The Library Book

#27 - Jose Mortelli

Chapter 27 - Jose Mortelli
published: Thursday, 30 April 2020

Annabeth clammed her phone between her ear and her shoulder, her hands preoccupied with pulling off her heels.

"Annabeth?" came Helen's voice through the phone.

"Hey," Annabeth groaned as she delighted in the feel of her uncaged feet. "I swear to you, Piper's shoes are torture instruments. My feet feel like they're bleeding."

Helen laughed. "Well, okay."

"This is my obligated call to tell you that I'm still alive before we go to Piper's house," Annabeth told her with an eye-roll. "You don't need to worry."

Helen hummed disapprovingly. "I'll always worry, Annabeth. Have fun, and be home for dinner tomorrow!"

The phone line clicked as she hung up. Annabeth sighed, moving to pocket her phone.

Gravel crunching echoed through the alleyway behind her. Annabeth paused, spinning on her heel as she scanned her surroundings. "Piper?"

When there was no answer, Annabeth swallowed nervously, gripping her phone tightly as she set down her heels.

"Hello?" she called out. Her voice reverberated from stone wall to wall. Gulping, Annabeth grabbed her shoes again and started forward, only to be met with a burly, bald man.

Her eyes widened in recognition; he was one of Mortelli's henchmen, that loan shark who gotten her stabbed.

A hand came up to clamp over her mouth before Annabeth could yell, her phone ripped out of her grip. Her muffled shouts still portrayed her fury as something swung down and slammed into the back of her head, blacking out the world.

+++++

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Would you stop that?" Piper snapped, shooting a fidgeting Leo a glare.

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly. "We've been waiting her for ten minutes. How long does it take Annabeth to make one phone call?"

Percy rolled his eyes. "I'll go get her." Shoving his hands in his pockets, Percy slowly made his way to the alleyway Annabeth had been in earlier, kicking stones as he went.

"Annabeth?" he called. His voice echoed from wall to wall, but no reply came. Frowning, Percy tried again, "Annabeth?"

He could've sworn that she was here a minute ago.

"Guys, she isn't here!" Percy yelled back, receiving groans from the rest of his friends. "I—" He cut himself off abruptly, eyes narrowing as he spotted a phone lying on the ground. Casing with the swirly marble patterns — Annabeth's phone.

"What?" Percy murmured under his breath, leaning down to pick it up. He turned it over in confusion.

"Where is she?" Jason said breathlessly as he jogged up to him.

"I have no idea," Percy said truthfully, handing him the phone. "This is her phone, isn't it?" He spun around in a circle, scanning the alleyway. No sign of Annabeth at all. "Maybe she dropped it on her way to find us and got lost?"

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Annabeth?"

Percy sighed. "Good point."