The Child of Hera

Chapter 5-Percy

Percy was standing next to Thalia's Pine tree, looking over Long Island Sound.  He thought about the walk with Annabeth.  They mostly just talked about the Prophecy and Birdie and how much she hated Hera and stuff.  That's how they loved.  

He looked out at the horizon.  He was expecting the Hunters of Artemis any minute now.  Thalia had said that she had important news.

He saw a flash of silver in the valley bellow.  The hunters were moving more slowly than usual, almost as if they were dragging something.  Then he saw they were.  A person.  As they got closer, he realized the person was a boy, about his age, with sandy hair.

Annabeth walked up to him from behind.

"I'm done with Jason!  Are the hunters here yet?"

Percy simply pointed towards the silver group.  Annabeth looked down.  She tilted her head.  

"Who are they dragging?" she asked.

"No idea," said Percy, "I kinda feel bad for the guy."

"Hmm."

The hunters walked right past them with out acknowledging them at all.  That was normal for most of the hunters, but Thalia usually said hi.

"Um Thalia.." said Annabeth cautiously.

"Not now Annabeth!"

Annabeth backed away.  Then two hunters walked by with the unconscious boy.  He looked oddly familiar.  Then Percy realized that he looked just like his old nemesis, Luke.  But he looked younger, and didn't have the scar on his face.  He was probably another son of Hermes.

"Hey Thalia," Percy began, "why are you dragging a kid?"

"Percy," said Annabeth, with tears in her eyes, "don't you recognize him?!"

"Sure, he looks like Luke, but Luke is dead."

"NOT ANYMORE!" Thalia shouted in his face.

"What do you mean?" Percy barely spoke in a whisper.

There were tears in her eyes as she blurted out the words, "He's alive again!  He's alive and he doesn't deny it!  He want's us to kill him, and believe me, I'm tempted!"

Not Luke, but kind of Luke groaned.

"Take the fugitive to Chiron," said Thalia to the hunters, walking away, "I'm going to go talk to Jason."

"Who's...Jason?" Luke slurred.

Ouch.  He must have made her mad.  She never left her hunters behind unless it was scheduled, an emergency, or she was really really mad.

"So Luke, you're alive," said Annabeth, "Let's talk."