Author's Note: (What's the world coming to? Environment issues, corrupt governments, and annoying author's note at the start of everychapter?) Hi, thanks for reviews, and putting me or just the story on those alert systems. My inbox made me so happy when I saw all of you. THANKS! :) Oh, and it's one day late because ... well, I got wrapped up in a book, and I had planned to put it down and type. Too bad it was 3 A.M. BY THE TIME I STOPPED. Ah well. Better late than never, right?

"AARGH! SO COLD!" Nico squealed, as Thalia shoved the ice-pack in his face.

"It's an ice-pack, Numb Skull, it's supposed to be cold." She grumbled.

As you know, after Percy left to go to the Lotus Casino, Thalia and Nico went to the infirmary so Nico could lick his wounds.

Chiron, on the other hand, had know idea where the three went. He waited outside the Big House, like they would normally do for him. At first, he figured they were playing a joke on him, trying to make him wait like he'd made them. But it was noon already. That would be taking it too far. Then he started getting worried. If they didn't train, their powers could go haywire on them again. And at first nothing would happen. Everything would be fine until the body registered the lack of strain on their powers. But once it did ... this could be very bad.

Annabeth was freaking out. The Lotus? Didn't he know how powerful the temptation would be? Didn't he know how many monsters could intercept him on his way? Didn't he know how stupid his whole plan was? Of course not. He was Percy. But she didn't think he was thatstupid. I mean, how idiotic do you have to be to think you can go across the country, get a card from one of the most dangerous traps in the world, come back in one piece, and there not be any consequences? Even if he did make it back, he'd be punished for going out of camp without permission. Ans then there was the fact that she didn't even care about the money anymore. She just wanted him to be safe again. Mainly, so she could kick his butt back to the stone age for trying something so stupid.

Max was lost when it came to Nico. Though at this point, he could be sure of one thing. Nico was avioding him. Why else would he be away so much? What had he done to make Nico despise him so much? What could he possibly be threatened - ... Oh no, he doesn't think I'm ... oh no way.Max suddenly realized what was really going on. Nico thought he was stealing their father away from him. Nico thought Max was basically a usurper. Stealing his only family away, no wonder why he was so distant. Max had to find him. Now.

"You done yet, Bone Bag? We've got to start training. I'm pretty sure Chiron'll be spazing out right about now, and we promised Fish Face we'd make up a good story about him." Thalia told Nico, leaning on the door frame.

"Fine, whatever." Nico said, as they walked out of the Big House.

Chiron was waiting impatiently on the porch with Mr. D. "Oh, thank the Gods!"

"You're not welcome." Mr. D growled from the other side of the porch.

"We're fine," Nico stated. "Let's just get to trai-"

"Where's Percy?"

Nico looked to Thalia. "Uh, he's got bad diarrhea. Yeah. He'll be in there for a long time. Maybe even two full weeks by the sound of things. I wouldn't go in ten feet of the bathrooms if I were you. Stinks like ... well, if you've ever stuck your nose up a skunk's *** while it's *******-"

"We get it, Peter stinks. Can we move on already?" Mr. D grumbled.

"I don't care if he smells like the back end of the minotaur, he needs to train. His life - and possibly many others - depend on it." Chiron said gravely.

Nico and Thalia exchanged looks, and Thalia said, "Just checking - metophorically here - um ... how long could Percy go without training?"

"At this stage, I'd say 72 hours at the most."

"WHAT?" They both yelled.

"So now you know how serious the situation at hand is. Go on, get Percy."

"We can't," Nico said. "He's-"

"Uh, he's also got bad gas." Thalia finished glaring at Nico. "It's the worst smell you'll ever-"

"Go get him now." Chiron ordered.

"But-"

"Go!"

Thalia and Nico looked nervous, but they reluctantly went to the bathroom pavilion.

"What the Hades are we supposed to do now?" Nico yelled.

"We could ... we ... um ... uh ... We can I.M. him-"

"It's no use, the Kelp Head won't listen to reason. He won't stop until he's dead."

"Then ... we'll just have to drag him back to camp ourselves." Thalia decided.

"WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nico shouted.

"You got any better ideas?"

Nico couldn't think of anything. He shook his head, "That's insane. Our powers'll go crazy, too."

"Maybe ... I don't know, maybe if we stay in our element, it won't happen."

"So, what? ... I'd shadow travel, and you'd-"

"Fly." Thalia shuddered.

Nico stared at her for a second, remembering how terrified she looked in a simulator. "You sure? We don't even know if it'd make a difference. It might not matter if we're in our element or not."

"I- ... If there's a chance to help ..."

Nico understood instantly. He too knew if there was even the slimmest chance they could help him, they'd both be racing out the door to do it. "Look. I could get him myself, there's no reason to endanger more of us than we have to."

Thalia glared at him like, WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO WHAT I JUST SAID?

"Right ... So, I guess I better go pack for Texas." Nico confirmed, starting off towards Hades cabin. He turns and says,"Oh, and by the way, with shadow traveling - if I go to the right place - I should be there tonight. It might take you two a little longer. Try and stop him on the way, and if you can't, I'll be waiting on that beach. We'll trap him."

Thalia nodded, liking the sound of an actual formulated plan.

He turned back and hustled over to his cabin. Thalia sighed. It was even two hours, and all ready the Kelp Head was in mortal danger. Stupid Percy.

She was off towards Zeus cabin, to gather a necessary amount of junk to take with her, when she gave a glace towards the stables. Blackjack was saying his final goodbyes and preparing for take-off. Wait. He was still there. Which meant ... Thalia had a ride. "WAIT! Er, Hoarse! Stop!"

She sprinted over, yelling for it to wait. She caught Blackjack's attention, and he watched her run over waving her arms like an idiot. When she got close enough, she told it, "... Okay ... I need your help. Percy, needs your help."

Blackjack's ears perked up at the mention of his name.

"He's going to kill himself doing what he's doing, and I need to stop him, but I need you to help. I need you to take me with you to Palacois Bay."

Blackjack cocked his head sideways, like a confused puppy. Thalia sighed angrily, "You can't even understand me, can you? Arrgh! If you can hear me, just listen. Percy's sick. I am too, but he's the one who's going to kill himself. Please," Thalia said, closing he eyes. "He needs you."

Blackjack nudged her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to see him motioning for her to get on his back. Even though she couldn't understand him, he whinnied, Anything for the Boss.

She jumped up onto his back, and clung around his neck like it was her long-lost sibling. Just as Blackjack was backing up for the running start, Thalia realized what she just signed up for. She was going to fly. She panicked in her mind, and a cold sweat started dripping from her forehead. Oh Gods. Oh my Gods. Oh my freakin' Gods, this is actually happening, oh Gods, oh Gods, oh ******* Gods!

Blackjack's trot had turned into a full-out gallop, and he spread his wings. Thalia was close to hyper-ventilating.

Blackjack's hooves stopped hitting the ground, and Thalia heard a forgien, high-pitched scream, that she later realized was her own. She was so terrified, that tears almost made their way out. Her heart was pounding so hard, her chest threatened to burst.

They were offically off the ground, and Thalia couldn't of been more hystairical. Too bad they had to fly all the way to Texas.

Nico was about to go into his cabin, when he was intercepted by Max. Nico's face drained of colour, "Max? L-look, I don't have time-"

"It's okay. I know what's wrong." Max said, in an understanding voice.

Nico stared at him, "You do?"

"Yeah, and I completely understand. I'd be mad too if I thought somebody tried to steal Dad."

"What? Wait ... you really were trying-"

"No!" Max interrupted. "I didn't mean to intimidate you at all. He's as much your Father as he is mine."

Nico grumbled darkly, "Then you hate him too?"

"Hate him? But ... why?"

Nico shook his head, "Long story short, he hates me, and I didn't know I hated him back until a couple days ago. And ... I guess you were right about why I avoided you, but it doesn't matter anymore. He's yours, take him."

"Nico," Max said in concerned voice. "Why do you hate him so much? You can tell me."

"I just told you, he hated me first!"

"I bet that couldn't be further from the truth. I bet he loves you, he just doesn't show it because ... he's Hades. The only kind of love he knows is tough love. Don't give up on him, Nico. You only get one Dad."

Nico thought hard for a while, then said, "It's too late, Max. I already gave up on him when he didn't care how my sister died." He realized that was where his hatred stemmed from. When he first met his father, it was right after Bianca died, but Hades showed no signs of remorse, or love, or even bitterness for the one who killed her. He was completely unphased, and ever since then, Nico knew somewhere in the back of his mind, that Hades simply didn't care

A silence between them ceased when Max finally said, "... Then ... I can be your family."

Nico stared at him. "What?"

"I-I can be your family. I can take care of you. If you don't have a mother anymore, and your sister passed, and Dad is not an option, that leaves just you and me. Together. I know I'm a poor substitute for any of those, but I want the chance to try. We're brothers."

"Half-brothers," Nico reminded, because he wasn't sure if he could take losing another family member.

Max's eyes took on a more dicouraged look, but he said, "Well that just means I'm half family. Any family's better than none at all."

Nico thought this over, then said, "Alright. Go ahead and try, but I've got to go to Texas-"

"What? Why?"

"Well ..." Nico started explaining about the disease, and it all started piling out. Everything. When he was finally finished, he said, "... So now the big idiot needs our help, and I have to go to Palacois Bay to head him off. We're going to trap him."

"Then I'm coming too." Max decided.

"WHAT? NO!"

"Why not?"

"Because ... 'cause ..." Nico couldn't think of a reason not to, except, "What if I have an attack, and start hurting you?"

"If you do, I can be there to make sure you won't hurt anyone."

"That's not what I asked." Nico persisted.

Max sighed, "It's okay, I'll be fine. I just want to make sure you're safe."

Nico considered bringing Max along. Taking down Percy would be easier with three people. There weren't any drawbacks, except the fact that he might get hurt. "Okay. Can you shadow travel?"

"Uh ... I don't know. What's that?"

Nico's jaw dropped, and he asked disbelievingly, "You've never shadow traveled before?"

"Nope. I just found out I was Hades's son last Christmas, remember?"

Nico chuckled, "You're going to love it. Hold on to my wrist, I can transport us both."

Max grabbed hold of his wrist awkwardly, not knowing what this was supposed to accomplish. Nico concentrated on a point just ahead of them, and imagined the space tearing open. It did. Max stared at it, intrigued. Once they rip opened up just enough so Nico knew Max couldn't hit is head, Nico charged straight into it, dragging Max behind him.

Cool. 15, so, I'm not freaking out like I did with chapter 10, but it's a mile stone, I guess. Not a big one, but I guess it is to some extent. Anyway, October 12th is less than a month away! (The Heroes Of Olympus)

P.S. One of my side projects is coming along nicely.