"So you don't know anything?" Nico pressed, following after his father's robes as he strode through his palace. "Nothing at all?"

"For perhaps the hundredth time, no." Hades said curtly, removing a large leather bound book and flipping through it. "I was not even aware one of the souls from Elysium had gone missing until you brought it to my attention. The other gods may have some inkling as to what is going on, but I would be the last to know. Of course that should not surprise me, but it is rather tiresome nonetheless. I have saved them more times than I can count and yet they insist on keeping me out of the loop."

Nico suppressed his desire to roll his eyes. His father was in a mood to rant about the unfair treatment of the other gods and little would be able to bring him out of said mood. "Do you at least know how a soul would be taken?" He asked hopefully.

"Thanatos generally keeps a very good eye on such things." Hades told his son, slamming the book shut and replacing it on the shelf. Persephone looked up from where she was reading by the black fire that flickered in Hades' fireplace and shot her husband a sour look. When Hades turned his back she and Nico shared an exasperated expression and Nico hid a smile. Persephone had recently been much kinder to him than she usually was, a welcome reprieve from her former coldness. The Lord of the Underworld turned back around and glared at the two of them suspiciously. "When he returns I will ask him if anything has been amiss in the Underworld."

"Can't you just Skype him?" Nico sighed. "I know you have him in your contacts. He added me a few weeks ago by accident."

"That actually was not by accident." Hades admitted, pulling his tablet out of a fold in his robes. "I asked him to look after you in the off chance I was busy."

"I can look after myself." Nico insisted with a scowl that accentuated his resemblance to his father. "Also, while we are on the topic of you being busy what's with the Di Angelo Funeral Homes?"

Hades blinked in surprise and then smiled ruefully, the expression odd on his normally angry face. "Well, I rather thought that you would enjoy a summer job." Hades admitted. "Most other children your age seem to take enjoyment in the idea of earning money, so I thought that I would give you the same opportunity that they had. Consider it me teaching you financial responsibility."

Nico was actually at a loss for words. He had thought it might have been a joke on his father's part, Hades was not known for his sense of humor after all, but hearing that he was actually touched. "Well… thank you." Nico said awkwardly.

Hades smiled back with just as much awkwardness. "Of course." He sighed and shook his head. "I will do what I can to find out about the missing soul. If something has been plundering Elysium that necessitates further investigation."

One of the massive doors to the mansion opened and a terribly handsome man with wings as dark as midnight stepped through. "Ah, Thanatos." Hades greeted. "I was hoping that you would be stopping by soon, I needed to speak with you."

"You couldn't have Skyped me?" The god of death inquired with a raised eyebrow. "You both have me in your contact list."

"That's what I said." Nico agreed, nodding to Thanatos in lieu of a greeting.

"Since I am here, what did you need my lord?" Thanatos asked politely, pulling his iPad out of his suit and beginning to tap away at the screen with a stygian iron Stylus. "I don't see any discrepancies in the soul collection for the day. Are there new names to add?"

"Not quite." Hades told him regretfully. "There has been an issue with Elysium."

"An issue my lord?" Thanatos asked curiously. Nico couldn't help but notice that his voice constantly took on the tone that one would assume when telling someone that a dear friend had died. It was very disconcerting, especially given Thanatos's propensity for sarcasm. "What issue would that be?"

"One, and possibly more, soul has been taken from Elysium." Hades said heavily. "A daughter of Aphrodite by the name of Silena Beauregard."

Thanatos glanced questioningly at Nico. "Was she assisted?" He asked finally, placing his tablet back into the folds of his suit.

Nico scowled at the implication. "I didn't pull her out." He said.

"From what my son has told me she was taken unwillingly." Hades said smoothly, cutting off the impending argument. "What's more is that she has no idea as to who removed her from Elysium."

"Would you like me to send her back?" Thanatos asked, pulling out his tablet again and tapping furiously at the screen. "I have a marvelous new iReap app. Very handy for souls that are proving to be a hassle. One touch and the mortal drops dead in their place."

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm I am afraid that would not be in our best interest." Hades said regretfully, placing one finger on Thanatos's tablet and lowering it before the god of death could do something hasty. "The demigod in question has been made the host of the Oracle of Delphi. At present the Oracle is of great import to the gods. Killing its host would only anger Zeus, which I simply do not feel like dealing with."

"Would the Oracle not simply transfer hosts as it has done before?" Thanatos stowed the tablet back in his coat, rather unhappily Nico noted.

"It is certainly possible." Hades nodded. "But as the culprit behind the young lady's abduction is still at large it is entirely possible that there is some sort of trap being laid out. If you were to reap the soul of the Oracle's current host it could set off a rather undesirable, and unforeseen, chain of events. Best to let her be for now. Plenty of time to send her back to Elysium once this mess has been sorted out."

"Speaking of Elysium," Thanatos withdrew a sheet of black paper from a pocket and handed it to Hades. "A number of demigods were killed today during an attack on Camp Half-Blood."

Nico, who had been only half-listening to the conversation, immediately gave the gods his full attention. He longed to snatch the paper from his father and read through the names, desperate to see if any of his friends had been hurt, but he restrained himself. "May I see that once you are finished, father?" He asked with cold indifference. It wouldn't do for his father to see his worry.

Hades perused the list for a moment before handing it to Nico. "I suppose that we should expedite their applications." He sighed. "Otherwise their godly parents might take offense and come down here to yell at me."

"Understood."

Nico scanned through the list several times, recognizing many of the names. Some of the demigods were only barely familiar, but others he had spoken with several times. It was odd for him, a son of the Underworld, to actually mourn people's passing and yet he could not help but feel a sliver of remorse. The last name on the list, Aiden Bishop, sent a particular feeling of agony through him. Aiden had been Will's closest sibling. The little kid would often follow him around like a lost puppy but Will, rather than find it annoying, merely laughed and often invited him along. Aiden had been around so much that Nico had grown rather fond of his perpetual smile and good mood. Stronger than Nico's own feeling of loss was his worry for his boyfriend. Will had truly loved Aiden like a little brother. He would be devastated with the news of his death. "Death is a part of life." Thanatos's words were clearly directed at him, and Nico glanced up to the impassive face of the god. "That is what makes life so precious."

"I know that." Nico snapped. "You don't need to remind me."

"All the same." Thanatos extended his hand for the list and Nico regretfully handed it back to him. He glanced back to Hades and said, "Also, Artemis has added another to her Hunt so his name will need to be taken off of the register if it was ever there."

"His?" Hades and Nico repeated, in unison. They exchanged surprised looks and then turned their attention back on Thanatos simultaneously. Hades asked, "She added a male to her Hunt? After what happened with Orion?"

"That's what she said." Thanatos said coolly. "His name was Ryker I believe, son of Cybele. Actually that is the reason I came to speak to you. I could not find his name on the soul register and I was hoping that you could shed some light on the situation."

"Perhaps." Hades shrugged noncommittally. "I would have to check a few things. It is not unheard of for a demigod to be removed from the record. As unfortunate as it is, the other gods are always planning something and the soul register is not very well guarded."

Perhaps it was just Nico's imagination but he was certain that Persephone seemed to have taken a rather keen interest in the conversation when Ryker's name was mentioned. The demigod dismissed it, but something told him that Persephone had something to do with Ryker's name being missed in the registry. "Well, father," Nico began, "If it is all the same to you I will be returning to the surface now. I'm sure that Chiron will be wanting me there to arrange for the funeral rites."

"Very well." Hades nodded at his son. "It was good of you to stop by. I will send you more information regarding the funeral parlor once I get a spare moment."

Nico stepped into a shadow in the corner of the room and vanished, leaving his father, Thanatos, and Persephone by themselves in the Underworld.