demigods." Then I shoved him down the stairs and sent him tumbling to the next

floor.

 

I kept climbing.

 

Bad memories: a hallway ran past the cafeteria. Annabeth, my half brother Tyson,

and I had sneaked through here three years ago on my first visit.

 

I burst outside onto the main deck. Off the port bow, the sky was darkening from

purple to black. A swimming pool glowed between two glass towers with more

balconies and restaurant decks. The whole upper ship seemed eerily deserted.

 

All I had to do was cross to the other side. Then I could take the staircase

down to the helipad — our emergency rendezvous point. With any luck, Beckendorf

would meet me there. We'd jump into the sea.

 

My water powers would protect us both, and we'd detonate the charges from a

quarter mile away.

 

I was halfway across the deck when the sound of a voice made me freeze. "You're

late, Percy."

 

Luke stood on the balcony above me, a smile on his scarred face. He wore jeans,

a white T-shirt, and flip-flops, like he was just a normal college-age guy, but

his eyes told the truth. They were solid gold.