Another Love ─── L. Castellan

xciv. strategy meetings are worse than 9 am lectures

"I don't know how they've done it, but they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic. The outside world might not even realise something's wrong." Annabeth was annoyed, annoyed that this has been their plan and I had been right. Typhon was a distraction. "Who knows what kind of havoc this could wreak? What about the people in the sky?

"It's like flies in amber." Jake murmured as Annabeth nodded.

"We shouldn't expect any help coming in." I turn to my friends. They're all looking stunned or scared and I don't blame them. The shield told us that there were three hundred enemies, if not more, on the way. We were only forty. "All right. We're going to hold Manhattan."

"Romy, Manhattan is huge." Silena pointed out. 

"Well, the gods of the wind will keep Kronos' forces away from Olympus by air, that means ground assault. There's a finite number of entrances to the island, we'll cut them off."

"They have boats." Michael Yew pointed out as something clicked in my head and I nodded.

"Let me take care of the boats." I know they're going to ask questions but then they think better of it. "We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. They'll try midtown or downtown for their first try, because it's the direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Seven to Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, take Four to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Travis, take half of Eleven to cover Manhattan bridge. Luke, you're okay with the other half of Eleven for the Brooklyn Bridge?"

He nods, though looks like he doesn't want to leave me for a moment. He'll keep Eleven under control.

"Silena, take Ten to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Nine, go for the Holland Tunnel. Greek fire, traps, powers, whatever any of you can do, do it!" I tell them. "Malcom, take Six and activate Plan Twenty-Three along the way to the 59th Street Bridge. Annabeth, show them how."

"Yeah, then I'll go with you to finish the plan?" I nod.

"Alright, stay in touch with cell phones. If you don't have one, borrow someone's, call Luke, drop it and then use another one." I can see Travis opening his mouth. "And no, you're not allowed to keep the phones!"

Eleven all sigh.

"Hold it, Romy." Jake stops us. "You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel."

I curse internally. He's right. A tank and a hundred or so monsters were marching through the tunnel and I'd positioned all of our forces elsewhere.

"How about you leave that to us?" I turned, finding the Hunters of Artemis standing on the other side of the street. They were all in their usual camouflage pants, combat boots and white armour, swords at their sides and quivers on their back. White wolves milled around their feet, and I could hear the falcons flying overhead. At the front was someone that Luke and I hadn't seen in at least a year and a half now, Thalia, daughter of Zeus. "Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."

There were hugs and greetings all around, most of us knowing them well enough. Well, Luke and some of the older campers knew the hunters well, the only one I knew was Thalia and we hadn't exactly left it on great terms. I didn't know if she'd even speak to me.

"Where have you been for the past year?" Annabeth cried, embracing her friend tightly as I watched Luke's expression. I couldn't get much from it. "You've got so many more Hunters now."

"Long, long story." Thalia explained, before turning to look at me and Luke. "Luke."

"Thalia." He nodded, waiting to see what she did. She embraced him and Luke smiled gently, squeezing her back, before my cousin turned to me. 

"Andromeda."

"Thalia. Good to see you." I shoved my hands in my pocket, nodding to her. "Thanks for this."