Hurricane ~ L. Valdez

1.3 - How Long?

       I watched as the chariot landed on the far end of the skywalk. The flying horses tucked in their wings and cantered nervously across the glass, as if they sensed it was near breaking. I looked at the two teenagers and my breath got stuck in my throat. Annabeth and Butch.

       Annabeth leaped off before the chariot had even finished moving. She pulled a knife out and ran toward us while Butch was reining in the horses.  "Where is he?" She demanded. Her gray eyes blazing. Who? I wondered, but before that I took a step forward shakily.

       "Wow, Annie," I spoke up, "No 'Hey' or 'I missed you'?" I asked, as the group snapped to look at me. Annabeth's face melted, and she ran towards me and pulled me into a hug... before instantly judo-flipping me. "I deserved that." I muttered, getting up with red cheeks as the rest watched in shock.

       "Where in Hades did you go?" She yelled—and that's when I knew I was in for it. "Percy didn't eat for weeks! Even Thalia was worried sick! I-"

       "You know why I left, Annie." I cut in. "It may not have been a good reason, but you have to realize why. I know now it was a mistake though." I mumbled. Annabeth gave me a nod, as if an older sister reprimanding her younger sibling. But, she soon seemed to remember her mission.

       "You said 'Where is he?'" Jason asked. "Where's who?"

       Annabeth simply frowned... like his answer was unacceptable in some way. Then she turned to Leo and Piper. "What about Gleeson? Where is your protector, Gleeson Hedge?"

       Leo cleared his throat. "He got taken by some...tornado things."

       "Venti,"
       "Anemoi thuellai," Jason and I said at the same time. I turned to look at him, confused.

       "Storm spirits."  Annabeth arched an eyebrow. "You mean anemoi thuellai?" She asked Jason. "Like Elara said, that's the Greek term." She silently examined him. "Who are you and what happened?" 

       Jason did his best to explain, with me pitching in through parts of it. About halfway through the story, Butch came over, giving me a nod and a small smile, before glaring at the rest, his arms crossed. Once Jason had finished his story, Annabeth didn't look satisfied.

       "No, no, no!" She exclaimed, looking exasperated. "She told me he would be here. She told me if I came here, I'd find the answer."  Who was she even talking about? I was sure I'd find out soon.

       "Annabeth," Butch grunted. "Check it out." He pointed at Jason's feet. "The guy with one shoe," he said, as if repeating something. "He's the answer." 

       "No, Butch," Annabeth insisted. "He can't be. I was tricked." She glared at the sky as though it had done something wrong. "What do you want from me?" she screamed. "What have you done with him?" 

       The skywalk shuddered, and the pegasai whinnied urgently. I was beginning to get very nervous.

       "Annabeth," Butch warned, "we gotta leave. Let's get these four to camp and figure it out there. Those storm spirits might come back."

       Annabeth fumed for a moment, and I have to admit that I was very scared of her at that point in time. "Fine." She fixed Jason with a resentful look. "We'll settle this later."  She turned on her heel and marched toward the chariot. 

       Piper shook her head. "What's her problem? What's going on?" 

       "Seriously," Leo agreed.

       "We have to get out of here," I spoke up, knowing that no matter how much I wanted answers, things were not looking good. Butch nodded in agreement.