AN: Guys, I am so sorry you've had to wait this long! Life went and got crazy and I had to put this on hold. But I'm back, and this chapter is longer, so maybe that makes up for it?

"Please?"

"Please?"

"Pleeeeease?"

Chiron started twitching, Jason clapped his hands over his ears, and Percy banged her forehead against the table. This had been going on for ten straight minutes, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. Finally Hermes, whom the begging was aimed at, exploded.

"NO, Apollo, we are NOT going to bring the entire Aphrodite cabin with us!"

"But they're hot," Apollo whined.

"NO!"

"Well we could bring Piper," Jason argued, putting on his most charming smile. This farce might be more bearable if he had his girlfriend with him.

Apollo thought for a minute then shook his head in a determined manner. "No, it's all of them or none of them. If we're not going to bring all the hot people we might as well bring someone boring and smart."

Jason glared at Apollo. "Maybe we should bring one of your kids." He tried hard not to snicker when the god blanched.

"If I might be so bold," Chiron interrupted, "It wouldn't be amiss to add another strategist to the party. We all know how well Annabeth does in a crisis, and no one has more knowledge of monsters than she."

"I am not going anywhere with that girl," Hermes growled.

An awkward silence descended upon the table. Jason was still upset about Apollo's insinuation that Piper wasn't smart, which the sun god was completely oblivious to. Chiron kept glancing at Percy, looking to see if she would jump in and defend Annabeth. But while Chiron did have a point, Percy did not think it would be a good idea to bring her friend on this quest. It was going to be hard enough tracking down an unknown monster and babysitting two gods without having to worry all the time about Annabeth getting smited. Smitten? Smote? Anyways. Besides, after all the shenanigans that happened in Tartarus and the War, Annabeth deserved a break.

Percy finally broke the silence. "Well, how about Malcolm?"

"Who?" both the gods asked.

"Malcolm, the son of Athena, Annabeth's second in command? He knows just as much as she does and this quest would give him a chance to prove himself."

"Another dude, huh? Well this quest is turning into a sausage fest, and like I always say:

With too many bros

No party can be awesome

I am super-hot."

"I think Percy makes an excellent suggestion," Chiron interjected before anyone could comment. "All in favor?"

Hermes nodded, sending an odd look Percy's way as he did. Jason and Apollo both raised their hands, though Apollo muttered, "We better pick up some girls on the way."

"Good, that's settled. Percy, Jason, if you could go get Malcolm, I think you all should be on your way immediately."

Percy gave Jason a sideways look. "Oh for the love of the gods, go say good bye to your girlfriend. I'll get Malcolm."

Jason looked extremely grateful. "Thanks, Percy." He scampered, literally scampered, away.

Percy rolled her eyes and made her way to the Athena cabin. The door was open, and she found Malcolm and Annabeth sitting at a table together, poring over some maps.

"Hey Seaweed Brain! What was the big secret meeting with Chiron about?" Annabeth greeted her friend, not even bothering to ask if she wanted to see the project they were working on. As if.

"Um, well, actually, we're going on a quest."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. "Are you here to say goodbye or are you here to recruit me?"

"Um, well, actually, I'm here to recruit Malcolm."

Both girls turned to stare at the boy in question, who had been edging his way out the door. He looked absolutely stunned. "What, me? You actually want me?"

"Of course! I'm the one who recommended you!" Percy conveniently forgot to mention that Annabeth had been the first suggestion.

His face lit up. "So where are we going? When are we leaving? Who's going on the quest with us? What will we be facing? What books should I bring?"

"Whoa, boy! Calm down. We're going to Alaska, we're leaving right away, Jason and a couple of other…guys are coming with us, we're facing an extremely dangerous monster, and probably no books, since they're heavy. Unless you think you can use them to beat monsters over the head with."

"Cool! I'll start packing."

Percy couldn't help but chuckle as he immediately started throwing books in a backpack. "Ok, I guess I better go get my stuff, too."

"I'll come with you," Annabeth cut in. "I've got something I want to talk to you about."

"Why did you pick Malcolm?" Annabeth asked as she carefully folded one of Percy's shirts and handed it to her. Percy quickly wadded the shirt down in the crumpled mess that was her travel bag.

"I thought you deserved a break for once. And you're always talking about how you're worried that Malcolm doesn't get enough chances to prove his medal."

"Mettle," Annabeth automatically corrected, then paused, giving Percy a searching look. Percy took the opportunity to grab the other shirts from her and hurl them in the bag, too.

"I know there's something you're not telling me, but it doesn't really matter. Gods know I don't want to go on a quest right now."

"Oh yeah, when does that fancy internship thing start?"

"Next week. I'm only going to be at camp a couple more days." She sighed. "Look, this isn't what I actually wanted to tell you. I think there's something I should warn you about. Malcolm has a little bit of a… crush on you."

Percy snorted. Loudly. "What? You're insane."

"No, I'm not. Why do you think he agreed to go so quickly?"

"Because he's adventurous?" Percy asked hopefully.

"No, because you asked him. There's no way he would agree to a quest without knowing anything about it unless he had feelings for you."

"Well, I think that's a bit of a stretch…" Percy trailed off uncomfortably, trying hard not to think about how she had jumped at Hermes' offer.

"Just don't lead him on, okay? Unless you like him, in which case there's no way you're good enough for him."

Percy gaped at her.

"What? I'm his big sister; it's my job to be overprotective."

"All set?" Chiron asked as Percy jogged up the hill.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go. Malcolm'll be here in a minute, he's just saying goodbye to Annabeth."

"Good. Percy, do be careful. A new monster, in Alaska, that is… troubling to say the least."

"Not to mention the fact we have to go with the Two Stooges to kill it, right?" Jason remarked bitterly as he joined them.

"Look, Blondy, I get that you're sad that you have to be away from Piper, but I swear to the gods if you spend the whole time being forlorn and angsty I'll punch you in the face."

"Are you sure you're not a daughter of Ares?"

"Want me to drown you and prove that I'm not?"

"That's enough!" Chiron interrupted as Malcolm came running up to them. "If you're quite ready, I believe you ride has arrived."

Sure enough, a bright red Suburban materialized in front of them.

Jason stared. "Wha…?"

Apollo rolled down the window. "We've still got our godly powers for now, which means I can drive us to Alaska! Come on, get in, chop chop!"

Malcom stared. "Is that Apollo?"

Percy grinned. "Yep. And Hermes. In the sun chariot. Bye Chiron! You be good now!" She opened the door of the Suburban and started arguing with Hermes about calling shotgun.

Chiron stared.

Jason stared.

Malcolm stared.

"This… is going to be interesting."