Percy Jackson and the Dark Elites

IX

Frank

"There's been another sighting," Reyna told him.

Frank jumped up from the couch. "Where?"

"Yemen. A group of supply trucks were ambushed by hooded figures. Three people this time, that we saw."

"How many trucks were there?" Frank asked.

"Nine. They were taken out by grenades. The Elites chucked them in trough the windows."

"Do you think... " Frank shook his head. "Was it him?"

"This Ruin's suit is different from the others. It's darker with blue. It wasn't in the photos. But I have no doubt that he is the one who ordered it. Some Romans in the area got the photos and waited for the hooded figures to clear out but... they didn't get anything."

"It's why they call him Ruin," Frank sighed. "He leaves nothing behind. He must've been there."

Reyna shook her head. "He shows up for big jobs; though not exclusively. He often works with other Elites if he has no where else to go. So... if he wasn't in Yemen... He was somewhere else. This could've been a distraction for something much bigger."

"Or we missed something." Frank ran his hands through his hair. "How can three Elites take out nine trucks? Weren't they guarded?"

"Of course they were, but you've seen what they can do."

Frank sighed. "Something big has been going down for three years and these Elites are always one step ahead.  I tracked that shipment for months," Frank groaned. "Months. I thought we would finally get to have enough evidence to figure out what's going on. And how is taking out nine of their trucks a small job?"

Reyna grunted. "I know, maybe it had some kind of special cargo, but then Ruin would've been there himself. It might've been an ordinary supply mission, food, weapons. Are you going to Yemen yourself?"

"You know we're not going to get anything from the wreckage. The Elites always clean up before we get there."

"The ones they're fighting disappear just as quickly. We need to find out who they are if we're going to help. Are you going to go?"

He shook his head. "I promised Hazel I wouldn't go on any more trips, especially this close to her birthday, besides, I should say here and see if anyone knows where Ruin was that day."

"Right. She turns seventeen next month, right? I hear people want her to replace me as Praetor." 

Reyna was good at steering people away from unpleasant conversations. 

"She would be good at the job. But she's not just going to take it." 

Reyna laughed. "She's too sweet for that. You of all people know." 

"Doesn't mean she can't you up..." Frank blushed. "Are you going to go then?"

"As long as you stay. Someone has to greet Annabeth and Grover when they get here as well."

"Okay." He went quiet. Pouring over all the know places they've seen the Dark Elites.

"Hazel's right." Reyna finally said. "Trying to find the Elites is draining you. You should take a break. Go to Camp Half Blood, see your friends. No one would judge you."

"It's the news about Leo."

"We already thought he was dead."

"I know. But now we have a body. And I never saw him. They burned him that evening."