3

ANNABETH

At top speed, it took several minutes to get there.

Very soon, the mountain range ahead started to grow nearer, but after seeing no buildings, Annabeth could not help but ask, "This place we're going to, is it camouflaged or something?"

Vince glanced at her, now wary. "You could say that," he said. "But it can't actually be hard to miss."

"What do you mean?" asked Nico.

"You'll see. Keep your glasses on."

Max suddenly turned and drove off the road, making a straight line for a smaller range. The plane was rocky and sandy and they all slightly jumped around in their seats each time they drove over stones.

It was not before long when they reached the smaller mountains, not entirely different from termite mounds, other than the fact that they were taller than skyscrapers.

Max parked behind large bushes, some of the only vegetation there. He and Vince got out, making the three demigods do the same.

Maia looked around. "Um, were we supposed to park in the middle of nowhere?"

Vince snorted. "We were supposed to park," he said. "But in the middle of nowhere? Not quite."

Max opened the back door and carried Percy out. He looked at the three. "C'mon," he said, nodding to the huge rocks. "We better get him to the Caves fast."

With Percy slumped in his arms, he and Vince started to trudge towards the mountain. Exchanging glances, Annabeth, Nico and Maia followed. They did not go far before they got to it and Annabeth could see an opening in the side of the rock. Max and Vince went through and the rest did too, if not reluctantly.

When they emerged from the tunnel, Annabeth gave a gasp in disbelief. They were standing in a colossal cave with some people dotted around, just talking calmly, and when they saw Vince and Max, some raised their hands in greeting before returning to their conversations.

They had to do a double take once they spotted Percy in Max's arms.

A man rushed forward, clearly older than the rest. He registered the scene with one glance and jutted his thumb over his shoulder to a doorway to the left. "Get him to Doc now." The man barked. "Hurry!"

Max rushed off, followed by Annabeth, Nico, Maia and Vince. Vince smirked and nodded in the man's direction. "Uncle Jeb," he greeted.

Uncle Jeb waved him off and followed the group calmly. After what seemed to Annabeth like an eternity of twisting tunnels, they found themselves in a lab which she assumed was the operating room. At a desk in the corner was a tall black man in a white coat, the said Doc. He stood up immediately as the six people rush in.

"Set him down," he said in a kind but strong voice, gesturing to one of the white tables in the room. Max laid Percy down and stepped back. Percy moaned, semi-awake.

"Annabeth…"

At once she was next to him, holding back tears of desperation and grasping his hand.

"Shh…" she said soothingly. "It's okay."

"What happened to him?" Doc demanded. Maia sighed.

"He was stabbed with a knife," she said. Doc examined Percy, gently moving Annabeth away. When he got to his wounded leg, he stopped and started to carefully unwrap the bandages.

Then he blinked.

"It's smoking," he said in astonishment.

"It was a very hot knife," Maia said solemnly. Doc, Max and Vince all stared at her. Nico growled, "We don't know, okay? Can you help him or not?"

It was a lie, of course. The three demigods knew all too well that that was what happens with an imperial gold wound.

The temperature it the room seemed to drop a few degrees and the only people who didn't appear to notice was Nico and Maia. Doc looked uneasy. "Well," he said. "I'm not sure, because we have not encountered this before. Has this happened already?"

Annabeth, Nico and Maia had a quick, silent conversation amongst themselves. Then Annabeth shook her head at Doc.

"No," she replied, surprisingly calm. It was true in a way, as Jason was skewered in the back, not the leg. "I don't suppose you have any miracles lying around here?"

Doc looked at uncle Jeb, who nodded reluctantly. Jeb turned to Annabeth. "There is," he started. "But we have to make sure that this is really serious and in desperate need of this particular medicine."

Annabeth stared at him. "Excuse me?" she said. "You mean a smoking wound he would die of, unless you try to help him?"

Uncle Jeb considered. "Okay," he said finally and Doc went over to a cabinet and took out a metal spray bottle.

"What's that?" Nico asked. Doc replied, "The miracle we stole from the Souls. It heals a wound in seconds, so we need to spare it and only use it during times of great need."

He flicked it open and sprayed it on Percy's wound. When he was done, the smoke started to dissipate and was gone, but the cut itself stayed the same. Percy moaned. Maia looked up at Doc and uncle Jeb with curiosity. "I thought you said it heals wounds in seconds," she said. "It's been seconds."

Doc looked at Percy in surprise, whose face was relaxing and breathing getting easier. Finally his eyes flew open and he gasped.

Percy sat up, but winced as he moved his leg. Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with reassuring eyes. Annabeth let out a shout of relieved laughter and flew into his arms, her shoulders shaking. Percy stroked her hair. Everyone in the room relaxed. Maia smiled fondly and Nico stopped being so tense. Annabeth pulled away and gazed at Percy in wonder. "For a second there," she said. "I thought you were going to die."

Percy smiled at her, tried to get down, but he stumbled and Uncle Jeb caught him. "Whoa there," he said, worry showing in his voice. "You'll need a rest. I'm not sure why it hasn't gone yet. This has never happened before."

Percy shook his head. "No," he said, his voice hoarse. "Thanks for the concern, but don't expect it to heal right away. It won't." Max looked at him quizzically.

"Why?"

Percy shrugged.

"Those kinds of wounds just never do," Maia replied instead. She turned to Doc. "Do you have crutches? He'll probably need them." Doc nodded. He took bandages out from the cabinets and started to wrap Percy's leg.

"So where did you guys come from?" Uncle Jeb queried. Percy replied, "We were celebrating New Years, but then there was a fight and we were knocked unconscious. We just woke up in the forest by your apparent storage house."

Like any good liar, Annabeth noted, Percy made his fib mostly true.

Vince whistled. "Some party," he commented. Maia shot him a withering glare and he beamed at her. Finally Doc finished and handed Percy a pair of crutches from a long cupboard in the corner. He took it gratefully, thanked him and Annabeth helped him to stand up. Max started to say something, but then he frowned as something else occurred to him.

"Hang on," he said. "If what you said is true, then that means there are other humans out there?" The four demigods were caught off guard by the question and Annabeth had to think quickly and carefully about what she was going to say next. "Yes," she replied with fake confidence. "But sadly we don't exactly know where they are."

"Why?"

Annabeth was about to answer when a young women with blonde hair ran in. "Vince," she cried. "Where are the supplies? You were supposed-"

The words died in her throat as she saw the four extra people in the room.

"Ah!" Vince snapped his fingers as he remembered something. "I knew we were missing something!"

The blonde turned on Vince again and she seemed to forget everyone staring at them. "You forgot? You forgot? How could you do that? Now what are we going to use to cook? To clean? How could you forget something so simple?!"

Vince pointed to Max, who was watching him with a small, bemused smile. "He should have remembered too! Don't push all the blame onto me!" Vince protested. Max's smile vanished.

"You're the one who insisted we take the injured guy back to the Caves ASAP." He growled, folding his muscular arms. Then Max paused, as if rethinking what he had just said. "Actually, I did agree with you, so maybe I will take responsibility for that."

"You bet–"

"Enough!" Uncle Jeb shouted above Vince and the girl, silencing them. He turned to Vince, now slightly angry. "How could you not bring the provisions?"

Vince looked down sheepishly. "I was kinda distracted, with getting Percy here and all," he mumbled, the first time Annabeth saw him intimidated by anything. "I'm really sorry," he looked up at Jeb with apologetic eyes. "I'll go and get everything that we need."

He started to walk out and Uncle Jeb threw his arms up in defeat. "Alright, you win!" he said. "You can get it later, Vincent. Stop sulking."

Vince turned around and grinned at him, then faced the four friends. He put his arm around the blond haired girl and she rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"This," Vince said, a slightly proud look on his face. "Is my sister: the one and only Lacy."

The one and only Lacy snorted and slapped Vince upside the head. He recoiled, a shocked expression spreading across his impish features.

"What was that for?!" he exclaimed.

"For being such a forgetful… well, you're not exactly an idiot, but you're not a dufus either, so I think moron will have to do." She retorted, hands on hips. "And what's more, Vincent, is that you are going to help me clear up from last night's party. Come on, little bro."

She flashed a smile at the surprised and slightly amused newcomers and walked out, dragging Vince with her.

"Well!" Uncle Jeb announced after a brief silence. "Enough with the awkward pauses, let's meet the rest, shall we?"

The group was led through the tunnels away from the main hall, with Uncle Jeb pointing out specific spots like a tour guide. Which, I a sense, he was. By the time they got to their destination, Annabeth knew where many places were in the Caves, such as the baths, the obvious ER/OR room and the kitchen, where they were headed.

Percy was hobbling along, not exactly used to using crutches, regardless of the multiple injuries in which he did need the extra help. Finally they entered the kitchen, where a lady was cooking food. There were six people sitting at the tables, chatting over coffee. A girl was talking to the woman with her back to them.

The lady glanced over the girl's shoulder and spotted Annabeth.

"And who is this now?" The woman said, smiling at her, then at the rest of the group. Uncle Jeb sighed and leaned against the counter.

"New arrivals, Maggie," he replied. "New arrivals."

The girl spun around to look at them and Annabeth noted her features: slightly curly black hair, average height, pretty… Annabeth stopped when she got to the girl's eyes. Silver rings around blue. She remembered what Max said. You can distinguish between hosts and regular humans by silver rings around their irises…

The girl smiled at Annabeth and stuck out her hand.

"Wanda," she said. "Pleased to meet you."

Annabeth shook her hand and opened her mouth, not sure if she should say anything about it. She smiled and told Wanda her name instead. By now the other people in the room had seen them and were watching, but one guy saw the trouble Percy was having with his crutches and shuffled in his seat to make space for him.

"Hey!" he called. "You, the one with the crutches! The one that's poking himself and asking 'Me?'. Yes, exactly. Come sit here!"

Percy's face went slightly red, but he hobbled over and sat down with a little bit of difficulty. They started a conversation, but Annabeth rather tuned into what Wanda was asking Max.

"Where's Vince?"

Max shook his head in despair. "He forgot the supplies, so now he must help Lacy with the clearing up of last night. Did your boyfriend go fetch them instead?"

Wanda nodded. "He was going any way. He went to a different house, but he should be back by now."

Just then a boy in his late teens emerged from one of the tunnels carrying four plastic bags filled with food and other supplies. Annabeth thought he looked familiar, but when he pecked Wanda on the cheek, put the bags on the counter, took off his sunglasses and turned to Annabeth, the three demigods froze.

For there, standing casually with both hands shoved into his pockets, was the son of Hermes and former follower of Kronos.

"This is Annabeth," Wanda told him. He smiled at her and opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm–"

"Luke," breathed Annabeth, backing away slowly. "But that's… that's impossible. You're… you're dead!"