The Follower

Chapter 3

"Where are we going?" Ms. Scott asked as I took her hand, pulling her off the bench. "I'll explain when we're off campus,"I replied. I didn't want anybody to hear me talking about demigods. She nodded nervously. After walking around the school to the parking lot, we climbed into my car and started driving with me at the wheel. We drove maneuvered my way out of the parking lot and the school grounds turned into the crowded sidewalks of San Francisco. I tried my best to remember the way to Camp Jupiter, but it was all the way in Berkeley and I didn't go there too often. Ms. Scott and I sat in an anxious and uncomfortable silence, which was soon broken by her sudden interrogation.

"Now can you please tell me where we're going?"she demanded. The crowds had thinned out by now and we were coming up on the freeway, so I decided it was safe enough to start explaining.

"Well...there are these-no, I have to start from the beginning. Do you want the short or the long version?"I fumbled. 

"Tell me everything," she replied.

"Alright, but this might take a while," I started. "I assume you know about Camp Half Blood..."and from there I ranted on and on about Percy and the Battle of Manhattan with Kronos, their victory, the whole story. I told her about how Percy was kidnapped by Hera, about finding Jason, Leo, and Piper. I told her about Gaea and the Romans, the Giant war, everything. There was plenty of time to explain everything because trafficwas terrible. Ms. Scott hadn't known about any of it - even the war with Kronos - because she was living in Oaklahoma at the time. The only thing she already had knowledge about was Camp Half Blood because she went there when she was a child, but stopped going when she moved away. She was completely detached from the Greek world for 11 years. After I finished my explanation, Ms. Scott and I sat in silence yet again for a few minutes until she finally spoke up.

"So there is a camp for Roman demigods and I have a half sister named Reyna who is their leader-"

"Preator," I corrected.

"Yeah, whatever- preator- and we're going there right now," she said it in kind of a questioning manner.

      We were now driving on the freeway, under the Caldecott tunnel that eventually led to the entrance of Camp Jupiter. We were nearly there, only about half a mile.

"Yeah,"I answered.

"And these Romans...they've been right here-in San Francisco-this whole time? And I didn't know about them?"

I nodded,"Yeah, pretty much." We emerged from the tunnel, the light not being as bright as I would've thought due to the late time of day. I spotted some hazy people up ahead of us. Despite their far away proximity, I could tell they were Roman soldiers from their straight posture and long spears.

"Do you see them? They're right there! That's Camp Jupiter!" I shrieked excitedly. I was happy to be here after so much waiting. I pointed up ahead at the guards, but Ms. Scott looked at me as if I were crazy.

"That's Camp?"she asked doubtfully. She had a right to be skeptical; there was nothing there. She just couldn't see what was behind the doors they were guarding.

"Yes!" I urged, slowing the car down and pulling off to the side of the road. People would probably just assume that we ran out of gas or something. I got out of the car swiftly and ran up the guards to see if I knew them. They raised their spears with uncertainty, probably skeptical of us. I didn't recognize them-probably still on probation. The new kids always get stuck with that job. These kids were probably around twelve years old - one boy and one girl. 

      "Who are you,"the boy demanded. His brave words betrayed his face, which showed nervousness and uncertainty. They held their spears tightly. Ms. Scott came up behind me with her hands up in a 'we have no weapons' gesture.

"We come in peace," she said smiling. The girl turned to the boy and said in a broken Latin," Nic. Sint quibusdam stultis mortalibus."

The other replied,"Quid ergo faciemus?" 

"Nescio, Ego coniecto Peius 'iustus utor illis caligo."

"Bonum idea."

Annabeth did not by any means speak fluent Latin, but she knew her roots well. She managed to decider a few words: stupid mortals, mist, good idea.

"No! Wait, wait, wait! You can't use the mist on us because we're demigods too," I reasoned. They lowered their spears and looks of confusion spread across their faces. "What do you mean your demigod? Explain."

This would have been so much easier if Hazel and Frank were guarding, I thought. Ms. Scott started to explain to them that we were Greek and that we were visiting to meet Reyna, her sister, etc. I was glad that she started explaining before I had to because all I could think about was that they were going to use the mist on us, which means one of them was a child of the big three.