A Matter of Trust

Chapter 1: Plan of Attack

Percy POV:

"He's late," Annabeth said impatiently. She had her arms crossed and stared at the tree line waiting for someone to emerge. "I told him to be back almost ten minutes ago. What is so difficult about following simple instructions?" She was starting to get angry. Percy thought that Annabeth looked really cute when she was angry, but he didn't think it was wise to tell her that just at this moment.

"I don't know what is keeping him but I'm sure he'll be back soon." Percy said trying to defuse the situation.

"You have a lot more faith in him then I do. I didn't even want him on this mission but Chiron insisted we use him, and now look. Unreliable as ever." Annabeth continued to stare at the forest as if she could make their teammate appear by sheer force of will. Just as Percy was about to say something else, they heard footsteps from behind them and turned to regard the fourth member of their team.

"What is it Mikela?" Percy asked.

"Just reporting in sir," the twelve year old girl squeaked. "The perimeter is secure and no sign of monsters in any direction."

"Thank you Mikela, and you don't have to call me sir. Percy will do fine."

"Yes sir, I mean, yes Percy." she replied and returned to her duty on overwatch. Mikela Carter was brand new to Camp Half-Blood this summer and Percy had some reservations about having her on this mission. Annabeth wanted someone on the team who was skilled with a bow and also wanted a healer, so they went to the Apollo cabin for their needs. Will Solace, the counselor for the Apollo cabin, assured Annabeth and Percy that Mikela was very skilled despite her age and newness to camp. So along she came.

"There you are!" Annabeth said. Percy turned back around to regard their returned teammate. "You are almost fifteen minutes late. What was keeping you so long?"

"Tracking someone through the woods is an art form," he replied. "You have to take your time or the result is failure." He walked over to his bag and retrieved his canteen of water. Percy looked him up and down. Ren Holland was easily Percy's least favorite member of this team. It wasn't that he was a bad guy. It was just that he was too unpredictable to be relied upon. Ren was a son of Hermes and a veteran of both the Titan war and Giant war. Chiron assigned him to this mission because of his tracking skills. Outside of the Hunters of Artemis there wasn't anyone better. Still that didn't convince Percy that he could be counted on once the fighting started. They would have to rely on Annabeth's strategy and his raw power to get them through this.

"Did you at least find her?" Annabeth asked him.

"Yes, she is a quarter of a mile ahead of us. She is busying herself hacking at trees with her sword."

"Alright then," Annabeth said. "Let's get moving. Does everyone remember their job?"

"I do!" Mikela shouted. "I'm supposed to hang back and fire arrows from a distance. I will take care to hit non-vital areas so we don't injure her to badly. If anyone else gets hurt, I'll be there with the first aid kit."

"Exactly," Annabeth said.

"I'll be going toe to toe with her," Percy said. "Keep up a furious assault to give her no time to deal with anyone else."

"I circle around her," Ren answered. "Cut off any escape and attack from behind." His tone indicated that he didn't entirely agree with the plan.

"Ok good." Annabeth was nodding. "We all know our roles here. The key thing to remember is that she is still our friend and needs our help. We don't want to hurt her too bad." Everyone nodded at that.

"Let's move out then," Percy said. "Ren, lead the way." Ren nodded and headed out towards the forest. Percy pulled out his sword, Riptide, and readied a shield as well. He saw the others getting their weapons ready. Annabeth had two long daggers held at the ready, Mikela was sporting a recurve bow and quiver full of arrows, and Ren had a strange weapon he called a glaive. It was a single edged blade attached to a six foot pole with a spiked counter weight on the other end. Percy ran up to Ren and matched his pace. "Are we gonna have any problems?"

"Not from me you won't." He answered.

"Then why do I get the feeling that you aren't going to go along with the plan?"

"I'll do my job," Ren shot back. "And you will do yours."

"Yes I will." Nothing more was said after that and they walked in silence until they came upon their target. In a clearing in the forest, hacking at a dead tree with her sword, was Clarisse La Rue.