Author's Note: Unlike the actual Percy Jackson books-and perhaps many of the PJO fanfics on here- this story really brings out a darker side of the world of Camp Half Blood. I will try to keep the comedic charm of the series in it, but it will get dark. Just a warning. Also, I apologize, as I made the name of the chapter the same name as the story mistakenly. Anyway, this is my first time writing a Percy Jackson fanfic, and I hope whoever reads it likes it! Leave a review with how you like the first chapter and perhaps your insights on the rest of the story. ~Klug~

"We have to get to him soon," Percy whispered in my ear. "If we don't get to him soon, we may miss our chance. We can't risk waiting to try and kill him any longer. Every day that passes, they grow stronger."

"I realize that," I grumbled. "Why don't you just do your sea water thing and drown them all?"

Percy shook his head. "I can't. It's too risky. It would take too much energy to get the water all the way up here, we're too far inland, and we don't want to give them time to retaliate. We just want to kill Chad and get out of here."

I looked down at my bow. I already had the arrow locked in-this bow wasn't your stick and a string of the old days- and there was no way this baby could miss. I had used my magic to engrave Chad's name into the side of the arrow. When you do this correctly by magic, the arrow, once fired, will not miss. I had then dipped the arrow in a jar of poison that I kept in my backpack at all times. Just to be safe.

In the event that we would have to fight our way out-which was very possible- I had my two 2 foot long Celestial Bronze knives on me, disguised as guitar picks, ready for use if need be. Of course, Percy had Riptide with him. Fortunately, Annabeth, Clarisse, Connor Stoll, and Sean were on standby, ready to pick us up once the job was done. Or if things got nasty. Hopefully they wouldn't get nasty.

Percy motioned to me and we moved out of our position in the huge, leafy trees. Chad's army of demigods was stationed throughout the woods, hiding in the darkness, both from monsters and Camp Half Blood alike. We knew for a fact, after days of surveillance, that Chad and his second in commands were stationed near us. We had spotted him with binoculars only minutes before. As we moved in, weapons in hand, we saw a couple of Chad's demigods. They all had long hair and scowls on their faces. Percy pushed me behind a big grey rock that would shield us from their eyes. We hid in silence as they passed us, and we caught a bit of their conversation.

"Why do we have to do so much patrolling? Those Camp Half Blood dunces will never find us." One of them, beady eyed, black hair, and a fat, squashed nose said.

"Shut up. They could've followed us here from New York." The other kid said. He was tall, a lanky, greasy haired dude with a paranoid look in his eyes.

"I'm just sayin' it's possible…" The other kid complained.

The two kids moved on. Percy and I came out from behind the rock after we were sure nobody would see us again.

"That was close," I muttered. Percy shook his head in agreement. We jogged towards the tents that we knew belonged to Chad and his second in commands. As we got there, we saw Chad conversing with one of them. I had never seen Chad up close before, and I peered out of the ditch we dropped ourselves into to get a look at him.

He looked about 16. He had dirty blonde hair that was choppily cut and uneven. His eyebrows were creepily small, yet bushy in some weird way. He had pale brown eyes that looked both knowledgeable and crazy at the same time. He was skinny and lean from being on the run for most of his life. His clothes were nearly the same as every other half blood I had seen that followed him, a black sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. I couldn't hear what he was saying to the other kid, but it looked like he was lecturing him or something.

"That's Chad?" I said. Percy nodded.

"Any idea what his parentage is?" I asked.

Percy sighed. "No. We have no idea."

I thought it was absurd that this had happened. How was it possible that they had never figured out his parentage? Or that he even existed? That any of these kids existed? It was crazy. It seemed crazy.

Just then, I saw Chad get up and start to walk into his tent. Percy sat up. "It's time," He said gravely. I knew that he didn't like the idea of trying to kill other half bloods as much-maybe even more- than anyone else did. "Take the shot."

I raised my bow, took aim, and started to let the arrow fly.

I opened my eyes and saw the familiar outline of the ceiling in my bedroom. Sitting up and shaking my head, I thought about that crazy dream I had just had. I had been about to kill someone, I nearly shot him with an arrow. And that kid, Percy… It was all so weird. We were both acting like we were in a war. Not like my usual dreams. Not that I ever dreamt much, anyway, but when I did dream, I got chased around by Bowser from Mario because me and some guy from Disney Channel tried to get me to rob a bank with him. My dreams are weird, but that one was just crazy. It seemed almost, real. Too real.

I shook my hair around for a second, and then got out of bed. What was today? Sunday? Wednesday? No, Thursday. Oh joy. I hate Thursdays. You have to go to school, first of all, and it's like the place is mocking you, like "Haha, you only have one more day until the weekend, but until then, this place is going to be Hell on earth for you." Not only that, but it was winter. February 20, to be exact. I had to trudge through the foot and a half of snow that the sky had oh- so graciously given us last week to my bus stop, which I dreaded. Why couldn't I just stay home and play my guitar all day?

I sat there for a few minutes, knowing that I didn't need to get up and take a shower for at least two more minutes. For some reason, I couldn't get my mind off that dream. No, not dream, my conscience kept telling me. Vision. No. That was stupid. I wasn't psychic. People don't have visions, they have dreams. Right?

I shook my head and tried to stop thinking about it, but the thing seemed to get permanently stuck in my brain. Whatever.

My mom burst in to the room. "Jake!" She said. "Hurry up, get in the shower, you only have twenty minutes to catch the bus!"

"Crap," I muttered. I got out of bed, took a shower, put on my Red Sox hat, got dressed, and went out into the kitchen. As I was eating my cereal, I heard a noise coming from the sink. The faucet was running. I stood up and looked over to the left where the sink was. The water coming from the faucet was making a mist, and it was filling all throughout the room. And I saw a face-a teenager's face, about 16 or so, with black hair and green eyes. It was eerily familiar. But just as soon as I saw the face, it disappeared. I had a strong urge to pinch myself, to see if I was still dreaming.

It couldn't have been, but I wanted to get out of my house and outside. I needed to think, because that suspicion was growing. As I headed out of the house, my mind was swirling. I knew something was about to happen, but I didn't know what.

Because I had a feeling that the face I had just seen was connected with my dream. And my whole world was about to take a hit. Hard.