AN: Hello everyone! Sorry for taking so long, I had advanced math internal exams and was studying like crazy and had no time to write. Anyway, this chapter was written in several different bits at several different times so I apologize if it doesn't fully make sense as well as for any grammatical or spelling errors.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and please, please leave a review.

Chapter 5: Casinos and Connections

Charlie had some ambrosia, to fight off the pain of his wound as Izzie and Parker helped bandage his rib cage area. While the cut wasn't deep, there was a fair amount of blood. Finally, he managed to drift off as Justin got off his shift on the wheel and Daniel took over.

Vivian said nothing. She was too busy thinking how her brother, the one person who had always been there for her and how she'd always been there for him...Until now, until he'd needed her to protect him from that monster. If she could go back and change anything, she would change everything. She closed her eyes tightly, finally falling into a fitful sleep.

With Daniel at the helm, Justin climbed into what was essentially the very crowded passenger area.

"Are you alright?" he asked Charlotte softly, hoping not to wake those her were sleeping.

"Mmm," she nodded slowly. "I'm okay, well considering...you know, everything."

He nodded his head in understanding.

"Why..." she Charlotte trailed off for a moment. "Not that I'm not grateful that you came when you did, but...why were you there?"

Justin looked down and sighed softly. He knew this would turn up eventually.

"There is a very long, and rather confusing reason behind it," Justin answered. "Can I explain it to you later? Maybe when we've got our feet on solid ground."

"Where are we, anyway?" Charlotte asked.

"Last I checked, about 200ks before the Oregon state line," he replied. "We'll stop once we get to Oregon, take a breather, stretch our legs, get some food, whatever." Pausing, he spoke again. "I am ah, I'm really glad that you guys are safe."

"Thanks to you."

Justin shrugged and tried to kill the blush he knew was on his face. "It was nothing."

A few hours later, they had passed the Oregon state line and were in Portland. It was two in the morning and they had left the chariot (which through the mist looked like a regular car) and entered a 24 hour diner.

The place was nearly deserted other than the employees and two or three customers. Charlie limped off to use the bathroom, using whatever furniture, tables or chairs to help him limp over. While the bleeding had long stopped, the sphinx had slashed him pretty good and there was still pain if he moved too much. The table of nine took a seat as the waitresses took orders.

Vivian weakly ordered a vanilla milkshake. Apparently, she and Cayden had loved them as kids. But when it arrived, all she could do was stir it, still torn over the death of her brother.

Parker piled into his stack of hotcakes and maple syrup, while next to him, Douglas kept tapping his foot anxiously. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Shouldn't someone contact Ken and the others?" Izzie suggested as Charlie made his way back to the table.

"Who?" Max asked. He'd been -according to Douglas-uncharacteristically quiet ever since they'd left Hartford Newlake's. But given everything he'd just found out about himself, it wasn't exactly a surprise.

"He's with two others, Chris and Bree," Izzie replied. "They're trying to find the missing demigod."

"Rosaline," Max commented.

"Yeah," Charlie nodded. "Do you know her?"

Max put down his fork and grasped his head in his hands. His coffee colored hair was nowhere near as slicked and proper as they'd first saw him and there were bags under his eyes.

"She was ah...She was my girlfriend," he said softly.

"What?" Daniel questioned. The only person who didn't look so shocked was Douglas.

"Yeah, we'd been dating for six and a half months. Our school gets summer break later than most schools, but we were planning to spend it together, but then she just...disappeared. No note...no nothing," he finished with pain in his tone.

Izzie put her hand on his shoulder as slight comfort, which caused Charlie to clench his jaw, but keep quiet from across the table.

"I...I loved her," Max managed to say. "And she just disappeared."

"We'll find her," Izzie assured. Everyone else nodded.

Charlie stood up from his seat. "I think I'll go message Ken and the others. Tell them we're on our way."

Stepping outside, it was still dark, so he flashed a light from one of the flashlights in his bag and created a rainbow.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering," he tossed in a gold drachma. "Show me Ken Nakahashi."

A few seconds later, in a mist appeared Ken's face. Chris and Bree were talking to in the background.

"Ken," he called.

"Charlie?" Ken looked at the mist with his face. "Dude, you're alive," he said surprised.

"Yeah. Barely," he muttered. "Listen we're on our way to California. Some stuff happened at the school and...Well long story short there are nine of us coming down to meet you guys."

"Nine?" What is that like six new half bloods?" he furrowed his brow.

"More like two new half bloods and a satyr."

"So who are the other three?"

"Well it's..." Charlie shook his head. "It'll be easier to explain it to you once we get to your destination. Where are you guys anyway?"

"Actually, we're in Nevada. We have a hunch to follow."

"Alright," Charlie nodded. "One more thing, Ken. The missing demigod, her name is Rosaline Carter. She ran away from boarding school a few weeks ago. we have her boyfriend or...ex boyfriend with us. I'm not quite sure, but he's a demigod."

"Rosaline Carter," Ken repeated. "Where was she from?"

"San Diego."

"He nodded. "Alright, we'll check it out once we're done in here. Meet you there then?"

"You got it."

Charlie's face had faded from the Iris message as Ken, Chris and Bree made their way into Vegas. The night before, Chris had a dream about a competitor in Vegas, they took it as a sign that was where to go.

They came across a large blue building, stone faced, constructed by pillars. The windows were light stained glass. With blue shards drifted about in the glass, it was like something no one had ever seen before.

"Fortune Place," Chris muttered under his breath. "This is it."

"The casino?" Bree questioned.

"It was in my dream. It looked exactly like this," Chris gaped in awe. It was identical to the one in his dreams.

As they tried to enter, they were stopped by a 6 foot 5 burly security guard.

"I'm gonna need to see some ID," he said.

"We ah..."

"It's okay!" a voice called out. "They're good."

The security guard eyed them suspiciously, before shooting his eyes back to the voice who gave him a curt nod. The guard grunted at the three teenagers and lifted the rope to let them in. They made there way over to a large table where only one man sat at that head of the table, with a pile of chips ion his corner.

He looked young. Maybe in his mid twenties. His hair was dark and cropped and he had large blue eyes and a smile that clearly couldn't be trusted. The man waved his hand over in a gesturing motion and he had his feet propped up on the table.

The three half bloods stepped over to him. Feeling awkward, none of them took a seat, instead facing the man who had let them in.

"I know why you're here," he spoke smugly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who are you?" Chris asked.

The man took a cigar out of his breast pocket and lit it up, as he inhaled, the smoke spread round the casino. When he finally put it down, he had a great big smile on his face. Almost like he was stoned. Then he gestured to a nearby waitress.

" 'Scuse me sweetheart, get me another one of these," he put the cigar on the tray in her hand. "Thanks darling."

The three demigods just stared at him.

"As for my name," he finally addressed them. "The name's Blanc. Trevor Blanc."

"Why are we here?"

"Chris, right?" Trevor asked as he lit up another cigar. "Well all of you, don't just stand there. Sit, sit!"

Chris took a seat one away from Trevor, while Bree sat next to him and Ken narrowed his eyes, sitting anxiously on the other side. It was only then that they realized he was wearing an expensive black and white pinstriped suit, a gold Rolex adorned his wrist and his cigar was the expensive kind.

"Why are we here?" Ken gritted his teeth. he didn't trust Trevor LeBlanc, if that was even his real name.

"Gods, man," Trevor rolled his eyes. "Why are you so anxious? All I've done is let you into a casino, while you're underage mind you," he scoffed. "This is my terrain, it's where I finally belong. But you wouldn't know anything about not belonging, would you? Son of Apollo."

Ken's bow had folded up to fit inside of his backpack. But his throwing stars were right within his reach.

"How do you know that?" he questioned.

"You sound surprised," he leaned over to a waitress. "I'll take a scotch on the rocks sweetheart, big glass, not too many rocks," he shot her a grin before admiring her behind as she walked away. "I love this town."

"What do you want?" Ken felt himself grow very agitated.

"I'm a demigod," Trevor answered plainly. "In fact I'm your half brother," Trevor looked over at Chris, who had a stunned expression on his face. "Son of Tyche, I believe. Though I didn't know that until I'd left camp." He took a large drink of his scotch when the waitress had come back and lit up another cigar.

"I spent years in the Hermes cabin, unclaimed. Though I hear there's a new rule, all gods, even the minor ones, must claim their children. Good rule, that one. But anyway, I'm here to make you or break you."

"Excuse me?" Bree interjected.

"You have a quest, to rescue a half blood in the west. I don't know the name, but I know that I have everything that you'll need to get through this quest alive."

"You want us to play for it," Ken spoke. It wasn't a question.

"Of course, otherwise, this would just be a big ol' bore."

"What happens if we lose?" Bree asked.

"I could think of a few things, sweetheart," Trevor smirked. "But maybe when you're older."

Chris cleared his throat loudly, glaring at Trevor. "What do you have anyway?"

"Now now, brother," Trevor spoke. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." He took a big puff of his cigar. "You know, I designed this place all by myself. Casinos got sick of me taking all their money on chance games. Actually, there are a bunch I'm not allowed into. So...now, I have my own. Here I am, king, here I am the master, here, in my terrain, I am a god."

"Is that what you want?" Ken quirked an eyebrow. "To be a god?"

"Well some recognition would be nice," Trevor tilted his head to the side. "But immortality and having lots like us with mortals, I could give or take. But I have my palace," he gestured around. "I have my title and I have my money."

"So why are we here?"

"Winning, being able to manipulate chance, to have a strategic formula permanently locked in my brain, calculating the chances of everything...knowing what's going to happen every time, it gets old after awhile. Especially now that I have my fortune."

"So...this game, this is all...what?" Bree questioned.

"It's to keep things interesting, sweetheart," Trevor replied. "Tell you what. Let's play a game, you win, I give you what you want, plus a little extra info. I win...well, that's a reward of my choosing," another puff on the cigar. "What do you say?"

The three demigods looked at each other. Ken was clearly skeptical, as was Bree, but with a quick mental calculation of chance, Chris gave a curt nod, so they all attempted to relax as Chris spoke up.

"Game on."

Trevor smirked again. Ken was beginning to think this guy didn't actually smile, that he just smirked all the time.

"So what's your game? Blackjack? Poker? Roulette?"

The game was not a standard one, but a combination of Roulette and Craps.

Each turn, either Chris or Trevor would role two dice, calling a number. They would have 'won' that round if the dice showed that number or one up or down. Since both brothers had the power to manipulate and calculate chance, the dice were constantly rolling or the the wheel was constantly spinning in one or the other's favor.

Chris had his teeth gritted at every other interval. How could you beat someone who you were equally matched with? Numbers ran through his head.

"Red," he called.

The ball was chucked around in the wheel, both sons of Tyche eyed it anxiously as it rolled onto a red slot. Chris let out a sigh of relief. In that moment, he shared a look with Ken and Bree. This game would not end at the rate it was going.

"14," Trevor called.

14 it was. There was no end to this. How to beat someone who was equally matched in every way? By switching up another variable.

"What do you say, we make this the last play?" Chris suggested. "Winner take all."

Trevor let out a puff of smoke and placed an empty glass on a waitress' tray.

"Another one, please. Thanks doll."

"What do you say?" Chris asked.

Another puff of smoke. "I'm all for it. Last roll."

"You have to swear," Chris interrupted. "On the River Styx, that if I win this, you will give us the stuff, plus the info."

Trevor waved off his hand. "I swear on the River Styx...Come on, we playing or not?"

Chris picked up the pair of dice and anxiously rolled in in his fist. Slowly shaking them them, as he was about to release the dice onto the table, Chris tipped back in his chair. Subsequently, he toppled backwards the dice spilling out of his hand and going under the table.

"I'm okay! I'm okay," he said quickly as he scuffled under the table to obtain the dice. Patting random bits of the carpet, trying to find them, before holding two dice proudly in his fist.

"I got em'," he announced, reseating himself in the chair. "Snake eyes," he called, releasing the dice.

And snake eyes it was. Chris had a proud grin on his face. Of course it was snake eyes.

Trevor, on the other hand, looked rather unfazed. Shrugging his shoulders and putting his cigar down on the ashtray, he reached over and shook the dice in his fist.

"I don't know why you bother, kid. We're evenly matched. Seven," he called as he released the dice.

Snake eyes.

Trevor's eyes went wide in shock and disbelief while the three younger demigods faces all lit up.

"Dammit! Son of a...Oh Gods how?" Trevor looked incredulous. He was incredulous. How? How did this happen.

"I win," Chris smiled. "Which means you give us the stuff and the info."

"I still don't...How...I need a drink."

After another scotch, Trevor snapped his fingers and a waitress came over with a duffel bag and another drink.

"A few months ago, I was approached by a group of half bloods. Some my age, some yours...I don't remember. Anyway, they weren't happy, wanted to restart another war with the gods. I don't know why, but I wanted no part in it.'

"Another war?" Bree asked. "They've just finished rebuilding Olympus...why?"

Trevor shrugged. "I don't know. Something about deserving a greater power than the one that they had. I refused. But they mentioned something about a half blood. One who was especially powerful and resided in the Underworld."

"The Underworld?"

"That's what I heard. Anyway, even though I refused, they left this bag for me. In case I ever decided to join their cause. Nutty as they may sound, they have faith, I'll give 'em that."

"You think the half blood in the Underworld is the missing one we're looking for?"

Trevor nodded. "I'm certain."

"So why are you giving us this stuff?" Ken gestured to the bag.

"I have no desire in getting involved in a whole Olympian, half blood, war, power struggle, rebellion, whatever you want to call it. I just want to stay here, in my casino, living out my life. You three are on a quest. Quests can be tough, I thought I'd help you out there."

"That's it? No strings attached?"

Trevor laid back in his chair and put his arms in the police surrender position. "I give you my word, no strings attached."

Ken began to sift through the bag. Pulling out a map, a cylindrical aerosol canister, some ambrosia, money and a crystal ball looking object.

"What are these?"

Trevor moved his hand round till it landed on the map. "This is map changes depending on where you are. It'll show you everywhere within 200 miles of your present location."

"Everywhere?"

"Everywhere?" Trevor nodded. "Even the Underworld."

"What about these?" Bree pointed to the canisters.

"I have no idea about the others...But I assume they'll be helpful."

"Yeah, well...Thanks Trevor," Chris said.

"I ah, I just have to ask you one question."

"Shoot."

"How did you pick that last number correctly, when I didn't?" he sounded desperate. Like he just had to know.

"That," Ken cut it with a small smirk. "Oh, that. We cheated. Dice was loaded."

After collecting the items and leaving Trevor Blanc to his drinking, smoking and gambling, the three demigods left the casino. They sent an Iris message to the others, who then decided to meet them in Nevada instead due to an incident that they hadn't had enough time to explain.

A final tip from Trevor was something about Magloff Diggins State Park, where the group of demigods who were trying to wage war had been camped out. The trio figured that going there might give them some clues as to what was happening. They had alerted the others of the place of their arrival. There were a couple of tents (purchased from a sporting goods store) set out as they explored a small section of the park, but it had gotten dark too fast and they stayed at the site.

It was several hours later, Chris and Bree were getting cozy outside one of the tents as Ken had his bow, as well as his throwing stars, within his reach, taking guard over the whole thing. For all they knew the place was a set up and it was a monsters playground.

At the sound of rustling in the bushes, Ken stood up from his place and had his bow arched and ready to release.

"Calm down, Kenny!" Charlie's voice came. Even injured, he was quite the joker.

"Charlie," dropping his bow at the site at the hoard of people approaching, he sighed in relief. "You're okay."

Chris and Bree had stood up from their position to greet the nine peoples who had just appeared.

"Parker?" Chris furrowed his brow. "Daniel? Justin?...Why are you here?"

Daniel and Parker both turned to face Justin, leaving things for him to explain. Justin, himself, shifted uncomfortably and stared at his feet. He didn't want to explain things to everyone before he explained them to Charlotte.

"It's a long story. But, it's also been a long day. Can we all just chill today and talk tomorrow?"

Nobody seemed to argue. Introductions were given out to Douglas the satyr and the new half bloods. Both seemed rather sad. They waved and said 'nice to meet you' but that was just out of politeness.

It wasn't surprising. Vivian's brother had just died and Max discovered that his girlfriend was a missing demigod. They ate and chatted, bonding over the events of the last two days on both sides. The encounter with Trevor Blanc brought about laughs, whereas the encounter at Hartford Newlake's brought along a string of awkward silence.

Everyone managed to fit two to a tent with one person on constant guard, rotating every four hours, excluding the new demigods and the satyr.

Vivian, at present, shared her tent with Izzie, who was currently asleep. Realizing that she had some business to take care of, she snuck out to do what she had to do by a tree, scuffling past some bushes as she returned. She'd bought some more comfortable clothes in Portland to wear instead of the dress she wore that night. As she returned to the campsite, she heard an arrow draw.

"It's just me," she answered plainly as Ken put down his bow. "You do this often?" Vivian asked, taking a seat on the ground next to him.

"Not really. Vivian, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Isn't that Justin guy supposed to be on watch?"

"He's been flying a chariot for the better part of two days. I though he should rest."

"That's noble."

"Besides, I couldn't sleep."

"You too?" she answered in a small voice. Since Cayden died, she had barely been able to sleep, let alone rest or relax without waking up in cold sweat. She took a look at him. He had a build that was somehow lanky and athletic at the same time, jet black hair with a fringe that reminded her of a K-pop star her friend listened to and almond shaped eyes that seemed to hold more than what was prevalent on the outside.

"Yeah. Happens a lot," he took a glance at her. Her hair was a dark shade of brown, but the lighter highlights were more visible as she was closer to the fire. "Charlie told me what happened at the school," he took a long pause, fearing her reaction. "I'm sorry about your brother,"

"His name is Cayden," she argued, suddenly feeling defensive. He didn't know what it was like to loose the most important person in the world to you. To have the one constant from your life ripped. For your protector and the person you protected to have come to harm. To have the only family you'd ever known die.

"I'm sorry." Another long pause. "I know what it's like to loose someone."

She was stunned. Maybe he did know what it was like after all. "Who did you loose?" she asked.

"My mom and my step dad." Ken couldn't possibly fathom why he was talking about this to a girl he just met. Maybe it was because she'd just been through the same thing. Could his experience help her through her pain? That's probably what it was. "I was twelve."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago," he tried waved it off. She saw right through him.

"But you still think about it." It was more of a statement than a question.

"All the time."

She shook her head. "Is that what I have to look forward to?"

Ken said nothing, unsure of what else to say. If he said yes, he'd be like the grim reaper of hope, if he said no, she'd probably think he was lying. Someone who couldn't sleep because of his parents death years ago was clearly not at peace with it. So they sat in silence for several minutes.

"Do you..." she paused, trying the phrase her words correctly. "Do you ever...blame yourself? Like...feel like you could have done something to prevent it?"

"It's not your fault," he assured her instantly. "I know that every part of you right now is searching for an explanation. And I know that every other part of you is saying what if. But you can't live on what ifs, you'll kill yourself trying to change things that you can't."

"You didn't answer my question."

Ken sighed and looked down at the ground for a long time. "Sometimes." All the time.

"What do you do about it?"

"It's hard to make that feeling completely disappear. And maybe you never will, but you can start by distracting yourself. I was at Camp Half Blood, so I had a ton of stuff to distract myself with. Archery, sword fighting, rock climbing, the works."

"Is that all you can do? Distract yourself?" Vivian furrowed a brow. That shouldn't be it. You should have a way to block it out completely, if you couldn;t reverse it there should be a quick fix way to find inner peace and move on.

"Your asking the wrong person." It's been three, almost four years and all I can do is distract myself.

"So what am I supposed to do? Pick up a hobby? Maybe you could teach me archery?" she laughed sardonically.

You could do what I do. Dream about destroying the thing that almost destroyed you. Slaughtering it, cutting it into bits after you've thoroughly put it through as much pain, torture and misery as you were in when it destroyed what you loved.

Ken shrugged. "I don't know what you want me to say to you." When she didn't reply, he turned to look away from and into the vast expanse of land around them. "You should go back to sleep."

AN: So what did you think? Well, you kind of have the main villains set out for you through Trevor's talk. I hope you enjoyed this, it'll be a little longer before the plot and the prophecy fully make sense so please be patient.

I hope you enjoyed a bit more of the new half bloods and also I'm open for suggestions as to who Vivian's godly parent should be. I kind of have an idea, but it's not fully developed yet.

Any thoughts or comments or anything in this chapter or in the story in general let me know in a review. Please review, I really love getting them. Reviews are like drugs for writers except they don't destroy lives I guess. Point of that analogy is that they are addicting so please review.