Day Six:

Divided (Part 5)

"The Grand Canyon?" Annabeth repeated. "Why there? Shouldn't we meet somewhere in the middle?"

Chiron shook his head. "It was foreseen by Lord Apollo that you are to meet there."

Annabeth nodded slowly.

Chiron spoke once more. "You will all meet there as soon as possible. So you will need to-"

"Please don't say fly," Percy said paling slightly. Behind him an equally pale Nico and Thalia nodded in agreement.

Chiron smiled albeit sadly. "You will need to fly."

The three instantly agree on something for once and begin to shout and protest.

"You will leave first thing tomorrow morning and should be there in two days time," Chiron interrupted loudly. "Aurgus will drive you the airport."

~~~~

Percy squeezed a panda pillow pet he had bought tightly to his chest as he handed his ticket over and walked into the gate.

Thalia followed close behind and Nico tried to back off until Annabeth grabbed his wrist and pulled him along pushing the other two who were in front of her.

Finally on the plane Annabeth took the window seat and Thalia sat next to her. In front of the girls Percy and Nico were arguing over who had to get the window seat backing up traffic behind them. Finally Annabeth leaned over and shut the window shade and both settled into their seats. Annabeth then pulled headphones she had bought out of her bag and handed a pair to each.

They all gasped as the plane began to roll. Annabeth sighed and pulled out a book. This is gonna be a long flight.

~~~~

When the plane finally landed the children of the Big Three were the first off. They ran off (leaving their stuff behind for Annabeth to grab). Annabeth sighed and apologized to those around her. Finally she made her way off the plane and found the three ordering- well arguing at McDonalds.

As she got closer should hear.

"What do you mean you don't have the bags," Nico said to Percy. "You had them right next to you and the money is in there!"

"Well, why didn't you grab it then!" Percy yelled back.

"Both of you are idiots," Thalia declared.

"Oh really?" Percy challenged. "Then where's your bag?"

"Uh-um."

Annabeth sighed and pushed her way to the front of the line and held the bags out to each. She then took out her money and gave her order to the cashier.

~~~~

Annabeth looked around constantly as they ate on a bench outside the airport. She drummed her fingers impatiently as stared across the room.

"What is in that head of yours Wise Girl?" Percy asked breaking her chain of thought.

"An actual brain. You should find one," Thalia advised.

"Shut it Pinecone Face."

Nico gave a small smile of laughter at the nickname.

"I'm surprised we haven't been attacked yet," Annabeth stated causing eyes to land on her. "Sons of Hades and Poseidon and a daughter of Zeus. That's bound to make the monsters come. Yet it's so- so... calm."

That caused the mood to fall. No one was really hungry anymore.

"What are we going to do until tomorrow?" Nico asked.

"Well most of our money will need to be spent on the trip back and food," Annabeth said. "So we'll have to find somewhere to camp out."

"We can get to the Canyon from here tomorrow," Percy says pointing to a tour bus leaving.

Annabeth nods. "We'll have to spend the our money on the bus tickets then it's the only way we can go the 200 miles plus quickly."

"We could rent a car and then we have a guaranteed way back or to other places," Nico suggested.

"No one will give us a car," Thalia told him. "Whatever we do we should get moving. I don't like that we are staying in one spot."

The others agreed.

~~~~

Nico sat against tree as the other three lay sleeping against the trunk of a tree. He had been on watch for a while. And he hated being on watch duty. Mainly because something seemed wrong, off.

Here they were the perfect monster snacks yet they were perfectly fine. Not a single monster had shown its ugly head, and rather than calm the son of Hades, it put him even more on edge. Like things weren't bad already. Romans wanted to throw him in prison. He was the Greek outcast. And now he's stuck with Hunter. Annabeth the most calculating Greek ever. And Perseus Jackson.

Whoop. Dee. Do.

Nico twisted his skull ring uncomfortably and shook his head. He should've just stayed in the Underworld out of sight and out of mind. That would've been easier for everyone. Why did he even have to be here? He wished he could go back to the Italy he barely remembered. That he could live there with his mother and Bianca. But at the same time back then it wasn't exactly an accepting world.

Wasn't there a place things were easier?

"You alright?"

Nico jumped and drew his sword. Percy was lucky his arm was invincible.

"Sorry," Percy told him sheepishly.

"Why are you even awake?" Nico asked him.

"I need a bathroom," Percy admitted standing. "And it's almost my shift anyway."

Nico nodded.

"So are you okay?" Percy asked, repeating his earlier question.

"Fine. Go find a bathroom Jackson."

Percy gave him a small frown before walking off.

~~~~

"Well this is anticlimactic," Thalia stated. They had been standing next to the Canyon, Annabeth and Percy's orange Camp Half-Blood shirts in full view for about a half hour now.

"Why aren't they here yet?" Percy groaned.

Annabeth shrugged. "How should I know? Nico is there any to IM the Romans or something?"

Nico was staring elsewhere not listening.

"Nico!"

Nico blinked and looked over at them.

"What are you staring at?" Thalia asked.

"Those birds," Nico responded looking up at the sky. "Is it just me or are they circling us?"

Eyes turned upward as to see large pigeons at least ten circling above them.

"Those are Stymphalian Birds," Annabeth said drawing her dagger. "They eat human flesh."

"How fun," Thalia said loading her bow.

"What about all the mortals?" Percy asked looking toward where tourists and a bus of kids wandered.

"Thalia you think you work the Mist for a moment and then shoot them down?" Annabeth asked.

"There's too many people."

"I knew I smelled something! What are you all doing out here?"

Eyes turned to see a man with a baseball bat staring at them all. He lifted his baseball cap slightly. And horns could be seen. "Coach Gleeson Hedge," he introduced.

Annabeth nodded. "Hello. Actually we could use your help? Wanna get those kids back on the bus so we can kill those birds- which are now getting closer."

"Nope," Coach Hedge replied he hefted his bat. "I want in on the action."

Thalia rolled her eyes and raised her bow. A silver arrow streaked across the sky but it was hit out of the air.

"Their feathers act as arrows," Annabeth stated. "That's how they pick off their prey."

"Great," Percy stated. "So we have two swords. A baseball bat. A dagger and a single archer. Nice."

"See Annie?" Thalia said releasing another arrow which found its mark. "This is just another reason to join the Hunt."

Annabeth rolled her eyes.

A few more bird monsters flew down in front of them and was quickly stabbed by Percy. Annabeth went back to back with Percy leaving Nico with Coach Hedge to kill what was left after Thalia disrupted their flight. Mortals where somehow fooled into going inside the gift shop once hearing a storm was brewing outside and everything inside was on sale.

Things were going great until a scream sounded. Eyes turned to where a girl with choppy brown hair dodged the razor sharp beak of a Stymphalian Bird only to fall down. Straight down into the Grand Canyon.