Anastasia took the key from the door and closed it with a clang. She inserted the key into another hole beside the small door and lights lit up the room. But it was more like a warehouse. An enormous warehouse. At the front half of the warehouse were rows and rows and rows of metal cabinets filled with all sorts of futuristic weaponry. I took a tentative step forward and picked up the first one my hand rested on. I grabbed the grip frame and picked it up. The gun looked to be about a foot long. The handle was about ¾ of the way down the main mechanism. It had all the normal parts; trigger safety, barrel, blah, blah, blah. Glowing blue streaks were on each side.

"What does this do?" I asked excitedly. I would own Kronos.

Anastasia glanced at me. "That is a Plasma Gun. It shoots balls of Plasma. Usually Lord Poseidon gives those to us. When you can master magic, you don't need weaponry."

I didn't like the underlying threat and Artemis gulped silently. I shook her off. "What do you mean, 'gives those to us'?"

"Atlantis is often attacked. Mortals are always looking for it, and we have to fend for ourselves somehow. And other Greek monsters seek us out."

I swallowed. "Mortals?"

Anastasia glanced at me. "Yeah. Mortals. We sometimes kill them. Poseidon doesn't agree with it, but he knows that it's the only way that others won't come and destroy this place."

Some odd expression must have crossed my face because Anastasia said, "What ails you?" Then realization dawned. "What? You don't have soft spot for them, like Poseidon, do you?"

"Up until, like, last week, I was a Mortal," I said. Even to me my tone was disgusted.

"Does Uncle Poseidon . . . kill them, also?" Artemis asked.

Anastasia laughed. "Of course not. He prefers to . . . actually, I don't know what he does when battle strikes with Mortals. I know he always puts up a Protection Barrier for us, but that's about it."

I nodded slightly, putting the gun down. "So . . . what do you mean by 'when you master magic', then?" I hoped the answer wouldn't be bad, like the last.

"What do you think I mean? It's quite simple, really. Lord Poseidon is powerful. Very powerful. Conjuring up a simple spell, like Plasma Balls, comes easily. He doesn't need the incantation anymore. Controlling Fire, Air, Earth, Water . . . it is easy to harm Immortals. Even easier to harm Mortals or even Monsters."

Yeah, the answer was like the last.

"Air?" Artemis demanded. "Poseidon can control my Father's domain?"

Anastasia looked alarmed. "Lady Artemis, you cannot tell a soul. Lord Zeus would do unspeakable things! I'm not even supposed to let Perseus in here, let alone one of Zeus's offspring! Poseidon – will – have – a – stroke!"

She started to hyperventilate and I got a bit panicky. "Uh, slow breaths," I said, unsure, walking over to take her arm. "No need to worry. Artemis won't tell anyone. Besides, I have more control than Zeus. He won't lay a finger on my Father. I promise."

She seemed to calm down and looked over to Artemis, who said, "I won't tell anyone. I swear on the River Styx."

Anastasia took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Sorry. I just know that I would get in a lot of trouble from - . . . nevermind. Here. This what you can use for transport."

She led us straight down the middle aisle to the second half. From the front, you couldn't really appreciate the awesomeness, but from here, it all seemed surreal. There were only three ships. One small, one medium and one large.

The small one looked to fit only two people. It was about the size of a three by three room, fit to shape, of course. It was equipped with guns on each wing. I thought there ought to be, like, missiles or something, but Poseidon was smart. Maybe the guns somehow shot missiles.

The medium was larger, maybe and five by five room. It looked at though it could three or four people, and maybe a sleeping quarters and a small weaponry hold. The last . . . well, it wasn't 'large' for nothing. Unlike the last two, that were quite similar in hold, this one looked two decks high. It was maybe twenty feet long and ten wide. I didn't really want to now why they needed one so large.

All three were silver and equipped with guns, though the big on had missiles under the wings, too.

Valves and pipes ran over all of them, and Atlantean markings covered them.

"Only three?" I asked jokingly.

I didn't expect Anastasia to reply, "Of course not. There are more out back. And there are more here. They're just . . . camouflaged."

"Out back?" I said weakly. "Camouflaged? What, are they invisible?"

She nodded and my mouth dropped. "Poseidon is still perfecting the Invisibility Spell, but it's getting better."

As if on cue, a small ship – a one manned bike thing – flickered and came into existence next to us. I jumped about a foot in the air, and breathed out heavily.

"That's a shock," I huffed.

After a few minutes silence, I decided to break it with my decision. "So," I said, "I think we should take the small one."

Artemis nodded. "That would be the better option. Easier to hide and harder for Kronos to see coming."

I agreed and took a step towards the smaller ship. Though it wasn't the one that looked coolest, it was the one with a better chance of hiding.

"Wait," Anastasia called out, and I spun. "I think - . . . Can I join you?"

"What?" I asked, confused with what she was asking. "Come along? Like . . . join Artemis and I on our quest? I, uh, don't think so."

"Please? I know how to work the ships! And I can help you conjure up a few spells that will help you. Please?" she repeated.

"Just . . . hold on," I gestured for Artemis to follow me and we took a few steps away and spoke in hushed tones.

"You aren't thinking of bringing her?" Artemis hissed.

"She has a point," I admitted. "You or I have no idea where we are, how to get to land, how to start the ship . . ."

"You just want her along because she's beautiful," Artemis accused.

I glanced at her strangely. "That's stupid. Admittedly, she is beautiful, but I'm not like that. I swear."

Artemis huffed and crossed her arms. "Then why? She can just tell us which way to go and how to start it!" Realization dawned. "You want to learn magic, don't you?"

I mimicked her and crossed my arms. "Artemis, when I found out about this place, the guys who were talking about it said there was enough weaponry for me to destroy Kronos. If Anastasia says I don't need weapons, that means I can get rid of him myself."

She nodded slowly. "I see your point, but . . . She's Mortal, Percy. She'll get hurt, and I am not sacrificing myself to save her because she wanted to come along."

"I know, I know," I nodded, agreeing. She was Mortal. Easily hurt. There wasn't really a way around that. "Well, we just need her on the way there. We can always ship her back here once we're in Greece."

Artemis nodded. "Agreed. Okay. She can come along."

I smiled slightly and said, "Thanks," softly, before turning to Anastasia who waited expectedly.

"You can come," I said, and she grinned. "But, once we're in Greece, you're coming back here."

She nodded her head. "O.K. I can do that. Can I just . . . explain I am going to Aquanta?"

I said she could and told her to hurry. She grinned and ran off and I turned to Artemis.

"Looks like we have another quester," I said.

She rolled her head and huffed, turning away from me. "This is a bad idea."

I wanted to say it wasn't, but something in her voice told me that it wasn't a good idea to argue . . . and that she was right.

Anastasia came back with a backpack slung over her right shoulder and a changed pair of clothes. Instead of the maid's dress she had worn, she now was fitted in jeans and a loose shirt with combat boots. "Let's get going before anyone else decides to notice that I am missing."

I nodded in agreement and she jogged to the middle, medium sized ship.

"Uh, we agreed to take the smaller one," I pointed out, staring at her. She shrugged and walked to the back of the ship. She flipped open a panel and jumped up slightly. She grabbed onto the inside of the ship and hoisted herself up to her waist.

"I know," she called from the ships belly, "but, this one is easier to fly, and there is more space for us. I am sure Artemis will appreciate not having to share a room with a male!"

Artemis laughed and agreed. The two shared some sexist jokes and laughed at my expense.

"Okay, enough with the jokes," I said finally. "Anastasia lets just get going. What are you doing?"

She grunted from where she was and said, "Fixing the ride."

She jumped down from where she was and closed the panel and backed up. A few seconds later, a hissing noise sounded and white smoke came from a ramp that was now lowering.

Anastasia grinned and whisked her hand out in a presenter sort of fashion. "This ship is the S.S Revolution."

A fitting name, I thought. I huffed before walked aboard the ship.

To say I was impressed was an understatement. It seemed the S.S Revolution was fitted with state-of-the-art technology; well, state-of-the-art in fifty years.

Glowing lights and whirring buttons quickly gave me a headache as I glanced around the maze of a ship. Artemis gasped as she entered and Anastasia was soon behind her. Anastasia just walked straight to the black tinted windows and sat down at one the forward facing seats. Another was right beside her.

"Lord Percy, come help, would you please?" Anastasia asked, flicking a few switches and pressing a few buttons.

"Uhh . . ." I uttered. "Sure?"

The answer sounded like a question and Artemis rolled her eyes, before shoving me slightly towards Anastasia. I stumbled and grabbed onto my seat and righted myself. I glared at Artemis, before taking my seat next to Anastasia. Artemis sat down at one of the seats that were placed against the side, so she was perpendicular to me.

"Okay," Anastasia started, "you're going to have to do most of this. I can get it started, but I can't drive it. Only Poseidon's blood can."

At my panicked looked, Anastasia soothed my worries. "Don't worry, it will come naturally. When I start the engine, you press the buttons here, here, here and here. In that order. One mistake and we'll go sky high."

My worries suddenly seemed more realistic. "Wait, wait, wait, Anastasia!" I exclaimed, interrupting whatever she was about to say.

She paused and said calmly, "Yes?"

"What do you mean we'll blow up? I've already forgotten what buttons to press and when! I can't do this! You seem well in charge, you do it!"

Anastasia huffed and said, "I can't! Only Poseidon's blood can! He designed it that way so that no enemy could control it and use it against him. It also means that nobody can reverse engineer it."

"But – but – some other way?" My attempt sounded naïve and pathetic even to me. A hand rested on my shoulder, and I looked up at Artemis.

"You can do this Percy," she said softly. "Everyone believes in you. Everyone else knows you can do this. You have gotten us this far already. Why can't you go further? Why are you the only one who believes you can't do this?"

"Were you not watching the instructions?" My voice edged on hysteria.

"Percy, clam down!" Artemis instructed, though her voice didn't become un-soothing. "You can do this. We all trust you."

She leant down and gently kissed my lips before walking back to her seat. She just . . . kissed me? Artemis? Maiden Goddess just . . . kissed me . . . whoa. She strapped on her seat belt and looked at me expectantly.

I turned back to the front and shook my head. I guess Artemis's trick worked, because I was completely snapped out of my hysteria. I took the controls and looked down at the panel before looking at Anastasia.

"I understand now, Anastasia." I nodded. "But, one more thing."

She looked at me and said, "Yes?"

I grinned and asked, "Do you have a nickname? Because Anastasia is a handful."

She laughed and said, "Aquanta calls me Stasia. But, you can call me Tia."

With that, she put the crystal into a key hole and started the engine.

Tia pressed a button on a small remote, and the roof opened up.

"Whoa," I said in awe, "this is so freaking cool!"

I looked back down at the board of buttons and switches and took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"I am so proud of you son. Not even Heracles-"

"Poseidon? Will you join us, or are you too proud?"

I opened my eyes and uttered a single word. As soon as I said it, I forgot what it was, and Artemis and Tia looked confused. But, it must've done the job, because the ship lifted off the ground and hovered there for a few seconds, before ascending slowly. It went through the now open roof into another compartment. The roof under us closed and we were in a metal chamber.

"Why are we here?" I asked.

Tia whispered, "This is the Draining Chamber. It will fill with water and we'll be able to leave. If we just opened the roof and it went out into the ocean, the whole place would flood."

Artemis nodded in agreement.

'Voice Activation required," a robotic voice said through speakers in the ship.

"Uh, Percy Jackson, King of the Gods . . . is that enough?"

'Percy Jackson . . .' For a frightening second, the voice said nothing, and I was afraid that it wouldn't recognize my voice. Then, 'Voice accepted. Welcome aboard, Lord.'

"Thanks, uh, talking-robot-whose-name-I-don't-know."

'Android,' it said.

"Ah, right," I muttered. Of course. Dad couldn't be any more original.

I looked down at the panel again, and a line glowed on them, showing which buttons to press.

"Whoa, that is so cool," I exclaimed. "Tia, did you do that? Thanks."

"Do what?" she asked skeptically. "Never mind."

The roof to the Draining Chamber opened up, and water flooded the place quickly. I took that as my cue, and pressed the buttons properly. The engines whirred and slowly, we started to ascend. Slowly, we lifted up, out of the water. Once we hit the surface, we kept going up. I decided it was probably best if I just didn't question it. Once we were high in the air - great - Tia told which to press a giant green button.

Okay then.

I pressed it and the button moulded to shape my hand. Then, we flew forward, the pressure snapping my head back. Once we were safely flying forward, Artemis unbuckled her seat belt and stood up, before standing behind my chair.

'ETA,' said Android, 'four hours, twenty six minutes, thirty two seconds.'

Great, I thought. For more hours until Greece. In a ship. With Artemis. Who just kissed me. What fun.

I really wanted to do more in this chapter, to make up for a long absence, but I couldn't think of anything to put in the scene. I'll write more today, and I will get SOMETHING ELSE OUT! I have made that promise to myself. Haha. :)

Anyways, Review! And thanks for sticking with y'all. Means a lot.