CHAPTER THREE
They soon cross the porch of the big house through Thalia's tree, Peleus (red serpent dragon guarding the Golden Fleece) had grown a lot this past year, and reached half the height of the trunk breathing smoke black soot from his nostrils.
On the other side of the house and inside the portico was sitting in his chair Chiron moving mechanical front of a stool with a chess table and empty chair Mr. D at his side.
I raise a hand to greet peacefully trying to look surprised, which I miss.
Annabeth, Percy ... it's good to have them as early-
We can not help it, I said.
Chiron smiled, his face seemed to have more wrinkles than last year and there were little wrinkled bags under his eyes, he looked like someone who had gone through a crisis.
He worried something mister, I said.
- ... No, why do you ask?! -
There was a slight tone of seriousness in his voice trying to hide, plus they paused before answering, but maybe Percy thought he was not serious, this summer expected at least once everything goes smoothly , no monsters, no dangers ... not crazy and dangerous missions to save Olympus and a premature apocalypse world.
He wanted at least that summer was quiet.
-For nothing-
Annabeth turned to the camp watching the campers who lived throughout the year and some of those who spent their summers here began to walk around, then looked back at Chiron just when one of the ladies checkers move.
-Chiron, you ladies did not play anything?! - Asked.
But Percy was puzzled over the fact that the piece had been moved alone, that the change of board games I had.
-It was the idea of Mr. D-answered.
He said he could not be a better game than this, and asked if he knew Chiron chess.
-You should have seen his expression Chiron said, laughing. -Then he began to investigate more about the game, and ... well the rest history-
Percy saw the black Bishop moved alone and expelled from the board to the white queen of a good blow Chiron putting in check.
I knew you would do that! - Exclaimed triumphantly and then move his rook to his king side pawns and cornered by leaving him in checkmate.
If that game and was great on the big screen, live and direct view was even more great, it was what Percy thought without
-And Mr. D-Percy asked as he watched the black king fell to the ground as if he had been beaten.
I should have gone for days-of Olympus
Percy thought that surely the eternal mountain parties were divinely lit so Dionysus being the god of wine and the party could not miss, and the truth was not in a hurry to see it.
Suddenly a burst of black smoke from the metal chimney coming out of the cabin nine caught his attention.
-Why they'd take a look at Leo asked me. 'I've been watching him the last few months to avoid being all-bust
-We will go step-Percy said.
-Thanks ... Percy-
His voice is now heard wistful.
-Seriously is well sir! -
-That's right, Annabeth said.
Chiron smiled again making sure no problem, but his smile combined with his emaciated state reminded me of an old man comforts a grandson with his smile before he died.
'All right, if you say so
-We Percy told Annabeth.
Listening to Chiron both decided to go to Hephaestus cabin to keep an eye on Leo Valdez, the new signing and one of the demigods who fought last year on Olympus.
The cabin seemed nine future technological strength, reinforced concrete walls that replaced the brick that looked last year and leaving the ceiling fireplaces now seemed large industrial fire tube bouncing dark smoke all the time, the door was the same with gears but now he had added a digital panel with a palm-shaped indentation where each camper posed his way to identify to enter.
And now as we open this?! - Percy asked.
'I ... do not know! - Annabeth said.
On one side of the doorway a small screen with a trio of buttons on its base seemed to serve to call, so I press the middle.
The screen lit up and saw a picture of what appeared to be a workshop and a work table in the background with various electronic waste and scrap metal.
-Hello?! -
- What Hi! -
The brown face peered Leo Valdez quickly causing a small screen printing on both.
-Percy! Annabeth! Nice to see friends! - Responded with animosity.
-Hi Leo, we too glad to see you, Percy replied. -Could you open the door?! Chiron asked us that you waited for us an eye-
- But what they do here in the first place?! - We asked. -Still not summer-
Percy and Annabeth looked incredulous hoping it was another one of his jokes.
-Nah! Just kidding! Then I open-he said trying not to look too nervous which put us doubt whether his sense of time was intact.
After all Leo Valdez had become one of the campers at camp all year, after the battle on Olympus in which discovered the Archimedes secret workshop in Italy along with numerous plans and designs of thousands of inventions of his which he took with him to the camp as their spoils of war, as well as their mysterious and complex areas.
Chiron told us through the cards we sent Leo had unraveled many of the secrets of Archimedes, with which technologies to develop numerous inventions and machines of the cabin, and now that summer is finally going to see how used his confinement in the cabin nine.
For Percy was his first time in the cabin nine am amazed ... At first Annabeth had told him that the cabin was nothing more than the mechanized berths campers and fire tube down to the underground forge of Hephaestus campers , but now the place looked like the inside of a spaceship, power lines, conduits, panels of glossy and white neon lights on the ceiling in front of them now fire tube was an elevator in a glass pipe blindex .
We pressed a button and down, if Percy thought the cabin was impressive had not seen the workshop.
The place is like a hall of engineering saw the film Star Wars, workbenches were deployed from the metal walls clear as the top bunks, and each with compartments above and below them where campers could store your tools, forward and fund the armory of the future seemed a counter that unfolded and folded against the wall, as the compartments of a toolbox.
-Hello! - Leo received them wearing blue overalls with a wrench in hand.
-Leo, as you are?! - Ask Annabeth.
The boy wiped some dirt from the face and hair to look presentable.
-Here working ... - answered. - ... I was beginning development portable armor that takes like a normal garment but is activated with a snap-
-Awesome ... always wanted one, 'said Percy.
I see you've made a couple of changes ... - Annabeth said to Leo interrupts.
-Not only in the cabin nine female voice said beside her.
Nisa, the second counselor in charge approached us, taking up the same monkey that Leo was, only that she had cut the sleeves to his shoulders and had the open front end and a white shirt with v-neck.
-Also in the camp-
-What do you mean?! - Annabeth asked.
-It's better if you see for yourself-Nisa went on to say, then turned to Leo who was beginning to tinker with a couple of screws and a scrap bag of the pockets of his clothes.
-Hey Leo, why do not you go a while to get some fresh air and show them what you've done in recent months
Leo began to babble about ending modern retractable sword and shield invisible, but she came and patted her shoulder convinced him.
Leo gave reason while in a silly smile, the young daughter of Hephaestus turned to his bench not before saying goodbye to him winking with one eye, then this is turned to his friends.
-What was that?! - Le hinted Percy as they walked to the elevator.
Leo smiled as she blushed a little, which thanks to his dark skin did not reveal too much.
-Then I tell-
Annabeth smiled.
After leaving her things at your cabin, the first place they visited was the arena, arriving first thing they noticed was that the practice dummies and practice sandbags had been replaced by mild steel robots with lots of circuits that interconnected their joints, and a head covered with a Greek military helmet and armor on the torso and a sword in his hand, instead of the sandbag had what appeared to be a post with multiple appendages resembling arms and ending in blunt metal blades, but what stood out was a metal cabinet of two meters and a half you may well have a statue inside.
-What's Inside?! - Percy asked.
'You'll see-
As we approached it I saw one of the Hispanic-looking campers, cabin eleven on the pole with sharp arms with his sword and armor of practice, we quickly realized it was Chris Rodriguez who greeted us amicably and quietly put his case and pressed a button on the center pole that looked disinclined straightened and raised his arms ready to attack.
Chris was on his guard, but he gave an order saying "Level One"
Machine soon began to fan her sharp arms to attack mode, but slow and synchronized attack the camper followed with his sword as if choreographed.
'Actually Leo is training-explained. -In itself is for novice campers, has three levels, with the exception of zero in which only defends ... but still perfect when you start with that to handle a sword-
-Amazing-babble Annabeth leering architecture of the machine and trying to understand it.
-Still have not seen anything! - Leo exclaimed excitedly.
- The post is for newbies! - Exclaimed a voice "almost" feminine about them, but my boyfriend insist dominate completely before moving on to this-
Suddenly there came another camper, cottage 5, to the second bone machine the controller, and unfortunately, Percy recognized.
Hello-wimp! - Clarisse said Percy. -Arrive early as always
-Hi Clarisse-I answer without much encouragement. -I also see you said again sarcastically.
He put on his helmet and sword and shield in hand, stood in front of the PLC.
-Hey elf!, As you said it was the command-Leo told us specifically addressing.
-Pankration ... Genia-Leo said.
The son of ares only winced at the comment as if it would capture and then turned and uttered the word, immediately came alive automaton shield and sword raised his advance toward the camper.
-This is for advanced campers-explained Leo as Percy and Annabeth saw the little bout. Unlike post-this can simulate actual combat against an armed opponent, the machine has some moves and fighting style, which is ideal for experienced ... but not for novices-
The achievement ares Camper disarm the statue with a circular motion of his sword, Percy remembered that maneuver as Luke taught five years ago and while the camper was a statue of kneeling with his sword pointed at his neck.
-How about you?! - She directed us.
But the statue immediately hit him with his shield and sword picked our amazement camper and threatened him with this pointing to his chest.
-You forgot to hit him in the chest, genius! - Leo to bother him again.
After venting, Leo babbling a couple of numbers and letters and the controller was deactivated.
Percy wanted to say a compliment but the man stopped him and pointed to the cabin.
- Now came the main course! -
The camper approached a control panel set into the side of the cab and punched a sequence on the board.
With a sound pressure air the floodgates opened displaying a white smoke screen, when Percy and Annabeth dissipated saw as a robot took a heavy step up and out of his small cell.
New Little Cell?. That's because at first glance seemed to be only eight feet, crouched actually as it stood and easily reached three meters in height, your body was made up of several interconnected metal parts with small wires and gears, seemed a mix of big man and a giant fat.
-This thing looks menacing
Leo affirm that that word to describe it fell short. -Want to try?! -
Percy looked surprised, what she meant to try?!. But Valdez suggested he draw his sword, this uncapped Riptide and placed in front of the monster.
-What is special about this Leo?! - Annabeth asked.
Leo said we soon realized that he felt the camp, and is a summer recreation center, was also a training camp to speak with several of the boys during their stay in the past year, and it's all good ... but all the camp kids were mestizo latent desire to demonstrate their skills, and the only way they had was in searches or when fighting in a conflict mythological.
'But with this beauty, and not have to risk his life to face the real world he boasted.
-Percy ... I'm beginning to understand what it is-babble Annabeth
-What do you mean?! - He said. -I do not get it! -
'Do not worry, you'll understand in a moment,' said Leo who left a couple of steps.
Percy watched the giant metal waiting to conduct some movement, but it was Leo who got the word.
-Now Percy, think of a monster-
The last thing the head of Percy thought were the monsters, but the smile confianzuda his friend encouraged him.
'All right, I'm thinking ... in a minotaur! -
The giant began chirping electronic parts and instantly began to move side to side as if to disarm and rearm as a Rubik's Cube or more like a transformer!.
-No ... can be! -
After a few seconds the three-meter giant had become a minotaur very similar to that Percy had beaten twice.
The metal monster dark a vapor exhaled his breath bull nosed on Percy's face.
Then he said he thought of a Cyclops, and immediately disarm and rearm robot to become a cyclops, proved with other monsters like a manticore a lestrigón and dracaneae.
The transformer became each.
-What say Percy?! - Leo said.
-This is great-babble Percy. -Now we can learn new ways of dealing with the monsters-
The robot returned to its original form with a snap of the fingers of Leo.
'Really've done Leo-
Immediately Percy interrupt again, but this this time it was the sound of a horn ...
-So they finally arrived, said Chris aside practiced Post
-This will be interesting, imitating Clarisse said.
Annabeth and Percy were confused but asked that the couple was told to go to the big house with Chiron.
-Our camp will "hits" this year, said both.
The group next headed for the big house as footsteps when they saw a group of five huge birds heading to the same place, when they reached the foot of the small hill where lay the building so centaur Chiron galloped right into the group of shadows marking the landing site of the birds in the back of the big house.
The birds, which closely now recognized as Eagles landed on fresh green grass on top of them seemed to have a kind round saddles large diameter occupying the entire width of the back of the bird and several guys dressed in jeans with purple shirts mounted began to descend.
-Percy ... - Annabeth babbling excitedly.
-Come on! - Prompted him.
When you finally approach the youth group which had the purple shirts printed "SPQR" saw as a young blonde with fair skin and a small scar on the lip down and waved down after helping a girl with dark skin and hair brown with traces of a Cherokee.
-Hello friends! -
Jason replied Grace, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion and camp leader Jupiter and Piper Mclean main cabin counselor and daughter of Aphrodite 10.
Continued ...