Chapter 2

Nico laughed quietly to himself. The door was locked and the windows were shut. He laughed and looked at the soul catcher in his hand. He whispered to it. "I don't know if you can hear me or not, Annabeth, but I just wanted you to know…with you 'dead' there is nothing standing in my way of getting what I want. So thank you for dying." He laughed lightly and slipped the catcher back under his shirt. It was attached to a leather cord.

There was a knock on the door. He schooled his face and opened it. Clarisse. She looked shaken. First, they loose their top strategist, and then, their leader flips out and goes all godly powers on them and vanishes into the sea. They were having a very trying day. Nico cackled inwardly.

"Yes?"

"Zeus wants a meeting. Athena declares an inquest."

Nico stuck his tongue in his cheek. "There's no body."

Clarisse shot him an irritated look. "She wants to know what the silver stuff was."

It meant that, when her soul was trapped in a soul catcher, her physical body dissolved and is waiting to be restored and reunified with its soul. Keeping those pleasant thoughts to himself, Nico shrugged. "Who knows. Death is always containing new mysteries. I don't know if I'll ever learn them all."

Clarisse sighed. "Percy went berserk. He didn't mean what he said, by the way. Give him a few days and he'll apologize."

Nico nodded. "I know." They started walking to the Big House. "Who's going?"

"All the leaders of every cabin. And the Olympians."

They piled into their vans. Percy had been taken earlier by his father and Athena. Apollo was going to check him for something or other.

The trip was deathly quiet; Nico almost snickered at the analogy. Everyone was still in shock. The battle had occurred only ten hours before. They traveled up the elevator and walked into the Olympian Throne Room.

Nico stared coolly at his father. Hades knew what that silver light meant. He also knew that only Nico could return Annabeth to her natural state of what is commonly known as 'alive'.

Nico gave him a quiet smile. A smile that assured him that he was not going to return Chase. Hades sighed and looked away.

Once everyone was assembled, Zeus looked at Hades. "What was the silver? I have never seen a hero, mortal or not, die like that." Percy looked up slowly and stared at Hades. His green eyes smoldered.

Hades sighed. "You've never seen it, because it never happens. I wanted to give the girl a fast track to the Isles of Blest."

Nico felt his eyebrows lift. Interesting. He not only covers for me, but he gives me a cover story that no one can dispute. He also said 'wanted to' and therefore tells the truth, because Apollo isn't shouting at him. Nico was impressed.

Zeus sighed. "At least she is there."

Percy looked slightly relieved but sadness crept into his eyes and made his shoulders sag. He wasn't angry anymore, not furious, just grief stricken. "It's going to be impossible to get to her now…" He leaned his head forward and gave a low groan.

Hades stared at the boy. "You have done as much, if not more, Jackson. I'll will send you there as well, when you die."

Percy gave him a look of such pure thankfulness that it made Hades uncomfortable. Nico raised an eyebrow. He was telling the truth? Nico had underestimated Hades' generosity.

He smirked slightly. If all went according to his plan, Percy would never see Annabeth, or even think about her, again.

Yo! Okay, so I'm going to upload a new chapter every Sunday. Every Sunday. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

I love it!

Ink...