Forever Together | Heroes of Olympus

Frank's POV

"I know you did. Now let's go save our friends, shall we?"
~
Creeping around corners of prisons, hoping there weren't any psychopaths waiting for them? Couldn't imagine anything better. Now that Piper was here, he altered the plan to include her, and it could work pretty well if Frank did say so himself. He just felt terrible that it put Piper in more danger than himself.

"Okay, take your time and go when you're ready and-" Piper chuckled, softly. You could faintly see some light returning to her face.

"I can do this, Frank. I'm ready when you are." She gave him a slight smile, but he knew there was so much misery behind it.

He peered around the corner, taking in his surroundings. The ledge was perfectly placed, right over Dylan. But it was the people that caught his attention. Nico was bound with something that prevented him from shadow-traveling. Percy and Annabeth were separated, but Annabeth looked terrible. She was all bloody and focused on one spot in the room. She appeared to be hiding something; she tucked in her hands and feet underneath her so nobody could see them. You would probably assume she was cold, but Frank knew there was always a bigger reason with her.

Percy kept on looking at Annabeth as if checking in on a newborn; carefully and lovingly. It was nice to see him starting to return to his old self; Annabeth just had that effect on him.

Rachel and Reyna were sitting close, glancing at one another when Dylan and his servants weren't looking. Thalia had a cold, hard, stern look of revenge across her face. All of the girls looked beaten, tired, and flat out ready to collapse.

But then Frank found Hazel. Imagine someone on the run from an abusive home, no food or water for days, injuries everywhere they could be. Times that by 10 and you have something similar to her. Her and Piper's injuries were similar, but different ways of infliction. Frank couldn't bring himself to look at her this way, so he didn't.

Leo was looking around, maybe for someone? Frank realized that Calypso wasn't anywhere to be seen. He made a mental note to ask Piper about that later. Lastly, he found Jason. He had a look of... Mixed emotions. Anger, regret, sorrow, vengefulness. Frank could only imagine what he must be thinking; that it was his fault all of this happened. Boyfriends always feel that way, regardless of how it happened. They just always know they could've done something to prevent it from happening.

"You ready?" Piper brought him back. He nodded and transformed into the smallest fly he could think of. He flew up as close to the ceiling as he could get. He saw a last glimpse of Piper taking a deep breath, and she walked slowly out towards the group.

Immediately, Dylan noticed her. He gave her a sick grin. Jason straightened up, tensing. Frank noticed Piper couldn't bring herself to look at him. Everybody else looked shocked and came back to reality. Dylan laughed, followed by his servants.

"Hello, Piper dear. Have you finally
come around? You're ready to surrender yourself to me again?" He had such a smug smiled that Frank wanted to smack off of him. Piper looked offended by the last comment, but as always, regained her composure instantly. She even managed a whole-hearted smile.

"You know, it's pretty dumb of you to underestimate me. Do you seriously think I would come in here without a plan?" Frank had barely reached his mark but knew it was almost time. Piper gave him a signal secretly telling him she wanted to take on Dylan. He thought of the biggest, deadliest creature possible, preparing for his real signal.

"Come on. I may have had a few hits to the head, but I know how to execute an escape plan." That was the signal. Frank turned into a python and landed on the servants, but still managed to gather them in a circle to squeeze them. Not to death, just long enough to make them unconscious.

While this stunned Dylan, Piper took the chance and kicked him back. For a girl beaten and underfed for several days, she had a mean kick. He flew back and hit the wall, laying there to recover. Piper raced to the closest person- Percy- and untied him. Frank couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but something about untying the others. She had just finished on the knot when Dylan lunged at her. He grabbed her shoulders and threw her back.

Frank squeezed harder, Percy untied faster. Dylan had the upper hand though. He looked over Piper and knelt down by her. He moved a piece of hair out of her face, but she moved her head in disgust.

"Aw. You're just always so cute!" He lightly touched her cheek until she moved her whole body. Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw Jason. He was livid. He knew not to say anything, to not show weakness. But he was near exploding into a rage.

"Piper, I didn't want it to come to this." Dylan began.

"I was hoping you would come to your senses and come with me, but sadly you haven't. Yet. But alas, that can always change. I'll make you a deal; I'll let your friends go willingly. But you have to come with me and oblige to my every desire. I'll give you a minute to think about it." Piper took shaky breaths but looked to Frank for an answer. He shook his head and mouthed no, but he knew Piper was a noble person. She would never let her friends pay her price.

She looked as if she was coming to a conclusion, but Frank was faster. The servants just hit unconsciousness and he acted. Back in human form, he ran to Piper, sliding on his knees and landing perfectly in front of her. Dylan tried to push him away, but Frank pushed him down with ease.

"Piper, I know what you're thinking. Please don't do this. We've always found another way around stuff like this. And," he lowered his voice, "don't you want to apologize to Jason?" She looked up hopefully.

"It was a misunderstanding, right? He'll never know until you tell him. So, do we agree?" Piper gave him a skeptical look but lightly nodded.

"Now, Dylan." Frank stood up and faced Dylan, still lying on the ground. Frank grabbed his arm and pulled him up, looking him dead in the eye.

"All of us, we're sticking together. All of us. What're you going to do with an unconscious army? I guess we've outsmarted you once again." Dylan laughed a humorous laugh. He seemed to think something was funny about losing?

"Joke's on you, kid. You think I would have a huge facility like this with only 12 servants to tend after it? Think again." He reached into his pocket, brought out a button-like trigger and quicker than Frank could grab it, he pushed it.

After a few seconds, the sound of marching filled the halls. Percy stopped untying Reyna's bonds, mystified. Piper slowly rose, wiping some blood off of her forehead. The marching became louder and louder, yet nobody made a move, not even a reaction. It sounded like hundreds, maybe even thousands of pairs of feet making their ways towards them. Frank glanced at Dylan who was standing there, acting as though nothing had happened. But he was looking at Piper. Not in that way, but in a possessive way. Frank knew his plan. To grab Piper and flee, leaving them with an undefeatable army of men and women, ready to die for their leader.

Before he could signal the others, in came warriors, weapons up and war chants escaping their mouths.

Sorry for updating after 194294 years! But hope you liked this chapter :) I'm super excited for the next chapter; I've been waiting since the beginning to write it! I'll try to update more often! Thanks for reading, voting, and commenting! And can I say, over 3k reads!?!? Mind. Blown. Keep it up! Have a good day as well :)))