Back To Black | Luke Castellan

13

They walked through the doors and were amazed at the look at the entire place. It was nothing like they've see before.

"I know we're supposed to be saving the world, but would it be unprofessional if we just hung out here for a bit?" Percy asked them.

He went to step forward but Annabeth grabbed his shoulder. "We find Hermes, we get him to hook us up with a ride to Los Angeles, and a plan to get into the underworld, and we are out of here ten seconds later." Annabeth told them.

"I was kidding." Percy said, he went to step forward again, but Grover put his hand out. "Wait, hang on." He said.

"What?"

"Your mom told you all the stories. Did she read you the Odyssey?" Grover asked. "The graphic novel." He said and they looked at him strangely. "It counts." Percy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Odysseus lands on a beach. There's these guys who've forgotten where they came from, forgot everything that was important to them, and they got that way because they ate—"

"The lotus flowers." Percy said.

"If we got in there and forget everything, that would be bad on a number of levels." Grover said. "But if Hermes is in there, though, then what choice do we have?" Percy asked.

"What do you think, wise girl?" Percy asked, looking at Annabeth. "Just don't eat anything." She said as they walked further inside.

"Wait, why were you looking at me when you said that?" Grover asked, catching up to them.

"This place is a lot bigger than it looked from the outside. He could be anywhere." Grover said. "Let's split up." Annabeth said to them.

"I thought we didn't do that anymore." Percy said. "Also, you guys have him before, but Nadia and me haven't. So we're not gonna be much help alone." Percy said.

Annabeth looked at Grover. "Are you okay being along?" She asked Grover and he nodded. "Okay, go check that side of the floor. I'll take Nadia and Percy this way. One way or another we meet back in the lobby in 20 minutes."

Grover nodded. "What do I say to him if I find him first?" He asked her. "Nothing. Meet me here and you'll take me to him." She said.

"Yeah, of course." He said walking away from them. Percy and Annabeth went to walk away but Nadia didn't move.

"What is it?" Annabeth asked her. She looked at her. "I don't know. I'm sensing a lot of different things. I feeling darkness looming in here." She said and the two of them looked at each other.

"Is it bad? Like are we in danger?" Percy asked, looking back at her. Nadia shook her head. "I don't— I don't know." She said looking around.

"Look, I don't know what Hermes looks like, but I'll sense it. I need to see something." Nadia said walking away without another word and ignoring their calls for her.

She walking through the crowds of people and walked to the arcades. Nadia had a feeling about something. She heard the laughter of kids all around her and zoned in on it.

She continued walking and bumped into a kid. She looked down at them. It was a small boy with dark hair. "I'm sorry." She said.

He looked up at her. "Have you seen my sister?" He asked her. She shook her head. "No, I haven't, I don't know." She said.

"I lost her." He said. Nadia bent down to his height and put her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry about that. Where did you last see her?" She asked.

"By the video games." He said, pointing ahead of them. She sadly smiled at him. "I'm sure you'll find her." She said.