Lost in Time (Forgotten Daughter part 3)

Allies or Enemies?

Ali crouched among the bushes, staring at the little convenience store at the edge of the woods. The neon sign buzzed softly as it cast its surroundings in a faint green glow. The store rested on the outskirts of a small town outside of Manhattan.

"You sure no one's in there?" Ali whispered to the tangle of branches and leaves next to her.

A girl with short red hair and evergreen eyes pushed free of the griping branches, pulling a small twig from her ponytail. "Nope, but we won't get another chance." She eyed Ali suspiciously. "You're not having second thoughts are you?"

Ali looked back at the store. "Of course not. It's just easier to stay off the radar if there aren't any witnesses to survive."

"Well," the girl shrugged. "I guess that's a risk we'll just have to take." She waved her arm towards the convenience store. "After you."

Ali rolled her eyes and crept out of the bushes. She tightened her ponytail and reached for the vial in the side pocket of her fitted camouflage cargo pants. She glanced back at her companion, who still knelt in the brush.

The girl nodded and ducked out of sight.

Ali sucked in a deep breath. Her heart pounded as she snuck closer to the lit up store. She was doing this for a reason. She kept repeating the words in her mind, trying to convince herself they were true. This would all be worth it in the end, when she got what she wanted.

Flattening herself against the cold stone wall, she slipped the vial of green liquid from her pocket - Greek Fire. She crept around to the back of the store and busted the handle off the back door. Please be empty. She forced open the door, relaxing when she found the back room empty. The Greek Fire clutched in one hand, she rushed over to the furnace and shattered the vial.

Immediately, green flames erupted across the floor, edging towards the furnace.

Ali turned and bolted out of the convenience store as the whole building exploded. The shockwave blew her forward, sending her rolling across the grass. Pushing herself to her feet, she darted over to the tree line.

The redhead was waiting for her. "Nice job. That should get their attention."

"Definitely." Ali looked back at the flaming remains of the store as sirens began to wail in town. "We'd better go."

The girl nodded. "We have more targets to hit."
* * *
"I should be looking for Ali, not investigating some freak accident." Percy whined.

Chiron sighed. "She's a Daughter of Artemis, Percy. If she doesn't want to be found, you won't find her."

He pounded his fist on the table as he stood. "I still have to try."

"Percy," Chiron clasped his hands on the table in front of him. "It's been almost a year."

"So what?" He snapped. "Are you saying I should give up?"

"Of course not." Chiron soothed.  "All I'm saying is that we have bigger problems to deal with right now."

Percy scoffed and flopped back into his chair. "And a fire at a convenience store in the middle of nowhere is one of them?"

Chiron stroked his beard patiently. "It wasn't just a fire. The building exploded and the flames... were green."

Percy met his gaze, more interested now. "Greek Fire."

Chiron nodded. "Which is why I need you to investigate. Figure out what happened. If this is Kronos, I'd like to know why he's going after mortals."

"And if it's not?" Percy asked.

"Then we may have another ally out there..." he sighed. "or another enemy."
* * *
Percy kicked a piece of rubble aside. "There's nothing here. Whoever did this is good at covering their tracks."

"There has to be some sort of clue." Annabeth wandered the debris, carefully scanning every piece. "You can't do something like this without leaving some sign."

He nudged another shattered brick with his foot. "But why? Why blow this place up? It doesn't make sense." He picked up one of the stone shards. "There's no value in it."

Annabeth sighed. "I don't know who did this or why, but I am going to find out."

Something growled behind them.

They both whirled to face the trees. The forest was thick and didn't allow much light under the trees.

A subtle silhouette moved among the shadows.

Annabeth drew her knife and Percy uncapped Riptide. They watched the forest expectantly.

Like a bolt of lightening, a hellhound lunged from the trees and tackled Annabeth to the ground. She managed to stab it in the chest on the way down and it crumbled to dust as its teeth made for her throat.

Percy darted over to help her up and another hellhound burst from the trees, teeth bared, red eyes burning with bloodlust.

Percy put himself between Annabeth and the monster, Riptide gripped tightly in his hand. "Come on!"

It growled and charged him.

He dragged Annabeth out of the way as he sidestepped the angry hellhound, like a matador dodging a bull.

The hellhound slid on the rubble and collapsed to its side with a whimper. Rising to its feet, blood dripped from its side where the sharp debris had punctured its thick pelt. It turned on Percy with renewed hatred. Bounding across the cluttered clearing that was once a convenience store, it faked left.

Percy fell for it and the monster clobbered him from the right. The two went rolling across the ground, the rubble doing more damage than claw or blade.

Finally, Percy plunged his sword into the hellhounds stomach. It shrieked and disintegrated into glitter. Panting, he rose painfully to his feet. His shirt was shredded and cuts littered his body. A glob of hellhound slobber was lazily running down his face, tickling his skin unbearably until he smeared it away with the back of his hand.

Annabeth trotted over, careful not to trip on the scattered remnants of the store. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He assured her as she looked him over for any serious wounds. "I... I don't think Kronos did this."

A/N
SIX DAYS IN A ROW!!!!!! It's a miracle.
We are now entering The Last Olympian. I encourage you to let me know your predictions. I would LOVE to know what you think will happen next.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I may not update tomorrow.
Until next time.
-Cheshire