𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐧 || Percy Jackson

Thirteen

Aurora wasn't too happy to be back.

And she knew they weren't going to be either.

They stood outside of the building, looking up at the gold letters etched in black marble: DOA RECORDING STUDIOS.

Underneath, stenciled neatly on the glass doors, were the words: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING.

It was almost midnight, but the lobby was brightly lit and full of people. Behind the security desk sat a tough-looking security guard with sunglasses and an earpiece.

"Okay." Percy turned to them. "You remember the plan?"

"The plan." Grover gulped nervously.

"Yeah. I love the plan." Annabeth unconvincingly said. "What happens if the plan doesn't work?"

"Don't think negatively."

"Right." Annabeth scoffed. "We're entering the Land of the Dead and I shouldn't think negatively."

Percy brought the four pearls out of his pocket, the four spheres the Nereid had given him in Santa Monica. They didn't seem like much of a backup in case something went wrong.

"I'm sorry, Percy." Annabeth spoke up, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking at Aurora. "You're right, we'll make it. It'll be fine."

"Yeah, sure." Aurora mumbled, nudging Grover.

"Oh, right! We got this far." He chimed in when he got what they were doing. "We'll find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem."

Percy looked around at them. Just a few moments ago he'd almost gotten them stretched to death, almost made Aurora go back to the darkness- whatever that meant -and now they were quite literally at death's door. Annabeth and Grover were trying to be brave for him.

He slipped the pearls back in his pocket, making sure Aurora's hood was properly covering her face. She wanted to stay hidden, none of them questioning and assuming she didn't want to feel the stares they'd receive.

"Let's whoop some Underworld butt." They walked inside the DOA lobby.

Muzak played softly from hidden speakers. The carpet and walls were steel grey. Pencil cactuses grew from the corners like skeleton hands. The furniture was black leather, and every seat was taken. There were people sitting on couches, standing up, staring out the windows, or waiting for the elevator. Nobody moved, talked, or did much of anything.

Percy could see them just fine out of the corner of his eye, but if he focused on any of them, they started looking....transparent.

He could see right through their bodies.

The security guard's desk was a raised podium, so they had to look up at him when they approached.

He was tall and elegant, chocolate-colored skin and bleached-blond hair shaved military style. He wore tortoiseshell shades and a silk Italian suit that matched his hair. A black rose was pinned to his lapel, placed perfectly underneath a silver name tag.

"Your name is Chiron?" Percy could practically hear Aurora's facepalm, knowing that he'd read the name wrong as the guard leaned over the desk.

He couldn't see anything in his glasses besides his and his friends's reflections, but his smile was sweet and cold. Like a pythons, right before it eats you.

"What a precious young lad." His accent was strange. It sounded British, but it also sounded as if he spoke English as a second language. "Tell me, mate, do I look like a centaur?"