PJO: Son of a Primordial

{California, 18th of June 2006}

Thalia POV

The cargo truck rumbled along the highway, its constant vibration a reminder of our precarious situation. We were nestled among wooden crates of tomatoes, the pungent smell of overripe fruit filling the air.

It had been two days since our narrow escape from Echidna, and the stench of crushed tomatoes still clung to our clothes. Not exactly the most heroic way to sneak into California, but at least it masked our demigod scent from any monsters that might be hunting us.

Percy shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a position that didn't involve sitting on a squashed tomato. "If I never see another tomato in my life, it'll be too soon," he grumbled, plucking a stray seed from his jacket.

Annabeth shot him a wry smile. "Could be worse. We could've hidden in a truck full of fish."

Percy looked distraught at which she said like it was the gravest insult he had ever heard.

"Or a truck full of wolves," Grover added with a nervous bleat, his goat legs awkwardly stretched between crates.

Lailaps and Swiper both growled at Grover's words, making the poor guy sweat even more, but I guess that no one likes it when someone bashes your extended family.

I leaned back against a crate, my muscles aching from the cramped space. "At least we're almost there," I said, my voice low to avoid alerting the driver. "San Francisco isn't far now."

Percy's eyes lit up at the mention of our destination. "Hey, Annabeth, isn't that where your dad lives? Maybe we could stop by and-"

"No," Annabeth cut him off sharply, her expression darkening. "That's not why we're here."

Percy, never one to let things go, pressed on. "But we're so close. Don't you want to see them? Your family, I mean."

Annabeth's jaw tightened, and I could see the internal struggle playing out across her face. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Yes, my dad and his family live in San Francisco. But it's... complicated."

I stayed silent, watching the exchange. It wasn't my place to talk about Annabeth's family situation, no matter how well I knew it.

Grover, ever the peacemaker, tried to sound gentle. "Annabeth, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to see them. Family is important."

Annabeth's eyes squinted, as if she were overthinking this dilemma like she usually did. "It's not that simple, Grover. You don't understand."

"Hey," I interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Annabeth will see her family when she's ready. Right now, we need to focus on finding the Roman camp and warning them about the prophecy."

Percy nodded, though I could see the concern lingering in his eyes. "You're right. Family stuff can wait. But Annabeth, just know we're here for you, okay? No matter what."

Annabeth's expression softened slightly. "Thanks, Percy. I... I appreciate that."

As the conversation lulled, I found my thoughts drifting to our destination. San Francisco wasn't just another city—it was one of the most dangerous places for Greek demigods. The Mist hung thick in the air, it was the perfect place for monsters to hide. The Mist was so thick here that even if a monster were to go on a rampage it would have just felt like a light breeze to the mortals.

"You know," I said, breaking the silence, "I've been thinking about why the Mist is so strong in San Francisco."

Annabeth looked up, her curiosity piqued. "Because of the Mountain of Despair, right? Atlas's prison."

I nodded. "That's part of it, yeah. But what if there's more to it? We know the Roman camp is somewhere near here too. What if the combination of Greek and Roman power is what makes the Mist so intense?"

Percy's brow furrowed. "Like, the two types of magic are fighting each other?"

"Not exactly fighting," Annabeth mused, her analytical mind kicking into gear. "More like... overlapping. After all greek and roman myths are similar what's to say that the Mist isn't as well. Having both so close together could be creating a sort of magical interference."

Grover nodded enthusiastically. "That makes sense! It's like when you have two different radio stations playing at the same time. You get all this static and confusion."

"Exactly," I said. "And that interference could be what's making the Mist so thick and unpredictable. It's trying to hide both Greek and Roman elements from mortal eyes, but it's working overtime to do it."

Percy whistled low. "So we're basically walking into a magical soup. Great."

"All the more reason to be careful," Annabeth warned. "The Mist won't just confuse mortals—it could mess with our perceptions too. We need to stay alert."

As if on cue, the truck began to slow, the engine's rumble deepening as we rolled to a stop. We all froze, exchanging tense glances.

"Looks like this is our stop," I whispered, already reaching for my spear. "Everyone ready?"

Nods all around. We'd faced monsters, angry gods (well god but still), and the mother of all chimeras. Sneaking out of a tomato truck should be a piece of cake.

As quietly as we could, we pushed open the truck's rear doors and slipped out into the California sunshine. The air was crisp and salty, tinged with the promise of fog rolling in from the bay. San Francisco sprawled before us, its hills rising and falling like the back of some ancient beast.

Lailaps and Swiper, leapt out after us. No longer confined by the truck's interior, they began to grow, their bodies stretching and expanding until they were the size of compact cars. Lailaps, now a massive mastiff, shook out his black fur, while Swiper, in his fox form, yawned widely, showing rows of gleaming teeth.

"Alright," Annabeth said, swinging herself onto Lailaps' back with practiced ease. "We need to head for the Oakland Hills. That's where the Roman camp is hidden."

Percy and Grover clambered onto Swiper, while I mounted Lailaps behind Annabeth. I could feel the powerful muscles beneath me, coiled and ready for action, seriously I was beginning to see Lailaps as my full on partner and ride though I knew that when Ozzy would come back she would probably stay with him.

"Remember," I warned as we prepared to set off, "the closer we get to the camp, the thicker the Mist will become. Stay alert, and don't let it mess with your head. We stick together, no matter what."

"Ok girl do your thing," I whispered into Lailaps' fluffy ear. She began to sniff the air, her nostrils flaring widely, I could feel her muscles tense underneath me, her pupils expanded, and we were off. Swiper and the boys following closely behind us.

The city blurred around us—glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge, winding streets, and the glittering bay. But as we approached the Oakland Hills, the air began to thicken, the Mist curling around us like tendrils of smoke.

I was close, so close to the roman camp, so close to finally seeing Jason, I wondered how much he remembered if he did remember anything at all after all he was only two when he disappeared, at those thoughts my palms became sweaty and I wasn't so sure of myself anymore.