Words to keep my centered title from getting messed up.

Chapter 22 – The Retrieval of Stoll and Gardner

Lacey POV

I hear footsteps. Grinning I draw my crossbow. It's been a while since the last hunt. They're nearing. Closer… closer… almost there… and now!

I whip around the corner, arrow notched, and find myself face-to-face with an innocent high school student. The girl stares down the shaft of my tranquilizer arrow in shock. Then she screams. I panic.

"Wait! No, don't scream. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Oh gods of Olympus, what am I going to do?" I babble.

I grab an arrow from my quiver then hesitate before using it on her. What if they find traces of the drug in her system? What if there's some side effect that will tell them she was drugged? I don't make this stuff. I don't know these things.

I put the arrow back and quickly hit her with the stock of my crossbow. She crumples to the floor, hopefully out cold. I breathe a sigh of relief when she doesn't move. That could have been bad if someone had been around to hear her.

The late bell rings and I hear footsteps pounding down the hall. I smirk. Of course he's late for class.

Travis POV

I'm late for class again. This isn't exactly unusual, but it definitely isn't good. I'm pretty sure at a certain point they stop just marking down that you were tardy and start giving you detention. And for an ADHD demigod sitting in detention is Hades.

I notice a girl from my English class slumped against the wall in the hallway. I almost stop to ask her if she's okay, but I have enough problems already. Plus, with my luck, she'd end up being a monster.

There's hallway that branches off the main corridor up ahead. I need to turn here to get to my class.

I swing around the corner and come to a dead stop. In front of me, is a curly haired blonde armed with a crossbow. The string is pulled back and the weapon is loaded and aimed at me.

Her mouth curves upward. "Hey there."

Then she lets go and the hallway disappears.

Katie POV

Walmart is one of the cheaper places to shop for lotion, which is kind of nice when you're shopping with babysitting money. I scan the shelf, looking at the brands. There's Twilight Woods, Secret Wonderland, Carried Away-

There's a thump in the next aisle and I hear someone muttering angrily under their breath.

I pull my attention back to lotion shopping. My dad will want me back home soon, so I should get out of here quickly.

Another thump comes from behind me. I sigh. What a klutz. They must be dropping merchandise and making a mess over there.

I finally grab a bottle at random and turn toward the cash register. It's time to go.

That's the last thought I have before my vision is overwhelmed by darkness.

Lacey POV

I smile when Katie collapses on the ground. Then I rub my shin. I am really having an off day here, mistaking innocent high school students for demigods and crashing into shelves.

I creep over, hoping no one else needs to buy any body care products, and pull out a potato sack from my backpack. I carefully shove Katie in and hoist the sack over my shoulder.

I sneak out the back door and to my car. There's a heavy thunk when Katie hits the floor of my trunk next to Travis.

"Try not to wake up, guys." I advise them. "We'll be home soon."

Lacey: Thanks for the lovely new reviews guys! Questions coming up next chapter.