The Rising Dawn

by Demititan28

Percy didn't just survive after his sacrifice, he thrived. Locked in ice for over 20 years the world he comes back to is not the one he left behind. But he doesn't have time to mourn his missed years, a threat is rising in the east and the survival of humanity is on the line. If Olympus has any hope of survival, it rests on his shoulders. Eventual Pertemis

38. The Goddess of Wisdom Gives an Ultimatum

Chapter 38: The Goddess of Wisdom Gives Me an Ultimatum

"Well I'll be, Percy Jackson in the flesh. Returned from the dead!"

"Good evening, Terminus," Percy greeted the immobile god, "It's been a while."

"It is my understanding that you're late for a meeting with the Senate," the god of boundaries scolded him.

"I'm afraid I have a couple more pressing issues to deal with."

"The daughter of Athena already explained it to me. It sounds like you are once more tasked with preventing the end of Western civilization as we know it."

"Well it is a Tuesday, just a regularly scheduled event at this point. I should start marking it in my calendar."

"As thanks for your actions, if any of our most esteemed senators ask me where you've been, I will feign ignorance on your behalf."

Percy smiled, "Thank you Terminus, I appreciate it."

If the statue could have nodded, Percy felt as though it would have at that moment, "Nevertheless," the god continued, "Rules are rules. Your sword please."

Percy glanced around, "I don't see your assistant, doesn't she usually hold onto the weapons?"

"Are you suggesting I would be unable to hold onto your weapon?"

Percy bit his lip, "You just seem, limb-istically challenged."

The statue huffed, "Well it seems your time dead didn't do anything to ease your lack of respect, however I will overlook this as part of my thanks. You will place your weapon in my containment cell."

Percy glanced around, only seeing a small bucket, "That's a bucket. You want me to put Riptide in a bucket?"

"It is my containment cell."

"It's a bucket!"

"Jackson!"

"Fine, fine," Percy sighed, crouching down and placing the ballpoint pen in the bucket, "If it's not here when I get back-"

"No one can break into my containment cell, think of it as an inaccessible vault protected by a god."

Percy pursed his lips, unconvinced, "Did Annabeth head to Frank and Hazels?"

"The daughter of Athena? Yes she did. Follow the main road until you get to Neapolitan Road and take a right. Head down until you get to Faun Crossing, take a left until you reach the bank. Left again at the bank until you get to the residential district. In the residential district there should be a couple of diverging roads…"

Percy's attention began to waver, his ADHD acting up as the statue droned on and on about which roads to take. His focus was instead firmly on how one of the statue's eyebrows seemed disproportional to the other, and the knock on effect from that on the rest of his features made it look as though Terminus was permanently constipated. He zoned back in as the god finished his directions.

"Did you get all that?" Terminus asked.

With absolutely zero idea of where to go, Percy nodded and walked past the boundary into New Rome, "Thanks Terminus, I'll see you on our way out."

Percy didn't necessarily mind being lost in New Rome. He hadn't set foot there for twenty years and the sight of the city, bathed in the orange light of the evening torches, tugged at something deep in his chest. The aqueducts still towered gracefully in the distance, albeit one of the arches had been destroyed following an earthquake. What a silly coincidence. It seemed the Romans were quick to work on their rebuild though, as scaffolding had already been brought out around the area he had destroyed.

All around him citizens went about their daily lives, as though an attack by hordes of Aztecan undead hadn't laid siege to the city only hours beforehand. The Forum was alive with chatter. Market stalls overflowed with goods ranging from leather-bound tomes to fresh-baked bread. The old marble fountain in the centre remained unchanged, its carved Neptune spouting water as eternally as ever. Percy couldn't help but smirk. He still preferred Poseidon, but there was something hardened about Neptune that he respected. Poseidon was more carefree, whereas his Roman counterpart was more restrained.

The outfits of the crowds hadn't changed much. There were togas and tunics of the past as well as tailored outfits that blended modern styles with nods to Roman tradition. One businessman who seemed to be in a bit of a hurry wore a short, flowing cloak draped over his blazer. Most people didn't pay him any mind, although a few people's eyes lingered on the orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt he was wearing. Interestingly though he wasn't the only one wearing the orange t-shirt, as he saw a couple others in the crowd also wearing one. They looked to be in their late teens or early twenties. Here for college maybe?

He thought back to when he had first gotten his memories back in New Rome, back to his hope for he and Annabeth coming here for college and starting their life together free from prophecies and the end of the world. He knew how that story would end of course, he had been unlucky enough to see it in his dream, but did suffering that ending really outweigh the twenty years of peace, joy, and happiness he would have gotten to experience with the girl he had loved since he was twelve?

He lingered outside the Temple of Jupiter, his fingers brushing the cool stone of its columns. The steps where legacies gathered in the day for Senate announcements were crowded now with teens playing games, their laughter echoing against the ancient walls. Just beside it, a mural was being painted, bright colours showing a battle scene that Percy recognized as the Battle of Gaea, his battle. It was of the Olympians descending down from the heavens at Mt. Olympus in their full battle regalia.

The mural was at the end of a series of murals stretching down a wall, and Percy found himself moving from one painting to the other. Some were dedications to people he didn't know, others to people he did like Frank, Hazel, and Reyna. Others were snapshots of history, many of them from the Second Giant War or the invasion of Mt. Othrys. There was one of Jason toppling the throne of Kronos, another of the Amazons arriving to support the legion against Polybotes. He paused at one that was dedicated as a memorial.

The backdrop of the painting was a storm, with black thunder clouds and streaks of lightning arcing above a raging sea. On the left was unmistakably Jason Grace, his gladius in one hand, a lightning bolt in the other. His blonde hair flying in the wind as he wore a purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt. On the right, with the Legion standard in one hand and a bronze blade in the other, was himself in the signature orange Camp Half-Blood shirt. They were standing back to back, a literal force of nature. He felt a pang in his chest as he stared at the son of Jupiter. What he wouldn't give to have the Roman demigod fighting alongside him now.

Beneath the painting was a small plaque in Latin that read: Jason and Percy, Jupiter and Poseidon, Rome and Greece. Together unrivalled, unbeaten, and never forgotten. Rest in peace.

He closed his eyes, his mind taking him back to the fateful expedition north in search of Jason where he had lost everything. It was ironic how much easier everything had felt back then. The weight of the world might have been on his shoulders, but it wasn't on his alone to bear. Now he felt so very, very alone.

He looked back up at the blue eyes of Jason Grace and sighed, "Missing you superman, could have really used you to knock some sense into that dumbass brother of yours."

His eyes flicked back over to himself. There was an easy confidence that he wore in the painting, a self-belief that he exuded like an aura. The standard flickering with lightning while the tip of his blade dipped into the raging waters below them. He looked every inch the hero that had beaten the Titans and the Giants. Ironic that that version of Percy likely wouldn't stand a chance against him now, but he felt as though he didn't have any of the confidence that that Percy seemed to carry.

"Strange that art always makes one look larger than life," a voice spoke softly beside him, "The fear, the uncertainty, the doubt…it never makes it onto the canvas."

Percy turned to see a young woman in jeans, hiking boots, and a red flannel shirt stained with paint. Long dark hair was tied up in a messy bun, but it was the eyes that caught his attention. Her stormy grey eyes peered curiously at the mural in front of them.

"Lady Minerva?" Percy guessed, suddenly on edge as he recalled his last meeting with Minerva's Greek counterpart in the Camp Half-Blood arena.

"It has been a while, Perseus Jackson," the goddess replied, her attention still fully absorbed by the image in front of them.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You are enjoying art, as the Roman patron of art I find you within my domain."

"I didn't mean to intrude," Percy apologised.

"If enjoying art is considered an intrusion, then I have done a very poor job as its patron."

"So you're not here to smite me?"

That got a thin smile out of the Roman goddess, "It wasn't my intention."

Percy breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the painting, "I um…I don't have the best relationship with your counterpart."

"I'm quite aware. She was disappointed that I decided against smiting you."

Percy's eyebrows raised, but he wasn't really that surprised, "And why, if you don't mind me asking, did you decide not to smite me?"

The goddess cocked her head to the side, her stormy gray eyes never leaving the memorial mural. She pondered the question for a few moments, before she responded with a question of her own, "How many gods do you think most people here in New Rome have met?"

Percy frowned, "I mean, they see Terminus everyday."

Minerva sighed, "Not Terminus, not minor gods. Olympians. How many Olympians do you think people here have met? Spoken to personally? Interacted with?"

Percy scratched his chin. He didn't know if the Romans had their own version of the winter solstice, but if that was the case then technically they had met all of them. How many had they interacted with though? How many had they spoken to?

"Two or three?" Percy offered.

Minerva chuckled, "Perseus, most of the citizens of New Rome who came of age after the Second Giant War are lucky to meet one Olympian. You have spoken to three in the space of a day, and far more watch you closely."

As she finished her sentence she pointed at the sky above them, and Percy followed her finger to see the moon shining brilliantly above them.

"My sister watches your every step. She was going to come in Apollo's stead until he told her to leave your injuries to him. She is also the reason I am here now."

Percy cocked an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Minerva turned her stormy gray eyes to him, "Lady Artemis asked me to serve as arbitrator in truce talks between yourself and Lady Athena."

"Truce talks?"

"A truce is an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop-"

"I-I know what a truce is," Percy stammered out, then, suddenly realising how rude that might be to a goddess who was acting on Artemis' behalf, apologised, "Sorry, that came out harsher than I intended."

Now it was Minerva's turn to cock an eyebrow, "The great Percy Jackson apologising, perhaps there is hope for a truce after all."

Percy turned back to the mural, "So this was Artemis' idea?"

Minerva nodded, "My counterpart's sister favours you. She approached Lady Athena on Olympus and demanded she make peace with you. My counterpart, like all Olympians, tends to be rather stubborn. She refused to come in person, but offered to use me as a way of conveying the message."

"And you agreed to come?"

Minerva turned to join him in staring at the mural, "Like many gods and goddesses in my time, I find myself indebted to you. After all, it was you and Mrs. Chase-Walker that helped to bring peace between our turbulent personalities. You saved the Athena Parthenos and restored some of my former glory. For that, I am grateful, and based on the threat Lady Artemis has warned me lies over the horizon, I believe that internal strife could be our undoing."

"So this truce…what exactly are the terms of it?"

"You don't attack her, she doesn't attack you. She will recognise the threat of the Annunaki and will vouch for you in front of the Olympian council. In return…you leave her daughter here…in New Rome. She is concerned that her daughter spending time in your presence presents a danger to her marriage vows."

"The maiden goddess is concerned about marriage vows all of a sudden," Percy growled, doing his best to keep his voice calm as his blood began to rise.

"She is concerned that her daughter's past relationship with you could compromise the sanctity of her marriage. She claims she is acting in her grandchildrens best interest."

Percy frowned at the wording of the goddess' statement, "Claims? So you know as well as I do that her looking out for her grandchildren is bullshit. She's just worried Annabeth might choose me over the man she handpicked for her."

Minerva allowed a small smile to tug at her lips, "I said nothing of the sort. But I will allow you to interpret Lady Athena's words and actions in whatever manner you choose."

Percy took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He felt torn. He wanted to accept the truce as a way of thanking Artemis for looking out for him, especially if she had vouched for him in front of Athena. But Athena's terms weren't purely altruistic. She was continuing to spite him, even as they discussed terms of the truce.

"And if I reject the truce?"

"Lady Athena would see the rejection of her kind truce offer as not merely a rejection of peace but as a declaration of war. She will petition her father to sanction you, claiming that your concerns for the Annunaki are a way to undermine Lord Zeus' power. She will demand Lady Artemis and Lord Apollo cease all efforts to assist you and she will come and take her daughter away, by force if necessary."

Percy let out a shaky breath, doing his best to keep his power under control. The ground beneath them had begun trembling ever so slightly, and around his feet sheets of ice had begun to spread. He started counting his breaths. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. The temperature around them warmed slightly, and the ground beneath them steadied.

"I should take that as a no?" Minerva asked.

Percy looked back up at the memorial, his eyes hardening. He was sick of Olympians dictating terms to him. Tired of them telling him what he had to do, where he had to go, and who he was able to spend time with. Athena wasn't just conniving, she was pathetic. She hadn't been brave enough to swallow her pride and come down here and negotiate herself, and now he understood why. This wasn't a truce offer, this was an underhanded way of her getting everything she wanted, and in exchange she would acknowledge the threat that she already knew existed. She had made her demands of him in a way that would appease Artemis, but required no actual concessions on her part. Her arrogance astounded him.

His eyes rested on the mural figure of himself. The confidence, the aura. His eyes flickered to the moon above him, and he sent a silent prayer to Artemis for forgiveness for what he was about to do.

"Lady Minerva," he began, "I would like you to convey a message to Lady Athena."

Minerva made a noise that seemed to be the happy medium between a squeal of excitement and a groan.

"Tell her that I am proposing to her a counter-offer."

"This should be good," Minerva muttered under her breath.

"The terms of the truce are as follows: We will each cease from attacking one another."

Minerva waited for him to continue, and when he didn't she turned to him frowning, "That's it?"

"That's it."

"So no mention of the Annunaki, her daughter, her sister?"

"Frankly, my lady, I don't care whether or not she recognises the threat of the Annunaki. They are coming whether she acknowledges them or not, and if she is stupid enough to ignore her potential annihilation then it's her fatal flaw she should be concerned with, not mine. As for Annabeth, it's her life to live. She said she wasn't here to be with me, but to help a friend. I trust Annabeth more than I'll ever trust Athena, so I'll take her word over her mothers everytime. And as for Lady Artemis…" His eyes returned to the moon, and he couldn't help but feel that it was shining just a little brighter than it had been moments before, "...she'll understand."

A silence settled over them, with Percy staring up at the night sky above them while Minerva rubbed her chin with her thumb, analysing him. When the goddess spoke, she did so softly.

"Why does she hate you?"

Percy frowned, turning to look into Minerva's stormy grey eyes, "Athena?" The goddess nodded, "I think a mix of her hating my father and by extension of that hating the fact that I dated her daughter."

Minerva turned away, staring back up at the mural, "I don't have children. When I took on this Roman form my dignity was stripped from me, my powers weakened, and my domains shrunken. I became little more than an advisor to Lord Jupiter. As a result…I have often found myself increasingly disentangled from the affairs of mortals. My interaction with my counterpart's daughter before and during the Second Gigantomachy was the most interaction I had had with the mortal world in generations. When you spend so much time detached from mortals…it is easy to forget how alike gods and humans truly are. We are beings of immense power but…so very flawed. You have spoken to me today as though I were human."

Percy felt the hairs of the back of his neck stand up and threw his hands up in a disarming gesture, "I'm sorry my lady, it was not my intention."

Minerva dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand, "I did not find it disrespectful. On the contrary, I found it quite illuminating. You hold gods and men to the same standards. Our power doesn't faze you."

"I value my respect highly. It's not something I give to someone because of who they were born as. It's something that has to be earnt. By the same token, I won't condemn someone because of who their parents are."

Minerva raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like my counterpart could learn a lesson from you," She turned away from him and back towards the mural, "I will take your renegotiated truce offer to my counterpart, and I will also ensure that it is relayed to Lady Artemis."

An owl emerged from the night, gliding through the air and settling on Minerva's outstretched arm. "I've learnt a great deal about you tonight, Percy Jackson," the goddess continued, "I can see why my family is so obsessed with you. Follow my owl, it will guide you where you intend to go."

Percy grinned at the goddess, "Do you think I'm lost?"

The goddess responded with a knowing smile, "I know you're lost…perhaps in more ways than one," She pointed up at his image on the wall with her free hand, "They didn't paint you like this for no reason. This wouldn't be the advice I would give to a high schooler, but…perhaps you need to pay more attention to how other people view you. You stand far taller than your height suggests."

Percy frowned, "Did you just call me short?"

Minerva winked, "Goodbye, Percy Jackson. I look forward to our next meeting."

"D-did you just…did you just call me short?" Percy exclaimed, his voice rising.

The goddess didn't respond, instead disappearing in a breeze that carried with it the scent of olives and a freshly opened book, leaving Percy alone with the mural and the owl.

"She just…she just called me short," Percy muttered to himself, "She's shorter than me, what does she mean short? I've been like 6 '3 since I came out of the ice."

He turned to the owl, now perched on a nearby railing.

"Do you think I'm short?" he asked the bird.

The owl blinked at him before stepping off its perch and gliding off into the distance. Percy grumbled under his breath, but nonetheless followed the owl as it glided off towards the suburban area of New Rome.

The streets had quieted down during Percy's conversation with Minerva, and as he followed the owl the bustle of the Forum and the campus was replaced by a softer hum of life. Houses lined the roads, each unique but unified by their Roman aesthetic, with terracotta roofs, neatly trimmed gardens, and stone pathways. Lights glowed warmly from within, and the scent of baking bread wafted through the air from one of the open windows. A group of children raced by on what looked like a chariot with training wheels, their laughter trailing behind them.

The owl drifted through the air towards the edge of a neighbourhood. It led him to the entrance of a new neighbourhood, where two roads diverged beneath the sprawling branches of an oak tree. Percy recalled Terminus mentioning something about a road diverging, so assumed that he was on the right path.

As he followed the owl and the path into this new section of the neighbourhood, it grew quieter and quieter. The houses became spaced further and further apart, and he realised he had just entered the boujee part of New Rome. The road curved slightly, revealing a garden-lined cul-de-sac bathed in soft lamplight. There were a few houses dotted around the cul-de-sac, but the one with Zhang written on the mailbox was a giveaway for which one he was looking for, even before the owl descended from its flight to rest on top of the white picket fence surrounding it.

The house stood at the end of the cul-de-sac, nestled between two white trees that framed the edges of the white picket fence. The terracotta tiles that adorned most of the roofs had been replaced with glazed ceramic tiles, a nod to Frank's Chinese heritage, and the edges of the roof were adorned with delicately carved ornaments resembling clouds and dragons.

The garden behind the picket fence had been masterfully cultivated. Rows of vibrant flowers bordered the cobblestone path, their colours ranging from deep purple to golds. Lavender bushes lined the edges of the fence and in the center of the garden stood a delicate koi pond, its surface dotted with lily pads and shimmering with the movements of fish just below the surface. Small stone lanterns, etched with Chinese symbols, stood at even intervals, casting soft pools of light. A peach tree stood proudly in one corner, its branches heavy with ripe, golden fruit, while a carefully pruned bonsai tree perched on a small pedestal near the porch.

Percy petted the owl on the head as he opened the fence gate and began following the cobblestone path towards the door. The windows glowed with warm light, especially as the curtains hadn't been drawn closed. The large porch was made of polished wood, and red paper lanterns swayed gently in the breeze. A pair of comfy rocking chairs sat on either side of a porcelain tea set. The door was ajar, and so Percy simply swung it open and stepped inside.

The house was warm, and Percy mused to himself about how much more he preferred the cold after his time in the ice. In front of him was a rather grand staircase that led up to a floor above. Behind it another staircase descended into darkness below them. Also in front of him was a corridor that led to an open door, beyond which he could see marble countertops that he assumed belonged to the kitchen. Along that wall was a row of pictures and he saw Frank and Hazel along with a couple of kids.

He stepped forward to get a better look at one of the family portraits. A young boy that looked an awful lot like Hazel and a young girl that was Frank's double flanked either side of an older Frank and Hazel that held one another in their arms. To the side of the girl was an older Asian lady that Percy recognised as Grandma Zhang. He has always wondered if the bird that had escaped her burning house in Vancouver had been Frank's grandmother, and based on her appearance in the family portrait, it must have been. He turned away and continued to take in his environment.

To his immediate right was a small office, and to his left was a carpeted floor and the crackling sounds of a fire. The rustling of papers from the room to his left caused him to step through the door, onto the carpeted floor, and into what must have been their living room.

Annabeth was sitting on one of two leather couches, flipping through a series of papers that were spread out across the floor. She glanced up as he entered and smiled, a mix of relief and happiness showing in her eyes. Her gaze travelled down his body and ended at his feet, where her nose curled up in disgust.

"Percy, if Frank or Hazel saw you wearing your dirty ass shoes on their clean carpet they would kill you." Annabeth scolded.

Percy blushed and scampered back onto the tiled floor, kicking off his shoes before returning into the living room. Annabeth beckoned for him to sit next to her, and moved some of the papers next to her to free up some space for him.

When he sat next to her she scanned his face with her stormy grey eyes.

"How did cashing in your favour go?" she inquired.

Percy smiled, "Lord Neptune is a little rough around the edges but…he came in clutch when I needed him."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "You asked the Roman version of your father for help?"

Percy shrugged, "I didn't see why not. I hoped he was enough like my father to be willing to help, and he was."

Annabeth sighed and leaned back into the couch, "I wish my mothers Roman form were a little more like her. Instead she's completely off her rocker."

"Mmmm I disagree. She actually seemed a lot more reasonable than your mother when I spoke to her on my way here."

Annabeth's eyes widened and she shot upright, "You spoke to Minerva?"

"Yeah on my way here, she stopped by for a chat."

"One of the Olympians just happened to 'stop by for a chat' with you?"

"You'd be surprised, it happens a lot more than you'd expect."

Annabeth's eye twitched, "I forget how batshit crazy you make everyone act, even the gods themselves."

"What can I say? I have that effect on people."

"What did she say to you?"

Percy bit his lip, debating how much detail he wanted to go into regarding his and Athena's spat, "Well…I was lost and…she provided an owl to help me find Frank and Hazels place."

Annabeth frowned, "Didn't Terminus tell you where to go? And why would Minerva of all people descend from Olympus to serve as a tour guide?"

"Firstly, Terminus half-put me to sleep with his directions, how you stayed awake is beyond me. Secondly…she was there to make peace."

"Make peace with you? All the things she said during the Second Gigaantomachy were aimed at me. Why did she have to make peace with you?"

"She was making peace with me on behalf of someone else."

"Who?"

Percy pursed his lips, questioning once more whether or not he really wanted to go into detail on what had happened, but one look at Annabeth's face told him that he was either going to tell her freely, or she was going to force it out of him. "She was offering a truce between me…and your mother."

Annabeth's face hardened, "Why was a truce needed between you and my mother?"

Percy scratched the back of his neck, "We may have…gotten into a fight."

"You got into a fight with my mother?" Annabeth asked, her voice raising an octave in anger, "Who started it?"

"Hard to say. She goaded me but I'm pretty sure I threw the first punch."

"You punched her?" Annabeth exclaimed, jumping to her feet looking at him in shock, "What is wrong with you?"

Percy slowly rose to his feet, the flurry of papers thrown across the floor the only thing separating them. He raised his arms defensively and took a moment to gather his thoughts. Annabeth was reasonable, he just needed to explain things in a way that would make her understand things from his point of view. It sounded an awful lot like manipulation, which he guessed it kind of was, but he also felt like he wasn't all in the wrong, and if he didn't get his story out he was sure Athena would be more than happy to explain hers to Annabeth.

"First of all," he started, "I need you to hear me out."

"You punched my mother," Annabeth growled, her contorted into a look that reminded him of his mother when she had scolded him for doing something stupid, "You better have had a dam good reason for doing it."

"I do," he promised, "But before I tell you why, I want you to know that I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have hit her. But she said some things about me…and about you…and I just lost control. So before I tell you what happened…I'm sorry."

Her face was still carved into a frown, but her features softened at his words. When she spoke, her voice had significantly decreased in both volume and intensity, "Just tell me what happened Percy."

Percy sighed, "I was at camp. I had just arrived with Piper and we had organised everyone into questing parties. I…I had actually just finished speaking to a camper…Castle."

"Percy," Annabeth whispered under her breath, "You spoke to my son."

Percy nodded, "Never took you for the Albus Severus type of girl," he joked.

Annabeth shook her head, a small smile gracing her features, "I…you were dead Percy. But…I was still holding onto you. When I had Percy…when I looked down at him. You were the greatest hero to ever live, it felt like a fitting tribute."

"And the Castellan?"

Annabeth shrugged, "He was named after two people that I cared about and two heroes who saved the world. I won't apologise for that."

Percy smiled at her, "It was a little weird at first but…I'm flattered. It means a lot."

"So…you were talking to Percy."

"Uh yeah, he was getting ready for a quest-"

"He's going on a quest?" Annabeth interrupted, her voice once more rising in intensity, "Since when?"

"Oh, um…I may have forgotten to mention it."

"What quest?"

"You know we're really getting off-topic-"

"What quest, Percy?"

"A real simple one. He's just going north to Boston. I needed to establish contact with Magnus to see if the Norse would come to our aid. I wanted someone that Magnus would trust and figured no one would be better than family."

Annabeth paused, the panic in her eyes easing, "Who is on the quest with him?"

"His girlfriend, Sophia, daughter of Aphrodite. I'm guessing you know her?"

Annabeth nodded, "She's a smart girl, and she'll watch his back. Who's the third?"

"Alice, daughter of Hecate."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "I don't know much about her. And as far as I know they aren't friends. Why would he choose her?"

"I recommended her."

"Why?"

"I worked with her on my previous quest. She has as much reason as anyone to hate the Annunaki. And a legacy of Athena and a daughter of Aphrodite only have so much firepower to work with. I made sure they had a bazooka with them."

"She's that strong?"

"She's considered the most powerful witch of her generation. She'll keep him safe."

Annabeth nodded, processing the information, "So he's not in any immediate danger?"

Percy shook his head, "I obviously can't promise anything, but he shouldn't be."

"And Jason? Did you send him off to quest in the Underworld?"

Percy could have taken it as an insult, but instead he simply smiled, "Yeah I made sure to partner him with a satyr and a daughter of Athena, told him to go get Zeus' bolt back."

Annabeth rolled her eyes but managed a smile, "He'll be running into Aunty Em about now then."

"I was thinking he'd probably have already jumped out of the St. Louis' Arch."

The two shared a moment, smiling at each other. He could see relief in her eyes, but also a kind of nostalgic sadness as they reminisced on their first quest together. It felt like a lifetime ago for him, he could only imagine how long ago it felt for her.

Annabeth tore her eyes away from him, looking down at the crackling fire, "So you were talking to Percy at camp, and then what happened?"

"I went to the arena to train. Needed some time to clear my head. While I was there your mother showed up. Told me she wanted to give me some advice."

"What was the advice?"

"That I needed a plan."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "And that made you want to punch her?"

"It was what she said before she gave me the advice."

"And that was?"

"She said that she sometimes wondered if she had made the wrong decision. But after meeting me she said her decision was justified. She said she was glad that she got you admitted into Stanford and made sure her TA was a young, handsome man obsessed with Greek and Roman literature. She said she set the stage for you to have a future without me. When she said that…everything went red. I just swung at her."

Annabeths eyes had been widening as he spoke, and when she finished she brought her hand to her mouth and turned away from him. They stood in silence for a couple of minutes, Percy unsure what to say and so instead settled on allowing Annabeth the time to figure out whatever it was she was dealing with.

"I didn't know," she finally whispered, "I thought I got into Stanford because of my application I…and Teddy…and…all because of my mother."

Percy thought about letting Athena get off easy, but then he remembered the terms of her truce and so he decided to add more fuel to the fire, "Minerva came to me with a truce from Athena. Your mother said she would recognise the threat of the Annunaki and would vouch for me in front of the Olympian council. In return I would agree to leave you here."

"Leave me here?" Annabeth exclaimed, spinning around as a dangerous edge entered her voice. Her eyes flashed and whatever insecurity had been plaguing her a moment ago disappeared, "What do you mean 'leave me here'?"

"She said she was concerned that you spending time in my presence presented a danger to your marriage vows." Percy continued, doing his best not to take too much satisfaction out of how easy it was to throw Athena under the bus now he was in the situation to do so.

"My marriage vows!" Annabeth growled, "Why is my mother…"

She trailed off, the anger disappearing once more as confusion settled over her face. Her eyes seemed to fade away, as though her mind was running at a million miles an hour. Which, knowing Annabeth, it probably was. She stared off in silence again for a few moments, and this time Percy gave her the time to come to terms with what he had said and whatever was going through her mind.

Percy's eyes wandered to the fireplace, where the mantle was adorned with small, carefully arranged keepsakes. There was a porcelain urn, a polished dragon figurine, and a collection of small pictures. Percy's eyes lingered on the largest of the photos, one of Hazel in a white dress and Frank in a quite exquisite tux. Beside Frank stood Leo, older than he had last seen him but with the same devilish grin regardless. To Hazels left stood Piper and Annabeth, each in gorgeous dresses. A wave of melancholy passed over him. He had missed so many of his friends' important milestones, and he found himself suddenly overwhelmed by the sense of regret.

When his eyes refocused on Annabeth he found her staring at him.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked.

She didn't answer, instead her eyes just searched his, and as he stared at her the world seemed to fall away. The crackling fire was the only sound in his ears as he searched her eyes for what was going on in her head. Frustration lingered there, sharp and unresolved, as if she wanted to say something but she couldn't find the words. Regret flickered like a shadow behind her irises, and longing seemed to add a tension to her shoulders. There was love there too, fierce and powerful, so strong that for a moment it threatened to overwhelm everything else. But then restraint returned, reigning the flood of emotions back under control.

He wanted to reach for her, to close the distance, but something in her eyes, an aching her couldn't quite name, gave him pause. The look in her eyes, coupled with the fact that he recalled their conversation about Castle and the promise he had made to him, caused him to remain rooted to the spot. He waited for her to make the move, to decide whether to close the distance or keep them apart. When she turned away from him and back to the fire it felt like she had once more made her decision, and he was once again her second choice.

He did his best not to let the flood of disappointment overwhelm him, and instead he joined her staring at the fire.

"She had no right," Annabeth whispered, "No right to do any of it. She shouldn't have dictated my life the way she did back then, and I won't allow her to dictate my life the way she's trying to now," She turned and looked up at him, defiance blazing in her eyes, "She won't use me like a pawn in her game, trading me piecemeal as part of some truce with you. Leo is my friend. Piper is my friend. Hazel and Frank are my friends. If she wants to stop me she's going to have to come and hold me down herself."

Percy nodded, but couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye.

"And my marriage vows," she continued, "Are not her gods dam concern. They are my vows. Even if she's the reason I ended up taking them in the first place. When I see her next I'm gonna…" She trailed off, flexing her fingers in frustration.

Percy lifted his head, "We can worry about your mother later. Right now we have a friend to save."

Annabeth nodded, adopting a businesslike attitude as she turned back to the papers on the floor, "I thought I might find something in the papers in the office but…it's just correspondence between Piper and Hazel, concerns about Leo, you being back, letting them know she was coming, etc. Nothing that helps us know where they're going."

Percy rubbed his chin, "I already know where they're going, I'm just wondering if the papers mentioned anything about how Piper and the others got to California? Scarlett, one of the campers with her, is a daughter of Hades. There is no way they would fly."

Annabeth nodded, "Yeah they took the high speed rail."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "There's a high speed rail system now?"

Annabeth grinned, "Leo was actually one of the main architects behind it. He's had a lot of government contracts, makes a tonne of money. That's part of the reason I think Piper is so concerned about him going missing, he was involved with the defense industry at a really high level."

"New York to California makes sense for a high speed rail…any chance there's one in Nevada?"

Annabeth frowned, "I don't think so. Maybe Vegas but I doubt it. The main ones into California come down through Oregon or up through Arizona."

"Vegas could work…" Percy muttered under his breath, "But I'm not entirely sure where it is."

"Where what is?"

"Area 51."

Annabeth laughed, "We're going to Area 51?"
Percy shrugged, "According to the classified documents Piper got her hands on, that's where Leo is being held."

Annabeth sobered up, "Percy…we're going to be attempting to break into a top secret US military installation. This is dangerous."

"You're free to stay."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Okay mom, whatever you say."

Percy managed a wry smile, then a thought came to him.

"Did Frank or Hazel own a car?"

Annabeth nodded, "Yeah they owned a jeep, Hazel loved to go offroading."

Percy smirked, "Not something I saw Hazel enjoying but she did have twenty years to find new hobbies so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Is that what they would've taken if they were going to drive?"

"It's a five seater, works great on all sorts of terrain, and has a backup power generator."

"It's electric?"

"Percy, other than trucks, the United States hasn't produced a gas car in almost 4 years."

"Can it be tracked?"

"The jeep?"

"Obviously the jeep."

Annabeth scowled at him, but considered the question thoughtfully nonetheless. She nodded slowly, "I think it's linked to Frank's GAIA account. We would be able to track it through there."

"His what account?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Gods Percy you being gone for so long is really annoying."

"You think it's annoying for you? Imagine what it's like for me."

"Fair enough," Annabeth conceded, "GAIA is a beta version of the internet for demigods that doesn't attract monsters. It's in its early stages but Leo was one of the major developers behind it and Frank helps him work out bugs."

"Is Leo like the fucking Einstein of our generation or something?"

"He's had twenty years of no world-ending threats to let his genius run wild, and he's had access to the highest levels of the US government and cutting edge technology for the last decade, safely protected by the fact that his wife is a Titan. Again, are you starting to see why everyone is so desperate to get him back?"

"And he named it GAIA?"

She shrugged, "He said the earth connected everyone and that Gaia was the reason he got connected to the divine world in the first place. Seemed like a fitting name."

"I'm not gonna lend too much weight to your opinion on whether something is a good name or not Ms. Albus Severus."

She smacked him in the arm, "Anyway, his car is electric and would have been registered on his account. If we can access his account we should be able to track where their jeep went. And if we can find where their jeep went…"

"We can find Area 51," Percy finished. He gestured to the door, "After you."

Annabeth strode past him, out into the hallway, and through into the office on the other side. She sat in the office chair and picked up a small, odd looking laptop and clicked a button in the top left. It took a few moments before the device turned on, but when it did a blue screen showed up asking for a username and password. Annabeth glanced around the office before she picked up a small leather book on the desk. She flipped to the back of it and grinned.

"He's so predictable," she laughed, typing in a username and password from the book before sitting back. A little swirling loading circle appeared before the screen went dark. When it turned back on they were on an internet browser page with about ten tabs to choose from. Percy spotted Profile and Trade Centre before Annabeth clicked on a tab he didn't get time to read.

"When this is over," he told her, "You're filling me in on what I've missed. Starting with this."

Annabeth grinned, "You've got a lot of catching up to do Seaweed Brain," She had brought up a page in which two vehicles were registered. She clicked on one of them and the location showed up as New Rome. She backed out and clicked on another one, and this time the location showed up in the middle of the desert in Nevada.

"Bingo," Percy muttered, "Are you driving or am I?"

"You drive on the highways," she replied, "After 5 hours or so we'll switch. Deal?"

"Deal. Now let's go get Riptide and get back to Zip, he's probably hungry."

The walk back through New Rome was quiet and uneventful. Percy half wondered if they were going to get stopped by another god on the way, but thankfully their trip was god-free, apart from of course their interaction with Terminus as they crossed the boundary. Zip was not thrilled to see them, either because they had interrupted his nap or abandoned him for most of the day. He repeatedly nipped at Percy's fingers before Annabeth fed him some graham crackers. He devoured about six crackers and that did him in, with the lizard once more curling up on the dashboard and promptly falling asleep. Percy's stomach had growled at the sight of the graham crackers, and so after they had driven out of New Rome they stopped at a fast-food burger place, and Percy ordered half the menu. He also wasn't too upset about the fact that they had put a hefty bill on Teddys credit card. After that, Annabeth had curled up in the passenger seat and passed out, while Percy focused on driving for the first time in twenty years. The initial few miles had been shaky, but once he had gotten comfortable and gotten on the highway it became easy. The drive was boring and quiet, with only Annabeth's soft snores breaking the silence.

At about 1 AM they stopped at a charging station to load up the car for the rest of the trip. Annabeth went inside to grab a coffee while Percy took Zip into the grass to help him hunt for some bugs or worms or whatever it is that pet lizards eat when they're taken for a walk by their owners. When Annabeth returned they swapped seats, and this time it was Percy that curled up in the passenger seat for a nap. Zip promptly climbed up his face and settled on his head, using his hair as a pillow. Percy didn't mind though, because almost as soon as Annabeth hit the highway he was asleep.

It felt like only a moment later that Annabeth was shaking him awake.

"Time to wake up," she called softly, "According to the GPS we're almost here."

Percy pulled himself up, dislodging his pet lizard as he did so and earning a small shriek in response as Zip landed in his lap. Looking out the window the desert stretched endlessly around them, a dark and silent expanse under a star-scattered sky. The only sound was the crunch of gravel and dirt under the tyres as Annabeth guided them across an empty dirt road. Percy turned his attention to the horizon and saw that the first hint of dawn was threatening to break.

"How far?" he asked groggily.

"Frank's signal went dead two hours ago," Annabeth replied, "We're about five minutes away from where the last ping came from."

"Any reason it would go dead?"

Annabeth looked at him, a sliver of fear present in her face, "None that are good. Best case, we don't have a signal out here. Worst case…"

Percy was glad Annabeth didn't elaborate on the worst case scenario.

"So what's the plan if we get to where the signal is and the car isn't there?" he asked.

"You're leading the quest Seaweed Brain. You tell me."

Before Percy could retort, the world exploded in light.

Blinding beams shot out of nowhere, flooding the car's interior with harsh, white light. Annabeth slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt as the car skidded to a halt. Percy shielded his eyes with his arm, blinking rapidly to regain some sense of vision.

"Annabeth?" His voice was sharp now, alert.

"I can't see it!" she snapped, reaching into her pocket to pull her knife free. At the same time, Percy pulled Riptide from his pocket and fought desperately to try and get a sense of his surroundings amidst the light.

The lights didn't just come from one source, they were everywhere. High beams surrounded them on all sides, cutting through the darkness like searchlights. The hum of engines filled the air, accompanied by metallic clicks that sounded an awful lot like guns. A booming voice erupted from somewhere behind the lights, amplified by a megaphone.

"EXIT THE VEHICLE WITH YOUR HANDS VISIBLE. YOU ARE TRESPASSING ON THE PRIVATY PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY!"

"I think they found us," Annabeth said through gritted teeth.

Percy took a deep breath and analysed the situation. He couldn't see how many there were, but the chances of them having magical weapons was low. He would be immune to bullets, but unfortunately he wasn't alone. He doubted Annabeth would survive if they loaded the SUV up with a magazine or ten. The blinding lights also made it difficult to know which side he needed to stand to protect Annabeth. He needed to act fast, and he needed to put distance between Annabeth and danger.

The voice came again, louder this time, with an edge of impatience. "STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE NOW."

He grabbed Zip and put him on his shoulder before grabbing Annabeth. With an almighty kick he shot them both through the interior of the car and out of the back windshield. Using his own body to shield Annabeth from the shattering glass they rolled out on the sand. Before his feet had even hit the ground he felt a shiver run down his spine and willed an ice wall around them on all sides. Moments after it was up the sounds of bullets raining against the wall thundered in his ears.

All sides of his shield wall were being assaulted at the same time, and it took a great deal of effort to keep it maintained. But at least for the moment their eyes were protected from the blinding light.

"PERCY!" Annabeth yelled, "WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE."

Doing his best not to chastise her for stating the obvious, he began to shift the wall in one direction, moving away from the car and back up the road they had come. He couldn't see what was happening on the other side, all he could focus on was making sure the wall didn't crumble and they were riddled with bullets courtesy of the United States military.

The bullets ceased, and Percy let out a shaky breath, only for an explosion behind him to send him flying. He hit the ground hard but was on his feet a second later. In front of him was a man dressed in desert camouflage holding an assault rifle aimed at his head. Percy grabbed the barrel of the rifle and dragged it down. The soldier fired, but the bullets bounced off of his skin. He could feel their impact, but it felt like little more than pokes. He ripped the gun out of the soldier's hand, grabbed the soldier by the neck, and threw him across the desert.

The next soldier upon him received a punch to the gut that dropped them to their knees. He uncapped Riptide and swung it at the next nearest soldier, but the blade passed harmlessly through him. Cursing, he threw his trusty blade to the sand and tackled the man instead, ripping the assault rifle out of his hands. He hoisted the gun and fired a couple bullets at the floor to make sure it worked. Satisfied, he turned back to the car and aimed down the sights.

"PERCY JACKSON," the voice boomed once more, and this time Percy's hairs stood up as they called him out by name, "DROP THE WEAPON AND SURRENDER YOURSELF OR YOUR FRIEND DIES!"

Percy's eyes began to adjust to what was in front of him…and found one of the soldiers holding Annabeth while another had a gun pointed at her head. She was unconscious, her face covered in ash from the explosion with a line of blood dribbling down her forehead. She was in no state to fight. He could probably have killed everyone there, but he would be the only person to survive.

"THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!"

With a growl, Percy let the gun slip from his fingers. He dropped to his knees and held his arms up, palms open, as the soldiers swarmed him. One threw a bag over his face before slamming him in the back of the head so hard his world went black.

Author's Note: Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but this winter break was a little more hectic than usual. Still, I wanted to get this chapter out before Christmas day as a gift for all of you for your support. Your reviews from the last chapter were truly amazing, and I'm sorry it's taken this long. My goal over this winter break was to get out at least two chapters, and this is only the first, so hopefully in the next couple weeks another one will be out of the pipeline.

All I ask for during these festive times is a review to help fuel my creative spirit. You have no idea how much your words mean to me, from the short messages of support every chapter to the lengthy reviews and critique of the work so far. You make me feel like I'm not just writing out to the void, but that this is a community, and during these holidays I would like to give my thanks to all of you. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and I will see you in the not too distant future. Stay safe!