It Isn't Over Yet!

Percy's POV

I drove Annabeth, Thalia, Nico, and Tyson to the diner that the camp was meeting at. Once we were there we hopped out of the car and entered the diner. The diner was filled with campers from Camp Half-Blood. Barely anyone else was there. Not even Grover or Chiron. We joined the others and sat down at the tables they pushed together. "Okay," Clarisse said calmly and stood. “You all know why we are here. We some how have convince our parents to let us go back to camp. Any ideas?” Every one was silent. Clarisse dropped back down in her seat. "We're doomed."

"Well our only hope is that we show them that we are responsible." Annabeth said.

"How are we going to do that?" One of the Apollo kids asked.

"We could volunteer some place." Thalia said.

"No, then they would know we are just doing it to go back to camp in stead of actually being responsible." Nico announced.

"Again we are doomed." Clarisse said putting her head to the table.

"Okay, let's not stress out." One of the Aphrodite’s girls said. "We just need to relax and think and what better way to do so then shopping?!"

Percy's POV-The Mall

"Ugh. I can't believe they dragged us here." Nico complained.

We were walking through the mall. Basically all the girls dragged us guys here. Unlike Nico, I didn't mind it too much, after all I was with Annabeth. Soon we all split into groups and went separate ways through the mall. Nico went with Clarisse and Raymen. While Thalia and Tyson joined the other campers. Annabeth and I wandered alone through the mall hand in hand.

We casually looked through the stores that got our interest, but it wasn't until we reached the end of the mall that something really got our attention. We stopped in front of this creepy store. There was a wooden sign above it that read "Weird & Ancient" and the store really was weird and ancient. We walked in the cob webbed filled store. As far as I know we were the only ones in it. The store reminded me of a Halloween store. This place had voodoo dolls, old books, bones, jars of dead bugs and animals; they even had a jar with cows' eyeballs, and a whole bunch of other creepy stuff. This was the kind of store someone in a horror movie would walk into before they get jumped. Nico might like this store though, but this might be too weird and creepy even for him.

Soon we found ourselves at the back of the store. That's when things really got weird. Two men walked in the store. One man was elderly with white hair and glasses, the other was big and mean. They didn't notice us. "Give me the book!" The big guy spat down at the older man.

To make sure we remain unnoticed Annabeth and I hid behind the counter that separated the store from the back room. We peeked over the counter to see what was happening. "Give me the money than you shall have your book." The old man replied.

The big man grabbed the other's neck and lifted him up. He was strangling him. I had to do something. I was about to stand up to help but Annabeth grabbed me arm and shook her head telling me not to. We continued to watch. "It is the book or your life old man." The big man said still strangling the other guy.

"Kill me, but then you won't find the book." Choked the elderly man.

"Don't be so sure about that. I know you keep it here in your store. So tell something I wouldn't know if you were dead." The big man growled.

"Perseus Jackson! I-I saw him out in the mall with the other half-bloods!" The older man suddenly said.

I didn't know what to think. I am just glad I didn't help that old man. The big man released older guy. "Perseus Jackson huh? Kronos will reward me greatly if I capture him and his half-blood friends with or without the book." The big man said then walked out of the store.

I was shocked. That big guy was acting like Kronos was still alive. I killed Kronos. Didn't I? I didn't need to worry about Kronos right now, I had to get the book. I don’t know why but, I couldn't let the big man get it. But how? The old man, who his the owner of the store, is still here. That's when I had an idea. I turned to Annabeth. "Do you have your invisibility cap?" I whispered.

"No." She shook her head.

I sighed. I had another idea. I didn't want to do it but I had to. I explained to Annabeth my plan. "I am going to get the owner out of the store. While he's gone you look for the book."

"Percy, no." She tried to stop me but I was already gone.

I ducked behind the merchandise as I made my way to the entrance of the store. When I was there I walked out of the store a couple feet and then I came back in to make it look like I just entered. I broke the nearest glass jar. Then I smashed the table it was on. "Hey!" The old man called.

I ran out of the store and through the mall. The old man chased after me. I knew he didn't know who I was though. As we ran he called for security. Once two security guards started to chase me, the old man stopped exhausted. "Stop!" They shouted. But I didn't. Instead, I ran into a shoe store. One security guard tripped over a shoe leaving the other security guard to trip over him. I jumped over both of them and ran out of the store.

I ran for a couple more minutes until I turned a corner and stopped. I leaned against the wall and panted. I had lost them. I turned the corner to go find Annabeth, but instead, I found the two security guards that had been chasing me. Before I could run they grabbed me and pushed up against the wall. With my arms behind my back they handcuffed me. "Alright sonny, it is time for you come with us."

They led me back to the store. On the way I saw Nico, Clarisse, and Raymen looking at me with a 'what did you do now?' kind of face. So I mouthed, "Find Annabeth." to them. I hope they understood.

Soon we were at the store. The old man was waitng at the entrance. I hoped Annabeth was alright. We walked up to the old man. "He was a fast one." One security guard said to him.

The old man looked at me. "You." He said in shock when he realized who I was.

"You are so lucky I am not near water right now." I growled. I tried to lunge at him but the security guards held me back. They led me away from him and took me to mall jail. Great...