𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬, p.jackson

𝟏𝟓. how to get to hadestown

fifteen.
( the lightning thief. )
❛ how to get to hadestown. ❜

MIDNIGHT HAD ARRIVED quickly, coating Los Angeles in a starry darkness. The streets were emptier now, as the four stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking up at gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS. Underneath, stenciled on the glass doors: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.

Despite the midnight hour blackening the outside, the lobby was brightly illuminated with a warm amber glow and the inside appeared spilling with people. Behind the security desk sat a tough-looking guard with glinting sunglasses and an earpiece. After a minute of inspecting the sight, Percy turned to the three. "Okay. You remember the plan."

"The plan," Grover gulped anxiously, adjusting the hat the adorned his dark tousles of curled hair. "Yeah. I love the plan."

Annabeth offered a weary glance, "What happens if the plan doesn't work?" she looked between her companions with a complex frown. she raised an eyebrow, glancing briefly around the room of dazed people.

"Don't think negatively, Annie." Colette exhaled, nodding her head in a hope to appear optimistic, "it's a good plan, it'll work out." She smiled, slightly unsurely though she tried to cover it with a positive sigh.

"Right," replied Annabeth dully. "We're entering the Land of the Dead, and I shouldn't think negative." She avoided the look her best friend gave her.

Percy took the pearls out of his pocket, the three milky spheres the Nereid had given him in Santa Monica. They didn't seem like much of a backup in case something went wrong, if Colette was being honest. But it seemed like the last thing they needed was an added layer of doubt. This would work, it had to.

Annabeth took a deep breath, shaking her head and plastering on a softer look. "I'm sorry, Collie. You're right, we'll make it, we've come this far. It'll be fine." She glanced at Grover as if to encourage him and Colette nudged him to motivate the Percy, who wa starving down at the pearls doubtfully.

"Oh, right!" The satyr chimed in. "We got this far. We'll find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem." They smiled at him, three smiles of genuine honesty. And when he looked back at them, Colette could see the appreciation in his eyes as clear as the moon in the sky.

He smiled back, "let's kick some underworld ass."

Muzak played over the sound system as they strolled into the lobby. The carpet and the walls were all a thick, cloudy grey and pencil cactuses grew in the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and every seat was taken, some people even moving to sit on the arm of the chairs. There were people sitting on couches, people standing up, people staring out the windows or waiting for the elevator. Nobody moved, or talked, or did much of anything. It was eerie and suffocating with the remnants of death, especially because whenever she stared at somebody for too long... their body moved to look almost translucent.

The security guard's desk was a raised podium, so the four had to look up at him. He was tall and radiated a noticeable aura of elegance, with chocolate-colored skin and bleached-blond hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk Italian suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel under a silver name tag. From beside her, Colette turned as Percy read the name tag and looked at him in bewilderment. "Your name is Chiron?"