19

                                    

                                          
"Percy, please!" a familiar voice begged. I turned and saw her—Annabeth. She was dangling over a pit to Tartarus, her hand breaking off of. She was going to fall. 
                          
As I tried to run over to her my legs stopped working. I tried to scream to her, but my voice wouldn't work. All I could do was sit there, helpless. 
                          
"Percy, please!" she begged again, this time more desperation in her voice. "Help me! You're the only one who can!" 
                          
Before I could try harder to run to her, the ground rumbled and the bit she was holding onto broke off, causing her to fall. 
                          
I tried to scream but no sound came out. 
                          
Then I woke up in a cold sweat, a scream still on my lips. The clock read early morning, way too early to be up, but I knew there was no use of trying to sleep again. 
                          
I freshened up and got dressed, trying my best not to think about the dream I had or the day ahead of me. 
                          
My backpack from going to California was emptied, it's contents strewn all across the room. I slowly repacked it and placed it down on my bed for when it was time to go. 
                          
The few hours I had left before leaving I spent sitting on the edge of the fountain in the Poseidon cabin, the gurgling water calming me. I even read over Annabeth's letter to me again. 
                          
When it was time to leave I swung my backpack over my shoulder and exited my cabin where Thalia and Hazel were waiting for me on the porch, both of them looking prepared. 
                          
"Argus offered to drive, but I said you could," Hazel said as we headed off of the porch. 
                          
I frowned and stopped in my tracks, clearly shocked. "Argus actually agreed?" 
                          
Thalia shrugged as she cracked her knuckles. "I'm persuasive, kelp head." 
                          
"At least you're not driving," I replied, causing her to turn red. "I don't think we'd make it in one piece." 
                          
"It was one time—!" she started. 
                          
"Let's just get going!" Hazel interrupted, leading us to Thalia's pine and then to the empty camp van. Thalia glared at me on the way over. 
                          
"What's our plan if they don't let us in?" Hazel asked as we hit the road. She had sat besides me in the front seat and Thalia sat in the back with the old strawberry containers. 
                          
I shrugged as I started the car. "We go up by force. I've tricked the man at the desk before, I'm sure I can do it again."
                          
Hazel frowned at me, clearly confused. "There's a man who admits you Olympus? And he can be tricked easily?" 
                          
"Oh, I forgot you've never been to Olympus," I responded. "I'm not exactly sure what he is, but he knows of Olympus. Maybe just a mortal who can see through the mist. Or a minor god, something like that." 
                          
"I can probably get him to let us through if he's a mortal. I can control the mist for them, so that might work," Hazel said confidently. 
                          
Thalia nodded and looked up from the strawberry containers. "Yeah, and if not we can always fight him." 
                          
"Or we could try and reason with him," I suggested. "Or lie to get in. Having Zeus's masterbolt helped me before. Maybe there's another missing Olympus item we can lie about possessing." 
                          
The rest of the ride was silent. When we arrived I parked the car outside the now ominous Empire State Building. 
                          
"I'll go in and scout the place out," Thalia said. "You two wait here." 
                          
"No, what if you need help?" I protested, Hazel nodding in agreement with me. 
                          
She laughed as she opened the back of the van. "I won't. I'm just scouting out the place. I'll be back soon, alright?" 
                          
Before I could protest any further, Thalia rushed into the building, leaving me and Hazel alone. Hazel rolled her eyes. 
                          
"Hey...Hazel?" I asked, my voice close to breaking. 
                          
She'd been staring out at New York just like I'd seen many tourists do throughout my life. They all wore the same look—mystified and overlooking all the dirtiness.
                          
Even though Hazel went to school here, I was assuming she didn't get to see the city much. Not for long, anyways. 
                          
"Yes?" she asked as she forcefully pulled herself away from the window. 
                          
"This sounds stupid, but...can you...can you tell when people have died? Like Nico can?" I asked hesitantly. 
                          
Hazel sighed lightly and avoided my gaze, focusing on New York once again. She was clearly uncomfortable. "No, I can't. At least I don't think so." 
                          
I wanted to reply, but my throat felt like it was closing up. So instead I peered out at New York just like Hazel was. 
                          
Was Annabeth here? Had Arachne taken her to New York, or was she at the cavern where she'd found the Athena Parthenos? Or was she already in Tartarus again like in my dream, this time alone? 
                          
After a few more minutes the doors of the Empire State Building swung open and Thalia walked out, ushering for us to join her. We did and she led us inside wordlessly. 
                          
"Hello, there," Thalia said as she tapped on the desk of the man in the lobby. He didn't look up from his book. "We need to reach the 600th floor." 
                          
The man chuckled lightly. "There's no 600th floor, kids. Sorry, now please stop wasting my time." 
                          
Before we could try and persuade him, Thalia pushed us back and even stepped closer to the desk. 
                          
"I'm sorry, but I don't think Zeus would like you talking to his daughter like that," Thalia said matter of factly. "Actually, I think he'd hate it." 
                          
The man's hands twitched as he struggled to keep his book up. "I don't know what you're talking about..."
                          
Thalia smiled defiantly. "Oh, I think you do. I'm Thalia Grace. These are my friends, Hazel Levesque and Percy Jackson. You might recognize us as, I dunno, the saviors of Olympus once or twice?" 
                          
"Don't stay for long," he murmured as he allowed us passage to the elevator. "And I didn't let you in." 
                          
Thalia grinned as we all walked towards the elevator that was, once again, playing cheesy music. She gladly clicked the button that read 600. 
                          
And with that, we were on our way to Olympus. 


                          
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Hey guys! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I just published a new Percabeth AU called Famous Fate, so go check that out if you're interested! 
Anyways I'm trying to update these chapters in two in case you're wondering why I post two at a time. 
Love you guys and hope you're enjoying this story! :)