Note, I'm skipping a lot of flavor text and background info, I figure if you're reading a fan fiction about a book, then chances are you've read the book and know, at least in part, that information.

I own none of the characters, not even the OC I made as she is part of the PJaO books and anyone is free to duplicate her for their own stories. Writing a story using characters from published books, I certainly can't complain if someone likes my idea enough to run it in a different direction, but please, no slash.

Rick Riordan and Patricia Briggs own all characters.

00088888000

I finally found everyone's last names except for Felix. Anyone know it?

00088888000

Crying in the Night

Adam

The drive over to the police station is a quite affair. None of us really want to make small talk, and we sure the hell can't think of anything to say about actual events. It's clear that I'm going to need to keep a close eye on the kids. Percy and Nico's willingness to engage the entirety of the US military by themselves speaks volumes, though I don't know if it's speaking about their arrogance or their capabilities. The conversations I overheard and had with them made it evident that in a war, they could do an immense amount of damage. But what would the effect of that actually be?

Mike is in the back singing softly. Really softly, I can barely hear him no more than six feet in front of him. He's really quite good and I'm about to ask him about it when it dawns on me what the song is about; he's composing a song about the births of the babies! That we do not need! Yet another thing to watch out for.

When we pull into the police parking lot we see Zee waiting by his car for us, along with Tad, Detective Montenegro and another officer I don't recognize who Tony introduces as Detective Clay Willis.

"Glad you all could make it." Tony starts out, "It's getting hard to come up with cover stories as to why no one is allowed into the basement on the east side, come on in."

As we're walking inside, Nico and Mike take up positions next to Tony to start asking questions. Tony glances at Mike, and then at Mercy who is quietly talking to Zee and Tad so I introduce them; "Detective Montenegro meet Michal Evenstead, Mike meet Tony. Mike was inside Annabeth's purse when we last talked."

Tony and Willis look at me funny but Mike speaks before they can ask any questions; "It's a strange world a ladies purse, like nothing else on this Earth." That brings smiles and a little bit of laughter from the other kids, even more so when Tony and Clay both realize that they've been left out of some sort of in joke. "Anyway," Mike continues; "Nico and me will probably be the ones who end up dealing with whatever it is you have here, so, what is it?"

Nico shakes his head as they walk through the door; "If they knew what it was Mike, they wouldn't be calling us. What can you tell us about it though? What is the condition of the, err, individuals. Have they been identified, anything unusual about the way they were killed, etc?"

Willis frowns at the two of them but Tony only hesitates a couple of seconds before answering. "We have identified them, and there was some unusual circumstances around their deaths. About two years ago they all died in a hotel just outside Pasco. One of them is the truck driver who killed the other three, though not all four have graced us with their presence. We had someone check the last grave site, thankfully unmarred." When Tony tells us who it is, Mercy stumbles and stops catching everyone's attention; " Would you care to add something to that Mercy?" Tony asks her, "I remember the events of that summer quite clearly just like I remember that you always seemed upset that he got the blame, almost like you think he wasn't guilty, but could never give us the true story."

Mercy looks around guiltily, "Not here ok. Yes there's more to the story that I couldn't tell you at the time, and shouldn't be now, but it's time his name was cleared." She looks at me when she says that and I just nod approvingly, it IS time to clear some things up.

Mercy

We walk down a stairwell into the basement with minimal lighting, something I notice, only Tony and his partner seem to have a problem with. "Sorry about the lack of lights folks, but too much light seems to upset our quests." Tony says, "It's the last room on the left. Anything we should know before we start?" Tony asks waiving his hand between Willis and himself.

"Everyone wait here for a second." Nico says has he walks down the hall. Detective Willis glares at Tony, who just ignores him and watches Nico. Nico comes back about a minute later with a fake smile plastered on his face. "This shouldn't be much of a problem," both Adam and me can hear the lie for what it is, and at a glance, not only do Zee and Tad recognize it, but so do the other kids. "I will need a little bit of help though. Mr. Hauptman, I'll need you to use a little brute strength while Mike and me are occupied." As he says that, a shadow slides across him and he is suddenly carrying all of his weapons and items, his hat in one hand, and the other holding his cane out to Adam. "Percy, I'll need you guarding the exit. If this goes south, we'll need you to stop them if you can, or just slow them down. Mr. Adelbertsmiter, Tad, I'm not sure of your abilities, will you help if you see need?"

"I have it on firm authority that Zee is as capable as Beauclaire in hand to hand combat." I tell Nico.

"That's good to hear, Mr. Adelbertsmiter if you'd be so kind as to be a secondary guard behind Percy? Detective Montenegro, Willis, any other exits?" Zee looks at me, surprise evident in his face and mouths 'Secondary guard.' I just nod at him.

Tony looks flustered for a second before answering. "Three, this was never a detention area, so no concern was given to security. We couldn't put them anywhere close to a secure area because those are a little to crowed right now."

"No big deal," Nico lies smoothly, "you'll just need to be a little closer than I'd like for Percy to guard an effective choke point. Now, Mr. Hauptman, I'll need you to use the cane to bust open the floor when I give you the signal. We need to give them access to bare earth, but we also need to give them a strong reason to not stay where they are, for that, I'll need the glow boy."

He looks at Mike who simply nods and sure enough, he starts to faintly glow. But more than that, his skin starts to flake away from the side of his head and I can see feathers underneath starting to ruffle and push themselves out the side and top of his head, replacing his hair which disappears has it's falling off. Like Nico, Mike seems to shimmer for a moment and suddenly he's carrying several weapons and wearing armor over his clothes and is carrying his bow with a quiver of arrows, for a brief second he appears to have wings with the same glowing golden feathers of his new head. I take a deep breath, Mike smells strongly of sunbaked beaches, medicine, musical instruments and sex. It takes me a second to realize that that is part of his magic, raw sexual magnetism, not that he's already having sex at twelve years old. As I realize that, I also get down into his underlying scent and notice that it's not sunbaked beaches I smell, but sunlight. Pure sunlight, along with all the underlying powers given to the sun over the centuries. Whatever else he is, Michal Evenstead is a power unto himself, every bit as much as the other five.

I look at the two humans, Zee and Tad who are all staring in shock except Tad, then at Percy and Annabeth who are both likewise decked out in war gear, complete with water helixes in Percy's case. I look back at the humans, I think Tony just figured out that Nico was lying when he said it'd be easy, and Willis has just figured out that this isn't some prank we're pulling on him. Zee for his part seems flustered, it's clear he wasn't expecting this, while Tad has a sort of 'I told you so' look to him.

We walk down the hallway and gather, behind Percy, at the door to watch. The three corpses are sitting up on a bench like worshippers at church who are actually paying attention to the priest when Nico, Mike and Adam walk in. I look at them, they are partially decomposed, but not entirely. It's been a little less than two years since then, shouldn't they be more boney, less juicy? All three of them watch Nico like a hawk, though they have no eyes, it's a testament to the nature of their lives that none of the kids seem the least bit disturbed by this. For his part, Adam manages to not flinch though he is nowhere near as casual as the kids, I guess we just haven't had as much experience with walking, talking corpses has the kids. And it takes me a moment before the implications of that sink in. Tad is staring with open surprise and a little bit of nausea while his father, like Adam is able to hide, for the most part, his reaction to them, though not his astonishment at the casual disregard the kids show. Tony and Willis are both doing their best to look only at the kids or Adam, it really is incredibly creepy, I'm suddenly really impressed with the courage of the officers who actually tackled these guys and got them here. I don't think I'd have done it.

Nico begins to say something in Greek and raises his hand to Adam who slams the cane into the floor with enough force to cause us all to lose our balance when the floor buckles and jumps out from under us. The cement flooring rips open with chunks of debris flying everywhere and a concussion wave emanating from where Adam struck the ground, slamming us backwards and cracking the walls.

We have maybe a second to stare at Adam. Nico and Mike are on the ground like us, only Adam and Percy remained upright, Adam unmoved, protected by the cane, Percy protected by something else, maybe just skill. Clearly this was not part of Nico's plan.

After that precious second is lost, the screaming begins. Not us mind you, we're still in shock. But the dead, they're not in shock, they're in pain. Unimaginable pain is released in screams that rip through our souls and minds, shattering instinct, training and long held believes, and bringing sorrow, pain and insanity in its wake. Everyone but me is driven to the floor, Nico is doing better than the others, being a creature of death and Tony and Willis are doing better than everyone else (not having enhanced senses seems to be helping them), but that's not really saying that much, the three of them are on the ground, covering their hears and grimacing. Everyone else is screaming with all the supernatural power they possess. Which unfortunately, is quite a bit.

Adams screams are the roars of an enraged werewolf. Roars no natural creature has ever been able to reproduce. Tad's screams are the pain of youth ripped away as a parent dies early and the grinding of metal from an engine locking up. Zee's screams are a more powerful version of Tad's, but mixing in rage, hate and murder. The crashing of hammer on anvil, the curses of those killed by swords and the burning of churches. Annabeths screams are the cries of injured or angry birds, thunder and lightning as well as the cries of victorious warriors and the crashing of collapsing buildings (that one causes me to look around before I realize it's coming from her, not the station). Percy's cries are the screams of whales, the thunder of waves, the crashing of tides and the grinding power of an earthquake. But also the roar of battle, thunder of cannons and the wailing of women whose lives are being torn asunder. Michal's cries are the sounds of all the instruments of the world, screaming a dirge of pain and horror. Of the wailing of the injured and dying, the cries of families grieving the dead and pleading with doctors, and over it all, an almost indescribable roar of a nuclear furnace going into overload.

Yep, that's what's inside my friends heads. I am really glad Nico isn't joining in, something tells me his cries would be the worst. Maybe Tony and Willis are screaming, I'm certainly not going to be able to hear them over this din.

Whatever's going on inside their heads right now, Mike at least had already kicked his power to glow on when the screaming started and it gained in strength with the volume of the scream. Which means we're all going to be suffering from severe sunburns. Not that any of us are going to mind though, rather quickly two of them decide the earth is a better choice than the light and dive into the crevice formed by Adams blow and sink into the earth.

With two thirds of the dead screaming gone, the kids are able to regain control and stop their own screaming, though only Nico seams able to stand (Mike dims his light considerable). The third one, the truck driver, the one who was blamed however, isn't so easily dissuaded. Still screaming the pain of the dead, he lounges at me. I try to get out of the way but I'm slowed by the power of the sounds I've heard. He grabs me and slams me against the wall. I'm on the verge of losing consciousness from the pain when Λύκος is in my hand slashing up and cutting him across the chest and throat, cutting of his scream. Why that worked I have no idea, he can see without eyes and I'm pretty sure he doesn't even have a voice box anymore, but it does work, at least for the moment.

"STOP!" I cry has he gets ready to lunge and scream again. "Just stop! We're trying to help! I know you're angry. You have a right to be. What you were accused of simply because we needed to hide what really happened to help prevent more from dying is unimaginable. I'm sorry, I truly am, but it's a decision I'd allow again to prevent more people from dying." I wonder if he can see the hypocrisy of my words, I allowed the vampires to do that to prevent vampires from being outed. I'm not so sure that over the long run, more people wouldn't die from them maintaining their secret than if they had to be much more careful.

As the screaming starts again I realize I can understand words under the scream. This is his only way of communicating with the living. "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT! I'D LIKE MY FAMILY TO KNOW I DIDN'T MURDER THOSE PEOPLE, BUT MUCH MORE, I WANT THEM PROTECTED! IT'S COMING BACK! THE BEAST IS RETURNING! EVEN NOW, A HOST IS BEING CHOSEN FOR ITS RETURN! IN THE HALLS OF THE NEW ATLANTIS IT RETURNS! TELL THEM! WARN THEM! PROTECT THEM! PLEASE!"

With the last, he lets me go and drops to his knees in front of me.

"YOU ARE THE WARRIOR, THE HERO, THE GUARDIAN! THE DESTROYER OF THE MONSTER, KEEPER OF PEACE AMONGST THE LIVING AND JUDGE OF THE DEAD! YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF CHANGE AND THE BRINGER OF HOPE! COYOTE'S DAUGHTER, WOLF'S HEART, LAUGHTER MAKER AND RIPPLE ON THE SURFACE OF STAGNATION! DIPLOMAT OF CHAOS, RULE BREAKER, GUARDIAN OF LIFE, AND LORD OF SPOKANE! PLEASE PROTECT MY FAMILY! PLEASE!"

Finally he falls silent, kneeling in front of me, anguish clearly visible in his decomposing face. Nico is standing behind him, his sword, glowing an ugly puke green, ready to strike, but with a look of surprise on his face. I'm pretty sure I have a very similar look on mine right now.

"Yes!" It's all I can think to say at first. On instinct, I slash Λύκος across the inside of my hand and offer it to him. He rakes the inside of his with his finger nails, causing putrid looking puss of some kind to ooze out. Despite myself, I grip his hand in mine, blood and puss mingling; "I swear I will do all within my power to protect your family from the demon! You have my word!"

He simply nods, standing up, he walks backwards and falls into the open earth behind him, instantly being absorbed. I run up to the hole, "I'll do what I can for you other two as well!" I scream, "For all the victims of that monster!"

I feel Adams hand on my shoulder and realize I'm on my knees in front of the hole crying. Tears of rage, sadness and grief flowing down my cheeks. I grab Adam and hold on with all my strength, finding my center, and regaining strength.

It's several minutes before I become aware of what's going on around me. Adam is hugging me, the kids are cleaning up the best they can with Nico standing guard over me. I'm left with the impression he's the only other person who understood what he said. I certainly hope so, because I'm not so certain I did. Tad and Zee are inside the room, sitting in the corner nearly in shock, their glamor stripped away and their fae miens clear. Tony and Willis are down the hall talking to a whole bunch of heavily armed police. It dawned on me suddenly, the people upstairs could hear what was happening. I wonder how far the sound traveled. Based on the constant bussing coming from Adams cell phone and the sounds of sirens outside, far enough to make the news.

Swell, that's all we need, more publicity. I look at Λύκος for a second and send him off to tell everyone else in the pack that we're ok. At that moment, my cell phone rings with the tone 'Of Wolf and Man' by Metallica; Bran. "Hey, we're all alive here, can't talk freely, and it'll be on the news shortly if it isn't already. By the way, that thing with Littleton is coming back, the New Atlantis, possibly Atlanta Ga. Thought you might want to know." Sometimes, if you say things really quickly and catch them by surprise, dominant werewolves won't question things to closely.

Clearly Bran was used to this tactic. "Mercy, the news is saying there was a seven point two earthquake there and I just got a call from Sam saying he'd been called by your friend Tony to the police station in the capacity of the both the pack's and the fae embassies listed doctor of choice and Adams phone was busy. Call me back as soon as you can speak freely!"

Adam was laughing into my hair. "More reporters, yeah. It's going to be another long night."