The Forbidden Four

IV

The plan seemed good, the only problem was that they were probably going to let Ashley talk to Nico and that wasn't good. Ashley doesn't hate Nico or anything but sometimes he's...irritating.

"Ash?" Jen called. "Yeah?" She replied. "You know what you'll have to do right?" "Uhh Yeah I think..I mean I don't understand how it will work..he would probably be okay with handing the quest over..buut the camp and gods wouldn't ...would they?" Ashley Implied. Jen then started thinking again and said "Buuut wait...who says they'll ever know...we're gonna tell Nico to secretly give the money to us..he would..wouldnt he?" "I guess so."Ash said ...Cam then looked at them and thought of something..his face turned white and then he said "Guys....we need to start looking...but where...I mean...who was closest to number four?" Jen then teared up and said...."J-Ja-Jason...Jason Grace."

Just the thought of number four on Jen's mind made her tear up...she knew number four. She knew what was supposed to happen to them. Her mother.....she didn't even want to think about it.

"Jason?" Ash said. "How can we get to him right now? We can't just go all the way to Camp Jupiter. And we can't use the cellphones Leo made because guess what, we literally have nothing with us right now."
"Ash is right, we can't tell Jason, because one, he'll tell people we're leaving and two we have to go to Washington Seattle, We need to get money asap." Cam said. "I'm going to send Nico the paper, tell him we're willing to take the quest." Ash said. "And how are you gonna do that?" Jen said. Ash smirked.

Ashley stretched her hand over the ground, she closed her eyes in concentration. "Rise." She said calmly, yet sternly. The ground cracked and a dead body appeared. From the dead body's mouth came a ghost.

Jen yelped. "Ash what are you doing? Oh gods."
"Cam, write the letter will ya?" Ash said, her eyes focused on the ghost in front of her. "Sure." Cam shrugged.

"Nico Di Angelo. Son of Hades. We wish you would give us your recent quest. Finding number four. In exchange for us taking your quest, we want cash. Yes we are mercenaries."

"Really?" Jen said "shut up" Cam said.

"Two hours after receiving this letter, you will leave three bags at the Long Island eastern hills. (Leave a sign but don't make it obvious, or whatever) Weapons, drachmas, nectar, ambrosia, and some mortal cash (that would be nice) must be in each of the bag. Sincerely, mercenaries."

Ash handed the paper to the ghost. "Send it to Nico, Camp Half-Blood. Hades' cabin. Don't make yourself be seen by him." Ashley ordered the ghost and then it left.

"How can you do that?" Jen asked Ashley. "Same way you can control light, Jen. And no I'm not scared." Jen shuddered.

"Okay we have two hours. Let's go to the eastern hills first. Cam use your powers to try and hide us from Nico or anyone." Jen said. "Sure." Cam raised his hands, spread around his hands were the purple aura of his power. "Ready?" Cam asked. "Just get going." The aura swirled around them casting a shadow. They were able to see each other and their surroundings. "Cool." Ash said. Cam shrugged. "Not as cool as summoning stuffed animals." He said with a smirk, Ash glared at him. "Wait what?" Jen asked. "Don't ask." Ashley said. "Nooo I want to know." "You don't want to." "Yes I do." "Shut up." "Tell me." "Jen stop." "Ashley I demand you tell me." And she did.

They started walking to the eastern hills. "My legs hurt. Ashley can you use your shadow travel, or can you guys at least let me run fast." Jen complained. "No we stick together." Cam said. "And we're not letting Ash use shadow travel on three people. It'll exhaust her." Cam said. "No. I can do it, it's fine. It's been a while since I last shadow traveled, I can do it. "Ashley no. We'll walk. Thirty minutes left, let's hurry."

Thirty minutes gone by and they were at the hills. There was no Nico and no bags. "What if he refused? What if he took the paper and gave to Chiron or someone at the Big House? What if-" Ashley panicked. "Ash, I'm going to use a stapler to shut your mouth. It's gonna be okay. He's pro- there!" Cam shouted and they all looked at the direction he was pointing at. "Yes!" Jen cheered.

Nico put three bags beside the hill. A black bag, a purple bag and an orange bag. "Why the colors? You think one for each of us? Wait but how-" Ashley put her hand on Cam's mouth. "Do shut up."

Nico looked around him. "Good luck. I left you a piece of paper that'll show you were to start. Don't get killed. And watch out for your parents." He said looking around him. "Fuck. He knows. That stupid ghost must have been caught. What was I thinking." Ashley said. "Do shut up." Cam said. Ashley glared at him.

Nico left the hills. Five minutes passed and Cam, Jen, and Ash went to take their bags. "Yup he knows." Cam said. Beside Ashley's bag was a black sword. "Th-that's his sword. He gave me his sword." Ash said. She shook her head. She can't believe he did that. "That's good, right?" Jen asked. "Yes! Yes it is. This is Stygian Iron!" Ashley picked up the sword. It fit in her hand perfectly, and it's weight was perfect as well.

Cam took his bag, two pieces of paper were tucked in the front pocket. He took a look at the first piece. "Oh. Okay." He muttered under his breath and hid the paper. The second paper, was Nico's hint. "Guys this is the paper that tells us where to start." Cam said. "Keep it now. Let's get out of here first." Ashely said. "Nico put everything we asked for. There's a Celestial Bronze dagger in my bag! And a hundred bucks." Jen exclaimed. "He left us everything we'd need." Ashley said. She was very happy and relieved, and proud?

"Now what?" Cam asked. "Now we get as far away as possible form Long Island." Ashley said. And they started moving.

"Thank you brother."