Percy Jackson and the Dark Elites

XXXII

Grover

Grover got word from Shave an hour after the plan was made.

"Already?" Grover turned to him, shocked.

"Yes. I told our Violets that it was time sensitive. They're trained to blend in and investigate, Grover. I'm willing to bet they already knew the route and exactly how to do it."

"So they just prepare for any possible order from you?"

"Yes," Shave confirmed, looking over at a table-sized touch screen, with as much details as his Violets could give him at a time. "Especially something as simple as stealing something. The only thing that would be difficult for them would be them being so obvious about it."

"Right. So they have Riders on their tail?"

"Not just any Riders, the Knights."

"Knights... is that the Riders name for the commanding squad?"

"Yes. So the main threat is gone... we can go in for the Romans."

"And Ruin?" Grover asked.

"If we can find him," Shave responded. "Him and Leo... we'll find your friend alright?"

"You'll find..." Grover found it shocking that Shave was talking about Leo. For some reason, he felt connected to Ruin.

The guy who'd forced him into secrecy about his own dead friend.

Never mind, they weren't that close. But the Elites needed him. Grover must've related their inclusiveness in the war to Ruin.

It sounded like Stockholm Syndrome. They fought because Ruin decided to stop forcing them not to.

But he had his reasons. The whole, you fight and Chaos becomes unstoppable thing, it might've been the right call.

He'd also seen some pretty bizarre photos of his accomplishments, stories from Frank, and watched him beat Gaea in a day.

Since he and Leo went missing at Coda, they've had almost nothing. Blaze was a good replacement, but there was something different.

Both sides had suffered a loss.

The Greeks loss was all too familiar. But with how quickly Blaze had taken charge, Grover wondered if Ruin was someone's first in command at some point in time.

"Right," he said after a while. "What about Leo's... private circle? Are they going to help us?"

Shave leaned over onto his elbows and stopped working. "Only Leo knew how to contact them. And they're all in danger know that Chaos has him and Ruin. All of Leo's secrets, some of which Ruin doesn't even know, are at risk. The identities of Bark and Bones are at risk... if Ruin caves..."

Shave had mumbled and fallen off course. Grover was tempted to ask what was so important about Bark and Bones. One of them always seemed to be with or near Ruin.

He was their first choice for almost everything. Bark had helped stop Walker.

"Ummm,"

Shave regained his composure. He rubbed his hands together in embarrassment of his slip.

"Are we going ourselves?" Grover asked.

"If you want. You can fight?"

He grimaced at Shave. "Yes."

"Sorry. I'm staying here to oversee, but Blaze is leaving with a jet to patrol Brazil until we get an exact location."

"Thanks." He softened his tone. "Piper isn't coming..."