A/N Wassup! Here I am, like eight or nine hours later with another chapter. Enjoy!
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"Hey Perce." Luke shook the sleeping boy, "Come on man, wake up."

Percy grumbled and rolled onto his stomach.

"What happened to the hyper-alert demigod who could go for three days without rest?" He presses.

Percy opens one eye, "He maxed out."

Luke rolls his eyes, "Cone on dude, we've got to get going, the Hunters are breaking down the camp."

Percy groans and stands up, "Alright, let's get going."

With that, he follows Luke out of the tent.

The Hunter camp was a flurry of movement. Tents were begin packed up, fires doused, and targets stowed away. Wolves kept a constant patrol around the border and Luke was pretty certain the falcon in the trees were on lookout duty as well.

"So you two are finally up and moving." Annabeth walks up to the boys and smirks.

"Yeah, I had to wake up Mr. Deep Sleep over there." Luke nudges Percy.

Percy shoves Luke in response.

"So, I guess this is where we part ways again." Percy turns. Standing behind him is Zoe, with a barely masked face of disappointment.

"Yeah, we've got a quest to complete, and traveling with Artemis would be considered divine intervention." Percy replies.

"Well, it was good to see you again." Zoe says, "Oh, but before you all go, a word please, Percy?"

Percy nods, a little confused, but follows Zoe to the side.

"The sword," Zoe says, "How has it been treating you?"

"It is a fine blade." Percy says, smiling, "Thank you for trusting me with it."

Zoe smiles sadly, "I am glad that it has found a worthy owner."

Luke and Annabeth watch the exchange, but are unable to hear what is being said.

"What do you think they are talking about?" Luke wonders aloud.

Annabeth shrugs, "How should I know? These are strange people, and Percy is the strangest of the group."

Luke laughs, "That's true." He then looks around, and shudders slightly, "Lets get out of here though, these hostile glares are starting to get a little annoying."

Percy and Zoe come over to the two other quest members just as Artemis walks over.

"You three should get going." Artemis says, "The Hunt will try to meet up with you at Pikes Peak."

"Thank you, Artemis." Percy says.

The moon goddess nods quickly, "Just be safe, I'd rather not add another constellation to the sky anytime soon."

"There is a rest stop around a mile that way." Zoe points west, "Maybe you will find a mode of transportation there."

"Thanks Z." Percy says and shoulders his backpack, "Come on you two, let's get moving."

As the three leave the camp, Percy waved goodbye to all of the Hunters, who return the wave. Luke and Annabeth don't do anything, and instead leave feeling like intruders into a strange and unusual world.

"Hey Percy?" Annabeth speaks up after the Hunter camp was out of site.

"Yes?" He turns and looks back, "What's up?"

"Is that true? The story of how you joined the Hunt. It just seemed so..." She waves her hands, unsure of what word to use.

Percy laughs, "Yeah, it does seem farfetched, but it's the truth."

"You really do care for them, don't you." Luke says softly.

"Of course." Percy says, "They're my sisters."

He woods ends suddenly and the three demigods are now standing of a pavement parking lot. In front of them is a giant rest stop, with maybe forty vehicles of different shapes and sizes.

Luke looks around at the vehicles and rest stop, "So, how are we supposed to hitch a ride?"

Annabeth looks around at all of the vehicles before she stops and points, "That one."

The daughter of Athena races off, with Percy and Luke a pace behind her. They stop next to a military supply transport truck.

"Um, why exactly are we next to a truck?" Percy asks.

"This is a US Air Force supply truck." Annabeth explains, "The Air Force Academy is in Pikes Peak."

"Ok, but how do we know that this truck is going to the academy?" Luke speaks up.

Annabeth points the some lettering on the truck, "That says Air Force Academy...I think."

"I'll take your word on that." Percy says, "Besides, it's not like we have any other ideas. Luke, you're a son of Hermes, can you pick the lock so we can get in the back?"

"Yeah, give me a sec." Luke steps forward and fiddles with the lock for a second. Percy hears a click, and Luke laughs, "Ha, that lock couldn't keep a baby out!"

"Congratulate yourself later." Annabeth shoves him into the back of the truck, "We need to get in before anyone notices."

Annabeth climbs into the back of the truck and after looking around quickly, Percy follows. The back of the truck was full of boxes. Percy didn't get the chance to examine them, because he pulls the back of the truck closed behind himself. It entire truck is plunged into darkness.

It was just in time to, because just as Percy pulls the door closed, he hears voices outside, and a door slam. The truck engine starts up and the demigods feel the truck begin to move under them.

They are quiet for a few minutes, until Luke speaks up, "Hey guys, do you hear...birds?"

Percy uncaps Riptide and the soft glow of the blade illuminates the entirety of the truck.

Sitting on the boxes are around thirty very large birds.

"Stymphalian Birds." Annabeth whispers, "Heracles defeated them."

Percy scoffs, "That's not very impressive. Let's deal with them before they begin to eat us."

"Loud noise would be useful." Annabeth mutters.

"But we don't want the soldier driving this clunker to know he's got stowaways." Luke finishes.

Percy sets down Riptide and draws his bow, "Well, let's take care of this quickly. Annabeth, any suggestions?"

"Hit them fast, hit them hard." She says.

Percy smiles, "Just my style." and releases three arrows at the same time.

Each of the arrows takes out a bird as Luke and Annabeth jump into the fray, swinging their weapons like maniacs. This releases hell in the birds, and they begin flapping their wings and squawking up a storm. Percy goes into rapid fire mode, shooting arrows in rapid succession at the mass. Luke takes out three more with a single swing. Annabeth takes advantage of her invisibility cap, targeting the birds without becoming a target herself.

After another thirty seconds of panic, all of the birds are completely destroyed.

Luke brushes monster dust off of his shirt, "We'll, that was easy."

Annabeth sheathes he knife, "At least it was dealt with quickly."

"Get some rest you two." Percy says, "We need to be at our top performance when we reach Colorado Springs."

Luke shakes his head, "I can't deal with another dream message from Kronos, why don't I stay up this time."

Percy shrugs and sits down at the front of the truck, behind some boxes. He tries to turn off his defenses. Relax, he tells himself. Luke is very skilled, he's got guard duty covered. After a little more prodding, Percy finally succumbs to the darkness of sleep.

"Great," He says, "Another dam dream."

The Boy Hunter was standing at the edge of a giant hole into the ground. He recalled that Luke described something similar about his dreams. Percy realized that this was the entrance to Tartarus.

"Well Kronos!" He calls out to the void, "You brought me here, what do you want?"

"A bold boy." Kronos' voice rings up from the pit, "I like that. You have become increasingly more difficult to eliminate, and for that reason..."

A green crystal floats up from the darkness. It radiated life so strongly, that Percy just felt stronger being near it.

"I am aware of your little promise to a certain daughter of Zeus." The voice was almost like a whisper, "I know the location of this. Do you know what it is? It's a healing crystal, able to cure any aliment and return the user to his or her natural state."

Percy looked at the Crystal, and down into the pit, an eyebrow raised.

"I promise you, the Crystal does exist. All you must do I swear your allegiance to me, and sabotage the quest, and I will provide you with the location of this Crystal."

"Why haven't you gotten it yourself?" Percy counters, "Surely you must realize that this Crystal could heal you. Or is it..." He smirks, "Your people are too incompetent to get it themselves."

A cold wave of anger washes through the cave, knocking Percy back from the edge.

"Do not cross me Jackson." The knife-like voice now tipped with malice, "I could crush you any time I want!"

"That's nice gramps." Percy yawns, "We'll, if you're all done with me, I think I'll wake up now."

With that, Percy's vision turns dark.

Percy wakes up just as the truck's engine turns off. He stands up and walks over to where Luke was sitting down.

"Any trouble?" He asks.

Luke shakes his head, "Nothing. How was your sleep?"

"Kronos sent me a dream vision." Percy says.

"Oh." Luke looks up, "And what happened?"

"I turned down his generous offer and insulted him."

Luke looks at Percy in disbelief and shakes his head, "You're one crazy dude, Perce."

"I know I am." Percy cracks a smile, "Now let's wake Annabeth up so we can figure out how to sneak out of the Air Force Academy."

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A/N Wassup people. So I figured out how They're going to free Thalia, but should it be an individual quest or they find it on the way? How are the three going to get out of a military base? Find out next time.
Be awesome
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