Prophesied Powder, PJO

5.8

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Chapter 53
A Trick That Ends in Death

Volume 5: The Last Olympian

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It seemed to take forever for Percy and Annabeth to return, this time with Rachel Dare lingering behind them. She had escaped her doomed helicopter ride thanks to Annabeth - who, apparently, knew how to drive a helicopter or had taught herself on very short notice.

"Since when can you fly a helicopter?" Pat asked as they approached him. 

"Since now," she said. "My dad's crazy into aviation. Plus, Daedalus had some notes on flying machines. I just took my best guess on the controls." The thought of Annabeth taking a chance on her 'best guess' wasn't very reassuring to Pat, but she had survived it well-enough.

"You saved my life," Rachel said.

Annabeth flexed her bad shoulder. "Yeah, well...let's not make a habit of it. What are you doing here, Dare? Don't you know better than to fly into a war zone?"

"I—" Rachel paused. "I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble."

"Got that right," Annabeth grumbled. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some injured friends I've got to tend to. Glad you could stop by, Rachel."

"Annabeth—" Percy called. She stormed off without another word.

Rachel plopped down on the curb and put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to...I always mess things up." The whole scenario was a little pathetic, enough that neither Pat nor Percy seemed like they wanted to argue with her or berate her over entering an active warzone and nearly crashing a helicopter.

"It's okay," Percy said, but his voice was different. His words sounded hollow in that strange way that told Pat he was busy thinking about Annabeth - per usual. "So what's the message you wanted to deliver?"

Rachel frowned. "How did you know about that?"

"A dream."

Rachel didn't seem that phased by the excuse. Instead, she just muttered, "I've been seeing things too. I mean, not just through the Mist. This is different. I've been drawing pictures, writing lines—"

"In Ancient Greek," Percy said. "Do you know what they say?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping...well, if you had gone with us on vacation, I was hoping you could have helped me figure out what's happening to me." Her words felt like a plea.

"Rachel," Percy said, "I wish I knew."

"I might know," Pat said before he could stop himself. His gut was pulling him toward Rachel, like magnets. 

Percy said, "Maybe we should ask Chiron—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Pat reached out to touch Rachel. It was like she had gotten the same urge, an itch that could only be scratched by meeting his hand. Their fingers brushed as they went to shake hands, but they both gasped before they could lock hands.

Feelings flooded Pat's system; a combat boot slamming against his face, a sword cutting through ropes, limping across concrete. More came, and more went, and Pat felt Rachel flinch away from him like she'd gotten an electric shock.

"Percy, something is about to happen!" She exclaimed, "A trick that ends in death."

"What do you mean? Whose death?" Percy sounded both confused and alarmed.