3. Camp Hero State Park

After a delicious breakfast that Lexie and Noah cooked, and after everyone showered and got around, we headed to Camp Hero State Park for the music fest. Camp Hero wasn't far, only about a ten minute drive, and we got there early enough to get a good parking space.

"What is this place, exactly?" Noah asked as we walked toward the large open area of the park where the stages were set up. It was several acres of open grass field dotted with shade trees that sat about three hundred yards inland from the bay.

"It used to be the site of the Montauk Air Force Station, believe it or not. Now it's just a public park and recreation area. There's a museum and information center over by the camp grounds. It's pretty neat, especially the conspiracy theory stuff."

Noah's eyebrows shot up. "Conspiracy theory?"

I nodded, "Allegedly, when the Air Force base was open, it was the test site for secret government projects like experimental psychological warfare and time travel. It was called the Montauk Project."

Morgan's eyes widened. "You're kiddin'?"

I shook my head, "Nope. It's actually kinda spooky over by the old abandoned radar stations. Very X-Files."

Lexie rolled her eyes, "You don't actually believe all that top-secret government conspiracies crap, do you?"

"Oh, don't tell me you're a skeptic, daughter of a god."

"Don't tell me you're not."

"Well, yeah," I admitted. "I do think it's a hoax, but it's still interesting."

We walked the grounds, checking out the bands and listening to the wide assortment of music genres. We grabbed corndogs and lemonade from a vender and listened to a band called Flash Nasty play their set. The band was good, the best we'd heard all day.

After Flash Nasty, we stopped by some other stages to hear other artists play anything from heavy metal to country and even saw some amazing pianists. There was also a karaoke stage set up, and when Lexie got up there and sang her heart out, the crowd went wild. Have I mentioned what an amazing singer she was? We were having a great time at the festival and by mid-afternoon, the park was packed with people out enjoying their Saturday.

I'm from Manhattan, so large crowds weren't new to me and never bothered me, but today, the crowd was making me a bit uneasy. I had the strangest feeling we were being watched, and I half expected a group of Harpies to come flying out of nowhere; no doubt they were out looking for us since we'd snuck away from camp.

We were making our way toward the museum, because Noah's curiosity was demanding he investigate the mystery surrounding the park's history, when we came upon one of the old radar stations. It was just a small brick building with a single steel door and an enormous radar dish mounted on the roof. Morgan walked over to the door to the building which was locked with multiple padlocks and deadbolts.

"I wonder what they got in there that needs to be locked up so tight," she said.

"It's probably empty," Lexie said. "I bet they just locked it up to keep nosy kids like you guys out."

"Perhaps I should unlock the door, so you can see what's inside," said a familiar voice from behind us. We turned to see Collin Barka standing there along with his associate Abigail Mason.

I was fairly stunned by their sudden appearance. "You," I gasped.

He grinned, "Hello, Chase. Didn't think I'd forgotten about you, did you?"

"I was hoping," I said. "How'd you know where to find us?"

"As I've said before, our intel is quite reliable and accurate."

"My cousin isn't with you?" Lexie asked, looking around for any sign of Finn.

"Finn's in hiding," Mason answered. "We know your uncle is looking for him, but he'll never find him. We'll make sure of that."

Lexie began to reach for her hairpin, which was actually her bow, when Barka pulled his pistol. "Don't move," he snapped, pointing the gun at her. He had a furious look on his face. No doubt he was pissed at Lexie for electrocuting him last summer.

"I'm not afraid of you," Lexie snarled, still going for her bow. "I've taken you down before, and I can do it again."

Barka adjusted his aim, now pointing the barrel of the pistol toward Morgan.

"Lexie," Noah pleaded. "Please, don't."

Lexie lowered her hand with the threat now on Morgan.

"Back away from the door," Barka ordered.

Having no choice, we did as he said. Mason pulled a key ring from her pocket and began unlocking the door while Barka held us at gunpoint.

"You got a key to a military compound?" Morgan gaped at Mason.

"In addition to intel, we also have extensive resources," she said as she opened the door. She pulled a flashlight from her tactical belt and shined it into the compound. The light revealed a dark stairwell leading underground.

"In," Barka waved us into the compound. Mason led the way, we followed, and Barka brought up the rear. We were led through another steel door and into a large room that looked strangely like the transporter room from an old episode of Star Trek.

"Where are we?" Noah asked.

Barka didn't answer Noah's question, but instead ordered us onto an elevated platform in the center of the dark room. Barka flipped a switch on a computer console that looked like it was left over from the 1980s, and the computer screen lit up.

"As you know," Barka began. "We've been trying to eradicate you troublesome demigods and uncooperative legacies for some time now, but it just hasn't been working out like we'd hoped."

"Outta your league?" Morgan taunted.

"Perhaps," Barka said without skipping a beat. "As much as you campers hate to admit it, the gods look out for you, which gives you an advantage over us, and in turn, we've had to adjust our strategy for destroying you."

"And just how do you plan to destroy us?" I asked.

"Easy," he grinned. "I'm simply going to let you destroy yourselves."

Barka pressed a button on the computer's keyboard, and a light began to glow from above the platform we were standing on. The four of us were bathed in a shimmering gold light, and Barka and Mason stood near the door watching. I tried to move, bolt from the platform, but it was like the light itself was molasses, and my movements were in slow motion. The light suddenly became white and blinding, then I blacked out.

I was the first to wake, and I had no idea how long I'd been out. I got my bearings and realized I was still on the platform where Barka and Mason had left us. The room was dark except for the faint light from the computer screen, and I could see that Barka and Mason were gone.

I woke Lexie, Noah, and Morgan, who were all very groggy, and it took them a while to get their wits about them. Whatever that bright light was, it sure did a number on our senses.

"What the hell happened?" Morgan asked as Noah helped her to her feet.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "But I think we just got whammied by the Rebellion."

"Let's get out of here, guys," Lexie said. "I feel like I'm going to black out again if I don't get some air."

Luckily we hadn't been locked in, and once outside, the fresh air did seem to clear my fuzzy head, but it didn't ease my mind a bit.

"Something's not right," I said as I looked at my surroundings. We were still at Camp Hero, but the park was empty. There were no people, no stages and bands; even the museum that should've been clearly visible from where I was standing was gone. It was beyond strange.

"Where'd everybody go?" Morgan asked, apparently making the same observation I had.

"My gods," Lexie gasped. "How long were we out? You don't think we were out for days, do you?"

"I don't know," I said. "But something's definitely off."

Noah shrugged, "I wonder if something or someone might be manipulating the Mist."

"Let me check," Lexie said.

"Check?" I asked. I didn't know she could do that.

She closed her eyes and waved a hand slowly and fluidly in front of her. When she opened her eyes, she said, "I sense no disturbance."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "What was that, Obi-Wan?"

Morgan hooked a thumb toward Lexie. "The Force is strong with this one."

"Can you teach me to do that?" I asked Lexie.

She shook her head, "Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because you can't do it. You have to be a demigod to do tricks with the Mist."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I sometimes forgot that I wasn't actually a demigod. I was around so many of them, that I kind of felt like one of them.

"Come on, guys," Noah said. "Let's get out of here before something else happens."

We walked to the parking lot where I left my Jeep, and it was empty. Completely empty. "Where's my Jeep?" I asked no one in particular.

Morgan laughed, "They stole your Jeep, CJ."

"My mom is going to kill me."

"What now?" Noah asked.

"Looks like we're hitchhiking," Lexie said, and we took off walking down the highway that led back to the beach house, which was ten miles away.

A nice man in an old two-tone Chevy pick-up gave us a ride in the bed of the truck and dropped us off about half a mile from my parent's beach house. We walked the rest of the way, but as we got closer, I got more and more confused. Nothing looked the same.

"Are we in the right place?" Lexie asked. "Nothing looks familiar to me."

"Me either," I said. "But this is the right road."

We walked a little farther, and when the beach house should've been in view, all we saw was an old, run-down shack that looked like it was about to fall apart.

"We're lost," Morgan sounded exasperated.

"No, we're not lost," I said. "But something's definitely not right. Lexie are you sure there's nothing going on with the Mist?"

She checked again. "It feels normal. There are no ripples or anything."

"It's got to be something. I mean, look-the whole landscape has changed."

"You think this has something to do with what Barka did to us back at the park?" Noah asked.

I shrugged, "Maybe."

"Let's go back to camp. We should tell Chiron about all this," Lexie suggested.

"How are we gonna get back to camp?" Morgan asked. "We ain't got a car, and I ain't walkin' half-way across Long Island."

"Well, Morgan," I said. "It looks like it's your lucky day."

"How so?" she asked.

"Let's go find you a car to steal."

Her eyes glittered, and she pumped her fist. "Yes."

AN: These first few chapters have been short-shorter than I prefer, but chapters are about to get a lot longer. -dmac