Chapter XIV: Piper

Piper finally receives some shut-eye.

The fight with the Panes had been frustrating; at first Piper had thought they were outnumbered by the little nature- freak midgets, there were at least three dozen of Panes and only five of them. Fortunately, they had managed.

Piper had to be impressed. The crew had survived this far- she had no doubt they'd reach Greece and defeat Gaea and her horde of monsters and come back alive in no time. Yeah, sure. In a million years. That sort of victory wouldn't even happen in her wildest dreams. It sounds easier than it looks.

It had been hours since they had sent Hazel and Leo into Sparta. It sort of felt like sending her friends to a horror story in which they would never come back, but she knew Hazel would be able to handle it. Hopefully.

She sits up on her bed. She pulls up Katropris and peers into it. "Show me something good."

An image flickers before her eyes in the blade. She sees Hazel lying down on the ground , her head bruised. She is clearly unconscious. A centaur towers above her. Piper isn't sure, but she could make out iron bars. The image freezes and tears away. "NO!" she yells.

The image dissolves. Piper sees Jason, now, driving a car. The car speeds along at high speeds. Piper can not see anyone else in the car. Suddenly, the car tilts and crashes. It began to burn and all she could she was flames..

Piper joins the rest after stamping Katropris several times and then dumping it into the dustbin. She is glaring at the wall opposite to her. Everyone's expression is worried and tensed. Percy is tapping restlessly on the table. Frank looks ready for an invasion.

"Why haven't they come back yet?" Frank inquires.

Annabeth looks at Frank with pity. Its clear that they all know Hazel and Leo are in trouble. Piper doesn't even feel surprised. Its almost like she expected it.

Piper cuts off before Annabeth can reply. "I saw a vision in Katropris" she says, loud and clear. "I saw Hazel on the ground, most likely off her senses. And I saw a centaur kneeling before her."

"They're in trouble!" Frank assumes. "I'm going after her."

"Um...Frank, I'm pretty sure we all appreciate the whole 'knight racing after his beloved' attitude," Percy says. "But we have to be careful."

Annabeth agrees. "He's right. Lets plan this one by one."

Frank looked like he wants to argue but he closes his mouth. Meanwhile, Jason sits quietly in one corner, unobserved, staring intently at Piper.

Annabeth turns to Piper and asks her. "Did you see anything else?"

" Um..." Piper thinks of flames dying away on Katropris. She can't bring herself to meet Annabeth's eyes and shakes her head "No, that was all."

"OK." Annabeth's voice is tentative. "Next, we'll send group of three to rescue Hazel and Leo."

Frank immediately volunteers "Me!"

"Me too," Jason says.

Piper feels her stomach take a huge jump. "I'm going as well."

If Jason was going, then so was she. She wouldn't let Jason even come close to a car. She had often heard it was dangerous to mess with fate but she wasn't going to let Jason die on her watch.

That leaves me and Percy to take care of the ship," Annabeth says.

Percy nods. "Be careful, and stay out of trouble's path."

Jason grins. "You're starting to sound like Annabeth, man."

Percy jumps. "What?" He clutches at his hair.

Jason laughs. Annabeth shoots Percy a glare.

He grins innocently. Percy gives Jason a high five.

"Now that we've sorted everything out," Frank says. "We'd better get going."

It doesn't begin too well. Both Jason and Frank begin to argue on whether The Palace of Leademon would be on the civilian side or in the forests.

"Forests" Frank says, "Don't you think someone would have noticed a huge castle out on the pavement?"

"Mist," Jason reminds him. "You really think centaurs would have an army in those stuffy forests? Besides Chiron hates grass and wood and all those nature stuff."

"He might be exceptional." Frank continues to argue "And you cant judge a book by its cover. Maybe its really beautiful inside. Annabeth said the castle was really impressive"

Piper rolls her eyes. "Boys," she mutters.

Both of them glare at her. "Look, make up your mind. Forest or city?" Piper sighs irritably.

After a long consideration Frank finally says, "City."

Jason gives a superior smile. "Great. Next question, how do we go about? We cant really walk around this whole place."

Piper knows what is coming. "Subway," she quickly suggests.

"Umm...Piper, this is exactly London anymore. I doubt Sparta's got a Subway system. And if they did, its completely underground." Frank says kindly.

"Sorry, I wasnt thinking," she replies, embarrassed."Bus?"

Jason looks uncertain. "That could take lots of time and it might not stop where we want to go. Maybe I could steal a car and drive us around."

"No!" Piper exclaims

"Why not? Frank asks "I thought that was a great idea"

"No..no" she stammers "I..uh, I have motion sickness!"

Jason thinks. "Try doing what Hazel does. Look out at the horizon for a while". When he sees her uncomfortable face he says "Please try Pipes. For Leo and Hazel"

I'm doing this for you, she thinks. Outside, she nods.

Jason looks at her skeptically. Frank breaks into a big grin. "We're coming, oh yeah!"

Frank walks ahead. Jason stops Piper with his hand. "Are you ok?" Piper tries for a smile. It doesn't come. Jason continues."Look, whatever happened back there wasn't motion sickness. What's going on?"

"I'm fine Jason, seriously," she says and then briskly speedens her pace to catch up with Frank.