Annabeth Chase and the Lightning Thief

Chapter 35 - Percy loses his mother again

"Percy," I said, stunned. "How -"

"I - I don't know," he said, looking as shocked as me. "I don't understand."

"You heroes are all the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it will make an excellent bargaining tool. And now . . . my helmet. Where is it?"

My head was spinning. We'd been played. But by who?

Percy didn't have the helmet, that much I was positive of. I'd been with him the whole time and I knew him well enough by now to realise that his intentions were good. He didn't want this war.

The backpack had the master bolt though. And it wasn't Percy's backpack.

I turned to Percy to see him work it out just after me.

"Lord Hades, wait," he said. "This is all a mistake."

"A mistake?" Hades roared.

The skeletal warriors advanced on us, aiming their weapons. The three Furies came fluttering in and landed on the back of Hades's throne, flickering their whips in anticipation. Grover, Percy and I crowded closer so we were back to back, but even like this, I couldn't see how we were to get out of this alive.

"There is no mistake," Hades growled. "I know why you have come - I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her."

A ball of gold fire shot from his palm, exploding on the steps in front of Percy. A woman appeared, frozen in time, surrounded by a shower of gold. She had long brown hair and was dressed in only a nightgown with a coat over the top. She was pretty, except her face was twisted in fear and panic.

Percy seemed stunned, looking like he was ready to faint. He reached out to touch the woman, his mother, but had to quickly withdraw his hand as if he was burnt.

"Yes," Hades purred maliciously. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helmet, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change."

I could feel myself getting angry. Hades was a bully. He was using his powers to force Percy into making a choice: his mother or a war. I looked around and saw that the warriors were closing in around us. We didn't have much longer.

"Ah, the pearls," Hades said suddenly. "Yes, my brother and his little tricks. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson."

Percy's hand seemed to move against his will, digging into his pocket and pulling out the three pearls. They shimmered brightly, contrasting the gloomy and dark surroundings.

"Only three," Hades said. "What a shame. You do realise that each only protects a single person. Try to take your mother, then, godling. And which of your friends will you leave behind to spend eternity with me? Go on. Choose. Or give me the backpack and accept my terms."

Percy looked back at Grover and I, his face anguished. "We were tricked. Set up."

"Yes, but why?" I asked. It was the only part still not clear to me. "And the voice in the pit -"

"I don't know yet. But I intend to ask."

"Decide, boy!" Hades yelled, quickly becoming impatient.

"Percy." Grover moved forward to him. "You can't give him the bolt."

"I know that."

"Leave me here. Use the third pearl on your mom."

"No!"

"I'm a satyr," Grover said reasonably. "We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't have me forever. I'll be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way."

"No," I said immediately, drawing my knife. Grover had done too much for me. It was time I repaid him back. Besides, he had a future ahead of him. I didn't really. Heroes never lived long anyway. "You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. You have to get your searcher's licence and start your quest for Pan. Get his mom put of here. I'll cover you. I plan to go down fighting."

"No way," Grover argued. "I'm staying behind."

"Think again, goat boy," I snapped.

"Stop it, both of you!" Percy yelled. He took a deep breath. "I know what to do. Take these."

He handed us each a pearl. I was stunned.

"But, Percy . . ." I said.

He ignored me, turning to face his mother. He looked heartbroken.

"I'm sorry," he told her frozen form. "I'll be back. I'll find a way."

Hades looked shocked. "Godling . . ."

"I'll find your helmet, Uncle," Percy told him. "I'll return it. Remember about Charon's pay raise."

"Do not defy me -"

"And it wouldn't hurt to play with Cerberus once in a while. He likes red rubber balls."

"Percy Jackson, you will not -"

"Now, guys!" Percy yelled.

We smashed the pearls at our feet. The moment that followed quickly became awkward as nothing happened.

"Destroy them!" Hades yelled.

All hell was unleashed as the Furies swooped in, whips cracking, guns were brought up to aim and skeletal soldiers with swords charged. I was preparing to fight when the pearl at my feet exploded with green light. I reeled back in shock as a milky white bubble enclosed me, lifting me up. Looking around, I saw Percy and Grover in their own bubbles, both rising with me to the ceiling.

The guns fired, but the bullets bounced harmlessly off the bubbles' surface. The Furies lashed their whips at us, but even they were repelled. Hades was screaming in rage, having a childish tantrum below us. He was causing the whole earth to shake, stalactites starting to rain down.

"Look out!" Grover yelled. "We're going to crash!"

We were racing directly for the ceiling, picking up speed at an alarming rate. And ahead of us was a barricade of stalactites.

"How do you control these things?" I yelled.

"I don't think you do!" Percy shouted back.

We all screamed as the bubbles slammed into the ceiling . . . and moulded through. I was in shock, watching as the bubbled continued to race on, passing easily through solid rock. It seems nothing could stop it.

Our bubbles burst through the rock, arriving at the ocean floor. We continued to race onwards until with a huge ker-blam, we exploded on the surface, in the middle of Los Angeles Bay. A surfer was knocked off his board from the impact, then started screaming and began paddling as fast as he could away from us.

Percy swum easily around, looking as comfortable as a seal in water. He scooped up Grover and deposited him on a life buoy before coming back for me. I was a strong swimmer, but I didn't want to have to keep afloat for ages. Besides, there were sharks around.

One of them, a great white about three metres long, came gliding over, and started circling us.

"Beat it," Percy snapped.

The shark immediately raced away.

Sometimes, it was nice to be friends with the son of the Sea God.

In the distance, chaos reigned. Los Angles was on fire, caused by Hades' rage. There were plumes of smoke all over the city and we could hear sirens even from where we were.

I felt as angry as Percy looked. Hades had no right to do this. No god should use his power so flippantly, especially when it risked mortal lives.

The worst wasn't over yet though. We still had a quest to finish. And a god to confront.