IX
HAZEL
Hazel felt as if she lost all control over her body. As she slid to the floor, letting out a bloodcurdling scream, she marvelled at her own lung capacity. Her legs and arms struck out, hurting her as much as they hurt poor Annabeth, who took a kick to the head and fell back, stunned.
Soon, Frank rushed to her. She tried to stop herself; but it was almost like as if she was possessed by an eidolon. She kicked him in the stomach, then punched him when he held down her legs. Annabeth pinned down her arm. She screamed internally, as she tried to fight this force that was taking over her.
Then, Percy rushed in, struggling into a shirt. He seemed confused when Annabeth told him to take her arms but did it when Frank shouted at him. She saw Annabeth pouring nectar down her throat, and all went black; a searing pain in Hazel's chest.
She woke up in a large room that looked like a workshop. Inside, it was dark but something was radiating a glow, like Celestial Bronze. She pushed away the sheet in front of her and saw-Festus? She had only seen him once before in this form, back when Leo had 'kidnapped' Gaia from the battlefield. She saw two motionless figures on a table in front of Festus. One hunched over the other.
She walked over to Festus, careful to avoid the wreckage that had been strewn over the floor, probably when he crashed through the roof. She walked around him to get to the two people, suspense filling her. As she reached them, she saw that it was a boy and a girl. The girl lay face-first on the boy's back. She was beautiful, despite the large scratch running across her face. She wore jeans and a plain white T-shirt. Hazel tried to pull her off the boy, whom she was sure was Leo but her hands passed through the girl. Reeling back, she realised she was in a dream and could not touch anyone.
She lay down on the table, manoeuvring herself as to be able to see the boy's face. Her chest still ached, but she forced herself further down to see the boy. He had curly black hair, much of which was singed. He had Latino features. Hazel choked back a sob. Bruises were forming on his face and blood caked his forehead. But she had recognised him. Leo.
She realised just how much like his great-grandfather he looked. Her first heartthrob, Sammy Valdez. She felt like crying, though out of pain or happiness she didn't know. Leo hadn't died in the fireball as he had made everyone believe. But he could be dead now.
She noticed him moving a bit, his chest heaving. She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and cradled his face in her shadowy hands. "I will find you, Leo Valdez. And when I do, you'll wish you hadn't tricked me." she spoke aloud, though she was sure Leo couldn't have heard her.
She walked out of the warehouse, hoping to find some clue as to where it was. She reached the door but found it burned and charred, the locks permanently shut. She closed her eyes and drifted through the door. Well, she guessed, there were certain perks to being a ghost. She glided across the ground, until she reached a signboard. 'San Jacinto County', it read. So Leo was in Texas.
Suddenly, the world around her shifted. She felt nauseous and collapsed to her knees. She felt herself returning to her body, a faint voice saying "Stop him, Hazel. You have to stop him." "Dad?" Hazel whispered, recognising Pluto's voice.
All of a sudden, she was back in the motel room, lying on the floor. Hundreds of precious stones lay around her, covering the carpet. A strange smell clung to her throat and nose, like burning flesh. She turned her head weakly and saw- Oh gods! Frank was grabbing Annabeth by the neck, pulling her up off the floor. She clawed at his hands and pleaded with him, but he turned a deaf ear. Hazel turned her head and saw Percy lying across the wooden table, blood covering his face. She groaned. Why did everyone have to be lying on a table with bloody faces?!
"Stop him, Hazel!" the faint voice spoke again. She turned back to Frank. Annabeth's lips were turning blue, her movements less strong now. She flailed weakly in Frank's iron grip. "Frank!" Hazel tried to shout, but what came out was a whimper, barely audible. She still wasn't strong enough. "Frank, please." Annabeth whispered but Frank continued choking her.
Hazel pushed herself off the floor, her weak muscles straining. But it was too late, Annabeth went limp and fell out of Frank's grip, her eyes fluttering and then closing; her entire face blue. "No." Hazel whimpered. Frank turned around. His look of loathing was gone, replaced by a look of shock at seeing Hazel.
"Ha- Hazel?" he said weakly. She felt like shouting at him, hitting him; but could not even move. She felt herself falling and Frank rushed to catch her.
