The lost hero returns

7. Judo flips

Annabeth's point of view:

The soldiers stand next to each other.
They are wearing weird black armored clothes with hoods to hide their face. And I think they are also wearing a black mask underneath.

It reminds me of a game my little brother is obsessed with. Assassins creed.

"How can we trust you? You don't even show your face." I say.

The one who called himself commander Omega seems to look at me. But it is hard to tell with the hoods.
I dont want to give him the feeling he can intimidate me. So I stare back at him.

"Annabeth has a point. We are not trusting people into our camp who keeps their identities a secret." Matthew says standing besides me.

"It is not a secret. It is just none of your business." Omega says bluntly.

"Well, we don't need you here. Leave." Matthew says waving his hand.
They don't move a muscle.
"Are you stupid? I said that you should leave." Matthew repeats.

"Maybe you should know charmspeak has no use on us." Omega says.

I raise my eyebrows and look at Matthew. Charmspeak?
Matthew looks a little disturbed.

"I wasn't-" He tries to say but Omega holds up his hand.

"Please spare me the useless words." He says. "It's a waste of oxygen and time."

The campers laugh a little.

"Stop laughing." Matthew says. And the crowd instantly calms down.

"Must feel good to be able to control everyone with your words." Omega says.

Matthew looks at him with rising anger.
"Don't speak to me like that!" He hisses.

"Then don't use charmspeak on the campers." Omega says back.

"If I were you I would be careful how you talk to the leader of this camp." Matthew says with his arms crossed.

He looks so confident that he has Omega in his grip.
But that doesn't last long when the group except Omega start to laugh.

"You.. You a leader.." A girl says laughing.

"Yes. I am. So you should start to show me some respect." He says. His confidence melting off his face.

"Respect must be earned. Not forced." Omega says flatly.

"And he should know. He is commander of over a thousand soldiers." Forge says proudly.

"You are overdoing it. We have 817 soldiers." Omega says modest.

"Doesn't matter. He has led us through victories more times I could count. And killed more enemies than anyone ever has. So you are the one that should be showing some respect." Alpha says pointing his finger at Matthew.

"Anyway." Omega says. "We are staying here until we have helped you defeat your enemies."
He walks forwards and heads for the cabins but Matthew stands in his way.

"You are not welcome here. Leave." Matthew tries again.

But Omega doesn't stop walking.
When Matthew stands right in front of him Omega stops one second.

"If you take another step, I will-"
Then he judo flips him onto the ground.
I look at him in surprise and resist the urge to smile. Memories flashing through my mind.

Omega looks at him for a couple seconds. But when Matthew doesn't make an attempt to get up again Omega walks away like nothing happened.

"Tomorrow we will introduce ourselves some more. For now we are going to rest. I recommend you do the same." Omega says to the campers.

He turns around and heads towards an open space. He holds out his hand. And suddenly there is an cabin standing there.

It is beautiful. It's black with Greek, Roman and some other style that I have never seen before.
The campers look at them with open mouths as they head into the cabin.

This was such a weird night.

Something seemed to feel so familiar. Something in the way Omega talked and behaved.

I glance at Poseidons cabin.
My heart aches when I look at it and the memories it has.

Behind me Matthew stands up again cursing in Greek.
"I will make him pay for that.." He mumbles brushing the sand off his clothes.

I turn around and walk towards him.
When he looks up I judo flip him again.

"What the Hades Annabeth!" He yells.

"You told me you would stop charmspeaking the campers!" I scold at him.

"I only did that because I had to." He says.

A voice in my head says not to believe him. To stay mad. But the anger fades.

"Fine. But only because you had to." I say. He nods.

"Everyone head back to what you were doing.." Matthew says.

The campers slowely walk back to their own things.

I glare at the cabin of chaos and head to the lake like I do almost every night..