Chapter 9

Coughing up water as he felt the lake drain away, Eagle realised he had managed to keep hold on Annabeth. He was curled on his side, the sopping wet blonde gasping from within the protection of his large frame. Instinctively, he realised in wonder, he'd protected her.

It was Wolf's shouting that had Eagle up on his feet, pulling Annabeth with him. "There are 7 of them! Round up all the children!" His leader's shout was heard and obeyed by all men present, without hesitation. Eagle looked around; all of his unit were pulling themselves to their feet whilst the spectating soldiers, who hadn't been standing as close to the wave, were running around try to get the orange shirted demigods to their feet. Well, knowing the men they were probably just checking they were alive and then throwing them over their shoulders, if the disgruntled shouts from high-pitched voices were anything to go by.

Annabeth was his priority, he decided, hitting her back to try and help her cough up the water. As soon as she could breathe properly, she began speaking: "Nico! He's strong but Percy's wave hit him first and Thalia might have electrocuted him! And he's not a great swimmer!" She declared. He nodded seriously. Whilst he might not trust kids much, even demigods, Annabeth was very smart. It seemed that if she said something, it was important.

"Wolf!" He shouted, turning to face his leader, who had a hand clasped securely on Percy's shoulder. "Nico; Annabeth thinks he'll need help." Surveying the scene, he realised that he couldn't see the son of Hades.

Unprofessionally, though not completely uncalled for, Wolf swore. Acting fast, Percy had realised what was happening and had run for the water before Wolf could stop the boy. Poseidon's son dived into the still rippling water and disappeared – if anyone had been able to see his face, they would've seen panic, but also admirable determination.

It couldn't have been more than two minutes since Nico tackled Thalia, but after three the boy would drown. In terms of Greek politics, Zeus and Poseidon's children ganging up to kill Hades' only son probably wouldn't go down too well.

Roughing another thirty seconds passed before Percy reappeared, lifting Nico's head above the water. He seemed to be struggling to bring the other boy back to the shore, even with what seemed to be the help of the water, but Eagle realised that fighting like that had to come with a cost.

When Percy got close enough to the shore, Wolf dashed out and lifted Nico's body from Percy's grasp. He had a natural tan, but Percy looked pale and it wasn't a terrible surprise that his knees gave way as soon as he left the water himself. Fox dashed over in time to stop him hitting the floor and carried him over to where the rest of the Godlings had been deposited.

Meanwhile, Wolf had laid Nico on the floor and stepped back to allow Snake (K-unit's medic) and Jaguar, another medic, to save him. Whilst unresponsive, he was breathing. There were, however, possibilities of complications that were not so obvious, but in some ways just as dangerous.

More and more soldiers, including higher ranking officials who attempted to take charge, populated the scene; boats and a shed full of equipment had been swept into the lake, a bunch of newbies having been picked to go in and retrieve said items. This meant Eagle had the time to help Annabeth. He'd thought about offering to carry her, then about just doing it anyway, but had settled on allowing her to walk. As soon as she began walking she stopped again.

"Ah, Styx!" She exclaimed, rummaging through her short's pockets. The sky rumbled at what Eagle thought could be swearing but he saw her grey eyes roll like it was an annoyance, before pulling out a sandwich bag of golden squares.

"Annabeth, now is not the time for cereal!" He replied jokingly, only to be on the receiving end of a deluxe stare.

"It's not cereal; it's Godly food. Deadly in large doses for demigods – I don't think you guys should eat it – but has healing powers. Give him a square," she thrust the bag at Eagle.

He nodded at he took the bag from the girl. "Will you be okay?" He looked at her, drenched and slightly cut and probably bruised, and then looked into her eyes, and he knew. He knew that she had fought with far worse than minor injuries, all alone. An image flashed to his mind of her, walking alone through a battlefield, or at least the remnants of one if the bodies littering the floor were anything to go by. She was older, but it was certainly her.

His eyes widened and he shook whatever that was from his head, before nodding and running to help Nico whilst Annabeth went to join her fellow demigods. Leo and Alex sat beside each other, eating a square of ambrosia each. Leo looked annoyed, and in curiosity the daughter of Athena wondered if maybe being doused in water had any physical or emotional influence no his fire-based life sources. Thalia sat a little away from the group, knees drawn to her chest and a frown on her pale, freckled face. Beside her, a barrier between her and the group, a stoic unnamed soldier sat. Annabeth felt bad that her friend looked so desolate, but if anything was wrong with Percy! Or Nico, of course, then she would be furious.

Taking a seat beside Piper, Annabeth was handed a square of ambrosia by the daughter of Aphrodite. It seemed Piper was the only other demigod who seemed to have remembered to carry it. In concern, Annabeth looked over at Percy; he was sitting up and eating, but he looked so unhealthily pale it made Annabeth want to shiver. Likewise concerned, Fox remained dutifully at his side.

They hadn't known the soldiers long at all but Annabeth sensed protectiveness already. She shared her thoughts quietly with Piper, who had an acute sense of people's relationships with one another, and her friend agreed. It seemed strange possibly, but these were men who had dedicated their lives to protection of others, and perhaps they even felt a sense of kinship considering the blood ties. And whether she realised herself or not, Annabeth didn't quite know what to make of the sensation; people who wanted to protect her. It wasn't like she'd experienced that often in her short seven years. The only thing she did know is that she absolutely did not want it to make her weak or vulnerable. That wouldn't do, not for a demigod and certainly not for a child of wisdom.

Tired, the six demigods sat quietly in a fatigued mood, lack of energy and motivation leaving them stunted as he soldiers continued to bustle around them. The camp's Doctor and medical staff arrived and Nico was loaded into their vehicle with Wolf to accompany them to the infirmary as supervisor. Snake and Eagle returned to Fox and the children.

Everything was settled and done. When Snake approached the group, he observed that all 6 of the children looked tired, especially Thalia and Percy. "The Sergeant wants us to go back to the cabin; he, uh, doesn't want any more damage done to the camp. Or you two," he pointed to Thalia and Percy, "to talk or be anywhere near each other."

"That's fine." Percy replied, raising tired eyes, "I don't want to talk to her. And I'm tired." He yawned, falling backwards to be helped back up by a concerned Fox. Thalia didn't say anything in response, but she looked just as pale as her cousin did.

"Right, well that's sorted then." Eagle replied, stepping forwards and pulling Annabeth and Piper to their feet. Alex and Leo stepped up and after dismissing the other soldier, dividing Thalia to her friends, Snake helped her to her feet. Her knees gave out immediately. He offered her a piggyback and she accepted hastily, considering the embarrassment of the alternative, as Percy did likewise with Fox. Soon enough the 9 of them were heading back to the cabin. Since they were still sopping wet, even the sparse warmth of the cabin was pleasant.

Both Thalia and Percy were happy to be dumped on their beds, to subsequently pass out. Of course, considering hypothermia – and how much the American government or whoever would sue them for killing the kids – they were forced to change into dry clothes first. But it soon became apparent that having four attention deficit children in a small space was going to drive the soldiers absolutely nuts; even they themselves had sitting still issues, and their daily routine involved constant moving and thinking, not staying inside.

Without any other sort of entertainment, Eagle got out his pack of cards and sat down to teach the demigods poker. They weren't terribly interested in settling down, but when competition and money came into question all four played with interest and determination. Fox watched with fascination at the game, and saw that Alex proved to be devious and intelligent. Leo didn't have much of a poker face and even if he did, Piper could read right through it. Eagle had experience on his side, but all four of them proved to be very tactical. And good liars, which wasn't necessarily a good thing in other circumstances.

It was only about an hour later when Wolf stepped through the door, his clothes still damp and the 7 year old beside him walking and talking, more colour in his cheeks than both of the other children of the big three put together.

"Everything okay?" Snake inquired, looking at his tired unit leader and the boy beneath the mop of raven black hair. With the exception of the intensity of the big three's eyes, and the same darkness of their hair, the three cousins didn't look all that alike. Not that it mattered, really.

Wolf nodded; "Yeah the kid's fine. The Doctor mentioned something about over night supervision but nobody was keen on that." He pointed with his eyes to the demigod who'd gone to join his four other friends. "The sergeant wants to see me now, so have fun with the kids." And with that, he walked out the cabin again.

The noise level rose and Snake buried his head in his hands.

- Sergeant's office –

"Wolf," the Sergeant said heartily, sitting down in his chair and waving for the soldier to stand at ease. "Even though you're a descendent of Ares, you are a smart man; there's no doubt about it. And even though now you've seen what these kids are capable of you have to remember they are still children and still need discipline."

Nodding, Wolf replied. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" At the nod, he continued: "Sir, how can I assert control over someone so powerful? Did you know how strong Percy would be?"

The Sergeant shook his head. "I was raised on the legends of children of the Elder Gods, but I had never met one. I suspected as such, but they are so young; that, I believe, is nothing compared to what they will become. That's why the Big Three vowed to stop having demigods."

Wolf raised his eyebrows, but decided to not press the subject. "So, you mean I have to punish Thalia and Percy anyway?" He'd try to hide his incredulous tone, but failed quite miserably.

"Yes, Wolf. Cleaning the cabin, or kitchen duty, something menial and appropriate."

This time Wolf didn't try to hide his surprise: "Together, sir? They'll tear apart the camp."

"I reckon the son of Poseidon has a good head on him. One who fights for one weaker in the name of protection is brave, and there's no doubt about that." Whether the man had realised he'd pursed his lips in perhaps concentration.

"And what of Thalia?" Wolf asked. He was unsure himself of her character; he'd seen her as a leader, as just a little girl and as a warrior lost in the heat and temptation of power, all 3 contrasting personas.

Despite his answer, Apollo's son smiled nostalgically. "The Lord of the Sky is as deadly as his lightening and as interchangeable as the sky he controls; spiteful and selfish and cold. I've lost friends to his wrath, as have demigods and Gods alike throughout the years. His daughter may not be as intense or as dangerous as her father, but one can't forget her heritage."

Wolf knew, then, that the man's views would be forever based on his own bias. He could be right about Thalia, but Wolf saw a 7 year old girl when he looked at her, and it was important for him to hold onto that point. "She's got good friends, sir, especially Annabeth. You've had experience with Zeus, but I think Thalia will be okay."

- At the cabin –

Of course, one of the first issues Snake had stumbled across when considering the sizable negatives of being responsible for seven 7 year olds was the care stuff – teeth brushing, dressing, showering etc. they were only children, and he didn't know when kids became responsible for that stuff on their own. It wasn't like he had his own kids, though the man supposed that when he did in the future, it wouldn't be awkward, just a part of parenting. A part that, right now, none of them were quite ready for.

Thankfully, the mysterious subject was cleared up by the ever useful and intelligent Annabeth. "Snake?" She asked tentatively, approaching his bunk where he was sitting alone.

"Mmh?" He replied, lifting his eyes from the paper book quickly to pay attention to the girl.

"When's a good time for us to shower and stuff?" She asked tentatively, twiddling with a strand of blonde waves. It was at that point he had realised it was awkward for her to ask too, and so he adjusted his position in the hope of becoming more approachable looking.

"Uh, during the day really, when the rest of the camp are busy." He replied, recalling the information he'd been told only the morning before with remarkable ease.

"Ah, so we can go now then." She more or less stated, looking satisfied. He checked the metallic faced analogue above the doorframe and nodded.

She went to turn away, but he caught her arm, lowering his voice as he asked her subtly; "You guys don't need any, uh, help with washing and stuff do you?" Feeling the tips of his ears literally pool with blood, he was aware he had sounded just a tad creepy but also knew Annabeth understood from the look on her face.

She smiled with ease. "We're okay, we've all learnt to be quite self-sufficient from camp and stuff. It wasn't always child-centred, and Alex said he'd refused help from some suit guys last week. Can't blame him, if they're anything like the guy from the other night, I would have too." Annabeth spoke almost confidingly, and with a far more sophisticated degree of language than he'd had probably at the age of 12.

"Can't blame you kiddo," he murmured as she rush away to alert the others. He couldn't help the sadness of his tone; these children were dealing with far more than adults should, and they were so strikingly, mournfully young.

He was far too much of a coward to admit it, but it broke his heart.

- London –

"You've spoken with the Titan Lord today?" He asked, taking a seat opposite her hesitantly, attempting to still his shaking hands.

She nodded, pouring a sachet of sugar into her coffee and stirring without withdrawing her serpent's eyes from his pale, sweating face. She was the lion and he was the delivery mouse. "Well?" She asked, putting her spoon on the saucer, "Is he displeased?

He nodded. "The Olympian Gods and the British forces are on hyper alert. Our Lord is convinced that if we had gotten to them before MI6 did, we would have been successful."

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and took a sip of her drink before replying to the still quivering man. "But the Olympians consider their move a solution, do they not? A week or so and they will consider their problem fixed, and then we will strike. We will take those children and make them a weapon of our own, send the Olympians to ruins. Scorpia will prevail against the British scum."

He nodded his agreement, unable to find his voice.

And then she smiled, and his heart stuttered. Not became she was beautiful and powerful and threatening, but because he felt like he was the dartboard and she had a dart in her manicured hands.

"Did you know, Mr Henry, about the plan before now?" She asked, taking another sip of her still steaming drink.

He shook his head.

"Well, now I suppose you know quite a bit too much. Hyperion wasn't very keen on you, I hate to say, thought you shook too much. I must say, though, it is quite distracting." She smiled again, and he just knew that it was pointless in him continuing to breathe.

"I'll have Mr Sanderson kill you on the way out, Mr Henry. Don't suppose you could stand somewhere not carpeted, and away from the wallpaper décor? I don't want to have to dispose of another body of a cleaner."

She waved him away with a swish and he all but scuttled from the room.

Rose had another sip of her drink.