*looks at number of favorites, followers, and reviews*

*dies of shock*

Holy crap. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed! I spend a good 5 minutes reading each of your reviews, and each time I got a warm and fuzzy feeling :3 So THANK YOU! You guys have no idea how much your suport means to me! :)

Now, I decided since you wonderful, wonderful readers actually like this story, I'm gonna give you guys another chapter! So here it is! Enjoy!

Percy POV

Percy lost track of time.

The minutes, hours, days, or weeks all melded together in that dark, cold dungeon, into a intangible mushy mess.

Was it hours? Days? Months?

Percy had no idea. And for the first time since...well, ever, he hated not knowing something. That was more Annabeth's speed.

He remember his surprise when a bit of food suddenly appeared in his cell - yes, it randomly appeared. Whether it was a blessing from the gods to help him out of this mess (doubtable) or from the dracanae to keep him alive until the 'Council' passes judgement (more likely) he wasn't sure.

The little bit of bread, water, and a tiny piece of cheese tasted like Heaven. Better than nectar and ambrosia. Better than his mom's homemade cookies.

Ok, maybe that was an exaggeration but still IT TASTED HELLA GOOD!

Ever since, the food had come a couple more times, and each time it was exactly the same - bread, cheese, water. That was it. It wasn't like he expected five-star treatment or something, being a prisoner and all, but if they could afford a huge underground base couldn't they afford a bit of meat or something? He seriously needed a double cheeseburger...

Percy was snapped out of his thoughts of food as a dim, wavering light came into view.

Yay, Percy thought. I guess they're getting bored with me just sitting here so they're gonna torture me or something. Fantastic.

As the flickering light of what Percy guessed was a lantern came closer, he could make out a sort of familiar face - Tessa.

The dracanae girl sneered at him mockingly as she came into earshot. "Good newsss, demigod. The Council has decided what your punishment would be."

Percy gave her a deadpan look. "And that's good news how?"

The dracanae laughed menacingly. How she could pull it off when she looked about his age as a mystery to Percy. "Not for you, idiotic boy, but for me and my sssistersss, of coursssse! Your punishment will be..." She paused for dramatic effect. "Whipping."

Percy gulped. He had to give them 10 for scariness, but a 2 for creativity...

Not the time, Percy chided himself. Focus. Scary teenager snake threatening to whip you. Focus.

Tessa reached into a pouch on her waist and drew out a long, scary-looking whip. It was midnight black and a silver tip, like it was encased in metal. Plus, it was wicked-sharp.

If Percy was a normal kid, he would of passed out from fear a long, long time ago.

However, we all know our hero is ANYTHING but normal, even by demigod standards.

But that certainly didn't stop his face from growing a shade lighter and his eyes bugging out.

She smiled sadistically, a maniacal gleam in her eyes as she stroked the whip. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Annabeth POV

"Hurry! We might make it!" Jason yelled.

Annabeth panted. This seemed futile. How on earth were they going to make it?

Jason was flying alongside them, carrying an exhausted Leo. Leo was great at building things, but stamina wasn't a strong point of his.

They'd only been running for a little bit, but it seemed like hours. And if they didn't make this...she might never see Percy again.

NO! Bad Annabeth! Think positive! Annabeth chided herself, though even she was losing optimism. How were they going to do this?

Frank was a horse, Hazel on his back. "Come on guys! We can't give up! The whole quest rides on this!" She shouted encouragingly.

Piper glared at Hazel irritably even as she was running. "Speak...for...yourself!" She gasped. "You're not...the...ones running!"

Annabeth groaned. "Guys...just...a...but...further!" She panted.

Jason shot a worried glance towards her. "Sure you're ok running?"

Annabeth nodded despite the sore pang everywhere. Her chest...her legs...her everything, really. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt...

They reached a crossroad. Annabeth frantically looked from left to right, searching for the right path. Only a couple more minutes left...

"This way!" She shouted hoarsely to the others.

The troop of six demigods came to a halt at a loooooooong flight of stairs between them and safety.

"Oh no..." Jason groaned.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Leo cried. "My worst enemy...stairs."

Jason glared at him. "Dude. You're not the one doing all the work!"

Leo shrugged. "Sorry, just had to say that!"

Piper shook her head at the two of them. "Come on!" She started racing up the stairway, as graceful as a gazelle, with Annabeth right behind her.

Even as she climbed stair after stair after stair, Annabeth could hear Leo taunting Jason, "Ha! Your girlfriend is beating you!"

Annabeth let a grin cross her face before concentrating on the situation. C'mon, just a little further...

"YES!" Annabeth cried out loud as she made it to the top, the others right behind her.

She checked her watch. 24 seconds to spare...

"Frank! Change back to normal! We can't have the mortals notice!" Frank dolled her orders immediately and gave her a salute.

The BART train came rushing in to a screeching halt.

Phew! The demigods thought simultaneously.

The large metal doors slid open with a hissing sound, and the exhausted demigods filed into the nearest seats.

Annabeth slumped into the cold metal seat as the automatic doors slid close.

Now, from the BART station, it was just a 2 minute walk to her parent's house...

SCREECH!

Ananbeth almost fell out of her seat as the BART train lurched forward.

She turned to the other demigods and saw Hazel grasping Frank for dear life, Leo contentedly tinkering with...was that his snake tracker?...and Piper was dozing against Jason's shoulder as he stroked her hair.

Annabeth winced at Hazel's horrified expression. This is probably her first BART trip...

Annabeth continued to breathe heavily, greedily sucking in air. Just a bit longer...and she would see her parents for the first time since...the first time Percy went missing.

Just a little longer...

And here's your next chapter! Sorry if this is a bit short, but don't worry, there'll be plenty of painstakingly-long chapters yet to come!

As for this chapter: first, I'm trying to imagine the looks on your faces as the demigods had that dramatic running scene - to get to the BART station! I just had to add in all the dramatic dialogue, it was just too fun! And whoever catches the Kung Fu Panda reference gets a virtual cookie and a shout-out!

And one more thing - the first person to add my 30th review also gets a special shout-out and virtual cookies! 30 REVIEWS! I seriously can't believe how many wonderful readers I have! I looked at the Chapter Nine stats and I saw 103 FREAKING VIEWS! I seriously don't deserve such wonderful readers like you guys :)

So read, enjoy, and review, and have a nice weekend! ~Lily