AN: OMG the big 1 oh. The tenth chapter is finally here. Please review. I am hoping for at least 3 reviews for this chapter. Thanks to Allen r and stephanlongboard for reviewing so fast. I really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.
They sprinted up the hill, gasping and panting.
"Come on Percy!" Annabeth breathed. Percy just nodded. They had been running for 2 miles already and Percy was now constantly tripping over his own feet. They were metres from the boundary line when Percy fell flat on his face. The hell hound stood atop him growling menacingly. Annabeth drew her dagger and stabbed its face. The monster disappeared and Percy breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks Annabeth." He said getting to his feet.
"Percy look out!" Annabeth yelled. Percy spun around swinging his sword wildly, disintegrating an Empousa. The hell hounds attack had given the other monsters time to catch up to them and they were now encircled by various monsters. There was a circle of hellhounds, a circle of Empousa, a Cyclops or two and a single dracnae. Cut off from camp Percy and Annabeth stood back to back and attacked. Soon the air was filled with dust as monsters disintegrated. A horn sounded and Percy and Annabeth looked up startled. The entire Apollo cabin was standing on the hill above them; every one of them was armed with a bow and arrow. Not a single camper had stepped a foot over the boundary line. The arrows came streaming towards them and Percy activated his watch shield. He and Annabeth ducked behind it as the arrows hit their targets. After a minute or so they emerged from behind the shield and saw that every monster was gone. Wasting no time they hurried up the hill and crossed the boundary line. The campers all surrounded them and started talking at once.
"What's going on?"
"Why can't we leave camp without being attacked?"
"Why were there so many monsters, this time?"
Annabeth cleared her throat and the talking stopped.
"We don't know yet, but that's why we're here. Where's Will?" She asked the campers. One of the girls stepped forward.
"Will and the other cabin leaders are in the big house." She said. Annabeth nodded and grabbed Percy's hand.
"Come one Seaweed brain. We need to go to the big house, now." She muttered pulling him towards the big house. Percy stumbled along. He looked around at the camp. Everything was still how it should be. No cabins on fire, no buildings destroyed or even monsters out of the forest. He sighed and tried to shake off the feeling that something was out of place. Annabeth opened the front door and walked through into the main room. She could hear shouting from, she assumed, the rec room, where the meeting was being held. Tugging Percy along she walked over and into the rec room. The campers fell silent and the arguing stopped.
"Welcome back Annabeth, Percy." Chiron smiled warmly at them.
"About time you two showed up." Clarisse snapped. "What took you so long?"
"We were in California." Percy replied. He sat down at the Poseidon cabin chair while Annabeth sat on the arm. Chiron smiled.
"Well, you're here now. Annabeth I assume you have a theory as to why campers can't leave without a monster showing up?" Chiron asked. Annabeth nodded grimly.
"We believe that all demigods have been tagged. The ones that have been the most effected, by the tagging, are the more powerful ones and the campers." Annabeth suggested.
"How could we have been tagged and not know?" Travis Stoll asked.
"We believe that it has to be something at camp that tagged us. Whether it was in the food or even just slathered on the rock climbing wall." Annabeth theorized. Travis nodded.
"But you two have been away for weeks and you seem to have attracted the largest number of monsters." Connor Stoll argued. Percy nodded, but Katie answered.
"Think about it, Connor. They're the most powerful demigods out there. They defeated Kronos!" Katie explained. Annabeth sighed.
"Why do people keep brining that up?" She asked. Percy laughed and gently shoved her. She shoved him back and before anyone knew it they were in the middle of a shoving war. Annabeth almost tipped over the chair before they realised that the other cabin leaders were staring at them with a mixture of amused to annoyed faces. They both blushed.
"Back to the point here." Clarisse snapped. "So you think that we have all been 'tagged'. What does that even mean?"
"It means that whenever a camper is out of the boundary lines every monster will be attracted towards them. " Annabeth explained. Clarisse nodded.
"Why do you think that?" Rachel Dare asked. Annabeth smiled at her, then frowned and told the other demigods about her dream. She left out the part about her family being in trouble and the strange voice she had heard in her head. After she was done the other campers immediately began to talk. Annabeth ignored them all and turned to Percy. He smiled at her and grabbed her hand, squeezing it. Annabeth smiled back and slid closer to him. He leaned towards her ear and whispered.
"Are you going to tell them about your dad?" He asked. She shook her head. Then her eyes suddenly lit up and she turned towards Chiron.
"Have any new campers arrived yet?" She asked him. Chiron studied her face and nodded.
"Yes. There have been three new campers this week. They and the satyr accompanying them arrived safely." He told her. She nodded back at him thinking.
"Have you heard from any of the demigods that go home for the school year?" She asked. Shiron nodded again.
"Yes. I Iris-messaged them yesterday and they weren't having any problems." Chiron said. Annabeth's brow creased.
"What cabins were they from?" She asked. Chiron frowned slightly.
"The four campers were from the Hecate, Nemesis, Hypnos and Nike cabins. What are you thinking child?" He prompted. Annabeth frowned.
"They must only be targeting camp and the more powerful and well known demigods first." Annabeth stated. "Have you spoken to any of the huntresses of Artemis lately?"
Chiron shook his head. "We have not spoken to the huntresses lately. They do not keep in regular contact with this camp." Annabeth nodded.
"Maybe they have been tagged as well." Annabeth offered. Chiron shook his head.
"Artemis herself prepares their food. I'm sure she would have noticed anything amiss." He said.
"So we're tagged. What do we do about it?" Katie asked. Annabeth sighed.
"I don't know." She said. Percy hugged her and she smiled at him. "Maybe my siblings can help. I'll go see them now."
She stood up and left the room. Percy sighed and watched her.
"Percy, Can I have a word." Chiron asked wheeling himself out of the room. Percy nodded and followed him out. Once out on the balcony Chiron turned to face him.
"Is there something more to Annabeth's dream?" He asked. Percy bit his lip and hesitated.
"I don't think that Annabeth wants to share." He said. Chiron frowned, but nodded.
"Congratulations Percy." He said. Percy stared at him mystified and Chiron chuckled.
"On your engagement with Annabeth," He explained. Percy grinned.
"Thanks sir." He said. "I'll go find her now."
Percy ran off towards the Athena cabin and Chiron watched him, smiling softly to himself.