Percy? Could you disclaim?

Percy: *Muffled scream*

Me: Oh... right... I forgot about that. Percy is momentarily ... uhm... occupied? Yeah, let's go with that. So I don't own PJO, but I own the gang and the oh-so-unpredictable plot.

Onward!

Val's eyes widened in alarm. "What was THAT?"

I didn't even think.

I usually don't.

"Neek!" Tony yelled, running behind me. I just ran on, dodging surprised/horrified/hungry campers clad in orange t-shirts along the way.

The scream echoed across the grounds once more. It was coming from the South side of Camp Half Blood-the cabins.

Or it could actually be the bathrooms... but I don't think that Annabeth would be so scared just because of her monthly visit.

My head was already spinning when I hit the woods-and the shadows engulfed me, swallowing me mercilessly.

It'd be best to grab Percy first, just in case it actually was Annabeth's monthly issue.

Poseidon Cabin, Camp Half Blood, Long Island, New York.

My stomach did a backflip as I was transported halfway across the camp.

I landed running, hurling myself straight into the cabin in front of me.

Tyson was on duty at Poseidon's castle this month, working on repairing the castle to the best of his abilities.

So Percy would be the only resident of the cabin for the month.

And yes, I expected Percy to be there, sitting on his bed playing Black Ops.

Or the Stolls, snooping around the cabin and trying to find Percy's secret stash of blue cookies.

Or Clarisse, challenging Percy to yet another sword battle in the arena.

But no, I did not expect Annabeth, the person that I was supposed to be looking for...

...which does indeed make me sound stupid.

She was kneeling over his bed, crying her eyes out as a nymph comforted her. She wiped her nose on his bedspread and clutched a scrap of paper tightly in her clenched fist. Her hair was tangled and slightly damp.

I took a step forward. "Uhm...Annabeth?"

She spun around quickly, brushing the nymph's long fingers off of her back. "Nico!" she cried out, and stood on wobbly legs, grasping me in a snotty hug.

I stood still, stiff as a board as she blew her nose into my new black t-shirt.

Oh come ON.

"What's up Annabeth?" I asked her, prying her long arms from around my back and politely pushing her away.

She sniffled and wiped her nose sloppily. I had never seen her this way.

"It's Percy-he's gone."

And on that last word, she held up a long leather-corded necklace with beads strung along it. The fifth one had the empire state building on it.

Percy's.