𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

41

Hadrian was wet. Sopping wet. He was also cold.

But he grinned like a madman as they raced for the ship. "I told you I had a plan"

"Leaving us with Porky was your great plan?" Frank sputtered.

"No, leaving you with Porky because something was... fishy"

"Fish puns are my thing" Percy joked half heartedly. Hadrian's wet shoes hit the road with gross farting noises as they ran. He looked over at the other boy. What happened? Percy looked uncharacteristically spooked. Something had definitely happened. Maybe they would talk about it later.

Hadrian was so glad when they were a few feet away from the ship, he started laughing. Gods, what a fucking day. Percy and Frank collapsed onto the deck, still wet, dripping sea water everywhere, but Hadrian raced down below deck. He jumped the last few steps and stumbled into the first occupied room he saw.

"Where's Leo?" he gasped. "Take off! Take off!"

Annabeth and Hazel were sitting on Annabeth's bed, no doubt sharing stories about their dumbass boyfriend/bestfriend, but right now Hadrian had more things on his mind.

Both girls shot to their feet.

"Where's Percy?" Annabeth demanded. "And Frank?"

Hadrian grabbed his knees, trying to breathe. He definitely had a stitch in his side, "On deck. They're fine. We're being followed!"

Annabeth pushed past him and took the stairs three at a time, Hazel right behind her and Hadrian trailing, still gasping for air. Percy and Frank lay on the deck, looking exhausted.

Percy was covered with nicks and scratches, like he'd jumped through a window. He didn't say anything, but he grasped Annabeth's hand weakly as if to say, Be right with you, as soon as the world stops spinning.

Leo, Coach Hedge and Jason, who'd been eating in the mess hall, came rushing up the stairs.

"What? What?" Leo cried, holding a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich. "Can't a guy even take a lunch break? What's wrong?"

"Followed!" Frank yelled.

"Followed by what?" Jason asked.

"I don't know!" Frank panted. "Whales? Sea monsters? Maybe Kate and Porky!"

Annabeth looked like she wanted to strangle the guy," That makes absolutely no sense. Leo, you'd better get us out of here."

Leo put his sandwich between his teeth, pirate style, and ran for the helm.

Soon the Argo II was rising into the sky. Annabeth manned the aft crossbow. They saw no sign of pursuit by whales or otherwise, but Percy, Frank, and Hadrian didn't start to recover until the Atlanta skyline was a hazy smudge in the distance.

"Charleston," Percy said, hobbling around the deck like an old man. He still sounded pretty shaken up. "Set course for Charleston."

Hadrian caught his eye. Something had definitely happened.

Tell you later. Percy seemed to say with his expression.

"Charleston?" Jason said the name as if it brought back bad memories. "What exactly did you find in Atlanta?"

Frank unzipped his backpack and started bringing out souvenirs. "Some peach preserves. A couple of T-shirts. A snow globe. And, um, these not-really-Chinese handcuffs."

"Tropical fish" Hadrian pulled out his own backpack, setting the wet stuffed animals down, "Shark and uh.. Clownfish sunglasses" He put the glasses on.

Annabeth glared at both of them, "How about you start from the top—of the story, not the backpack."

They gathered on the quarterdeck so Leo could hear the conversation as he navigated. Percy, Hadrian and Frank took turns relating what had happened at the Georgia Aquarium, with Coach Hedge praising from time to time: "That was awesome!" or "You should have kicked her in the head!"

At least the coach seemed to have forgotten about Percy and Annabeth falling asleep in the stable the night before.

When Percy explained about the captive sea creatures in the aquarium, it clicked for Hadrian. He was upset about the telkhines and the naiads being held captive and drugged into compliance by Phorcys. But still, there was something else, something Percy wasn't comfortable saying in front of everyone.

"That's terrible," Annabeth said. "We need to help them."

"We will," Percy promised. "In time. But I have to figure out how. I wish..." He shook his head. "Never mind. First we have to deal with this bounty on our heads."

Coach Hedge had lost interest in the conversation—probably because it was not about him—and wandered toward the bow of the ship, practicing his roundhouse kicks and complimenting himself on his technique.

"Wish we had the cool kind of bounty like Han Solo, I would kill to have Boba Fett be my bounty hunter" Hadrian was drying his hair with a hairdryer Hazel had handed to him. His hair had turned back to a dull brown. And while there was nothing wrong with the brown, Hadrian couldn't help but be fond of the vibrant colors now. So he turned hair a pastel purple.

Annabeth gripped the hilt of her dagger. "A bounty on our heads...as if we didn't attract enough monsters already."

"Do we get WANTED posters?" Leo asked. "And do they have our bounties, like, broken down on a price list?"

Hazel wrinkled her nose. "What are you talking about?"

"Just curious how much I'm going for these days," Leo said. "I mean, I can understand not being as pricey as Percy or Jason, maybe... but am I worth, like, two Franks, or three Franks? Half a Hadrian?"

"Hey!" Frank complained.

"I'm priceless," Hadrian grinned.

"Knock it off," Annabeth ordered. "At least we know our next step is to go to Charleston, to find this map."

"But a map to what?" Hadrian wondered aloud.

"The Mark of Athena." Percy looked cautiously at Annabeth, like he was afraid he'd overstepped.