The Next Generation: The Peak of Defeat

Things Never Seem to Stop Sucking: Sarah POV

Okay, so things sucked. And when I say sucked, I mean in the most ironic and disappointing way things could ever possibly suck. Let's recap shall we? Firstly my friends were missing which is a whole other level of sucking within itself, plus I also didn't have the slightest idea where they were. Not to mention we were in the middle of a mission that literally meant life or death for a good portion of the population of the planet and, the biggest, suckiest, part of the whole thing: when I had asked the gods for help the best thing dozens of immortal beings could think to send me was a freaking dog. I'm not kidding.

They sent me a freaking dog.

"What the-?! Are you kidding me?" was my initial response to turning around and finding a very large, very gangly red hound pushing through the hotel door. His nails clicked against the hardwood floor cheerfully as he came to a halt five feet away from me. I scrambled to my feet and took a step back reaching blindly for the knife embedded in the wall. The dog just set down patiently and looked at me. We stared at each other for an embarrassingly long amount of time. I lost the stare down with him.

"Uh, hey there...uhm...," I said trying frantically to remember the proper way of talking to a dog. The dog's body gave excited wiggle that I decided to ignore. It suddenly occurred to me that this could be some answer from the gods. Rolling my eyes and my luck I asked, "So are you like...magic or something? Do you talk?"

After a moment of one-sided awkwardness I decided that the dog didn't talk. He was looking more and more like a weird stray every second. I mean, the French did love their dogs. Again, I tried to see if this was my godly gift.

"So you're gunna help me find my friends?" I asked, feeling stupider by the second. He tilted his head to the left in a way that was more cute than reassuring. Sighing, I noticed for the first time the brown leather collar around it's neck. Slowly I reached out my hand and the dog immediately bounded towards me, his tail wagging so ferociously his entire bottom half wiggled as well. He didn't stop as he reached me though; instead he took a giant leap and launched himself into my chest. I yelped as I was knocked backwards and my head cracked against the floor.

"DOG!" I yelled sitting up and holding my head as it continued to throb. Dog, which I had briefly named him, came over looking not in the least bit sorry for giving me head trauma. I glared at him as he gave my hand a tentative lick. "Stop it," I pushed his muzzle away and took the shiny golden tag attached to his collar in my palm. I read it again. I shook my head and looked back into the eyes of the dog.

"You're kidding me, right?" When he didn't answer, I read the tag one last time. I ran my thumbs across the deeply engraved Greek letters still not believing them. They translated to:

LAELAPS: The Dog Who Always Caught It's Prey

"Laelaps?" I said questioningly' the dog gave a happy bark and I quickly shushed him. "Shh, shut up! We're in a hotel!" His tongue lolled out of his mouth in unquestionable glee. I bit my lip. Finally, I accepted the fact that this dog was my one and only gift from the gods.

I was screwed.

"You swear you're actually Laelaps? That you can find them if I get you-I don't know-Bleu's shirt? You swear?" I narrowed my eyes as Laelaps gave a soft whine. "I'm gunna trust you okay? Basically because I have no other choice." I got to my feet again and noticed that Laelaps gave me an adoring look that I had only seen when Mrs. O'Leary looked at Percy. I hoped I hadn't become his new owner.

"Stay," I told him. The minute I stood up my mind started racing. Adrenaline pounded in my veins and I felt the need to go, to find Eva, Jace, Rob, Bleu and Corin, and find them now. I looked at the clock. It was almost 5:00. I was determined to be out of this hotel by 5:30. I ran to my room and I wasn't even that annoyed when Laelaps completely ignored my command and followed right on my heels.