Dinner on the S.S. Tartarus was lonely. Percy sat, perched near the top of the foremast, with a checkered blanket full of food in his lap and a Stygian Iron chain clasped around his middle.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, turning the sky a deep, stormy blue as the lavender of the sunlight faded out for the night. The silver Man O' War sailed in solidarity over the darkening waves, the moon taking refuge from the cold night air under a blanket of storm clouds. The rain had yet to start, but the chilly wind was sign enough of its presence.

The crow's nest, where Percy sat alone, was high above the rest of the ship, next to the buffeting topmost sail. A typical crow's nest was a small, wooden, circular platform with a railing from which pirates could keep a look-out for land and enemy ships. On the S. S. Tartarus, the wood had been painted black (for no reason Percy could figure it out, other than a villainous aesthetic) and was the only wooden part of the ship's framework he had seen yet. While the rest of the ship had reflected the sun's heat with its cool, light metal, this little platform had absorbed it, giving Percy some much-needed warmth.

His back leaned against the mast, and his criss-crossed legs took up the rest of the floor space- well, his legs and the enormous chain links attached to the cuff around his torso. When Dr. Cyclops (whose name, Percy found out, was Sandro) brought him back to the upper deck, Forterae had ordered that he sit in isolation so as not to influence any of the monsters or stage any more tricks. The chain was too heavy for Percy to climb alone up the dark rope net connecting the crow's nest to the ship's railing, so Sandro was assigned to help. He had become Percy's personal warden in the eyes of the giants, which Percy had no complaints about whatsoever. As the Cyclops strapped on some gloves and situated Percy and his Stygian Iron chain at the top, making sure he was secure, he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry you have to wear this." Sandro gestured to the Stygian Iron. "I know what it's doing to your body and mind."

Percy gave him a half-hearted smile. "I'll be fine. Maybe I'll manage to sleep through it, you know? Just ignore the constant pull of the sea and the dull ache everywhere in my body." Pained, Percy added, "Piece of cake."

Leaning towards the demigod's ear, Sandro whispered gruffly, "I'll try and think of a plan in regards to the getting a truce to work. You do the same. I'll bring you food once it's served to the rest of the crew, and a little later we can discuss our plan of action." Percy nodded in agreement and watched as the Cyclops climbed down the ropes once more.

Now, Percy leaned against the mast with no ideas and no appetite. The Stygian Iron had been on him for about an hour now, and it was really starting to wear him down. The Stymphalian Birds that were usually perched all over the masts and ropes had shifted away from Percy, sensing the raw agitation of his power. It was like sitting near a jack-in-the-box. They knew the Stygian Iron was winding Percy up, stuffing his powers down deep inside, and if released, the outburst would be dangerous. They could feel it like an invisible vibration of energy.

Yet, the mental and physical strain left Percy feeling energy-less. His limbs were heavy, his eyelids heavier. He had managed to eat half of the sandwich he'd been provided, but the gnawing sensation in his stomach was not hunger, but fear. Anxiety. Desperation.

The ship will be at Camp by morning, Percy analyzed. It's going to be hundreds of demigods versus thousands of monsters. We're going to need a god's help to kill Forterae, Aralus, and Bonoas. Eyes slipping shut, Percy laughed quiety. Maybe Dionysus will help. Finally be of some use. Percy continued to recount the details of the situation in his mind, trying to focus on something other than the dull pain coursing its way through his body.

He didn't know when, but at some point he slipped into a restless sleep, going deaf to the world around him- until a loud slam sent him rocketing to his feet, instinctively unsheathing Riptide. It took Percy a second to realize that the slam had come from somewhere below, and inching towards the railing of the crow's nest, Percy peered down at the commotion.

All of the monsters on board the S. S. Tartarus were congregated on the upper decks, anxiously crowded around the huge doors to the Captain's Quarters. With the sun below the horizon, torches had been lit and placed intermittently across the deck, casting wavering shadows across the monsters and bathing the scene in an ominous orange light. Forterae, Bonoas, and Aralus stood guard on each side of the giant, red doors decorated in ornate gold designs, and standing in front of them was perhaps the scariest monster Percy had ever laid eyes on.

He did indeed stand two times taller than the giants as Sandro had said, even with his hunched posture. Curved bony spikes jutted out from his spine, arching down his back like those of an ancient beast. His head bald, his arms bare, the monster had his scars and scrapes and bruises on full display. His nose looked broken, like a block of wood had been crudely chipped into what could barely resemble a nose. A bloody red cloth draped across his torso, dulled in color next to his ashy grey skin. He wore black armor - armor so black that it made the night sky look like day in comparison. Standing with his feet apart and knees bent, he looked as if he anticipated an attack - but who could take him? Nobody on board was big enough, brave enough, bold enough to try. And his infamous talons- di immortales.

The long, scythe-like talons extending from his thick fingers nicked the deck, clicking and tapping an omen of death on the metal floor. From this height, Percy had trouble seeing for sure, but he could have sworn that he saw thick, viscous venom dribbling down the length of the talons.

"Holy Hades," Percy gulped, gripping the railing tighter. He knew who this was before the name was even announced. This was the monster he had heard about. This was the nightmare that kept monsters awake at night. This was the atomic bomb sailing towards Camp Half-Blood. This was-

"The Great Vinomi," bellowed Aralus, "has awoken, and he wishes to speak to his army."

Aralus stepped back, allowing Vinomi to step forward, his sandaled feet echoing with each step amidst the tense silence. He flexed his fingers, stretching the talons out near the crowd. A couple of telekhines whimpered and scrambled out of the way, cowering behind a crowd of Cyclops. Vinomi's harsh eyes scanned the masses, sweeping over them with the force of a hurricane. He grinned, the corners of his mouth curling up to reveal uneven, pointed teeth.

"MONSTERS," he boomed, his deep rumble of a voice reverberating off the metal ship. Percy subconsciously took a step back, Riptide held at the ready in unnecessary defense.

"I see before me the foundation of a new generation of life. I see the bricks with which we will build a new world, a world where the monsters roam freely, where all land is ours, where the only traces of demigod left are their rotting bones crushed underfoot as we march on."

A chorus of cheers rang out in the crowd below. The vicious confidence in Vinomi's gravelly voice shook Percy to the core. He sounded so sure that this is where the world was headed. Tossing Riptide into his left hand, Percy wiped his sweaty right one on his pants.

"Listen to me," Vinomi continued, his malicious grin growing wider and baring those dagger-like teeth again. "I have won nearly every battle I have ever fought. After countless battles against those wretched weaklings, I've confirmed that they all share one weakness: unity."

Lifting an eyebrow in surprise, Percy leaned forward over the railing again, the Stygian Iron chain around his middle clinking softly against the wood.

"When they stand united, they fall united. They are willing to follow blindly into war out of obligation, a membership to a cause. Break one chain link, and the whole structure collapses. You all-"

Vinomi gestured to his crowd, talons slicing the air above the heads of ten dracanae. "You all have your own cause. Your own motivation. You don't believe in your friend's cause? Your captain's motivation? Find your own," he growled. "I know all of you have a reason to be here. Focus on it, fuel it. That's your cause. I'm not asking you to fight on my behalf, or Forterae's behalf, or Callisthenes' behalf. Fight for yourself. Be selfish. Get revenge for yourself; avenge yourself. Who the hell cares why you're going to fight? Just do it!" Vinomi's growl grew into a roar. "This war is an opportunity, not a movement. We all loathe those half-blooded bastards, and that's our only commonality. Kill our soldiers, we fight on. Kill our captain, we fight on. There is no chain to break with us. Break one arrow, be bombarded with thousands more! Those half-bloods deserve to die. They deserve to see their friends screaming in pain. They deserve your wrath!"

The monsters roared, cawed, and shrieked thousands of responses; spouts of fire burst from Kampê and multiple Empousai. Vinomi let loose a laugh that chilled Percy to the bone, then spun back towards the Captain's Quarters. He whispered something to Forterae before yanking the red doors open and disappearing inside. Forterae and Aralus began to relay orders to the crowd, but Percy was no longer listening. He sheathed Riptide with shaking hands and dropped hard to the floor, scooting back up against the mast for support.

They deserve to see their friends screaming in pain, Vinomi had exclaimed. Why was that monster's vengeance so… so strong? Nobody, Percy thought, Nobody deserves to see that. Vinomi's selfish, demigod-loathing speech sat like a brick in Percy's stomach. Percy understood the monster-demigod rivalry. Monsters kill in retaliation. Nobody has attempted peace before, so the animosity continues in a never-ending loop. That didn't explain, however, Vinomi's desire for the extinction of all half-bloods. No Camp Half-Blood speech had ever included bits about "crushing the bones of monsters underfoot."

Percy sighed, eyelids drooping and gaze floating aimlessly towards the sky. It was hard to think with the Stygian Iron seeping away his strength. It's cold surface burned like ice, chilling Percy's stomach through his shirt. A shiver racked Percy's body, and he tried to pull his knees towards his chest - but the chain's cuff blocked them from getting close enough.

Percy's ADHD battled with his fatigue, making him fidgety and uncomfortable. His fingers, no longer able to remain idle by his side, reached into his pocket and brought out Riptide again, twirling the pen absentmindedly.

One part of Vinomi's speech had lodged itself in Percy's mind like a splinter. Vinomi had said that he had won nearly every battle he had fought. Nearly. That meant there was a way to defeat him. But what was it? What secret weapon could they use against Vinomi?

Secret weapon. Those words brought yet another problem to light. Percy would inevitably be given another dosage of Hyde come morning, and he would be triggered once he reached Camp Half-Blood's shores. Percy could see it now: the valley flooding, cabins burning, Riptide cutting through the hearts of the ones he loved most. Percy shuddered. How did I get myself into this? Percy clicked Riptide, letting the bronze blade glint in the torchlight from below.

Percy closed his eyes. He could still hear Forterae's screams:

"Swear you will kill a demigod!"

"No!"

"SWEAR IT! SWEAR-"

"I swear on the River Styx!"

This was the real deal. Somebody was going to die. By Percy's hand. Tomorrow.

Suddenly, Percy sat up, eyes wide. "What if-" he whispered to himself, eyeing Riptide curiously. Without him, the monsters wouldn't be allowed inside the borders of Camp Half-Blood. They needed a demigod's permission. Without Percy, their plans would be extremely deterred, possibly destroyed. The demigods would have a huge advantage. After all, Percy had sworn to kill a demigod...he never said whom…

Riptide's blade rested near Percy's chest. Without him, would the demigods have a better chance? Did anybody at Camp really need him?

"No." He dropped Riptide, letting it clatter against the chain links and the wood of the crow's nest. "No, no, no." Percy shook his head as if to dissolve the idea. People at Camp Half-Blood did need him. They do need him. Percy remembered something he said to Kymopoleia during the Seven's quest in the Mediterranean Sea: "I don't run when my friends need me." He had to try and find a different way. As big of an asset as he was to the monsters, the demigods would need him just as much.

He would find a different way. He couldn't abandon his friends, not now.

"Perseus."

Percy nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of a sudden voice. A cloaked head rose from below the crow's nest, shrouded in shadow and dark cloth like the Grim Reaper himself. Then, a scarred hand reached up and pulled off the hood, revealing the Cyclops medic, Sandro.

"Oh, thank the gods." Percy slid back down the mast, tension leaving his body.

"I convinced Forterae that you need a follow up with your arm's condition - although we both know it's fine - so I'm here to 'take you to the infirmary.'" He used one gloved hand to do air quotations. With a smug grin, Sandro added, "I have a plan."

"Awesome," Percy smiled, hurriedly sheathing Riptide. "Does that mean I can take this stupid chain off?"

Sandro nodded, and he reached forward to grab the Stygian Iron clasp around Percy's waist, tugging it and Percy towards the railing. He quickly fumbled with a key, unlocking the chain with a satisfying shunk. The moment the Stygian Iron fell off of Percy and he stood up, he sighed in absolute relief. The sea below roared in response, and the incoming storm winds picked up, rustling Percy's hair and Sandro's cloak. Sandro whistled appreciatively. "Dr. Derideo knew what he was doing when he picked you," he mused, giving Percy a hand in climbing off the crow's nest and onto the rope net extending down to the deck below.

They climbed down swiftly and silently, eyeing any passer-bys with heavy suspicion. Percy hadn't noticed while he was sitting up at the top of the mast, but most of the monsters had retreated below deck for the night. A good night's sleep was a necessary part of a successful invasion, after all. Now, a few telekhines waddled across the deck with mops and buckets and two Laestrygonian giants lounged near the Captain's Quarters. Bonoas stood stiffly by the ship's wheel, blue hands steady and still. Other than them and the Stymphalian birds perched overheard, all decks were empty.

Once Percy and Sandro made it down the net, Sandro grabbed Percy's arm - the one that hadn't been previously broken - and twisted it behind Percy's back. With a yelp, Percy tried to turn to face Sandro, but before he could Sandro hissed into his ear, "We need to convince them that you're still my prisoner. You can't just walk about freely."

Sandro nodded with a grim stare at a telekhine that slid by, who barked gruffly in response. The Cyclops pushed Percy forward, and at first Percy expected to be led back towards the hatch that opened down towards the Armory and Infirmary, but Sandro directed him in the opposite direction. They crossed the slippery deck, Percy's shoes squeaking against its slick surface and echoing in the night air.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

"Could you cut that out?" Sandro spat in a hushed voice. "Are you trying to draw attention to us?"

"I'm not trying to do anything," Percy grumbled back, shoes still squeaking. Squeak, squeak. The telekhines had ceased their mopping and looked up, watching the Cyclops and demigod cross the empty deck. The birds above tilted their heads, eyes trained on the pair. "Besides," continued Percy, louder for his growing audience. "You've already got me tied up as your prisoner. I can't do anything like this - completely helpless, that's what I am. You may be able to silence me, but you can never silence my shoes."

Sandro jostled Percy's arm roughly, leaning in to mumble, "You're laying it on a little thick."

Bonoas had been casting occasional glances their way, so Sandro cleared his throat and called out casually, "Just escorting Perseus below deck."

Bonoas, eyes back on the horizon, replied in a smooth, deep voice, "I do not care."

Percy and Sandro made it to the front of the ship, where the steps from the deck they stood on led up to the forecastle deck, hiding a door behind the staircase. Sandro pushed Percy towards it and tugged open the dark door. He shoved Percy in and shut it behind them.

Percy stood at the top of a - surprisingly - wooden staircase, leading down into a dark corridor. One lantern swung lazily above his head, lighting the stairs but no farther.

"These are one of the barracks for the monsters. We're going to need some help for my plan." Sandro finally let go of Percy's arm, which he brought back around front with a gasp.

Sandro shifted past Percy and started down the narrow stairway with a curt hand signal to follow him. Together they rushed down into the corridor below, moving briskly.

"What exactly is this plan of yours?" Percy whispered.

"I can't allow you to stage an attack. If you escape, Aralus will kill me. We need a way to subtly thwart the existing plan, yes? What if we target the Hyde itself? Of course-"

Sandro paused by one of the doors in the corridor, squinting at the tiny golden placard in the middle of it. Now that they were in the corridor, Percy could see more lanterns swinging down the hall, but their light was minimal and flickering. He was surprised that Sandro could read the placard at all.

"113," he muttered. "She's farther down." Sandro turned and kept walking.

"Who's she?" Percy asked, but Sandro ignored Percy's question and continued on with his plan.

"Of course, we can't simply get rid of the potion. The giants will notice right away. Now, what if we altered it?"

"What do you mean?" Percy asked, walking faster to match Sandro's pace. "Alter it? Like, alchemy?"

"We'll mix something else in there: water, blood, I don't know. Something that will change its affects."

Sandro stopped and looked at the door on his left. It read 416.

"Change its affects? We don't know what mixing anything in it would do," Percy whispered urgently. "It could make things worse, for all we know. Add a pinch of salt, and I go bald and psychotic. How will we know what to do?"

"That's why I came to ask for help." Sandro knocked three times.

They stood in silence for merely two seconds before the door opened with a quick creak.

Percy's shoulders dropped in disappointment. "Aw, no…"

Kelli the Empousa stood lopsided in the doorway, flaming hair burning lower than usual and a nightgown hanging over her goat and metal legs.

"Aw, no…" she parroted, looking at Sandro with extreme levels of attitude. "Sandro, I thought you needed help with, like, your medicines. Not Percyyyy…"

Percy bit his lip to prevent himself from spitting out a retort and settled for rolling his eyes instead.

Kelli fixed him with an iron stare, the bags under her eyes darkened by the dim light. "I would literally rather kill myself than work with you again."

Percy couldn't help it. "Be my guest," he said, waving his arm in invitation.

Sandro slapped Percy's arm hard - "Ow!" Percy whined - and turned back to Kelli. "We need your help; could we come inside? We shouldn't be here right now."

Kelli reluctantly stepped out of the way with a hop-clop and allowed Percy and Sandro inside. Shutting the door behind them, she yawned. "This better be important. I need my beauty sleep."

"You got that right," Percy mumbled under his breath. He looked up when Kelli fixed him with that stare again.

"Did you say something?" she seethed, flames growing larger on her head.

"Nope, no, nothing," Percy hurried, hands up in mock surrender.

Sandro, Kelli, and Percy stood in the middle of a small bedroom, clearly not made for extended stays. The walls were made of black planks of wood; Percy had come to assume that the interior of the ship was wooden and only the exterior sported that shiny silver material. She had two kerosene lamps hanging on the walls, stronger than the ones in the hallway. Her cabin was located in the ship's interior, leaving it windowless. A queen-size bed, a nightstand, and chest that looked like something off of a pirate's ship were the only furniture in the cabin. However, that didn't mean the room was empty. In fact, far from it. Assorted pieces of armor littered the floor and bed, made of silver, celestial bronze, and imperial gold. The nightstand was home to a tower of textbooks and journals, papers sticking out haphazardly.

"Percy, would you please tell Miss Kelli about the truce?" Sandro prompted, nudging the demigod. Percy launched into what was becoming a rehearsed speech, explaining how a truce had never been attempted before, how both parties were tired of bloodshed, how people like Ella and Tyson were evidence of a brighter future. As he talked, Kelli's face lost its harsh expression and melted into one of curiousity.

"You really think there's a chance?" she asked when Percy had finished. "Like, this isn't a trick? You're really on board with this?"

"Absolutely," Percy affirmed. "Are you in?" He held out his hand. Kelli eyed it suspiciously, gaze flicking from Percy's hands to his eyes and back. Finally, she sighed and shook his hand.

"What do you need me to do?"

Sandro stepped closer to the other two. "That is where I come in. We want to do something to the Hyde formula to change its effect on Percy. You've been studying chemistry, correct?"

Percy was taken aback. "You've...what?"

Kelli shifted her weight onto her metal leg and crossed her arms. "Yes, Percy. I've been studying chemistry. What, you think our entire lives revolve around fighting you half-bloods? Wow. Egotistical much?"

"No, I… that's honestly really cool, Kelli."

"Mhm," she huffed, and Kelli led Sandro over to her stack of books, which now Percy figured were about science and chemistry. Kelli and Sandro launched into a discussion about bonds and acids and overall a conversation too scientific for Percy to follow. He hadn't taken chemistry in high school. Well, he had, but after he caused an explosion during their first lab a month into the class, he was switched into physics. Which he failed. So no, he didn't feel particularly inclined to join that conversation. Instead, he picked up a golden chestplate that lay near his feet and examined it. It was truly a beautiful piece, most likely built by Kelli herself.

Percy remembered first meeting Kelli and her friend Tammi at Goode High School's orientation. With her cheerleader uniform and fang-toothed smile, Kelli had struck a bad chord with Percy right off the bat. He had her pinned as a snobby idiot whose only talent was seducing men to their deaths. Now, Percy looked up to see her pointing to a chart in a textbook she'd tossed onto the bed, explaining something fervently to Sandro. A skilled mechanic, a studious chemist.

We've been so wrong about them, Percy thought to himself. All this time, and nobody thought to consider that they have their own lives like ours.

"That's it!" Kelli exclaimed suddenly, knocking Percy out of his own thoughts and causing him to nearly drop the chestplate. "3 hairs from a monster and approximately 2 drops of blood. That should do the trick."

Percy crossed over to where the two monsters stood. "What changes, exactly, will this entail? That's a pretty crucial detail."

Kelli closed the textbook with finality and explained, "If added to the vial and shaken, the hair and blood should, like, counteract some of the Hyde's intended purpose. There's no way to erase all of its effectiveness. So, basically you'll still be under the potion's control-"

Percy opened his mouth to interject, but Kelli held up a clawed hand to silence him. "You'll be under its control temporarily. Like, at most 20 minutes. Not 12 hours anymore. But...yea, you'll still be bloodthirsty whenever you see a demigod."

"Great," Percy grimaced. "Any way we can get rid of the bloodthirsty part altogether?"

Sandro shook his head 'no.' "Unfortunately, we cannot."

"Then what's the point?"

"The point," Kelli snarled, shoving the textbook against Percy's chest, "is that you won't spend the entire battle trying to kill your friends. After 20 minutes, you'll be back to normal. That's totally an improvement. If you want to find a different solution, go for it. But I'm telling you, there is, like, no other solution. Dr. Derideo's formula was long and complex; there's only so much we can do on this ship."

"Thank you, Kelli," Sandro said. "We just have one other favor to ask of you." Looking at Percy, he added, "Vinomi's a light sleeper, so we have to act fast."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Hyde," he clarified. "It's in the Captain's Quarter's. If we want to mix in the hair and blood, we need to sneak in there and do it quickly and quietly. Vinomi sleeps in the Captain's Quarter's, and we cannot wake him up. If he wakes up, it's all over."

"That's your plan?" Percy hollered. "Sneak into Vinomi's private bedroom?"

Sandro stepped closer to Percy so that his giant brown eye was mere inches away from Percy's green ones. "You got a better a idea?"

"No," Percy said through gritted teeth. "I don't."

"Then that's what we're doing." Then, to Kelli, "We'll need you to distract the guards. I spotted two Laestrygonians posted by the door, and by now the telekhines should be headed to bed."

Kelli nodded and bent down to reach under her bed. She pulled out her iconic purple cheerleader uniform and pushed past Percy and Sandro to go to the bathroom. "Excuse me while I change. I need to fix myself up if this is going to work. If there's one thing Laestrygonians, like, can't resist, it's a cheerleader with a goat leg and flaming hair."

Ten minutes later, Sandro, Kelli, and Percy stood behind the closed door that led back out onto the decks. Kelli was dressed and had put on a face full of makeup, and she'd snipped a chunk of goat fur off of her leg to use in their secret addition to the Hyde and had given it to Sandro. With Sandro's baldness and Percy's demigod-ness, it was the only monster hair available. Percy had his ear pressed against the door, listening for any activity on the other side. He couldn't hear anything over the sound of the waves crashing against the boat and the wind howling outside. The storm clouds from earlier had finally hit the ship and released their fury. Reaching for the handle, Percy slowly turned it and clicked open the door - and immediately the wind nearly ripped it from his hands. Sandro grabbed the door and pulled it back so that it was only open a crack. All the torches outside had been extinguished by rain and wind.

"Ugh, my makeup is going to run," Kelli whined, stomping her goat leg in frustration.

"At least the shadows will conceal Percy and I," Sandro pointed out. "Now go, distract the guards for us."

On her way out, Kelli whispered into Percy's ear, "You owe me for this." As soon as she was outside, she sauntered across the deck and climbed a short ladder that led up to the quarterdeck, where the Captain's Quarters were located. The storm snatched at her skirt and fire, and she held onto the ladder's rungs with all her might to keep herself from getting blown off.

"Excuse me, boys," she called once she reached the top, rubbing her hands over her arms as if she were cold. The Laestrygonians looked up at her, confused. "I seem to have misplaced my jacket, and my cabin is too cold to sleep without one. Could I borrow one from you?"

"Miss, why didn't you borrow one from a monster in the cabins?" the first guard asked, his hand already going to the zipper of his leather jacket.

"It's too rough out here for a little Empousa like you," the second guard added.

"Oh, but you two have such large, hunky bodies," Kelli giggled. "Your jackets are, like, the perfect size. Basically blankets!" She used her powers to keep the Laestrygonians in a seduced trance, focused on her amidst the storm blowing on all sides. "C'mon, you know you want to help me."

Meanwhile, Percy and Sandro sprinted low across the first deck, taking the ladder two rungs at a time, and ducked into the shadows by the ship's railing on the quarterdeck.

"Take my jacket," the first guard said, shuffling it off his shoulders.

"No, take mine," the second guard insisted, stepping towards Kelli.

It no time, the two guards were arguing heatedly over whose jacket would be given to Kelli, providing Sandro and Percy the perfect opportunity to slip behind the guards. Kelli watched them, and the second that Sandro had a hand on the golden handle, she coughed loudly to cover the sound of it opening.

"Oh, I might catch a cold out here without a jacket," Kelli baited the Laestrygonians, earning a new round of debate. That was where they left her, pulling the doors to the Captain's Quarters shut with a soft thud.

Percy took in the room. The walls were a deep red, covered in maps and lists and graphs. Percy spotted a map of the monsters' HQ, one of Long Island Sound, one of New York. There were a lot - a lot - of red Xs on them. A large stained glass window adorned the back wall, looking out at the dark, raving sea behind the ship. It was warm, and Percy welcomed the abrupt temperature change. The comforting warmth, however, didn't stop the shiver that ran down Percy's spine at the site of Vinomi sleeping on a bed five times the size of any he had ever seen before. The beast's spines raised with each sleeping snore, and his talons hung off the bed and dripped onto the floor. That's definitely worse than drooling in your sleep, Percy thought with a grimace. Even asleep, the sight of him froze Percy to his spot.

"Perseus," Sandro whispered, voice so soft that Percy almost didn't hear him. "Over there." Sandro was pointing to a long, beige desk with lots of drawers placed in front of the stained glass window. On top of it was a small wooden box with a large golden band running along its side.

"The Hyde," Percy mouthed, and together they crept across the room, avoiding any planks that creaked or croaked. Once they reached the long desk, Sandro delicately reached over to grab the box.

"Why aren't you wet?" Sandro asked quietly as he did this, standing next to Percy as a sopping mess.

"Son of Poseidon, remember?" Percy reminded him, unsheathing Riptide with a shink. Even that noise sounded too loud in the Captain's Quarters. "It's a nice perk."

The moment Sandro's scarred fingers brushed the wood, Vinomi let out a choking cough that shocked both of them to the core. Percy swore his heart skipped three beats. They waited a full minute to see if Vinomi would move; he didn't.

Sandro pried open the box, revealing three vials of pink potion inside laying on top of purple velvet.

"Fancy," Percy whispered, reaching for the first vial. Sandro pulled Kelli's goat fur out of his pocket and nodded to Percy, who brought Riptide to his arm and cut a neat slice across it. Sandro took the vial from Percy, uncorked it, and held it under Percy's bleeding arm.

"One...two drops," he counted, and he dropped three hairs inside as well before corking it again. Shaking the vial vigorously, they both gasped when it became a shade brighter. They repeated this with the second and third vial.

After all three had been altered, and as Percy set the last one down on the velvet lining in the box, a snorting chortle erupted from Vinomi, followed by silence. Complete silence.

He wasn't snoring anymore.

Percy swore, and Sandro eyed Vinomi in fear. Vinomi grumbled something unintelligible, but he didn't appear to be awake. Percy couldn't move. His breathing become shallow, and he tried to swallow his terror.

Vinomi's leg spasmed, and Percy panicked. He dropped the lid of the box, letting it slam down with a loud SMACK.

Percy grabbed Sandro's wrist and yanked him back towards the doors, running at full speed across the room. Vinomi grumbled, louder this time, and his shoulders shifted.

"He's sitting up!" Percy nearly shrieked, barely keeping his voice down.

Together, the demigod and Cyclops tugged the door open and squeezed through it as soon as it had opened far enough. Neither of them looked back.

Kelli was still outside, her flames nearly gone, and she was wearing two leather jackets that dragged on the floor. The giants were still arguing, about something new now, so Percy and Sandro ran the long, shadowed way around to the ladder. They didn't wait for Kelli. She could fend for herself. Percy's heart hammered against his ribs, and he felt like he was going to choke on the heartbeats rising up his throat. He and Sandro sprinted across the main deck, and Percy nearly slipped when Sandro redirected him towards the hatch from earlier that day.

"Infirmary, now!"

They tore open the hatch and dropped down, foregoing the ladder entirely.

It wasn't until they had been sitting in the infirmary for ten whole minutes that Percy could form a whole sentence.

"We did it," he panted. "We did it."

"Thank the gods," Sandro gasped, clutching at his chest. "Oh gods."

Percy climbed up onto the patient's table and laid down on his back. "Do you… do you think he saw us?"

Sandro didn't reply right away.

"No," he finally answered. "No, I don't think he did."

He looked up at Percy wearily. "Get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.

"So do you," Percy replied, but it didn't take long before he passed out.

Wow, update #2 is already here! Thank you guys for the lovely feedback; I read every comment, so please keep reviewing! It lets me know if I'm keeping up the quality! I apologize if this seems a tad rushed, but hopefully it only feels that way to me b/c I've read this chap so many times. SO, as you all just read, Percy is NOT going to to kill himself to get out of the Styx curse. Somebody will be dying, and it will lead to me crying.

Guess what? One more chapter, and then it's time for the War!

-8DemigodRunner8