They never did encounter more guards and for that the entire group was thankful. They finally found the exit and met up with Dr. Andropov. He had been waiting in a niche that would be good for someone to see out of without being seen. He came out and showed them how to escape.
When they were all out the hatch that Dr. Andropov had shown them, he himself clambered out. Annabeth was happy he was coming along, but she was beginning to wonder where everyone was going to sleep. She also wanted to know if the van was intact or at least good enough to get them where they needed to go.
"They don't know of your escapade yet." Dr. Andropov said. "They won't know until it comes time for the interrogations. When it is that time, they will find all their lackeys passed out. That is thinking optimistically. If their lackeys wake up early, they will raise the alarm and discover you are gone much too soon."
"How should we go about finale of our escape?" Travis asked Dr. Andropov.
"I think stealth is the best option. Avoid letting anyone know you're out, including anyone you kill and/or knock out. They could be used against us before we're completely clear." Dr. Andropov said glancing around nervously.
It was clear to Annabeth that he had not been out of the prison for a long time. The hatch had been in the ceiling of the building and let them out on ground level without a trace of the huge facility in sight. It was an underground prison in Annabeth's mind, regardless of its actual purpose for being where it was.
"Can we destroy it?" Leo asked.
"I don't think so." Frank said, speaking loud and clear for the first time since they had been in the van. "If I'm right, the facility is going to be too big to destroy without making some heavy sacrifices. So heavy that they wouldn't be worth it." He added just as Leo was about to say something.
Leo sighed and said, "Then what should we do? Just run away without finding out who it was that captured us? Who was clever enough and had enough resources to take all of us out and put us in there?"
Percy said softly but firmly, "That is not what Frank said. That is not what we are planning on doing. We will find out who they are. I'm sure we have things we'll be able to analyze to trace back to who it is that did this. We won't have enough resources or energy to figure it out if we don't run and regroup though. We are leaving."
Leo shut his mouth. He knew better than to argue with his boss, even if they were good friends. Percy turned to Dr. Andropov and said, "We'll go with your plan. Stealth. No kills or knock outs when at all avoidable. We can't leave traces we're gone and want to keep the fact hidden as long as possible."
The group nodded. Frank was standing up by himself. He was ready to take on whatever he needed to, it seemed. The rest of the group was standing tall and at the ready. Annabeth and Dr. Andropov just stood there. Dr. Andropov looked extremely frightened though. For a man at his age, that was slightly surprising to Annabeth.
"Let's head out." Percy said. They looked at Dr. Andropov and he pointed weakly to the west.
"That's our best bet." He said.
"Wouldn't the sun blind us and make us visible?" Frank asked.
The sun was high in the sky as they stood by the closed hatch. Dr. Andropov looked at Frank strangely like he was thinking about the position of the sun as well. Annabeth looked at Dr. Andropov's face closely. She didn't pick up any trickery in his eyes or body language. She did think that Frank had though. She looked at Frank cautiously and saw that he looked a bit curious. He didn't think Dr. Andropov was trying to trick them either. He just thought that the sun might set and blind and expose them before they were clear.
"It's a direct route, so I think we should be clear of premises by the time the sun is low enough for it to hit our eyes or make our shadows long enough to be obvious if and when they start looking." Dr. Andropov said thoughtfully.
"Okay. Let's get going. We should stay low." Travis said.
"Definitely." Dr. Andropov agreed. "There is taller grass that will make it much easier to walk in secrecy a several yards away, if I remember correctly."
"Good." Connor said as he and Leo began leading the way.
When they got to the promised taller grass, Annabeth was disappointed. They hadn't needed to keep a literal low profile because the sun wasn't shining to make their shadows too long. However as the day went on, their shadows became lower. When they were in the grass, it didn't help as much as Annabeth had thought it would. Dr. Andropov had made it sound like they could walk standing straight up and the grass would shield them from the eyes of whoever had captured them. That was not the case.
"This grass is barely taller!" Annabeth exclaimed.
The others looked around and then turned to Dr. Andropov.
Dr. Andropov said, "When I was up here last, it was at least three feet tall."
"When were you up here last?" Percy asked in a measured voice.
"Three weeks ago. They brought me up monthly so I could stay as healthy as possible while being held useful prisoner."
Connor asked, "Have they ever cut the grass before?"
Dr. Andropov furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Well they must," he finally said. "But I think they cut this area right after they bring me up because it always looks about the same height."
Travis sighed rather loudly and Dr. Andropov's face flushed. Frank shot Travis a look that Travis carefully avoided. Percy watched the two of them for a second then turned back to Dr. Andropov. He looked around at the open field they were standing in, rather exposed. Then he looked at Annabeth. She couldn't read his expression, but she just looked up into his face that looked too hardened for her liking.
"What are you thinking?" Annabeth whispered to Percy.
Percy shook his head slightly and muttered, "How to get out alive would be nice. Got any ideas?"
"I need information to make a plan, Percy. Right now I'm a bit short in that department."
"That's got to be a first."
"Dealing with mortal problems isn't exactly my specialty. I think you might have the wrong person as a field strategist."
Percy sighed and pulled Annabeth close to him and kissed the top of her head. "I wouldn't say that. I don't think anyone could have enough information from this mission to come up with any plan." He muttered into her hair.
Annabeth let out her own sigh and said, "Thanks."
"Hey lovebirds! It's not a great time to have a moment." Travis said irritably.
Annabeth pulled away from Percy and looked at Dr. Andropov who was talking quietly with Leo. She wasn't sure if they were going to be able to come up with a safe way out. She thought about what could happen if they didn't escape by nightfall. They wouldn't be able to see and their captors might have people out patrolling through the night as well.
"Dr. Andropov?"
"Yes, Annabeth?" He answered, momentarily turning away from Leo.
"Do you know if our captors have some kind of night patrol?"
Dr. Andropov hesitated before saying, "I would not put it past them."
Percy paled at the thought as did Travis and Conner. Frank stayed silent, but showed no sign of worry at the thought of a night patrol possibly finding them.
"I don't think that would give us a problem though." Frank said as Dr. Andropov turned back to Leo.
Percy, Annabeth, and the Stolls all turned to him disbelievingly. "What do you mean you don't think it's going to be a problem?" Travis asked incredulously.
"I think I'd be able to find them before they found us and warn the rest of you so we can move in ways that will get us safely around anyone who comes looking." Frank said in a much softer voice.
"That wouldn't be a dependable method though, Frank." Percy said without any hesitation.
"How?" Frank asked.
"Listen to yourself, Frank. What if you see people coming from one direction, we go the opposite, and there were other people there too? Then we would be double screwed."
"Plus!" Connor cut Frank off as he opened his mouth. "They might even have some sort of double search team out because our absence has to have been noticed by nightfall. They probably were planning on stuffing us in a closet for the night."
Frank sighed dejectedly. "Fine. Then I don't know how we'll clear the premises before nighttime."
"None of us do!" Leo said.
They all turned to Leo. Dr. Andropov looked exceptionally disheartened. Leo looked angry. He was glaring at the ground. Annabeth had a suspicion that he had just finished telling Dr. Andropov off for not leading them out correctly. Possibly for not thinking everything through when he engineered their escape as well.
"Leo? You alright?" Percy asked in a manner that didn't show fear, but wasn't angry either. It was almost a fatherly tone. Except that it was more of a mentor type of fatherly tone. It warmed Annabeth's heart to hear and she knew that when they got back to New York, he would make a wonderful father to Jr.
Leo nodded a little too forcefully.
"No you're not." Annabeth said with a sigh. Leo turned on her with his look of anger back set firmly on his face. Annabeth wasn't fazed, but she could feel Percy tense slightly beside her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo asked forcefully.
Annabeth put a hand on Percy's arm to silence him as she said, "It means that I know you aren't alright and I want to know what's bothering you before we move on."
Leo's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes did. "I don't have to tell you anything. You aren't even an official part of this team."
Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "You're right. You don't have to tell me anything. But you want to get whatever it is off your chest. I know you don't want to talk to me, but it might help if you talk to me instead of constantly talking to the same person. Get someone else's advice. A woman's advice."
Leo was silent. He didn't bother to look at Annabeth. He just stared at the ground again. The rest of the group was silent. Annabeth gave Percy a look and he nodded slightly before jerking his head to the other men who were watching him closely. Even Dr. Andropov understood the gesture and they all walked just out of earshot.
"Leo." Annabeth said quietly.
"What?" Leo's voice was thick, but it sounded as if he was trying to cover that up with an angry tone. It didn't exactly work out as Annabeth could see a few tears leaking out and hit the ground.
"What's bothering you so much?"
"Why do you care so much?" Leo asked looking up with a tear streaked face.
"I'm a mother, Leo." Annabeth replied softly.
Leo shook his head and stared at the ground again.
When Annabeth deemed it safe to approach Leo she did and rested a hand on his shoulder. He looked into her eyes and she could see the broken look to his own eyes. It pained her to look at and she knew that something must have brought up an old memory. She already knew his past was painful so something must have acted as a trigger to bring out the pain in Leo's conversation with Dr. Andropov.
"Bad memories."
"What bad memories?" Annabeth asked gently.
"I don't know. I guess it's more feeling trapped with no way out. And -"
"And more people you love might die." Annabeth finished for him.
Leo nodded silently. "I can't lose someone else."
"None of us can, Leo. You aren't alone, you know."
Leo hesitated before saying, "I guess you think I'm pretty selfish now."
Annabeth was shocked. She said, "No! Why would I think you're selfish?"
"You've got your kid to get back to. I don't have to get back for anyone."
"Yes you do!" Annabeth said speaking fiercely for the first time, "You've got to get back for the rest of the team. For the A2. They can't lose someone else, lest five other members."
"If we all died, there wouldn't be an A2 because we're basically the heart of it, plus Nico."
"Nico would still go on and he'd miss all of you terribly!"
"I don't care. I don't have any family left. If I die, no one would care. I don't have anyone to."
"What are you saying, Leo?" Annabeth asked.
"If a sacrifice is needed, I'm going to take it."
"No you will not. No one is going to sacrifice themselves. You are just depressed because you're scared of being trapped and the only way out is someone sacrificing themselves. Something brought that feeling out when you were talking to Dr. Andropov, but you've got to snap out of it. You can't let your memories or fears control you."
Leo stayed silent during Annabeth's rant. He didn't attempt to deny anything that she said either.
"Let's get going. We want to be far away from this property by the time it's dark out." Annabeth said quietly. Leo nodded and raised his head. He rubbed his eyes and stood tall, giving Annabeth a motion that implied she go ahead of him.
With Annabeth leading the two of them to the other men, Leo had a few seconds on his own to think of what she had told him. Annabeth thought that would be good for him so he wouldn't be pressured to respond.
When Percy turned to see Annabeth approaching with Leo in tow, he opened his arms and Annabeth stepped into them. He must have been able to see that Annabeth was in some distress. She didn't know why, but being in Percy's arms made it feel alright. Leo came to the group and the men patted him on the back and moved on.
Annabeth pulled away from Percy and started walking to the group that had already started slowly moving along. Percy followed and as he walked past Leo, he gave him a fatherly pat on Leo's left shoulder.
"Alrighty, Dr. Andropov, how far is the property line from here?" Annabeth heard Percy ask after about an hour of walking and crawling when the men thought it wouldn't be safe for the shadows to be so long.
"If I'm not mistaken, I'd say maybe a mile more." Dr. Andropov responded. He sounded slightly out of breath. Annabeth turned around to see his face beaded with sweat.
"Dr. Andropov? How are you holding up?" Annabeth asked.
"I'm alright. I just haven't walked this far since my youth and believe me, that was a long time ago." Dr. Andropov said with heaving breaths.
"Do you need to stop to rest for a moment?" Percy asked worriedly.
"No, no! We can keep going. I need to get you all off the property before nightfall, don't I?"
"We can risk a few minutes for you to catch your breath." Percy said kindly.
"No. We'll continue. I'm sure you're all very anxious to get back to your mission anyways."
"Well, I think that our captors are probably related in some way to the mission we're trying to achieve."
"We will keep going, Mr. Perry!"
The group snorted so in sync that it was scary. "Dr. Andropov, my name's Percy."
Dr. Andropov raised his eyebrows and asked, "Was that what you were trying to say when I asked what your name was?"
"Yeah. The bloody nose and swollen lip sort of screwed with my speech." Percy said, shrugging.
Dr. Andropov nodded and said, "Clearly."
Percy chuckled, but said nothing else. The heavy breathing coming from Dr. Andropov worried Annabeth though. She didn't want him to pass out on them or worse.
"Percy? I think I need to stop." Annabeth called to Percy.
"I don't think we can stop, Annabeth. We're kind of on a tight schedule. Unless your like really tired, we've got to keep going." Frank said, before Percy could even turn around fully, since he was walking in front of her.
"Frank, before you start reprimanding her, why don't we see the reason for her wanting to stop." Percy suggested with a slightly reprimanding look himself. "Why do you need to stop, Annabeth?"
"I think I've got a stitch in my side. It's really painful." Annabeth lied.
Percy raised his eyebrows slightly. It was just enough to let Annabeth know that he knew she wasn't being honest. He knew her so well after so many years.
"Well, we can sit down for a little bit." Percy said quietly to Annabeth with a smile in his voice. Then he said louder, "We'll rest for two minutes, then we're back up and running, so to speak. We're on the clock. Two minutes starts now!"
The men all dropped into some sort of sitting position except Percy who feigned helped Annabeth sit without curling in too much so not to aggravate the stitch. Annabeth mumbled a quick thanks to Percy as she stretched out on the ground.
"Thank you." Annabeth heard from a scratchy low voice in her right ear. She turned her head to the side to see Dr. Andropov trying to casually lean back so he could speak to Annabeth without looking too strange. He was leaning back on his left elbow with his legs crossed loosely.
"For what?" Annabeth asked.
"You know what." Dr. Andropov responded with a look to accompany it. "I know what it would look like if you had a stitch in your side and frankly, I'm surprised the others didn't notice you not show the telltale signs of a stitch when you asked to stop."
Annabeth was confused. "I didn't know there were telltale signs of having a stitch in one's side."
Dr. Andropov's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Oh really? Well I thought that would be something taught given that they are in the military."
"I don't know how many people know there are signs of any sort other than someone's word that they're in pain that they have a stitch in their side."
"I guess it is an old practice. There were some arguments many years back that it was an unreliable method of diagnosis. However, I've found that every time I see the signs and call it out, I was right - the person had a stitch in their side as they were doing heavy exercise." Dr. Andropov told Annabeth with a faraway look in his eyes.
The two of them sat in silence until Percy said in a commanding voice, "Two minutes is up and we are heading out again."
Annabeth heaved herself up as did Dr. Andropov. Both did so without any assistance even though some was offered.
The group began walking again in silence until Connor shouted, "Down!" Everyone dropped to the ground immediately. Then Annabeth heard gunshots cut through the hot afternoon air.
A/N: 1st off, I am soo sorry about not updating. I hope this chapter makes up for it.
I do have another semi-valid reason. I had to recover fully from the concussion before I was really allowed on a computer again, then I got a knee injury that didn't let me sit comfortably long enough to type out a chapter. Then, oh boy! my stupid internet at my house crashed and we had to get a new router which took up about 3 and a half days. Plus the band I'm in needs a new keyboard player and we've been trying to do practices by working around some pretty crazy schedules.
On another note, thanks for the understanding reviews & PMs. Again I'm not sure when I can update again. I'm starting my job when my knee is fully healed.