𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐥𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐞

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 a clue, Birdie ended up in a garage with the others.

Grover had forgotten everything. Percy and Annabeth remembered. So did she. She didn't know how.

The entire time she was in the casino, she was thinking about them, if they'd be safe, if they'd succeed, if Percy's mom would be okay. She was also thinking about the boy that ran into her, but after a short amount of time he became hazy. He was a boy with no face.

"Okay, god of travelers," Percy said as they walked passed different cars "what kind of car does the god of travelers have?" "guys, I gotta say, so far, this quest is really exciting," Grover said with a smile "really hoping we find that car."

Birdie placed her hand on his arm and kept walking, she made sure to keep contact with him like if she let go, he would forget her.

"Finding the car isn't the quest" Annabeth reminded him "there's more?" Grover asked, looking at Annabeth and then Birdie "jeez" Percy sighed.

"We'll explain it to you on the way. We're in a bit of a hurry" Percy said, Annabeth walked ahead of them "we're late?" "very, very late."

"Are we late because of me?"

The three stopped. Percy put a hand on Grover's shoulder and smiled "it's okay. We're gonna be okay," Percy's hand slid back down to his side "although, I hope that game you were playing was amazing" "I was hunting for Pan" Grover smiled "sounds great" "no, I mean, like I actually felt I was about to find him. That-- that I'd be the first. That I'd help save the natural world. It just felt so real."

"Guys!" Annabeth said, standing next to a yellow cab. Birdie let go of Grover and quickly walked to her sister "Hermes drives a cab?" Percy questioned, walking forward with Grover "and left us a note" Annabeth said "how do we know that's for us?"

Annabeth turned it around.

TO THE DUMB KIDS

"That's a bit mean" Birdie said with a frown. "Should've known the god of thieves noticed his pocket getting picked," Annabeth said, taking the piece of paper out of the envelope "back door to the Underworld, magic word, map in the glove box. And he says we'll become travelers once we're on the road. And then the car will take us wherever we wish to go" "so, one of us just has to drive it out of the garage" Percy said.

Birdie, Annabeth, and Percy looked at Grover. "Oh, I'm still not 100% sure what we're doing here, which seems disqualifying" "yeah. Yeah, sure, I mean.. I killed the Minotaur on my first try, right? How hard could this be?" Percy said, throwing the keys up and catching them.

They all piled into the car, Percy and Annabeth in the front, Grover and Birdie in the back.

"I'm the oldest, maybe I should be the one driving" Birdie suggested as the car started "hey, hey, it's fine, Masie. Don't worry about it" Percy said.

Then he started to drive.

And crashed into a beam.

"My fault. That was me. How do you make it go backwards?" "seriously, let me drive" Birdie repeated "I said it's fine" Percy responded impatiently. He figured out how to make the car reverse. And crashed again.

"You're doing great" Grover said "maybe try aiming for the middle" Annabeth advised "maybe let me drive" Birdie said again, moving forward in her seat.

Percy shook his head and continued to try.

And fail.

"Look, you're welcome to give this a try" Percy said to Annabeth, who shook her head.

They kept going.

And almost hit a car.

"That guy didn't even slow down!" Percy panted. He then honked the horn. "Okay. Keep going. Up to the street" Annabeth said.

The tires screeched. It was one of the most unpleasant sounds.

They came to a bend.

Shit.

"It's okay. You've got this."

Birdie closed her eyes. There was no way she was going to watch it. But then she had to hear it.

At first, it was fine. It was quiet.

But then it wasn't.

The screeching and scraping felt like they were stabbing her ears.

And then came the sounds of blaring horns.

Birdie heard Annabeth shout and her eyes immediately opened.

If she was hurt, Birdie would hurt Percy. She wouldn't do it very well but she would still do it.

The sounds all left. There was only panting and rain hitting the car.

"Where are we?"

"Turn off the lights."

Birdie unbuckled her seatbelt before the others and climbed out of the car.

"Birdie, Percy, Annabeth, wait. You.. you guys are my best friends. Little weird that I forgot a lot more stuff than you guys did. Wonder what that's about" Grover said.

"We weren't alone. It's easy to forget what's important when you're alone."

Birdie was confused too.

She was alone but she remembered everything.

The rain continued.

"I think I gotta go meet my dad now" Percy said, staring at the ocean in front of them.

"We'll be here when you get back" Grover assured.

Percy hesitated "what do I say to him?"

"You'll know."

They watched him walk into the water.

Birdie felt uncomfortable, his clothes would be soaked and his shoes would squelch. She didn't know why that was what she was thinking about.

She also felt scared. She knew he would be okay but she was scared about what was going to happen.

And what would happen when they got to the Underworld?

Would they be okay?

Would she be okay?