16 chapter 16: the road trip.

I hopped behind the wheel of my car and put the keys in the ignition. zoe sat in the front, and the other three sat in the back.

"So when did you get this car Alice," Thalia asked.

"I got it like two weeks after moving in, but the stuff in the trunk I built myself," I said.

"what's in the trunk," asked Percy.

"just weapons, knives, guns, the usual demigod stuff," I said casually.

"you have guns," Thalia asked with a dumbfounded face.

"well, I don't use them often but there are times where I do," I said. "anyways let's get ready because we have a long way to drive."

I reached for the radio and started to play 'system of a down and started driving.

"we're is thy taking us?" Zoe asked.

"Artemis went to Smithsonian national air and space museum. so I'm going there to investigate, It will lead us to our first clue," I responded.

"How does thy know we're lady Artemis went. thou wasn't with her," she asked.

"Remember when I went behind Artemis before Apollo came, yeah I placed.... think of it as a tracker, it will let me know her location and where she went and I can appear next to her."

"Does lady Artemis knows that thy did that," Zoe said.

"pshhh, hell Nah. I did it because I knew she was going to be in trouble. trust me if she found out I did that she would lose her shit," I said with a snort.

"thou are going to take it off when they complete the quest," Zoe asked.

I shrugged, "honestly probably not, now before you get mad at me and say it isn't proper and stuff just know there's something bigger than the Titans in the background," I said.

"Thy isn't going to tell me right," she asked.

I laughed, "looks like you are catching on to me quick."

With that, I drove us for hours before we stopped at a convenience store for snacks.

"Listen, everyone, don't worry about drinks, I have cold ones in the trunk of mostly all the drinks. just get some snacks, as much as you want, "I said.

Thalia and Percy immediately went in and started grabbing snacks while Zoe remained behind with me.

"can thy answer my question," Zoe said.

"sure, we have time to wait," I said.

"Why are they trying to save my mistress," she asked.

"you know Zoe if you're expecting me to say 'because I wanted to date her' or 'you wanted something from her' then your right," I said.

Zoe had a shocked expression. I guess she didn't expect me to outright say it.

"what does thy need from my mistress," she asked.

"eh, I was just going to ask her to help with my and Percy's archery. you may not know this but he's really bad at it," I said.

"is that all thy needed," she asked confused.

"yup, now come on I need to pay for the snacks," I said as I walked to Percy.

"that would be 64.46," the clerk said.

I pulled out my wallet and handed him a hundred-dollar bill and said, "keep the change."

We left the shop with bags and walked to the trunk to put them there. I opened the trunk and their faces showed shock.

"you said you have a couple of guns, not a whole armory," Thalia yelled.

"Alice can you teach me to shoot a gun," Percy asked excitedly.

"yeah sure but hurry up and get your drinks because we ain't stopping this time," I said as I press the cool button.

The trunk flipped and an ice chest with all kinds of drinks came up. I grabbed myself a coke and the rest got what they wanted.

we got back in the car and I started driving again. we stayed like this for a while before we were at the entrance to the museum. I parked the car across the street before I motioned them to get out of the car.

I walked behind the car and opened the trunk, I pulled out the colt and put it in the holster that I had on my hip.

"Why do you need that gun," Percy asked.

"because I hate going into places blind Percy. that's something you should know, I was always teaching you to listen to your instincts, and right now mine is telling me something is bad here," I said.

"So what does the gun do," Thalia asked.

"what do you mean," I asked.

"Well, you said your scythe had some abilities and I'm assuming that this gun you have is the same way," she said.

I nodded my head, "this gun is something that I will never leave in your guy's hands because of how dangerous it is," I said.

"on a scale of one to ten how dangerous is it," Percy said.

"twelve," I said, "now let's go we need to know what is happening in there, and Bianca, here you'll need this," I said as I handed her a gun.

"why would I need that," she asked afraid.

"Sometimes there are things only you can kill. sometimes your heritage can come with many benefits," I said as I wink at Zoe, to which she narrowed her eyes.

She refused to take the pistol, so I had to hold it on me. I used the mist to cover the weapons so we easily snuck them in.

I saw Thorn sneaking into the back of the museum, so I signaled to Percy that I'll be back, to which he nodded.

I used shadow manipulation to make me appear inside the shadows but nobody while seeing me.

just like in canon he also went to atlas to report we were here, but instead of them getting Zoe's scent I did a pro gamer move. I pushed Luke into the group of Spartoi but sadly it didn't work and they still got Zoe's scent.

'damn fates,' I thought before taking off outside of the room. I ran before running into Zoe's.

"good your here, we need to leave now," I said as I dragged Zoe. Percy, Bianca, and Thalia kept trying to ask me questions but I got into the car and used mist to make it appear as a white van.

I got everyone in the car and I floored it. I at least didn't have to worry about crashing the car. I enabled the autopilot before turning my seat to see the rest of the people in the car look in horror.

"don't worry the car is impossible to crash, it's on autopilot," I said before getting serious, "alright now I know that you have questions but let me tell you this, the person we were after was in there, that's why I ushered you guys out," I said with a sip of my Dr pepper.

I saw Zoe's face get a little pale, Percy and thalia didn't know who they were up against so they just had a little confusion, while Bianca was lost.

I turned the seat around and leaned it back to take a nap. "take a nap we won't be arriving for a while."

just like that, I was drifting into slumber. I don't know how long I slept but I woke up to Zoe shaking my arm.

"We need to stop, we're going to need food," she said. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and focused on the road ahead and noticed a supermarket.

I disabled the auto pilot and took the wheel before parking inside the driveway. I turned off the car and took the keys before giving them two hundred, while they went to buy stuff zoe stayed behind with me.

"I never thanked you did I," I asked.

"thank me for what," she asked.

I didn't say anything but I pulled out Anaklusmos, I uncapped it and out came the sword. I saw her have a sad face like it brought her pain. I capped it again and put it back in my pocket before turning to her.

"I apologize for Hercules but I want you to take my brother off the bad heroes list. he's nothing like him," I said to her.

"thy brother will end up just like him," she said.

I just laughed it off, and looked at the grocery store, to see the trio walking back to us. I opened the door and got inside and put the key in the ignition and started it.

everyone got in the car and I enabled the auto pilot so it will take us to the junkyard of the gods and park outside of it.

"did you get me pie, percy," I asked?

"uh, yeah I did, here it is," he said as he passed it to me.

"good," I said as I took it. I opened the case and took a whiff and ate it. "ahhhh apple pie."

"is she always like that?" asked Thalia.

"only when it comes to pie and her car, or her sword, she doesn't let anyone touch it. something about honoring someone's memory," percy explained.

"Does thy know where we are going," asked zoe.

"were going to the junkyard of the gods. in which should take a while," I said. "oh, and just so you know don't do what I'm about to do."

I opened the window and climbed on top of the roof and laid down. I looked at the stars and started to mesmerize the constellations. I drifted to sleep while enjoying the wind against my body.

when I opened my eyes I was staring at Artemis holding up the sky. I walked over and put my hand on her leg and gave her the only thing I could.

hope.

I gave her the hope that she was getting rescued soon. I went in front of her and looked at her face. I carefully pushed her hair away from her face, and I could have sworn she saw me for a second.

what confirmed my theory was when she said, "Alice". I smiled and whispered, "we're coming."

I awoke to the car slowing down, I opened my eyes and noticed that we were a couple of miles away from the junkyard.

I hopped back in the car through the window, I prepared to disable the autopilot but I needed to wake up the rest of them. I began to think of the easiest way to wake them up when I got an idea. I pulled the pistol that I have next to my seat and aimed out the window.

BANG!!

everyone was up and started looking around only to see me in the car. I waved and disabled the autopilot and finally parked outside of the junkyard.

"Now I'm setting some rules before we cross this place. do NOT grab anything, especially you Bianca. if you want something let me know and ill make it for you, also if you grab something here Hephaestus's creation will kill us, and I'm not having any casualties," I said.

"but what if we really really want something," percy asked.

"as I said before percy, I will make it for you. I don't want people dying here," I told him.

I sealed my car and we began to walk through the junkyard with the gang. I kept an eye on all of them making sure no one grabbed anything. bianca of course tried to grab something but I grabbed her hands and shook my head no.

we made our way out of the maze without any casualties or anyone taking anything. I then unsealed my car and everyone hopped in.

I engaged an auto pilot and it started a one-way course to san Francisco. I told everyone to buckle up because it was going to be a long ride.

"Alright guys snacks are in the glove department, and if you need any drinks let me know and ill get some. oh, and if you need to disable the auto pilot, just yell because if you bang on my car. let's just say they won't find your body," I warned them.

I went onto my roof and lay down, I drifted off to sleep and I woke up next to Hestia tending the flames. I approached her but she turned to see me.

"your way too young to sneak up on me Alice, even if it's a dream," she said.

"what is it with people being able to see me in dreams," I say.

Hestia gave a little chuckle. "it's not about whos able to see you, it's about who you want to be able to see you."

'makes sense it was people I was somewhat familiar with," I thought.

"So how have you been Hestia," I asked.

"the same. I like what you are doing Alice," she said.

"doing what," I asked confused.

"for the unclaimed demigods. I like how you are helping them out and not abandoning them,'' she said.

"yeah well no offense the gods cant take care of their children so somebody has to step up right and it just so happened to be me," I said.

"if you ever need anything Alice come to the hearth, even if it's for a ... what did you call it "lap pillow," she said.

I laughed and said, "I will take you up on that Hestia."

(I'm skipping the dam and going straight to the Hesperides because in all honesty, I'm lazy and because I can.)

I awoke to find that we were already in san Francisco. I looked around to find that we were on a highway and I saw a couple of clear-sighted mortals staring at me and pointing. I put a finger to my lips and jumped back in the car.

"wake up sleepy heads were almost there," I yelled.

percy and thalia started groaning while Bianca and zoe were up in a flash. probably because they are hunters.

"ugh what's with all this yelling for," percy said.

"we're almost at Mount Othrys, and I needed you guys all awake," I said.

"Why are we going there," percy asked.

"because that's where Artemis is being held now buckle up because I'm going overdrive," I said as I disabled the auto pilot.

I started driving in and out of lanes before finally pulling off the freeway. I parked the car waiting for it to be sunset so we could enter. I didn't have to wait long because it would be any second now.

speak of the devil the entrance opened at that moment. I turned on the car and entered before turning off the car again.

"alright we need to go on foot now guys," I said.

"what why," percy said.

"because then the bad-mouth dragon will hear us," I said.

we continued up the mountain until we were met with the Hesperides, but like any god of the sea I made a vortex next to them to suck them in, and we didn't have to deal with them.

we passed ladon with no difficulty because I put up noise concealment seals. we finally met at the top of the mountain where we met Artemis chained.

"my lady," zoe said as she ran forward.

"go back it's a trap," she said in a strained voice.

I walked in front of her and moved her hair out of her face. "feel familiar," I asked.

"ah, how touching," luke said from behind us.

"ill deal with you later," I said as I point at him.

he paused for a second looking stumped at what I said.

"God, I always wanted to say that," I said.

I uncapped Riptide and cut off Artemis's chains and that's when the battle began. I wasn't focused on that because I was just about to carry her burden.

"you will owe me for this," I said as I began to carry her share of the weight. my mind blanked out for a second before the weight crashed down on me.

I held it there while the others were fighting, I looked in front of me to see my system telling me something.

[host is carrying the burden of atlas. sage body trying to negate the effects of curse ???.....

failure curse ??? is unable to be negated.]

I felt pain in my head but I held on, I started to think of random things, like snuggling with Shinobu, lap pillows with Hestia, and there was even one where Artemis was in a maid outfit. hey, I don't control my thoughts they just wonder.

"be prepared," I heard in my mind. I looked up only for my vision to be blurred. I looked and saw Artemis swinging atlas to my position. I quickly loosened my grip on the sky when his body crashed into mine.

I crashed into the dirt and I felt my body on fire, my muscles were aching and I had a god damn headache.

I sat up and noticed that thalia had just kicked luke off the edge and Annabeth screaming "no". I got up slowly before summoning my spear snd using it as a walking pole.

I walked over to Bianca and startled her by leaning on her. she looked over at me and her mouth hung open.

"Alice your, your," she said studdering.

by the time I asked percy had whistled for blackjack and his friends to carry us to Olympus. he turned to me and his mouth hung open.

"Alice your hair," he yelled.

I looked confused before grabbing some of my hair and looking at it. it all looked white and that didn't spare my eyebrows.

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I pulled out a mirror and looked at my reflection. I got to say the white hair suited me.

"Alice," Artemis called.

I walked over to her before asking, "yeah what's up."

she looked me dead in the eye and said, "when I was in your mind earlier, I saw a peculiar image of me in a maid dress," she said.

"yeah sorry about that my thoughts tend to wander," I said not sorry at all.

"where can I find this dress," she asked.

"I'm sorry what," I said confused.

"I want that dress. it looked nice," she said.

I stood there in shock. I gained the ability to think ten seconds later after my brain rebooted.

"if you want it I could make you one," I said.

"yes, make me one," she said.

"but ill need to know your measurements," I said.

"yes I will look into that," she said.

I looked around to find myself alone, I noticed that percy had already arrived at mount Olympus so I teleported to him.

"dang this is the second time I've been to this place," I said.

"yeah kinda nostalgic eh," percy said.

"20 bucks says that at least one threatens us with death," I said.

"that's a fool's bet," Annabeth said.

"eh worth a shot," I said.

we walked into the palace to be met with, "the three are already dangerous enough, I say we dispose of them before they can go to the enemy side."

"called it," I said.

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(side story)

i traveled to seduce the villainess and pulled out my gun. i aimed it at qin Wei and unloaded the whole mag twice making sure he died. i heard screams and people screaming. i quickly teleported home and went on with my day.

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hey yall hope you guys have a nice day and enjoyed the story