Keeper of the Lost Cities: Hurricane (PJO/HOO and KOTLC crossover)

Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

SOPHIE

Oh no. We can't fight Percy. He's really powerful, and we still don't know the full extent of his abilities. He doesn't know the full extent of his abilities. We have to work fast before he has time to do anything.

Percy reaches into the air, his eyes closed. He weaves his fingers with each other, creating water with every stroke. I watch, transfixed, as he brings his hands down towards himself, the water forming into a dagger. He freezes it, then pulls out his sword-pen. Double-wielding.

Keefe swallows nervously. "I don't want to fight, Percy."

Percy snarls. "Don't charmspeak me!" He throws the dagger so hard it pierces rock, pinning Keefe to the edge of the cave. Somehow it doesn't shatter, so I think that Percy must be holding it together by force of will. I also notice that he didn't hurt Keefe, so he doesn't want to hurt us, just to stop us from what he thinks will hurt him.

I walk towards him, getting ready to inflict. That will hurt, but if I do it right, it won't hurt for long, and it'll knock him out. Somehow, he senses me and whirls around. "What are you going to do? Have a hard rock you're going to throw at my head in there?" He points at my many, many pockets.

That makes me realize that I have something else in my pockets. One of those silver disks that releases a sedative. If I can just twist it...

I take the disk out of my pocket. Percy eyes it warily, scanning it for sharp edges. "What is that?"

I don't answer, instead twisting the top of the disk and holding my breath. The gas pours out of the disk rolling through the air towards Percy. And then it suddenly stops. It just hangs in mid-air, and all the sudden I can see Percy through the fog.

He is standing, hands clenched. His eyes are far away, as if he's somewhere else. A cruel, wolflike grin creeps over his face. "Let's see how much misery Misery can take." Then there's a sound, like shattering glass.

And I.

Can't.

Move.

I start to panic. I try to move one of my fingers, but it just stays still. I have lost control of my body. If I can't control myself, I can't control anything. And suddenly, there's a sharp, wrenching pain that starts in my legs and sweeps up my body. My legs are moving me towards the cloud of gas. He's trying to knock me out. My only hope is to get Percy to stop. I have to appeal to his fatal flaw, his loyalty. "Percy, stop, please!"

His eyes flicker for a moment, turning their normal sea-green before returning to the color of a murky ocean that will drown you before you realize you are underwater. Those eyes fill me with terror. I'm going to die.

"Percy, please stop, you're scaring me!"

He gasps, and stumbles away from me. Then he shakes his head, determination clear in his eyes. For a moment, I think he's going to kill me. But then, he walks hurriedly towards the gas, breathing in as much as he can. I can see as his eyes go glassy, and he falls to the ground, unconscious.

Immediately, the Councillors are surrounding him, asking questions. Finally, Councillor Oralie asks, "What is he?"

I exchange looks with the rest of my friends. Can we tell them?

Suddenly, there's a scream from inside the cave. We rush to the entrance, seeing that one of the members of the Neverseen is lying on the ground. Presumably, they tried to light leap away. But at least it got the focus off of Percy and onto where we'll put the Neverseen.