Chapter 1 - Time for a Crew Change

One thing was very clear to me - I was now the sole leader on the Argo II. The default leader had been Annabeth, then Percy or me. Now it was just me. I couldn't believe that we had lost them. My mind was reeling, replaying the scene over and over. Wondering what we could've done to save them. But I knew that I couldn't show that to the others. They needed someone to be in control and that was going to be me. It had always fallen to me - ever since I was little. Thanks to Jupiter being my dad, everyone would always stick me as the leader. But now wasn't a time to resent that. Now was a time to comfort the others, and try to finish our quest. We had to close the Doors of Death and, if possible, save our friends. If not…. We had to make their sacrifice worth it. That was the only way to make peace with a hero's death.

We had loaded the Athena Parthenos into the Argo II. I had no idea what we were supposed to do with it beyond that. Annabeth would've known. She would've had a plan for what to do with the statue, and getting to Greece, and closing the Doors, and - stop it, Jason.

Annabeth and I had become closer during my time at Camp. Not close-close, but I respected her more than just about anybody. Percy and I were new friends and it hurt to lose him.

"It's my fault." Leo moaned, breaking my concentration.

"No. It isn't. This is Gaea's fault - it has nothing to do with you." Hazel said. "Leo, listen to me. I won't allow you to take the blame. I couldn't bear that after… after Sammy."

I had no idea what they were talking about. But I was sure that none of this was Leo's fault.

Nico diAngelo came over, hobbling like an old man. I didn't really know what to think of the guy. From what we knew, Nico was the only one who had found out about the two camps. I remembered him showing up the first time to Camp Jupiter, the ambassador of Pluto. But now, I had learned he was Greek, and had kept the two camps secret from one another. He had apparently returned Hazel from the dead. And survived Tartarus. He was clearly powerful, but the guy gave me major creepy vibes.

"Leo, they're not dead. If they were, I could feel it." Nico said calmly.

"How can you be sure?" Leo questioned. "If that pit really led to…. You know, how could you sense them that far away?"

Nico and Hazel shared some kind of look, probably conferring to make sure they both thought the same thing before they spoke.

"We can't be 100% sure." Hazel admitted, and my heart plummeted. "But I think Nico's right. Percy and Annabeth are still alive. At least, so far."

I slammed my fist against the railing, which did nothing, not even make me feel better. "I should've been paying attention! I could've flown down and saved them."

"Me too." Frank moaned.

Piper rested a hand on my back, trying to be comforting. "It's not your fault, either of you. You were trying to save the statue."

"She's right." Nico broke in. "Even if the pit hadn't been buried, you couldn't have flown into it without being pulled down. I'm the only one whose actually been into Tartarus. It's impossible to describe how powerful that place is. Once you get close, it sucks you in. I never stood a chance." I wondered if this was his attempt at a pep talk. If so, he needed some help with his people skills, because I was now seriously depressed.

"Then Percy and Annabeth don't stand a chance either." Frank said, voicing what I was thinking.

Nico fiddled with one of his rings. "Percy's the most powerful demigod I've ever met. No offense to you guys, but it's true. If anybody can survive, he will. Especially if he's got Annabeth at his side. They're going to find a way through Tartarus."

THAT was a better peptalk. I was fine with Percy being the most powerful demigod - at this point, he needed every bit of power he could have. I wondered, briefly, if I should try to contact Reyna and see if she could use her powers to send Percy more strength, but I doubted that she could reach all the way into Tartarus.

"To the Doors of Death, you mean?" I asked the son of Hades. "But you told us it's guarded by Gaea's most powerful forces. How could two demigods possibly -"

"I don't know. But Percy told me to lead you guys to Epirius - to the mortal side of the doorway. He's planning on meeting us there." Nico said it so casually, like Percy and Annabeth had decided to take the bus rather than the subway and would be along shortly.

"If we can survive the House of Hades," He continued, "fight our way through Gaea's forces, then maybe we can work together with Percy and Annabeth, and seal the Doors of Death from both sides."

"And get Percy and Annabeth back safely?" Leo asked. It was too much to hope for.

"Maybe." Nico said.

I doubted it. For one thing, if the Doors needed to be sealed, wouldn't one person have to stay behind to seal them? For another, getting through Tartarus…. It had never been done. Nico had been captured in Tartarus - he hadn't made it out. Even the gods wouldn't have tried. But the others needed the hope. They needed to believe that it was possible if we had a chance of them continuing on. The Romans, Frank and Hazel, they would've accepted it. They had both dealt with death and sacrifice before. But Piper and Leo? Leo was mere seconds from going to bits. They needed this scrap of hope that we could get our friends back.

Nico took a deep breath. "I don't know how they'll manage it. But Percy and Annabeth will find a way. They'll journey through Tartarus and find the Doors of Death. When they do, we have to be ready."

"It won't be easy." Hazel commented. "Gaea will throw everything she's got at us to keep us from reaching Epirius."

"What else is new?" I felt bitter. I was reaching that stage of grief that's mostly anger - at everything.

"We've got no choice." Piper said, sounding determined. "We've got to seal the Doors of Death before we can stop the Giants from raising Gaea. Otherwise, her armies will never die. And we've got to hurry. The Romans are in New York. Soon they'll be marching on Camp Half-Blood."

That felt like a punch in the face. My old home was attacking my new home. I wondered if this was what kids whose parents fought all the time during and after a divorce felt like. Their two homes wanting to tear each other up.

"We've got one month at best." I said. "Ephiliates said Gaea would awaken in one month."

Leo seemed to perk up. He had hope now - he was ready to jump in to find his friends. "We can do it." Then he talked about things like Spheres and scrolls and I wasn't sure how it would help us, but I was sure that Leo was ready to try. That was good.

"Sounds like a plan, Admiral." I said, smiling and clapping him on the shoulder. "You want to set the course?"

"Yeah. Festus? Raise the sails. We've got some friends to save."

I was heading off guard duty and down to my cabin when I ran into Nico leaving Percy's cabin with what appeared to be a set of Percy's pajamas.

"Oh! Hey Nico." Then I realized something - where would Nico sleep? "Uh, you can take my cabin if you want. I can crash in Percy's -"

"No need. Annabeth won't mind if I sleep in her cabin."

"Oh. Uh -"

Nico held open the door to Percy's cabin so I could see inside. The place was trashed.

"Annabeth had most of her stuff with her. Her laptop, her bag, her weapons. Her place is clean." Nico said calmly. "She knows me. It'll be ok."

I nodded, trying to think of what to say to that. "Uh, ok, do you need to borrow -"

Nico held up the pajamas. "Percy won't need these while he's down there. We'll get them cleaned before we rescue them."

I nodded, tense. "Anything else I can help you with?"

Nico shook his head and walked into Annabeth's cabin. "I'll be fine, Jason."

He closed the door before I could think of what to say.