The Watcher ❪ Book 1❫

Chapter One

"You want me to what?"

"I want you to come with me to Boston to help me look for my cousin, Magnus." Annabeth repeated.

I shrugged, saying, "Okay."

"I know this is too--wait, what?"

"I said okay." I clarified. "Besides, I have nothing better to do. I'll meet you there."

I waved my hand through the iris-message, disconnecting the call. I rubbed my tired eyes and looked out the window. The sun was just beginning to rise, giving light to the landscape. You couldn't of called later, Annabeth?

I got up and started packing.

"You do know that there is no one out here, right?" I asked looking around, the hood of my leather jacket over my head.

It was true, I couldn't see anyone in the park. It was like we were in no-thank-you o'clock. The Boston winter wasn't exactly welcoming people out either.

We stopped where the path we were on forked. Annabeth and her father looked around, realizing I was right.

"Unbelievable," said Annabeth. "I want to strangle him."

Today she was sensibly dressed in snow boots, jeans, and a parka, with her Camp Half-Blood T-shirt peeking out at the neckline. Her expression was determined, angry. She gripped the sheaf of flyers we were trying to pass out like they were essays she'd been graded on unfairly. I raised an eyebrow at her teasingly.

"Threatening an old man's life now, are we?" I asked shaking my head in fake shame.

Annabeth playfully shoved me away. Her father signed. "We should probably avoid killing him. He is your uncle."

Mr. Chase's sandy hair grew over his coller--not in an intentional style, but like he couldn't be bothered to cut it. His dress shoes were totally wrong for a Boston winter. His socks were different shades of brown. His tie looks like it had been tied while he spun in total darkness.

Annabeth turned to her father. "But two years?" she demanded. "Dad, how could he not tell us for two years?"

"I can't explain Randolph's actions. I never could, Annabeth."

If I hadn't had enhanced hearing, I wouldn't have heard it. A sharp inhale had sounded below where the lower trail should be. I curiously walked over to the edge and looked down. I couldn't see anyone. I narrowed my eyes. l wouldn't have heard anything if there wasn't someone down there...

I was so caught up with searching below, that I missed some of the conversation between Annabeth and her father.

"--to find Magnus," Mr. Chase said. I walked back over to them, joining the conversation again as he checked his smartphone. "Randolph is at the city shelter in the South End. He says no luck. We should try the youth shelter across the park."

"How do we know Magnus is alive?" Annabeth asked miserably. "Missing for two years? He could be frozen in a ditch somewhere!"

My heart clenched. I hated to see my best friend so sad. During the Great Giant War Annabeth and I became really close. She comforted me about Percy being mad at me for not telling him about me. I got to know her because of that and we became friends.

I put my arm over her shoulders. "I'm sure he's fine, Annabeth." I soothed. "Besides, if he's related to you, he must be very smart."

She hugged me, chuckling. "You always know how to make me feel better, Cerise."

"Well it's in the job description." I replied as she pulled away. "Now, we have a youth shelter to look into."

We set off towards Charles Street.

"Look. There it is."

We had reached the other side of the park and was now looking at the youth shelter across the street. I could see homeless people through the windows eating, watching tv, or just talking. Their clothes were dirty and ragged, some looked oversized. I looked down at my clothes.

Black Timberlands, black jeans, my black leather jacket, with my gray long sleeve shirt hanging out at the bottom. A crossed, eggnog colored scarf laid on my chest. Clean clothes. Guilt built up in heart. They had to deal with so much.

I whipped those thoughts from my mind. We had someone to find. I checked for cars before I stepped into the street.

I froze.

Pain seared through my mind. My hands clutched my head as hunched over from the mental torture. My hearing was deafened. Flashes appeared in my vision. A house. But not just any house. It was Mr. Randolph's, Annabeth's uncle.

The image changed, again and again. The back entrance. The kitchen. The stairs. The library. Then it stopped with the image of Randolph's desk. Laying there, with pieces of old looking maps, was a small, thin book. On the cover, written in black cursive writing, was the words, 'The Watchers'.

HONK

I felt someone pull me back by the waist, making me fall to the pavement. My vision cleared of the image as the pain eased into a throb.

"Cerise? Cerise!" Someone yelled. "What happened?"

My hearing fully came back as I turned to the person. Startling gray eyes looked back at me, worriedly. Annabeth.

"Cerise?"

The ones before you are held in there. Go...

The word reverberated in my head. Then as if I was struck by lightning, I scrambled to my feet. I stumbled to the curb, mind racing. I need to take a look that book.

I raised my fingers to my lips and blew, half knowing what I was doing. My whistle rang loudly through the street, earning looks. But it did the job. Soon enough a yellow taxi cab drove to a stop in front of me. I quickly yanked the door open and dove into the seat.

"Cerise, where are you going?"

I winced. Oh, right.

I turned to Annabeth and looked her in the eyes. "Do you trust me?"

She seemed taken aback by the sudden question. "Yes, of course--"

"Then you need to trust that there is a reason I'm doing this." I interrupted. I went to close the door, but Annabeth's hand came up and stopped it from shutting.

"What about, Magnus?" she asked, still not grasping the idea that I was leaving. I racked my brain for a reply.

"I wouldn't be going if it wasn't important." I answered, closing the taxi door. "Besides, you don't need my help; you never did."

"But--"

I turned to the driver as I put on the seat belt. "Sir, if you get me to my destination fast, I'll double the pay."