Chapter Fourteen
"So where do we start?" Annabeth wonders, twirling her hair around her fingers, in some girls that would come off as ditzy, but I think it's just a sign that Annabeth's mind always has to be engaged.
"Google?" I suggest shrugging, she laughs, smiling good naturedly.
"I think I might have a better solution than that." She suggests, getting to her feet and turning back to me.
...
The tapping of fingers on a keyboard carries through the closed-door. A steady click-clacking at an alarming rate and alternating pitched beeping sounds from inside the white-painted room. I know for a fact that I could never type that fast. Hesitating at entering the control center of the mother-ship, I glance at Annabeth, asking a silent question. "Are you sure about this?" She nods and before I can protest, whips the door open. Annabeth saunters in, without hesitating the slightest, even with the alien environment. I blink at the dozen of monitors and flashing lights and screens. Codes and patterns scroll across the screen, much too fast for me to follow. A blonde head of hair bobs up and down as he types and follows the patterns flashing on the screen. Malcolm Chase doesn't seem to have an issue though, his eyes flick across the monitor at the speed of, not light, but the freakish speed at which Malcolm can type. Annabeth perches on the corner of one of the computer tables but Malcolm doesn't glance away from the screen.
"Hey Annabeth," He mutters fingers still dancing over the keys as another strip of letters passes over the black screen. The white letter might make things easier on my dyslexia but I highly doubt anyone with an IQ less than 170 can follow. "Need some help and web design again?" He smirks and I flick my eyes to Annabeth who blushes furiously. I raise my eyebrows at that, web design help, really?
"What?" I wonder, and Malcolm finally looks over his shoulder for a moment. He blinks a little in surprise then spares a glance at Annabeth before turning back to his computer screen.
"Hey Percy," He mutters, going back to typing his intricate sequences. "Do you need me to explain free-webs to you again?" He teases Annabeth who jus blushes.
"No, actually, I'm calling in a favor. I need as much information as you can get me about this name." She explains, sliding a slip of paper towards him. His eyebrows lift a little before he nods.
"Sure, no problem, give me a day and I'll get it back to you." He gives his assent. Annabeth strolls over and ruffles his hair before laughing.
"Don't get so distracted that you forget." She teases, until he rolls his eyes before gesturing over his shoulder that we can leave now. Annabeth struts out the door without waiting for me, waving over her shoulder. I hesitate at the door, looking at the dozens of computers that surround Malcolm. Like a fish, I open my mouth and close it a few times before I gather the courage to speak.
"Can you not mention this to anyone?" I ask, running my hands through my hair nervously. Malcolm fully stops, to my surprise and turns around in his chair.
"Of course, Percy" He smiles soothingly, before turning back around to his computer and continuing typing.
…
"I have to ask…" I begin, unable to resist as we walk home.
"No you don't." She stops me, sending a cautionary glare that clearly reads that I need to be very, very careful with my words. "Fine" she sighs, a lethargic, disappointed sigh "It was one stupid assignment and I feel asleep while she was giving directions" She pouts, obviously not pleased. I can't but snort, sure it's pretty amusing that anyone struggled with course material in Web Design, especially the genius Annabeth, but I have much more serious topics in mind.
"As funny as that is, that's not what I meant, I was wondering what your plan is after Malcolm finds all the Perseus James's in the world." I ask; my tone dead serious. I can just imagine knocking on the door of ever poor schmuck that's ever been stuck with that name. Annabeth fidgets and tucks a stray curl of hair behind her ears.
"Well, obviously," I get the feeling the only one who will find her next statement obvious is Malcolm, and possibly Einstein, "You'll have to find out the town your mom met this guy in," I'm grateful that she didn't say 'your dad', "And then we'll cross reference the data from Malcolm against town records, and assuming that he was around the same age as your mom when they met, birth records." She finishes seeming like they're the simplest steps on the planet. I nod; pretending like that was precisely what I've thought the whole time.
"And how do you intend to get to wherever this guy lives?" I ask, a bit of a comical note in my voice. It's not like I have a clue what I'm doing. Annabeth grins.
"Well, who do we know that can drive?" She asks; a teasing tone in her voice as she bats her eyelashes at me. I know she's messing with me on purpose, but her thick eyelashes flicking over her disorienting eyes, is really making it hard to focus on anything. "Come on Seaweed Brain; use your two brain cells." I chose to ignore that comment.
"This is really personal Annabeth," I remind her, and her eyes soften and fill with understanding. "I'm not sure how comfortable I am with Luke being involved." To my surprise, Annabeth bursts out with laughter. I glance at her, my eyes widening with surprise. Her normally steely eyes are watering as she straightens and smiles at me.
"I was talking about Grover." She grins, her eyes still teary with chuckles. I'm not sure what part of that she found amusing, Annabeth, Luke, and I going on a road trip, fun. I can just picture Luke's expression when I suggest it.
"Funny," I mutter sarcastically. Annabeth's eyebrows pinch together as she looks up at me.
"Sorry, didn't catch that?" She tilts her head, and I feel my face warm.
"Nothing," I assure her, flashing a small smile.
…
Annabeth
Lightly drumming my fingers on my desk, I glance over at Luke, who I haven't spoken to since that wretched party after my soccer game. He hasn't so much as looked at me since he stormed out of the parking lot. I'm not even sure if he saw me at that party, he was much too distracted by Hannah Woods. Despite my pathetic efforts, he never even saw me. Nausea hits me just remembering that decision.
I used to make fun of those girls, sitting around with Thalia trashing the chick flicks where a girl uses some stranger to make the guy jealous. If she were around she'd dump a bucket of water over my head to wake me up. Glancing at Luke I feel the same bitterly jealous tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I hadn't even wanted to go to that party, the only reason I did was to escape my house for a little while. Then, I saw Luke, and I just wanted him to notice me, really notice me, like he notices every other girl who prances around in two tight jeans. I'm so glad that Percy was there, who knows what I could have resorted to in my overly emotional state. I don't know what could have set Luke off to make him act so radically out of character. On the other hand, I don't understand anything that Luke's been doing lately.
As Mr. Mason's talking a gentle brush of skin on mine makes me stop and pause. I glance nervously at Luke while he slides a tiny slip of paper into my hand. Running my finger over the print, I wonder how to tell him that I'm leaving soon, and that he can't come.