Hazel and the Phantoms

Letting Everyone Know

When Hazel got back to Camp Jupiter, she didn't even bother to go to dinner. She instead ran all the way to her small house, getting out her phone as she got inside. Hazel looked through her contacts, pulling up Piper's newly made contact. Might be easier to start with the ex. Dialing the number, Hazel started pacing around her room, Piper's voice eventually filling Hazel's ear. "Hello?"

"Piper?"

"Hazel? How'd you get my phone number?"

"Leo gave it to me. Listen, I'm about to tell you something that you're not going to believe."

"What?"

"Jason never made it down to the Underworld."

Piper was silent for a couple minutes. "What do you mean, 'Jason never made it down'? Hazel, he's dead. He should have-"

"You're right. He should have. But he didn't. He's a ghost on Earth. He has unfinished business. Leo wants to gather everyone to talk about it."

"Don't."

"Don't gather everyone?"

"Don't give me false hope, Hazel. I don't-"

"I saw him myself today. When we were alone, one of the first things he asked me was if you made it out okay. Why would I lie about this, Piper?"

"You wouldn't." Piper said, taking a deep breath. "I'll call Leo and ask him for a ride. Jason saved my life. It's only fair that I help him move on."

Hazel smiled. "Thank you. I gotta call Percy and Annabeth."

"Leo... He's seen Jason, right?"

"He has."

"Okay." Piper said, taking a couple shakey breaths. "Okay. I believe you guys. I... I'll see you soon."

"See ya soon." Hazel said, hanging up the phone. She looked in the door and saw Lavinia Asimov, the girl who took over as centurion of the Fifth Cohort when Hazel got promoted, standing in the door. "Lavinia, hi!"

"Frank saw you run by. War games start in ten minutes. Everything okay?" Lavinia asked, giving Hazel a concerned look.

"Everything is just fine!" Hazel said happily. "We're going to be having guests soon. People you haven't exactly met yet."

"Does Frank know?"

Hazel grabbed her armor, putting it on. "He's about to know..."

"Why are people coming?"

"Personal emergency." Hazel responded, grabbing her spatha. "Come on! War Games!"

"You're happier than you have been in a long time..." Lavinia said nervously.

"Just had a good day, that's all."

"Okay, if you say so..."

Hazel found Frank standing at the front of the gathered cohorts. She quickly ran to stand next to him. "Sorry I'm late."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell ya later. Wanna keep it between us."

Frank introduced the game for that night. The two supervised the event, and as soon as it was done, Hazel grabbed Frank's arm and practically dragged him back to her small house. As soon as they were inside, Hazel pulled out her phone. "I'm just gonna kill three birds with one stone!"

"What happened at Julie's?"

"That's why." Hazel said, dialing Percy's phone number.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hazel, hey, what's up?"

"I'm assuming that Annabeth is with you." Hazel stated, putting the phone on speaker, causing Frank to give her a concerned look.

"Are you stalking me or something?" Percy asked.

"You're infatuated with her, Percy. I made an assumption. Put your phone on speaker. She's gonna want to hear this."

After a couple seconds, Annabeth said, "Okay, the phone's on speaker. What's going on?"

"Percy, you remember that band we were listening to the other day?"

"Julie and the Phantoms?"

"Julie goes to my high school."

"Seriously!?"

"That's not all. The name of the group is literal. It's Julie playing with a bunch of ghosts."

"So they are ghosts?" Frank asked.

"Yes, but that's not why I've gathered you all here." Hazel said happily, Frank's eyes widening.

"You're kidding."

"I saw him myself, Frank."

"Saw who?" Annabeth asked.

"Hey Percy?"

"Yeah..."

"Jason thinks you should be a social worker. He said that it's 'a very Percy thing to do'."

"Of course Jason would've said that, but-" Percy said, pausing. "Wait a minute... You're the only one I told about that, and I told you that I was thinking about social working two weeks ago. How would Jason have-"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying, Hazel?" Annabeth asked. "You've seen Jason's spirit?"

"He was hanging out with the ghosts of Julie and the Phantoms."

"What about reincarnation?" Percy asked.

"He never made it down there. He has some unfinished business."

"How are we gonna help him?" Annabeth asked, no hesitation in her voice.

"We're all gathering at Camp Jupiter."

"What do you mean 'all'?" Frank asked.

"I IMed Leo since Jason didn't get to see him before he died, and Leo wouldn't exactly let us plan. I called Piper and told her before war games, and Leo's telling Thalia, Reyna, and Camp Half-Blood. I figured that meeting here would be safer than gathering at Julie's house with a bunch of ghosts. Granted, I might try to get them all in, but..."

"Isn't that a security risk?" Frank asked.

"If Julie and Flynn can keep the boys secret, I'm sure they can keep this place secret. If Terminus has an issue with it, I'll personally deal with him." Hazel said, looking over at Frank. "This is our chance to give him one last goodbye as a group. We have to do it."

Frank nodded. "Okay. Aim for Friday?"

"I think we can do that." Percy said, his smile audible in his voice. "He may be a ghost, but I'm gonna give him the biggest hug I can."

"I think we all are." Annabeth agreed. "We'll head over as soon as our classes are done on Friday."

"I'll call Leo and let him know." Hazel said happily. "See you guys later!"

Hazel hung up, quickly dialing Leo's number. Frank gave her a concerned look. "Hazel... Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

"No, but it's the only thing we got." Hazel said honestly. "I can handle this, promise."

Frank smiled, nodding. "If you say so."