The Grandson

The Other Camp pt. 2

I ponder what Chiron has just said. Percy... Percy... It sounded familiar now. Like a puzzle missing some pieces. The picture will be of something terrible.

"I've waited long for this, but now I feel the time is right. You are the hero that will find Percy Jackson and bring him back," Chiron says, "first, come take a walk through the woods with me. I need to talk to you a bit more."

The information settling in my head is like dust settling on a book that's been in place for many years.

I'm no hero. Why does Chiron think I can do this?

I walk out of the Big House  with Chiron behind me. It's still very early in the morning and nobody is awake yet, except for a few satyrs playing volleyball on the volleyball court and some dryads in the trees. We walk towards the woods.

"So," Chiron begins, "there is much I should tell you."

"Such as?" I ask.

"Well, as you probably already know, us Greeks were not the only religion in Ancient Europe," Chiron continues, "we fought with other groups for dominance over Europe until we were destroyed by the Romans. The Romans took and 'perfected' it."

"Okay," I say as more of this metaphorical puzzle comes into place, "I think I understand."

Chiron is saying that there are more gods out in the world. 

I look away from Chiron and notice that we're walking in a part of the woods I have not been to before.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"This is a place that has been here since the Civil War, but was long since forgotten," Chiron says. I don't think that it was a straight answer.

"What?" I ask.

"We're here," Chiron says.

 We are in a large meadow. There's a large hill in front of us. i take in the beauty of the meadow. There are lots of plants and flowers with many bees pollinating them. The flower's colors range from blue to purple to red to yellow.

"This," Chiron says touching the hill with his pointer finger, "is Bunker 9."

"A bit like Cabin 9?" I ask.

"Yes," Chiron replies, "Leo noticed this as well."

"Wait, Leo Valdez?" I ask. Chiron opens the doors and I see a vast room with conveyor belts across the room, leading to places I can only imagine,  cat walks above flowing  to places I don't know, anvils, and blueprints that have dust and tools all over them. There are tunnels that lead to other places most likely related to those of the catwalks and conveyor belts and even a giant banner above it all, saying: "Merry Christmas! All of your presents belong to Leo!" Leo had an interesting sense of humor.

Chiron picks up a blueprint. He sighs.

"The Argo II," Chiron says.

"Wait, there was a second Argo?" I ask in amazement.

"Yes," Chiron answers, "Leo Valdez built a  warship, sailed it to California, and then to Epirus, in Greece with six, and later, seven other demigods, and a satyr."

"Wait," I say as questions appear in my mind, "why did he go to California? Why not straight to Greece?"

"He had to pick up some of the other demigods from the Roman camp, Camp Jupiter," Chiron says.