A/N Ok give me either a round of applause or some boos, the choice is happily yours, for my last chapter because I completed it in one day. Can you believe it? :-o Ok here is the next chapter . Please rate it ;-)

CHAPTER 5: AN EXPLOSION FOR CHRISTMAS part 1

Nobody's pov

"Ok, the Chapter ends." Athena said ."Now, who wishes to read the next one."

" I will. " Throth said. Athena passed the book to him

Thoth read

Chapter 2. An Explosion for Christmas

" Is this the same explosion you guys were talking about in the last chapter." Magicians shook their head in positive.

I'D BEEN TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM BEFORE. In fact, I've been in more museums than I like to admit—it makes me sound like a total geek.

"At least you get to see a lot of history and architecture," Annabeth said dreamily.

[That's Sadie in the background, yelling that I am a total geek. Thanks, Sis.]

Anyway, the museum was closed and completely dark, but the curator and two security guards were waiting for us on the front steps.

"Dr. Kane!" The curator was a greasy little dude in a cheap suit. I'd seen mummies with more hair and better teeth.

At that description, Aphrodite fainted.

He shook my dad's hand like he was meeting a rock star.

" Your father is a rock star of archaeology" Athena blushed while Ruby glared at them.

"Your last paper on Imhotep—brilliant! I don't know how you translated those spells!"

" Im-ho-who?" All the demigods except Annabeth exclaimed." Given in the book. "Sadie said in a sing-song voice before anyone could answer them.

"Im-ho-who?" Sadie muttered to me.

"Imhotep," I said. "High priest, architect. Some say he was a magician. Designed the first step pyramid. You know."

"Don't know," Sadie said. "Don't care. But thanks."

" How could you not care about those things? They are your history." Thoth exclaimed. Sadie simply smiled sweetly at him.

Dad expressed his gratitude to the curator for hosting us on a holiday. Then he put his hand on my shoulder. "Dr. Martin, I'd like you to meet Carter and Sadie."

"Ah! Your son, obviously, and—" The curator looked hesitantly at Sadie. "And this young lady?"

"My daughter," Dad said.

Dr. Martin's stare went temporarily blank. Doesn't matter how open-minded or polite people think they are, there's always that moment of confusion that flashes across their faces when they realize Sadie is part of our family. I hate it, but over the years I've come to expect it.

" Me too Carter, me too," Sadie replied to Carter. But Walt knew how much it hurts her and took one of her hands in his. Ruby bowed her head, sad to see her children treated like that.

The curator regained his smile. "Yes, yes, of course. Right this way, Dr. Kane. We're very honored!"

The security guards locked the doors behind us. They took our luggage, and then one of them reached for Dad's workbag.

"Ah, no," Dad said with a tight smile. "I'll keep this one."

" Was he a clear-sighted mortal or a magician ?" Asked Thalia. " I think a clear-sighted mortal. Because if he was a magician he would not have allowed Dad to keep his kit no matter what. "Carter replied eyeing Sadie and Walt's held hand with brotherly protectiveness.

The guards stayed in the foyer as we followed the curator into the Great Court. It was ominous at night. Dim light from the glass-domed ceiling cast crosshatched shadows across the walls like a giant spiderweb. Our footsteps clicked on the white marble floor.

"So," Dad said, "the stone."

"Yes!" the curator said. "Though I can't imagine what new information you could glean from it. It's been studied to death—our most famous artifact, of course."

Athena and Annabeth started thinking again about which stone they were talking about.

"Of course," Dad said. "But you may be surprised."

"What's he on about now?" Sadie whispered to me.

I didn't answer. I had a sneaking suspicion what stone they were talking about, but I couldn't figure out why Dad would drag us out on Christmas Eve to see it.

I wondered what he'd been about to tell us at Cleopatra's Needle—something about our mother and the night she died.

"We too are wondering the same things book-Carter? And we also know no one, not even real Carter would tell us. " Clotho said sourly gaining a lot of shhh from others.

And why did he keep glancing around as if he expected those strange people we'd seen at the Needle to pop up again?

" Because they can. Duh!" Thalia said. " I didn't know anything about this entire craziness. How do you expect me to know that." Carter said defensively.

We were locked in a museum surrounded by guards and high-tech security. Nobody could bother us in here—I hoped.

" This reminds me of a fact I should tell you. If you love museums you should avoid the first few chapters of all the books because each book starts with one museum blown whether it is the British Museum in this book, the burning Brooklyn Museum in the second book or the Museum of Dallas in the third book. It is kind of good luck for them. I guess." Zia finished, laughing hysterically at everyone's reactions along with the younger magicians. Ruby, Julius and Amos were speechless not knowing whether to be happy for their safety or angry at the destruction they caused. While Throth and Athena had already fainted. Annabeth, Jason and all the other gods were opening and closing their mouths like a fish out of water. All the other demigods and Grover were trying their level best to control their laughter. " Ahem, so continuing" Carter gingerly took the book from Throth's lap and started reading.

Walt's pov

Carter read

We turned left into the Egyptian wing. The walls were lined with massive statues of the pharaohs and gods, but my dad bypassed them all and went straight for the main attraction in the middle of the room.

" I feel hurt because of that," Set said. " Who cares. " Sadie said with a shrug and all the younger magicians nodded their heads. Demigods could only look at them in awe that they did not get incinerated because of the insult they did to their gods. Reyna asked, " Don't you fear your gods? Won't they incinerate you for insulting them?". We looked at them bewildered then started laughing hysterically. Dude, they are serious Anubis said in my mind making me sober. What? I asked him. Yeah, the Greeks and especially Roman gods and goddesses were very strict when it came to people more specifically humans to respect them. They always thought humans to be very weak and insignificant. Unlike us who required you all to stay on Earth. They even kept their kids at arm's length which is why they had their wars. I focused back on the present, I saw the Greeks looking at me in confusion. I on the other hand turned toward my partners in crime Sadie, Zia and Carter and told them what Anubis told me. When I finished they all looked shocked and angry. Carter started to say something but I stopped by whispering "Let us discuss it with them in break time. Right now we should continue with the book." At this Carter nods his head but I can see he is a bit reluctant and cleared his throat. " Moving on"

"Beautiful," my father murmured. "And it's not a replica?"

"No, no," the curator promised. "We don't always keep the actual stone on display, but for you—this is quite real."

" That was a big mistake, mister curator" I whispered to Carter and Sadie making them stifle their laughs.

We were staring at a slab of dark gray rock about three feet tall and two feet wide. It sat on a pedestal, encased in a glass box. The flat surface of the stone was chiseled with three distinct bands of writing. The top part was Ancient Egyptian picture writing: hieroglyphics. The middle section...I had to rack my brain to remember what my dad called it: Demotic, a kind of writing from the period when the Greeks controlled Egypt and a lot of Greek words got mixed into Egyptian. The last lines were in Greek.

" Is that what I think it is? " Annabeth asked." The Rosetta stone" Athena exclaimed gleefully having just woken up.

"The Rosetta Stone," I said.

"Isn't that a computer program?" Sadie asked.

" Yes it is also the name of a computer program but right then you were seeing the real Rosetta stone," Annabeth exclaimed with a weird sort of enthusiasm that people around her started shifting away.

I wanted to tell her how stupid she was, but the curator cut me off with a nervous laugh. "Young lady, the Rosetta Stone was the key to deciphering hieroglyphics! It was discovered by Napoleon's army in 1799 and—"

"Oh, right," Sadie said. "I remember now."

I knew she was just saying that to shut him up, but my dad wouldn't let it go.

" We know how you felt. " Said many gods and demigods and if my guess is right they had been unlucky enough to listen to Annabeth or Athena. Poor them.

Anubis said I too very well know that feeling when Thoth starts babbling about science.

Sadie," he said, "until this stone was discovered, regular mortals...er, I mean, no one had been able to read hieroglyphics for centuries. The written language of Egypt had been completely forgotten. Then an Englishman named Thomas Young proved that the Rosetta Stone's three languages all conveyed the same message. A Frenchman named Champollion took up the work and cracked the code of hieroglyphics."

Sadie chewed her gum, unimpressed. "What's it say, then?"

Dad shrugged. "Nothing important. It's basically a thank-you letter from some priests to King Ptolemy V. When it was first carved, the stone was no big deal.

" Are you kidding me? A thank you letter. You destroyed your Christmas just for a thank you letter. Is this entire story based on that letter? Because if it is I am so against this reading. " Lord Hermes exclaimed." I can assure you that the letter is only the start of the real adventure." " And I also assure you that letter is not at all unimportant about which you would find in latter chapters. "Carter finished.

But over the centuries...over the centuries it has become a powerful symbol. Perhaps the most important connection between Ancient Egypt and the modern world. I was a fool not to realize its potential sooner."

He'd lost me, and apparently the curator too.

" Us too book -Carter, us too," said Atropos seriously.

Dr. Kane?" he asked. "Are you quite all right?"

Dad breathed deeply. "My apologies, Dr. Martin. I was just...thinking aloud. If I could have the glass removed? And if you could bring me the papers I asked for from your archives."

Dr. Martin nodded. He pressed a code into a small remote control, and the front of the glass box clicked open.

"It will take a few minutes to retrieve the notes," Dr. Martin said. "For anyone else, I would hesitate to grant unguarded access to the stone, as you've requested. I trust you'll be careful."

He glanced at us kids like we were troublemakers.

" Well, he really should have considered your dad as one, not you both," Zia stated making Julius blush.

"We'll be careful," Dad promised.

As soon as Dr. Martin's steps receded, Dad turned to us with a frantic look in his eyes. "Children, this is very important. You have to stay out of this room."

He slipped his workbag off his shoulder and unzipped it just enough to pull out a bike chain and padlock. "Follow Dr. Martin. You'll find his office at the end of the Great Court on the left. There's only one entrance. Once he's inside, wrap this around the door handles and lock it tight. We need to delay him."

"You want us to lock him in?" Sadie asked, suddenly interested. "Brilliant!"

Ruby raised one eyebrow at Sadie making her blush. We all chuckled at her comment.

"Dad," I said, "what's going on?"

"We don't have time for explanations," he said. "This will be our only chance. They're coming."

"Who's coming?" Sadie asked.

He took Sadie by the shoulders. "Sweetheart, I love you. And I'm sorry...I'm sorry for many things, but there's no time now. If this works, I promise I'll make everything better for all of us. Carter, you're my brave man. You have to trust me. Remember, lock up Dr. Martin. Then stay out of this room!"

" Can someone please not talk in riddles and say straight forward what is happening?" Percy was exasperated. " three words-read the book," Osiris said making him huff.

Chaining the curator's door was easy. But as soon as we'd finished, we looked back the way we'd come and saw blue light streaming from the Egyptian gallery, as if our dad had installed a giant glowing aquarium.

" You have weird but fascinating imagination. And what is this blue light? Is it some kind of signal? "Percy asked "Thank you for the comment and I think you know what those lights are and have seen what it could be. Carter replied making him knit his eyebrows in thought.

Sadie locked eyes with me. "Honestly, do you have any idea what he's up to?"

"None," I said.

" Oh my gods run for the hills. Carter does not know something. The world is going to end .." I exclaimed making everyone laugh. Carter simply glared at me and said " Let me finish stone ."

"But he's been acting strange lately. Thinking a lot about Mom. He keeps her picture..."

" Awwww" Lady Aphrodite said. Anubis said in my mind These love gods and goddesses make my head spin. I smiled internally and nodded my head.

I didn't want to say more. Fortunately, Sadie nodded like she understood.

"What's in his workbag?" she asked.

"I don't know. He told me never to look."

" You never looked. I did not expect you to be so incurious ?" Athena exclaimed in disapproval. At this Osiris said " I- I mean - Julius said him to do so. And he was only listening to those orders ." He ended on a firm note looking at Sadie.

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "And you never did? God, that is so like you, Carter. You're hopeless."

" Hopeless but mine. "Zia said to Carter in a whisper but unfortunately it was loud enough for me and Sadie to hear it making us gag. Carter blushed. While everyone else looked at us in confusion.

I wanted to defend myself, but just then a tremor shook the floor.

Startled, Sadie grabbed my arm. "He told us to stay put. I suppose you're going to follow that order too?"

Actually, that order was sounding pretty good to me, but Sadie sprinted down the hall, and after a moment's hesitation, I ran after her.

"You should start listening to the orders given by elders," Osiris said firmly but he had a smile on his face.

When we reached the entrance of the Egyptian gallery, we stopped dead in our tracks. Our dad stood in front of the Rosetta Stone with his back to us. A blue circle glowed on the floor around him, as if someone had switched on hidden neon tubes in the floor.

" Oh Zeus, when those bizarre comparisons would end," Thalia said throwing her hand dramatically in the air. " One simple word -never" Carter retorted.

My dad had thrown off his overcoat. His workbag lay open at his feet, revealing a wooden box about two feet long, painted with Egyptian images.

"What's he holding?" Sadie whispered to me. "Is that a boomerang?"

" Boomerang! It is-" "We know what it is uncle now, and also got a crash course on it by Doughboy who will come in later." While now Demigods understood the role of blue light. It was magic.

Sure enough, when Dad raised his hand, he was brandishing a curved white stick. It did look like a boomerang. But instead of throwing the stick, he touched it to the Rosetta Stone. Sadie caught her breath. Dad was writing on the stone. Wherever the boomerang made contact, glowing blue lines appeared on the granite. Hieroglyphs.

Greeks were listening attentively with fascination written on their faces about how Egyptians did magic.

It made no sense. How could he write glowing words with a stick? But the image was bright and clear: ram's horns above a box and an X.

" What does that mean ?" asked Leo.

"Open," Sadie murmured. I stared at her, because it sounded like she had just translated the word, but that was impossible. I'd been hanging around Dad for years, and even I could read only a few hieroglyphs. They are seriously hard to learn.

" Well if only you are Sadie, you can inherit reading thousand years old cryptic languages," said Sadie jokingly to release the tense atmosphere but was unsuccessful. I tapped her hand to show her that I understood.

Dad raised his arms. He chanted: "Wo-seer, i-ei." And two more hieroglyphic symbols burned blue against the surface of the Rosetta Stone.

As stunned as I was, I recognized the first symbol. It was the name of the Egyptian god of the dead.

"'Wo-seer'. I thought your god of the underworld's name is Osiris. " asked Nico. " Yes, in English it is Osiris while in Egyptian it is 'Wo-seer'" replied Bast.

"Wo-seer," I whispered. I'd never heard it pronounced that way, but I knew what it meant. "Osiris."

"Osiris, come," Sadie said, as if in a trance. Then her eyes widened. "No!" she shouted. "Dad, no!"

Our father turned in surprise. He started to say, "Children—" but it was too late. The ground rumbled. The blue light turned to searing white, and the Rosetta Stone exploded.

" The Rosetta stone exploded ! " shouted Athena. Then she turned to Sadie with accusing eyes and said " It is your fault. What came to your mind that you had to disturb your father? " My blood boiled. That Athena doesn't have any right to accuse our Sadie. Anubis said. I saw from the corners of my eyes that others were also having similar thoughts to mine. How much Sadie may be mischievous and never listened to anyone but she is ours and no one had the right to say against her. I was ready to stand up and defend her when she stood up and said " First " She pointed to the book in Carter's hand and said " Ha-di". The book blasted into Carter's hand making Greeks sigh in awe. All we magicians could do was shake our heads at her. Athena is getting angrier Anubis said. Before anyone could comment Sadie again pointed her finger and said " Hi-nehm." The entire book reformed down to the last piece. "Thank you Sadie for your excellent explanation," Carter replied sarcastically. Sadie simply smiled. We turned towards it only to find Greeks having their jaws on the floor. Even Athena looked Shaken. Anubis and I tried to control our laughs and I could see many others doing the same. "Ahem " Osiris cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention ." I think a half an hour break is in order . Let's take some coffee and refreshments and meet here in a half hour to continue the book." Everyone nodded their head and left the hall.