18. eden is afraid of fighting the roman's

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Annabeth was trying her best to cheer up Hazel and Eden with funny moments about Percy when Frank stumbled into the cabin

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Annabeth was trying her best to cheer up Hazel and Eden with funny moments about Percy when Frank stumbled into the cabin.

"Where's Leo?" he gasped. "Take off! Take off!"

All three girls shot to their feet.

"Where's Percy?" Annabeth demanded. "And the goat?"

Frank grabbed his knees, trying to breathe. His clothes were stiff and damp, like they'd been washed in pure starch. "On deck. They're fine. We're being followed!"

"Of course! Because nothing ever goes right for us!" Eden complained.

Annabeth pushed past him and took the stairs three at a time, Hazel and Eden right behind her and Frank trailing, still gasping for air. Percy and Hedge lay on the deck, looking exhausted. Hedge was missing his shoes. He grinned at the sky, muttering, "Awesome. Awesome." Percy was covered with nicks and scratches, like he'd jumped through a window. He didn't say anything, but he grasped Annabeth's hand weakly.

Leo, Piper, and Jason, who'd been eating in the mess hall, came rushing up the stairs. "What? What?" Leo cried, holding a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich. "Can't a guy even take a lunch break? What's wrong?"

"Followed!" Frank yelled again.

"Followed by what?" Jason asked.

"I don't know!" Frank panted. "Whales? Sea monsters? Maybe Kate and Porky!"

Eden wasn't quite sure who Kate and Porky were, but then again, she made up a random name for a telekhine and a giant stumbled back like Steve was a primordial being.

"That makes absolutely no sense. Leo, you'd better get us out of here." Annabeth said.

Leo put his sandwich between his teeth, pirate style, and ran for the helm. Soon the Argo II was rising into the sky. Annabeth manned the aft crossbow, and Eden stood right next to her. She saw no sign of pursuit by whales or otherwise, but Percy, Frank, and Hedge didn't start to recover until the Atlanta skyline was a hazy smudge in the distance.

"Charleston," Percy said, hobbling around the deck like an old man. He still sounded pretty shaken up. "Set course for Charleston."

"Charleston?" Jason said the name as if it brought back bad memories. "What exactly did you find in Atlanta?"

Frank unzipped his backpack and starting bringing out souvenirs. "Some peach preserves. A couple of T-shirts. A snow globe. And, um, these not-really-Chinese handcuffs."

Annabeth sounded like she was ready to snap someone's head off, but she kept her cool. "How about you start from the top—of the story, not the backpack."

They gathered on the quarterdeck so Leo could hear the conversation as he navigated. Percy and Frank took turns relating what had happened at the Georgia Aquarium, with Coach Hedge interjecting from time to time: "That was awesome!" or "Then I kicked her in the head!"

afraid ツ l. valdezWhere stories live. Discover now