𝒊𝒊. 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆

𝒗𝒊𝒊.

Noelle was staring at the stars while Percy was staring at the ocean when Annabeth and Tyson found them.

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "I heard you guys calling for help!"

"Me, too!" Tyson said. "Heard you yell, 'Bad things are attacking!'"

"I didn't call you guys," Percy said. "We're fine."

"But then who..." Annabeth noticed the four yellow duffel bags, then the thermos Noelle was holding, then the bottle of vitamins Percy was holding. "What—"

"Just listen," Noelle said. "We don't have much time."

She told them about their conversation with Hermes while Percy still sat, staring at the ocean. By the time she was finished, Noelle could hear screeching in the distance— patrol harpies picking up their scent.

Annabeth looked back and forth between her two best friends. "We have to do the quest."

"We'll get expelled, you know," Percy talked for the first time in a while. "Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."

"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to," Noelle told him.

"Yeah, but you promised Chiron—"

"I promised I'd keep you from danger. I can only do that by staying with you!"

Annabeth added, "Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"

"I want to go," Tyson said.

"No!" Annabeth's voice sounded close to panic. "I mean... guys, come on. You know that's impossible."

Annabeth looked at Noelle for support.

Percy knew, by the way Annabeth looked at his girlfriend, that there was something they weren't telling him.

Noelle looked at Percy, basically telling Annabeth that it was his decision since Tyson was his brother. Percy looked between the three of them who were expecting an answer. Meanwhile, the cruise ship was getting farther and farther away.

"We can't leave him," Percy decided. "Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."

"Percy," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is a S-i-k... a C-y-k...." She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. They could've waited there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops. "You know what I mean!"

"Tyson can go," Percy insisted, "if he wants to."

Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"

Annabeth gave Percy the evil eye, but she could tell he wasn't going to change his mind. Or maybe she just knew they didn't have time to argue.

"All right," Annabeth said. "How do we get to that ship?"

"Hermes said my father would help."

"Well then, Seaweed Brain?" Noelle smirked. "What are you waiting for?"

Percy stepped into the waves slowly, nervous that his dad wouldn't answer.

"Um, Dad?" he called. "How's it going?"

"Percy!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"

"We need your help," Percy called a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, like, before we get eaten and stuff, so..."

At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean.