The Harvest Trials

Chapter XVII

Leo

It's been four days since Piper mysteriously disappeared, making it a Friday. There have been rumors that she was sent to a drop zone, but that doesn't make any sense. They stopped sending people ages ago. 

I remember when Fridays used to be a godsend. After long days of school, Friday would come and set me free. I used to love Fridays. Now I hate all days, because all days suck. Anyway, on this fine Friday, Percy was double shifted, Frank and Will had a shift right away in the morning, and Hazel is out on the field.

Nico and I, however, have a lab day. And lab days suck a lot. Usually I'm being used as a human furnace and Nico is being tested on his shadow travel. But I guess today is not a usual day, because they decided to do something different. 

And Everette himself was there.

I guess it was his idea or something and he wanted to see it. Another odd thing, they kept Nico and I together. Usually we are tested separately. I was really not liking today. 

"So I was studying our data from the two of you and I thought up a peculiar test that might produce energy if exploited correctly and I'd like to give it a try. I ran a few tests on some dead rodents and the results were promising," he explained with a smile. I was truly repulsed. 

"You know," I said. Nico shot me a look that obviously said shut up but I ignored him. "I pray for the day when you realize your mistakes. And I hope you pay for them."

His smile transformed into an ugly sneer in record timing. "Do not speak to me, boy. You are beneath me."

My mouth was already opening for a retort but Nico elbowed me. I decided I should probably shut up. 

Everette waited no longer in explaining to us what we were going to do. "di Angelo, you will raise the dead. But you see, this part is sensitive, because I just want bodies. Corpses. They will not be reanimated. Valdez, you will burn them."

I'll admit, I almost threw up on the spot. Repulsion doesn't even begin to cover it. I would not. Nico looked pretty green as well, but he pushed aside his morals and got ready to do it. "Nico, no," I said. Then to Everette, "I'm not doing that. I will not burn dead bodies for energy."

"You will, because I said so," Everette said. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. I wasn't going to back down though. I wanted to say I'd faced worse, but now I wasn't so sure. 

"Leo, just do it. We don't have a choice," Nico pleaded, his eyes wide. "You always have a choice. I won't do it. And Nico, you're not strong enough to do this right now. It could kill you!"

Tears sprang to his eyes. "Do you think that matters to him?" His voice cracked in emotion. "Leo, just do it. They'll hurt you if you don't. Please."

I shook my head. "NO!" I said. Everette seemed to snap. "Escort di Angelo back to his cell. He was willing. Valdez is with me."

"No," Nico whispered, panic forming in his eyes. "No! Leo!" Guards arrived in seconds, dragging him away. 

As soon as he was gone, Everette's calm composure was gone. "Damn it!" He screamed, grabbing a chair and chucking it at the wall as hard as he could, leaving a dent. He started punching a computer monitor until the glass was in his knuckles and the cracked screen was covered in blood. 

He seemed to find himself as he stood stiff as Thalia's pine tree. He took deep breaths and turned back around with a smile on his face. "You kids are so...infuriating. I guess the only way to teach you a lesson is to...punish you."

I got a chill at his words. That definitely did not sound good. He stepped towards me and I stepped back. My fight or flight instincts were going crazy and all I wanted was to get the hell out of there.