GODS AND MONSTERS , pjo

07 , creepy cruise ship

CHAPTER SEVEN:
CREEPY CRUISE SHIP

I reached him before the others.

"Perseus" I grabbed onto his shoulders causing him to nearly jump "are you okay"

He looked at me confused. "What?"

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "I heard you calling for help!"

"Me, too!" Tyson said. "Heard you yell, 'Bad things are attacking!'"

"I didn't call you guys," he said. "I'm fine."

I wanted to hit him. There is no way we all just happen to imagine the same thing.

"But then who..." Annabeth noticed he was holding something. "What—"

All eyes fell down to the yellow duffel bags, then the thermos and the bottle of vitamins he was holding.

"Just listen," he said. "We don't have much time."

He told us about a conversation he had with Hermes, like the god. By the time he was finished, I could hear screeching in the distance-patrol harpies picking up our scent.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "we have to do the quest."

"We'll get expelled, you know. Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."

"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to."

"Yeah, but you promised Chiron—"

"I promised I'd keep you from danger. I can only do that by coming with you! Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"

"I want to go," Tyson said.

"No!" Annabeth's voice sounded close to panic. "I mean...Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."

I knew it actually wasn't impossible, in fact it seemed extremely reasonable. I wondered again why she had such a grudge against Cyclopes. There was definitely something she wasn't telling us.

Percy and I shared a similar look.

She and Tyson both looked at him, waiting for an answer.

I looked over at Aella, who was watching Tyson as if he might explode.

The sound of the harpies was getting closer and I was starting to get impatient "We can't leave him," I stepped in. "Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."

"River," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k...a C-y-k . .." She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. We could've been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops. "You know what I mean!"

"Tyson can go." Percy agreed, "if he wants to."

Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"

      Annabeth gave us each and evil glare, but I guess she could tell neither of us was going to change our mind. Or maybe she just knew we didn't have time to argue.

      Aella was sending me a look that I'm pretty sure asked "are you sure?" I gave her a half nod.

      "All right," Annabeth said. "How do we get to that ship?"

      "Hermes said my father would help."

      I looked over at him with raised eyebrows "he did" Percy nodded.