It was the middle of the night in Miami. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned. Inside a penthouse overlooking the sea, the bioandroid Cell floated in front of a clear glass window, with his eyes closed, but still watching the storm unfold in front of him calmly. Behind him, the sound of a door opening and closing echoed in the room, followed by several footsteps, which quickly stopped. Cell's eyes opened and he floated around to see Luke standing behind him. He had a pained look on his face.

"Is it done?" Cell asked.

"Yes. I administered the venom. The effects should start soon enough." Luke answered with a pained expression on his face.

"Did anyone see you?" Cell asked.

"No." Luke answered. Cell nodded at that.

"Excellent." Then, Cell noted the expression on Luke's face.

"You don't approve?" Luke grimaced.

"It's not that, it's just… Thalia…" A snarl shot across Cell's face that was quickly replaced by a sympathetic smile.

"Luke… understand that what we do here together is for the greater good of all demigods. Together… we are going to change this Earth for the better…" Luke nodded. Cell gritted his teeth and continued.

"Remember, you can do what I can't. You are the rallying cry that your fellow demigods will follow. This is what Thalia died for!" Luke nodded at that.

"What now?" Cell turned away from Luke and looked out the window. On the board, the white queen moved and removed a rook, which then floated off the board and fell on the floor.

"For now, go to the Princess Andromeda and continue to recruit half-bloods to our cause. Wait there until I tell you." Cell ordered. Luke looked shocked.

"We're doing nothing?" Luke asked with pure bewilderment. Cell chuckled.

"For the moment, we will wait. Let our recent actions take effect, and let the pieces dance on their side of the board." Cell answered as he picked up a white knight piece and twirled it between his fingers.

"But!" Cell interrupted Luke with a quick raise of his hand.

"A quick lesson, Castellan. Sometimes, the best action is no action at all. Now, go." Luke stiffly nodded.

"What about Jackson? And Gohan?" Cell smiled.

"I've already taken steps with Jackson. As for Gohan… he's fine where he is." Luke paused.

"And Annabeth?" Cell mentally laughed at the waver he heard in Luke's voice. Fear. So pathetic. Still, the girl was a weakness he could exploit… and just not on this pawn.

"I already gave you my word, she will not be harmed. She's on her way to camp as we speak. Now then, go." Luke nodded, turned, and left the room. Cell turned back towards the window and looked downward towards the street below. A smile formed on his face as a lone figure came into view below, running for dear life. Next to him, the black queen moved on the board and trapped the king. Checkmate.

"And so it begins." Cell laughed.

The sound of hooves clattered against the pavement as Grover ran for his life. He was hauling goat tail, holding his human shoes in his hands the way he does when he needs to move fast. He clopped past the little tourist shops and surfboard rental places. The wind bent the palm trees almost to the ground.

Grover was terrified of something behind him. He must've just come from the beach. Wet sand was caked in his fur. He'd escaped from somewhere. He was trying to get away from ... something.

A bone-rattling growl cut through the storm. Behind Grover, at the far end of the block, a shadowy figure loomed. It swatted aside a street lamp, which burst in a shower of sparks.

Grover stumbled, whimpering in fear. He muttered to himself, Have to get away. Have to warn them! The ground shook as the figure got closer. Grover dashed around a street corner and faltered. He'd run into a dead- end courtyard full of shops. No time to back up. The nearest door had been blown open by the storm. The sign above the darkened display window read RACHEL'S BRIDAL BOUTIQUE.

Grover dashed inside. He dove behind a rack of wedding dresses.

The monster's shadow passed in front of the shop. The smell was horrific, a sickening combination of wet sheep wool and rotten meat and that weird sour body odor only monsters have, like a skunk that's been living off Mexican food.

Grover trembled behind the wedding dresses. The monster's shadow passed on. Silence except for the rain. Grover took a deep breath. Maybe the thing was gone.

Then lightning flashed. The entire front of the store exploded, and a monstrous voice bellowed: "MIIIIINE!"