Adore

Chapter Thirteen

We Meet A Jerk.

Now, by all rights, I should be dead. Just a few minutes ago, I was hurtling down to the ground at gravity's mercy from a six hundred foot drop, and just about now, I was knee-deep in mud, sludge and garbage, at the bottom of the Mississippi River. BREATHING. All in all, it really seems like a miracle that I wasn't dead. And now, just minutes after my life-threatening stunt, a god had suddenly appeared in front of me. Not just any other god. MY OWN BROTHER. Can you see how f****d up my life is?

Triton was still smiling at me, calmly waiting for my reaction. I knew my eyes were as wide as saucers, and my jaw was probably unhinged as well. I thought Triton hated every single one of his half-siblings? Still, I decided not to open my big mouth about that can of worms. Instead, my mouth automatically mouthed a word I had no idea I was going to say. "Brother?" It was as if that word was the trigger, Triton suddenly lunged forward and encased me in his strong arms, all the while murmuring my name over and over again. "Percy! Percy! My cute, cute baby sister!" I hesitantly patted his back, feeling off-kilter. Ehh? Though, my actions seemed to fuel his happiness further because he squeezed me tighter, cutting of my air circulation (how that happened with us being underwater, I don't know).

"Tri-Triton! Air! Air!" I gasped. I was certain my face was turning blue already. Triton immediately released me, holding me at arm's length.

"Oh no! I'm sorry! I don't know my own strength! It's just that I really wanted to see you and Father had me running the kingdom after he left for the Council meetings and Mother is being her usual spiteful, pampered self and not helping me and then Delphin came to me with a message from Father to bring you some Pearls so that you have an escape route when you go to the Underworld and do you really have to go? I could hide you in our kingdom just say the word-!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Can-can you slow down, Lord Triton?" I said, gesturing at him to slow down. Did he even take a breath in his tirade? Triton blinked at my statement, then had the grace to look sheepish as he stopped his ramblings.

"Sorry about that. It's just that I'm not supposed to be here, but I really wanted to see you. To meet my first baby sister." Triton smiled sheepishly at me, making my heart melt at his expression. Dear Poseidon, he seriously cares for me. Though, as my request sunk in his mind, a small frown took over his face. "Percy, call me Big Brother! There's no need for titles. I'm not Mother." He said, absently waving his hand like those titles didn't mean anything to him, which, in all honesty, it probably didn't. Though, that did worry me a little about Amphitrite. How was she taking the news? My face must've been grimacing because Triton smiled reassuringly at me. "Don't worry, Percy. Dad and I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Okaay then?" I tentatively smiled at him, making his smile return full force, his eyes gaining sparkles in them.

"Ooh, my baby sister is so cute!" he cooed at me, squeezing me again for good measure. I just returned the hug exasperatedly. When he saw it fit to release me, he smiled at me and snapped his fingers. Instantly, four glowing pearls had appeared, floating in between of us. "Take them, Baby Sis. When you need to escape from the Underworld, just take a pearl for each of you and smash them at your feet. They'll return you to the sea."

I took them gratefully, pocketing them. I never even considered how the heck we'd be able to escape the place. I was currently worrying how in Hades' name we'd get there. But, Dad seems to believe me, if what Triton said was true. And, it seems, Triton did too, although he was worrying about me. That sent warm fuzzy feelings buzzing inside me. In the past, I only had my Mom to lean against in bad times. We only had each other. But now, it seems I have both a dad and a big brother that I could count on. And counting my friends, I was a pretty happy girl.

Triton seemed to read my mind, because his gaze suddenly sharpened. "Also, Delphin mentioned something else Dad told him. He also said that I could deal with him first. Mind introducing me to Luke, Baby Sis? I also want to meet the others, if only to threaten them."

Oh dear. The maniacal glint in his eyes did not bode well for Luke's health, nor Ethan and Grover's sanity. Oh! That reminds me! I looked at Triton, slightly feeling panicky. "Tri- I mean, Big Brother, how much time have we spent here?" Oh dear. Come to think of it, how long was my fight up in the Arch? Triton's eyes softened a little, but the crazed glint didn't disappear completely.

"Long enough that if you find your friends in the next ten minutes and run to the station, you'll be able to catch the train. Though, Sis, this isn't over. I want you to go to Santa Monica first before you go to the Underworld. Don't make me stalk you." I winced, but nodded resolutely. Gods. I hope Luke will survive meeting my big brother. Fates know, he already has enough trouble with Ethan hovering over him every time he manages to flirt with me. Yes, I know he's flirting, and yes, unfortunately, I kind of like him like that. Yes. Yes, I am a masochist.

Triton, by this time, lost the glint and regained his dotting smile. "Ooooh, how I want to just hide you away until this mess is over, never mind we go to war! Besides, Dad always beats Zeus in terms of power. Everyone knows this. Dad's just too laidback and content to go with the flow rather than stand up and take command. But, with you, he'll even get rid of Mother if she thinks of harming just a single strand of your hair. And I'll help him. NO ONE harms my sister." Oh dear me. The glint reappeared again, and was his smile getting a creepier edge?

"Erm, Tr-Big Brother, I really need to go now." I hedged, nervous about his sudden changes in emotions. Was my brother bipolar or something?

My face must've been freaked out or something, because Triton had immediately lost his 'crazy' face and donned a normal smiling one, while opening his arms again. I just sighed and stepped closer to him, hugging him. Honestly, I thought it would be a pain once he and I got introduced because, let's face it, I'm sort of an illegitimate child in their world. But still, I never would have imagined that he'd welcome me with open arms, literally.

When we separated, he smiled at me one last time before his form shimmered and completely disappeared. I stared at the place where he stood, smiling like a loon. You would think that I'd get annoyed with his coddling, but oddly enough, even though I mostly prefer to stand up on my own two feet, getting to know that my big brother likes me is a huge morale booster.

As I kicked up through the sludge and swam for the surface, the smile never left my face. I came ashore next to some floating styrofoams that had McDonald's logos. And when I looked around, my smile bled away to be replaced by horror. A block away, every emergency vehicle in St. Louis was surrounding the Arch. Police helicopters circled overhead. The crowd of onlookers reminded me of Times Square on New Year's Eve. Holy Poseidon, was I now officially being hunted down because the Chimera somehow put a hole into the Arch, and I'm being blamed for it!?

I hurriedly looked down, and slunk away, careful not to let anyone get a good look at my face. A news lady was talking for the camera: "Probably not a terrorist attack, we're told, but it's still very early in the investigation. The damage, as you can see, is very serious. We're trying to get to some of the last ones to leave the Arch. They are convinced that they left a young girl up there." Oh dear gods. Why, WHY, didn't Triton warn me about this!? I hurried my pace towards the edge of the crowd, keeping my hair obstructing my face, yet my eyes could still see, roving the crowd for any sign of my friends.

I reached the edge and tried to push through so I could search more effectively, but I overheard a report being made that made me hastily back away. "... an adolescent girl," another reporter was saying. "Channel Five has learned that surveillance cameras show an adolescent girl battling what seems like a middle aged woman who had somehow set off the explosion, which was centralized in her robotic dog, which we have no idea how she smuggled inside the monument. Hard to believe, John, but that's what we're hearing. Again, no confirmed fatalities ..." What in Hades' name? I had to go a long way around the police perimeter. Uniformed officers and news reporters were everywhere.

I was losing hope that I'd find the others when I heard an all too familiar bleating. "Peeercyy!" I turned around, and fell to the ground when Grover tackled me. "Di immortales, Percy! We thought you'd gone to Hades the permanent way!" Even as I was starting to open my mouth to comfort him, we were hauled up to our feet, Grover was ripped from me, and the smell of mint entered my nose. I looked to the side to find a sandy blonde head, with his face still buried on my neck.

"Luke?"

"Never, never do that again, Percy. I thought I'd never get to see you again." His voice was muffled, but I could clearly hear his voice shaking. Heck, when he pulled back from his strong hug, he clenched my shoulders with his shaking hands. He smiled at me, his blue eyes relieved. Well, the mood was shattered when Ethan wrenched Luke's hands from my shoulders and hugged me himself, squeezing eerily like Triton had just a little while ago.

"Percy, Percy, my cute, cute Percy, NEVER do that again!" Ethan went from worried to seething in less than a sentence. What is it with me today and bipolar brothers? I just smiled at them comfortingly. Well, with their faces, I doubt they'd repeat this incident anytime soon.

"Anyways, Percy, what happened?" Grover bleated a little, his face pinched from lingering worry. I just sighed and grabbed Ethan's and Luke's arms and started to haul them after me, signaling Grover to follow us. I led them a little away from the crowd, already starting to walk for the Amtrak station.

"I faced off with Echidna and Chimera at the top of the Arch. The rich-looking lady and her Chihuahua? That's them. I got bitten by its snake tail, and was cornered without Riptide, so I had no choice but to jump from the Arch to the Mississippi River."

"Dear Hermes." Luke grimaced, clenching his hand. "You fought the Chimera without backup. What kind of men are we that we'd leave you alone to fight yourself?" Ethan was grimacing as well, and Grover just plain looked like he was going to hit himself with his reed pipes.

I wanted to reassure them that they weren't at fault at all, but the words died inside my throat before I could voice them out because when we passed another reporter doing a news break, he said, "Percy Jackson. That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the girl battling the woman who may have caused this explosion fits the description of a young girl who prevented a serious New Jersey bus bombing three days ago. The authorities want her for questioning, seeing as certain groups believe that she is part of either the CIA or the FBI. And the girl is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson." Oh dear gods. I froze for a millisecond before Luke whipped around, grabbed my arm, and dragged me off to the nearest alley way, with Grover and Ethan blocking me from view.

Ethan looked grim as he opened his backpack and rummaged through it. He pulled out a gray hoodie and gave it to me. "First things first. We need to get out of town and avoid this mess." I nodded as I slipped on the hoodie, obscuring my face to the rest of the world.

Somehow, we made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted. We got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind us.

As we got settled down in our seats, I looked at them all seriously. "Guys, I don't blame any one of you for leaving me up there. It was planned by Zeus. Echidna told me."

"That still doesn't excuse what we did, Percy." Ethan was clenching his seat's arm rests, his face miserable. "We almost lost you." Beside him, Grover nodded, his hands ringing the straps of his backpack. Luke reached out and put his hand on my shoulder.

"From this day on, Percy Jackson, I swear by the River Styx that I would do everything in my power to protect you." Thunder boomed in the sky, making my eyes widen in panic.

"What in Poseidon's name did you do, Luke! You're now bound to that promise! We're not gods! You don't know what'll happen if you break that promise!" I panicked, grabbing the hand that was holding my shoulder and held it between two of my own. Luke smiled a little at what I did, but his eyes were serious.

"Damsel fish, if a mortal breaks a promise by the River Styx, he or she will die." My eyes widened with horror at his statement.

"Then why in Hades' name did you do it!? I don't want you to die!"

He smiled as he lifted his other hand, seeing as I was still grabbing one hand, and caressed my cheek. "I have no intention of dying, Damsel fish, because I don't intend to break my promise." His cerulean eyes hardened with determination as he said this, holding my own sea-green eyes captive. Luke smiled as he caressed my long hair for a bit before resting on my cheek. "This is my promise to you, Percy. I'll always stay by your side. I won't coddle you, but I won't let you get hurt, either."

His voice was rich, soothing, making me lean a little towards him, with him copying my actions. My eyes were dropping to half masts. The world was melting around us; my only focus was Luke and his blue, blue eyes that were sparkling in the lights of the train. The only thing I noticed was Luke, and how perfect he was; how his lips were quirked in a contented little smile, how his scar made him even more handsome in my eyes, how he promised to protect me, how he manages to be my anchor, and at the same time lets me be free. Perfect, perfect Luke. His face was only inches from mine. I could feel every hot breath he exhaled, and my senses were surrounded by the smell of mint. His smell. I leaned a forward little more, fully closing my eyes, waiting.

Well, until a gentle shove in the opposite direction broke my eye contact with him, and my lower back bumped onto the armrest as I heard a loud, pained yell, and something smacking against the glass of the train. When I opened my eyes, I sweatdropped a little seeing Ethan being barely restrained by a straining Grover, while Luke was seeing stars as he leaned against the glass of the train, a large welt on his forehead. I sighed as I got up to pacify my frothing-at-the-mouth non-romantic Moirails.

A few minutes later, when Ethan had been sufficiently calmed enough, and Luke was revived, I dropped my Triton bomb on them. "Guys, when I dived down on the River, I met someone." Luke was looking at me curiously, but his eyes were looking at me intensely, smoldering. I inwardly shivered at his look. Gods. Ethan was looking at me while shooting occasional glares at Luke, while Grover was sighing as he rubbed his forehead, probably from reading our emotions.

"Who was it, Mare?"

"I met my Big Brother, Triton."

I swear I heard Luke's neck snap from how fast he whipped his head towards me, his eyes losing their intense gaze to be replaced by surprise and a little nervousness. Ethan looked surprised and Grover was downright gaping. "What did he want with you, sis?"

"He gave me four pearls. He said we just have to smash them at our feet and it would take us back to the sea. I think Dad thought ahead of us and provided us with a clean getaway from the Underworld." I said as I dug them out of my pocket then distributed them. I never had the chance to look at them properly before, seeing as I was a little distracted by the sudden appearance of my Big Brother, but now that I looked at them, I can't help but feel awed. They were pearls, alright, but they shone more like diamonds more than regular pearls. Don't ask me how they were doing that, I had absolutely no idea.

Grover was looking at them like they were treasures, which, in all honesty, they probably are. "Mare, I don't think I have to tell you that your Dad's the greatest." Luke nodded, looking at his pearl in curiosity. Ethan, meanwhile, was looking straight at me.

"I don't think Triton would sink himself so low as to deliver four simple pearls to a demigod child of his father." He said, his eyes seemingly trying to pull the rest of the story from me. I sighed, nodding.

"Yeah. He was there to see me. Apparently, he wanted a baby sister so bad that he doesn't care that I'm just a halfblood." I had to stifle a giggle at the others' faces. They looked like someone told them that pigs can fly. "Yeah. He also said that we have to first go to the beach at Santa Monica, or else."

Ethan, by that time, had closed his gaping mouth to ask me a question. "Why, exactly, does he want you to meet him at Santa Monica? I get that he likes you, which is still unbelievable, seeing as he openly hates every one of his half-brothers, but he already managed to give you what Poseidon wanted him to give you, right?"

I hesitated at answering him. How the heck could I phrase it that they won't freak out? But Luke's hand found my shoulder once again and he looking at me curiously, so I decided to Hades with it. "He doesn't want anything from me this time. He wants to meet all of you." Luke's hand painfully clenched on my shoulders. When I looked at him, I almost outright laughed at the nervousness clear in his eyes. I looked at the others and did actually laugh out loud, seeing Grover looks like he almost wants to sink down in his seat, and Ethan half wanting to smirk at Luke, and half shivering from nervousness at meeting a god. I just sighed. It was going to be a long train ride.

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, our train rolled into Denver. We had eaten the last of our food rations by this time, and we were, well, dreadfully in need of a shower. "Let's contact camp. We need to update Chiron on how we're doing so far." Grover said as we got off the train.

"How?" I asked, seeing as we don't even have cellphones.

Ethan smiled at me. "Sis, demigods and electronics don't mix. It's worse than sending up a flare telling monsters your location." Oh. I didn't know that. Luke smiled at my reaction.

"Let's just find somewhere to make an I-M, shall we?" he said as he led the way out of the station.

We ambled around for thirty minutes, me having no idea what the others were looking for. I figured I'd ask them later when we arrived at wherever that was. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere we turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at me, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.

Finally we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping our eyes open for patrol cars. We were four adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we were up to no good.

Grover took out the spray g*n. "It's seventy-five cents. Who has spare change?" Ethan plunged his hand down his jeans and came up with two quarters. Luke grinned and plunged his hand down his bag, searching for something. His grin widened and he pulled out a pink coin purse. I stared at the thing.

"Luke, did you pick pockets!?" Luke just laughed at my statement.

"Nope. I got this from the Twins."

"Pink? Really?"

Luke just smirked at me. "Well, let's just say when Travis last saw this, it was still green." I just shook my head in disbelief as he opened the coin purse and fished out quarters. Grover plucked one from the pile he gathered on his hand and slotted it in, turning the knob on the spray to 'Fine Mist'.

"Thanks, Luke."

"No prob." Luke said as he put away the coin purse.

"What are we doing, exactly?"

"Iris-Messaging, sis." Ethan smiled as Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist, making a rainbow.

I nodded, understanding. Grover held out a hand. "Drachma, Mare." I plunged my hand into my pack, rummaging for the golden coins. I smiled as my fingers brushed against one and pulled it out. I then handed it over to Grover.

"Grover, let me do it." Luke held out his hand. Grover nodded and handed the coin over. Luke then raised it over his head.

"O goddess, accept our offering." He then tossed it into the rainbow, making the coin disappear with a little shimmer. "Half Blood Hill." We waited for a few moments before the mist showed us strawberry fields, and the Long Island Sound in the distance. We seemed to be on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a girl with raven black hair cascading down her shoulders in gentle waves. She was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow.

"Silena? Is that you?" I asked, feeling certain it was the Daughter of Aphrodite.

She turned, eyes wide. But then, when she saw us, her surprised look had morphed into one of pure joy. "Percy hun! Is everyone with you? Thank Aphrodite! Is everyone okay?"

Luke was chuckling while Ethan looked slightly harassed, probably remembering her send off. I swallowed down a giggle. Grover was desperately craning his head to look at the mirage while maintaining the spray. Ethan noticed and approached him, grimacing. "Here, Grover, let me." I couldn't help myself this time and let out a little giggle.

Luke was smirking, but he looked at Silena questioningly. "Silena, is something wrong there? Where's Chiron?" Silena lost the joy and worry overtook her expression.

"Things aren't going well here at camp. It's-!" Her voice was suddenly drowned out when just then a big Lincoln Continental pulled into the car wash with its stereo turned to maximum hip-hop. As the car slid into the next stall, the bass from the subwoofers vibrated so much, it shook the pavement. "What in the gods' name is that?" Silena yelled.

Ethan sighed and handed over the nozzle to Luke. "I'll take care of it! Come on, Grover!" He yelled as he gripped the satyr's arm and bodily dragged him away. Grover looked like he swallowed a lemon.

"What? But I haven't talked to Silena yet!"

"Just come on!"

I laughed a little at Ethan's episode. Apparently, being the daughter of the Love Goddess means that you get to be extra scary when you get into your 'mothering mode'. Luke laughed a little but then turned to Silena, an eyebrow raised. She nodded.

"Chiron had to break up a fight," Silena shouted to us over the music. "Things are pretty tense here, Luke, Percy. Word leaked out about the Zeus-Poseidon standoff. We're still not sure how-probably the same i***t who summoned the hellhound. Now the campers are starting to take sides. It's shaping up like the Trojan War all over again. Aphrodite, Ares, Hermes and Apollo are backing Poseidon, period. Athena's split in half, with Malcolm heading the group with Poseidon, and Annabeth with Zeus' group. Hephaestus is leaning more towards Poseidon's side, and Demeter insists on being neutral." Oh dear gods. WHY had that someone leaked that delicate information out to the campers!? This could spell disaster for the whole camp!

Luke was grimacing, probably thinking in the same lines as I was. "When I get my hands on the i***t, I'll make sure to flay the i***t alive!" In the next stall, I heard Ethan and some guy arguing with each other, then the music's volume decreased drastically.

"So what's happening with you guys?" Silena was speaking normally now. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to tell Chiron everything you tell me."

And so, Luke and I told her everything, especially the part where Triton had practically commanded me to go to Santa Monica so he could meet the guys hanging with his baby sister. Silena's smile was nearly blinding as we got to this part. "Oh, don't worry so much about it, Luke. I'm sure you'll survive. Right, Percy hun?" I just laughed nervously at that.

A few moments later, the beeper went off on the spray machine, indicating we only have one more minute before the water shut off. "Do you guys want to talk more? I have more quarters." Luke offered. Silena just shook her head, making her hair sway with her movement.

"No need. I'll feel bad if I delay you guys even more than I already have. I'm already feeling bad because I was the one to take this call, not Chiron."

I just shook my head at her. "Don't. I feel better already, now that you know what's been happening to us in this crazy quest. And I trust you to know that you'll tell Chiron everything." Silena smiled happily at me with my statement. In the stall next to us, the music stopped completely. A man screamed in terror, car doors slammed, and the Lincoln peeled out of the car wash.

"Oh dear. What's happening over there?" Silena asked, concerned. Luke just laughed.

"Ethan probably had Grove scare the guy in the next stall off or something."

Silena just shook her head, with me copying her. She then suddenly smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Now, promise me, Percy hun, that you'll at least wear what I managed to get for your four. Alright?" I just laughed and nodded. Honestly, Silena had an uncanny knack of making me laugh even at the most grim of times. The water had shut off, and the mist had begun to evaporate.

"Well, take care of yourselves there at Denver!" Silena's voice was steadily becoming fainter. "You guys better take care of Percy there! Don't let the monsters get her!" Before either Luke or I could respond, the mist had completely disappeared, taking Silena's image with it.

Ethan and Grover came around the corner, with Grover laughing and Ethan smirking. I just shook my head. "What in Hades' name did you guys do to that guy?"

Ethan just smirked at me with Grover laughing heartily. "Sorry sis. Trade secret by every man." Luke had laughed out loud at this.

I just grumbled at them. Bah, men. "Come on. Let's just get dinner."

A few minutes later, we were sitting at a booth in a gleaming chrome diner. All around us, families were eating burgers and drinking malts and sodas. Finally, the waitress came over to us. She raised an eyebrow skeptically at us. "Well?"

Luke smiled charmingly at her, though all she did was roll her eyes. "We want to buy some food, Miss."

"Uh-huh. Do you kids have money, or do I have to throw you all out?"

Ethan was about to say something when a rumble shook the whole building; a huge motorcycle, probably the size of a large Harley, had pulled up the curb. All conversation in the diner stopped. The motorcycle's headlight glared red. Its gas tank had flames painted on it, and a shotgun holster riveted to either side, complete with shotguns. The seat was leather-but leather that looked like ... well, Caucasian human skin. Dear gods.

Well, the man straddling the bike was no less fearsome than his ride. He was dressed in a red muscle shirt and black jeans and a black leather duster, with a hunting knife strapped to his thigh. He wore red wraparound shades, and he had the cruelest, most brutal face I'd ever seen- handsome, I guess, but wicked-with an oily black crew cut and cheeks that were scarred from many, many fights. I froze, instantly recognizing him. Clarisse looked a lot like her father. Beside me, Luke stiffened, instantly alert. Ethan was grimacing and Grover was shifting uncomfortably. Looks like we all recognized the guy.

As he walked into the diner, a hot, dry wind blew through the place. All the people rose, as if they were hypnotized, but the biker waved his hand dismissively and they all sat down again. Everybody went back to their conversations. The waitress blinked, as if somebody had just pressed the rewind button on her brain. She asked us again, "You kids have money to pay for it?"

The biker said, "It's on me." He slid into our booth, which was way too small for him, and squashed both Ethan and Grover against the window. Grover's nose was twitching, and Ethan was trying not to glare at the biker's direction. The biker looked up at the waitress, who was gaping at him, and said, "Are you still here?" He pointed at her, and she stiffened. She turned as if she'd been spun around, then marched back toward the kitchen. The biker looked at me. I couldn't see his eyes behind the red shades, but bad feelings started boiling in my stomach. Anger, resentment, bitterness. Oh dear. Must. Control. Myself.

He gave me a leer. "So, you're old Seaweed's Daughter, eh? Your mother must've been made of hot stuff for you to look like that." Beside me, Luke's eyebrows twitched like he wanted to scowl at the man's direction. The man noticed this and laughed, loud and uncouthly.

"Well, well, looks like all of you already figured out who I am." He said as he removed his sunglasses, showing us his eyes lit with fire. Literally. He gave us a feral grin. "That's right, kiddies. I'm Ares."