Our Last Stand (A Percy Jackson Fanfic)

5. The God Of The Dead Gives Us A Side Quest

After breakfast, Percy and Annabeth hugged their friends, promising to return soon. "Please, IM me if anything goes wrong." Annabeth told Piper.

"Nothing will go wrong." Piper assured. Annabeth frowned. "Okay, I will."

"Here," Percy said handing Leo the keys to his Jeep. "In case you need a quick get away."

Instead of responding, Leo started laughing maniacally. Percy plucked the keys from his hands and instead handed them to Hazel. "Here, in case you need a quick get away." Hazel thanked him and giggled at Leo's look of disappointment.

"I'm the best with machines," he grumbled.

"Yeah, but with a laugh like that Fireboy, you loose machine privileges." Calypso responded, rolling her eyes as she held his hand.

Sam and Lilli followed their parents and Chiron to the top of Half-Blood Hill. "I promise," Annabeth told them. "We will be back soon."

The kids hugged their parents, not even showing a frown, before running back down the hill where Malcolm waited. "By Mom!" Sam yelled over his shoulder.

"See you later, Dad!" Lilli yelled the same way.

Chiron placed a hand on Percy's shoulder as the three of them watched the kids run down hill. "They will understand your sacrifices eventually." he assured.

"I know." Percy answered. "I just wish they never had to."

Annabeth rested her head against Percy in the car. "Just like old times, huh?"

"Yeah, like old times," Percy laughed.

She fell asleep like that, her breath whistling from her nose softly. Percy could listen to that all day.

Argus drove to the other side of the city, the train station that was the last stop in New York before heading to Pennsylvania. They wouldn't encounter many people this way. Especially since most people were at work by now, not on a train headed out of the state. The drive was slow going, with the amount of people on the road. Every other car was a taxi, and every car was honking. Percy wondered how Annabeth could sleep. But she did.

When Argus pulled in front of the train station, a sleek black car honked at him, the driver flipping him off through the passenger window as he drove by. Percy gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Annabeth. We're here."

She blinked her eyes, letting out a soft grunt as she straightened in her seat, her hand automatically unlocking her seat belt. She shouldered her bag that sat at her feet and opened the door. Percy followed her, sliding across the seat. They both thanked Argus, Percy tossed him a small bag of drachma before closing the door.

As Argus drove away, Percy couldn't help but wonder what he used the drachma for. He remembered Chiron mentioning he IM'ed a lot, but Percy had no idea who.

Annabeth waited on the steps into the train station as Percy caught up. "Do you have the tickets?" She asked.

Percy's eyes widened. "I thought you had them."

"Percy, Argus gave them to you-"

Percy smirked, holding up two train tickets from his pocket. "Just kidding. I got 'em."

Annabeth's expression turned playful as she shoved Percy towards the door. "Shut up, Seaweed Brain."

They were seated on the train in under an hour. The train didn't start moving for another three hours. "Why are we just sitting?" Percy complained.

"They have to switch from an electric to diesel engine before heading out of the city." Annabeth answered, already nose deep in her book.

"Why can't they just stick with one," Percy grumbled, sinking lower in his seat and looking out the window at the side of the train next to his. The train was parked next to a second one, blocking everything from Percy's view except for the silver, red, and gold painted side of the train, the small sliver of concrete on the ground between them, and the name of the train next to him, which, even with his dyslexia, Percy had already read ten times. Annabeth had told him to stop when he started saying the name out loud, in various voices and pitches. But he was so bored.