Son of Atom

Chapter 6 DOA Studio!

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We stood in the shadows of Valencia Boulevard, looking up at gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS.

Underneath, stencilled on the glass doors: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.

Y/N didn't seem to care for the signs, though the fact  the building seemed to be in mint condition and clean seemed to be what bothered him the most.

It was almost midnight, but the lobby was brightly lit and full of people. Behind the security desk sat a tough-looking guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.

I turned to my friends. "Okay. You remember the plan."

"The plan," Grover gulped. "Yeah. I love the plan."

Annabeth said, "What happens if the plan doesn’t work?"

"I knock the guard out and you three run for it." Y/N smiled giving us a thumbs up as his eyes gave a shine.

Well we have a plan B now.

"Yeah, and let's not think negative." I added.

"Right," she said. "We’re entering the Land of the Dead, and I shouldn’t think negative."

I took the pearls out of my pocket, the three milky spheres the Nereid had given me in Santa Monica. They didn’t seem like much of a backup in case something went wrong.

Annabeth put her hand on my shoulder. "I’m sorry, Percy. You’re right, we’ll make it. It’ll be fine."

She gave Grover a nudge.

"Oh, right!" he chimed in. "We got this far. Well find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem."

I looked at them both, and felt really grateful. Only a few minutes before, I’d almost got them stretched to death on deluxe waterbeds, and now they were trying to be brave for my sake, trying to make me feel better.

I slipped the pearls back in my pocket. "Let’s whup some Underworld butt."

We walked inside the DOA lobby, which Y/N was already walking into.

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Music played softly though I couldn't tell from where, a clean place and I can't even tell where things are coming form. Ruined building make more sense! The carpet and walls were steel grey. Strange green prickley plants grew in the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and every seat was taken. 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. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them all just fine, but if I focused on any one of them in particular, they started looking… transparent. I could see right through their bodies.

The security guard’s desk was a raised podium, so we had to look up at him.

He was tall and elegant, with chocolate-coloured skin and bleached-blond hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel under a silver name tag.

I squinted my eyes as I read the name tag, then looked at him in bewilderment. "Ch... Ch...uh..."

He leaned across the desk. I couldn’t see anything in his glasses except my own reflection, but his smile was sweet and cold, like a pythons, right before it eats you.