The Man in the Suit
I tensed. He knew I'd dreamed about him... somehow... "Bianca? You look sick." I whipped my head around to see the man looking at me with a concerned crease in his forehead and a smile on his lips. Slowly, Percy and Leo turned around, too. We were all silent as we surveyed each other. "So, Bianca? These are your friends? Percy Jackson and Leo Valdez? I expect more of you," he said, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
I gritted my teeth. "What do you want... d-er-dude?" I asked. Percy glanced at me, but when he heard the guy start to cackle, he turned his attention back to him. I knew who he was. I knew who he was. Oh Gods. I knew him.
"I think you should know that, Bianca," he said through laughter. Why on Earth was he laughing? Didn't he know what had happened to my brother? Of course, he'd always liked me better, but what gave him the nerve to laugh?
Leo frowned and growled, "Answer her question. And while you're at it, explain who you are."
"Oh, Bianca can tell you both those things," he responded. Crap. Percy and Leo both looked at me.
I kept my gaze on the man in the suit. "Could you please tell them, daddy?" I asked innocently. My friends gaped at me and I batted my eyelashes like I was a little girl again. Hades melted. I was such a Daddy's Little Girl.
"OK, sweetie. I'm here to warn you. Gaea has bad things in mind for you. Really bad things. Oh, and boys. Please tell Bianca what you were doing in the desert," Dad said and then burst into flames, disappearing. There was silence as the mortals glanced around murmuring something about burning food. They were so clueless. Ha-ha-ha.
I smiled at my companions as if nothing had happened and looked forward. "Bee. On. Kuh," Percy finally stuttered. I beamed at him.
"Yes? Is there something wrong?" I asked pouting at the end there. He just stared at me in awe.
He blinked and mumbled, "We were looking for you. We were looking for your body to... dispose of. We were on our way back from Camp Jupiter. Annabeth pointed out that it was kind of disrespectful to leave you out there, rotting. Leo found you and you didn't look dead so he started poking you and you freaking opened your eyes. I think I peed myself when I saw you. You were dead, and I'd let you die..." I was silent and turned to the window. I saw nothing special outside, now. Percy had gone all quiet. Serves him right for trying to burn me. Serves him right for letting me die... No. That wasn't fair. I'd made that decision on my own.
I thought about Ares. Blah, blah, blah, he was right. A strand of hair fell into my face and I preoccupied myself by blowing it up and letting it fall, tickling my face. I hated myself for letting Percy and Leo get caught up in this. I was supposed to be dead and that was that.
You really should show some respect, girl. Gratitude would be nice, too. You owe it to your brother. I jumped and grabbed Percy's elbow. "What happened, Bianca?" he asked nervously. I fervently glanced at him and Leo. Leo was wishing he was next to me.
"I-I-I-Gaea-I-I-" I stuttered. Percy wrapped his arms around me. I had begun to shake uncontrollably.
"She talked to you?" he whispered. I nodded and wrapped my one good arm around him, beginning to cry. He murmured reassuring things to me until I was all cried out and Leo was coughing fakely. We pulled away from each other.
Leo had on a placid expression. "It's our stop," he said. I nodded and sniffed, standing up shakily. Leo took this as an opportunity to wrap his arm around me for support. I rolled my eyes, but I still needed him. My thigh just couldn't take it. We made it outside and I noticed the sign in the distance. I squinted to read it.
WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND