The Warning Signal
Chapter One
They waited until after sunset to start the bonfire.
Adam didn't even blink an eye at Apollo's strange request. Apollo was grateful that Adam hadn't asked any questions.. He wouldn't have been able to explain why he needed to do this. He just knew that he needed to. And that he wanted his friends to be with him.
Once the fire was going, the first thing Apollo threw in was the ID card and wallet Zeus had left him with. Apollo refused to have anything to do with Zeus, after what had happened the last time they saw each other. Apollo had been desperate. Nero had killed Meg in the most brutal way possible - burning at the stake - and forced Apollo to watch. He - Apollo - had had a concussion, a broken leg, and broken ribs and he had been held back by those barbaric Germani, Vince and Gary. Nero had thrown him a cell afterwards to suffer and starve while demigods of the Imperial household came in daily to torment and beat him. Apollo escaped because Nero set his own fortress on fire. Apollo wandered around for weeks. He was alone, terrified, and in pain. Finally, in desperation, he prayed to Zeus to help. It was a mistake.
You dare to pray to me for help after what you have done? Zeus had thundered. Because of you, my son Jason is dead, the Cave of Trophonius is destroyed, and Meg McCaffery is dead. You broke your oaths on the River Styx. You have proven time and again that you are unworthy to be a god and unworthy to be called my son. If you ever presume to pray again, you will be struck down.
It felt good to watch the words Lester Papadopoulos burn.
Next, Apollo threw his bow and quiver and the broken Arrow of Dodona into the fire. The arrow had been snapped in half by a demon named Keviasne. Keviasne had lured Apollo to his home with the sound of his flute. He had pretended to be Apollo's friend and then showed his true colors, locking Apollo in his basement and raping and torturing him. Apollo shivered violently at the memories.
If only you were Zeus instead. Keviasne had lamented. I really wish he could be my pet instead. But, you look like him so I suppose you'll have to do.
Apollo threw his old clothes into the fire next. There was no reason to keep them. They were tattered and torn beyond use. He hesitated to to throw in his combat ukelele. It was bent and broken beyond repair, but Harley had given it to him. (The sweet boy from the Hephaestus cabin.) Apollo had intended to keep it forever, even when he went back to Olympus. He had wanted it to be a reminder of what demigods suffer everyday - a reminder to fair and kind. But he was never going back to Olympus. Zeus had made that abundantly clear. Besides, the ukelele was utterly useless now. Like Apollo's broken, mortal hands, it never make music again. He took a deep breath and tossed it into the fire. (He kept the old rusty nail in his pocket. It had saved him from Keviasne, and Apollo wasn't ready to give it up.)
Apollo leaned on his crutches and stared into the fire, watching everything from his old life burn. He jumped when he felt Adam's hand on his shoulder.
Adam lifted his hand. "Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Apollo said. "I mean, I will be."
Adam didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Okay. If you say so."
Apollo couldn't help but wish that Adam was father instead of Zeus. Adam had found Apollo, half dead, floating down a river and saved him. He'd brought Apollo back to his home and nursed him back to health. He'd been a better father to Apollo in four months than Zeus had been in over four thousand years.
"Hey, I was wondering, now that I'm on the mend…" Apollo's voice trailed off. He didn't want to ask for too much at once.
Adam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Could you start training me? I want to be like you. I mean, I want to do what you do. I want to be a monster hunter, like you are." Apollo pleaded. "Please, Adam. I will work harder than anyone you've ever trained. I won't ever be a burden, I promise -"
"Hold it, kid. First, your leg needs to heal." Adam said, very seriously.
"But -"
"No buts," Adam said. "I can start teaching you the basics, like how to load a gun and make your own fake ID. But nothing too straining until your body can handle it. And once you're healed, I'm not going to go easy on you. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good. Now, let's get inside before these mosquitos eat us alive."
Apollo turned away from the fire and hobbled back to the house with Adam. Let what was burned stay dead. Apollo was going to become the best monster in the field. And then, he was going after Nero.