Shot Through the Heart

Journey Continues

Amoriel was still so shocked that she hadn't even started crying yet. Everything had happened so quickly. One moment they were securing the Athena Parthenos, the next Percy and Annabeth were gone- and if it couldn't get any worse when they'd went to try to go back to the scene that was now reduced to rubble- there was nothing. The cavern was simply gone.

Now the scene was swarming with police and rescue workers. No mortals had been hurt, but the Italians would be scratching their heads for months, wondering how a massive sinkhole had opened right in the middle of a parking lot and swallowed a dozen perfectly good cars.

It was safe to say everybody was a wreck. Piper had burst into tears when she heard the news and her crying made Amoriel cry.

Of course, they weren't the only ones. Even Coach Hedge had tears in his eyes, cursing himself. But this wasn't his fault- no it was hers. If she had been quicker maybe she could save Percy and Annabeth.

"It's my fault," Leo claimed miserably.

The others stared at him. Only Amoriel and Hazel seemed to understand. They'd been with him at the Great Salt Lake.

"No," Amoriel shook her head, sniffing as she wiped away her tears, "İt's not your fault. It's..." she let out a frustrated growl, a chocked sob following as she stomped her foot in frustration, "if I had just- been a little faster. I could've-"

"Stop it," forcefully said Hazel, who didn't stop hugging her sister's arm since they made it to the deck. Glaring at the two of them, tears running down her face as she squeezed Amoriel's arm harder. "İt's Gaea's fault. It had nothing to do with either of you. You guys... you guys can't blame yourselves. Gaea's playing some sick game- and we're all pawns waiting to be moved."

Nico shuffled over, leaning on his black sword. "They're not dead, Amorie. If they were, I could feel it."

"How can you be sure?" Leo asked. "If that pit really led to...you know...how could you sense them so far away?"

Nico and Hazel shared a look, maybe comparing notes on their Hades/Pluto death radar. Leo shivered. Hazel had never seemed like a child of the Underworld to him, but Nico di Angelo—that guy was creepy.

"We can't be one hundred percent sure," Hazel admitted. "But I think Nico is right. Percy and Annabeth are still alive...at least, so far."

Jason pounded his fist against the rail, furiously wiping tears from his eyes. "I should've been paying attention. I could have flown down and saved them."

"Me, too," Frank moaned. recovering from his previous sobbing session.

"You don't think, I didn't think of that, geniuses." Amoriel sassed. "something was pulling them down if any of us tried to get them out by flying it would pull us down with them."

Piper put her hand on Jason's back. "Yeah. It's not your fault, either of you. You were trying to save the statue."

"She's right," Nico said. "Even if the pit hadn't been buried, you couldn't have flown into it without being pulled down. I'm the only one who has been into Tartarus. It's impossible to describe how powerful that place is. Once you get close, it sucks you in. I never stood a chance."

Frank sniffled. "Then Percy and Annabeth don't stand a chance either?"

Nico twisted his silver skull ring. "Percy is one of the most powerful demigods I've ever met. If anybody can survive, he will, especially if he's got Annabeth at his side. They're going to find a way through Tartarus."

Jason turned. "To the Doors of Death, you mean. But you told us it's guarded by Gaea's most powerful forces. How could two demigods possibly—?"

"I don't know," Nico admitted. "But Percy told me to lead you guys to Epirus, to the mortal side of the doorway. He's planning on meeting us there. If we can survive the House of Hades, fight our way through Gaea's forces, then maybe we can work together with Percy and Annabeth and seal the Doors of Death from both sides."

"And get Percy and Annabeth back safely?" Leo asked.

"Maybe."

Leo didn't like the way Nico said that as if he wasn't sharing all his doubts. Besides, Leo knew something about locks and doors. If the Doors of Death needed to be sealed from both sides, how could they do that unless someone stayed in the Underworld, trapped?

Nico took a deep breath. "I don't know how they'll manage it, but Percy and Annabeth will find a way. They'll journey through Tartarus and find the Doors of Death. When they do, we have to be ready."

"It won't be easy," Hazel said. "Gaea will throw everything she's got at us to keep us from reaching Epirus."

"What else is new?" Amoriel sighed.

Piper nodded. "We've got no choice. We have to seal the Doors of Death before we can stop the giants from raising Gaea. Otherwise, her armies will never die. And we've got to hurry. The Romans are in New York. Soon, they'll be marching on Camp Half-Blood."

"We've got one month at best," Jason added. "Ephialtes said Gaea would awaken in exactly one month."

Leo straightened. "We can do it."

Everyone stared at him.

"The Archimedes sphere can upgrade the ship," he said, hoping he was right. "I'm going to study those ancient scrolls we got. There's got to be all kinds of new weapons I can make. We're going to hit Gaea's armies with a whole new arsenal of hurt."

At the prow of the ship, Festus creaked his jaw and blew fire defiantly.

Jason managed a smile. He clapped Leo on the shoulder.

"Sounds like a plan, Admiral. You want to set the course?"

They kidded him, calling him Admiral, but for once Leo accepted the title. This was his ship. He hadn't come this far to be stopped.

They would find this House of Hades. They'd take the Doors of Death. And by the gods, if Leo had to design a grabber arm long enough to snatch Percy and Annabeth out of Tartarus, then that's what he would do.

Nemesis wanted him to wreak vengeance on Gaea? Leo would be happy to oblige. He was going to make Gaea sorry she had ever messed with Leo Valdez.

"Yeah." He took one last look at the cityscape of Rome, turning bloodred in the sunset. "Festus, raise the sails. We've got some friends to save."

And this is the end of this book fellas. See you guys in the third book. İt might be sooner than you think ;)