Still don't own P.J…

Pike

The camp had changed a lot since Pike had last been there. This included a dragon guarding Thalia's tree and a lot more huts than he remembered. As Pike hardly knew anybody – though he did remember a few from when they were smaller – his face brightened up, when he spotted Chiron.

"Chiron! Great to finally see a familiar face."

"Pike? What are you doing here? Gods, you've grown."

"Was hopin' to see some old friends, actually. Does Mark still come by?"

Chiron's face went grim.

"Mark died. Fell while defending the camp."

"Gods! What about Richie?"

"Dead."

"Harry?"

"Dead."

"What about Julia?"

"Dead."

"And Paula?"

"Ah, she swings by as often as she can. With her new job at Wall Street that's not too often though."
Gosh, that was depressing!

"Seems the only old friends I'm visiting here is you."

Chiron looked at him. Into him. Pike hated it when he did that. Even though he'd only been staying at the camp for a few years and he'd been gone for ages (figuratively), he was an open book to Chiron.

"Pike, you didn't come here to visit any friends, did you?"

Was that suspicion in his voice? Pike shot a quick look to Percy, but he was in a heated debate with another camper about the ranking of food. Apparently Percy liked blue food? Americans are weird.

"No," he admitted, "I need to speak to Mr D."

"Aha, why exactly?"

"After I left camp and went back to England I kept an eye open for anything unusual. About a week ago I heard some disturbing rumours."

"You're winded up because of some rumours? That's very unlike you."

"These aren't the kind people just imagine. These might just be true. I won't go into detail here, but I'm tellin' you: the danger comes from within Olympus, or at least somebody very close to the 12. That's why I'm warning everybody one by one."

Pike could see Chiron was fully serious now. He believed him.

"That's a scary thought. Anything else I should know?"

"This is about revenge. That's all I can tell you right now. Watch you're back, Chiron. Protect the camp."

Pike saw Percy approaching.

"And don't trust nobody."

"What are you two talking about?" Percy asked.

"Just exchanging anecdotes from back in the day."

"Cool. Pike, do you want me to give you a tour through the camp? I imagine a lot has changed, since you last visited."

"Sure, mate. Thanks."

As Percy was going ahead Pike turned to Chiron one last time.

"Tell Mr D I'll come by after dinner."

After dinner, as soon as he could, Pike slipped away and made his way to the main house. He knocked on Dionysus' office.

"Come in."

"Good evening."

"And a very pleasant evening to you, Pierce Thatcher."

Pike sighed. Gods never change.

"It's Pike Fletcher, Mr D."

"Same difference."

Dionysus walked across the room and picked a bottle of wine from the shelf.

"Wine?"

"No, thank you. I came here to talk."

"And my many, many years of experience taught me the two don't exclude each other."

"Point taken."

"So, Pierce, Chiron tells me you came here to warn me? Of some possible danger? Are you here to amuse me with news about the Executioner?"

Pike sipped his glass and smiled.

"No."

"No?"

"No. I already told Chiron everything I know on that matter. I came here to ask you a question."

Dionysus raised his glass to his lips. As soon as the wine came into contact with him it turned into soda. Nevertheless he took a sip.

"And that would be?"

"How would you like seeing your mother's murderer dead?"

Dionysus spit out his soda. Not very godly.

"Are you a fool," he hissed, "to think you could overthrow Zeus?"

"Well I wasn't talking about the Big Man, now was I?"

Pike stepped closer to the god. The god had calmed down again and was staring straight ahead.

"We both know he might have technically killed your mother, but the fault lies with somebody entirely else. Somebody who has been making other people's lives hell on earth for long enough, don't you think?"

"Aha. If I may ask: How do you intend to kill this person?"

"Oh I've got my ways. But I am going to need your support."

Dionysus snapped out of his numbness.

"And why," he asked sharply, "would I give you that?"

"Because the gods made the humans. And, like it or not, we have some things in common. We both have an appetite for sex, violence, wine…"

Pike took another sip.

"…and vengeance. What I'm trying to say is that I know what you want. It's a fair deal, really. Justice for a favour."

Dionysus looked into his glass of soda, lost in thoughts. His eyes, normally so dreary, were focused and his mind was clearly working on full speed.

"I assume you have a plan that deals with Zeus?"

Pike nodded.

"Well? What do you need me to do?"