I'M SORRY BLAME THE HORRIBLE THING CALLED WRITERS BLOCK!

-Jaz

Chapter 4

Our moments of fun were suddenly cut short as Thalia glared at the TV. "Well shit."

~~~~

I don't remember falling asleep. But I do remember my nightmare.

Instead of the lab coats it was Gabe. He smiled as he did very injection. Every time he hit me.

"Little shit. This is all your good for. Just like your mother was only a good lay."

Next thing I knew he was choking. Coughing and attempting to scream at me. I watched him. I hadn't moved. I hadn't even touched him. But as he grabbed his throat desperately, his face turning purple.  I felt... Satisfied. The thought shook me but I didn't stop. I wasn't even sure what I was doing but I didn't want to stop.

Suddenly all at once Gabe fell forward and spoke one word: "Murderer."

At that I had jumped up. "I'm not like you!" I screamed. "I'm not like you! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!" I screamed until my throat was dry but even so I knew I was lying to myself. But my handiwork had said it all.

When I opened my eyes Annabeth had been shaking me concern plastered on her face. We were still in the back of the van but everyone was looking at me. Even Thalia in the rear view.

"You were shouting," Annabeth explains.

"S-sorry," I apologized quickly. "Just a nightmare I'm fine."

Lucky for me know one questioned. I'm sure they had their share of nightmares. We lived one after all.

"So our whole plan currently is just to drive the week or so to California right?" Leo asks suddenly.

"Yeah and?" Thalia asks.

"Don't you think we need some money for I dunno, gas, food a place to stay?"

Luke and Thalia lock eyes.

"Right..." Luke said trailing off. "Weren't expecting so many people..."

"Where we getting this money?" Annabeth asked.

Leo smiled rubbing his hands together. "Well chica, I'm glad you asked."

~~~~

"This has to be one of the stupidest plans in history," Annabeth grumbled.

"Do you have a better idea?" Leo asked.

"Yes actually!" Annabeth hissed. "One that doesn't involve robbing a bank!"

Leo shrugged. "Oh well maybe next time blondie."

Leo hurried to away from the rest of the group as he got ready to do his part of the plan.

I sighed the rest of the group split up. Nico, Annabeth and Luke went in first. After about five minutes, I followed Piper and Thalia in the bank immediately wondering how stupid we were being.

We walked into the center when Piper spoke. "Excuse me! Everyone!"

Despite her power no one seemed to listen. Finally Thalia seemed to have enough. The air smelled thinking of ozone as lighting struck in the middle of the room effectively silencing everyone. I sighed and stopped the sprinklers from coming on. Yup that was my job in this operation: Sprinkler Boy.

Piper gave them all a charming smile and spoke loudly. "Get on the ground. Now, you won't shoot or hit the silent alarm or do anything against us. In fact drop your guns and kick them this way." I was vaguely aware of people following orders as I tried to resist dropping to the ground myself.

Thalia for the main doors guarding them make sure no one came in. "Cops," she said after a minute. Cursing I hurried over to see cops standing outside their cars guns pointed in our direction.

Electricity crackled around Thalia. "Who hit the alarm!" she shouted. I looked back to the cops and with a tug in my gut, the fire hydrant exploded soaking all of them and temporarily distracting them.

"Nice going Sprinkler Boy," Annabeth said as she shimmered into existence. I rolled my eyes as Luke and Nico appearing out a shadow next to them. Over each of their shoulders was a large bag full of cash.

"Let's get out of here," Luke advised.

Luke looked to Nico who drowned. "Sure. I just love passing out from shadow traveling you all."

"Save the sarcasm, we got cops," Thalia says.

Piper turned to the crowd. "You won't tell anyone about us!"

Nico nods and we all grab hold of each other before sinking into the shadows.

~~~~

"I will never get used to that," I said doing my best not to vomit. Others nodded in agreement.

Luke grabbed Nico as he swayed and threw him over his shoulder. He hurried out the alley and I tot he next where Leo was waiting.

He smiled as we walked in. "Now, where's my share?"

We decided to split the thousands we had stolen ten ways. That way we each got a cut. Then three left over would before the gas, food and motels along the way. Satisfied we drove on, we certainly had a long ride ahead of us.

~~~~

Besides quick bathroom breaks we hadn't stopped much. Finally we slowed to a stop in a small town and headed in a small diner type restaurant. The place wasn't full. There were only about two or three people a the tables and another four by the bar.

A waitress lead us to the biggest booth handing us menus. We quickly ordered drinks, I got myself a Coke though resisted the urge to ask if it was blue. After I spent my time squinting at my menu trying to make sense of the strange words which were dancing the nutcracker on the page. Eventually I asked for a burger and fries.

It was strange. Only three spoke. Thalia, Luke and Annabeth who had apparently know each other for years. The rest of sat in silence unsure of what to say. It wasn't like we could speak of sports or movies, we had been trapped in hell for years. Having no knowledge of the outside.

I sat and watched the small television as the Yankees played some other team I couldn't currently remember. Part of me wanted to just say something to end the unnerving silence but another piece of me was afraid to make it worse. I laughed silently at myself. Back in those few moments of happiness I had been talkative, annoying, and hyper. Then Gabe came. And then they took me. What was I now?-

"I can't believe that worked Valdez," Piper said breaking the silence.

Leo smiled. "You doubted me! I'm hurt."

"I can certainly make you hurt."

"Nah, you won't touch me."

"Don't have to," Piper shrugged leaving back.

"What do you-"

"Slap yourself."

Eyes from across the diner turned to us as Leo's hand hit his own face with a loud slap. I couldn't help but smile.

"That hurt," Leo hissed holding his soda to his space.

"It was supposed to. And it's not my fault you hit yourself so hard."

As the two continued with the sibling like quarrel it only left Nico and I silent. He poked at his food uninterested. "You should eat something," I told him before I could stop myself. "Thalia will shock you if suggest stopping for food."

He gave me an almost amused look. Though his face still lacked a smile.

"Shut it Sprinkler Boy," Annabeth ordered in her friend's defense.

"Stop calling me that please," I asked.

"Why should I?"

"Cause... I'll um... Call you a uh..."

"Wow, you're brain moves slower than I thought."

"Shut up wise guy."

"I'd like to remind you that in a girl," she said pointing her fork at me.

"That still remains to be proven," I said. I was rewarded with a sharp kick to my leg under the table.

"Aww, isn't it beautiful Pipes? Their already playing footsies," Leo said.

I glared at at him as he took a sip from his glass which someway, somehow spilled all over him. Cursing in a variety of language Leo tried to dry himself without setting himself on fire.

I laughed a little and I even saw Nico hiding a small smile behind taking a bite of his food. We all seemed to loosen up then. I don't remember what else we had talked about but I remember how I felt. That for once in way too many years, I had friends. Someone by my side. Someone I could possibly even trust.

Our moments of fun were suddenly cut short as Thalia glared at the TV. "Well shit."

All of us turned to see that the Yankee's game had been interrupted.

"-Appear to be teenagers," the woman reporter said. "Six of them. Who robbed a bank downtown today. It is believed they are armed and dangerous. Here's is a picture taken by a one of the hostages."

"Fuck," I cursed, and I wasn't the only one, as a picture of us (minus Leo) popped up on the scream.

"But you talked to them!" Leo protested yelling at Piper. We all glared at his blunt and loud voice.

"Someone must have been immune to it," Annabeth said.

"Is that even possible?" Luke questioned. Piper shrugged.

"-If anyone sees these teens it is suggested that they do not engage and rather call police as soon as possible."

"C-C-can I g-get you anything?" The waitress asked us her voice wavering. She was shaking.

"We'll take the check," I told her simply and she all but run off.

Annabeth whirled around. "Nico can you-"

"Nope. Especially not in the middle of a diner."

We all slid out the booth well aware of the eyes on us. We barely made it two feet before cops burst in guns raised.

None of us said a word before we sprinted into the kitchen. We bulldozed those in the way as we burst out the side door.

"There they are!"

"Damnit!" Thalia yelled.

We quickly turned a corner sprinting who knows where.

"Go back! It's a dead end!" Luke shouted. But it was too late. Cops piled in the alley entrance guns raised.

"Nico," Thalia breathed.

Nico was breathing heavily as we grabbed hold of each other. "One... Sec..." He panted.

"Put your hands where I can see them!" Shouted a cop.

"Nico," it was Annabeth this time.

"I said put your hands up or a I shoot! 3... 2-"

"Nico!"

"-1"

Nico grabbed us tighter just ready to but the cop was closing in. We wouldn't make it.

Before the cop could do anything I ran forward without thinking and stomped on the ground. I watched as the earth moved beneath me. The cops falling. In response I felt things dim and heard gun fire.

Laying on the ground and I drifting out of  consciousness I was oblivious to the bullet which had pierced my leg. Or the the fact that the others had disappeared without me.