𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 - jason grace

07. BONDING, FLIRTING, & PASSING OUT

𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐀𝐓𝐒. As soon as they left the dock, she'd felt right in her element, remembering the summers in Puerto Rico with her grandfather. However, when Maia looked at Hazel, she realized the younger girl wasn't having as much of a good time as Maia. By the time they passed the piers along the San Francisco Embarcadero, the girl started to look green. They sped by a pack of sea lions lounging on the docks, and she swore she saw an old homeless guy sitting among them. From across the water, the old man pointed a bony finger at Percy and mouthed something like Don't even think about it.

"Did you see that?" Hazel asked.

Percy's face was red in the sunset. "Yeah. I've been here before. I ... I don't know. I think I was looking for my girlfriend."

"Annabeth," Frank said. "You mean, on your way to Camp Jupiter?"

Percy frowned. "No. Before that." He scanned the city like he was still looking for Annabeth until they passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and turned north.

"Before?" Maia questioned, "Why would you be–" Maia's eyes widened. Of course. Reyna recognized him, and that had to mean something. They'd have to have bumped into each other before, so Percy definitely knew he was a demigod, having survived this long. So, his girlfriend was probably a demigod too, then. That didn't really explain much, but it was all connected. Maia just had to figure out how.

"What?" Percy asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing."

"That didn't look like 'nothing' to me, Maia. What is it."

"Just... something Reyna told me. Nothing that can help us right now. I promise, when it makes sense I'll tell you." Percy narrowed his eyes at her, but nodded.

They entered the Pacific currents and skirted the rocky coastline of Marin County. Frank held his ski bag across his lap.

"You okay?" Frank asked Hazel. "You look queasy."

"Seasickness," she confessed. "I didn't think it would be this bad."

Frank pouted like it was somehow his fault. He started digging in his pack. "I've got some nectar. And some crackers. Um, my grandmother says ginger helps ... I don't have any of that, but –"

"It's okay"' Hazel gave him a smile. "That's sweet of you, though."

Frank pulled out a saltine. It snapped in his big fingers. Cracker exploded everywhere. Hazel laughed. "Gods, Frank ... Sorry. I shouldn't laugh."

"Uh, no problem," he said sheepishly. "Guess you don't want that one."

From across the pair, Maia smiled and gripped Percy's arm. He wasn't paying much attention. He kept his eyes fixed on the shoreline, but he gave her a glance, as if to ask, What? She motioned to Frank and Hazel, and he still gave her that confused look. She rolled her eyes and mouthed, they are so into each other.

He shrugged, and mouthed back, I don't know.

She slightly shoved him as if to say, just look. And he did. And he nodded at her, a smile on his face. Cute, he mouthed.

As they passed Stinson Beach, he pointed inland, where a single mountain rose above the green hills.

"That looks familiar," he said.

"Mount Tam," Frank said. "Kids at camp are always talking about it. Big battle happened on the summit, at the old Titan base."

Percy frowned, focusing on Hazel and Frank. "Were either of you there?"