A/N: How is it possible to have writer's block for a filler chapter? Sorry to those of you who've been anxiously awaiting news of poor Percy's fate. You're going to have to wait a little bit longer, because I didn't have the heart to torture our hero for four straight chapters. I really just want to get to the good part of this story, but unfortunately I have to build up to it so that the events make sense. Sigh. Enough of this rambling, though. Please enjoy this break from sadism, and don't forget to leave a review!

Double Cross

VII Annabeth

December 16

"Chiron," she called, walking impatiently through the Big House. Her hands were trembling with excitement. She might have a lead. She might be able to find Percy, after all this searching. Her brisk footsteps were the loudest sounds in the house, but not the only ones.

"—clouded even from me. You need to send more people out to look."

Annabeth paused, glancing at the closed door cautiously. They were talking about Percy; she was sure of it. And that voice sounded familiar, though she couldn't quite place who it was. She inched closer silently, her curiosity momentarily getting the best of her.

"I know, my lord," came Chiron's weary voice. "We have all the satyrs searching, and if we don't develop any more new leads, I'll send out whatever demigods we can. But there are only so many, after the war…"

"I'm aware of that. But this is of vital importance, Chiron," the first voice said firmly. It was deep and strong, but not unkind. "The disappearances of my sister and my son are not unrelated. If there is something powerful enough to overcome both of them, we need to know."

My son.

Annabeth caught her breath. Poseidon was in the other room. This was the first contact with any god since a month ago, when Olympus had closed. If the situation was serious enough that one of them had come down…

"Lord Poseidon, as much faith as I have in my pupils, I fear that they will not be able to unearth, much less defeat something capable of kidnapping Percy, who is invincible in combat, as well as keeping a goddess captive for nearly a month. If—"

"There will be no more discussion of this topic. And I believe you have a visitor with something very important to tell you." Before Annabeth could take more than a step or two away, the door swung open to reveal a tense Chiron standing next to a man in Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt who looked so much like Percy that it hurt.

Annabeth was pretty sure that her face was the color of a tomato, but she tried to maintain some of her dignity. She bowed and said, "Lord Poseidon. It's an honor to have you here."

The sea god just winked. "Ah, but I was never here. Because that would make my brother very angry, now wouldn't it?" He turned into mist, leaving behind only the scent of the ocean.

"He was here against Zeus's orders, wasn't he?" Annabeth asked, turning to Chiron. He sighed and nodded, his face wearier than ever.

"Yes. Things are… not good on Olympus at the moment. Many of the gods are unhappy with Zeus's decision, but he refuses to change his mind."

"And what did he say about a goddess being kidnapped?"

Another sigh. "Unfortunately, I am forbidden to speak about it. It seems that secrecy reigns on Olympus nowadays." He shook his head. "But what did you have to tell me, my dear?"

Had it been anything less important, Annabeth probably would have forgotten what she had wanted to say.

"I had a dream last night," she began, her voice shaking a little with excitement and nerves. "From Hera. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't trust her or even listen to what she had to say, but she told me how to find Percy."

Chiron's jaw actually dropped. "The Lady Hera? She told you how to…" He blinked suddenly and cleared his throat. "It's just unexpected, I mean. Olympus is closed, and the fact that she chose you of all people to communicate with… But what did she say?"

She raised an eyebrow at his unusual behavior, but let it slide. "I'll find the answer to my problem at the Grand Canyon, where there'll be a person with one shoe. That has to be Percy. I need to go, Chiron."

"Yes," he sighed. "You do. You can't ignore this kind of lead. But do be careful, and bring someone with you, okay?"

She grinned, the first real smile since she realized that her boyfriend was gone, and nodded.

"Yeah. I'll bring Butch; he's good with the Pegasi, and not a bad fighter either. And I'll go ask Clarisse for the flying chariot, too." She walked briskly out the door, buzzing with excitement. She was going to find Percy, and bring him back to Camp, and then kick his butt for disappearing, and then everything would be fine again. Naturally, the rational side of her muttered that her little fantasy was probably not going to happen, because demigods' lives simply aren't that easy, but she ignored reason for the moment because she simply did not have the emotional energy to consider the more realistic possibility that all her problems would not be solved by one journey to Arizona.

And so, just for a few moments, the daughter of Athena allowed herself to live in her personal, delusional dreamland, because it was better than real life.