Ch34

For Percy, the ride to his mom's place was awkward as hell. Annabeth told him about the Iris Message she received about Nico leaving the ranch but outside of that she was still not really talking to him. "You know," he said as he looked out of the window and saw the various trees and buildings pass by. "If Magnus seems like he is hiding something it may be for a reason," Annabeth avoided his gaze as she looked out of the window though he did notice that she glanced at him quickly. "Like to protect you."

"I don't need to be protected," she said in a snide tone. "If anything you both need protecting."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. This is going well he thought sarcastically. "You know if Magnus and I say we were hiding something have you ever thought that we aren't doing it just to piss you off and that maybe we swore not to talk about a certain thing?" He said putting a lot of emphasis on the word swore.

Annabeth looked at him and for a moment he saw shock in her eyes but she just rolled them and turned to look out the window again. Oh Gods this is getting better and better he thought. You know this is kind of ironic I know she hides things from me and Magnus but Gods forbid Magnus and I share a secret. He sighed as he tried to not get angry at what he perceived was hypocrisy on Annabeth's part. She hides things me and avoids telling me the full truth all the time yet I can't share a secret with Magnus? It wasn't that he didn't value her friendship it was just that he was finding the current situation really unfair. I mean yeah I lied about Ogygia but still it doesn't give her the right to treat us like that, especially Magnus he did nothing wrong, I chose to lie for him.

The rest of the trip to his mother's apartment was quiet with neither one of them speaking to the other. Due to traffic, he arrived at his mother's place at around noon. When they got to her place he knocked on the door and when his mom answered she ran and hugged him. "Oh Percy I knew you were ok," she said as she hugged him tightly.

"Thanks mom, sorry a lot has happened," he said.

His mom smiled at him and looked at Annabeth, "It is nice to see you again Annabeth, what brings you both here?" She asked as she invited them both and offered refreshments.

He drank some juice and had some cookies as he told his mom the story of the quest and everything (minus the scary parts which was everything so he dumbed it down a bit).

"So you wrecked Alcatraz and caused Mt. St. Helens to erupt but at least you are safe," she said with a sigh.

"Yeah that is pretty much it," he said. "How are things with Paul?" He hadn't seen him since his orientation.

"Oh he has been asking about you but I told him you are volunteering at a summer camp. He knows something is different about you," His mom said. "He knows you are a nice guy and hopes you will do well at this school."

He felt Annabeth watch him and was giving him a sympathetic look, it wasn't easy being a half-blood in the mortal world after all.

"Mom if you are serious about him I'll tell him everything after this is over," he said.

His mom looked surprised, "Really you would do that?"

He nodded, "Yeah I will."

"Fine I'll let him know you will be back for your birthday. Will Magnus and Tyson becoming?" She asked.

He noticed Annabeth looking away and grip her glass rather tightly. "Um yeah I believe they will."

"Well they are both welcome to come. You to Annabeth I am sure Percy would love to have you come too," his mom said. Percy felt his face redden while Annabeth looked down and mumbled thank you. "So what is the problem now?"

Annabeth looked up from her cookie, "Percy has a plan."

He nodded and explained to his mom his plan. "Sounds dangerous but I am afraid I can't see much through the mist now that I am older. When I was younger I was able to do it more but not so much these days," she said with a sigh. "Just promise me you both will be careful ok."

"We'll try Ms. Jackson," Annabeth said. "Keeping your son safe is a big job." She folded her arms and glared out the window while I picked at my napkin and tried not to say anything.

"What's going on between you two? Have you been fighting?" She asked neither of us said anything. She sighed, "Well remember you two Grover is counting on you both."

"I know," They both said in unison causing him to feel more embarrassed.

His mom smiled, "Percy why don't you use the phone in the hall." He nodded and headed off to the phone, he had Rachel's number memorized so it wasn't hard calling her and asking her to meet up.

When he finished he found his mom behind him, "Mom what is it?" He asked.

His mom smiled at him, "Percy I don't know what is happening between you and Annabeth but I am sure things will work out."

"Thanks mom," he said. "Its just that she has been mad at me and Magnus. There is something we can't tell her and she is mad at both of us. She was so mad she wouldn't let him continue the quest with us."

His mom gave him a sympathetic look, "Well I am sure she just feels left out and feels that you two are ignoring her. I am sure things will work ou don't worry," He only nodded. "Invite her to your party I am sure she will appreciate that."

"Thanks mom I'll think about it," he said. He honestly didn't know if Annabeth would even want to come to his party.

After talking with his mom he met up with Annabeth and headed off to meet Rachel Dare. We arranged to meet Rachel Elizabeth Dare in Time square and found her painted in gold. Everything from her hair to her clothes was painted in gold. She was standing like a statue with various other kids all painted different metal colors. There was a sign underneath Rachel's fee that said. URBAN ART FOR KIDS, DONATIONS APPRECIATED.

They both stared at her for about five minutes as she just stood there. "Should we push her? Annabeth asked. He shook his head and said no and they waited a bit longer until a kid painted in silver came up and replaced Rachel as she unfroze and got down.

"Hey Percy," Rachel grinned. "Good timing! Lets get coffee."

They went to a free Starbucks and got some drinks as they sat down. "So Annabel right?

"Annabeth," Annabeth said. "Do you always dress so gold?

"Not usually," Rachel said as she drank her coffee. "We are raising money for a group project for elementary students since the arts are being cut from school budgets and stuff. We get around five hundred dollars on a good weekend. Let me guess you are a half-blood to right?"

"Shh," Annabeth said in an irritated tone. "Just announce it to the world how about?"

Rachel shrugged, "Ok," she got up on her chair. "Hey everybody these two are half Greek God." No one even looked as she shrugged and sat down. "They don't seem to care."

"This is not a joke mortal girl," Annabeth said glaring at Rachel as if she just personally insulted her.

"Ok you two lets just calm down," he said.

"I'm calm," Rachel said. "Every time I am around you or Magnus some monster attacks us, what's to be nervous about anyway? Oh speaking of Magnus where is he? He actually called me this morning to tell me that you might want to see me."

Percy was taken by surprise I didn't know he would do that. He must have Iris messaged her for me. He looked and notice Annabeth's nostrils flare as she gripped her cup tightly. "Um he had to stay for some personal reasons."

"Ah ok that's too bad he is pretty cool," Rachel said as she sipped her coffee. "I see his other friends too often they are nice, one of them even helped us with some crafts to sell." Percy saw that Annabeth still looked upset.

He cleared his throat and Rachel seemed to get the message and stopped talking about Magnus. "Yeah they are but anyway we need your help," he said as Annabeth looked at her coffee.

"Really you need my help?" Rachel asked looking at Annabeth.

Annabeth stirred her straw looking away. "Yeah, maybe."

Percy sighed as he told Rachel about the Labyrinth, and how we needed to find Daedalus. he told her what had happened the last few times we had gone and that she might be our only hope.

"So you want me to be your guide through a place I've never been," Rachel said.

He nodded, "You can see through the mist just like Ariadne from the myths. I believe that you can do it but it since it won't be able to fool you easily."

"And if you are wrong?" She asked nervously.

"Then we will get lost; either way it will be dangerous, very dangerous," he warned looking her in the eyes but he saw no fear in them.

"I could die?" She asked

"Yeah you could," he said.

Rachel sighed but she did not appear afraid. "I thought you said monsters don't care about mortals and that sword of yours can't hurt me?"

"Yeah celestial bronze doesn't hurt mortals. Most monsters would ignore you; but there is a guy named Luke, he does not care at all. He will use anyone and anything for his goals and is not afraid to kill anyone who gets in his way," he warned.

"Sounds like a nice guy," Rachel said with a sigh.

"He's been deceived," Annabeth said defensively. "He is under the influence of a titan," she said through gritted teeth.

"Aren't titan's the bad guys of Greek mythology?" Rachel asked.

She has you there he said as Annabeth nearly stood up. He quickly put his hand on her shoulder and she glared at him as if saying why do we have to work with her? He looked back at her replying be quiet we need her for this quest.

Annabeth sighed and sat back down, "Sorry," she mumbled as she avoided looking at Rachel.

Rachel just looked at them and sighed, "Ok I'm in."

I blinked; I didn't think it would be that easy. "Are you sure?"

"My summer has been pretty boring so far; this is the best offer I have so far. So how do I find this place?" She asked.

"We have to find an entrance to the Labyrinth," Annabeth said. "There is an entrance at Camp Half Blood but you can't go there it is off limits to mortals," she said saying mortals as if it were something terrible while looking at Rachel with a condescending look.

Rachel just nodded, "Ok what does an entrance to the Labyrinth look like?"

"It could be anything," Annabeth said. "A section of a wall, a boulder, a doorway, anything really it just would have the mark of Daedalus on it. A Greek Delta on it that glows blue."

Rachel just nodded, "Like this?" She asked as she took out a marker and drew a delta symbol."

"Yeah you know Greek?" Annabeth asked.

Rachel shook her head. "No but let me get changed and come with me to the Marriott."

"Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Because there is an entrance like that in the hotel basement where we store our costumes. It has the mark of Daedalus on it," Rachel said.

He and Annabeth both nodded as they followed Rachel to the hotel. She got a quick shower and changed and when she was done lead them to the downstairs basement. The metal door was half hidden behind a laundry bin full of dirty towels. At first I thought it was a normal door before Rachel pointed out a faint blue symbol etched on its surface.

Annabeth grabbed the handle and as soon as she touched it glowed blue. The metal door unsealed and creaked open revealing a dark staircase leading down.

"Wow cool," Rachel said in awe. "So what now?" She asked looking at them.

"You are the guide lead on," Annabeth said in mock politeness.

Rachel gulped and nodded and for a second he thought she was going to have second thoughts however, she led them down the staircase. The stairs led down to a large brick tunnel and they turned on their flashlights as soon as it got dark.

"We should go straight," Rachel said as they reached a fork in the tunnel.

Annabeth frowned, "That is the least likely route I believe."

"You don't see it? Look at the floor," she said pointing to the floor. They both looked down but saw nothing. "There is brightness there, it is faint but forward is the correct way. To the far left are a bunch of moving tree roots and on the right there is a trap about twenty feet down."

He didn't see anything but he just nodded. "Ok forward then."

"You believe her?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah don't you?" He said. Annabeth looked like she wanted to argue but she said nothing.

They continued to walk down as the tunnel twisted and turned as they headed deeper underground. "So no traps?" He asked.

"No nothing, should it be this easy?" She asked.

"I don't know it never was before," he said.

"So Rachel where are you from exactly?" Annabeth asked though the way she asked it sounded as if she asked what planet are you from."

But Rachel didn't look offended, "Brooklyn."

"Will your parents be worried if you are out late?" Annabeth asked

"No not likely, I could be gone for a week and they wouldn't notice or care," Rachel said with a shrug.

"Oh, why not?" Annabeth asked, this time not sounding sarcastic.

"Its a long story but we don't exactly get along," Rachel said with a sigh. "Oh are you and Magnus related?"

Annabeth nodded, "Yeah we are cousins."

"Cool, you both look like siblings," Rachel said as she led them down the path.

"Yeah I get that a lot," Annabeth said as she looked to the side. Percy swore she appeared sad as if she had some weight on her chest.

"Ah ok, he seems like a cool guy," Rachel said. However, Annabeth said nothing as they continued to walk on their path through the Labyrinth.