σɾɳιƚԋαʂ (ρʝσ x ɱαʅҽ σƈ)

I Have Lunch with the God of War

Denver, Colorado
Theo's POV

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, our train rolled into Denver. We hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas. We haven't even showered yet.

Annabeth: Let's try to contact Chiron. I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit and your ability.

Theo: How are we supposed to do that? We can't use phones, remember?

Annabeth: I'm not talking about phones.

We wandered through downtown for about half an hour, though I wasn't sure what Annabeth was looking for. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. Everywhere we turned, the Rocky Mountains seemed to be staring at us, like a tidal wave about to crash into the city.

Finally, we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping our eyes open for patrol cars. We were four adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we were up to no good.

Grover took out a spray gun for some reason.

Percy: What exactly are we doing?

Grover: It's seventy-five cents. I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth?

Annabeth: Don't look at me. The dining car wiped me out.

Grover looked at me.

Theo: I got nothing. Sorry.

Percy fished out a quarter from his pocket and gave it to Grover.

Grover: Excellent. We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping.

Percy: What are you talking about?

Grover fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST.

Grover: I-M'ing

Percy: Instant messaging?

Annabeth: Iris-messaging. The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods.

Theo: So your plan is to summon Iris...with a spray gun?

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist.

Grover: Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow.

Sure enough, late afternoon light filtered through the vapor and broke into colors, then Annabeth held her hand out to Percy.

Annabeth: Drachma, please.

Percy gave her a drachma, which she raised over her head.

Annabeth: O goddess, accept our offering.

She threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer.

Annabeth: Half-Blood Hill.

At first, nothing happened. Then I was looking through the mist at strawberry fields, and the Long Island Sound in the distance. We seemed to be on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow.

Percy & Theo: Luke!

He turned, eyes wide. I could swear he was standing three feet in front of me through a screen of mist, except I could only see the part of him that appeared in the rainbow.