Chapter Seven
Nico
Friday August 6th
The six cousins all sat around the dining table eating lunch. It was exactly one o'clock. Nico wore nothing fancy and neither did anyone else. It was just jeans and a shirt. Percy peeked his head out the door. House had no windows.
"Okay, we're at the Empire State Building," he announced as he joined the others at the table. "It looks a bit cold outside being August and all."
"So we are going to this meeting?" Bianca clarified.
"We have nothing better to do," Thalia sighed. "But we're still angry at them, right?"
Everybody voiced their agreement.
"Okay, well let's go," Percy suggested.
The six of them stepped out of House blending in with the New Yorkers. Behind them, dozens of people were walking through House. Nico looked up at the building. It was nice to be in New York again. The six of them walked inside the building.
"What floor are we supposed to go to, again?" Nico asked.
"Chiron never said," Thalia replied.
"Well, let's ask the guy at the front desk if he knows anything," Percy suggested.
The six of them walked forwards. The guy at the desk looked at them and sighed, "No kids in the Empire State Building."
"We're here on important business," Percy insisted.
"Fine," the guy tapped his fingers on the desk, "How may I help you?"
"Yeah, which floor is Poseidon, Hades and Zeus Olympian on?" Thalia said her father's name with venom. "They were stupid and didn't tell us which one."
The guy smirked and leaned towards us, "Names?"
Thalia looked around her, "Percy, Jason, Nico, Bianca, Hazel and Thalia."
The man reached under the desk and showed us a silver credit card thing. "Get in the elevator alone. Slide this in the key lock and go to the six hundredth floor," he instructed.
Thalia looked at him dumbly, "Is this a joke?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"I've lived in New York my whole life," Percy said. "There is no six hundredth floor."
"Well look kid, take it or leave it." The man went back to reading his magazine.
Jason interrupted before anyone could instigate a fight, "Thanks." And led the group towards the elevator. They made sure they were alone before Thalia slid the card in the key lock. A new button appeared. The 600th floor. Thalia pushed it and they began to go up.
"These guys need better elevator music," Percy decided. "What is that? Stayin' Alive?"
Bianca laughed, "I think so."
Before the song could change the doors dinged open to a very long hallway. It had black marble floors and walls. Thalia pocketed the card as they stepped out. Along the hallway were golden statues, "Must be the employees," Nico whispered. The statues were about ten feet tall each including the pedestal they stood on. Nico counted a total of fourteen.
"This is fancy," Hazel muttered as she dragged her hand along the wall. "I feel like I should take off my shoes."
They stopped in front of a pair of tall, golden doors. Jason hesitated, "Should we knock?"
"I don't think so." Thalia shook her head. "They're expecting us."
Thalia and Percy pushed the golden doors apart. Inside was a very large circular room. It looked like a conference room with a long black table and swirly chairs. Around the room were several different doors that must've lead to the rest of Olympus.
"You're twenty minutes late," a deep voice said. At the head of the table sat Zeus. Flanking him was Hades and Poseidon.
Thalia balled her fists, "I'm not sure if you recall, but we didn't have to come at all."
"That rhymed," Nico whispered. The others looked away trying to hide their smiles.
"Please, sit," Poseidon said.
The six children left three open seats from their father. Nico, Bianca and Hazel sat across from Thalia, Jason and Percy.
"We would like to make amends with you," Hades announced. Nico noticed Hazel was looking anywhere but Hades, Bianca was staring at her feet and Nico just played with a piece of string on his shirt. When nobody spoke he took this as a sign to continue, "First, I think we'd like to explain ourselves and then announce our proposition."
"You being our children are forbidden," Poseidon started. "We're not sure if you're aware but when you left, a storm started outside. Skeletons rose from the ground, jewels popped up everywhere, there was a hurricane and lightning struck several trees."
"So we did that?" Jason asked.
"Yes," Zeus didn't sound very happy. "We had to do some damage control. As my children you've inherited sky powers, meaning you can fly make storms and such. As Poseidon's child you've inherited sea powers so you control the sea and can often make it storm as well. And as Hades children one of you has inherited riches of the earth and the other two would be power of dead meaning you can raise skeletons and such to your aid."
Hades spoke, "Now, onto the reason we left you—"
"Well obviously you jumped straight from when mother to another!" Bianca accused. Nico didn't think she realized she said it in Italian. "Hazel and Nico aren't even a year apart!"
"Bianca, English, please," Percy said.
Bianca rolled her eyes and Nico explained, "When she's angry she speaks Italian."
"Well what did she say?" Jason asked.
"I said," Bianca started, "That Hades jumped from our mother right to Hazel's. Nico and Hazel aren't even a year apart."
Hades children looked at him expectantly, "Well, yes it is true. But I left your mothers for a good reason. We all did."
Thalia huffed and rolled her eyes.
"Well? Go on, what's your good reason?" Percy asked.
"We are very powerful," Zeus started.
"Thanks, because it's not like we already knew that!" Thalia snapped.
"Let me finish, Thalia," Zeus said. That was the first time any of them had said one of their names. It sounded odd. Like it was weird they actually knew their names. "A long time ago, when we were just boys, nineteen I'd say, we started our conjoined company according to the powers we received. From where, we don't know. We had just left our home in Greece after we refused our father's offer to take over his clock store. When our own company started to become more known, we were forced to hire more people. We we're come to be known as the fourteen Olympians. It started off as a family thing. Myself, Poseidon, Hades, my wife Hera, her children from a previous marriage, Ares and Hephaestus, and our sister Hestia. Hestia had joined us a few months later. That was the first half. I also had another son later named Dionysus, or Mr. D."
Thalia's nose scrunched up at that fact, "Mr. D! He's our half-brother?"
"Yes. Anyways, we hired more people. Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes and Demeter. That's how our company is branched out. When the other Olympians found out about you six, they were okay with it but worried. Of course they had children of their own but, it wasn't the same. Dionysus didn't develop any of my powers. He got different ones, but that's not the point. I'd say Thalia was about five the night our father showed up. He was envious of our wealth, power and growing company. When we told him to leave he became angry and said if he ever found you six he would kill you."
"That's why we detached ourselves from you," Poseidon explained. "Well now it's useless to do so because he has located all of you. We couldn't believe you all lived in New York City. So we called up your mother's together to bring you here so we could keep you safe. But then," Poseidon stopped and sighed. "We became aware our father was trying to steal the company. So we called Chiron and asked House to collect you so you could fight and be prepared if he ever were to find you. We would rather you be a part of the team then all being lured into his trap."
"So you're telling me that you planned this trip before deciding to send us to House?" Percy theorized.
Poseidon nodded quickly, "Yes."
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Nico retorted.
"Yeah, this could be a load of bull to spare our feelings," Thalia put in.
"Isn't our word enough?" Hades asked.
"It's hard trying to believe someone you've never met with a story as crazy as that," Hazel added.
"Is it crazy trying to protect your children?" Zeus demanded.
"How about we let you ask any questions you want and we'll answer truthfully. Will that be enough to sway your thoughts?" Poseidon suggested.
"Okay, fine," Bianca said. "First question is for Hades. Everybody else only had an affair with one woman. Why two?"
"I loved them both," Hades assured. "Any other questions?"
Percy looked Poseidon straight in the eye, "In your story you mentioned your father. Is he K?"
Poseidon nodded, "Yes, but we cannot speak his name."
"Why not?" Jason demanded.
"Saying names are forbidden," Zeus disclosed.
Nico was confused. What was the harm in saying a name? "Write it down then," Hazel suggested.
Zeus sighed and pulled a notepad and a pen from his jacket pocket. He scribbled something down and ripped the sheet off. Thalia stood and retrieved it, as they were sitting so far away.
She read it then passed it around. It read Kronos. Weird name.
"Are we…okay now?" Poseidon asked hesitantly.
Percy laughed, "Yeah, dad, its fine."
Poseidon smiled and visibly relaxed, "Good."
"So…what are we going to do now?" Nico asked. "It's just barely two. And, I mean, we just made up and you're rich. It's only fair if you buy us whatever we want."
"Nico!" Bianca yelled.
Everyone else laughed. "Hey, I agree with Nico," Thalia said. "You've all been pretty bad fathers."
"It depends on what you want," Hades said. "Or where we're going."
"The mall!" Bianca insisted.
"No!" Came the cries of everyone else.
"We should go to the carnival," Percy suggested. "There are tons of things to do there."
"That's not half bad," Zeus mused.
"Obviously, your child is smarter than you Poseidon," Hades agreed.
Poseidon rolled his eyes. "When are we leaving then?"
"Now, I suppose," Hades suggested.
"Wait," Zeus pulled out a small electric device. Poseidon and Hades frowned and did the same
"What are those?" Hazel asked, leaning forward to get a look.
"Our schedule," Hades barely looked up. "Sorry, not today."
Percy frowned, "Why not?"
"We have a meeting with the rest of the Olympians in an hour," Poseidon explained.
"That's okay with me," Thalia shrugged.
Zeus stared at her, "Pardon me?"
"I guess we'll be back in an hour, then," Jason agreed.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Poseidon frowned.
"You owe us fatherly bonding time," Nico insisted.
"Sitting for three hours in the same room is not fatherly bonding time," Zeus argued.
"No, no, let them come," Hades suggested. "If they want to, let them. There are exactly twenty seats everyone can fit."
Zeus looked at him, "Hades, you're not serious—"
"Come on, Dad. Loosen up!" Thalia demanded.
"Fine," Zeus looked away and shook his head. "Fine."
"Thank you," Thalia sighed. "Now can you reschedule the carnival?"
All three of their heads snapped back to their schedules. "It has to be on a weekend," Bianca reminded.
"We're free at eleven tomorrow for an hour," Zeus muttered. "But no, that won't work."
"Well we can do it next week Saturday between four and ten," Poseidon suggested.
"PM, right?" Percy clarified.
"Of course," replied Hades.
Thalia stood up, "That's fine. I think we should leave now. I guess we'll be back at 3:30. Probably, anyways."
"Dress to impress," Zeus reminded. "No suits or anything but better then what you're wearing now."
"No promises," Jason said.
Percy stood, "AKA, not going to happen."