In Another Life

Battle Of The Labyrinth

This is an idea I had before I started writing but it led to nowhere and I scrapped it. Essentially Liz is the same age as Jordan and this takes place in BotL from Percy's point of view. Wish me luck.

"We have to get into town," Annabeth said. "Our chances will be better of finding an entrance to the Labyrinth. We have to make it back to camp before Luke and his army."

"We could just take a plane," Rachel suggested.

I shuddered. I remembered the flight from LA to New York a few years ago and I wasn't exactly thrilled to do that again. "I don't fly," I said.

"But you just did," Rachel pointed out.

"That was low level flying," I corrected. "And even that's risky. Flying up really high-that's Zeus's territory. I can't do it. Besides we don't have time for a flight. The Labyrinth is the quickest way back."

I didn't wanna say it. Didn't even wanna think it because the Fates had a way of screwing me over- but maybe, just maybe, we might find Grover and Tyson along the way.

"So we need a car to take us into the city," Annabeth summarized. "I know someone who might know where an entrance to the Labyrinth is."

"Who?" I asked. Annabeth had travelled the country with Luke and Thalia but she had never mentioned anyone in Colorado Springs.

She looked at me, her grey eyes hard like storm clouds. "An ally. A friend."

"I'll take care of the car," Rachel offered.

"How?" Annabeth asked.

"Just trust me," Rachel told her.

Annabeth looked uneasy but nodded. She went off to the gift shop to find a prism for an Iris Message. Nico pleaded hunger and went with her. I followed Rachel to the parking lot.

I waited back as she talked to the driver. The guy in the dark suit went pale, looking panicked. He folded up his magazine and made a phone call. I didn't get why he was so flustered though.

Rachel came back the same time Annabeth and Nico did. "I talked to Chiron," Annabeth announced. "They're doing their best to prepare for battle but he still wants us back. They're going to need every hero they can get. Did you get a ride?"

Rachel nodded and gestured to the black Lexus. "The driver's ready when we are." Said driver was talking to a guy in khakis and a polo shirt, the guy that had apparently rented the thing. The driver was still flustered and the renter was red for another reason.

"Come on," Rachel urged. She led us to the car and got in without even looking at the renter. The backseat was pretty cool with full panel TVs built into the seats, lots of legroom and even a minibar stocked with bottled water, sodas and snacks. We pigged out.

"Where to Miss Dare?" The driver asked.

Annabeth leaned forward and spoke instead, "Erik's place in downtown."

I looked at her like she was crazy. Who was this Erik guy? How did she know him? How would the driver know what she meant?

But the driver just looked confused like he hadn't heard correctly. "Erik's place? The orphanage? Are you sure Ms Dare?"

"We're sure Robert," Rachel said.

"Whatever you say," Robert said. I sent Rachel a confused look but she didn't meet my eyes.

We drove through downtown to that awkward part of the city. You know where there are still shops here and there but it's sort of taken over by the residential neighbourhoods. This was that. There was a coffee shop on one side of the street with a Laundo-Rama and it was all houses on the other side. Robert parked the car in front of an old brown brick condo, well, three condos stuck together. There was a wide wooden porch that took up all three doors and I could hear the sound of kids coming from inside.