i don't own PJO or HoO!


Thalia's P.O.V.

The line that the Not Jason was in was getting more participants on the end. Not Jason was up a little closer to the front. I noticed something in my peripheral vision and looked to see Luke approaching.

"Hey Thals," he said like he would if we were in one of our safe houses, still on the run, protecting Annabeth.

"Don't." I said.

"What?" he asked then wiped a remain of a tear from my cheek. "You've been crying." he stated shocked then pulled himself together and smirked evilly at me. "You miss me that much?"

"I don't know you." I answered then spat at him. He looked down on his jeans were my saliva contacted.

"Still a fiery one, huh? I was sure that Jackson would've tamed you down since you two are… an item." he said.

"No one controls me." I said.

"Oh I know, not even your mother." he said and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Yes, Thals, I've met her. I went by the house to see if she would offer her services to Kronos since all of those who were in life through Zeus left. Including Zeus himself." my eyes widened.

"She wouldn't have anything to offer you. She's a drunk."

"Oh no, that's where your wrong, not about her being a drunk though. She's helping us with a little ransom deal." he said smirking at me knowingly. I laughed and he smirked even more as if I didn't understand something.

"You know I ran away with reason right?" I asked.

"I didn't but as you can guess, I dug around and then my Lord enlightened me. You left when your mother lost your little brother." he smirked and I froze. He had to know about Jason to pretend to be him. How could I be so stupid? I didn't need Annabeth to figure that out, it was literally in front of my eyes.

"What's your game, Luke?" I snarled sensing the severity the situation took.

"Your mom is up there in those stands. How could you miss her? She's Scarlet Grace after all." he gestured to where my mom stood talking and flipping her hair with a beer in her hands.

"What's the kicker?"

"Oh did I mention I have great news for you?" Luke asked pretending to be forgetful. He sat down next to me and leaned in close. "Your brother is alive."


Annabeth's P.O.V.

"What sort of deal? Do you have gold?" Geryon asked through narrowed eyes.

"Well no but-" Percy tried.

"Then you have nothing!"

"Barter?"

"But you have nothing, Mr. Jackson."

"You could have him clean the stables?" Eurytion suggested innocently.

"I'll do it!" Percy shouted like a little kid. "If I don't, you get all of us. Trade us to Luke for gold." he said. Percy's crazy ideas usually get fixed by me but he's going solo on this and I just can't seem to believe he'll fail. I know Perseus Jackson and some how I wont die because he'll risk himself for his friends.

"Assuming the horses don't eat you," Geryon observed.

"Either way, you get my friends but if I succeed you let us go. Including Nico."

"No! Don't do me any favors Percy, I don't want your help!" Nico screamed. Geryon chuckled at the deal.

"Percy Jackson, those stables haven't been cleaned in thousands of years… but if that poop gets cleaned up I could sell more stable space."

"So, what have you got to lose?" he challenged. The rancher hesitated as if considering Percy's chances of success or thinking of a time the same task had been completed before…

"Alright, I accept your offer but you have to get it done by sunset. If you fail, your friends get sold and I'll get rich."

"Deal."

"I'm taking your friends with me back to the lodge. We'll wait for you there."

Eurytion whistled and Orthus jumped off of Percy and onto my lap. I yelped and I knew Grover and Tyson both wouldn't try anything since I was hostage. Percy got out of the car and locked eyes with me.

"I hope you know what your doing, Jackson." I said quietly.

"I hope so too." he said but in his eyes I knew he didn't have a plan made up yet.

"Sunset, Mr. Jackson, and no later." Geryon said with an evil grin.

We rode down to the house was excited to see earlier. Not Frank Lloyd Wright was laughing in my face that I got to see one of his styles still around and I was about to be my torture chamber.

"Now, darlin', don't worry about your friend. It wont matter when you join Luke Castellan anyway," Geryon said as the dog got off me to get out of the moo-mobile.

"I wont join Luke. Percy wont fail." I said steely. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"You don't know the there water nymph. She vowed not to let a hero taint her water, again. Son of Poseidon or not, he's got nuthin'." I tried to keep my face clear of emotion.

Poseidon, I know you don't like my mother but please help Percy. If not your son will be forced to join Kronos and his big choice is more towards ending the gods reign if things happen like that. I prayed to Poseidon then my mother.

Mom, please let Percy have an idea to get us out of here that doesn't involve one of his crazy break-out plans. Let him win this deal.

"Get the bar-b-que going, we're going to celebrate the money I just got into." Geryon said to Eurytion. "But first, time up them youngins. And take away their weapons." he said and I swiftly moved my dagger from my arm to the inside of my thigh. I'm pretty sure I grazed my leg with the blade but if we were going to live, I'd need to make sure Percy didn't have to do all the work.

Eurytion took Nico's sword away, Grover's three tin cans,

"Hey, that's high quality vegetables!"

and I handed him my hunting knife and earrings. He didn't seemed surprised that my earrings could be a weapon- which they aren't. If I could make him think my personal weapon were my earrings and I had the knife from the hunters, he wouldn't expect me to have my knife Luke gave me so long ago.

Tyson handed over the stuff her tinkered with and our back packs were thrown into a pile. The weapons were placed on a table.

"How come big man has stick?" Tyson asked.

"Because Big Man has to keep yall in check."

"Tyson has a point. It's breaking the rules you guys live by." I agreed.

"Like they care about rules! They're breakin ancient laws that are harming those innocent animals-" Grover ranted

"Enough! Yall sure know how to work ol' Geryon. Mr. Castellan better put a pretty penny on yous."

"We wont go."

"Ms. Chase, has it ever occurred to you that I know yalls weaknesses?" he asked and I narrowed my eyes. "The goat-"

"Satyr!"

"… needs to find a certain god by tomorrow, the big one wants to find his monstrous cousin, and Mr. Jackson is here to save you. He's too loyal for his own good. He doesn't even know your weakness, what you were afraid of from your prophecy, does he?" he asked and I wanted to stab him then and their but I have a feeling his other two hearts would be as a back up generator to keep him running.

"Go to the crows." I said.

"Didn't think so, well when he fails, you can rest easy being closer to the one you care about. He's in the labyrinth you know," Geryon said and my mind was filled of thought of Luke being down there.


Thalia's P.O.V.

Your brother is alive. Jason is alive? My eyes instantly cut to the guy in line and back to Luke.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"You already know, stop trying to protect yourself and face it, your brother is in this very room." Luke said.

"Why is she here?" I asked meaning my mom.

"Jason is trying to save what's left of her. Romans are more family oriented." Luke said.

"Romans?"

"Your father sired Jason in his Roman aspect. Roman demigods are around. They reside in California." Luke said. All of this information seemed to click with a theory Annabeth had a while ago.

"I'll make ou a deal." I said licking my lips.

"Go on,"

"I'll fight in Jason's place if you let him and his friends go. And you send my mom home."

"That's all he asked?"

"Yeah." I answered and he grinned.

"Deal."

"Wipe that my shit don't stink grin off your face," I scowled.

I could tell he had a plan. He smiled and waved at my mom and she eagerly waved back. I stared up in horror and then shame. I had let this happen.


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