Moon girl (percy jackson x oc)

Part 29

Adelia's POV:

He handed me the cash. Fives and tens, at least three hundred dollars. I could buy so much.

I ran to the curb and grabbed a taxi that was just letting out a family of cruise passengers.

"Clarisse," Percy yelled. "Come on. You're going to the airport. Annabeth, give her the Fleece."

I'm not sure which of them looked more stunned as Percy took the Fleece jacket from Annabeth, tucked the cash into its pocket, and put it in Clarisse's arms. I cannot believe what is happening. This bitch who had ignored me like all quest just gets all the fucking glory?

Clarisse said, "You'd let me—"

"Just to be clear I'm not letting you do anything its the other two," I told her glaring. 

"It's your quest," Percy said. "We only have enough money for one flight. Besides, I can't travel by air. Zeus would blast me into a million pieces. That's what the prophecy meant: you'd fail without friends, meaning you'd need our help, but you'd have to fly home alone. You have to get the Fleece back safely."

I could see her mind working—suspicious at first, wondering what trick was playing, then finally deciding to agree. I just rolled me eyes. 

She jumped in the cab. "You can count on me. I won't fail."

"Not failing would be good." i said sarcasm lacing my voice

The cab peeled out in a cloud of exhaust. The Fleece was on its way.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "that was so—"

"Generous?" Grover offered.

"Insane," I corrected. "You're betting the lives of everybody at camp that Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back by tonight?"

"It's her quest," he said. "She deserves a chance."

"Percy is nice," Tyson said. 

"Percy is too nice," Annabeth grumbled, whilst i nodded my head in agreement. 

Percy looked proud of himself and i guess i could see why. Maybe i was being a little too harsh?

"Come on," I told my friends. "Let's find another way home."

That's when I turned and found a sword's point at Percy's throat.

"Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States."

I went straight for him starting to twist my ring when...

His bear-man thugs appeared on either of side of us. One grabbed Annabeth and Grover by their T-shirt collars. The other tried to grabbed me and Tyson, but Tyson knocked him into a pile of luggage and roared at Luke. I started to charge Luke but the other bear guy grabbed me and held me against Annabeth. I started thrashing against him to get to Percy but he gave me a look that said, 'wait'.

So i did.

"Percy," Luke said calmly, "tell your giant to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."

Oreius grinned and raised me, Annabeth and Grover off the ground, kicking and screaming.

"What do you want, Luke?" Percy growled. Looking at me. 

Luke smiled, the scar rippling on the side of his face.

He gestured toward the end of the dock, and I noticed what should've been obvious. The biggest boat in port was the Princess Andromeda.

"Why, Percy," Luke said, "I want to extend my hospitality, of course."

The bear twins herded us aboard the Princess Andromeda. They threw us down on the aft deck in front of a swimming pool with sparkling fountains that sprayed into the air. A dozen of Luke's assorted goons—snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armor—had gathered to watch us get some "hospitality."

"And so, the Fleece," Luke mused. "Where is it?" He looked us over, prodding my shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.

"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"

"Hey! Boundries!" i shouted. 

"Sorry, old friend. Adelia." Luke smiled. "Just give me the Fleece and I'll leave you to return to your, ah, little nature quest."

"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover protested. "Some old friend!"

"Maybe you didn't hear me." Luke's voice was dangerously calm. "Where—is—the—Fleece?"

"Not here," Percy said. He probably shouldn't have told him anything, but it felt good to throw the truth in his face. "We sent it on ahead of us. You messed up."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. You couldn't have ..." His face reddened as a horrible possibility occurred to him. "Clarisse?"

We nodded.

"You trusted ... you gave ..."

"Yeah."

"Agrius!"

The bear giant flinched. "Y-yes?"

"Get below and prepare my steed. Bring it to the deck. I need to fly to the Miami Airport, fast.'"

"But, boss—"

"Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"

The bear-man gulped and lumbered down the stairs. Luke paced in front of the swimming pool, cursing in Ancient Greek, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white.

The rest of Luke's crew looked uneasy. Maybe they'd never seen their boss so unhinged before.

I looked at the swimming pool, at the fountains spraying mist into the air, making a rainbow in the sunset. And suddenly I had an epiphany.

"You've been toying with us all along," I said. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."

Luke scowled. "Of course! And you've messed everything up! Just like you always do!"