Okay, I'm back with the next chapter…and do you remember what I said about you guys getting to know what happened to Atalanta in the next chapter…ya…and do you remember me telling you that it would only happen unless I inserted another filler chapter in the middle. Hehe…may I present to you MY FILLER CHAPTER-" THE COUNCIL"

Haha! :D I wasn't going to just show you what happened so soon…I really want to see you guys guessing and this is yet another chance to keep guessing. Okay, so whose perspective shall I write this in? Apollo? Hephaestus? Zeus? Hmmm…tough choice…I have never ever written anything like this…maybe I'll just put it from 3rd person perspective. Maybe not…

Anyhow, here's to a very interesting and unusual filler chapter! This time I just want to thank everyone. Yes…YOU, you simply because you are taking the time and consideration to read my stories. Thank you! I mean, people from all over the world-Zambia, Mexico, Spain, Italy, China, Switzerland…and the list goes on…I am so flattered and pleased! I LOVE YOU GUYS! I don't see as many reviews as views and I wish all of you would at least leave a review now. If you don't have anything special to say…I'll write down a quote..just copy it down and click review-

"Everything that is or was, started out as a dream." –I have no idea who but I think his name was Max. Sorry Max…no disrespect intended..I love the quote but I just can't remember who said what.

Okay, It's quite a long note now...Let's just move on to the chapter. Shall we?

-AJ

HADES:

...

Hades grabbed his cloak- the fancy blood red one, and stormed out of his palace in the Underworld. The lost dead souls floated away to make space for him. They didn't know who they were or where they were, but they knew better than to stand in front of the lord of the underworld when he was in one of his bad moods. Something had just happened on the Argo II. Something bad and mysterious, even the gods themselves were confused. Naturally the first thought would be, the girl is dead. So what do you do? Where do you go to find out if your suspicions are right? It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. The obvious answer was where all the dead go- to the underworld. And that meant Hades would have a lot of visitors, very soon.

But Hades had some questions too. And he would find the answers, even if that meant going to the one place he absolutely dreaded. Home. On Mount Olympus. To meet his family. Oh, the torture! True, they had welcomed him and accepted him even more after their victory over Kronos. But it wasn't a warm enough welcome to shake off the cold touch of death and the fear that covered the area around him. And he knew they still doubted him, but then again you can never trust any god without a solemn swear on the River Styx. And Hades wasn't a very good person to bargain with. They might not believe a word he says. Might not? make that definitely won't.

He called for his chariot, pulled by the most beautiful dark black horses and got in. He stood tall and elegant, and held on with such a firm grip, just the sight of him could make anyone want to run in the closet and hide. Or maybe that was just the cloak? Whatever, he liked it- the feeling of being feared and respected. It filled him with so much power and confidence. And he needed all the confidence he could get. After all, he was going home.

...

When Hades reached the Empire State building, he walked straight to the reception table, not bothering about what the mortals must be seeing. They must have thought he was some guy in a suit. The guy there looked up at him for a moment and said, "Yes, where would you like to go?" Hades just looked at him straight in the eye. He could feel the room turning darker, he could see the shadows covering the light, he felt the temperature instantly drop a few degrees...and he knew the receptionist felt it too. "Is that a question?"

The guy ran to the elevator and put the key card in and stood outside the lift with trembling knees, struggling to politely smile at the immortal in front of him. One glare was good enough for him, his smile faltered almost immediately and he gulped as the doors shut between them. Hades was left alone in the elevator silently as it slowly moved upwards. The lift music made him seem pathetic. Imagine the mighty god of the underworld standing straight and tall with a serious face, a face that sends a shiver down the spine of most people, even the brave. Now imagine a happy little voice going la-la-la in the same time. It didn't really increase the fear factor. He stormed out the moment the doors opened, gliding through the marble floor and the tall pillars and statues.

He paused by one particular statue, a statue he had never seen before. Then he looked around the room at the statues of all the other gods. All the statues were atleast 8 feet tall and a lot of gods and goddesses had multiple statues in various poses. There was Zeus holding his master bolt in his favorite Greek gown and beside him Poseidon in a floral T-shirt, shorts and hawaiian sandals with his hands in his pockets carelessly. It looked quite realistic, maybe Athena helped. After all, her daughter was in charge of doing that- Annabeth Chase. She's a clever girl and she was even one of the seven chosen for the quest against Gaea. There were statues of Athena with her sacred owl and her scrolls, one of Hephaestus with some machine and a hammer (it didn't look too good, but then again, Hephaestus wasn't known for looking good) and Artemis kneeling down to pet a deer, and then again standing with Apollo bows outstretched. Another statue of Apollo stood leaning on a pillar with a winning smile on that handsome face. He looked the youngest of all gods. There in a corner was chubby son of Zeus, Dionysus, eyes closed with a goblet in hand. Behind that were statues of Ares posing with various weapons, modern and ancient. There was one of Aphrodite and that seemed to have the most work done, the face seemed a bit messed up, probably because she was so used to changing her face. Hera's statue was standing next to her husband silently and so many other gods. He had to admit, that demigod has done a very good job. There were so many statues and all of them looked very lifelike. But he liked the one right in front of him best.

A throne made of skulls and bones and over that a very handsome young man, if he could say so, dressed in a long robe. One hand rested on the armrest and the other supported his head, holding his neatly trimmed beard. His very form radiated power and energy. Yes, there was even a statue of him, a statue of Hades right next to Zeus and Poseidon. He stood there for some time admiring his face until he remembered what he had actually come there for. He finally turned and entered the throne room.

...

The throne room was now full of thrones and only a few gods were waiting there, but Hades knew more were going to come. Soon it would get very crowded as more gods arrived. Zeus, Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Dionysus and Ares were already there. All of them looked up at him when he entered and Athena, his outspoken niece was the first to say something, "Uncle Hades, has the girl died yet?"

"No, I haven't seen her yet. Someone's messing with her soul. We are still searching, but it's doubtful."

Hera questioned, "What do you mean?"

"When the body dies, the soul is transported to the Underworld in Charon's boat. Charon tells me he's never seen her and I've gone through the files myself. Where else can her soul go?"

Poseidon said, "Well, I think someone's messing with her too. Brother Hades is right, but who? I have reports of her disappearing. Sounds like someone teleported her. "

Athena looked at him doubtfully, "Who gave you that report? Teleporting?"

He looked at her, "Fishes of course!"

Athena snorted, "Of course...who else would you talk to?"

Zeus looked puzzled, "But how is it under the radar? I would know if anyone uses that sort of magic."

Poseidon replied, "Oh please. When you bossed everyone into that 'no contact with demigods' thing, so many people went against your order without you even noticing."

Aphrodite, Demeter and a lot of lesser gods entered the room at this point. Athena said, "Well, I thought it was an absurd idea. Like that was going to stop Gaea."

Poseidon agreed, "Exactly, good thing brother finally came to his senses."

Aphrodite interrupted, "Aww...this is so cute. Athena and Poseidon agree with each other. I always knew they'll make a great pair."

Both of them stared at her with absolute horror and disgust evident on their faces. Athena said, "Eww...no way. Don't ever try imagining me and fishface together again!"

Poseidon continued, "Well, I can't really blame brother Zeus. After all, he's her father. What can you expect?"

Athena narrowed her eyes and glared at him, "How dare you insult me! ME!"

Hades was now tired of rolling his eyes at them. He stopped them from going on, "Please, Can the two of you stop this bickering? We have more important things to discuss and I'm tired of hearing you fight."

Aphrodite agreed, "I know, Just look at your children. Percy and Annabeth get along so well, why can't you."

They looked at each other and arrogantly turned their heads away. Apollo and Artemis slowly entered the room, looking so different. Apollo whose 17 year old statue stood with a very young and handsome face, now looked around 24 with worry lines on his forehead. he actually looked like a dad and that got everyone's focus back to the matter at hand- the missing girl. Artemis looked actually worried for her brother. Apollo spoke slowly and his eyes were pleading with Hades, "Just let me know one thing, Is my daughter's soul finally resting in peace?"

"No."

"Then where is she?"

"That's what we are trying to find out. She apparently was teleported."

"It's that invisible claw that pulled her down. Who sent that claw for her?" Apollo looked around the hall at the faces of all the gods but no one answered. He continued, "Hecate? Hecate, why is it invisible? Do you have any idea?"

Hecate stood up at the other side of the room, "I don't know..It's not me."

Hera suddenly thought of a very interesting question, "So how will they find Calypso now? We thought taking the girl away would solve the problem, but now she took the solution of the problem away with her."

Everyone was silent for sometime. There was only one empty chair left and at that very moment the last god entered- Hephaestus. "What just happened?"

Athena answered, "The astrolabe is gone. It's with the girl- Atalanta. She's been teleported and nobody knows where. Her dead soul has not yet arrived in the underworld, so I'm assuming she's alive. But if she is, then where is she, where is the astrolabe and how come we can't sense her yet?"

Poseidon continued, "Taking the girl away was hopeless. Poor Apollo."

Everyone looked at Apollo as Aphrodite added, "and poor Nico."

It was like a bulb suddenly flashed in Hades' head, "What? Nico? Why?"

Aphrodite looked very sad, like as if her favorite TV show just ended, "He was just starting to like her."

Hades replied, "Oh please, you don't know my son. He's not interested in that girl."

Aphrodite wiped her eyes with a tissue, "He would have been if I only had some more time..."

Hades stood up, "Don't interfere with my children's lives."

Hephaeustus interferred, "Now, what about Calypso? How is Leo going to find her?"