Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

The Greatest Of Them

Act V — Walking On Water

Part XIII — Today we're so delighted, today we're all united. Here on the land and sea.

Sally and Paul were waiting at the lobby of the Empire State Building. When the elevator doors opened and Andy came out, Sally tackled her with a hug. "We saw the building lit up blue!" she said crazily. "Oh, Andy! We saw it... And we came right over to be sure that—"

"I'm okay, mom."

"She was getting a bit anxious," Paul said.

"Everything's alright now," Andy assured Sally. "We're safe. All of us."

Andy was almost relaxing. The sky was clearing. Olympus had been saved. Things seemed to be looking up. But life wasn't easy, oh no. Nico ran in from the street and almost into her. "Andy!" he said.

"Hey! You said my name," she exclaimed happily.

He blinked like he hadn't even noticed. Then he shook his head. "Forget that now. It's Rachel. I just ran into her."

"Yeah, whatever, but you said my name!"

"Andy, you're not listening to me!"

"Ha! You said it again!"

Nico grabbed her by the shoulders. "I told Rachel she would die if she tried, but she insisted, alright? She just took Blackjack and—"

"Wait. She took my pegasus? Without even asking?"

Nico nodded. "She's heading to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp."

"She stole my pegasus?" Andy repeated outraged. "Alright. Let's go fast. I'm gonna kick her ginger ass."

***

There was something definitely wrong in the Great House. Green lights shot from every window. Mist swirled around the garden. Everything seemed so crazy Andy even forgot she was there to fight Rachel for stealing Blackjack.

Chiron was lying on a huge stretcher, and said pegasus struck his hooves nervously in the grass. "Don't blame me," he begged when he saw Andy. "The red-head made me do it!"

Rachel Elizabeth Dare was at the bottom of the porch steps, her arms raised like she was waiting for someone inside the house to throw her a ball.

"What is she doing?" Andy asked.

"How did she get past the barriers?" Anthony asked.

"She flew," Chiron said. "Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries."

"Rachel!" Andy called, but Nico grabbed her arm stopping her from getting any closer.

"You can't interrupt," he warned. Then he glanced at Chiron. "Right?"

The centaur nodded grimly. He made an effort to stand up. He was still a little hurt, but otherwise okay.

"I thought you'd explained things to her!" Andy snapped. The seriousness of the situation had finally hit her. Suddenly, she knew exactly what Rachel was doing there.

"I did," he said. "And I invited her here."

Andy stared at him in disbelief. "What is wrong with you? You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said—"

"I know what I said, Andy," he said, raising his voice. "But I was wrong. Rachel says the curse of Hades has been lifted. She says you've lifted it when you included Nico as a camper."