mastermind - percy jackson

v. advice

"you must follow your heart, and accept what comes your way."

Cassandra wasn't exactly happy with Percy at the moment.

Yes, she knew that he was going to bathe in the River Styx. But to leave for an entire day without any communication besides an ominous voicemail on Annabeth's phone, telling them to send the entirety of Camp Half-Blood to the Empire State Building, was not exactly the best way to get on her good side.

They were going to have a serious talk later on.  

She sat in the camp van driven by Argus, the security chief, between Annabeth and Drew. She was wearing black camouflage, Moonlace strapped to her thigh, and her silver charm bracelet on her wrist. Her hair was pulled back in two french braids with two pieces pulled out to frame her face.

Two other vans followed behind them, driven by the cleaning harpies. The entirety of Camp Half-Blood (besides the Ares cabin, and younger kids) had answered Percy's call.

Annabeth's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, slightly shaking her head and passing it over to Cassandra.

"What?" Cassandra asked.

"It's Percy" Annabeth answered.

She sighed, and answered the phone, holding it up to her ear. "Have a nice swim, Shark Boy?"

"Shark Boy?" Percy asked. "And what do you mean, swim?"

"You know exactly what I mean" Cassandra grumbled. "Where have you been? Everyone's been worried sick."

"Does 'everyone' include you?" Percy asked, with an obvious grin.

"A secret I'll never tell" Cassandra said. "But you didn't answer my question. Where have you been?"

" Clearly you know where I've been. But I'll fill you in later" Percy said. "Did you get my message?"

"I wouldn't be wearing this ugly camouflage if we hadn't" Cassandra replied, examining the fabric on her pants with a sour look.

"Where are you?" Percy asked, sounding like he wanted to say something else.

"Stalker much?" She questioned, before answering, "Almost to Queens—Midtown Tunnel."

"Giving out your location to stalkers probably isn't the greatest idea" Percy joked. 

"I live life on the edge" Cassandra deadpanned. "But Percy, what are you planning? The camp is virtually undefended, and the gods—"

"Just trust me, okay?" Percy pleaded. "I'll see you there, Snow Queen."

He hung up before she could argue.

       ╰┈ ⋆｡˚ ❀ *· 🌬 ࿐ ࿔ ˚:⋆ ✧･ﾟ

It was late afternoon when the three vans pulled up in front of the Empire State Building. The vans were using the camps cover name, Delphi Strawberry Service, which were normally used to send fresh produce into the city.

The doors slid open, and Cassandra climbed out, along with the rest of the campers, some still looking green from the long drive. Chiron exited last, his horse half compacted into his magic wheelchair, forcing him to use the handicap lift.

The Ares Cabin wasn't there. Cassandra tried not to be too mad about it. Clarisse had made her standings clear, and if she wanted to sit back and watch her fellow campers die, that was on her.

They had forty campers. That was it. Cassandra knew that it wasn't enough, but it would have to work. Everyone looked nervous, and she knew why. They were probably sending out so much demigod aura that every monster in the northeastern United States knew they were there.