Chapter Twenty

No family is perfect... we argue, we fight. We even stop talking to each other at times. But in the end, family is family...The love will always be there.

-Unknown

Annabeth's POV

"Because, because, because, because, because.... Because of the wonderful things he does!" Luke tone-deaf voice rang out.

Parker groaned as Luke started the next verse of We're Off To See The Wizard. "And I thought Leo and I were annoying."

"You are." I replied coolly, checking the paper map Chiron had given for our lack of an electronic one. Shortly after the groups left and split up, Luke started singing anything he could remember; anywhere from One Direction to The Sound of Music playlist. Parker and I encouraged the off-beat singing at first, even joined in sometimes, but when he started singing Single Ladies... Let's just say he received some pretty nasty bruises. Nevertheless, he kept singing.

It's been about two hours.

"Annabeth?" Parker said randomly. I looked up at him in response, but his attention was on something else. "Can you describe what we're lookin' for again?"

"Some kind of weird, abandoned warehouse." The Hephaestus kids developed a software where we could pull up an address for quests, however it couldn't be used for too long.

He pointed at something. "Like that one?"

I looked up to find a warehouse fitting my description. Weird didn't seem to cover the building, however. Everything matched the ashy gray smoke emitted in the area: the walls, the roof. It was so devoid of color, someone could have mistaken it as the Earth in the movie Wall-E.

"Yeah." I breathed out.

"Are you sure this is what we're looking for?" Luke questioned, looking at the building in distaste. "I doubt anyone would even go in there."

Parker shook his head. "That's what makes it a perfect spot. Look at the smoke, someone— something— is in there."

Taking notice of Luke's sudden nervousness, I said, "if you need to stay back, we can go on ahead while you get a getaway vehicle."

"No. Omega's cleaned up my messes before, now I have return the favor. Even if that means seeing Kronos."

"Right," I said before tossing a golden drachma to Parker. "Send them an Iris-message to show them we're here, Luke stay with him. Then come find me when they get here."

"You're going in?" Parker exclaimed. "Alone? Are you crazy? We don't know who or what is in there!"

"Exactly," I replied, pulling my dagger out. "Omega could be dying right now and we cannot just wait around for backup while that happens."

"So you're gonna go in alone? What kind of dumb logic is that?!"

"Someone needs to go in, and another needs to go in. I'm not leaving you alone, but I'm also not going to force Luke into something he's not mentally prepared for. This is the best option, don't argue with me."

Parker huffed in response, but didn't object. Instead he watched as I made my way into the warehouse, where I was immediately hit with the smell of torture and blades. I nearly gagged at the stench, but still managed to keep my head in the game.

After walking for a minutes, I heard footsteps that didn't belong to me. Quickly turning around the corner, I raised my dagger ready to attack my stalker. Soon the steps were right beside me.

Five more steps, I thought.

I mentally counted the slow steps, then rounded the corner, taking the person by surprise putting my dagger on her throat and slamming her against a metal pole.

"One false move and I'll cut your arm off." I told the shaken woman, who softly nodded her head in understanding. "Who are you and why are you following me?"

"I am maid." She spoke in broke English. "You help cloak man?"

I loosened the hold slightly. "If I remove my dagger, will you run or try to get reinforcements?"

The maid shook her head and I let my arm fall to my side, but still tense in case she went against me. For the first time, I was able to fully look at her. Cuts and bruises scattered her arms and her clothes barely covered her boney body.

"You said something about a cloaked man, is he here?" I asked her, sort of feeling bad for slamming her against a wall when she already had dozens of bruises. She nodded slowly, almost as if she believed that if she moved too quickly I'd go through with my threat. "Can you show me where he is, ma'am?"

"If I help you," she said, but it somehow sounded different. "I will need something in return."

I thought about it for a second. As much as of a risk it was, I couldn't just leave Omega behind to fend for himself. "Fine. Whatever you want."

The maid nodded before starting to slowly walk in front of me. Once realizing no danger would come, she picked up the pace slightly as I trailed behind her. Sure, she was helping me, but also on the enemy's side. If someone attacked, I wouldn't help.

She led us through narrow and wide hallways, upstairs and downstairs. So many twists and turns I lost track of how many.

Finally, we stopped at a white door; it was also the only door that wasn't gray and had padlocks.

"For me, you take son." The maid spoke after our long journey. Confusion crept into my mind until a small boy emerged from the white room.

"Mama, who is the strange lady?" The boy said. I quickly identified that they were actually speaking in German.

"Ruhe Junge!" The maid said back. "Unhook the cloaked man and come back out."

The boy ran back inside the room with the white door while the maid, who I realized was his mother, turned to me.

"You understand Deutsch?" The maid asked and I nodded my head. "Please save him, too. His father turned into the devil with golden eyes. Please. This is no way for a boy to grow."

Her husband had been the one occupying Kronos. The maid hadn't been the enemy at all, only a loyal wife who wouldn't leave her husband. She probably stayed thinking her husband would wake up from his cruelty.

"I'll help." I finally replied.

She thanked me and led me into the pure white, except for a few blood stains. Directly across from the door sat the little boy and Omega, whose cloak was bloodied and ripped.

"Annabeth?" Omega choked out. I jogged over to him and pulled his arm over my shoulders to lift him up.

"There is two people outside, can you go get them for me? Tell them Annabeth sent you." I told the small boy. He quickly ran off with his assignment.

With Omega on my shoulder, I walked to the maid. Tears managed to make their way down her face. "Take care of him. He's a good boy, he deserves a good family."

"I promise." I said before following her out.

After we made a few twists, the maid unexpectedly paused in her steps. "Alaric!" She shouted.

"Parker!" I yelled holding Omega's arm around my shoulder.

There, my only son, was challenging an immortal with nothing but a ballpoint pen.

***

A/N: hope this was worth the wait! Happy Belated Birthday, Nico!

(I didn't update yesterday cuz I got Uncle Rick's books for my birthday)

Word Count: 1251 words