Ticking Clock

ζʹ (𝓈𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃)

Chapter 7*

The entrance to the underworld was not what Desirae would have imagined. As the group of four stood outside the building, all of the images that came to mind when hearing the words 'Entrance to the Underworld' were dismissed. She thought that it would have looked uninviting and gloomy, not a modern-styled recording studio. Her blonde-haired friend told her that the 'DOA' stood for 'Dead On Arrival', which she thought was pretty metal. Desirae's newly acquired fur baby cooed from the inside of her backpack and shifted a bit, sticking her snout out of the gap left open at the top to get a good whiff of her surroundings. She almost immediately put her snout back in the bag and whined.

"Shh, Lexi. It's okay," Desirae whispered into the backpack.  She wore the backpack on her front so that she didn't accidentally hurt her new fur baby instead of wearing it on her back like one normally would.

Grover eyed the backpack warily, but he seemed to have gotten somewhat used to the presence of Desirae's chimera. Percy and Annabeth were also a bit hesitant around the baby. They hadn't expected the chimera — or Alexandra "Lexi" Moore-Williams as per the insistence of Desirae — to be so tame. Watching Desirae handle Lexi was like watching César Millán* with any dog.

Despite previous traumas, Percy felt bad for the little one. It had been abandoned by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere because it only had two heads. Maybe that's what compelled him to reach into the backpack to pat the poor baby on the head. Desirae shot him a sweet smile of thanks before turning her attention back to the entrance of the recording studio.

"So," Desirae started. "Do we just...go in?"

"Yeah. I'll give Charon the drachma coins and follow the plan," Annabeth said, making the first move to enter the building, the other 3 not too far behind.

The design of the DOA Studios lobby was something that Desirae found herself liking very much, not counting the dead people hanging around. The blonde motioned for the trio to sit on the sofas facing the outside next to the display shelf. Annabeth went to the front desk and began talking to the only receptionist within sight. He was a dark-skinned man with blonde — almost white — hair.

The receptionist furrowed his eyebrows when Annabeth spoke to him and looked like he was ready to throw her out of the building. That changed, however, when she put a heavy-looking pouch on the counter. His expression changed almost immediately as he snatched up the pouch and pocketed it. He moved from around the desk and began walking to the back of the building. Annabeth beckoned the rest of the group that was sitting on the couches and quickly followed the platinum blonde.

~

Desirae was lost. She got separated from the group because her fur baby managed to open the gap at the top of the bookbag and jump out. She then proceeded to chase after some poor unfortunate souls*. As her mother, Desirae obviously had to chase after her.

"Alexandra Moore-Williams! You better leave them people alone!*" Desirae exclaimed.

The small fluff ball did not heed her mother's words and continued to run around. With Desirae close behind, Lexi made her way through a door that was cracked open. Normally, Desirae wouldn't have gone inside because in thriller movies that would lead to the character's ultimate death. However, her fur baby was in there. She didn't open the door and loudly ask 'Hello? Is anyone there?' because frankly, she knew better. It didn't take her long to see her precious little fur baby in the arms of a stunning woman with a wreath of flowers on her head. The woman who just so happened to be staring dead at her.

"Hello there," Desirae stuttered and waved. "I'm here for my fur baby."

The woman smiled at Desirae and approached her. Desirae watched how the woman seemed to gracefully float towards her. The bottom of her off-the-shoulder-bustier dress* barely kissed the ground.