The Traitor {book 1}

4 - The Meeting

Heather's POV
I tapped my foot irritably and impatiently. We were in a car, and we've been travelling south for ages. But finally, after two long days of moving, we arrived.

Me and Thorn got out, and I heard footsteps, and breathing, that didn't belong to Nostril Flare Thorn. Then, it dawned on me that Annabeth had a cap of invisibility, and someone on their side was wearing it.

Though I didn't share this information. They can find out alone, without me. I noticed Thalia, Grover, Bianca and another girl, and I bet 20 drachma its a Hunter. They didn't recognise me, though. I was wearing a black pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, with a dark blue body warmer. I had my necklace on, obviously, and had black boots that reached just below my kneecaps. My hair was in a braid to one side, and I had black bandana that covered my nose and mouth on, as well as my hood up.

Finally we stopped at a big building that said AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. I'd been here before as a kid with my mom and Percy, but everything looked twice as huge then.

We weren't going inside. Thorn hesitated at the museum, and I rolled my eyes. We turned and crossed the street, and we climbed into the Museum of Natural History. There was a sign that said CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENT but the private event was our meeting.

We walked through a huge chamber full of mastodons and dinosaur skeletons, as the guards let us into the meeting room. Guards were everywhere, as well as two Scythian dracaenae.

Luke was in between the dracaenae and he looked worse than he did two days ago. And his scar was now an ugly shade of scarlet, like his cut had been reopened. Next to him, sat the General, hidden within the shadows.

"Well?" He asked, and it felt like the earth itself was trembling. I swear that man scares me. Not to mention that I think he's onto me.

Then Thorn excitedly took off his shades, and I rolled my green eyes. He made a stiff bow, and I did a curtsey, though not as stiff and robot like. "They are here, General." He said in his creepy French accent.

"I know that you fool," the General boomed. "But where?"

"In the rocket museum." I rolled my eyes at Thorn's incorrect statement.

"The Air and Space Museum," I corrected irritably, and Luke looked like I'd taken the words straight out of his mouth.

Thorn just glared at me. "As you say, ma'am."

I had the feeling he wanted to impale me with one of his spikes just as soon as he called me ma'am.

"How many?" Luke asked.

"Four, General," I answered for Thorn. "The satyr, Grover Underwood. Zeus's girl, Thalia Grace -"

"Yeah." Luke said, and I smirked.

"And two Hunters. One of them is Bianca di Angelo, and the other is like the leader. Artemis's lieutenant, she's wearing a silver circlet of some sort." I finished.

"That one I know," the General growled, and I took a step backwards. And everyone else shifted uncomfortably.

"Let me and Heather take them," Luke said to the General and I nodded in agreement. "We have more than enough -"

"Patience," the General said. "They'll have their hands full already. I've sent a little playmate to keep them occupied."

"But -"

"We cannot risk you two, my girl and boy."

"Yes, girl and boy," Dr Thorn said with a cruel smile, that made me step backwards in disgust.

"No." The General rose from his chair, and I had my first look at him, despite the fact that I was working  for him.

He was tall and muscular, with light brown skin and slicked-back dark hair. He wore an expensive brown silk suit, like the guys on Wall Street wear, but you'd never mistake him for a broker. He had a harsh, brutal face, huge shoulders and large hands that could snap and flagpole in half. His eyes were like stone, and it made me feel like I were looking at living statue.  

"You have already failed me, Thorn," he said.

"But General -"

"No excuses!"

Thorn flinched. In all honesty, when I first met him a few months my first thought was that he was a scary person. And now he was coward, stood in front of Thorn, Luke and I like a silly wannabe soldier. The General? He was the real deal. He was a born commander.

"I should throw you into the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence," the General said. "I send you to capture a child of the three elder gods, and you bring me a scrawny daughter of Athena."

This made me feel uncomfortable, as I  was a child of the three elder gods. Of course the General knew this, but I was on their  side.

"But you promised me revenge!" Thorn protested. "A command of my own!"

"I  am Lord Kronos's senior commander," the General said. "And I will choose lieutenants who get me results! It was only thanks to Luke and Heather that we salvaged our plan at all. Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some other menial task for you." 

I couldn't help but smirk at Thorn's raging, purple face.

Now my girl and boy." The General turned to me and Luke. "The first thing we must do is isolate the half-blood Thalia. The monster we seel will then come to her."

"The Hunters will be difficult to dispose of," Luke said. "Zoe Nightshade -"

"Do not speak her name!"

Luke swallowed. "S-sorry, General. I just -"

The General silenced him with an intimating wave of his hand. "Let me show you, my boy and girl, how we will bring the Hunters down."

He pointed to a guard on the ground level. "Do you have the teeth?"

The guy stumbled forward with a ceramic pot. "Yes, General!"

"Plant them," he said. "And Heather. I want you to leave and guard the place. I shall have someone collect you soon." I obeyed, and left the room, curious.

I ran back inside a somewhat 10 minutes later, and the dracaenae stared coldly into thin air. Then, I realized something, as the dracaenae released a scarf and it fluttered down towards the General's hand.

I had no idea what was going on, as the General boomed: "What's this?"

"An intruder," the General growled. "One cloaked in darkness. Seal the doors!"

"It's Percy Jackson!" Luke yelled. "It has to be!"

I bit my lip and hastily slammed the doors tightly shut, and locked them quickly. "Sorry, Percy..." I mumbled, and stood in front of the doors, smirking, with my dagger pointed. Before it shut, he slipped out, and I was proud of that.