I love the end of this chapter, it's cute.
Replies:
Rage2091: She is a fighting nut but it is hard to fight something like Apophis.
thickneck: I honestly have no clue, you'd think they'd try and help but no, no they seem to stick to their own issues. Which brings up the question what would happen to the Greeks if Apophis had won? I mean, Kronos just wanted to rule again so I can see that it might not have a huge effect on the Egyptians but Apophis wants to eat the world like, would he eat them too?
Guest: Apophis is the king of talking bullshit to try and manipulate to get what he wants.
Ryan Fowler: As he should be.
Jubby1905: Looks at later chapters: I mean, you're not wrong.

Percy wasn't out for long, and she was too dazed to do much of anything- or to take anything in.

Alyssa and Felix were clearly on guard duty for her, they fussed over her as she came around- but the fact that Carter wasn't there fussing over her was what scared her most.

After what she'd done there was only one reason Carter wouldn't be fussing over her was Sadie. The only reason he wouldn't be right there when she woke up was if Sadie was in worse condition than Percy was.

Thankfully by the time Percy was with it enough to fend of Felix and Alyssa's concern Sadie was sitting up slowly, and Percy felt a rush of relief when she heard her sister's voice.

"W-what happened? How long."

"You were dead for two minutes-" And Percy's stomach dropped at that, and she scrambled towards Sadie quickly, wrapping her arms around her sister, and Sadie's arms wrapped around Percy in return. "Gods you two." Carter's voice shook violently. "You need to stop scaring me okay. My heart can't take it."

"We're really sorry Carter." Percy gave her most innocent look, which earned a snort from him.

"Percy, I love you but I know that you're not actually that sorry."

"You summoned Ma'at," Alyssa said in amazement. "That's like…impossible- and Percy you- you actually held off Apophis- that stuff he was saying-"

"It doesn't matter." Percy shook her head, "Sadie's the badass who summoned Ma'at."

"I got lucky." Sadie murmured the words, "I couldn't- Percy was in pain, he was hurting her I had to stop him." she shifted slightly. "What about the golden cabinet do we have it?"

"Agh!" Khufu gestured proudly to the gilded box, which sat nearby, safe and sound.

"Good baboon," Sadie said. "Extra Cheerios for you tonight."

Walt frowned. "But the Book of Overcoming Apophis was destroyed. How will a cabinet help us? You said it was some kind of clue…?"

"Apophis definitely wanted to destroy it." Percy bit her lip. "There- whatever was in the Book that he wanted to get rid of- it was a way to destroy him completely. And- And the box can help us somehow. Sadie is right."

"What she said." Sadie nodded, "I don't know how yet but- if the Texans let us take it back to Brooklyn House…" then Sadie froze, her brows furrowing before her expression turned horrified, "The Texans! What's happened to them.

And- Sadie was right, there were no more explosions outside all there was was silence.

Felix and Alyssa bolted for the exit and Percy staggered to her feet and rushed after them, ignoring the fact that her whole body was still a mass of pain, locks of white hair slipping out of the ponytail and into her face as she followed the others.

The guards had all disappeared from their stations. When they reached the museum foyer Percy saw columns of white smoke outside the glass walls, rising from the sculpture garden across the street- Percy had heard a party out there when she arrived- she'd thought nothing of it but now- somehow despite her injuries and weakness she overtook Alyssa and Felix, sprinting across the street- and what had clearly been a well-kept lawn was now a crater as big as an Olympic pool. The bottom was littered with melted metal sculptures and chunks of stone. Tunnels that Percy knew from her father's lessons had once led into the Fifty-first Nome's headquarters had collapsed like a giant anthill some bully had stepped on. Around the rim of the crater were bits of smoking evening wear, smashed plates of tacos, broken
champagne glasses, and the shattered staffs of magicians.

Percy stared in horror, moving almost in a daze towards the remains of a patio. Half the concrete slab had cracked and slid into the crater. A charred fiddle lay in the mud next to a gleaming bit of silver.

Percy felt her stomach clenching horribly even as Carter and Sadie caught up with Walt close behind.

"W-we should search." Carter's voice was shaking. "There might be survivors."

"There aren't any." as she spoke Sadie bent down slowly and picked up the gleaming piece of silver- a half-melted Lone Star belt buckle that Percy recognised.

Percy blinked back tears. She hadn't known the man by JD had seemed a good person, had been helping them.

"He killed them all." Percy murmured the words, her eyes scanning the area and coming to rest on the edge of the crater- where there was a familiar hieroglyph burned in the grass.

Her hand moved automatically, pressing against the bandage on her neck that hid the matching glyph on her own neck.
And Percy found herself hunching over- and she was glad that she'd not had time to eat breakfast before leaving the First Nome because if she had she'd have emptied her stomach contents- as it was all that came up was bile- unpleasant but it could have been worse- and Sadie rubbed her back comfortingly as she heaved.

Once she'd managed to stop came the important things- the small group searched the area- but it was quickly very clear that no one had survived- and they did have a time limit- they didn't want to get caught at the scene by the police who's questions they'd never be able to answer.

They fixed what damage they could- though there was only so much they could do on a time limit, before they headed up to the roof as police blocked the streets and cordoned off the blast zone.

After watching for several moments Carter whistled loudly, and a few seconds later Freak the griffin glided over from the top of the nearby Fairmont Hotel.

Percy found herself smiling when she saw the Griffin, who she knew her brother adored.

"FREEAAAK!" Freak cawed.

"Yeah, buddy," Carter agreed. "Let's get out of here."

The boat trailing behind him was an Ancient Egyptian model—shaped like a big canoe made from bundles of papyrus reeds. Percy could remember when she'd first summoned it- it felt like a lifetime ago, and Percy had to assume that it had been enchanted by Walt, based on some of the hieroglyphs carved into it, so that it could carry them all.

And soon enough they were airborne.

Usually Percy would have enjoyed it, would have been messing around with Felix as he pretended to be Santa- hey, even she didn't pretend to understand how her friends mind worked.

In any case this time Percy felt too drained for that, so she curled into Carter's side as his arm wrapped around her tightly, and she closed her eyes.

After all that had happened it should have been impossible for her to doze at all- but she did, she'd always felt safe when she was cuddled up close to Carter, ever since she was a frightened five year old and he'd offered her his handkerchief.

So she drifted, not quite sleeping but not fully awake either as they travelled through the Duat, and then out again.
Percy surged into wakefulness as she spotted Brooklyn House though, warmth rushing through her.

She'd once told Sadie that her family was her home- and that was true, as long as she was with her family she was home.

Those words had probably even saved the world six months ago when Sadie had used it to call her out, to help her regain control of her own body from Apophis.

But- well, her family had been split- it wasn't complete if she wasn't with Carter and Sadie. It never would be- and even with their visits it hadn't been enough.

Besides, she was willing to admit that these days when she thought of home it wasn't just her family that she thought of but Brooklyn House.

She let out a breath as she stared at the five-story mansion of limestone blocks and steel-framed glass rising from the top of the warehouse, glowing with yellow and green lights.

Percy was almost bouncing as they landed- and she almost squealed when she saw Bast, who was waiting.

"My kittens are al-Percy?!" and Percy giggled at the shock in Bast's voice as she vaulted out of the boat and Bast caught her, strong arms wrapping tightly around the youngest Kane.

"I'm home."

"She showed up there." Carter explained.

"Are you all okay? No injuries?"

"Percy might have some-" Sadie pointed out- which made Percy turn her head and poke her tongue out at Sadie.

"Traitor." because Bast was pushing up Percy's sleeves and tutting loudly- and Percy winced at the sight- thick raised red lines, welts almost, twining up her arms- and she knew there would be matching ones on her legs and twining up over her belly.

"What happened?" Bast asked as she examined Percy, "Is everyone safe?"

"Well..." Sadie let out a shaky breath before explaining what had happened, which made Bast growl, a deep noise in the back of her throat.

Her hair poofed out, but the braid held it down so her scalp looked like a heated pan of Jiffy Pop popcorn. "I should've been there," she said. "I could have helped!"

"You couldn't." Carter shook his head, "The museum was too well protected."

Bast's bodysuit turned pure black, as it tended to do when she was moody. "Still, I'd never forgive myself if you…" She glanced at the tired, frightened crew. "Well, at least you're back safe. What's the next step?"

Walt stumbled. Alyssa and Felix caught him.

"I'm fine," he insisted, though he clearly wasn't. "Carter, I can get everyone together if you want. A meeting on the terrace?"

He didn't look fine- and Percy felt a rush of sorrow as she stared at him and wondered how long he had left- his families curse must be weighing heavily on his now.

"We'll meet tomorrow." Carter decided after a moment-which Percy was grateful for. "You guys get some sleep. What happened with the Texans…" his voice caught. "Look, I know how you feel. I feel the same way. But it wasn't your fault."
Not that anyone seemed to believe it. Felix wiped a tear from his cheek. Alyssa put her arm around him and led him toward the stairwell. Walt gave Sadie a glance Percy couldn't interpret—maybe wistfulness or regret—then followed Alyssa downstairs.

"Agh?" Khufu patted the golden cabinet.

"Yeah," Carter said. "Could you take it to the library?"

A moment later Khufu was gone and so was the cabinet, and Percy was leaning into Bast's side heavily as Carter turned to Sadie and Bast. "We need to talk. Percy-"

"I'm not goin' to bed. I want to be involved. I need to be involved and you guys know it. Apophis won't let you keep me away from all this."

And Carter must have known better than to argue because they headed inside together.

It must have been around midnight but the Great Room was still buzzing with activity. There were some people Percy recognised, some she didn't crashed on the couches, watching the sports channel. There were three kids- even younger than Percy who were coloring pictures on the floor. Chip bags and soda cans littered the coffee table. Shoes were tossed randomly across the snakeskin rug. In the middle of the room, the two-story-tall statue of Thoth, the ibis-headed god of knowledge, loomed over the initiates with his scroll and quill. Somebody had put one of Amos's old porkpie hats on the statue's head, so he looked like a bookie taking bets on the football game. One of the little kids had colored the god's obsidian toes pink and purple with crayons, which made Percy giggle tiredly.

As they came down the stairs the guys on the couch got to their feet,

"How did it go?" one of the guys- Julian if Percy remembered right, asked. "Walt just came through, but he wouldn't say—"

"Our team is safe. The Fifty-first Nome…not so lucky." Carter told him.

And Julian winced, but he didn't push for details. "Did you find anything helpful?"

"We're not sure yet,"

At which point a girl, maybe four or so, toddled over to them to show them a crayon masterpiece- which made Percy smile. "I kill a snake," she announced. "Kill, kill, kill. Bad snake!"

She'd drawn a serpent with a bunch of knives sticking out of its back and X's in its eyes.

Percy couldn't help but pull away from Bast at that, "That's awesome." she gushed excitedly, "But you gotta do more knives okay?"

"Percy!" Carter let out a shaky laugh, but he had a weak smile on his lips as Shelby's face lit up.

"You're Percy?"

"Yep-" and Percy was startled to find the little girl hugging her legs.

"You killed snake before!" and Percy felt something tight in her chest.

"Yeah, yeah and we'll kill the stinky snake again. You'll see."