VIDEO GAMES! (p. jackson) (#1)

- five

act i, chapter v
december 16-17
long island, ny — washington, dc

THE COUNCIL WAS HELD AROUND A PING-PONG TABLE IN THE REC ROOM.

Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, several types of candy, dozens of Coke cans.

Mr. D and Chiron (in wheelchair form) sat at one end of the table. Zoë and Bianca di Angelo took the other end. Thalia, Grover, Percy, and Rose sat along the right. The other head counselors— Beckendorf, Silena, Lee, and the Stoll brothers— sat along the left.

Rose really wasn't sure why she was there— she wasn't head counselor, Silena was. But she'd dragged Rose to the meeting, just like she'd done every other time. Nobody had objected, so here Rose sat.

She sat next to percy. He'd silently pushed a bag of Sour Patch Kids between them, meaning that she could take some if she wanted. He was only eating the blue ones.

"Can I have a blue one?" she asked, not knowing if they were off limits.

"I don't care. Take whatever you want," he told her.

Zoë started the meeting off on a positive note. "This is pointless."

"There is no time for talk," she continued. "Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron asked.

"West!" Bianca said.

"No matter," Zoë said. "You heard the prophecy. Six shall go west to the goddess in chains. We can get six Hunters and go."

"You're missing something," Rose pointed out, "as usual. Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We're supposed to do this together."

"No!" Zoë said. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron said. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D mused, swirling his Coke with a straw. "One shall be lost. One shall perish. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

"Mr. D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

"Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

"We're supposed to work together," Thalia insisted. "I don't like it either, Zoë, but you know prophecies. You really want to fight against one?"

Zoë grimaced, and Rose could tell Thalia had scored a point.

"We must not delay," Chiron said. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice."

"Oh joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoë said. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods with do nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

"Young lady, are you suggesting the gods have trouble acting together?" Dionysus asked.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."

He nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

"I must agree with Zoë," Chiron said. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We only have a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Three and three," Rose said. "We're supposed to have six. Three Hunters, three from camp. That's fair."

Thalia and Zoë exchanged looks.