Ch22

The Lotus Hotel and Casino was, in a word, bright. The lobby was filled with lights that flashed and whirled and Percy had to blink a few times as a sense of disorientation washed over him. Why Dean had felt the need to pull into a casino and not push on to a run down no-tell hotel, he wasn't sure. Arguments had certainly never stopped the Winchester family before. There had been some real blow-out fights in the car that no-one had pulled over for.

Maybe it's just you. Maybe you pissed him off enough that he just couldn't wait that long to get away.

Percy pushed the thought away as a bellhop approached him and his friends.

"Hey kids! Your room's already been sorted."

Percy couldn't stop the wave of relief that crashed over him. Something in his posture must've given him away because Grover quietly slipped his hand into Percy's and gave it a squeeze. Dean had never left him high and dry before, but he'd also never been so angry he'd pulled over at the first place he saw and left him to muddle his own way through without a word.

The bellhop kept speaking, obliviously cutting through Percy's thoughts. "These are your casino cards. They'll let you access most floors and act as your room keys. You'll also find they work on most of the games we have here," he paused long enough to give them an exaggerated wink. "Have fun!" He handed over the cards and walked off.

That was…odd. Dean would've sorted rooms no matter how angry he'd been, probably, but casino cards? When he was only planning on four hours of sleep? Maybe they'd come complimentary or something. After all, they had the room number on them, so maybe booking the room came with the access to the other floors and games? It wasn't like Percy had been in any casinos before to know what the standard operating procedure was. As it was, Annabeth and Grover took one look at the cards in their hands and stared at each other with unholy glee. Grover paused just long enough to double check that Percy was okay and, with a reassuring nod from him, they were off, racing away into the casino.

Percy couldn't help but laugh and follow them, trying to shake off the unease that was creeping over him. Fighting with any of his family was never fun, but the gods knew Dean knew how to hold a grudge. He shook his head, banishing those thoughts and rushing after his friends. After the dark and leaching cold of the underworld, after that fight with Dean, some light and laughter was definitely required.

...

It turned out there was an entire floor dedicated to games for kids. The three of them had taken one look at each other and bolted towards the nearest flashing game that caught their eye. Sleep wasn't an issue– he'd never had any issues sleeping in the car before and he doubted he was about to start now. Besides, after the argument he and Dean had just had, maybe it was better if one of them was unconscious when in such a confined space. Less chance of a repeat performance.

Wasn't there something you needed to talk to Dean about though? Something important?

Percy lost track of how many games he played. Somewhere along the way he'd lost Annabeth and Grover but he couldn't remember when or where. He found himself in front of some basketball game, the kind he'd never gotten to play but could be found at a typical arcade, shooting hoops. He wasn't worried. They were both perfectly capable of looking after themselves and it wasn't likely much would go wrong in four hours while they were in a casino. Well, not apart from the obvious, anyway. It really wasn't important as long as they were in their room waiting for Dean once he'd caught up on his sleep. They hadn't even been here very long, it had only been…it had been…

Why did they have to be in such a rush anyway? After their blow up, Dean could probably do with a solid night's sleep. It might make him less likely to have another go at his…friends? He brushed the thought off. It wasn't like they needed to be anywhere any time soon–

Didn't they? Wasn't there something…

That wasn't…that wasn't right. Percy paused his shooting, spinning his current basketball in his hands. Dean was…they were…headed to New York? It was really important they made it on time.

On time for what, though? Why?

Percy couldn't remember. For a brief, heartstopping moment he couldn't even remember what they were doing outside of New York in the first place. Or…or who 'they' was. There was…he was with his friends. There were two of them. And Dean was…

It all came back in a rush, like someone had released a stopped dam only the dam had been his memories. They were headed to New York to return Zeus' bolt before the solstice and prevent a divine war. Dean, his cousin, was getting four hours of sleep before driving them towards the Empire State building but if Percy couldn't convince him to let them do this after the first leg of the journey then he was hauling all of them to Bobby's. 'Them' being Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, who were…somewhere on this floor. Hopefully. Gods, he really fucking hoped so.

Another memory crashed through his mind. He dropped the basketball and took a step back from the game. Dean had let the valet drive his car. Dean hadn't let anyone drive his car since Uncle John had turned over the keys on his eighteenth birthday. Something was really, really wrong with this casino.

Where the fuck were his friends.

He looked at the people around him. The variance in hair and clothing styles had his breath catching. Everything changed drastically from person to person, as though they'd all been told they were attending a decade party but no one had clarified which decade. How hadn't he noticed? Why had it taken him this long to shake off…whatever it was that had tricked him? Percy took off at a quick walk, scanning every game for any sign of his friends.

Why had they split up? When was that ever a good idea?

He was halfway to panicking when he found Annabeth ten minutes later in front of some kind of building game, half way through designing a three dimensional city.

"Annabeth!" He called, but she remained focused on her game, not even turning in his direction. He grabbed her arm, "Annabeth!"

She spun to face him with a snarl on her face and one fist raised threateningly. He took a few hasty steps back, arms raised in surrender. She turned back to her game as if he'd never been there and was instantly entranced in the game. He watched blankly as another skyscraper slowly developed in front of her. He moved a few steps closer but she didn't react. He felt invisible.

You've got to snap her out of it somehow.

He thought quickly and latched onto an idea with grim determination. He grabbed her arm again and spun her to face him. He ignored her answering snarl and held her tight even as she tried violently to break free.

"Spiders. Big, hairy spiders, crawling–"

She jerked in his hold and froze, blinking rapidly. When her eyes locked onto his again they were much more focused and held none of the previous animosity.

"What…" She took in everyone around her and abruptly paled. "How long have we been here?"

"I don't know."

She took Percy's grim response in stride. "We've got to find Grover and get out of here."

With the both of them looking it didn't take anywhere near as long to find him, but Percy was uncomfortably aware of the bellhops dotted across the floor watching them with unreadable expressions. He could feel them tracking their progress as they made their way towards Grover, who was playing some kind of violent one-player shooter game. Percy flinched as Grover gunned down a human hiding in the woods with unflinching determination.

Annabeth was the one to snap Grover out of his trance. Percy pulled him away from the game and held him as still as he could despite his thrashing and loud protests. Annabeth leaned in to whisper something to Grover, quiet enough that Percy couldn't hear what it was over the general din of the games and music. If the way Grover flinched back and went slack and pale was any indication, she'd taken similar drastic measures to what Percy had. Knowing some of their background, he could take a few guesses at the topic used.

Grover turned to face them both once Percy released him. "What now?"

"We find Dean." Percy knew his tone was grim but he couldn't help it. Something was seriously wrong with this casino. "And then we blow this fucking joint."

...

They made for the elevators and were three metres out when a bellhop stopped them.

"Can I help you kids?" The tone was friendly but Percy couldn't help but stiffen at the expression on the man's face. There was nothing outwardly malicious about him, but his smile stretched just a little too far, his eyes just a little too blank.

"I– we– my cousin told us to get some rest while we were still here…" Percy stopped himself from flushing through sheer force of will. He hadn't stammered through a lie that badly since he was little. It was one of the first things the Winchesters had trained out of him.

Thankfully, the bellhop took no notice. "Your cousin booked adjoining rooms so you'll find him right next door. Enjoy your stay." He stood to the side and watched them enter the elevator. Percy's instincts screamed not to turn his back on…whatever this thing was but the short walk into the elevator was uneventful.

Once the doors shut Percy blew out a shaky breath. "Where the fuck are we? What is this?"

"I think," Annabeth's voice was quiet, "that this is the modern equivalent to the land of the lotus eaters."

Percy drew a blank. "I've not heard of that one."

"In the myth, the lotus fruit caused you to forget who you were and what you were doing. Some retellings said that when you stayed with them, one night could last as long as one hundred years."

A strong thrill of panic rang through Percy. "Let's just get Dean and go. We can't afford to waste any more time." He shoved down every unhelpful emotion and reaction that wanted to spring out and blew out another breath, this one more carefully controlled. He'd shaken off whatever enchantment was on the casino. He'd rescued his friends. He'd wake Dean and they'd leave and sort out the big fucking argument they'd been having. Everything would be fine.

The tension in the elevator was stifling. Right before the doors opened he couldn't help but add, "and no one mentions me stuttering through that lie to Dean. Ever."

Grover let out a suspicious sounding cough that could almost be interpreted as a laugh. Almost.

...

Their casino cards let them into their room without a hitch. There were three beds in the room which seemed…unusual. They looked so soft and inviting. Percy was immediately reminded of the fact that he hadn't slept in a proper bed since he'd left camp and his muscles ached at the thought of laying down and resting. He caught himself taking a step towards the nearest bed and froze. Annabeth and Grover looked similarly dazed. He shook his head, trying to clear the fluff from it again. All it took was a light touch to his friends' arms and they shook off the enchantment once again.

They opened the door connecting their room to Dean's and ducked through. Dean didn't stir as Percy opened the door, or even when they approached the bed.

Shit. He's out cold.

"Guys," Percy kept his voice quiet. "You might want to give us a little space, I'm going to shake him and he might react suddenly."

They both took a few steps back and Percy braced himself. He reached out and touched Dean's shoulder. He didn't move. Percy shook his shoulder gently. "Dean?" He shook a bit harder.

"You might have to shock him like you did me," Annabeth said quietly.

Fuck. Fuck.

Percy took a few steps back and thought quickly, his heart in his throat. He glanced at his friends. "You'd better stand back. Like, against the wall and out of the way."

"Why?" Grover sounded both wary and concerned but Percy didn't have the energy to assuage either.

"Because I think Annabeth's right, and I can only think of one thing that could cut through this enchantment when he's that out of it. He's going to react…not well." He waited until they'd both moved out of the way and squeezed his eyes shut briefly. He opened them. "Dean?" Dean's breathing didn't so much as hitch.

This was going to fucking suck.

Remembering the panic he'd felt the night his mom had…the night of the minotaur, he tensed, raised his empty hands beside his head in clear surrender, and started shouting.

"DEAN! DEAN! THERE'S A FIRE! DEAN, HELP!"

Dean rolled out of bed instantly, gun swinging up to assess the room, chest heaving. The gun stopped, pointed right at Percy's chest, even as Dean took in Annabeth and Grover flattened against the wall. His eyes settled on Percy and he lowered the gun instantly, looking a little sick. Percy had never seen such rage on Dean's face.

"The fuck were you–"

The explanation came tumbling out before Dean could rip him a new one. "I'm sorry! This place is enchanted and I didn't know what to do! I don't know how long we've been here." Dean didn't look even remotely convinced, rather increasingly enraged at being cut off so Percy abruptly changed tack. "You gave your keys to the valet and let him drive your car!"

Dean froze. "I did what."

"It's true," Annabeth backed Percy up. "You didn't even hesitate. The casino got all of us, Percy had to break Grover and I out of a stupor downstairs. I–I don't know how long we've been here but we've got to get out now."

Dean hesitated for a moment and stared hard at Percy, who met his eyes and swallowed roughly. "I'm sorry. I tried shaking you but you– you wouldn't wake up. I couldn't think of what else to do."

That seemed to do it. The anger didn't leave his eyes but the blistering rage from before had vanished. Dean decisively stuck his gun in his waistband, not having bothered to even shuck his jeans before laying down to sleep, and grabbed his duffle. No one moved for a moment and he rolled his eyes in irritation. "Well? Let's go."

...

Four different bellhops stopped them as they made their way across the casino, offering their assistance for whatever problem they may have and trying to upgrade their booking 'free of charge.' Dean was the only one who managed to make it through to the lobby without his attention being captured by the enchantment once more. Annabeth had gotten caught in whatever magic permeated the casino when they passed through an area of the building held up by decorative pillars and Grover had been drawn in with her when he tried to pull her out. Percy snapped them both out fairly easily but had felt his own attention snag a few times as they made their way out of the building. All it had taken was a sharp bark of his name from Dean and he'd instantly been pulled back. The benefit of years of listening to him on hunts, he guessed.

As it was, Percy was pretty sure it was only Dean's single-minded determination to get his car back that kept him free from the influence of the casino. That, and his lingering anger at the manner in which he was woken up. The lotus-eaters must've felt it too because by the time they exited the casino, the valet had brought the impala back around and was waiting for Dean with the keys ready. Dean snatched them back without pause and within twenty seconds he had them bundled back up in the car and was speeding out of there like the three furies were once again on their asses.

"Okay," Dean's voice was hard, "time for a better explanation than 'this place is enchanted.' Now."

But Percy's attention had caught on a well-lit billboard alongside the road. He managed to make out what it said before they'd passed it and let out a string of curses long enough to turn anyone blue. Without taking his eyes off the road, Dean shot a hand out to cuff him around the head.

"Watch it, Jackson. You're not old enough to be getting away with that." He paused and then muttered quietly, "you're never going to be old enough to get away with that, Jesus Christ kid, where did you learn some of those?"

Percy was too preoccupied with the date that had been displayed on the billboard proudly declaring that no, they hadn't lost hours to the casino, they'd lost days. Several of them, and now the solstice was less than two days away. New York was a two day drive. They wouldn't make it in time.

That wasn't the worst of it though. No, the worst of it was the picture that had been on the billboard. A huge photo of Percy's face had taken up most of the space, a fairly recent one too that would make it all too easy for a random stranger to spot Percy from afar. To make bad matters worse, the caption taking up the remaining space complete with a federal hotline number to call said, in all capitals;

...

'HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?'