Chapter 9
I opened the folder again and started to spread the document out around me like a sun based on type, report, video transcript, or photo. Once completed, I started with the video transcripts. I picked up the first one that happened to be the one from my last day at camp, and started to read.
June 10th- The subject, Annabeth eats breakfast which is oatmeal. How bland. She then goes through her cabins assigned activities, always checking her watch as if she was waiting for something to happen. She is in the arena fighting and she goes over to get a drink of water. The boy, Jerome, comes over and starts to flirt with her, leading her to the Dining Pavilion. Percy Jackson appears and hides, listening to the conversation between Annabeth and Jerome. Annabeth says something and Percy gets mad. He summons a wave of water that douses the pair. The boy shouts something and Percy snickers and runs off.
I flipped the paper over a couple times. “That can’t possibly be all that happened.” I thought aloud. “Something else must have happened.”
I picked up a second document. This one was from a couple days before I arrived at camp. Hmm interesting, I thought, and read.
Annabeth is sitting in her cabin. She’s folding clothes and placing them in her chest at the foot of the bed. She then walk to the back of the cabin and starts organizing her desk, clearing off blueprints and scraps of random paper. She finds a photo under a big pile of papers and holds it up, smiling. She whispers something and places the picture down. She walks out and runs into the boy called Jerome. He says something, leaning up against the wall of her cabin. She replies angrily and glares at him. He says something else and leans in to kiss her. She slaps him and pushes past him, storming up a path.
I read and reread the transcript, shaking my head in disbelief. Why was Annabeth all over Jerome when I came to camp, when just a few days ago she was slapping him for trying to kiss her? The facts just didn’t add up. I reached for a stack of photos and looked at the time stamp; the day I left camp.
The first one showed Jerome making moves on Annabeth and I cringed at that. I took out a small device from my pocket and activated it. The small machine whirred to life and buzzed over all the documents and scanned them one by one, quickly. It then flew over to a port hooked up to my big screen and plugged itself in, the pictures appearing on the screen.
Standing up, I walked over and tapped a photo, opening a new window. I spread my hands and the image enlarged. I stepped back and studied the image closely.
“Zoom in on her face.” I told the screen. Once completed, I observed the photo. This time, I could definitely see the glassy look in Annabeth’s eyes. Strange.
I selected a different image of the same event, just taken at a different angle. This time, I could see Jerome’s face. Something wasn’t quite right. His facial expression seemed off, like his mind wasn’t completely focused on Annabeth. I redirected my focus to opening and analyzing each document or image; Athena would be proud.
Finally, after a couple hours, I finished going though each piece of evidence. By this time, it was morning and I hadn’t slept at all. I picked up my phone and tapped in Silena’s name, calling her. She picked up after the third ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey Silena, it’s me. Percy.”
I could hear her yawn on the other end. “Percy? It’s eight in the morning. What do you need?”
“I think I found something on Annabeth.”
Suddenly she didn’t seem so sleepy. “Really, what?”
“You’re going to have to come here. Is that okay with Beckendorf?”
“Hold on…” I waited and could hear her and Beckendorf talking in the background. “Percy? Yeah, he’s okay with it. Let me get into better clothes and I’ll be right over.”
“Okay.” I said, and hung up.
Moments later, she flashed in a puff of pink. “Well, what’s so serious?”
I dragged her over to the screen and spoke to it. “Go back to the first photo I was looking at.”
The little machine whirred and the photo of Annabeth’s face popped up. “Zoom in.” the photo enlarged and I pointed at the eyes. “Notice that?”
She squinted and tilted her head. “Hm, seems strange.” She pulled out her phone and plugged it in. Pulling up a photo, she placed it next to the first one and stepped back. “Aha!”
I stared. “What?”
“Her eyes are different.”
I leaned back and collapsed in the rug behind me. “I know!” I groaned. “That’s what I was trying to tell you!”
She sat on the couch and crossed her legs. “Hm, what could make her eyes glassy? A spell perhaps, or a potion?” She drifted off into thought.
I lay there for quite some time. Then a thought came to me. I sat bolt upright and snapped my fingers. “Silena. You said something about a potion right?”
“Yeah.” She said slowly. “Why?”
I opened another image. “Look. Do you think it’s possible that whatever made Annabeth do what she did was put into her drink?”
“It’s certainly possible. My siblings might do something like that. They’re notorious for messing with love lives, but even this seems a little extreme. Before I died, we completely shipped Percabeth.” She giggled like a child and clapped her hands.
“Uh, nice to know. But if it wasn’t the Aphrodite cabin, who would it be? And why?”
She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know Percy. I just really don’t know.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Well thanks anyways Silena.”
“You’re welcome Perce. I could really use a coffee or something.” She glanced over at the clock. “Maybe some eggs as well.”
I stood up and flashed on a pair of basic clothes, which is the only kind you could flash on. “You got it. Do you know any good restaurants?”
She pulled on her jacket, stood, and stretched. “Yeah, there’s this little diner, Niko’s, or something like that. They have the best parfaits.”
I licked my lips. “Sounds yummy. I’m ready to go, how about you?”
She took my hand and flashed us out of the room. We landed outside a small little wooden building. A sign out front proclaimed the name of the establishment as Niko’s. I pushed open the door and was greeted by the smell of fresh, warm cinnamon buns.
“Silena!” A short women with elfish features scurried up to her. She curtsied slightly and inquired, “Where’s Charles? Did you leave him at home?”
“No, I decided to bring Percy here to discover your amazing parfaits.”
The woman gasped slightly. “Is this the Percy? As in Percy Jackson?”
I waved awkwardly. “Uh, yeah. Hi.”
She bowed deeply to me. “What an honor it is Lord Percy. I can’t believe I’m meeting you at last.” She got up and clasped her hands together. “Can I get you anything?”
“Two parfaits please Athea.”
The girl nodded vigorously. “Right away Miss. Silena. I’ll put those in right now. Feel free to have a seat anywhere.” She bowed on last time and hurried off through the doors that led to the kitchen.
I led Silena to a booth next to a window and sat. Propping my elbows on the table, I raised an eyebrow at her. “Well she seems, excitable.”
“Oh, don’t mind Athea. She’s harmless. A nymph you know.”
I slapped a hand to my forehead. “A nymph!? You should have told me! I thought she was a bad outcome of one of your makeovers.” I looked at her teasingly.
“Not funny Perce.” She said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“Oh come on, I thought it was funny.”
She started to respond when Athea brought over our food. “Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked.
Silena held up two fingers. “Just two waters please.”
“Right away.” Athea left and I dug into my parfait, scooping a strawberry into my mouth.
“Wow, these things are good. What do they do to them here?”
“I don’t know. I come here a lot, so I might not notice the difference.”
I shrugged and continued to eat.
Silena took out a pink ipad and tapped on it.
I leaned over and looked at the screen. “Watcha doing?” I sang.
She lifted the screen so I couldn’t see. “Ah, ah, ah. No peeking.”
I sat back and pouted. “Aww, you can’t give me a hint?”
“We might have to go to Chaos for something.” She polished off her parfait and stood. “Ready to go?”
I shoveled the rest of my breakfast into my mouth and found Athea. I ordered us some coffee to go and a blueberry muffin. She came back with two steaming cups sealed off with lids and a little baggie with my muffin. I reached into my pocket for my Chaos card, it allows me to make purchases, to pay.
She noticed my gesture and waved me off. “Oh no. You don’t need to pay Lord Percy, this one is on the house.”
“Thanks Athea. For everything really, the food was really good. And please, you don’t have to call me ‘Lord’” I wrinkled my nose. “It sounds too formal.”
“Okay… Percy.” She laughed slightly. “And you’re welcome. I’ll pass your words on to the chef. Have a nice day.” She ushered us out of the diner with smiles and bows.
Silena teleported both of us right in front of Chaos’ office. She opened the door and shoved me inside, saying “Just get in there Percy.”