Outside of Camp J on Caldecott tunnel…
"You're Nico di Angelo." I said. He looked at me surprised.
"Yes. How did you know?" he asked.
"I've heard of you. I also saw a glimpse of you on Olympus after Typhon."
"And you are…?" He asked. I sniffed teasingly.
"I feel so offended. I've heard of you and yet…" I grinned. "You haven't heard of me."
"I'm sorry?" he said, confused and apologetic.
"I'll give you one hint, since I got one too." I pointed my finger in a gun shape and pointed them at Nico. "Bang, you're dead." I said, 'shooting' him.
His eyes widened. "You're the Assassin."
"And ten points to the boy in black." I said. Seth frowned.
"So why are you called Emer?"
"Being called Athenia wouldn't really be easy to explain to Romans, when mom's a virgin goddess." I responded.
"I'm sorry. New kid here. Who is Nico di Angelo?" Seth asked.
"Him, duh." I pointed to Nico. Seth rolled his eyes.
"I am the son of Hades, the ambassador of Pluto. I am the Ghost king. I am over seventy years old, and I dragged my father into the Second Titan War. Who are you?" He asked. I didn't know if he meant to be intimidating, but even I felt a little welmed by the cryptic way of speaking Nico had.
"This is Seth." I said.
"I am Seth." Seth repeated.
"He is Seth." Nico agreed.
"Back to the point here." I said, shaking off my next '- is Seth'. "How do you know Luka?"
"Luka Ravenwood?"
"Yes."
"Come with me." We walked into San Francisco, and stopped in front of an appliance store. The channel 9 news was on. And so was Luka. My eyes widened. My mouth dropped.
"-And back to the case that has been rocking the nation. It's been four months since Luka Smith Ravenwood was found at the scene of the crime. Authorities still won't disclose certain details, but as far as Today's Investigates Team is concerned. Luka Smith Ravenwood is guilty of killing seven-year-old Cheyenne Taylor in her own home, right here in San Francisco."
What?
Luka was caught. Luka had been arrested.
What?
"-Ravenwood was found at the scene of the crime, blood on his hands. Though Ravenwood still to this day claims that he did not kill her, all the evidence points to him. His trial is scheduled for ten days from now, and with the support of the girl family and her town, and more than half the nation, damning evidence and a prosecutor lawyer who won't quit. The odds are against him. This is Kim Demble telling you that you can be safe at night with these killers behind bars. Good night." She signed off, and the next trending news article was if some child actress had ruined her innocence by watching a tape of her father and some other actress during a movie.
This could not be happening.
"Athenia, are you ok?" Seth asked. Nico looked at me as well, not sure if there was worry in his eyes or not.
"I'm fine. I-" I turned to Nico. "Do you know where they are keeping him?" I asked.
"Do I look like his keeper?" He asked.
"Please," I asked him, "tell me where he is, or where I can find out?"
"Just walk into the police office. They'll tell you where to find him." Nico added.
We walked to the nearest police station. It didn't even occur to me to cover my face or something (I'd been arrested before, but never convicted.).
"Do you know where Luka Ravenwood is?" I asked the lady at the desk. She frowned.
"Good morning to you too, random stranger." She sniffed.
"Do you know what precinct Luka Smith Ravenwood is in?" She rolled her eyes, and gave me directions. Nico shook his head.
"No way." He said. "Not coming. You want to go on a wild goose chase for a demigod who is obviously is guilty of killing a little girl."
"How do you know that she wasn't a monster?"
"Because she has an autopsy. She didn't turn to dust."
"Then he was framed."
"How can you be so sure?" Nico asked.
"Because I know him." I told Nico. "And as much of a good fighter and murderer as he is, he wouldn't kill a human." Not like I would. Nico shrugged.
"Fine. Goodbye Assassin, Seth. I hope we meet again," he thought about it for a second, "or maybe not. You are the Assassin after all." He smiled before I nodded.
"Until we meet again, Ghost King." I told him. He nodded again, and we watched him shadow-travel into the night.
"Woah." Seth said, as he disappeared. "How'd he do that?"
"It's called shadow-traveling, I'll tell you about it on the way."
