Aj: Sorry for taking a week to update, but I started co-writing a story with TinyDancer-InTheRain. Go check it out; it's called The Next Chapter. And I have no idea how I lost my sister.

Kyle: How do you lose a human being?

Aj: I've done it before.

Kyle: Is that how our principal went missing two months ago?

Aj: Maybe…

Goat Boy

"Percy?" Grover bleated as the ice cold tip of Riptide pressed against his neck. Grover had known there was something wrong with Percy, but this takes the cake. Who would be capable of controlling Percy though? If he was being controlled. Grover shuddered at the thought that this might truly be his best friend.

WWAD? What would Annabeth do, Grover wondered. Before she joined Kronos that is. She would make a mental list of everyone who could be controlling Percy, then figure out the best way to beat the. Grover ran through the names in his while trying not to focus on the sadistic glint in Percy's eyes. Grover eventually came up with three options: Medea, Hestia, or Angel. Media was dead so that ruled her out. Hestia had a golden aura around her no matter what form she took so it wasn't her. But how could it be little Angel?

Sure, she was a daughter of Eris, but she always seemed so…angelic. And could she even shape shift. The woman in front of Grover looked nothing like the cute little blonde that he saw at camp. And besides, Angel was on Olympus being tortured by Dionysus…right? He looked at the woman and saw bags under her eyes that he didn't notice before. As if she was weary. Maybe he should ask Max if Angel could shape shift, he thought. The woman's face snapped to give him a harsh glare.

"I don't think so Grover. Percy. Kill him now. Then we can get Max and get you both to Kronos." She ordered. The look of confusion on Percy's face deepened and Percy raised his sword, about to strike. Grover had to act quickly or he would be sliced and diced like a vegetable.

"Percy," Grover said hurriedly. "Don't listen to her or the world will be destroyed because of you." He paused, starting to break out of the woman's, whom Grover now knew as Angel based on her reaction, hold. Angel realized this and narrowed her eyes at Grover.

"You would be saving the world. Not destroying it. After all, why are you listening to Grover? He made an empathy link with Max because he trusted her more than you. His best friend." Angel chastised. Percy got an even more thorough look of confusion on his face, making Grover whimper in fear.

"Angel. What would Max say about what you are doing right now?" Grover asked her. Maybe he could get through to her if he couldn't get through to Percy. Maybe.

"She…" A pained expression grew on her face mixed in with guilt. But then she regained her composure and smirked. "It doesn't matter what Max says. She can't even control her powers. But I can and I will kill you. Percy. No more interruption. Kill the worthless satyr now!"

"But don't you love Max more than anyone in the flock. Even your own brother." Grover stalled, yet again. Angel's jaw clenched and she turned into her original form.

"That's why she and I will live." She answered, her voice cracking slightly. "Percy. Kill him!" She barked. Grover sensed all of the bloodlust she was feeling and knew nothing he could say would change her mind. If only Max was here…

"Angel! By killing me you would just be killing Max. I have an empathy link with her so that if one of us gets hurt or killed, so does the other." Grover announced just as Percy's blade was swinging down.

"Percy, Stop!" Angel screeched, panic in her wide blue eyes. His blade stopped and a lock of Grover's curly hair drifted onto the pavement. He was that close to being killed and then reincarnated. By his own best friend, too.

"So if I kill you, Max dies?" Angel asked. Grover nodded, still eyeing Riptide.

"He lives." She told Percy. Percy lowered his blade and recapped it, making it go back into pen form. Grover let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding in. Then he heard wings beating above him. The three looked up and saw Blackjack with Annabeth on it. Oh no, Grover thought. Kronos sent Annabeth here to collect him. Annabeth hopped off of the horse and brought out her knife quickly.

She lunged at Angel, but Angel managed to dodge the sharp blade just in time, but Annabeth had managed to slash Angel's faded pink dress on her side. Angel sent a fist at Annabeth, but Annabeth caught it and kicked Angel to the ground. Annabeth then put her foot on top of Angel to hold her down. She wasn't done yet though.

Angel grabbed Annabeth's ankle and twisted so Annabeth came falling down on her face. Angel hopped up and brought her foot down hard on Annabeth's nose. A crack resounded through the air and blood began gushing out from Annabeth's nose. Percy seemed to break out of the hold Angel had on him and looked towards Grover for an explanation as to what was happening. Grover informed him of the week's events and Percy looked completely guilty. Even a stranger would be able to tell that he was.

"So should we stop Angel from pulverizing Annabeth?" Grover asked as Angel started jumping on Annabeth's ribs like a child would jump on a bed.

"You said she betrayed us?" Percy checked. Grover nodded, wondering where this was going.

"I'll allow it. If it gets a lot worse, then we'll pull Angel off of her." Percy decided. Grover nodded hesitantly and turned his eyes back to the fight in front of him. The two boys both winced as Angel body slammed Annabeth. Annabeth responded by kicking Angel to the ground and stomping on her. At this point, Grover wished that being part goat came with the superhuman strength that being part bird did. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so useless in fights all the time. Grover looked at Percy as Angel started clawing at Annabeth's face. Percy nodded, signaling they could break it up now and Grover took out his reed pipes. He played a fast tempo that Percy thought sounded like Hilary Duff and vines grew out of the Earth and gently wrapped around the girls. The vines then pulled the two away from each other.

"Percy, I'm so sorry. I got tricked By Luke and I never meant to hurt you." Annabeth started to apologize, although it sounded clogged by her broken nose. Percy's eyes gazed at her wrist to see the absence of the scythe bracelet.

"I can't trust you after what you did," He responded. Annabeth nodded sadly, expecting this response and lowered her gaze.

"But I can try to forgive you if you help us in the war." He continued. A small grin came onto her lips and the vine released her.

"What do we do with Angel?" Annabeth asked. The three looked over at Angel and tried to think of a way to contain her.

"We could keep her wrapped up like that and the flock can guard her at camp." Percy suggested. Annabeth and Grover nodded in agreement and Annabeth walked up to Angel's vine to slice it from the roots. She did this quickly and tried to restrain the struggling girl. Grover took out his reed pipes and played a slow lullaby that put Angel to sleep. The others seemed slightly effected as well, but luckily their age difference kept them awake. Annabeth nodded in thanks to Grover and mounted Blackjack.

"I truly am sorry, guys. I'll find some way to make it up to you." She said. They nodded and she took off on Blackjack leaving the two alone in Denver with no means of transportation and no money.

"Let's find Max and Clarisse. Max is a pain, but I need to apologize to her." Percy muttered. Grover nodded and checked to see if he could hear her thoughts using the empathy link. Her thoughts were unfocused and overly happy. Unlike Max would be knowing her flock was in danger. There was one reasonable explanation and Grover didn't like it one bit.

"Hand me a drachma." Grover muttered, his voice quivering. Percy fished around in his jean pocket and eventually came up with one golden drachma with a piece of lint on top of it. Grover flicked the lint off and looked around for a source of mist. They were near a public water fountain so Grover hurriedly walked over to it. Percy pressed the button and Grover tossed in the drachma saying, "O' Iris accept my offering," Grover muttered. "Maximum Ride, Lotus Hotel and Casino." Percy's eyes grew wide as the image set on Max grinning widely and eating a pile of food that wouldn't even be able to fit into three combined refrigerators.

In the background, it showed Clarisse playing a virtual war game.

"Max." Grover said. The music would be too loud for human ears, but Max had heightened senses. Apparently those senses were dulled by of The Lotus Hotel's spell. The two tried screaming her name over and over, but it was no use. Eventually the mist began to fade and they were left screaming her name at a water fountain.

"What do we do now?" Grover asked, not wanting to go back to The Lotus Hotel. Percy thought and then pulled out another drachma. He pressed the button and repeated the chant except this time he said, "Fang, Camp Half Blood." Grover looked confused, but Percy quickly explained that if Angel weren't on Olympus, the flock probably wouldn't be either. The image showed the flock talking, along with Nico, until Nudge noticed the iris message.

"Percy?" Nico asked. Percy nodded and began talking, "Angel tried to kill us, but Annabeth came in and saved us. She's back on our side, but we should still watch her. Angel is coming back with her and we need you to guard her." Fang nodded and asked, "Can we talk to Max?" Percy shook his head and explained to them all about The Lotus Hotel and Casino and how Max and Clarisse are in there.

"So what are you going to do?" Nico asked, icily. He was glaring at Percy for splitting the group up.

"We're going to try and get her out of there. Then we'll try to defeat Typhon and steal Kronos' scythe." Grover answered.

"Remember the promise you made, Percy." Nico reminded. Percy nodded and Grover waved his hand through the mist, ending the message.

"So, got any wild boar spells to get us to Nevada?" Percy asked.

Kyle: Extra long for the lack of updates. Aj has been celebrating the fact that she lost her sister though while I've been trying to keep on her good side so that I'm not next.

Aj: Relax Kyle. You're my twin. I'm pretty sure that if something happens to you, something will happen to me and I don't want to worry the world with my absence, being the future world dominator and all.

Kyle: I feel so loved. Anyways, review, read The Next Chapter by TinyDancer-InTheRain , join the dark side, the usual. –Kyle.