Chapter 1: The Failed Mission

Marriella stared the booklet in front of her. She was taking the New York State Math test. At that moment, she wished that she was anything but a sophomore. Marriella looked out of the classroom window and sighed. Today would be a long day.

Three rows in front of Marriella, another student were troubled by the test. His name was Percy Jackson. Unlike any other kids in the class, Percy is a demi-god, half human half god. Last year, Percy and his friends defeated the titan lord, Kronos.

If any things could get weirder….well things are. Marriella is part of an organization called FORCE. FORCE is an organization of teenagers that use high technology to try to protect New York from the "dangers" of the world. In FORCE, teenagers get to use gadgets and unlike any other organization, nobody knows about it. One gadget is a watch that beeps if it locates a bomb (or worse) in New York.

In the middle of taking the math test, Marriella's watch beeped. The watch beeped loud enough that Marriella could hear, but not loud enough that anyone else could. She looked around and quietly stood up. Marriella noticed that the teacher was talking to someone else in the far corner of the classroom. Good, thought Marriella. Without anyone noticing, she slipped out of the room and into the busy hallway of Goode High School.

Alyna Seawater became alert as soon as she heard her watch beep. Like Marriella, Alyna is in FORCE. Though unlike Marriella, she wasn't taking a math test at that moment. Alyna is a senior and Marriella is a sophomore, a two year difference. Today, juniors and seniors were let out early while the sophomores and below were taking tests. Despite their differences, they both part of FORCE's best team, best of the best. The team consists of four teenagers (Marriella Brightheart, Nethan Omal, Amy Surwevyt , and Alyna Seawater), the best teenagers in FORCE.

Before I move on in the story, let me explain something. Even though the four teenagers are part of the same group, they still have disagreements. Alyna and Amy argue about some sort of battle plan, Nethan and Marriella are deciding which computer method is better (more like a friendly disagreement) and in the end they get nowhere. The only really odd thing about the group is that Marriella is the only sophomore (the others are seniors) and Nethan is the only boy. Though, the main thing they have in common is their reasons for joining FORCE. Alyna did it because she had nothing better to do after school, Amy needs to get away from her constantly arguing parents, Nethan wants to get away from his going insane mother and Marriella has nothing better to do. See, they're not so different.

Alyna's expressionless face greeted Marriella as she exited the building. "Should we wait for Nethan?" asked Marriella.

"Yes," said Alyna in reply. A taxi came in front of the school. "Need a lift?" said Nethan. Alyna and Marriella entered the taxi.

"Where to kids?" asked the cab driver.

"To Madison Square Garden and as fast as possible please," Alyna said in an innocent, sweet voice.

"And fast," Nethan added.

The three kids soon found that the driver liked to talk. Soon, Alyna desperately wanted to make him shut up. Luckily, for them, their ride short. After paying the cab driver, Marriella spotted the bomb. They found the bomb hidden behind a very large and thorny bush. Once they had the bomb in their possession, they got to work. Alyna and Nethan worked on deactivating the bomb while Marriella tried to hide the fact from other people that kids were using a bomb.

"1 minute," Alyna muttered.

"WHAT!" exclaimed Marriella, "There's too little time. Leave the bomb! We don't have time to deactivate it."

"I'm working on it," replied Nethan.

Time timer on the bomb read 20 seconds. "If you guys want to live, please come with me!" Marriella begged.

"Not until we deactivate the bomb," said Alyna firmly.

Knowing that she couldn't change their minds, Marriella ran. She ran for her life. Once in a safe place, Marriella turned around. The bomb exploded. People screamed, Marriella covered her face, and the firefighters with the police came. Alyna and Nethan were sent flying in the air by the force of the bomb. Marriella ran to them. However, the police got to them first. Filled with sadness, she watched them as they were put on stretchers.

Marriella soon realized that she couldn't face Amy the next day. Amy would be disappointed in me. I really could have done something. I just allowed my friends to get themselves hurt and almost killed, Marriella thought bitterly.

Marriella called her foster mother, Maria Janue, (who liked to be called Marm) and told her that she would go to a camp for the summer. What she didn't say was that that camp was for half bloods.

At the beginning of the school year, FORCE discovered mist. Mist prevented mortals from seeing monsters. Very few mortals could see through mist. They also found out that mist was breaking. This was bad. They knew that the world would be in chaos if people could see monsters. Amy found a solution. She found out that camp half-blood existed. Amy figured out that the force keeping humans from coming into camp was also fading. If FORCE invaded camp half-blood, then they could collect data and find a way to strengthen mist. Chief liked this idea. He decided that FORCE would invade camp half-blood a week after school ended.

After this was decided, Marriella received an e-mail from Alyna explaining that she was half-blood. Alyna had run away from camp half-blood when she was 10. The e-mail also explained that Marriella was a demi-god. Marriella was in complete shock after she read this. However, she saw Alyna's purpose. Alyna had wanted her to know that they would be invading the place that protected kids like her.

Alyna and Nethan were quickly taken to the hospital. The doctors found that the two teenagers needed rest before anything else. Alyna woke up in the middle of the night. After double checking that she had not been examined, she escaped out a window. Alyna knew that bad things would happen if they bled her. A demi-god did not have the same kind of DNA as mortals.

Alyna faded into the shadows as she slowly walked towards "her house". Alyna didn't have any parents and lived with the Gabels. Before Mrs. Gabel got married, Alyna helped her with pregnancy and in return, she gave Alyna a place to stay. If you didn't know, the Gabels are rich. Everyone has heard of the Gabels. However Mr. Gabel didn't work in the business alone. Mr. Gabel and Mr. Dare are colleges. Mr. Dare is equally as rich and has a wife and daughter, Rachel. Together, they make money. However, Mr. Gabel doesn't like Alyna. Though, she could stay only because it was Mrs. Gabel's wishes. Finally, there is Laura Gabel. Laura could be described as pain in the butt or a show off (she is both) but she could also understand Alyna. She knew it must hurt not to know who her mom is.

Alyna knew that there would be consequences for being late. To tell you the truth, I don't think that she even cared. After living with the Gabels for a while she was used to their ways. She carefully climbed up a tree that was next to her bedroom window. Alyna always had her bedroom window open in case something happens. She swung herself into her bedroom.

If you had never seen Alyna's bedroom…well let's say this, it is…unusual. Alyna's wallpaper was a beautiful aqua green. Framed pictures of sea life hung all over her walls. The middle floor carpet was a coral white. Alyna had loved this room from the moment she saw it. It was Alyna's underwater fantasy. There is no joke that Alyna's last name is Seawater and she loves the sea.

Alyna sighed and peacefully removed her belt, full of FORCE equipment, and put it in a cabinet labeled FORCE. The peaceful moment didn't last for long. "ALYNA COME DOWNSTAIRS NOW!" yelled Mr. Gabel. Slowly she pushed herself off of the bed and made her way downstairs.

"Where have you been?" demanded Mr. Gabel in his deep voice.

"Doing important things for a club," replied Alyna casually.

"I hope that it was so important that it affected our lives."

"Actually, it does."

"Really," he said sarcastically.

"Positive."

Marriella sneaked into her apartment. Quietly, she gathered some belongings to bring to the camp, without waking Marm. The streets were still noisy in the night. She could hear a police siren in the distance. Quickly, she hailed a taxi, not wanting to be on the streets longer than necessary. Thunder rolled from the night sky as it woke up lightning. The lightning was dangerously close as Marriella stopped the taxi at camp half-blood's hill.

She waited until the taxi was out of sight before climbing the hill. Suddenly, Marriella jumped away from where she had been previously been standing. Lightning struck where she had been standing. Lightning chased Marriella up the hill until Marriella jumped into camp half-blood.

Percy Jackson calmly walked towards the mess hall. He sat down next to his half brother, Tyson (who is a Cyclopes). Unlike most campers, he is a son of Poseidon, one the big three, and there was only the two of them at the table. Percy had been given more respect than usual ever since he had made the choice to stop Kronos from taking over Mount Olympus. Also, a mortal, Rachel Dare, sat with Chiron every summer to eat meals. Rarely mortals were allowed into camp half-blood. Rachel was an exception, since she was the oracle.

At camp half-blood, there was always good weather. This did not stop them from seeing the weather outside of camp. That night, thunder struck very close to camp half-blood. Percy suddenly felt tense, as if something was wrong. Everyone felt the same way as Marriella entered camp half-blood, barely making it alive.