No one seemed bothered that I had Percy first meet Bessie at the dam instead of earlier, so I'm relieved about that. Thank you all for your support in me and this story, and I hope you all like the next update.
Goddamn The Dam
Percy's POV
As I did when I jumped in the water, I was able to resurface without drawing any attention from any mortals. Once back on the ground, I looked down the dam road to the east and I saw two men walking slowly toward me. 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. The kid yelled, and his whole group backed away. I just ran for the visitor center to try and get the hell out of this mess. I was almost to the stairs when I heard tires squeal. On the west side of the dam, 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. I was surrounded.
Wanting to avoid getting involved in any fights and not wanting to get any mortals involved in this, I bolted down the stairs and through the museum entrance. The security guard at the metal detector yelled, "Hey, kid!" But I didn't stop. I ran through the exhibits and ducked behind a tour group. Where was the dam snack bar? And where were those four damn idiots I have to travel with?
"Stop!" The metal-detector guy yelled.
There was no place to go but into an elevator with the tour group. I ducked inside just as the door closed.
"We'll be going down seven hundred feet." The tour guide, a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses, said cheerfully.
I guess she hadn't noticed that I was being chased, not that I had any problem with that or anything.
"Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks." The tour guide said.
As much as I wanted to just get out of here and find a way to get back home and leave the others to do this shit themselves, I knew that I was stuck in this quest. And because of that fact, my arm was twisted a full 180.
"Does this go to the snack bar?" I asked her.
A few people behind me chuckled. The tour guide looked at me. Something about her gaze made my skin tingle.
"To the turbines, young man. Weren't you listening to my fascinating presentation upstairs?" The lady answered.
"I get distracted really easily. Is there another way out of the dam?" I replied.
"It's a dead end for heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator." A tourist behind me said right before the doors opened.
"Go right ahead, folks. Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor." The tour guide told us.
I didn't have much choice but to go out with the group.
"And young man, . . ." The tour guide called.
I looked back. She'd taken off her glasses. Her eyes were startlingly gray, like storm clouds. I didn't know, but something about those seemed familiar to me.
"There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it." The tour guide said as the doors closed with the tour guide still inside, leaving me alone.
Before I could think too much about the woman in the elevator, a ding came from around the corner. The second elevator was opening, and I heard an unmistakable sound, the clattering of skeleton teeth. I ran after the tour group, through a tunnel carved out of solid rock. It seemed to run forever. The walls were moist, and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. I 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 I didn't see any other exit, unless I wanted to jump into the turbines and get churned up to make electricity. I didn't.
Another tour guide was talking over the microphone, telling the tourists about water supplies in Nevada. And of course, this whole thing going on right now was really pissing me off. I just wanted to find Annabeth, Thalia, Zoe, and Grover and get out of here. I worked my way around the crowd, trying not to be too obvious about it. There was a hallway at the other side of the balcony, maybe some place I could hide. I kept my hand on Riptide, ready to strike.
By the time I got to the opposite side of the balcony, my nerves were shot. I backed into the little hallway and watched the tunnel I'd come from. Then right behind me I heard a sharp "Chhh!" like voice of a skeleton. Without thinking, I uncapped Riptide and spun, slashing with my sword. The girl I'd just tried to slice in half yelped and dropped her Kleenex and fell on the ground.
"Oh my God! Do you always kill people when they blow their nose?" The girl shouted.
The first thing that went through my head was that the sword hadn't hurt her. It had passed clean through her body, harmlessly. She was a mortal, and with exception of knocking her down on the floor, she wasn't hurt, which I was relied by.
"Sorry, I couldn't help but feel startled, so I reacted on impulse." I answered, offering her a hand.
"How'd you get that sword through security anyways?" The girl asked, accepting my hand.
'So, this girl could see through the mist. How interesting.' I thought to myself as I pulled her up on her feet.
"Sometimes, security guards can get lazy on the job." I answered.
The girl had a confused look on her eyes, which were green like mine. She had frizzy reddish-brown hair. Her nose was also red, like she had a cold. 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.
"They couldn't possibly be lazy enough to let anyone walk around with a sword. And why didn't it hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining, but still, why? Who are you?" She asked.
All these questions made me feel like she was throwing rocks at me. I couldn't think of what to say. But I had no time to dwell on that. I knew the skeleton warriors were still chasing me. I had no time to waste. So I just used about the least overwhelming honest answer I could give.
"I'm afraid I can't answer your questions." I answered.
"Why not?" She blinked.
"It's complicated. I'm sorry . . . whoever you are." I replied.
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now, are you going to answer my questions, or should I scream for security?" She huffed indignantly.
"No! I mean, I'm kind of in a hurry. I'm in trouble." I said.
"In a hurry or in trouble?" Rachel asked.
"Both." I answered.
She looked over my shoulder and her eyes widened.
"Bathroom!" She exclaimed.
"What?" I asked.
"Bathroom! Behind me! Now!" She demanded.
I don't know why, but I listened to her. I slipped inside the boys' bathroom and left Rachel Elizabeth Dare standing outside. Later, that seemed cowardly to me. But it did save my life. I heard the clattering, hissing sounds of skeletons as they came closer. My grip tightened on Riptide. I felt pretty dumb about leaving a mortal girl out there to die. I was prepared to burst out and fight when Rachel Elizabeth Dare started talking in that rapid-fire machine gun way of hers.
"Oh my God! Did you see that kid? It's about time you got here. He tried to kill me! He had a sword, for God's sake. You security guys let a sword-swinging lunatic inside a national landmark? I mean, jeez! He ran that way toward those turbine thingies. I think he went over the side or something. Maybe he fell." Rachel said.
The skeletons clattered excitedly. I heard them moving off. Rachel opened the door.
"All clear. But you'd better hurry." Rachel said, looking shaken, and had a gray and sweaty face.
I peeked around the corner. Three skeleton warriors were running toward the other end of the balcony. The way to the elevator was clear for a few seconds.
"I owe you one, Rachel Elizabeth Dare." I said, placing a hand on her arm in gratitude.
"What are those things? They looked like, . . .?" she asked.
"Skeletons?" I finished.
She nodded uneasily. As much as I owed her an explanation and even wanted to give it to her, I didn't have the time to.
"Do yourself a favor. Forget it. Forget you ever saw me." I said.
"Forget you tried to kill me?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah. That to." I answered.
"But who are you?" She asked.
"Perseus Theseus Jackson. Just go for Percy though." I answered and then bolted for the exit.
The café was packed with kids enjoying the best part of the tour, the dam lunch. Annabeth, Thalia, Zoe, and Grover were just sitting down with their food.
"Percy, there you are. We saved some burritos for you." Grover said as he saw me making my way to them.
"We need to leave. Now!" I told them.
"But we just got our burritos!" Thalia said.
"He's right! Look." Zoe stood up, muttering an Ancient Greek curse.
The café windows wrapped all the way around the observation floor, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill us. I counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more on the west side, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols. But our immediate problem was a lot closer. The three skeletal warriors who'd been chasing me in the turbine room now appeared on the stairs. They saw me from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth.
"Elevator!" Annabeth said.
We bolted that direction, but the doors opened with a pleasant ding, and three more warriors stepped out. We were completely surrounded. Then Grover had a Grover-like idea.
"Burrito fight!" Grover yelled, and flung his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton.
Now, if you have never been hit by a flying burrito, count yourself lucky. In terms of deadly projectiles, it's right up there with grenades and cannonballs. Grover's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. I'm not sure what the other kids in the café saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming. The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.
In the chaos, Thalia and I tackled the other two skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment table. Then we all raced downstairs, Guacamole Grandes whizzing past our heads.
"What now?" Grover asked as we burst outside.
I didn't have an answer. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. We ran across the street to the pavilion with the winged bronze statues, but that just put our backs to the mountain. The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around us. Their brethren from the café were running up to join them. One was still putting its skull back on its shoulders. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages. They didn't look happy about it. They drew batons and advanced.
"Four against eleven, and they cannot die." Zoe muttered.
"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling.
Something shiny caught the corner of my eye. I glanced behind me at the statue's feet. I couldn't help but stare at the two giant bronze guys with tall, bladed wings like letter openers. They were weathered brown except for their toes, which shone like new pennies from all the times people had rubbed them for good luck. Good luck. The blessing of Zeus.
I thought about the tour guide in the elevator and what she said. There is always a way for those clever enough to find it. I had a feeling I knew who that woman really was. I couldn't tell whether I'd prefer to be wrong or right about it. Either way, I let out a sigh before I said what it was, I was gonna say. I really didn't want to do this, but there was no other option.
"Thalia, pray to Zeus." I said.
"He never answers." She glared at me.
"If you have a death wish for all of us, then by all means, keep being the arrogant, stubborn, prideful piece of shit you seem to enjoy being." I commented.
Six skeletons raised their guns. The other five came forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet.
"Thalia, just do it!" Annabeth exclaimed.
"He won't answer me." Thalia said.
"Try anyways." Grover added.
"What's the point?" Thalia asked.
"We'd rather not die just yet!" Zoe added.
"He never answers?" Thalia repeated.
"Well consider this. We die, Clarisse is forced to raise my child with him/her not having a father in their life. And if that happens, she'll know who to take it out on, dead or alive." I threw at her.
Thalia scowled like she was sure I'd gone crazy. But she didn't seem to know how to comment back at that. Even though the family card has been a card I've gotten tired of having to throw around, it seemed to be the only one that seems to help me out here. So Thalia just closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. I put in my own prayer to Annabeth's mom in my head, hoping, somewhat, I was right that it had been her in that elevator.
And nothing happened. The skeletons closed in. I raised Riptide to defend myself. Thalia held up her shield. Annabeth had her dagger ready. Zoe pushed Grover behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton's head. And Grover, well, he had some quick wits, I guess.
Just then, a shadow fell over me. I thought maybe it was the shadow of death. Then I realized it was the shadow of an enormous wing. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze, and all five of the baton-wielders were swept aside. The other skeletons opened fire. but the bronze angels stepped in front of us and folded their wings like shields. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Both angels slashed outward, and the skeletons went flying across the road.
"Man, it feels good to stand up!" The first angel said.
His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.
"Will you look at my toes? Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?" The other said.
I'll admit, I was a little stunned by the angels, but I was more concerned with the skeletons. A few of them were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons.
"They're getting back up." I said.
"Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.
Both angels looked down at her.
"Zeus's kid, yes? Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?" An angel asked.
"Please!" Thalia reluctantly said.
The angels looked at each other and shrugged.
"Could use a stretch." One decided.
And the next thing I knew, one of them grabbed Thalia, Annabeth, and me, the other grabbed Zoe and Grover, and we flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below us and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains. I really have to wonder what exactly the mist makes those mortals see and hear at moments like this.
"Tell me when it's over." Thalia said.
Her eyes were shut tight. The statue was holding on to us so we couldn't fall, but still Thalia clutched his arm like it was the most important thing in the world. Meanwhile, Annabeth was tightly clutching onto me rather than the statue's arm, which I wasn't very comfortable with.
"Everything's fine." I promised with an irritated sigh.
"Are . . . Are we very high?" Thalia asked.
I looked down. Below us, a range of snowy mountains zipped by. I stretched out my foot and kicked snow off one of the peaks.
"Nah, not that high. Or at least not as high as we could be." I answered.
"We are in the Sierras.'" Zoe yelled.
She and Grover were hanging from the arms of the other statue.
"I've hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours." Zoe added.
"Too bad it's the wrong day to be high. 9/11 was three months ago, and we're not New York anymore." I joked.
"Percy, what is wrong with you?" Annabeth asked me.
"First amendment for the win, dipshit." I replied.
"Hey, hey, Frisco! Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!" Our angel said.
"Oh, man, I am so there!" The other angel Chuck said.
"You guys have visited San Francisco?" Annabeth asked.
"We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while, right? Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And . . ." Our statue said.
"Hank! They're kids, man." The other statue Chuck cut in.
"Oh, right. Back to flying." Our statue, Hank, said with a, if bronze statues could blush, I swear Hank did.
'So they were Hank and Chuck. Hank and Chuck. Chuck and Hank. Dumbasses.' I thought.
With how we sped up, I could tell the angels were excited. The mountains fell away into hills, and then we were zipping along over farmlands and towns and highways. Grover played his pipes to pass the time. Zoe got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as we flew by. Every time she saw a Target department store, and we passed dozens of them, she would peg the store's sign with a few bullseyes at a hundred miles an hour. Thalia still kept here eyes tightly shut and tightly hold onto Hank's arm. She muttered to herself a lot, like she was praying. Annabeth kept herself wrapped onto me, which I still had no appreciation of. And me, I kept longing for all of this shit to end so I could get back to Clarisse. I wondered if she was doing alright, and hoping she was being taken care of.
"Nice to see you make yourself useful back there. I guess Zeus was listening to you after all." I commented.
It was hard to tell what she was thinking with her eyes closed, but honestly, I didn't really care.
"How did you get away from the skeletons in the generator room, anyway? You said they cornered you." Thalia asked.
I considered telling her about the weird mortal girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who seemed to be able to see right through the Mist. But considering how spooked she seemed when she saw those skeletons, I figured it was for the best all-around that I try to leave her out of this.
"I got lucky. Despite how much I've healed, I can't say I'm in top shape for this shit." I answered.
"Well, for what it's worth, we're very happy to have you here Percy." Annabeth said.
I just sighed. But that sigh ended up being cut short when Annabeth leaned in and placed a kiss on the corner of my lips. My eyes widened at this. When her lips left mine, she placed her head on the crook of my neck. I looked over to her with a disturbed look on my face. She seemed to pass out after that. Much like when we were in the truck, I really didn't want to have to deal with her throwing this shit at me. Same with when she was asleep on me when I was driving the truck all the way back when I was trying to get my mother back from Hades while I was being framed for being the Lightning Thief technically, but that's for a different reason. Either or though, I wasn't in any position to get her off. Both figuratively, and literally, what with how we were tightly clutch into the arms of a giant statue and everything.
'I missed Clarisse.' I thought.
And as I dwelled on that feeling, I thought back to when I saved Bessie, and how holding her made me think of what it would be like to hold my baby. It made a scene play in my head. A scene where I was in fact holding a baby in my arms, couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl though, as I laid on my bed back in my cabin. It was nighttime and I was all dressed for bed in a sleeveless shirt and basketball shorts. Coming from the bathroom was Clarisse came over in nothing but her undergarments (No one tell her that I fantasized her in nothing but her undergarments).
"Sound asleep?" Clarisse asked.
"Yeah, little tyke passed out pretty easily." I answered.
Clarisse sat next to me, placed her head on the crook of my neck, and wrapped her arms around me and our child while looking at our baby with a smile that was much bigger than the average Clarisse kind of smile.
"You know, I never really thought I'd be lucky enough to have this kind of life." I said.
"We're even then." Clarisse said and then placed a kiss on the corner of my lips.
I turned to her direction and placed a kiss on her lips, which she eagerly returned. The break of the kiss led to us rubbing our noses together.
"I love you." I said.
"I love you to." Clarisse said.
At the end of the scene, I intended more than ever to return to the mother of my child, and was determined to tell her just how much she's come to mean to me.
To explain why I haven't been writing much lately, back in December, my dad had spinal surgery. He had two raptured disks on his spine, and they had to be removed. So my mom, brother, and I have been taking care of him and doing some extra stuff throughout the winter. Well, mostly my brother and I have been pretty busy helping my dad and everything, but you all get the point. Now, he's back to work and happy to be walking on his feet again. And my work hours are overall back to normal, so I should be good to be back at writing. I'll update again whenever I can.