Hi everybody! Happy Friday, and Happy November. Man, this year is flying WAY too fast. Everybody have a good Halloween? Yes? No? Well, regardless, hopefully this chapter makes you smile at least once. I usually either aim for smiles or tears, sometimes both if I'm feeling particularly daring, haha.

Thanks, everybody, as usual. Enjoy!

XXV
ANNABETH

If it wasn't for Nico, they never would have found the hunter's hideout.

Seriously, the place was completely camouflaged into the side of a mountain. Annabeth didn't even realize there was a door until Nico had touched a particularly conspicuous rock on the mountainside and two giant contraptions swung inward, revealing a wide opening into a dimly-lit room.

"Let's hope he's not home to welcome us," Nico said, but Percy, Annabeth, and Hazel drew their weapons anyway as they all stepped inside.

Annabeth barely had time to gag at the various animal skins and heads that adorned the walls before a voice called out, "Perrrrrcy!"

"Grover!" Percy said, the relief clear in his voice. As they all realized that the hunter didn't appear to be home, Annabeth followed Percy at a quickened pace down the line of animal cages against the right wall of the room, marveling at the odd collection of game the hunter had acquired. Finally, in the third cell from the end, they found Grover—and he looked positively ecstatic to see them.

"You guys came!" Grover said, breathing a sigh of relief. He scrambled toward the front of his cage and Annabeth noticed that his hands were tied behind his back. "I knew you wouldn't—Nico?" His eyes shot open when he noticed the son of Hades standing beside Hazel.

Nico was staring at Grover with an almost horrified look on his face. "Wh… Where are your legs?" he asked.

Grover blinked, looking mystified, like he had no idea how to answer that question. "Uh…"

"Nico's lost his memory," Annabeth cut in, stepping toward Grover. "We'll explain later. Where's the hunter?"

Grover turned to his right and exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Reyna, who Annabeth now noticed was locked in the last cell against the wall. The cage between the two of them was empty.

"He's… out hunting," Grover answered haltingly.

Before Annabeth could ask why he'd said it like that, Hazel asked sharply, "Where's Leo?"

A horrible pang stung at Annabeth's heart and she started to worry that Leo might have been hurt worse than she'd realized, until Reyna replied, "That's what he's hunting."

"What?" Percy demanded, eyes widening. As Grover recounted what had happened since they'd been separated, Annabeth felt her stomach twist in dread. On the one hand, it was great that Grover, Leo, and Reyna had survived their fight with the hunter. On the other, Leo was essentially missing again, and they had no idea where he was or if he was alright. Not to mention the fact that the hunter could be back any minute.

"Well, first things first—we gotta get out of here," Nico said, shooting a glance toward the open doorway as though expecting the hunter to walk through it.

"How do we unlock these cages?" Hazel wondered. She stepped toward Reyna's cell and examined a mechanical contraption mounted on the leftmost bar that looked like some kind of lock.

"Orion had a key," Grover pointed out, "but I think he took it with him."

"Wait, Orion?" Percy repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Like… the Orion?"

Grover nodded. "Greatest hunter who ever lived," he said miserably. Annabeth understood his concern. From what she knew, Orion had been endlessly vain and cocky, but for good reason. He really was the greatest hunter who ever lived—even better than Artemis. But that wasn't something you'd say aloud if you liked the way your head sat on your shoulders.

"It doesn't matter," Annabeth interrupted, carefully masking her own worry. "Nico's right. Step one is to get you guys out of here. Then we can worry about Orion—and finding Leo." She stepped forward and leaned toward the lock on Grover's cage. "Maybe there's something around here we can use to pick the locks?" she suggested. The keyhole looked normal enough. Annabeth had never been very good at lock-picking, but she was sure they could figure it out somehow.

"Not sure we've got time," Percy said. "I vote we improvise." He moved toward Grover's cage and raised Riptide, tightening his grip on its hilt.

Annabeth realized what he was about to do a second before he did it. She jumped back and said, "Percy, wait—!" just as he swung the blade down against the lock, slicing through the metalwork and separating the contraption from the cell bar. Miraculously, the row of iron bars between them and Grover sank into the ground. Percy grinned and Annabeth punched his shoulder. "You are so lucky that worked," she scolded him. He only shrugged.

As Annabeth used her knife to cut through Grover's bonds, Hazel repeated Percy's jailbreak technique on Reyna's cell, setting her free as well. Reyna strode directly to a large, open chest beside the fireplace that looked to be full of an odd assortment of weapons and supplies. She dug through it and eventually withdrew her own Imperial gold dagger and Grover's reed pipes, which she tossed to him and he pocketed with a relieved sigh.

"That's… Is that Nico's sword?" Annabeth said, eyeing a black blade protruding from the chest of confiscated items.

"My… what?" Nico said, blinking in confusion.

Percy crossed the room and reached into the chest, extracting the Stygian iron sword and flipping it in his hand. "Yup," he concluded, examining the blade. "It's his, alright. Guess we'd better take it with us. Hopefully soon he'll remember how to use it." He handed the sword to Nico, who took it and stared at it like it might give him an incurable disease.

"So now what do we do?" Hazel asked. "We have to find Leo."

"I guess we can head back into the forest and try to follow his and Orion's trail," Annabeth suggested. "But this time, we stick together. No splitting up." The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and Annabeth led the way out of Orion's lodge. She shot another glance at the row of cages along the wall and made a mental note to place an anonymous call to animal control once they were safely away from there.

When they were outside, Nico closed the doors behind them. Annabeth turned back toward the row of trees some distance away from the mountainside and took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to plunge back into the dark forest, when Grover suddenly said, "What's that?" Annabeth turned to see him squinting at a dark shape that seemed to be approaching them from the sky.

"Is that…" Hazel said in disbelief. "Is that the Argo?"

Relief washed over Annabeth as she recognized the familiar bronze dragon figurehead on the great trireme slowly lowering itself toward their clearing between the mountain and the forest. "Everybody out of the way," she said quickly, realizing that there would be just enough room to land the ship where they were standing, but if they didn't fancy being crushed they would need to move. All six of them hurried aside and huddled against the mountainside as the ship crept toward them. The hull smashed against the tops of a few trees on the edge of the forest, snapping quite a few branches, but eventually the ship made an unsteady landing on clear ground.

Annabeth and the others hurriedly climbed the rope ladder and boarded the Argo II, glad to be back on familiar ground and away from Orion's hunting lodge.

"Sorry about the rocky landing," Leo's voice called from near the stern of the ship. "It's tough to operate this thing one-handed." Annabeth turned around and opened her mouth to reply that it wasn't easy to operate two-handed, either, but her words died when she saw Leo descending the stairs from the quarterdeck.

He was a mess. His clothes were torn and covered in dirt, almost like he'd been rolling in it. There were leaves and twigs stuck in his hair and small scratches all over his face and arms, including a longer cut across the side of his neck. His left arm was in a crude sling that looked to be made of a piece of haphazardly torn cloth. He looked like he'd been living in the forest for days, rather than a few long hours. Although, considering the fact that the last time Annabeth had seen Leo she'd thought he was dead, this was actually a considerable improvement.

"What happened to you?" Percy asked, staring at Leo with wide eyes.

Leo looked down at himself and shrugged. "Got shot, ran for my life, was caught in a trap, fell out of a tree—you know. Just another day in the life." He grinned impishly and Annabeth shook her head in wonder.

"So… you escaped Orion?" Grover said.

Leo's grin faltered. "Orion is, uh… taken care of," he replied vaguely. After a bit of prodding, they finally got him to give them a full recount of how he'd beaten Orion. Annabeth was impressed at his story of how he'd trapped the hunter and used his own weapon against him. The news of Orion's death-by-dryad did come as a bit of a surprise, though.

"If you ask me, the nutcase had it coming," Nico said with a shrug.

Leo blinked at Nico, evidently noticing him for the first time. "Hey, you found him!" he said with a grin. "Awesome. That's one problem solved."

"Well… not exactly," Annabeth argued. With Percy and Hazel's help, she explained in full about Nico's memory loss, including the information Hera had given them. Annabeth wasn't too keen on seeking out Hypnos for help, but she told herself that at least it was a plan. If there was any information they could learn by following this trail, then it would be worth it.

After the discussion, most of the group decided they should try and get some sleep. It was quite late, after all, and the day had been more than a little exhausting. Annabeth noticed Leo grimace as he stood up and stretched, frowning down at his broken wrist.

"I'll fly the ship tonight," she volunteered once most of the others had disappeared to their cabins. She gave Leo a serious look. "You should get some ambrosia for your arm. You're probably gonna need it in the near future."

"Already swiped some from the store room," Leo replied, jerking his head toward the main stairs belowdeck. "No worries. I'll be fine."

"Then go get some rest," Annabeth argued firmly. "Or at least get cleaned up. You look terrible."

Leo gave her a wry grin. "Gee, thanks."

"I say it with love, but it's true," Annabeth said matter-of-factly, patting Leo on the shoulder. "Now get going. I can handle this." He smiled gratefully, finally admitting defeat, before bidding her a tired goodnight and heading downstairs. Annabeth turned toward the helm and noticed that Percy had hung back, and that now the two of them were alone on deck.

"Are you okay?" he asked seriously, following her up onto the quarterdeck.

"Of course," she answered. "Why?" She met his eyes as she came to a halt before the control panel and somehow his expression answered for him. "You mean about Hera," Annabeth said stiffly.

"Yeah," Percy confirmed carefully, leaning on the rail beside the control panel. "I know you don't exactly trust her, but I think we need to give her a chance. She could really be trying to help us."

"Or it could be a trap," Annabeth pointed out as she flicked a switch and pressed a series of buttons (after last summer, Annabeth had insisted Leo show her exactly how the control system of the Argo II worked, in case the situation should ever arise where he wasn't able to fly it. For half-bloods like them, that was a valid concern).

"I don't think it is," Percy insisted, shaking his head. "You heard her—the gods know about the prophecy. It's a threat to them too, not just us. What good would it do them to send us on a wild goose chase?" He leaned around the control panel and directly into Annabeth's line of vision, forcing her to look at him. She gave a short sigh and met his serious gaze. "Look, they probably want to know who's behind this just as much as we do. If we can find out what Nico knows, that'll give us the upper hand, right? Plus, it might help us find out what happened to Camp Jupiter." He reached forward and touched Annabeth's arm, sliding his hand down to grasp her fingers loosely. "I need you with me on this," he said with a small smile.

Annabeth felt her skin tingle at his touch and she couldn't help but smile back. "I'm always with you," she conceded. She reached her arms around Percy's shoulders and pulled him into a tight, comfortable embrace, relaxing as she felt his arms encircle her back. She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of fresh ocean air that always hung around him and had a calming way of clearing her head.

Maybe he was right. Maybe Annabeth was letting her past experience and frustration get the better of her. She was usually one to make rational decisions and fully think through the present situation. What reason could Hera possibly have for lying to them? The gods must have wanted to find out what memories had been stolen from Nico, and Hera had—as she had before—taken it upon herself to interfere with the mortal world in order to get answers. When Annabeth stepped back and looked at the situation objectively, it made a lot more sense.

"You should get some sleep," Annabeth told her boyfriend as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I'm fine here."

Percy's eyebrows knitted together in a frown. "You sure?" he asked.

Annabeth smiled. She loved that caring, concerned look he got when we was worried—especially when he was worried about her. "I'm sure," she said, giving him a light shove toward the stairs. "I'm pretty tough, you know. I can handle flying one little Greek warship."

Percy laughed, his face relaxing. Rather than retreat down the stairs, he stepped forward and leaned down toward Annabeth, pressing his mouth against hers in a brief but meaningful kiss. "'Night," he said with a smile.

"'Night," she responded, before finally he turned and left her alone on the quarterdeck to plot their trip to Los Angeles.

-ψ-ψ-ψ-

It was mid-morning and they were still a few hours outside of the city when Leo came to relieve Annabeth so she could get a bit of sleep before they landed. He looked a good deal better than he had the previous night—all washed and bandaged up. He'd replaced the sling on his arm with a splint fashioned out of wood and cloth, allowing him more mobility but still ensuring that he wouldn't further injure his wrist while it healed. At first Annabeth protested that he needed the rest more than she did. But then she remembered that even on a normal night, Leo only ever slept for maybe four or five hours. Where he got his endless supply of energy, she would never understand.

In the end, Annabeth was glad she allowed Leo to take over. She hadn't realized how tired she was until her head hit her pillow, and she was asleep in seconds. She even slept so soundly that when Hazel came to wake her a few hours later saying they'd just landed in a park in Los Angeles, it felt like no time had passed at all.

After getting directions from some locals, it didn't take them long to locate the Cloud Nine Hotel. According to the people they spoke to, it was one of the ritziest and most expensive resort hotels in the area, and consistently received exceptionally high reviews. Annabeth couldn't say she was surprised, considering it was owned and managed by the gods of sleep and dreaming.

The building itself was a huge, fifty-story edifice that spanned the length of almost half a city block. A wide, perpetually revolving door stood front and center, floored with cool, blue marble and topped with a deep golden awning. A valet was standing beneath the awning across the front driveway with his arms behind his back and his head held high. The words 'Cloud Nine' were hung halfway up the building in giant, golden script, right above the tagline 'Where Dreams Are Made Real'.

"You'd think as the gods of dreams, they'd have more imagination," Percy muttered, making a face and craning his neck to stare up at the words.

"We're not here to criticize their lack of originality," Reyna said. "We're here for information. Now let's get moving." As she led the way across the front driveway, the valet turned and regarded them passively. He was dressed in a crisp, clean uniform of blue and gold, his short, black hair gelled away from his face. His golden eyes studied them, and Annabeth hoped he wouldn't start interrogating them or call the police. Seven ragged teenagers in plain clothes who clearly didn't belong in a five-star hotel—they probably looked like they were up to no good. But to her relief, the valet only gave them a curt nod and turned to stare back out toward the road.

"I hate these things…" Grover complained as they came up to the revolving door. He started to step into it, then yelped and jumped back, evidently changing his mind.

"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said with a short sigh. "It's a door. It won't bite." She grabbed Grover's arm and pulled him into one of the spaces with her—they were more than big enough for two people, and probably their luggage as well. Hazel stepped in with them, while Percy, Leo, Nico, and Reyna followed in the next space.

If the outside of the Cloud Nine was impressive, the inside was even more so. The lobby was floored with rich, royal blue carpeting with flecks of gold accents that matched the molding on the walls perfectly. There was a huge, crystal and gold chandelier high above their heads, casting tiny rainbows across the walls as it caught the light. The reception desk was spread out against the far wall, and the left and right walls were lined with rows of golden elevators.

Only a handful of guests were milling about the lobby, either checking in or out with one of the three receptionists, checking their baggage with a bellhop, or waiting for an elevator. Just ahead and to the left, a smiling man in a sharp hotel uniform stood behind a small desk that looked more like a glorified podium. He looked to be about thirty, with dark hair styled into neat, tiny spikes atop his head, and as he stepped around the desk and intercepted Annabeth and her friends, she noticed that he wore a plated tag that read Concierge.

"Are you checking in?" he asked them pleasantly, looking them up and down. Annabeth was impressed that he kept his expression passive—they didn't look at all like they were checking in at a fine hotel.

Percy shot a glance around them to make sure no one was nearby. "Actually," he said, "we're looking for Hypnos."

"The restaurant?" the concierge said. He spread a gloved hand toward the street. "You'll want to take this road about another two miles—"

"Not the restaurant," Percy interrupted. "The god."

The concierge frowned at them, confusion sparking in his eyes. "I'm… sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."

"Look, we know what this place is, and we know who owns it," Reyna said flatly, glaring at the concierge. "Now let us see Hypnos, or we'll go find him ourselves." The concierge lifted an eyebrow, eyeing Reyna suspiciously.

"Um… Can we speak with the hotel manager?" Annabeth asked politely, exchanging a glance with Percy. This man might not be able to help them, but the manager certainly would. Chances were, the manager would be one of Hypnos' three immortal sons. Hera had said as much, at any rate.

"I'm sorry," the concierge answered in a firm voice, "but unless you kids have a legitimate question or complaint, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Annabeth tried to think of an excuse to convince the concierge that they weren't playing some stupid joke, when suddenly the loud sound of glass shattering interrupted her, followed by a shrill scream. The concierge's gaze focused on something behind Annabeth and the others and his face drained of all color, eyes shooting open in fear.

At the sound of another scream, Annabeth spun around and gasped, eyes landing on the gigantic, man-eating rat that had just jumped in through the hotel window.

Oh, snap! Danger! Haha.

The next chapter's super long - longest one yet, in fact. Should be up Monday or Tuesday. So leave me a review in the meantime!

Later days :)

-oMM