Yes hello it is I with another chapter. Thalia's assumption that all nerds know where the library is was said only with love and affection- and I do love the library :) Thank you so much for your reviews, I want to reply but then I'm awkward and then I fail and can't figure out how (I failed ICT, can you tell?) BUT THANK YOU ALL I READ EVERY ONE AND THEY MAKE ME HAPPY. Please keep reviewing!
Annabeth should have known. A cop that shows up within seconds of you calling him? How is that not a super power? She had no idea how she didn't figure it out before.
Thalia was the one who told her. Annabeth needed to find where the Oracle was, and apparently Miss Grace had the perfect guy for the job.
"Okay, meet him by the pretzel stand across from the library- and I know you know where that is because you're a nerd and nerds love the library- and he'll take you to the place where the Oracle is. I'll wait for your call and follow" Thalia said "And then the actual plan thing is all yours"
Annabeth did have a plan forming, and now she had a way of getting to the Oracle she could really iron it out. She would go in alone first; offer herself up to the villain whilst simultaneously getting as much info as possible (Annabeth was scarily good at this- people tended to just tell her things even when she didn't want them too, like Drew), allowing Thalia to sneak in and grab the Oracle. Then Annabeth would drag her ass out of there, not starting a fight as this is a rescue operation and considering how Leo was taken out so easily, she would not be going in guns blazing. Maybe Thalia's friend could get her out of there. That would be easier.
So, Annabeth stood by the pretzel stand across from the library, waiting for someone to approach her and tell her that her shoelace was untied (it wasn't, that was a code- because Annabeth felt cooler that way). Thalia had told her friend to seek out the girl in the Yankees cap, so all Annabeth could do was wait. And wait. And wait. She considered actually buying a pretzel after ten minutes, just so she could look like she was doing something instead of just stood there.
"Hey, your shoelace is untied" A voice said, and Annabeth turned to find Nico Di Angelo stood behind her, still in his uniform and smiling in that usual grim way of his.
"Nico? You're the guy?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow.
"You're Night Owl? You're a lot cuter without all the feathers" Was his reply, and Annabeth controlled her automatic blushing that came whenever someone paid her a compliment.
"Thanks. So, you know how to get to The Oracle?" She asked. Nico nodded.
"I'm Hades' son. I inherited his shadow travelling powers. And his dog, but I thought this was too dangerous to bring her along to. If the Oracle didn't see this guy coming then he's strong"
Annabeth found it so weird to have Nico talking to her about superhero stuff, she'd written him off as just a normal Sheriff. And he was a Hades kid…
"Wait, Hades had two children?" She asked without thinking, and Nico's face dropped. Exactly like Annabeth's did when anyone mentioned Athena.
"Crap, Nico, I'm sorry-
"It was a long time ago. Bianca was my sister, but she and I chose different paths; she just happened to choose the one that killed her. Its fine Annabeth, calm down"
Annabeth gave him her best 'I am so sorry I said something stupid and please don't hate me' eyes and he chuckled a little. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Have you got your feathers? What do you do, stick them on or something?" He asked curiously.
"Nope, they're part of me. We should go, this guy has had Oracle for almost twelve hours"
Nico nodded and took Annabeth's arm, and the whole world grew dark, everything melted away and warped into one big grey smudge. Annabeth felt as if she was flying, faster than she could possibly fly, and clung to Nico subconsciously.
When it stopped they were somewhere else entirely, and Annabeth almost took poor Nico's head off trying to get some distance between them.
"I don't think anyone else has ever clung so much when I do that" He grumbled, and she coughed awkwardly, looking at the surroundings she found herself in. It was an old storage warehouse, in the more industrial part of Olympus that never really took off. The huge doors were open slightly, the inside dark. Nico and Annabeth exchanged glances.
"You should put your feathers on now I think" Nico suggested, and Annabeth did so. She could feel Nico's dark eyes staring as the feathers grew in place of her hair and along her arms and neck, charred black as always.
"I'll text Praetor, tell her to take watch and call for backup if we're not back in an hour since she was so interested before. Stand by, I'll signal you if I need you. Call Huntress, tell her to get over here" Annabeth ordered, pulling out her hero mobile that she kept in her jeans. Praetor had text her earlier, asking what she was going to do about the Oracle. Annabeth had told her that she and Huntress would handle it. But just in case, she needed someone as backup.
Praetor, can you keep a lookout today, stop anyone from trying to interfere with the Oracle thing? If you don't hear from me in an hour, assume we need backup
Within minutes her phone buzzed.
Already on patrol. I'm counting down an hour as we speak.
Annabeth put her phone back in her pocket and began pulling away her clothes, revealing her usual hero outfit underneath. Thalia appeared from behind the building, wearing her parka and hunter clothes, carrying a bow and knife.
"You know, I didn't expect you to bring that" Annabeth said, gesturing to the bow. Thalia scowled under her balaclava.
"Well Nightshade isn't here is she? You need someone at long range to help out. Now lets get this show on the road"
Annabeth nodded and turned to the doors, taking a deep breath before slipping inside silently. She and Thalia had mastered the art of silence, and often used it to sneak up on each other at work or home to scare each other. Thalia was an expert and mastered it first, but Annabeth had caught on, which she was glad about as she made her way further into the building.
"Well, there's my favourite hero" A male voice said, and Annabeth whipped around, locating the voice in the shadows. She narrowed her eyes and focused, fixing on a figure in a gold mask.
"What do you want with me? Where's the Oracle?" She demanded, and the voice chuckled, low and at ease.
"Now now, don't be so hasty, she's completely fine. I only wanted her as bait, I practically gave her five star treatment. As for you; well, you can help me out" He explained. Annabeth made a noise as if to say 'yeah, right'.
"Oh, and what could I possibly help you with?" She asked dryly, backing away slightly as the man came forward.
"You're smart, Night Owl. You can help me bring him to life" He said. Annabeth frowned.
"Who?" She asked suspiciously.
"His name is Kronos; maybe you have heard of him"
Annabeth faltered. She couldn't speak. Her feet stayed rooted to the floor. Kronos. Kronos.
"Gaea's son? You want me to help you wake up Gaea's spawn?" She breathed.
"Now, you're not still sore about that Gaea business are you?"
Annabeth wanted to punch him. Screw the 'rescue operation', screw the fact that she had no idea what he could do; she wanted to hit him so hard he didn't wake up until Christmas. Next year.
"He killed my mom, you apathetic asshole. And I will never help you wake up her son. Over my dead body" She spat.
"That's what it will come to if you refuse" He sung softly, sauntering forward with an arrogant air to him.
"Where's Oracle?" Annabeth asked through gritted teeth. The man clicked his tongue.
"She's around" He told her vaguely.
"Is she even here? Or was this all a trick to get me here?"
"Depends; are your friends outside a part of your trick to get me here?"
Annabeth scowled.
"I don't know who you are or where you came from but you better bring me Oracle now-
"Or what, Wise Girl? Will you hoot at me? Tell me some facts? You're nothing. All you have is a brain; the others are stronger, faster, better than you in almost every way. Typhoon is only your partner because you can't fight alone. Just like with Gaea, you are useless"
Annabeth clenched her fists and stared at a point on the wall in front of her, refusing to rise to him however much she wanted to. Oh, she wanted to pummel him to the ground and show him, show him that she is not the same girl she was. Show everyone that she wasn't helpless. She hadn't been given the chance, but she'll get one soon.
"You trying to knock my confidence? Make me fight back? Try something else, that's elementary" Annabeth told him, adding a fake yawn for Authenticity. The man chuckled.
"You know I like your fire, always talking bigger than you are. If you work with me, you wouldn't be in those other hero's shadows; you'd be respected by everyone in this God forsaken town and everywhere else. Kronos could give you so much more than you have" He cooed, playing with the feathers on Annabeth's head gently "He could fix these broken feathers"
"I don't need fixing, I don't need someone to get me respect; I have it, and we're a team" Annabeth responded icily.
"So, my offers don't interest you, do they not? You're a difficult one. How about this; for every time you turn down my offer, I will find one of your team, beat them down and reveal their identities to everyone. There will be no alter-egos, no secrecy; just fools trying to play the good guys"
"Why are you doing this?" Annabeth demanded, stepping away from him angrily "All we do is protect Olympus; why do you want to ruin that?"
"You and your parents have spent too long ruling over the rest of us. Playing the heroes, not paying attention to the collateral damage"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you know how many lives have been ruined thanks to your parents? Offering the gift of powers to those who they deem 'worthy'? They make me sick"
Annabeth narrowed her eyes, meeting the man's glare evenly.
"That was a mistake"
"THAT WAS A MURDER!"
There was silence for a moment, before the man took a deep breath.
"Come on now, Night Owl- I'm offering you the world on a plate. All you have to do is raise Kronos. That's all"
"Don't you think that if I knew how to bring people back from the dead my Mom would be here?" Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow. The man chuckled.
"Ah, but Kronos is not dead is he? That freelancer Hypnos put him to sleep. You are well aware of that. Don't be stupid about this, you saw what I can do-
Annabeth had heard enough. Enough lunacy, enough threats- enough of the trash this guy spouted. They would go around in circles if it carried on, and since Oracle wasn't here, Annabeth had no reason to be either. She grew her talons, right out of her knuckles, and swiped across his face, ruthless and with no remorse if she took an eye out. He reared backward and cried out, and Annabeth turned and ran, toward the door where she'd find Nico and Thalia waiting for her. Instead something hit her back, piercing her skin. She hit the floor and tried not to scream and give him the satisfaction.
"You ever heard of Pit Scorpions; little friends of Kronos. That venom will kill you in less than twenty minutes. You're dead little bird, don't fight it"
Annabeth tried. She pulled herself up to her hands and knees and crawled, but her energy was being drained out of her. She struggled to keep her disguise up, the feathers fought to vanish and show her to the world. She knew her eyes were already grey, lids becoming heavier and heavier.
"You won't- I won't-
"Let me get away with this? Its done" The man spat, in obvious pain. Annabeth felt curly hair sweeping across her shoulders, her talons retreated into her hands. She turned and gave him the most deadliest glare she had.
And he stepped back.
"Annabeth" He breathed, with recognition in his voice, and Annabeth was going to ask, but an arrow was suddenly buried in his arm and he vanished. Just like that.
How did he know who she was?
"ANNIE!" Thalia yelled, jumping down from where she'd fired the arrow from- a small hole in the old roof- and scrambled to her side, pulling the venom-filled blade from her back and pulling her in.
"God, your powers- Annie, talk to me"
Annabeth registered Nico grabbing them both, muttering something about Mrs Jackson's infirmary, before she could hear roars.
"I thought they were dead! Nico, take my knife, keep them at bay!" Thalia ordered, shooting arrows whilst Annabeth lay across her lap.
"Shouldn't- have turned my back" She mumbled. Thalia hissed.
"Its not your fault, just keep your eyes open. You aren't getting away that easy" Came the reply. Annabeth did as she was told. She focused on the light coming through the hole, focusing on the clouds and the occasional bird instead of the battle. Sweat poured off her, she felt sick and ready to pass out. One cloud looked like a star.
"You need some help?" Another voice called, someone familiar, and the ceiling cackled with electricity. There was water and fire and swords clanging.
Annabeth watched the sky, until everything went dark.