toga-like dress low-cut and to her knees. Percy had changed into a smart-looking tuxedo with his arm around Cassie.

Percy looked at Cassie, "C'mon." He took her on the dance floor, immediately moving together to the beat. They look deep into each others eyes, in love, and they kiss. Cassie pulled away and said, "Let's stay here forever. Just you and me."

Percy smiled, "Why not?" He kissed her again. They broke off when they heard applauding. They looked up and saw Grover break dancing. They laughed, seeing Bernie cheering him on. They looked at each other and shared another deep kiss.

After Grover trotted over to Bernie. She smiled at him, clapping and cheering. Grover took her into his arms and kissed her. Cheers and cat-calls sounded as Grover dipped her. Bernie laughed when he pulled away and spun her around. "YES!" She shouted. Grover stopped spinning her and set her down on the floor.

"...What?" Grover asked. Bernie smiled at him and said much quieter, "Yes... I'll marry you."

"...Really?"

Bernie laughed and nodded, "Yes, Grover. I will marry you."

Grover gave a excited yell and proceeded to lift her up and spin her around again.

At one point Percy and Cassie passed a seventies kid playing a vintage pinball machine. Percy accidentally bumped the kid who yelled, "Hey! You just cost me the high score!"

Percy turned, "Sorry. My bad."

"Your what?" The kid asked incredulous.

Percy examined the kid, who was wearing striped bell-bottoms, a pristine star wars t-shirt and a bushy seventies fro. "How long have you been here?"

"Couple weeks. Groovy place." The kid answered.

"Groovy?..." Percy repeated shocked, "What year is it?"

The kid pauses a bit, having to think for a moment, "1977."

Percy is stunned, worried... He rubs his temples, hearing a deep voice inside his head... Percy... Wake up... Focus, focus...

Percy took Cassie's hand and walked over to a mullet-haired eighties kid, wearing parachute pants and a red and black leather jacket. The kid was playing Donkey Kong. "Excuse me. What year is it!"

The kid ignored him, distracted, "Check out my most excellent score."

Intense, Percy grabbed the kid by the collar, "What year!"

"Percy..." Cassie warned, confused, as if she were trying to remember something. Cassiopeia... Listen to Percy... Get out...

"Relax dude..." The kid said scared, "It's 1985, not the end of the world." Percy froze, looking around at all of the kids. Every single one of them was stuck at a specific time, in the past. A voice in Percy's head echoed... Percy... You need to get outside...

Percy mumbled to himself, "Something... isn'tâ€Ĥ. right..." Cassie looked at him like he was crazy, "What are you talking about?"

Percy shook his head, like he was coming out of a trance. He turned, standing beside a super size roulette wheel. He noticed something. The ball in the wheel, was... the last green pearl.

Percy stared at the pearl, trying to figure out why it means so much to him. Cassie stared at it too, it looked just like the pearls she came in wearing around her neck. She reached up to finger said necklace as a feminine voice sounded in her head. Cassiopeia... You know something is wrong... Wake up... Wake up... Get out...

The ancient croupier gave Percy a menacing, suspicious look, "Enjoying your stay?"

Cassie – knowing Percy would somehow make it worse – jumped in, "Oh... It's just excellent. I could do this all day. Or just..." Cassie pecked Percy on the cheek, "Forever." She giggled her Cassie-giggle and starting backing them away. But the croupier grabbed her arm.

Percy shoved him off, grabbed Cassie and started walking away quickly as the croupier spoke into his ear-mic, "Percy Jackson and Cassiopeia Olympia are awake."

Percy looked at Cassie, "Go upstairs. I'll meet you there."

Cassie looked incredulous, "What? No, I'm staying wi-"

"Please," Percy interrupted, "Just do it." Cassie nodded and hurried off.

Percy turned and saw a group of Lotus Eaters heading towards him. He ran off, pushing his way through the crowd. He leaped across the gambling tables and made it to the Roulette wheel and snatched the green pearl. He ran to the glass elevator, the Lotus Eaters in a hot pursuit. Percy got it just before the doors closed.

Later in their suite Percy barged in. He saw Grover on top of Bernie on the giant plush white couch. Grover scrambled off of her as she fixed her top. Annabeth was in the kitchen, drinking a beer. Cassie sauntered out of their bedroom, now dressed in a v-neck purple short sleeve shirt and dark blue flare jeans.

Percy was tense, urgent, "We have to go! Now!"

"Chill," Grover called, "We'll go tomorrow."

"Or the next day," Annabeth chimed. Bernie came up behind Grover and started nibbling on his ear, making him groan.

Percy grabbed Annabeth, Grover and Bernie and pushed them all into the room's swimming pool. The popped out of the water, shocked, awake and angry. Cassie was laughing her ass off, grateful that she was already awake.

"Hey!" Grover yelled, "Why'd you do that!"

"You both need to wake up!" Percy answered, "You're in some kind of trance... I was too... So was Cassie... Now listen to me. Focus. We're trapped. In the Land of Lotus Eaters."

"Trapped?" asked Bernie, "But we just got here last night..."

Annabeth pulled herself out of the pool, "Lotus Eaters... Right... a cult that lives off of the Lotus flower. When you eat a flower, it induces the appearance of eternal youth and forgetfulness... makes you lose you desire to ever leave..."

Percy nodded, "And we gotta' leave now. Or we'll be stuck here forever." They hurriedly packed up their gear. Percy gathered stuff, shoving it in his backpack. He grabbed his pen and shield and led the others to the exit.

The all raced across the floor. Lotus Eaters swarmed after them. Percy clicked his pen, activating Riptide. He started hacking his way through the Lotus Eaters. A young man in fifties clothes was hit with the sword. He suddenly aged, turning to a withered old man before dropping to the floor.

Grover saw a new Lotus Elan Convertible on a rotating platform with a sign reading; "ONE LUCKY WINNER DRIVES ME HOME." "Wheels."

They raced to the car, jumped up onto the platform. Percy fended off the Lotus Eaters while Grover hot wired the car. It roared to life as Annabeth, Percy and Cassie fell into the back and Bernie sat in the front practically on Grover's lap. The car sailed off the platform, through the casino, and crashed through the front door. The car flew through the entrance and drove off into the night.

Several young Lotus Eaters ran outside. The moment they left the casino, their bodies aged several years. They watched the car race away. The Lotus Eaters turned and went back inside. As they pass back through the casino entrance, their bodies returned to their youthful state.

The sky was covered with dark, churning storm clouds. The wind blew fiercely, scattering debris. The Lotus Elan sped along the middle of the Vegas Strip. Grover weaved in and out of traffic, trying to see as Annabeth grabbed the newspaper that flew onto the windshield, "It's June 20th."

Percy grabbed the paper and looked at it, "We were in there a week!"

"It felt like a day..." Bernie muttered. Grover stroked her hand, awkwardly, remembering that Bernie had agreed to marry him, but only under the impression of the Lotus Flowers.

Cassie whispered, "Oh my Gods... June 20th... that means that tomorrow is the Summer Solstice."

"Actually," Annabeth answered, "Midnight tonight."

"So how do we get to Hades?" Grover asked.

Percy opened the map, revealing the glowing location of Hades; LOS ANGELES. Beside was a sketch of the Hollywood sign. Grover slammed his foot on the gas.

Later that day they found themselves in bumper-to-bumper traffic in downtown L.A. They were all nervous and worried, listening to the radio, "Scientists are baffled by what now appears to be a single storm cloud that has expanded to cover the entire United States. Hurricanes are building in the gulf, savage waves along the country's coast lines are endangering levees..."

Annabeth cast a look to the sky, "Zeus and Poseidon... Preparing for battle..."

The radio continued, "In other news, wanted kidnapper and suspected terrorist, 17 year old Percy Jackson is still at large... Recent sitings in Nashville revealed that he has also taken a young girl with brown hair and eyes, believed to have been his girlfriend, hostage as well and has broken her arm. He is believed to be armed and dangerous."

Grover shut off the radio. Cassie sighed and looked at Percy, who had a rather guilty look on his face. He still blamed herself for getting hurt by the Hydra. Cassie kissed his cheek and grabbed his hand, making him look at her, "Percy..."

He paused, trouble deep inside him with an expression of doubt and weakness in his face, "Look guys..." He looked at everyone else, "Maybe it's time... time to stop."

"What?" Cassie asked shocked.

Percy sighed, "Ares was right. Maybe I am being selfish. I mean... we've got less than twelve hours to stop the war. We should go straight to Olympus."

"Percy..." Cassie trailed off, "What about your mom?"

Percy sighed defeated, "We've done everything we can..."

"Stop thinking like a mortal," Annabeth snapped.

She was ignored when Cassie brought Percy's face to hers, "Percy... We didn't come all this way to quit. We can do this. We will do this. We'll save your mom and save the world all the while showing Zeus what a whining little brat he is... Bonus," Percy chuckled at that, "Don't go doubting yourself now. You are a powerful demigod. And it's time to start acting like one."

Percy nodded. Grover checked the map, "We're almost there. There's our exit."