ENTRAPPED ₂

48

ETHAN NAKAMURA WAS FURIOUS.

Here was the problem with being Ethan: he was most often furious, and so when he was truly furious, it was not a big deal. He was like the boy that cried wolf.

Drew Tanaka had suggested that when Ethan was furious, he beat someone into the ground. Lee Fletcher had suggested that when Ethan was furious, he smoke some weed.

Annabeth Chase suggested that when Ethan was furious, he make a list about why he was furious so they could get to the root of the problem.

Ethan's go-to when he was furious was to hang out with his girlfriend, the one person in the entire history of the universe that had never made him furious. Of course, when she had been gone for eight months, this was no longer an option.

Since beating someone into the ground and smoking weed were both out of the question right now also, Ethan decided to make a list.

He and Piper laid Jason down on his bed. His cabin was bare. All of the cabins had these things in common: a bed in the corner, a chest at the foot of it, a desk in the other corner, a small circular window, and a swinging lantern. Otherwise, they were up to your leisure to decorate.

Jason did not have many things. A few photos were taped to the space above his bed: his sister, Thalia; Jason and Leo working together in Bunker Nine; Piper and Leo shoving each other around in the strawberry fields, both of them mid-laugh; Annabeth and Ethan both giving the camera stoic, unimpressed looks. As much as Ethan tried not to be touched by the affection of others, that picture did soften him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Piper asked. The panic in her voice was palpable.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Ethan said calmly. Percy had appeared in the doorway; Ethan sensed it more than felt it. He snapped his fingers in that direction and without looking, said, "Jackson, get me some bandages, please."

Percy left. Ethan took a deep breath. He propped Jason's head up.

The first reason Ethan was furious: Leo was clearly not in his right mind. Someone or something had been controlling him. As much as Ethan was trying to be more compassionate, it was Leo's fault for refusing to build up defenses against stuff like that. He had not learned from their experience with Medea?

"What was Leo thinking?" Piper asked. "I mean―are you sure it wasn't Octavian?"

"Yes," Ethan said dully. "I am very sure it wasn't Octavian."

Percy returned. He dumped a pile of bandages, salve, and paper towels onto Jason's desk.

"Excellent," Ethan said. "I really did miss you, Jackson."

The second reason Ethan was furious: everyone was in disarray all the time. Chiron had wanted to send Gleeson Hedge with them, and Ethan had fought tooth and nail against it. Why, why, why? Well, if Ethan was accurate on his claim, most demigods either had dead mortal parents (oh, Madeleine) or abusive ones. On top of a world-saving quest, Ethan didn't really think his companions should have to deal with Hedge swinging his baseball bat at doors.

Ethan began to work on Jason's head. Piper and Percy watched silently. Ethan was glad for that. If they had talked, he might have snapped at them, which wasn't good for his newfound sense of understanding.

The third reason Ethan was furious: Ethan could count the people he trusted on his fingers. He had a ranked list of everyone on the ship. Number one: Madeleine Aetos. Number two: Annabeth Chase. Number three: Percy Jackson. Number four: Jason, Piper, Leo. Number five: the Romans, unranked.

Ethan pasted a bandage to Jason's head, then stood back, admiring his work. For a moment, the room was absolutely silent except for the breathing of the four of them.