The Promise of a Hero

Chapter Ten

Well, it's large and very, um, white," I swallow. 

I mean what else do you say about an overly tall monument?  Ashely is too busy tilting her head all the way back in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the tippy top to really hear me or to answer. I don't understand her fascination. I mean, sure it's slightly impressive, I guess, but no more so than any of the other memorials or museums we've visited today and certainly not any greater than the architect in Olympus. Not to mention all the people milling around. There are so many. Between the tourists and the suspicious number of remains hanging around I have a massive headache. 

At least Ashely is enjoying herself while I slowly lose my mind. I was sure that I've caught a glimpse of Michelle along with a couple other kids I've seen from school multiple times only for them to be gone by the time I look back. On the off chance that I'm not seeing things, then Peter might be with them and I should probably be trying to make sure he hasn't gotten himself into trouble. Especially after Happy called this morning ranting about Peter turning off a tracking chip.

"Ghost," Ashley pokes me in the side to get my attention. "do you know that girl?" She stops assaulting me to point at a girl with dark curly hair that I thought was a hallucination just a moment ago. 

"Nico?" Michelle peers at me as if she can't believe that it's really me. "Is that you? What are you doing here?" She marks the page in the book she's reading  with her finger and sweeps her gaze over to Ashely and then back to me.

"Hi Michelle," I ignore her question. Something tells me that she won't be as willing to believe my lies as Peter and Ned so I rather avoid having to do anything of the sort until I figure out the perfect cover story. "What are you doing here?"

Michelle purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I asked first."

Of course she won't let it go. She reminds me of Annabeth when Percy and Jason get together to do something stupid, determined with just a dash of annoyance. "We're sight seeing," Ashely smiles. "I've never been here before and Nico promised he would take me." I don't know who taught Ashely to fib so well, but I need to thank them or scold them. I don't know which one, maybe both. I hope she didn't learn it from me. I'm already going to be in enough trouble for taking her on this impromptu field trip.

"Really?" Surprisingly Michelle's tough girl act seems to melt slightly even if she still sounds skeptical. Could she have a soft spot for kids? 

"Yes really? What else would we be doing here?" I defend. I really don't have the effort to be interrogated today.

"Well, it's quite convenient that you're here and Peter disappeared last night." she shrugs, keeping her eye to watch for sometime of reaction. She doesn't get one.

"Parker's missing?" How did he get into trouble so fast? I saw him less than forty eight hours ago.

Michelle's frowns. "You really don't know where he is? Shoot, I thought he snuck out to meet you." She kicks at the ground, annoyed. Ashely smirks at the idea.

"No, why would you think that?" I ask. I don't know what would make her come up with that idea.

"You watch him a lot." Ashely muses, causing me to stare at her like she's insane because she is for even thinking such a thing. Michelle nods along in agreement.

Okay, first of all, I only watch him because that's my job and for some reason the Fates have decided that he has something to do with the oath I made. And second of all, no, just no. I think I might know what they're getting at and they're way off. I'm all ready to tell them this, rather forcefully if necessary, when a shock wave rumbles through the ground and people start swarming out of the monument. 

There's screaming and general chaos, none of which is helping my headache.  I almost can't hear Michelle and she's two feet away from me. "I don't see them. They should have come out by now." She's frantically scouring the hoard. Oh, right, there were more of them when I was hallucinating weren't there? After a moment or three, most people have cleared the area while Michelle is still trying to figure out where her group is with Ashely and me helping the best that we can. "They must be inside," she decides.

I know it sounds bad, heartless even, but that's the last thing I feel like hearing right now. When necessary I'm all for saving people and all that other hero stuff that Percy harps on about, but then again, heights. I don't know how tall the monument actually is, but from the ground it's tall enough to make me worry it's considered Zeus' territory. And I really have no interest of living with my father permanently even if Will is there.

"Okay, take Ashely and get out of here. I'll figure something out." I don't know what, but hopefully a plan that doesn't get me killed. 

"Ghost?" Ashely reaches towards her side, reminding me that she doesn't have  a weapon on her.

Michelle looks at me confused. "What about you?"

"I'm, um, I don't know, something. Don't worry about me," I insist. How did I get into this mess again? I've lost track. 

Michele doesn't get a chance to argue anymore as another wave of confusion sweeps through the crowd behind us. A weirdo in an entirely too bright, red outfit with blue stripes going every which way pushes his way through all the people. Oh look, Spider-Man finally decided to show up.  At least now I know he didn't go and get himself killed.

He stumbles to a pause beside me. "My friends are up there," Michelle apparently decided that she can trust Peter to save her classmates more than me. Rude. 

"I'm on it," Parker promises and takes off running again. Though instead of going through the front door like any normal person who didn't have a death wish, he chooses to scale the side of the monument like some weird, sticky frog. So no, he didn't get himself killed yet, instead it seems he waited until I was here to be blamed when he inevitably meets his demise.

"He's going to need help," I groan before running off, leaving Ashely and Michele behind. I trust that they'll be able to keep each other until I get back. At least I know Ashely can handle herself and Michelle is, well, she's more oposing and slightly taller.

The moment I'm out of sight, I shadow travel to the top. Thankfully everyone seems to preocupied with the elevator to notice me coming out of the shadows. However, I also arrive just in time to see Peter using his web ropes to swing towards the window, and he's about to crash into it.

 A/N: Hello, and welcome to an actual update for once. Sorry about the delay and the two month break. If you're still here after that then thank you for reading, commenting, voting, and being overly patient with me. 

Now, moving on to the real reason for this A/N. I mentioned it in the comment section and with someone on my message board, but now I need your opinion. Do you want one-shots? Short stories and little scenes that didn't make it into my actual stories but were mentioned along with whatever random things enter my mind. If you have ansered yes then please let me know if you want these oneshots to be extra chapters in my preexisting stories or as another book entirely? Please put your answer in the comments. Thank you!