Percy

"Let's go, guys!" I yelled, exasperated. "You're taking forever, come on!"

The Questers were definitely taking forever to get ready. We were at the stables, saddling up the horses to get ready to go. I was anxious to get going. Don't blame me. At this very moment, Annabeth was captured and in the hands of someone hostile, most likely Luke, and they were headed to a small island that could only be the headquarters of this bad guy group. Whatever you want to call them.

I don't know how my dad knew they were going there, because I still can't connect with my dad. Trust me, I've tried, I need more information about Annabeth. All I know is that they had left about thirty minutes ago. That scared me. A lot of things can be done in thirty minutes, but I hoped they hadn't gotten too far. I was determined to track them down, I couldn't let them take Annabeth or harm her.

I was on Blackjack, waiting impatiently for the Questers. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Kronos, the Titan of time, was making everybody go in slow motion. At least, it seemed like that to me. My foot bobbed up and down in the stirrup, and the inside of my cheek was bleeding because I had bit it so many times. Jason was trying to rally everybody together, but unfortunately, most of the Questers weren't as good as Jason or Nico. You see, I'm lucky to have them as second-in-commands. Most people, upon finding out that someone had been caught, would ask countless questions, pointless questions. Like how, when, where, why, and who. It was obvious that I didn't know the answers, and that me not knowing them was making me extremely agitated. So if I didn't know the answers, do you think I would tell answers to them?

But Jason and Nico understood. They knew I didn't know much, so they just nodded, accepted their job, and did their best to get everybody ready, despite the confusion of the situation. But the rest of the Questers weren't like that. They insisted on knowing the full story. Where was I when I heard Poseidon? What did he say exactly? What was blocking him from talking to me? Who took Annabeth? Where was she? Where is she? Why am I still alive when I just had a meeting with Athena, who wanted nothing more than to kill me?

With each question, I got closer and closer to exploding. If someone asked something one more time, I think I might punch the person. Blackjack sensed my restlessness, and was skipping around, whinnying nervously. I just glared at anyone who came near me, other than Jason or Nico, and they pretty much stayed away from me. I think they started to realize (finally) that I wasn't very calm right now, and maybe they should focus on getting ready like I asked.

But they were still so slow.

I growled. "Hurry up!"

"Percy." I whirled to face Hazel, who was atop her horse, Arion. I glowered at her too, but she held her stance. "Stop yelling at everybody, they're going their fastest," she said, chastising me.

I threw my hands up. "Well, then, we better get some lessons on how to move quicker, because it is taking a whole lot of time to just saddle our horses and roll up our bedrolls." I said that last bit with a pointed scowl at Connor Stoll, who was carefully inching his bedroll together, making sure it was neat. He caught my eye, his eyes widened, and he went back to work, rolling faster and messier.

Hazel rolled her golden eyes. "Percy, if you think about it, this is the fastest we've ever gotten ready. Usually we have at least a few hours notice, so we can get all packed up. You're trying to cram a few hours together into about ten minutes. Just cut them some slack, okay?"

I sighed. Now that she said that, I realized that this is the fastest we have ever gotten ready. But that still didn't change my attitude. "I know, I know, but every second we spend dawdling, Annabeth is getting taken away, and she is getting more and more in danger the farther she gets. They already have a head start on us, how do you expect us to catch them if we are two hours behind? We can't! We need to get going!"

"Percy, look around you. Do you think any of us are 'dawdling'?" I did as she said, and found she was right. All of the Questers were working hard to get ready. I was blind to that, only seeing the small, insignificant things that were stirring on my anger. "We are trying! Plus, an hour isn't that bad. We have some incredible trackers, amazing and loyal fighters, and quite a few quick minds. A little delay won't be that terrible. Alright?"

She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed slightly, soothing my racing mind. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Alright," I said slowly. "I just- I'm just scared. Gods, Hazel, I'm so scared." Now that I had let that one statement out, the rest just came tumbling out of my mouth. "Annabeth is captured, probably by Luke. I know what Luke does to his prisoners... Annabeth doesn't deserve that. What if she's being tortured right this second? For information or whatever? Every minute, something else could be happening to her. I'm just scared for her." My shoulders slumped, anger leaving me for the moment and pure worry and anxiety replacing it.

"I thought you just said you knew what Luke did to his prisoners?" Hazel said with a of hint of a smile. "I know that Luke values his prisoners information, and needs that. So until he gets that information, he won't harm them too badly. I also know that Annabeth has one strong and obstinate mind." I smiled slightly, nodding in agreement. "So Luke won't get information easily. We'll get her, okay?"

I bobbed my head again, and turned to look at the rest of the Questers. Who were just about done getting ready. They were still fearful of me, thinking I would yell at them any time. I was about to tell everybody to take their time when I felt a little tug on my feet. I looked down into the young, frightened face of Harley. His big brown eyes were wide, staring at mine. His other hand was clenching his green tunic with anxiety.

"Is Miss Annabeth going to be alright?" He asked quietly, timidly.

I sighed, my heart breaking for this little kid who was worried about his new friend he made yesterday. Yesterday was when we had that meeting. It felt like it had been a week ago.

I kicked my feet out of the stirrups and dismounted. When my feet hit the ground, I knelt on one knee, so I was face to face with Harley. His eyes were searching for reassurance in mine that Annabeth was okay. I wish I could give him that reassurance, I wish I had that reassurance. But I couldn't. My jaw clenched.

"Harley," I began, searching for the right words. "I honestly don't know. I hope she is, but all we can do is try to go bring her back safely. We have to be strong for her, okay?" I put my hand on his shoulder, looking straight into his eyes. "You're going to help us, too. You're not really a child, Harley, you're a man, a demigod fighter, a Quester. With your help, and with all the other Questers' help, we have a good chance of bringing Annabeth back." Even as I said he wasn't a child, my mind told me otherwise. In my eyes, Harley was an innocent kid who shouldn't have to have the dangers of being a demigod. Everyday, a demigod's life is plagued by monsters, quests, gods, and dangers of the world. Mortals could think they had peril in their lives, but it was nothing compared to that of a demigod's. I could deal with it, but I wish I could take all the danger off of young children like Harley, who did nothing to have that hostility thrust upon them. But I could only try to help them.

Harley thought about this for a moment, his eight-year-old mind trying to comprehend that he was a man, a fighter who would help rescue people. Then he looked up, hope in his eyes. He nodded, "Yes, I will help. We'll go save Miss Annabeth, who's really nice. She'll be okay." He said that with such confidence that even my spirits lifted a little. It wasn't until I looked that I realized every Quester had stopped, going silent, listening to mine and Harley's conversation. They all were hanging onto my words. I had not before known how much Annabeth had grown onto every one of them. She was a Quester, in our eyes. A part of our family. We were all determined to get her back.

I nodded slowly, looking around at each one. "Alright, you heard me. Every one of us will have to help to get Annabeth back. We can do this. We have to trust firmly in each other, fight our hardest, and have constant hope." I stood up and looked down at Harley, who was beaming up at me, grinning, showing me two missing teeth. I smiled at the sight, then faced my group. My friends. My family. "We can do this."

As one, they all roared their approval, and then, mounting, Blackjack galloped off. Nyssa picked up Harley and he rode with her, and Harley pushed his small fist in the air, yelling with the others. We rode hard and fast towards the direction of where Luke had headed.

Even after that little time of assurance and confidence, I still worried. But I knew, without a doubt, that I would always worry about Annabeth, only stopping if she was right next to me, smiling and unharmed. That thought sent a wave of determination flowing through my body, and I prayed to every god, even Athena, to help me on this quest. I will bring her back.

~-:-~

Annabeth

Some of my senses started to return. First, I could feel. My body was curved at the waist, something holding me up from my abdomen. It was a bumpy ride, and I knew I was strapped across a horse that was cantering. Then I could hear. The thumping of the horse I was riding along with several others that were running alongside mine. Next, I smelled the sweat of the horse in my nose, making my face scrunch up as I wasn't used to it at the moment. Taste returned and I realized I was parched and hungry. My chapped lips cracked when I tried to move them. I couldn't tell if I could see, for it was pitch black in my sight even when I was sure my eyes were open. So either they blinded me, or a cloth was covering my eyes. I hoped for the latter.

I wiggled a little, testing how secure I was. I found out my wrists and ankles were tied together. Tightly, too. When I wiggled a finger, tingles went sprinting up my arm. The circulation was being cut off from my outer limbs. My body was in a sack, no doubt disguised among packs and blankets so whoever captured me doesn't look like an obvious kidnapper. I mean, seriously, I doubt they would've been able to take me too far if everybody in the towns we may have passed saw an unconscious girl slung across a horse.

I don't know how long we kept riding when I was conscious, my senses were still a little fuddled. But eventually, a male voice yelled for his horse to stop, and the rest of the people did the same. Someone must've stopped my horse for me, then I heard the thudding of feet as people jumped down from their horses. I hoped they would take off the sack on my head, it was getting really stuffy. Someone rustled my bag, and I thought of a plan quickly. I decided to try and play unconscious, then if they freed me I'd try to get out of here. I didn't know how many people were around me, but if I could act quickly, maybe I could stun them just long enough for me to get away. It was a far-fetched hope, but I had to at least try.

Hands grabbed me, pulling me off my horse. I forced myself to go limp. It wasn't easy when you were as tense as I was, waiting for the right moment to reveal my fib. The person carrying me wasn't especially careful, and only holding my upper body when he dragged me from my horse, my lets fell to the ground. I winced, then cursed myself for it, even though nobody could see my face because it was covered. I was lugged over to a tree and plopped on it, my back held firm by the trunk so I was sitting up. The sack was taken off of me, and I could see sunlight through the cloth over my eyes. I heard some whispering, and strained to decipher the quiet words.

"... leave her bound?"

A man answered, "No, Luke won't like it if we cut off her blood and her limbs fall off. She's still knocked out, if she wakes we can easily subdue her."

I felt satisfaction and anger at the same time. Satisfaction because I had obviously fooled them, anger because they think I could be subdued "easily." My jaw threatened to clench, as did my hands, but I told them no. Amazingly, they listened.

A cutting sound, then my hands were loose, they fell to my side. Next were my feet. As soon as the bands were cut, my knee came up forcefully.

To free my ankles, the person's head had to be relatively close to my knee. I took a guess, and I was correct. My knee made contact with what felt like a nose, and I heard a crack and felt the nose jerk into a different direction. I smirked. Won't feel much like a nose now. I heard stand up, move back and curse. I ripped off my blindfold, jumped to a crouch, and swung my legs around. Tripping him, I gave myself that free second to assess the situation. The man I had just tripped had long, stringy brown hair. He was clutching his nose, which was pouring out blood. Two swords currently in a scabbard were hanging from his belt. I was crouching in a clearing surrounded by forest. At least fifteen other men were staring shocked at me. They were in the midst of setting up tents and untacking horses. Most of their weapons were on the ground, in the packs, or not in sight. They obviously were relaxed and weren't ready for an attack. Idiots.

The man on the ground was getting up, and I helped him. I seized the collar of his tunic and hauled him to his feet. But then I sent him back down with a solid right-hand punch onto his jaw.

"'Easily subdued', huh?" I growled into his face. But he couldn't hear me, because that last punch had knocked him out. By then, most of the others had come out of their stupor, and were running towards me. I sidestepped the first hastily thrown punch, then shoving the dark-haired man face first into the tree I had just been sitting against. He slumped against the trunk, but I was already ducking under a different fist. I tackled the stomach of the new attacked, just like I did when I was first being kidnapped. We both fell, but I felt new hands grab my arms and jerk me back up roughly. I tried to shake the hands off, but they wouldn't budge. I twisted, and got free of the hold. I had hurt my elbow in doing that, but I was free. I met the eyes of the man. Well, the eye.

I recognized him. It was the man that had tried to assassinate me all that time ago. His one brown eye was fierce. I thought he was still in captivity. Hmm. Must've escaped. With that thought, I kicked my foot up in between his legs. He grunted, doubling over, and I took that as an open sign to knee his face. So I did.

But I took too long, five other men were upon me. I kicked, bit, scratched, and punched. But in the end, I was restrained. Two men were unconscious, five noses were broken, and nail and teeth marks were visible, but I was restrained.

I still felt pretty good. I wasn't really expecting to escape, especially when I saw that there was more than a dozen men, but I got some sufficient damage in.

"'Easily subdued'?" I repeated, smiling at the kid with the eyepatch. Ethan Nakamura. "Well, Nakamura, I beg to differ. The broken nose fits you—goes along with your personality."

He snarled at me, crimson liquid flowing from his nose. My smirk grew at that. Two guys were holding fast to my arms, I tried to kick back at them with my feet, but they dodged. Hauling back to the tree, they yelled for someone to tie my feet. I felt my ankles being pulled back, fastened to the tree, and then my wrists were both tied together but around the tree, so I couldn't move anything except for my neck. My back was against the trunk, my body faced outward so I could still see everything.

The men around me were nursing their wounds, and the ones with broken noses had gone over to find a canteen to clean off their faces. I hadn't gotten off uninjured either. During the fight, someone's knee had slammed into my stomach, and the result was a lot of throbbing in my belly. My elbow had been twisted painfully as well when I got out of Ethan's hold. I dodged a stray punch, but I wasn't quick enough, and the man gave me a dead leg as well. So add my thigh to the list of throbbing body parts.

But you wouldn't be able to tell from the outside. In my body, I was hurting and wincing, but I was all smiley and smug on the outside. The men weren't the same. Glares, scowls, rude gestures were all being gestured toward my direction. I looked behind me at the tree I was tied to. Then I stared back at them, shaking my head.

"It's not nice to do that to Mr. Tree," I said in a reprimanding tone. "What did he do to you, hmm?"

"One day, that sass is gon' get the best o' you, little girl." That was a tall, beefy man who looked like he could pack a punch pretty powerfully. His murderous glare could probably make the Furies back off.

I didn't let fear take me, however. I raised an eyebrow, carrying on my sassy act. "Just like I got the best of you?"

A low growl erupted from his throat, and I went tsk tsk. "Oh, stop growling. You're hideous enough as it is."

He growled more ferociously and started forward. Then, a little fear visited me as I watched his extremely thick arms swing back, and his fist clench. I cringed back into the tree as discreetly as I could. But before he could do anything, a loud voice called out.

"Kapaneus, stop." The voice had commanding ring to it, obviously belonging to someone in charge.

The man who was about to hit me, Kapaneus, paused in his actions. He looked like he wanted to continue, but knew better than to disobey his leader. He snarled at me one last time, then spit on my tunic. I made a disgusted face, looking at the bubbly glob on my shoulder. Kapaneus then turned and strutted off to stand by another burly man. His moving gave me the sight of their leader.

The first thing I noticed was the scar. It stood out like a sore thumb in his handsome face. Running from the bottom of his eye down to his mouth, it disrupted his features. But other than that, he had a pretty nice face. Pale blue eyes gleamed with an evil glint, and a tiny sneer was on his mouth. His close-cropped sandy blond hair shone in the sunlight of the day. He walked slowly towards him, broad shoulders swinging tan arms. He had an athletic form, muscular, but not too burly.

I felt like I had seen him from somewhere. But I couldn't place it, and it drove me crazy.

"Annabeth Chase," he stated. His tone was thoughtful, as if he were deciding what to say. "You definitely surprised my men, I see."

I realized that he didn't have any injuries on his body. He must've sat out, or was like one of the others who didn't get injured, just waited and watched. Either way, it was cowardly.

"They were easy to surprise," I replied, keeping my voice cool.

His sneer grew. "That they were."

"Also, they aren't very good at fighting. I got quite a bit done, and when it's one against more than a dozen, that either means the one person is really good, or the others are really bad." I shrugged. "I think it's both."

He chuckled. "I would agree."

I raised an eyebrow, "Don't talk much, do you?"

"Oh, I talk like everybody else," he explained. "You just talk way too much."

I narrowed my eyes at him, cutting the fluff and getting to business. "What do you want?"