United As The Ten- Part One Of The Conclusion To The United Series

Chapter Four

Calypso's POV:

I know that I should be happy that Max is gone, that I can have another shot at getting back the guy I love, but I don't feel anything but upset. I actually really like John now, and the whole Leo thing is bull. I like Max- she was so sweet and kind to me in the room, telling me that John likes me and apologizing for something that wasn't even her fault.

I can tell that John still likes Max, though. He looks really worried and always seems to have a far-off look, like he's thinking about something he really loves, and that something is obviously Max. I'd feel really bad for him, since Max broke up with him, but then again, Max stated that she wasn't happy with John, and he did embarrass her in front of everyone.

Number Nine drives John and I through Ohio, hopefully where Max will be. The explosion couldn't have sent her that far, right?

Then I think about my island, and how heroes end up there when they're blown away by something, like Percy and the incident with Mt. Saint Helens and Leo with Khione the ice goddess blasting him away.

What if Max ended up in Ogygia? It's a long shot, but I know where my island is, I can easily get there if we used a boat or Festus. I just have to get to Leo, and I have no idea where he is.

John thinks that Max might've gone to Paradise, Ohio, where he lived before meeting Max. I don't think Max would've gone to Ohio, especially since it's so close to Chicago, but we have to look everywhere, and that means everywhere.

The problem is, if Max did land in Ogygia, she might need someone to go there and free her. She might not be able to leave on her own, even if she does have a flight legacy. If someone else is already on the island and was there before she got there, though, they could set her free. But if no one's there but her...

I shake these thoughts out of my head, knowing that even if Max is alone, she could survive on her own. Besides, my invisible servants there can help her. They wouldn't not help a demigod, especially a child Poseidon.

"Here we are," Nine announces as he slows down the car and parks it in front of a small, one-floor house. It looks beat up and like someone tried to raid it and I hear John inhale sharply. I look at him and he looks pale.

"John, if you don't want to come with us-" Nine starts but John quickly cuts him off.

"No, no. I'm coming," John says. Nine looks slightly worried then jumps out of the car after turning it off. John and I climb out after him and walk to the run-down house. I walk beside John, softly grabbing his hand. He gives me a small smile, squeezing my hand in return.

"Did you live here?" I ask John, looking ahead at the house. John sighs, looking the house up and down.

"Yeah, I did," John answers, looking down again. I know that his Cêpan died here and that it's painful to come back, but he's really determined to find Max.

Nine, John, and I walk into the house. All the furniture has been covered in plastic, there's dust everywhere, and dirty, worn-out police tape is still hanging off the walls and lying on the ground.

"What exactly are we looking for?" I ask Nine and John.

"Any sign that Max was here," Nine answers, looking around the small house. John still looks  a bit pale and I don't blame him. I continue to look around the small house, which doesn't take long, and John, Nine, and I meet back up at the dusty living room in a matter of minutes.

"Nothing," John tells us gloomily. Nine and I both respond with 'Same' in unison.

"It's pretty late, how about we crash here tonight?" Nine asks John and I. We both nod our heads in agreement. John still looks a bit uncomfortable being at his old house again, but he brushes it off and crashes on the dusty couch in the living room after taking off the plastic wrap covering it. Nine and I sleep on different couches next to John's, not saying anything to him. I glance at him and he once again has that far-off, distant look and I know that it's not from being back in Paradise.

After a few minutes, Nine is fast asleep but John and I are still wide awake. I decide to ask him the question that's been bothering me for awhile now.

"John, do you still love Max?" I ask him. He holds his breath, obviously not wanting to answer that. Well, at least now he kind of knows the feeling of being asked a random question about someone else you love, except it's not in front of everyone you know.

"And be honest," I quickly add in. "I won't be mad, I promise." John takes a few moments to respond.

"Um, kind of, yeah," John answers, closing his eyes. I knew that he still loves Max. The way he looked at her everyday was crazy. If that look he gave her was real, it'd take him a long time to get over her.

"I'm sorry Calypso, but I do also like you, as well," John tells me and I smile. I know he likes me. Max said that John told her he liked me, and John would never lie to Max.

"It's fine, John. And we're going to find her, I promise," I tell John. I'm not praying that we find Max just for John, though, I actually really want Max back as well. She is so kind and caring to all of her family and friends, and I'm hoping that we can be good friends when we find her.

If we find her.

No, when we find her. We are going to find her, I know it. And if we don't, Malcolm and Sandor will fix the tablet and we'll be able to track her from that. Besides, if we don't find Max, she'll find us. Unless she's in Ogygia, which in that case, Leo and I can go get her from there, and maybe Percy, as well, since quests, again, hold three people.

I just hope that Max is safe.

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