The Battle for Olympus

Annabeth

Annabeth was exhausted. The day was just one big interrogation, and her brain hurt from telling just as much truth as she could get away with.

Ananbeth glanced over at Leo. "Please tell me your day went better."

Leo was laying on his back, watching the fan above them. "The children of Vulcan were pretty cool I guess. And I wish you could have seen their armory, it's waaaay cooler than Camp Half-blood's. Ya know, if I wasn't making weapons of mass destruction, I might actually enjoy myself."

"We have to get out of here," Piper said softly. For being used as a hostage, she seemed to be doing alright.

Annabeth nodded. "Agreed. The longer we stay the more danger we're in."

The doors above them opened again, and down jogged a frazzled Jason. He wore an eyepatch, something he'd previously refused. Maybe he finally accepted his sight wasn't coming back.

"Guys, I'm so sorry! I didn't think Reyna was going to do that!"

Piper scowled. "Don't pretend this was all Reyna. You did this to us."

"Yeah, I-I know. But I didn't think, I mean I thought you would be safe!"

"Did you?" Leo said, finally turning to face him. "You offered us up as prisoners, did you really think we'd be safe?"

Jason ran his hand through his hair. "I promise it won't happen again."

Piper's eyes welled with tears. "I don't think you have the authority to promise that. They were going to kill me, Jason, I saw it in Reyna's eyes. We spent months together, did that mean nothing?"

"Of course not!" Jason exploded. "But this isn't about you, can't you see that? Gaea is going to rise, and the only way to stop her is to heal the gods. I'm doing that!"

"Of course it's not about us!" Leo cried. "It's about you, Jason. You hate Hera so much you'd do anything to take her down. You'd betray your best friends."

The color rose to Jason's cheeks. "I have other friends too! I had a life here before Juno took my memories, this is my home. And I'll fight to defend it."

Annabeth carefully watched Leo and Piper. Did they really still think Jason was their friend? But then, maybe he was in his own way. Maybe he was sincere about wanting to protect them.

"We were there for you when no one else was," Piper said bitterly. "Glad to see you didn't return the favor."

Jason turned away. "It's because I care about you that I'm doing this. If you can't see that, it's not my problem."

"Get out," Leo said. "Get out!"

Jason paused at the top of the stairs. "I'm going to protect you regardless. Just hang in there." He let the door close behind him, and the tension let the room like a sigh of relief.

Leo dug his fingers into the back of his chair. "I can't believe him."

"Well I can," Piper said. "He wasn't the same after Hera. None of us were, something inside Jason is different."

"Then that makes him dangerous," Annabeth said. "We have to get out."

"I'm so glad you said that," a voice behind them said. Annabeth whipped around gasped. Frank was leaning against the wall, a small smile on his face.

"How did you-"

"I'm very sneaky," he said. "And Hazel and I have a plan." As if on cue, the wall rumbled and collapsed, revealing a smirking Hazel.

"Ready to get out of here?"

***

Hazel led them through the tunnel, Leo right behind her with his palm ablaze. Frank took one look at Leo and decided he would take up the rear. Annabeth didn't understand the fear in his eyes but she could relate.