hey guys, so this is the continued chapter from previously...
and why are the words in grey? Sorry if this A/N appears grey because it looks grey as i edit the doc

"I want to know," Annabeth insisted insisted.

Percy shook his head sadly. "You don't. Trust me."

Annabeth's head – for once since entering Tartarus – was swimming with questions. 'Her brother' – were they referring to Bianca di Angelo, Nico's late sister? Nico had been, after all, exploring the Underworld in hopes of finding the Doors of Death.

And they knew who she was, which bugged her the most. Apart from the fact that Percy was so distant about what the voices had said and appeared somewhat shaken and apprehensive.

"You have no idea," Percy added.

ANNABETH (contd)

At first Annabeth decided Percy didn't want to scare her any further than Tartarus did, and honestly she didn't want to take any more of this. Her ankle was almost fully recovered (she had been taking miniscule rations of ambrosia, but mostly it was natural), and usually when she recovered from injuries she would feel invigorated, ready to take on anything. But she had doubts about Tartarus. She was already suspicious about what had happened after they tumbled over the void. Percy supposedly was unconscious too, but if he knew anything he was obviously shaken and would not mention it.

But after three minutes (hey, that was a record for her. Athenians don't give up information easily), she couldn't put up with it. "I need to know," she pleaded.

Percy stopped abruptly, looked around warily then looked straight at Annabeth. He frowned, his eyes calculating, as if weighing the odds of her reaction, whatever it would be. It was rather scary; Annabeth had never seen Percy think so hard before, he was usually reckless and made too-quick decisions. And the shadows of Tartarus were not helping.

Finally he sighed, probably figuring that if he shut up she would badger him forever. "I won't – can't tell you everything," he told her slowly, as if just thinking about it was torture. "But, I suppose you should know the essentials…"

His voice trailed off for a moment, then he grimaced slightly at the thought of something. Annabeth snapped her fingers sharply in front of him. "So – essentials?"

"Oh, yeah right," he mumbled, still a bit distracted. Nevertheless he explained to her. About the shutting off of Olympus extending to Hades as well, but Hades figured out what was happening fast enough to give Charon and the Furies secret orders. Trustable spirits (mostly from Elysium, who used to be heroes) had be roped in to keep an eye on other spirits who might try to escape from the Underworld – through Tartarus, naturally.

"It is different for dead souls, because, well, they're dead, I guess. They belong in the Underworld, just not so deep under," Percy explained.

Annabeth was bursting to ask him how he found out all this. From the ghost voices she had overheard? Who were they? The spirits told to prevent escapes from the Underworld, she guessed. But something told her it would just make Percy shut up again, so instead she said, "Then was there anything as to how we're going to find the Doors of Death?"

When Percy smirked, Annabeth thought he had gone bonkers, maybe Tartarus got to his head or something, but he simply chuckled and said, "That's supposed to be your bit, Wise Girl."

She stared at him in disbelief. Percy push work to anybody? Maybe he really was going crazy. Annabeth thought, should she slap him? Douse him with water? Ha, as if she had any.

"Why? Tartarus reducing your 'wiseness'?" Percy joked. Oh. So he was being sarcastic. As usual. She should have known.

"Well, okay, I'll give you a hint, but first – second time I stump Annabeth Chase! Twice in a day – two days, who cares?" He did a bit of victory dance until Annabeth kicked him in the shins.

"Ow! Fine – you know the answer. It's your advice, the one you always tell others, although implicitly. The ironic one."

"Follow the monsters," Annabeth understood. She knew she hit the answer because Percy became grim again.

"Yeah, follow the monsters," he said. "The closer we get to the Doors, the more monsters there will be, because they're just dying to get out and kill more demigods."

"And we'll start seeing spirits too – just more, um, human, living, I presume?" Annabeth asked.

Percy nodded gravely, although his eyes were no longer fixed on her. Instead, he looked into the darkness behind her and replied, "Right. So turn around, because we've found some monsters."

so phew, i've finished this part. hopefully i can get the next chapter out by end feb!

-hbMx