VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- eight

THE FIRST THING ROSE NOTICED WERE HIS FACES. BOTH OF THEM.

They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders, so his head was much wider than it should've been, kind of like a hammerhead shark's. He had two overlapping ears and mirror-image sideburns. He was dressed like a New York City doorman: a long black overcoat, shiny shoes, and a black top-hat that somehow managed to stay on his double-wide head.

"Well, Annabeth?" said his left face. "Hurry up!"

"Don't mind him," said the right face. "He's terribly rude. right this way, Miss."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "Uh... I don't..."

"Janus," Rose said. "Roman god of doors, gates, and transitions."

Tyson frowned. "That funny man has two faces."

"The funny man has ears, you know!" the left face scolded. "Now come along, Miss."

"No, no," the right face said. "This way, Miss. Talk to me, please."

The two-faced man regarded Annabeth as best he could out of the corners of his eyes. It was impossible to look at him straight on without focusing on one side or the other. And suddenly Rose realized that's what he was asking—he wanted Annabeth to choose.

Behind him were two exits, blocked by wooden doors with huge iron locks. They hadn't been there their first time through the room. The two-faced doorman held a silver key, which he kept passing from his left hand to his right hand. Rose wondered if this was a different room completely, but the frieze of the gods looked exactly the same.

Behind them, the doorway they'd come through had disappeared, replaced by more mosaics. They wouldn't be going back the way they came.

"The exits are closed," Annabeth said.

"Duh!" the man's left face said.

"Where do they lead?" she asked.

"One probably leads the way you wish to go," the right face said encouragingly. "The other leads to certain death. Do you know which way to choose? I don't have all day."

"Why are you trying to confuse me?" Annabeth asked.

The right face smiled. "You're in charge now, my dear. All the decisions are on your shoulders. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"I—"

"We know you, Annabeth," the left face said. "We know what you wrestle with every day. We know your indecision. You will have to make your choice sooner or later. And the choice may kill you."

Rose didn't know what they were talking about, but it sounded like it was about more than a choice between doors.

The color drained out of Annabeth's face. "No... I don't—"

Rose sighed. Percy could tell she'd dealt with Janus before. "Don't you have anything better to do than harass a bunch of kids?"

"Ah, daughter of Aphrodite. A great weight will fall on your shoulders quite soon. Are you ready to lose one of your loved ones?"

Rose's face dropped.

The child of Athena's final stand.

"Leave her alone," Percy snapped.

"I'll see you soon enough, Perseus Jackson," said the right face. "You as well, Rosalie. But for now it's Annabeth's turn." he laughed giddily. "Such fun!"

"Shut up!" his left face said. "This is serious. One bad choice can ruin your whole life. It can kill you and all of your friends. But no pressure, Annabeth. Choose!"