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IXX

'So, how was your date with Reyna?'
     'It wasn't a date, Jake, it was more of a lecture. And besides, I still have Piper.' Jason responded.
     'A lecture about what?'
     'About me making decisions and thinking deep, that's all.' Jason sounded offended by Jake's comment.
     'Oh, really?' Jake teased.
     'Shut up.'
     As soon as the words left Jason's mouth, the door to the fifth cohort flew open. Doubled over at the entrance, panting, was Dakota.
     'Frank wants you.' He looked up at Jason.
     'Okay. At least I get away from this loser.' He smiled at Jake and walked out the door.
'What is it?' Jason asked Dakota as they closed the door.
'She never told me.' Dakota replied.
'Okay.' Jason turned away.
'Are you okay?' Dakota asked. 'You seem... down.'
'Yeah, perfectly fine.'
The words from his dream rang in his head: I will destroy you when you least expect it.
     'You sure?' Dakota urges, even though he knew he wouldn't get any information out of him.
     'Yeah.' Jason lied.
     'If you say so.'
     They walked in silence for the rest of the walk.
     Jason knocked. 'I potest intrare?'
     Frank's voice echoed through the room. Jason could hear it even though he was outside. 'Sure!' He said.
     Jason opened the door and stepped in.
     'Hello?' His voice bounced warmly off the walls like bouncy balls.
     'In here, Jason.' He said.
     He stepped out of a room that looked to be a bathroom. He had his amour on, like every day.  His helmet tucked under her left arm.
     'You training?' Dakota asked.
     'Just having a meeting with the senate, about war tactics, so that's why I'm wearing the armour. Anyway, Dakota, you may leave.'
      Dakota nodded and stepped outside, closing the door. Frank turned to face Jason.
     'Do you know why I summoned you?' He asked.
     'No.'
     'Well, Reyna has to leave early for the meeting, so she told me about your little date.' Frank mocked.
'It wasn't a date! What does everyone assume that?'
'Anyway, did you figure it out?'
     'I did. I know what to do.' He admitted.
     'Then go.' Frank smiled and walked out of the room to the meeting.
      Jason hesitated, then ran back to the fifth cohort.

Jason stuffed a backpack with food, drinks, a couple of denarii and American dollars. He threw the bag to Jake and a reflective shield to Dakota.
     'What's this for?' Dakota asked cluelessly.
     'You'll see.' He said. 'Alright. Everybody ready?'
     'For what?' Clarisse asked, half-hidden in the shadows of the bunk beds.
     'A quick trip to Camp Half-Blood to drop you off.' He glared at Dakota. 'Then we are-'
     Jason was disrupted by a bang as loud as a firework. Everyone turned.
     'What...' Jake's voice faulted. Looming over him was a giant snake, as large as the Field of Mars that just broke through the roof of the fifth cohort. It stared at Jake, clearly not interested as if it wanted to skip the entrée and sink it's teeth-or fangs- into the main course. Jason was pretty sure he was the main course. The snake then hovered over Jason, a metre from his face. Jason froze in shock. His hand drew closer towards his pocket. But before he could grab his coin, the snake lunged. It bared its fangs and tried to bite Jason, but he was too fast. He dove away and summoned his sword. Before he could land a strike, Clarisse rushed out the door, as if she were running away, which is very un-Clarisse like.
     Jason wanted to call to her, but the snake whacked him with its head. When Jason thought things couldn't get worse, the snake hissed in a familiar feminine voice: I will destroy you when you least expect it. Then it disintegrated, leaving a pile of ash as black as space.
     Jake sounded stunned. 'That snake was a clown: Scary.'
     Dakota tried to hide his snicker. 'You're scared of clowns?'
     'Have you seen them up close? I do not recommend it.'
     'Anyway, what did it mean by, I will destroy you when you least expect it, or whatever?'
     The words from Jason's dream filled his head again. It was the same voice. He shivered.
'I don't know.' He lied. 'But we'd better get moving. Dakota, you have the shield? Jake, the backpack? Let's go.'
     'Uh, three things. 1) Where is Clarisse? 2) In how long is our deadline due? And 3) How are we going to get there?'
Jason exhaled. 'I don't know. There is one day left. One word: Favonius.'
     Dakota itched his head. 'So, we'd better get a move on. Let's find Clarisse and this Favonius guy and get this quest over and done with in one day, tops.'
     Jason nodded. 'Let's go.'
     Jake continued off Jason's sentence. 'And find Clarisse.'
     Dakota did the same but to Jake's. 'And drop me off to Bacchus.'
     Jason scratched his head. 'Er, yeah.'