Percy yelped and jumped back as far as he possibly could, but it wasn't far enough. The Sandler had already gotten wind of his earlier water trick, so he wasn't at all surprised that he couldn't feel anything he could use.

"Hold on to me!" Nico shouted. A moment later, Percy felt someone grip his shoulder. Through his newfound connection with them, he could feel Thalia haul him back and grab onto Nico.

A moment later, he knew what Nico was planning to do. Then immediately after, the three of them shadow traveled out of the cavern, into the Fields of Punishment.

"Holy Hera." Percy panted. "What the Hades is going on?"

"We were just going to ask you that." Thalia replied. "Why were we being attacked?"

"And by who?" Nico chimed in.

Percy shrugged his shoulders. "Well, apparently, I'm a rad babysitter, and the gods found out about it –"

"After we turned back, Percy." Thalia cut in.

"Oh. Well, Adam Sandler wants to get back to life, so he kidnapped you guys to try and threaten Hades into letting him back into the world." Percy rubbed the back of his head. "I'm supposed to be stopping him."

Thalia cursed under her breath. "I hate ghosts."

"Me too." Nico agreed. "And I'm supposed to be their prince."

"Stop sulking." Percy told them. He was infinitely glad he could no longer feel what they were feeling, although he really didn't understand what had just occurred. "Come on, we should go find him and do our jobs. And hey – guys? It's good to have you back."

Thalia rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. "Sure, whatever, Kelp Head. How were we, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"As kids, Percy, how were we?" Nico started walking, but he glanced back over his shoulder to hear Percy's answer.

"Wait, how did you know you guys were turned into kids?" Percy demanded.

Thalia rolled her eyes again. "We both had to do exactly what you did. I was told it was because I needed to get to know you guys better."

"Same, something like that was told me, too." Nico nodded.

"Did you guys feel the same way I did when we were in that cave and the roof was falling in?" Percy asked. "Connected? Kind of – like I knew where you guys were and what you needed during battle."

"Yeah, I felt that, too." Thalia nodded. "But that other feeling, knowing everything – ugh, too much – about you guys, that faded."

"You're right." Nico slowed down. "Wait – do you think maybe this is what the gods planned all along? This was why they made each of us go through that stupid ritual?"

"Maybe they planned it that way, but something obviously went wrong." Thalia snorted. "As per usual."

"Wait, I think I know what happened." Percy muttered, stopping completely. "Did you guys go to a fountain during your time?"

"Yeah. The fountain tempted me to give up my responsibilities, but I managed to overcome it." Thalia explained hurriedly. Nico nodded in agreement, also quickly. Both blushed furiously, but Percy didn't notice.

"Well, I went to a fountain too, but instead, that's when the Sandler took you guys." Percy explained. "Then, when I came to save you in that cave, he had, like, induced hibernation or something on you guys, so I tried to heal you with water. I'm pretty sure I might have healed you of the spell that turned you into kids, or whatever, too."

"Percy," Thalia gaped. "That actually makes sense. And if you're right, the gods are probably pretty peeved that their plan didn't work out the way it was supposed to."

"And they always take their frustrations out on demigods." Nico groaned.

"Well, if we catch Adam Sandler, maybe we can convince them not to hate us" Percy suggested.

The three of them smirked for a moment – as if they could ever convince all the gods not to hate them.

"Anyway, where do you the think the Sandler is?" Thalia asked, turning to Nico.

"I figure he's either gone to the castle already, to boast that he's killed us and demand a way out, except that if he doesn't have us as hostages anymore, Hades doesn't have a reason to let him go." Nico explained. Then he added darkly, "Not that holding us as hostages was a reason to let him go."

"Doesn't matter, man." Percy jumped up and clapped him on the soldier. "If he's hiding from all of Hades' security force, where in the Underworld would he be?"

"By a beach." Thalia said with certainty. Then she paused. "I'm not sure why, but I definitely feel like he's by a beach."

"You're probably right." Percy shrugged. He had a feeling that someone had told him something about beaches and Adam Sandler, but he couldn't exactly remember. He felt like he did right after Annabeth briefed him on a mission.

"There's a beach by the River Styx. It's nearby here." Nico remembered. "Don't forget guys, be careful around that river."

"Yeah, yeah, Mom, just lead the way." Thalia grinned.

Nico rolled his eyes but turned and started walking down the pathway toward the River Styx.

Thalia and Percy followed suit.

Just like the good old days.