EIGHT

FRANK

ANNABETH loaded us into a cab and handed a small slip of paper to the driver.

He nodded and started driving.

We pulled up in front of a slightly rundown apartment building.

"This was Percy's mum's apartment," Annabeth sighed and climbed out of the cab, we followed her. She led us into the building and up about three or four flights of stairs.

She pulled out a small bronze key and slid it into the door that stood in front of us. Annabeth turned the key and we walked in. The apartment wasn't big, but it looked cosy, there were a few mismatched sofas, all facing towards a small TV, there was a small kitchen area with a little table and two chairs, there were three doors leading off opposite the kitchen, which I could only assume lead to bedrooms. One of the doors was a jar open, revealing a tiled floor and a small section of what seemed to be sink. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, as if no one had been there for agers.

I noticed all of this just before a mass of black hair and orange t-shirt attacked Annabeth.

It didn't take a genius to realise that the mass was actually Percy. Leo sat on a small armchair, with a lighter in his hand. He laughed as Percy and Annabeth clashed. Then he flicked the lighter on.

Hazel averted her eyes from the public display of affection, as if was just as scandalous as the crime that Percy and Annabeth had been accused of.

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth laughed, "I'm not dead okay! Now get off me!"

"But you could've been dead," Percy released Annabeth from his grip, but still kept his hands on her shoulders, "your plane could have been hit by a stray missile, which could have knocked you out of the sky, causing the plane to crush you and for you to die."

Annabeth laughed again, "You have a very vivid imagination Seaweed Brain."

Percy flashed a dazzling smile, "I try my best Wise Girl."

"Do you guys mind if I use the bathroom?" Frank asked.

"Knock yourself out," Annabeth grinned. Frank walked over to the open door and locked it behind him.

I walked over to the shaving mirror above the sink and pulled out the phone that Jason and Piper had given me.

I scrolled onto the contact list and clicked on the number that Jason had programmed into the phone.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Why was I doing this? They didn't have anything over my head. But they did, they might've not realised it, but they had leverage over me.

I pressed the call button. I sighed as the line buzzed and then clicked on.

"Hello?" A female voice, which I recognised as Piper's.

"We're in New York." I told her curtly.

"Great, where abouts?" She asked, sounding slightly relived.

"I don't know," Frank lied, gritting his teeth.

"We'll be on the next flight over, call us back once you've worked out where you are." Piper said. Then the line clicked and buzzed. She had hung up.