Partners in Crime || PJOxHP || Marauders' Era

I Don't Always Catch A Cold

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

Jessica nodded. "Not failing would be good."

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

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

"Percy is nice," Tyson said.

"Both Percy's are too nice," Annabeth grumbled, but Jessica couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, she was a little impressed. They'd surprised her, anyway. And that wasn't easy to do.

"Come on," Jessica told her friends. "Let's find another way home." That's when she turned and found a sword's point at her throat.

"Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States." His bear-man thugs appeared on either of side of them. One grabbed Annabeth and Grover by their T-shirt collars. The other tried to grab Tyson, but Tyson knocked him into a pile of luggage and roared at Luke. "Percy," Luke said calmly, "tell your giant to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."

Oreius grinned and raised Annabeth and Grover off the ground, kicking and screaming. "What do you want, Luke?" Jessica growled.

He smiled, the scar rippling on the side of his face. He gestured toward the end of the dock, and Jessica noticed what should've been obvious. The biggest boat in port was the Princess Andromeda.

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

***

The bear twins herded them aboard the Princess Andromeda. They threw the five 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 them get some "hospitality."

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

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

"Sorry, old friend." 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," Jessica said. She 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?"

Percy nodded, smirking.

"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. Jessica started thinking ... If she could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were...