Act I Chapter XXX: Percy in the Middle

"Are we going down?" Percy asked nervously as he tightened his grip on the armrests with both hands. The plane had just suddenly decided to lurch, and part of him felt this was the end. No monster from mythology would kill him. Just a metal beast that he willfully climbed into.

"Yes," Annabeth replied. Percy nearly choked on his breath, and he squeezed the armrest as hard as he could. "Not like that! I mean we are starting to descend."

"Can we just skip this part?" Percy begged as he closed his eyes as tightly as he could. He didn't know why he was so freaked out. In his defense, he had done pretty well to stay calm during the plane ride. It was just something about the plane suddenly descending that made him want to curl up in the chair and not let go.

"Percy, it's going to be okay," Luke tried to soothe as he looked back at them. "We're going to land safely. I promise."

The plane jerked suddenly, and Percy felt his heart nearly leave his chest as he took a deep breath. Annabeth gently touched his hand, and she gave him a comforting look, "Luke is right. And if we were to suddenly malfunction, we should be low enough that we won't be seriously harmed."

"That does not make me feel any better," Percy exhaled weakly. He heard a soft groan from his side and glanced at Reyna. After a moment, Reyna brought her hand to her face and rubbed her eyes. She slowly turned to look at them.

"How long was I asleep?" Reyna asked as she peeled back her hood. She blinked a few times from the lights in the cabin.

"Ever since we took off," Annabeth answered. "You didn't have any dreams, did you?"

"Dreams?" Reyna repeated. Her eyes were narrowed as if she was struggling to keep them open. Reyna turned her head and yawned before rubbing her eyes again. "What dreams did you have?"

"I had a dream about Camp Jupiter," Percy began first after a moment. Reyna slowly looked at him. "About this praetor. They swore to burn Camp Half-Blood to the ground."

"And I had a dream about a demigod: a daughter of Zeus. She was at Camp Half-Blood before it was destroyed and even returned the Golden Fleece," Annabeth added.

"Golden Fleece?" Reyna asked. She slowly stretched and popped her limbs before focusing fully on them. "What's that?"

"It's from an old Greek myth," Luke chimed in. "I haven't had any dreams lately. Have you?"

"No," Reyna answered. Her eyes shot around as the plane jumped from more turbulence. Percy gripped his seat again. "You okay?"

"Just in a metal death trap!" Percy cried out miserably.

"We'll find another way home," Luke promised. "We can't have you dying from a panic attack."

"We might be able to find something at Camp Jupiter that can help us," Annabeth suggested.

"What?!" Reyna almost screeched as she focused on Annabeth. "What do you mean Camp Jupiter?"

Annabeth studied Reyna for a few moments as if trying to analyze her reaction. Reyna just looked confused and bewildered. Percy spoke up, "Annabeth thinks that we should take a detour to Camp Jupiter and see if we can find answers there."

"Answers for what?" Reyna challenged. "We already have a job to do: find Terminus' body and return it to him. Then, we can start to establish a safe place for all demigods to stay. We don't have time for a field trip."

"Why are you so scared to go to Camp Jupiter?" Annabeth questioned. That look of confusion on Reyna's face intensified.

"I'm not scared, Annabeth. I just know we don't have time to waste on a dead land," Reyna retorted as a hint of annoyance slipped into her tone. "Lupa told me there is nothing there."

"Did she tell you that before or after she trained you and a bunch of other Romans?" Annabeth asked. Percy tried to sink further into his seat to escape the argument. Reyna raised an eyebrow at Annabeth's accusation. "Percy told me that he thought Lupa was training you and other Romans in secret. That is why she disappears all the time."

A scoffing laugh left Reyna. Then, she seemed to realize that Annabeth was serious. Her eyebrow raised again, and disbelief crossed her features, "...you're serious?"

"I was sleep deprived at the time," Percy defended. He was quickly realizing that he had the worst seat on the plane. Two armed and probably soon to be angry demigods were sitting on either side of him.

"It would explain why you and Lupa are so close. And like I said, it's why she disappears all the time as well," Annabeth claimed.

"Annabeth, Lupa disappears all the time to protect us. For one, she has to scout ahead. Two, having all these demigods gathered together throws up a flare for monsters. Do you know how much of a beacon Lupa herself is? And the reason she is so close to me is that I actually take the time to talk to her. Do you?" Reyna interrogated. Annabeth glared at her.

"And what about your disappearing?" Annabeth accused. Reyna's look of confusion disappeared and was quickly replaced by growing rage.

"What exactly are you getting at?" Reyna asked in a quiet, almost calm tone. It reminded Percy of the times that his mother would use that tone when he was in trouble. Annabeth remained silent and matched Reyna's gaze. Percy leaned back further in his seat and heard a protest from the person sitting behind him.

"Sorry," Percy squeaked. He nearly jumped as the plane hit another bit of turbulence again. A glance at Reyna showed the fury burning in her eyes, and he quickly focused past her and out the window. It looked like the turbulence they had hit was the ground, and they were driving towards the gate.

"Annabeth," Luke warned.

"I just think it's odd that you disappear at times when you're supposed to be sleeping," Annabeth continued her assault. "Training isn't a good excuse."

"Annabeth, enough," Luke interrupted. "Just because you let her stories scare you doesn't-"

"Her stories never scared me! She was right about the Romans. They are nothing more than monsters, and they attacked Camp Half-Blood for no reason!" Annabeth seethed. Percy just frowned as he watched.

"The Romans had a reason," Percy interrupted. "In my dream, that praetor spoke of how the Greeks killed someone there. I saw the destroyed camp. If it wasn't Camp Half-Blood that did it, the Romans thought they did. There was definitely a reason."

"Or the praetor blamed it on the Greeks," Annabeth countered.

"You're an idiot," Reyna spat. Annabeth tensed at the accusation and glared at the Roman again. Percy really wished that they could depart the plane already.

"Enough!" Luke interrupted again. "Both of you! We're in public."

"You shouldn't blame Reyna for the things that Romans in the past did. It would be like her blaming you for what the Greeks did," Percy tried to calm the situation. "We have to work together."

"I just find it hard to trust someone who hides everything from us," Annabeth muttered.

"What have I hidden from you?" Reyna demanded. "I go to train when I can't sleep. It helps me relax. I didn't tell anyone I was a Roman demigod because I didn't think it was important! What does it matter if my mother was a Greek or Roman goddess? That doesn't define me."

"And, Lupa trained me just as much as she trained all of you!" Reyna cited hotly as anger infected her voice and face. She turned abruptly and looked out the window. "It's not like any of you talk to me enough to learn anything about me."

If Annabeth was going to respond, it was cut off by most of the mortals on the plane standing up. Percy practically jumped out of his seat. He wanted to be on solid ground, well out of this death trap. And out of the crosshairs of the argument.

As Percy followed Annabeth down the aisle, he glanced back at Reyna. She was following right behind and glaring at the ground. Percy glanced back at the blonde in front of him. Someone had told her what they thought had happened between the Greeks and Romans, and Annabeth thought it was the truth. Or, it helped her reinforce the theory she had after listening to Chiron and Lupa.

The four demigods walked off of the plane, and Percy almost felt like kissing the ground from sheer elation. He didn't want to ever get in that metal death trap ever again. He let out a relieved breath as they trekked onto the terminal. Luke started to lead them through security and to the outside.

"Okay, we need to get a taxi," Percy started as he glanced at everyone else. Reyna had her back to them and was looking off in the distance. Luke was looking at Annabeth, who was watching Reyna. "Will a taxi take us that far?"

"It should," Luke said as he rubbed his forehead. He sighed. "I think we have enough money, so-"

"Annabeth?!"

Percy turned towards the person that had spoken Annabeth's name. A man stood only a few feet from them. He had a suit on and a leather bag tucked under his arm. He seemed to be middle-aged, and his brown eyes were just as intense as Annabeth's. His hair was the same shade of blonde as well. Plus their faces looked about the same.

"Father," Annabeth greeted in a low tone, confirming Percy's theory. Luke's eyes widened, and he stepped slightly in front of Annabeth.

"Annabeth, w...where have you been?" the man questioned breathlessly. "I've been looking for you. Who... who are these people?"

"I told you that I was going to follow my dream," Annabeth answered after a few moments. Her eyes were wide, and she looked like she had seen a ghost, but still, she averted her gaze. "And, I did. I found other demigods like me, and I train them now. We have to go."

"Annabeth, wait!" Annabeth's father protested. "You can't just leave! I have been looking for you for years! Please! Just talk to me!"

"We do need a ride," Reyna muttered. Annabeth shot her a hateful look, but Reyna just met her gaze and then offered a shrug. Annabeth slowly looked at her father and was silent for a minute. Luke had moved closer to her and had a gentle hand on her arm.

"We do need a ride," Percy agreed so softly that he was sure Annabeth didn't hear him.

"On one condition," Annabeth spoke up after a few more moments. "We need a ride. If you can give us that, we'll talk."

"I'll drive you," Annabeth's father agreed. He slowly looked at the rest of them. "You're all demigods as well?"

"We are," Luke confirmed. "We're on a quest to save the gods, Frederick."

Frederick looked taken aback by the fact that Luke knew his name. He took it in stride by nodding, "Well, it seems you have an important task ahead. You can tell me about it in the car."