Percy*Love Like Woe*Jackson

IM-ing

"Do we really have time for sightseeing?" I asked Annabeth. As much as I wanted to learn about the Gateway Arch, we were on a mission. She shrugged her shoulders, as did Percy. Me and Annabeth were walking side-by-side in front of the boys.

Percy still wasn't really talking to me."You smell anything?" Percy asked Grover. I lagged back a bit, listening for the reply. I turned and saw Grover fish out some jelly-beans from a bag."Underground," he said distastefully.

"Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything." His words weren't very reassuring. It felt really wrong here. Like we shouldn't be here."Guys," Percy said,"you know the gods' symbols of power?"

Annabeth, who was reading about he the building of the Arch, looked over."Yeah?"she asked."Well,Hade-"

Grover cleared this throat."We're in a public place... You mean, our friend downstairs?"Percy nodded hos head."Um, right," he said."Our friend *way* downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"The Helm of Darkness," I said. Annabeth nods."Yeah, it's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice council meeting." Percy look a bit awestruck."He was there?"

"It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus- the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, if what I heard is true..." she trailed off, but Grover took over.

"It allows him to become darkness," Grover said."He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't he touched, or seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"

I tapped my chin. I wasn't afraid of the dark one single bit, but I wasn't irrational, was I?"Of course not," the womanly voice in my head confirmed. I mentally thanked her, whoever she may be. Like Annabeth said, it was probably Athena.

We all got into a car with this tall fat lady and her dog, which looked a lot like a Chihuahua wearing a rhinestone collar. None of the guards said anything about it, which worried me. There was a 'no pets' sign right before you got into the car.

"No parents?" the fat lady asked us. Her beady eyes trailed to each of us, and settling on Percy to smile with her coffee-stained teeth. "They're down below," I said to her."They're scared of heights."

"Oh, the poor darlings." she said. Her dog then began to growl."Now, now, sonny. Behave." the dog's own beady eyes looked a lot like it's owner, intelligent and vicious."Sonny. Is that his name?" Percy asked.

"No," the lady said simply and smiles, as if that cleared everything up. Once we reached the top of the Arch, the observation deck looked like we were in the middle of a soup can with red coloured carpeting. It architecture was amazing; I'm sure Annabeth ans I would spend hours up here, just looking around at how they made it.

And that's what Annabeth began talking about. "Five more minutes," the park ranger told us. Annabeth looked visibly disappointed. Percy started to steer us to the exit, but once we reached it, there were already two people inside.

One of us would have to stay up here."Next car, sir," the park ranger told Percy. I shook my head and tugged on Percy's shirt."It's okay, we'll wait." I didn't want to leave anyone behind; anything- and I do mean anything- could happen when we're alone.

"Naw, it's okay. I'll see you guys at the bottom." Percy said. I pulled my hank back and gave him a nervous look."You sure?" I asked. He nodded.

Once we were at the bottom, we heard a loud crash. Annabeth gasped, and we all ran outside to get a better view. We ran out, shielding our eyes from the sun, and looked up. There was a gigantic hole in the side of the Arch, and I could faintly see the outline of someone standing there.