Percy turned to Jason.

"Well. Looks like you have a quest."

It had been a while since the Camp had sent Piper, Jason and Leo on their quest. After Leo pulled an impressive trick with a metal dragon, Percy might add.

All the while, Percy had been scouring the states for Annabeth. Except Alaska, of course. If a god had taken Annabeth, as most if Camp suspected had happened- Alaska eould be out of range for the gods. Not to mention Percy couldnt step foot there anyway.

It had been confirmed to Percy- by Poseidon- that Hera had taken Annabeth in a "risky game of strategy and chance" as his father had put it. Percy would have liked to have a word with the goddess herself, but he was feeling his body weaken.

Since Annabeths disappearing Percy had learned to use his godly skills. Being to god of Cunning and Manipulation Percy could get out of pretty much anything. He had a dkill that let him talk anybody into doing anything he wanted, like a skill he had heard some Aphrodite kids to have- Charmspeak he had heard once.

That was his Manipulation. His Cunning had ensured he could outsmart anyone. Well, he could outsmart most mortal and almost all minor gods. He could even outsmart Ares (but who couldn't outsmart Ares?). He hadnt been able to outsmart Athena yet. But she had been somewhat incapacitated.

Apparently Hera's plan had split the gods. Not fully yet, but they all had a few problems keeping their heads. They were more irratble lately, and they seemed more hellbent on war. It was strange to see the leaders of the universe, actually leading the universe, instead of acting like a bunch of high and mighty five year olds. Percy hadnt felt these effects at all. He had been perfectly normal through the whole "plan".

Percy had been feeling fatigued a lot lately, however. He got fevers and headache easily. He napped a lot more than usual and he drank ambrosia by the gallon. When he used his powers it was worse. He could barely ask someone for a ballpoint pen without needing to sit down and forget trying to plan any sort of attack.

He felt worn out. Percy Jackson, who had been fighting momsters since sixth grade, who had been the cild of Prophecy, who had defeated Kronos and his whole TITAN. ARMY. Was worn out by formulating a simple plan.

Percy hated Hera for taking Anmabeth away. He hated Hera for being married to Zeus. He hated Hera for all she had done to Annabeth and him in the past. Percy hated Hera with all of his guts. And he hated Juno more. He hated Juno because she was useful. Her was stuck pretending ti love her family, but Juno helped in war. Hera was "good" but Juno was "better".

And it was worse than Hades on a summer day, for Hera (or possibly Juno) to be the only one with the answers to the questions Percy was asking.

Percy couldnt help thinking all of this while laying in Cabin 3. Because of how quickly he tired, he was often senr back to his cabin, or the infirmary, to "rest" though he could never rest much, thinking about Annabeth. Often, in the infirmary, Percy would rant to Will Solace, the boy who had saved Annabeth during the war, about her being gone. He would sit and listen, sometimes replying with well placed "Thats cute"s and "im so sorry"s. Every once in a while he added in an "I remember that".

Because Percy had so much free time to think about Annabeth, he had started sending out Tyson and Mrs O'Leary to look for her. Thank the gods it wasnt Percy who had been taken, he wasnt sure Mrs. O'Leary could handle him being gone so long.

Percy had been sent to the infirmay after a day of sword fighting class, teaching and learning, when he collapsed. He didnt know why he had collapsed but he had. His body felt so worn out, his knees buckled underneath him and his palms felt sweaty. His orange shirt had been soaked through with sweat and he lay face down in the dirt and gravel.

Campers ran over to him, asking if he was okay, asking what was wrong. He couldn't respond because he had been, in fact, unconscious. The other campers hadnpicked him up and tsken him to the infirmary. He wasnt sure what happened after that, because all he could remember was a bright light in his eyes.

Percy wasnt sure he could last in his body. He didnt know what was wrong with it, but it was the only one he had. He would prefer to keep it.

All he knew, Percy Jackson, God of Cunning and Manipulation, was that he might be running out if time.