17. Not cool, bro

Jason POV

Piper and I had recently arrived at Camp Half-Blood again from Camp Jupiter. I had to finish off one of the minor god's shrine on Temple Hill so that he wouldn't throw a fit and destroy anything. Nobody needed that.

When I wasn't building any shrines or cabins or temples, we would spend most of our time at the Greek camp. For some reason, even though I grew up at Camp Jupiter, I found that being in Camp Half-Blood is more...relaxing, for the lack of a better term.

Piper was catching up with her siblings in the Aphrodite cabin so I was basically alone. The other campers had activities to do and I didn't want to intrude or disturb them. So I resorted to the next best option.

Playing pinochle with Mr D and Chiron.

The first time I had seen someone play pinochle was when I first arrived at camp all those years ago, I had no idea what was going on. Chiron ended up teaching me and I have to say, I kind of enjoyed the game. It was simple and fun to play. Not to mention, it was amazing seeing Mr D's reaction when I had a better hand than him.

Interacting with Mr D was more tolerable now. Ever since...Percy disappeared.

Whenever I thought about Percy, tears would make their way to my eyes. It's been more than four years since anyone had last seen him. Every time the thought of Percy wound its way to my mind, I would always think about where we went wrong. 

Why did Percy leave us? Did we do anything to drive him away? Did I do anything that would have encouraged him to leave?

I was so busy thinking about Percy again, I didn't even realise that Mr D had won the round and was celebrating. It happened sometimes. When I was too absorbed in my thoughts, I subconsciously tuned out everything around me. 

I felt someone tap me on the arm. I looked up to see Chiron looking at me with sad and understanding eyes. I smiled sadly and nodded. He always knew what I, and all of his students, was thinking. I guess those were the perks of being a teacher for millennia. 

The topic of Percy's disappearance was a sore topic for everyone at camp, even Mr D. He was everyone's friend and our leader, and something inside all of us broke when he left.

I sat up and sighed before giving my cards to Mr D, who was already reshuffling the deck. We were just about to start a new round when we heard a sharp sound pierce the air. I sat up straighter and grinned when I realised it was a hunting horn. 

The Hunters' hunting horn.

I looked over to Chiron to see him smiling at me. As soon as he nodded at me, I got up from the chair and ran over to Half-Blood Hill. I could see some of the campers had stopped their activities to greet the Hunters. The last time they had been at either camp was a few months ago and I had missed Thalia greatly. I would hardly see her since she was always with the Hunt and I couldn't wait to see her again.

When I reached Half-Blood Hill, the Hunters had already entered the borders. I could see Thalia in front of the group of roughly twenty-five Hunters. I wanted to go up and hug her but I knew the Hunters wouldn't appreciate a male hugging their lieutenant, even if I was her brother.

I felt Chiron trot up next to me in his centaur form to greet the Hunters. As soon as I saw Artemis leading the group next to Thalia, I immediately dropped down into a bow, the campers in the vicinity doing the same.

'Lady Artemis,' Chiron said with a slight dip of his head 'To what do we owe the pleasure?'

Artemis smiled at Chiron as everyone straightened from the bow, 'We have come to some, ah, new developments on Olympus.'

Chiron cocked his head to the side, 'And what are these developments?'

Artemis looked around at the gathered group of demigods before turning back to Chiron, 'Maybe we should have a meeting in the Big House?'

He nodded, 'Of course, Lady Artemis.'

Just as he turned towards the group of campers, a scream erupted from the back of the Hunters' group.

Everyone immediately drew their weapons and went on high alert. I reached for my sword at my waist but cursed when I realised I left it on the porch of the Big House.

The Hunters drew their bows and turned around but as soon as they did, they were thrown in the air by a black blur. Panicked screams rippled through the air as the campers stumbled around, not sure what to do. The Apollo campers had arrows notched and aimed at the black shape but they couldn't fire without hitting the Hunters.

Artemis' bow appeared in her hands as she took aim at the figure but as soon as she did, it stopped moving and I could see who or what it was.

The figure was a man dressed in all black clothes, a black sweatshirt and sweatpants tightly fit on his figure. He had a black mask on his face and had unruly black hair over his piercing golden eyes.

I felt rage boil up inside me when I saw who he was holding. In his grip was Thalia with her own hunting knife pressed against her neck.

Everyone became silent. All the Hunters had their bows drawn and aimed at the man. Artemis herself had a glowing silver arrow notched on her bow, ready to fire at a moment's notice. All the demigods had their weapons drawn but nobody could do anything. He had Thalia as a hostage.

'You're that man that has been rescuing demigods,' Chiron spoke up with his own bow aimed at the man 'Why are you doing this?'

I looked closer at the man and realised that Chiron was right. My anger had prevented me from recognising the man and now that I could, my anger lessened and I became confused. Why was the man that had guided young demigods to the camps attacking us?

'Indeed I am.' the man said. His voice was deep, but I couldn't help but notice that it sounded vaguely familiar.

'Then what do you need Thalia for?' I asked angrily. I could feel myself about to lose control and that would be really bad. Not just for me but for everyone within twenty feet of me.

The man laughed, but it sounded hollow and empty, like it was a puppet who was laughing. I didn't know if it was just the mask and I didn't want to find out.

'You think doing this is easy?' the man said looking straight into my eyes, his golden orbs boring its way into my soul 'I am always alone. Nobody to talk to. Sometimes...well, sometimes I would need some...stress relief.'

With that, he used his free hand to caress Thalia's face, making her jerk back. Thalia's face morphed into a panicked expression at those words. It took all my willpower not to rush forward and snap that man's neck.

'You will not touch my Hunter, boy.' Artemis spat with such hatred that anyone else would have cowered. Instead, the man laughed again.

'Oh, I'll do more than just touch her.' the man's hands trailed down Thalia's arm as she squirmed in his grip.

Piper appeared next to me glaring at the man. She and Thalia had gotten close in the past four years. Although, I suspect its just because Thalia had a lot of embarrassing baby stories about me.

'You will let Thalia go,' Piper said lacing her words with as much charmspeak as she could 'You will let her go and hand yourself in to us.'

I felt the urge to follow Piper's command and do what she said, even though her words weren't directed at me. The thing was, during the time I had spent with Piper, I had gotten somewhat resistant to her charmspeak. The man was surely going to let my sister go now.

To everyone's surprise, the man didn't even move.

'Nice try, love spawn,' the man spat 'Charmspeak doesn't work on me.'

Artemis still had her glowing arrow aimed at the man. I watched as she subtly shifted her bow so that the arrow was in line with the man's face.

'Don't even think about it, goddess,' the man said amusedly 'One more move and you would need to find a new lieutenant. Tell me, is it a trade you are willing to make?'

Artemis seemed to be in the middle of an internal struggle. She was trying to make a choice but I knew she would never make that trade.

As the man and Artemis engaged each other in a staredown, an idea came upon me. Thalia, like all children of Zeus, were resistant to an extent to lightning. If I strike them with a bolt just small enough...

I focused and began calling forth a lightning bolt that wasn't too big that it would hurt Thalia, but just the right size that it would render the man unconscious and leave Thalia relatively unscathed. It was a risky move but right now, we didn't seem to have a choice.

As the sky darkened, the man looked up and despite the mask, I could see him smile.

'Ah, a son of Zeus,' he mused 'So this is your sister. Don't worry, I'll make sure you have a little niece or nephew in a few months.'

As soon as I heard those words, I snapped. 

I yelled as I called down the lightning bolt I had been preparing. The smell of ozone filled the air and a second later, thunder boomed and a lightning bolt rained down from the dark clouds above. 

I must have lost control or something because the bolt was bigger than I intended it to be. When the bolt struck Thalia and the man, everyone gathered around us were thrown back by the impact, even me.

My ears were ringing. The explosion had thrown a cloud of dust into the air, blocking my view of Thalia. I looked around to see almost everyone on their backs. Chiron was covering his face with his arms and was trying to make the dust go away. Artemis was staring at the spot where her lieutenant was standing just a second ago.

I stood up and staggered towards where Thalia and the man had been, trying to see past the dust. It was a while before the dust finally cleared and when it did, both Thalia and the man were nowhere to be seen.

I felt my heart clench painfully. Thalia was gone. She was in the company of a madman that was going to...I couldn't even think about it. I lost Percy a while ago, and now I lost Thalia as well. Maybe, just maybe, Thalia would come back but she would be scarred beyond repair. She would never be the same again.

I felt myself breaking down. I had lost Thalia once before. I wasn't ready to lose her again. 

Piper came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my chest, rubbing my arms with her hands.

'Don't worry, Jason,' she said soothingly 'We'll get her back.'

I closed my eyes, trying to keep the tears in. I didn't want anyone to see me so vulnerable. 

The campers around us had started getting up and were already whispering amongst each other. Chiron walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

'We will find her, Jason,' he said mournfully 'I am sorry, child.'

I took several deep breaths trying to calm my emotions. I didn't know whether to break down and cry or find something to take my anger out on.

Suddenly, a soft snicker came from the group of seemingly sad Hunters. My head snapped towards that direction as I glared at the person who dared laugh at my sister's kidnapping.

'What are you laughing at?' I growled at a young girl, about ten years old with blonde hair and brown eyes. How could she laugh at a time like this? 

'Uh, nothing.' she replied but I could tell she was holding in her laughter. That made me mad.

Just as I was about to go up and teach her a lesson (I didn't care that she was ten), another Hunter burst out laughing. Soon enough, all twenty-seven Hunters were either rolling on the floor laughing or trying their best to stay standing. 

Even Artemis was trying to hold in her laughter. Artemis!

It was a long time before they finally calmed down, and even then they were occasional snickers and even snorts coming from the group of immortal maidens.

'Lady Artemis,' Chiron said cautiously 'You do know that your lieutenant was just kidnapped, right?'

'Yes, I know,' she said before breaking down into laughter again 'But...your faces! They are priceless!'

I wanted to go up and punch her right in the face. I didn't care that she was an Olympian or that I might get turned into a jackalope. I just couldn't believe they were laughing about my sister being kidnapped.

All of a sudden, I felt an arm wrap around my neck. I instinctively grabbed it and tucked forward before flipping my attacker over my shoulder. I heard a grunt and immediately spun to position myself over the person. I planted my knee on their stomach and my forearm on their neck.

'I thought you'd be glad to see me, little bro.' I heard before my brain even processed what just happened.

I blinked before my vision cleared and I saw who I had pinned down on the floor. 

It was Thalia.

I was so shocked, I didn't even release Thalia from my hold. How was she here? She couldn't have managed to escape someone so powerful so fast, could she?

'Jason,' Thalia croaked out 'You mind?'

I snapped out of my thoughts and immediately stood up before helping my sister to her feet. I couldn't believe my eyes. My sister was here! Thalia escaped from the disgusting man that tried to kidnap her. 

But how?

I looked around briefly to see everyone looking at Thalia in wide eyes. Some even had their mouths open.

'Wh-How...' Chiron stammered 'She just-she just appeared there. How is that possible?'

Thalia smiled cheekily, 'I don't know what you mean Chiron.'

I stared at my sister. According to Chiron and based on the reactions of the campers, Thalia had apparently appeared out of thin air behind me. I wanted to ask so many questions but I was interrupted by Thalia suddenly breaking into a round of laughter.

'We got you guys so good!' she pointed at me still laughing 'You should have seen your faces! I so wish we recorded that.'

That prompted the Hunters to collectively start laughing. Me and the rest of the campers looked at them confused. The Hunters were never like this. They have never acted so...childish. 

'That was rather hilarious, wasn't it?' a familiar deep voice spoke up. I felt anger rising up in me again as the man dressed in all black stepped out from behind the Hunters. 

I stepped forward planning on killing him for touching Thalia but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I looked down to see the hand was attached to my sister's shoulder. 

'What are you doing?' I hissed at her 'Let me go. I need to kill that man for touching you.'

Thalia snorted, 'You don't have to, Jason. He had milady's permission to do the prank.'

'But-'

'Don't worry, little bro,' Thalia rolled her eyes 'He's my friend. I can't have you kill him, no matter how much you think he needs to die.'

'Not that I wanted to touch you anyway,' the man said before he shivered 'That's never going to happen again. That had to be the weirdest thing I ever had to do. I only did it for the prank.'

The Hunters and Artemis snickered as I glared at the man.

'And how are you even this guy's friend?' I directed my question at Thalia still glaring daggers at the man 'How do you even know him?'

Thalia smirked, 'You know, he's your friend as well.'

My anger was replaced with confusion. I've never met this man in my life. How could I even be his friend?

'Thals, you're going to overload his brain,' the man chuckled 'Seriously, Sparky? You don't even recognise me?'

I took a step back. Only two people could call Thalia Thals without being skewered. And only a few people knew me by the name Sparky. Could he be...could this man be...

'I'm disappointed, Jason,' the man shook his head 'I thought you would miss your dear, old friend.'

I stared at the man in disbelief as he reached up to take his mask off. My eyes went as wide as saucers as the man grinned at me, showing me the face of my missing cousin and best friend, Percy Jackson.