Hey Guys! Thanks for the reviews! You all are so amazing, I hope you know! Sorry about that long authors note in the previous chapter, but I was and still am pissed.

Sorry for typos/OOCness! Hope you enjoy!

Happy Reading!

Chapter 12

Jason

Jason didn't trust Tulip.

There was something about her that just annoyed him. She seemed too happy go lucky in his opinion, like a few of the Aphrodite campers from Camp Half-Blood that would corner him and start flirting. They never got along that well with Piper, mainly because they were Drew's little servants.

But Piper seemed to be fine with Tulip. "She's nice," she insisted to Jason as they were walking through the forest. "Sometimes you just have to put your faith is other people."

And now, Tulip had completely abandoned them in some city called Ioannina. Jason had studied Italy's geography since he was young, and as history, he had also studied Greece. Never had he heard of Ioannina, or the island on the outskirts of it. Plus, Tulip had said that Nico should know how to get to that island, which added to the reasons that Jason didn't trust the kid.

But Nico was either purposely acting naïve, or he really had no idea what she had meant. After she had left, everyone was getting a little suspicious. Even Piper had wondered if she was lying to them.

"Let's look for some way to get over there," Nico said afterwards.

It didn't take long for Frank to call out to everyone, "I found some stairs. There's a dock down there. Let's see if we can get one of the boats."

Jason took the stairs two at a time with Piper right behind him. When they got to the bottom, Leo passed them and looked around until he pointed. "Well, I guess that's our ride, folks!" He was gesturing to a motor boat, seventeen feet long and, like, eight-seated. "You don't think the owners of this will mind, do you?"

"Why does it matter? Our situation is far more important than theirs will ever be," Nico pointed out. Jason had to admit that Nico was right. They'd be thankful once they weren't killed by giants.

In addition to the motor boat, there were a few wooden rows boats, life boats, and many, very large yachts that Jason only saw in movies. They were the kind of boats that were advertised by multi-millionaires on those TV shows every one watches, even though they know they'll never get one.

There was a small shack at the bottom of the stairs, next to a short pier. The six of them went inside to find a man sitting behind a desk, like a hotel concierge. He had a Gandalf-style beard and acid washed overalls. There was a giant mole on his upper lip, and he turned around and spit in a cup before eyeing them curiously.

He said something in a language that no one understood. He seemed sort of mad as he said it, like he couldn't believe they were here. Before Jason could say anything, Leo stepped forward and said very slowly and way too loudly, "We no speak your language."

The man seemed confused for a second but then continued in very rusty English, "I don't wish to have any of your kind here. Leave, please." He nodded toward the open doorway and ushered them away with his hands. He smiled with pure hatred, showing off his rotten teeth. A waft of bad breath floated over near Jason's head, and he felt like he was choking for a second. His eyes even watered.

"Our kind?" asked Frank. "Do you mean demigod?"

The old man rolled his eyes and pointed at the bow and arrows strapped on to Franks back. "No, I mean clowns." He tapped his foot impatiently and glanced at a clock on the wall. Jason looked at it too. The second hand was stuck.

The man wasn't mad, he was nervous. He was stalling and trying to get them to leave. Jason guessed that the guy was a mortal, but he probably had the Sight; he could see through the Mist, just like Rachel Dare. But how he knew about demigods, Jason didn't have a clue.

"Yes," Leo agreed. "That's it. We're part of a traveling Circus." He grabbed three hammers out of his tool belt and attempted to start juggling them, but ended up dropping one on his foot, catching one, and hitting Nico in the back of the head with the third. Nico whirled on Leo and started muttering many profanities under his breath.

The man clapped and shook his head. "You are very much clown-like. But you are demigods, and I have not any time for you. Be gone."

Then, Jason noticed the wall of keys behind the man. He was like and keeper of the keys for the people who had boats out there. They were making this too difficult on themselves. All they had to do was step around the desk and snatch a pair of keys. Easy as pie.

"Look," Jason said. "We don't have time for this. We need the keys to that motor boat out there so that we-"

"Can get onto Ioannina Island, yes, yes. I know what you are trying to do, and Gaea has paid me very well to not let you get across. So the keys are not yours. And if you don't get out now, I'll be forced to remove you quite painfully, and you will not like it." He was speaking fluent English now, no more accent.

Jason unsheathed his sword and aimed it at the old man's throat. "What is your name?" he demanded.

The man actually laughed at them, like an evil cackle. He was cocky now, not nervous. "My name? My name is Alexander, and I am just a mortal. A very well trained mortal, may I add." He acted like the whole situation was just the funniest thing now.

Horror struck Jason like a viper. He was about to ask a question, but Hazel beat him to it. "Wait, are you the Alexander? Alexander the Great?" It had to be impossible.

He laughed again. "Oh heck no. You demigods always think if I have some historic name that I'm the person. Nope. My name's just Alexander, no great in it. But I have some great things that I'm going to do to you if you don't leave right now."

"I think we'll pass," Jason sneered, starting at the man and bringing his arm back, ready to strike.

An arm caught Jason and pulled him back, not forcefully at all. Piper looked at Jason and gave him the I've Got This look. Jason wasn't sure, but he stepped back and let Piper try her approach. "Please, sir." her voice dripped power. "Just give us the keys. I'm sure Gaea wouldn't mind if you only let one boat go. And you won't lose your job, either."

"Gaea also warned me about you, Piper McLean. She told me about your charmspeak and that you could manipulate people, just like your mother. I'm tired of this game. These were only supposed to be a scare tactic, but I'm fed up now." He reached behind his desk. Not jingled. Jason heard a voice hiss. He knew that voice too.

Completely on instinct he threw himself at Alexander, sword in front of him. He heard Piper gasp, Nico swear, and Leo pick up one of his down hammers. Frank and Hazel yelled, "Venti!" Jason never hit Alexander, but he hit the voice he recognized instead, the one he hadn't heard for about seven months.

Dylan looked up at him, that killer smile plastered onto his face. He still wore his Dallas jersey and had that evil, arrogant glare in his eyes. "I heard you started dating Piper, amnesiac. Congrats."

"Thanks, I'm proud to have her." He brought his sword down on Dylan, but Dylan had darted away, knowing that he wouldn't be able win a fight against a Son of Jupiter. He moved onto Frank. Jason glanced down behind the desk. There were two cages open, three closed. Two or three storm spirits were in each one. Alexander was on his hands and knees trying to undo the latches. Jason kicked him in the head. The blow was hard enough to knock him out.

Only three Venti were out fighting. Jason watched as the fourth one flew out of the shack, screaming, "Freedom," all the while. Dylan was one of the ones remaining, and he was putting up a good fight. He didn't use any of his powers though. He was humoring them.

Jason glanced out the window and saw the motor boat. There was a number 32 plastered next to it. Pretty self explanatory. Jason found keys number 32. Now there was only the matter of stopping the Venti.

"Get them outside, guys!" he said, hopping over the desk and attempting to hit one in the neck. She-it was a she- jumped out of the way, not realizing that Nico was approaching from behind. He had one of Leo's Celestial Bronze screw drivers in his hand. He sent it flying through her chest. She screeched and dissolved.

Taunting would have to be necessary. The other Ventus was gone now too. Dylan was surrounded by his friends, but Dylan was pretty strong. Jason ran outside, and called, "So Dylan. I guess you're too scared for a rematch, huh?"

Dylan stared at him in rage. His body dissolved into little clouds, and he floated right through the five of them. He grew his black wings again. "Of someone like you? I've seen girls scarier than you."

He ignored him. "Leo catch!" Jason threw the keys at him. Leo caught them in surprise. "I'll catch up with you." The others looked confused, but Leo understood and started running for the motor boat. The others followed.

Dylan rose into the air and Jason followed, using the wind to guide him. Dylan jabbed at Jason with his fist and caught him on the right cheek. It hurt, but Jason had an adrenaline rush. He attacked him right back.

Dylan threw hurricane force winds at Jason, but it was futile. Jason stood his ground and kept up his attack, loving every moment of it. Dylan kicked Jason stomach, and then feinted to the left when Jason retaliated.

"What are you afraid of, Jason Grace?" asked Dylan. "I'll tell you this straight up so that you and your friends won't be thinking about it. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are dead. They didn't survive the fall." He looked so triumphant when he said that, and so positive.

"You're lying," Jason grumbled. He could feel energy sparking off of him. He felt like a storm. "They're still alive. Nico or Hazel would've told us if they'd died."

"Please," Dylan sighed. "Hazel can barely tell if Leo is or is not her dead boyfriend. And Nico had been tortured for the past string of days. He's completely worn out. Take it from me; I've got nothing to lose. They're dead. Except it and get on with saving the world, oh great Son of Jupiter."

Hatred poured through Jason's veins. It was because of this army that they were dead. He would have his revenge.

Below, Jason saw Leo using the controls on the motor, getting all of the water out of the back on the boat by draining it. He was snapped back to his own situation by an electrocution from Dylan, who cried, "For Gaea!"

"Why say that if she's never going to do anything for you?" Jason wondered angrily, letting his blade absorb the next bolt of lightning. He slashed it in Dylan's direction, and the electricity arced off of it and went straight for Dylan, who dove down about twenty feet to escape. The air tasted metallic, like rain and blood.

"You know," Jason said as Dylan floated back up to his level. "Piper told me before we started dating that she used to like you." It was such a lie, but still worth a try.

Dylan's jaw dropped; maybe he had actually liked Piper, but it was hard to not like Piper anyway. Jason used this distraction and closed his eyes, and aimed his sword and Dylan's throat. He jumped at him and slashed his throat. Dylan gasped.

Jason called down a bolt of electricity from the sky. It hit Dylan in his chest. He let out one final cry and dissipated into rain, dust, and clouds. Jason was happy for a very long moment, since he hadn't even liked the guy when he was in Wilderness School.

He looked down at his friends. They were already speeding away towards the island, Leo with the throttle all the way down so that they were going as fast as they could. Jason followed them flying along the winds.

When he landed on the boat with his singed clothes, they all jumped up. Piper ran to Jason and threw her arms around him. When he didn't hug her back, she pulled away and looked into his sad eyes. "Hey. Why so sad? You just killed Dylan!"

Jason couldn't say the words aloud, too afraid that they would be true once he did. Piper put her hand on his cheek. "Come on, you can tell us anything."

Nico was staring at him oddly, probably wondering what he was going to say. Jason was sweating and he felt like crying. Leo was steering the boat but looking at Jason. The island was getting closer. Frank and Hazel eyed him. Jason couldn't take it. Did they need to know, or should he keep it to himself?

Jason shrugged his shoulders and looked everyone in the eye. "Nothing's wrong," he lied.

Dear 'Bored': Your reviews will NOT make me update faster. I will right one to two chapters per week, and that's that, no matter how many things you say. Okay? Okay.

Reviews and Ideas are loved! Go check out my story, You and Me, Against the World!

-BBH