Revenge

Chapter 8

"Are you completely nuts?" Beck yelled. "You're telling me that some immortal dude did it with my mom and I'm only half human? Do you know how weird that sounds? You're crazy!"

"Is she going to keep shouting?" Piper asked as the blonde stormed around, screaming and cursing.

"That's how she deals with things." Jamie shrugged. "She runs out of steam eventually."

"Well it doesn't look like 'eventually' is going to be any time soon." Jason pointed out. The three turned to look at Beck, who was still ranting.

Piper opened her mouth to order Beck to stop, but Jamie grabbed her arm.

"Better to let her get it out now then have to deal with it later." He insisted.

Piper sighed and leaned back in the seat she was sitting in.

"-And if you don't leave me alone after this I'll call the cops on all three of you nut jobs!" Beck finished, breathing heavily and glaring at them.

"Are you done yet?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I haven't decided." Beck retorted.

"Beck, we aren't crazy, I promise." Jamie said calmly.

"You just told me my dad, who is dead, is a Greek god!" Beck yelled at him.

"That's because it's true!" Jamie exclaimed. "Ask your mother, I bet she knows!"

"Fine." Beck growled, digging her phone out and dialing her mom.

Piper and Jason turned to the door, seeming to be waiting for something.

"Hey Beck, how's the dance?"

"Well I found some crazy people." Beck said, trying to stay calm.

"What do you mean?" Her mother asked.

"There's some kids here who say my dad's not dead."

Silence.

"Mom? They're wrong aren't they?"

She sounded nervous when she answered, asking, "What did they say about your father, Beck?"

"They keep insisting he's a Greek god and that some of my classmates are monsters."

A moment of quiet, then her mom spoke again.

"Beck, go with them wherever they take you. You'll be safe there."

"You aren't saying they're right, are you?"

"They are completely right, Beck, and if there are monsters at your school you need to go with them."

"But- But I can't just leave! I have school!"

"I'll call the school and tell them I'm pulling you out for the rest of the year because of personal reasons. You can go back next year when you have some training in defending yourself from the monsters." Her mom was speaking very quickly, like she wanted to cut the call short. "Beck, listen to me, don't call unless you're somewhere safe that you can't be attacked, like Camp. The monsters, they can smell you-"

"So I've been told." Beck said irritatedly. She couldn't believe her mother had kept this from her.

"-and the smell gets magnified when you use your phone. At Camp there will be a border to keep them out, but if you're at school, it won't help you-"

A high pitched, inhuman scream echoed down the hall.

"We need to go!" Jason bellowed.

"Beck, stay safe and stay with your satyr!" Her mom shouted.

"Mom?" The line clicked. "Mom!"

"Come on!" Jamie grabbed Beck's arm. "We have to get out of here!" He dragged Beck into the hallway.

Jason and Piper were fighting off several half bird, half woman creatures.

"Come on!" Jamie shouted again, pulling Beck away from the fight and down the hallway.

"Where are we going?"

"We're getting out of here! It's not safe!"

"Run!" Jason urged them. "Before more show up!"

"Are those harpies?" Beck asked frantically.

"Were harpies, yes!" Piper matched pace with them, a dagger clenched in her hand. "Either of you have a car?"

"I do." Jamie assured her. "It's parked out in the parking lot."

"Beck, text your friends, tell them you had to go home." Jason said.

"Why can't I stay here?"

"These things are after you!" Jason barked. "Do it!"

Beck glared at him. "How about I do it when I don't have to run and watch where I'm going at the same time."

"Fine. Jamie, lead the way." He told the boy.

Jamie took off, and Beck wondered briefly how he ever managed to pass himself off as paralyzed. His body was built like a runner's and he moved with the familiar precision that came from athleticism.

"This way, come on!" Jamie turned a corner sharply, nearly wiping out but regaining his balance and changing his momentum to propel himself forward again. "Jason, open the doors for me!"

Jason threw his arm forward and a gust of wind flew ahead of them, making the doors burst open. Beck distinctly heard the locks crack apart.

Jamie jumped down the flight of stairs and kept running, out in the cool night air now.

More screeches and strange cries echoed in the night. A dark figure appeared above the trees, flying towards them.

It fell to the pavement as a lightning bolt struck it.

"Get in!" Jamie hit a button on his keychain and his car's doors popped open. He scrambled into the front seat while Piper jumped in the passenger side. Jason and Beck took the backseat and yanked their doors shut.

"Go!" Piper barked, slamming her door closed.

The car's engine revved and Jamie steered them quickly out of the parking lot.

"Mist don't fail me now." He muttered.