As always you guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter, in which Annabeth is realizing something fairly important and you may all be happy about what else happens. Also for the people who like Thaluke, the next story- the short one based between this and the Labyrinth is gonna be real good for you guys so look forward to that.

As soon as the others were inside Annabeth was yanking Percy to the edge of the dam overlooking the lake. "You heard it too didn't you-a mooing-"

"I think it's Bessie but-"

"Shit." they reached the edge and leaned over to look down.

He was about thirty feet below in the lake, but Percy could still see him and she let out a panicked groan. What the fuck was the Ophitaurus doing there?

"Gods." Percy hissed the words, glancing around frantically. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citizens. Some families.

But nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any attention yet. That was good. "What are you doing here boy?"

"He followed you." Annabeth's expression was terrified, "Percy he's chosen you as his protector that-"

"He can't be here! We're being hunted by monsters that'll try and make Thalia kill him-"

"You-" Annabeth let out a frustrated noise, "Do you not think that maybe there's a bigger reason he chose you?"

"Because of my dad-"

"No because-ugh now isn't the time." Annabeth shook her head. "He needs to leave."

"Right." Percy turned her focus back to the monster, "Bessie-boy I know you feel safe with me or whatever but you need to go boy. Shoo-"

"Moo!" his mooing was frantic and worried- like-

"I think he's trying to warn us about something." Percy shook her head, "This is so bad. Bessie go please-" Bessie wanted Percy to go down there, she was sure of it, the Ophitaurus was butting his head against the dam.

"Oh gods." Annabeth grabbed Percy's shoulder and forced her around, and Percy looked towards where the blonde was pointing, towards the road that led to the dam from the east.

There were two men moving towards them. They wore gray camouflage outfits that flickered over skeletal bodies.

They passed through a group of kids and pushed them aside. A kid yelled, "Hey!" One of the warriors turned, his face changing momentarily into a skull.

"Ah!" the kid yelled, and his whole group backed away.

Percy and Annabeth exchanged panicked looks and they spoke in unison. "Bianca."

Then they were turning and sprinting off towards the visitor center, Percy almost dragging Annabeth with her.

They had almost made it to the steps when the noise of tyres squealing on the west side of the dam.

Both girls twisted to look and a black van swerved to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly plowing into some old people.

The van doors opened and more skeleton warriors piled out, surrounding them.

Percy let out a frustrated snarl-they really needed Bianca right now-they didn't have Nico so she'd be the only one who could kill the skeletons-and gods but she didn't even have any control of her own powers-Percy forced down a wave of grief and longing.

No matter how much she wished Nico were with them, he wasn't. She was going to have to accept that and move on. She couldn't get caught up in her grief or they'd end up getting in trouble.

Thankfully Annabeth hadn't froze at all and she was dragging Percy down the stairs and through the museum entrance. The security guard at the metal detector yelled, "Hey, kids!" but neither of them stopped.

They spend through the exhibits, Annabeth's nails digging into the back of Percy's hand as they ducked behind a tour group-they could hear the guard yelling after them but there was no way he'd keep up.

The girls looked around frantically-but the others were nowhere to be seen-"

"What do we do?"

"Elevator." Annabeth was dragging her towards the elevator, which already had a tour group inside of it.

They ducked inside quickly, Percy pressing herself close to Annabeth as they did, her heart pounding in her chest as the doors closed less than a second later-they'd only just made it.

"We'll be going down seven hundred feet," the tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses. She didn't seem to notice that they had been being chased-which was kind of odd. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks."

"We need the snack bar, can we get there from here? Where does this go?" Annabeth spoke up quickly, which made some of the tourists chuckle.

"To the turbines" the lady said. "Weren't you listening to my fascinating presentation upstairs?" she stared at Annabeth, and something about her expression put Percy on edge.

"Oh, uh, sure. Is there another way out of the dam?" Percy asked quickly-because Annabeth seemed to falter-clearly she felt uncomfortable under the gaze of those tinted glasses, and Percy did too-something about the way the womans lips tilted down when her face focused on Percy gave her the impression that the tour guide didn't like her, which was ridiculous.

"It's a dead end," a tourist behind them said. "For heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator."

The doors opened.

"Go right ahead, folks," the tour guide told them. "Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor."

Percy and Annabeth let the tourists file out first, and Percy moved to leave the elevator, but her grip on Annabeth's hand meant that when Annabeth stopped so did she-and she glanced back to see that the tour guides hand was resting on Annabeth's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Annabeth's voice was tight as the woman stared at her for a moment before releasing her.

"Remember. There is always a way out for those who are clever enough to find it, and even my father may occasionally listen to his children." as Annabeth stumbled out of the elevator, almost colliding with Percy as she did the woman pulled off her glasses and Percy and Annabeth gasped in unison-Percy stared at the eyes-a startling shade of gray, one that she'd seen so many times before, and Annabeth's breath caught in her throat.

"M-mo-"

"You are clever, Annabeth. Dispite your poor taste in friends. Make me proud." and then the elevator doors were closing even as Annabeth was yanking her hand free and darting forward, hitting the closed doors an instant too late as she let out a cry.

"Mom!"

"Annabeth-" Percy felt her heart breaking at the look on her girlfriends face-the desperation-but they didn't have time. "Annabeth come on." she grabbed Annabeth's arm, hauling the blonde to her feet. "We've gotta go." Annabeth would do the same for her if she was the one having a moment she knew-and she cursed very loudly in ancient Greek when she heard a the ding of the elevator around the corner and then a familiar clickety chattering sound-skeleton teeth, and she was pulling Annabeth with her after the tour group through a tunnel carved out of solid rock that seemed to run forever.

The walls were moist, and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. They came out on a U-shaped balcony that overlooked this huge warehouse area. Fifty feet below, enormous turbines were running. It was a big room, but Percy didn't see any other exit, unless she wanted to jump into the turbines and get churned up to make electricity. Since that wasn't a good option she turned her gaze to Annabeth, who swallowed hard and shook her head, forcing herself to focus. "What do we do?" Percy tried not to sound too panicked.

"We have to find a way out to get to the others." Annabeth's voice was determined, though she gave Percy a very shaky smile. "Thanks. I just-my mom."

"I know." Percy nodded, "C'mon." they worked their way around the crowd as subtly as they could-Annabeth had spotted a hallway at the other side of the balcony, maybe there was some place they could hide until they could get out.

It didn't take them too long to reach it, though both of the girls were almost shaking with nerves by the time they did, backing into the hallway and keeping an eye on the tunnel they'd come from for skeletons.

Percy was gripping Riptide in its pen form tightly, her heart pounding in her chest-it felt so loud that she was sure Annabeth would be able to hear it.

Then right behind them there was a noise- a sharp chhh type of sound that instantly made Percy think of the skeleton's clacking teeth.

Both Annabeth and Percy whirled around, releasing each others hands and Percy had Riptide uncapped before she was even fully turned and it sliced through the figure behind them-and Percy only just had enough presence of mind to grab Annabeth's arm before the other girl could pin the newcomer to the wall and press her dagger to her throat.

"Mortal!" Percy hissed the word and Annabeth froze, both of them staring in shock at the girl-and it was definitely a very much non skeletal mortal girl, stood behind them.

The girl dropped the tissue she was holding, hands still up by her nose-she'd been blowing it Percy realized-the noise had been a sneeze.

And the girl herself was gaping at them. She was maybe an inch taller than Percy, around the same height as Annabeth, she had long reddish brown hair-more red than brown, and her nose was also red like she had a cold-which she probably did if she'd been sneezing Percy realized with a sinking feeling. She wore a big maroon Harvard sweatshirt and jeans that were covered with marker stains and little holes, like she spent her free time poking them with a fork.

"What the hell?" the girls voice was high pitched, startled, "Do you usually try and kill people when they blow their noses? And what did you mean mortal? And how did you get that sword past security-"

"Shit she's clear sighted." Annabeth groaned, "Just what we need-we don't have time to explain-"

"Explain what?" the girl demanded, "Why you have swords and daggers-and how did you even get those in here and-are you wearing a li-" she was cut off by Annabeth slapping a hand over her mouth unceremoniously.

"Listen, I'm sorry but we don't have the time to explain. We're in trouble and in a real hurry." she moved her hand and the girl stared at them for a moment.

"Who are you two-"

"Percy and Annabeth." Percy answered quickly, "Listen-"

"My name is Rachel. Rachel Elizabeth dare and I want one good reason as to why I shouldn't scream for security right now-"

"We could shut you up before you managed to take a breath." Annabeth's voice was tight, "We don't have time for this-"

"Well you need to make time-"

"We're being hunted down by evil skeletons sent by my kinda stalker." Percy hissed, "Who is not, before you ask, an ex."

"Evil skeletons-" Rachel stared at them with her mouth hanging open before she tensed, her eyes widening. "Bathroom!"

"What?"

"Bathroom, behind me now." she stepped side, and she was stood in front of the door to a boys bathroom, grabbing both of their arms and shoving them into it.

Percy yelped and stumbled as she did, and only Annabeth grabbing her arm stopped her from hitting the ground.

Seconds later she and Annabeth were pressed to the door listening to the familiar clattering hissing sounds of the skeletons as they came closer.

And then Rachel started talking.

"Oh my god! Did you see those kids? It's about time you got here. The girl with dark hair tried to kill me! She had a sword, for god's sake. You security guys let a sword-swinging lunatic inside a national landmark? And her blonde friend wasn't much better she had a freaking dagger! I mean, jeez! They ran that way toward those turbine thingies. I think they went over the side or something. Maybe they fell."

There was excited hissing and clattering, that started to get distant as the skeletons moved away and a few minutes later the door was opened again.

"All clear but you better hurry." She looked shaken. Her face was gray and sweaty.

A glance around the corner told Percy that three skeleton warriors were running toward the other end of the balcony. The way to the elevator was clear for a few seconds.

"We owe you for this." Percy said quickly.

"You-your stalker actually sent skeleton monsters after you?"

"Yeah, it's a long story-"

"One you don't have time to explain?"

"We're sorry." Annabeth grimaced, "We really are, but we have to go-"

"Right." Rachel nodded, "I just-the things I see. I'm not insane?"

"No." Percy shook her head, "No you're not." then she and Annabeth were bolting for the exit.